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Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an agreement to end the war involving Iran, according to the State Department.

In a statement released after the meeting, the State Department said Rubio thanked Qatar for its cooperation and partnership on multiple regional matters.

“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed US support for Qatar’s defense, and the importance of continued close coordination to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East.”

The State Department’s announcement came shortly after an Axios report revealed that Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with the Qatari premier in Miami as negotiations continue over a possible framework to end the conflict with Iran.

Axios, citing two sources familiar with the talks, reported that Qatar has emerged as a major intermediary between Washington and Tehran as both sides negotiate over a one-page memorandum intended to halt the fighting and open the door to more comprehensive negotiations.

As of Saturday afternoon, according to Axios, American officials were still waiting for Iran’s latest reply to the proposal.

The report added that although Pakistan has officially served as the mediator between the United States and Iran since the war began, Qatari officials have been heavily involved behind the scenes. U.S. officials reportedly view Doha as particularly effective in communicating with Iranian leaders.

Sources familiar with the discussions said Saturday’s meeting centered largely on efforts to finalize a memorandum of understanding that could formally end the war.

One source told Axios that Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are all coordinating diplomatic pressure in support of an agreement, saying, “The mediators are urging both parties to de-escalate and focus on getting a deal.”

Rubio said Friday that Washington was expecting a response from Tehran regarding the proposed negotiations and warned that any Iranian effort to interfere with shipping through a major international waterway would be considered “unacceptable.”

Later Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters that the administration was still awaiting Iran’s answer to the American proposal aimed at ending the war.

When asked whether he believed Iran was deliberately dragging out the process, Trump responded, “We’ll find out soon enough.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was still reviewing the American proposal and would announce its official position once internal deliberations were complete. He added that Iran would not allow outside deadlines or ultimatums to influence its decision-making process.

{Matzav.com}

Authorities investigating the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a South American cruise have identified the first known victim as Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord, whose lifelong passion for birdwatching may have exposed him to the fatal virus.

Schilperoord, 70, and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord, 69, had been traveling throughout South America for roughly five months before both became ill and died. The couple began their trip in Argentina on Nov. 27 before continuing through Chile and Uruguay and eventually returning to Argentina in late March for what became their final birdwatching excursion.

The Schilperoords, residents of the Dutch village of Haulerwijk, were identified through memorial notices published in their local community magazine.

The pair shared a longstanding interest in ornithology and had written together about pink-footed geese for the Dutch birding publication Het Vogeljaar in 1984. Over the years, they traveled extensively in pursuit of rare species, including what was described as an “unforgettable” private wildlife and birdwatching trip to Sri Lanka in 2013, during which they enthusiastically documented spotting the elusive Serendib Scops Owl.

After returning to Argentina on March 27, the couple visited a massive landfill located several miles outside the southern city of Ushuaia.

Though local residents largely avoid the garbage-strewn site, it has become a destination for international birdwatchers seeking sightings of the white-throated caracara, also known as Darwin’s caracara after Charles Darwin, who first collected the species.

Investigators in Argentina believe the couple may have contracted the virus there after inhaling contaminated particles from the droppings of long-tailed pygmy rice rats, known carriers of the Andes strain of hantavirus. That strain is considered especially dangerous because it is the only known form capable of spreading from person to person.

“It is common for birdwatchers to visit landfills because there are many birds there,” Gastón Bretti, a photographer and local guide told Ansa Latina.

“It’s a mountain of waste that today far exceeds the limit initially established by the authorities,” he said of the unsightly place.

On April 1, just days after the landfill visit, the couple boarded the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius in Ushuaia along with 112 other passengers, many of whom were scientists or birdwatchers.

Leo Schilperoord reportedly developed symptoms including fever, headaches, stomach pain, and diarrhea on April 6. He died aboard the vessel five days later.

Mirjam later disembarked from the ship together with her husband’s body during a scheduled stop at the Atlantic island of Saint Helena on April 24. She then traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she attempted to board a KLM flight back to the Netherlands.

According to reports, airline personnel determined she was too ill to continue traveling and removed her from the flight. She collapsed at the airport and died the following day.

“Like birds in flight,” read one of the obituaries published in Dutch in the April issue of the Haulerwijk magazine. “We will miss you and the stories.”

Health officials are continuing to monitor potential exposure cases connected to the cruise. At least seven Americans who had traveled aboard the MV Hondius were reportedly on Mirjam Schilperoord’s April 25 Airlink flight to Johannesburg before returning to the United States, including two residents of New Jersey.

{Matzav.com}

Iran raised fresh doubts Saturday about the credibility of American diplomatic efforts following renewed naval confrontations in the Persian Gulf, while continuing to withhold a formal response to Washington’s latest ceasefire and negotiation proposal.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he expected Tehran’s answer to the latest American proposal for extending the fragile truce and beginning broader peace negotiations, saying the response was expected “supposedly tonight.”

As of Saturday, however, no public indication had emerged that Iran had delivered a reply through Pakistani mediators, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi openly questioned Washington’s commitment to diplomacy during a conversation with Turkey’s foreign minister.

“The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy,” he said, according to an Iranian account of the call published by the ISNA news agency.

The comments followed a confrontation Friday in which a U.S. warplane fired upon and disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers that American officials accused of violating the naval blockade surrounding Iranian ports.

An Iranian military official later told domestic media outlets that Iran’s navy had answered “to American terrorism with strikes” and that “the clashes have now ceased”.

The latest exchange came after another escalation overnight Thursday into Friday near the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic shipping route that Iran has sought to dominate in order to impose fees on foreign vessels and gain economic leverage over the United States and allied countries.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Friday that it was “unacceptable” for Tehran to control the vital oil corridor.

The United States has delivered a proposal to Iran through Pakistani intermediaries seeking to prolong the Gulf ceasefire and create space for negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that began 10 weeks ago following joint American-Israeli strikes against Iran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Friday that Tehran was still reviewing the proposal, according to ISNA.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also met Friday in Washington with Vice President JD Vance, where the two discussed Pakistan-led mediation efforts aimed at securing a long-term settlement.

Iran has targeted locations inside Qatar during the conflict, citing the country’s hosting of a major American military air base.

Meanwhile, satellite imagery revealed a growing oil slick near Iran’s Kharg Island, one of the Islamic Republic’s main oil export hubs.

The cause of the spill was not immediately known. Monitoring organization Orbital EOS estimated that the slick, located off the island’s western shoreline, stretched across more than 20 square miles.

A British-based environmental monitoring group, the Conflict and Environment Observatory, told AFP that by Saturday the spill had significantly diminished and may have originated from damaged oil infrastructure.

Kharg Island serves as a central pillar of Iran’s oil export economy and is located in the Persian Gulf north of the Strait of Hormuz.

After the war erupted on February 28, Iran largely shut down traffic through the strait, sending global energy markets into turmoil and sharply increasing oil prices. In response, the United States later established its own naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.

Trump announced Sunday that the U.S. military would launch a naval mission intended to reopen the waterway for commercial shipping, though he reversed course two days later and instead opted to pursue renewed diplomatic negotiations.

Sources in Saudi Arabia told AFP that Riyadh refused to allow American forces to use Saudi bases or airspace for the planned Hormuz operation. One source said Saudi leaders “felt it would just escalate the situation and would not work”.

At the same time, tensions are also resurfacing in Lebanon despite a recent ceasefire there.

Lebanese state media reported that three strikes hit areas south of Beirut on Saturday even though a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah has technically been in effect for three weeks.

An AFP journalist at the scene reported seeing two damaged vehicles along a highway connecting Beirut to southern Lebanon, about 20 kilometers from the capital, while emergency personnel responded nearby.

The attacks came ahead of planned direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon scheduled to take place next week in Washington. Hezbollah has strongly opposed the upcoming talks between the two countries, which have officially remained at war since 1948.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance held talks Friday in Washington with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as Qatar intensifies its quiet diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran amid the ongoing regional conflict.

According to two sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to Axios, Qatar has been maintaining communication with senior commanders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who are directly involved in Tehran’s wartime decision-making and negotiations with Washington.

While Pakistan has officially served as the primary intermediary between the United States and Iran since fighting erupted on February 28, Qatar has simultaneously continued its own behind-the-scenes mediation campaign.

American officials told Axios that the White House sees Qatar as particularly valuable and effective in communicating with Iranian leadership during the negotiations.

Qatari state media reported that Sheikh Mohammed told Vance of “the need for all parties to engage with the ongoing mediation efforts, to pave the way for addressing the root causes of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, leading to a comprehensive agreement that achieves lasting peace in the region.”

Axios reported that the Qatari prime minister traveled to Washington solely for the meeting with Vance before immediately returning to Doha afterward.

The White House is currently waiting for Tehran’s reply to a one-page memorandum of understanding that would formally end the current conflict and establish the basis for broader nuclear negotiations moving forward.

Qatar had also played a role in earlier diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran prior to the 12-day conflict in June 2025, when the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as well as before the latest round of fighting.

Although Oman officially hosted and mediated those negotiations, Axios reported that senior Qatari officials quietly participated in most sessions and assisted with the talks behind closed doors. Qatari representatives were also present during the final round of negotiations in Geneva shortly before the outbreak of hostilities.

Doha was similarly involved in diplomatic attempts to end the June fighting after Iran launched attacks against Qatar.

Qatar again came under attack during the current conflict. U.S. officials told Axios that Qatari forces intercepted Iranian fighter jets and later responded with strikes targeting Iranian positions.

At one stage, Qatar informed the United States that it intended to suspend its mediation role because of the Iranian attacks, according to a regional source cited by Axios. The source said Washington strongly encouraged Qatar to continue its involvement.

President Donald Trump also personally discussed the issue with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the source said.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin projected confidence in Russia’s war effort in Ukraine today as he presided over the country’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, though this year’s event notably lacked the tanks and other heavy military hardware traditionally featured in the display.

The ceremony on Red Square marked the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and was held under heightened security amid fears that Ukraine could attempt to target the celebrations. Those concerns were eased somewhat by a temporary ceasefire brokered with U.S. involvement that reduced hostilities during the holiday period.

Putin, who has ruled Russia for more than 25 years, has long used Victory Day celebrations as both a patriotic rallying point and a showcase of Russian military strength. With the war in Ukraine now entering its fifth year, the Kremlin again tied the symbolism of World War II to the current conflict.

Addressing the crowd from Red Square, Putin praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying they “face an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire bloc of NATO,” and are fighting for a “just cause.”

“Victory has always been and will be ours,” Putin said, as columns of troops lined up on Red Square. “The key to success is our moral strength, courage and valor, our unity and ability to endure anything and overcome any challenge.”

Unlike previous years, however, the parade did not feature the usual procession of tanks, missile launchers, and other large weapons systems. Aside from the customary military jet flyover, heavy equipment was absent from the event for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Russian officials attributed the change to the “current operational situation” and said the government had implemented expanded security precautions because of the possibility of Ukrainian attacks. Russian state television commentators also argued that military equipment was needed more urgently on the battlefield.

For the first time, soldiers from North Korea participated in the Victory Day festivities, reflecting Moscow’s appreciation for Pyongyang’s assistance during fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, where North Korean forces reportedly helped Russian troops repel a Ukrainian incursion.

Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire covering Friday and Saturday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had separately declared a truce beginning May 6. Both sides later accused one another of violating the ceasefire through continued attacks.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to his request for a temporary ceasefire lasting through Monday, along with a prisoner exchange. Trump suggested the pause in fighting could represent the “beginning of the end” of the war.

Earlier in the week, Zelenskyy remarked that Russian officials “fear drones may buzz over Red Square” during the Victory Day ceremonies. Following Trump’s announcement, the Ukrainian leader mockingly issued a decree formally allowing Russia to proceed with the May 9 celebration and temporarily exempting Red Square from Ukrainian strikes.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Zelenskyy’s move as a “silly joke.” “We don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of our Victory Day,” Peskov told reporters.

Russia’s larger and better-armed military has continued to make gradual territorial advances along the sprawling front line stretching more than 1,000 kilometers. Ukraine, meanwhile, has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russian targets, striking energy infrastructure, factories, and military depots deep inside Russian territory.

Kyiv has developed drones capable of traveling more than 1,000 kilometers into Russia, significantly expanding its strike capabilities compared to the early stages of the war.

Russian officials warned that any Ukrainian attempt to attack Saturday’s ceremonies would prompt severe retaliation. Moscow threatened a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv” if the festivities were disrupted.

The Russian Defense Ministry also urged civilians and foreign diplomatic staff in Kyiv to leave the city, warning of possible escalation. European Union officials responded by saying their diplomats would remain in the Ukrainian capital despite the threat.

Victory Day remains one of the most emotionally significant commemorations in Russia. The Soviet Union lost an estimated 27 million people during World War II — known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War — and the memory of that sacrifice continues to play a central role in Russian national identity.

“We celebrate it with feelings of pride and love for our country, with understanding of our shared duty to defend the interests and future of our Motherland,” Putin said at the parade.

“Our soldiers suffered colossal losses, made a colossal sacrifice in the name of freedom and dignity of the peoples of Europe, became the embodiment of courage and nobility, fortitude, and humanity, and crowned themselves with the great glory of a grandiose victory.”

Since 2008, Moscow’s Victory Day parades have regularly featured extensive displays of armored vehicles, missile systems, and nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles. This year, however, many regional parades across Russia were reduced in size or canceled altogether because of security concerns.

Authorities also imposed broad restrictions on mobile internet access and text messaging services throughout Moscow on Saturday, citing public safety concerns. The measures come as the Russian government continues tightening online censorship and expanding control over digital communications.

Among the foreign dignitaries attending the event were Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin walls but did not attend the main military parade. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the trip, stating, “I deeply regret this, and we will discuss his visit to Moscow with him.”

During a Kremlin meeting with Putin, Fico criticized what he described as a new “Iron Curtain” across Europe that has disrupted trade and stressed Slovakia’s reliance on Russian energy resources. Putin praised Fico for pursuing what he described as a “sovereign” foreign policy and for honoring Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.

{Matzav.com}

Concerns are mounting among New York business leaders that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s aggressive rhetoric toward wealthy residents and major corporations could drive companies and jobs out of the city, potentially putting billions of dollars in economic activity at risk.

New figures obtained by The Post from the Partnership for New York City show that the organization’s 300 member firms in the corporate and financial sectors support nearly one million jobs across the city, contribute $13.5 billion annually in taxes, and generate roughly $370 billion in yearly economic output.

The analysis warns that even modest slowdowns in business growth could have severe financial consequences for the city, especially if wealthy residents and major employers begin relocating operations elsewhere amid fears of higher taxes and an increasingly hostile political climate.

“The numbers don’t lie,” said Steve Fulop, the business group’s president and CEO.

“New York’s private sector has invested billions and created hundreds of thousands of jobs. You can only treat job creators like the enemy for so long before they stop creating jobs here. The far left can run on socialism all day, but cities run on tax revenue — and tax revenue requires businesses that actually want to be here.”

Anxieties within the financial world intensified this week after billionaire hedge fund executive Ken Griffin announced that his firm, Citadel, would expand staffing in Miami instead of New York.

Griffin reportedly blamed the decision on Mamdani’s recent social media campaign promoting a tax on luxury second homes, during which the mayor highlighted Griffin’s $238 million penthouse apartment as an example of extreme wealth.

The backlash from Wall Street extended beyond Griffin. Financial executive Marc Rowan is also reportedly moving ahead with plans to establish a new major office hub for Apollo Global Management in either Florida or Texas, two states that have increasingly attracted businesses leaving New York.

Citadel and Apollo are both major players in New York’s financial industry, which according to the Partnership’s figures supports nearly 10% of all private-sector jobs in the city.

The report found that financial services led all industries in employment growth during 2025, posting a 3% increase.

If that pace continues, the Partnership estimates that its member firms alone could account for approximately 10,000 additional jobs, $8.4 billion in tax revenue, and $247 billion in GDP annually by 2030.

The study also warned that a relatively small reduction in growth — just 10% — could still result in the loss of about 3,000 jobs, a decline of $168 million in tax revenue, and a $4.8 billion reduction in GDP.

A more substantial business departure similar to Citadel’s widely publicized move out of Chicago could prove far more damaging, according to the analysis. Under a 30% contraction scenario, the city would lose more than 6,300 jobs, nearly $397 million in tax revenue, and roughly $11.7 billion in GDP.

The concerns come as New York faces growing pressure from a rapidly expanding municipal budget.

Mamdani has proposed a $127 billion city budget for the coming fiscal year and has advocated raising taxes on millionaires to help address a projected $5.4 billion deficit.

A former budget official who served during the administration of Michael Bloomberg said the city’s spending growth has significantly outpaced inflation, making New York especially vulnerable during economic downturns.

“If you are just raising taxes to fill a gap and doing nothing to close the gap, you are just going to raise taxes,” the official said.

The former official warned that higher taxes could encourage additional wealthy residents and companies to relocate operations outside New York.

“It’s a real death spiral,” the official said.

“Business leaders are just going to reallocate their workforce to Florida. That’s not a loss of a billionaire and their tax bill — it’s the workers and tens of millions of dollars.”

Tax Foundation senior fellow Jared Walczak said companies today are far less tied to one geographic location than they once were.

“It used to be that if you were finance, you had to be New York City, and that is not the case anymore,” he said.

“If they feel unwelcome or they are going to be an ongoing topic, that can easily push them elsewhere. They do not want to fight new proposals every year and be the solution to every revenue problem that can drive them elsewhere.”

Some political observers noted that fears surrounding progressive mayors have not always materialized. During his 2013 campaign, Bill de Blasio alarmed many business leaders with his “tale of two cities” messaging focused on income inequality.

Once in office, however, de Blasio often pursued policies aimed at encouraging economic development and maintaining relationships with the business community.

Political strategist Evan Roth Smith argued that Mamdani’s political rise was fueled more directly by criticism of wealthy individuals and corporations.

The mayor has mostly avoided public confrontations with wealthy New Yorkers during the current budget negotiations, Smith said, though he noted Mamdani’s clash with Griffin stood out.

“He should have picked someone who has a penthouse that doesn’t employ thousands of people,” the strategist said.

“I think the target was ill-advised. I think when it’s Zohran versus a rich guy who employs tens of thousands of people during a budget fight it’s a problem, but I think it goes to a draw.”

Smith predicted Mamdani would likely resume stronger anti-wealth rhetoric once budget negotiations conclude.

“Stuff like this is a winner for him and he’ll go back to it,” he said.

“I think the voters exist and they hate rich people.”

Representatives for the mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

Responding to the Partnership’s findings, a spokeswoman for Kathy Hochul emphasized the governor’s support for businesses of all sizes throughout New York.

“From local businesses to global corporations, every employer plays a crucial role in making New York City the best place for business, and Governor Hochul is proud to support them all,” spokeswoman Jen Goodman said in a statement.

“The Governor has held the line on income and corporate taxes while delivering unprecedented job growth, including doubling the national rate of private sector job creation in New York City, and remains committed to ensuring New York’s businesses continue to succeed.”

{Matzav.com}