Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel

Iran on Wednesday executed 32-year-old Ehsan Afrashteh on charges of espionage and alleged intelligence cooperation with Israel, according to reports by Iran’s judiciary-affiliated Mizan News.

According to Iran Human Rights Monitor, he was arrested in early 2024 after returning from Turkey and was subjected to months of interrogation in solitary confinement at a security detention facility.

Mizan News alleged that Afrashteh became fluent in English, French and Hebrew during his purported cooperation with Israel. The outlet accused him of passing sensitive information to Israel and claimed he had received training from Mossad in Nepal.

The report further alleged that he initially carried out assignments while working as an online taxi driver.

Several human rights groups had earlier warned that Afrashteh faced an imminent risk of execution.

Asian stocks fall on US-Iran impasse, AI setbacks

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday as markets digested the lack of progress towards Middle East peace and setbacks that rattled the boom in AI technology.

Traders are now looking to China, where Trump is due to land on Wednesday, the first visit by a US president in nearly a decade, saying he expected a "long talk" with counterpart Xi Jinping about Iran.

China-US trade talks start in South Korea

Delegations from China and the United States met for trade talks in South Korea, Chinese state media reported Wednesday, hours before US President Donald Trump is due to arrive in Beijing.

The talks were taking place at Incheon International Airport, near Seoul, Xinhua news agency said, without providing further details.

India hikes Iimport duties on gold, silver, platinum

The Indian government has sharply hiked customs duties on precious metals like gold, platinum and silver, citing the need to conserve foreign exchange and protect the economy from growing global pressures stemming from the war in the Middle East.

Sources in the Finance Ministry said the move is aimed at moderating non-essential imports at a time when geopolitical tensions are driving volatility in crude oil markets and disrupting international shipping routes, ANI reported.

Tucson prepares to welcome Team Iran for World Cup

Tucson, an oasis of civilization in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for "Team Melli" when the world's biggest sporting spectacle opens in the US, Mexico and Canada next month.

"We're just excited to host them here, and we're going to give them a positive experience," Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex, where the team will train, told AFP.

This comes against the backdrop of a war between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other that is now in its 11th week. Organizers FIFA have insisted the team will take part in the tournament as planned, so Tucson has pressed ahead with its preparations.

Trump heads to China for superpower summit

Trump was due in Beijing Wednesday on the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, as he seeks to ramp up trade despite potential friction over Taiwan and Iran.

Marine One, with US President Donald Trump on board, flies near the Washington Monument after departing the White House, on May 12. Trump is traveling to China where he is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House

US President Donald Trump waves prior boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on May 12, 2026 as he departs for a 3-day state visit to China.

Trump boards Marine One

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland

'Don't think we need any help with Iran': Trump

Ahead of a high-stakes summit in Beijing, Trump said he did not think he would need to enlist Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the conflict, which has continued to block maritime traffic that normally provides one-fifth of the world's oil supply.

"I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise," he told reporters.

The Trump administration said on Tuesday that senior US and Chinese officials had agreed last month that no country should be able to charge tolls on traffic through the region, in an effort to project consensus on the issue ahead of the summit.

Ceasefire enters Day 36

A recap of recent developments:

UAE designated 21 individuals and entities on its Local Terrorist List over their links to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Iran labelled as "absolutely baseless" an accusation made by Kuwait that four IRGC-linked officers attempted to infiltrate Bubiyan island
The New York Times reported that classified US intelligence assessments say Iran still has substantial missile capabilities
Israel hammered south Lebanon with more strikes Tuesday, killing 13 people in the south
US President Donald Trump insisted he does not need help from China on ending the war with Iran but said he would talk at length with Xi Jinping when they meet this week
The Pentagon said the cost of the war with Iran had climbed to nearly $29 billion, as Trump faced mounting scrutiny over the conflict.
Iran's chief negotiator said the US must accept Tehran's latest peace plan or face failure, a day after Trump said the ceasefire was on "life support"

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