Sirens wailed overnight in nearly all of Ukraine, which struggles to fend off relentless Russian salvos amid fears of a drop in US air defence supplies due to the war in the Middle East

US and Israeli strikes hit military facilities in central Iran, damaged a major religious site in the northwest and provoked power cuts Tuesday, after President Donald Trump threatened to blow up the country's oil and energy plants.

Video footage verified by AFP showed at least two massive explosions and columns of smoke in Isfahan, central Iran. State media reported the Grand Husseiniya, a Shia religious centre, was damaged in Zanjan in the northwest.

Iran's Fars news agency reported explosions and power outages in parts of Tehran, where residents painted a picture of a city that is still clinging to some routine despite tight security.

"When I make it to a cafe table, even for a few minutes, I can almost believe the world hasn't ended," said Fatemeh, a 27-year-old dental assistant. "And then I go back home, back to the reality of living through war, with all its darkness and weight."

Oil prices were again climbing steadily as markets weighed Trump's confidence that Tehran would soon buckle to military pressure and accept a deal against fears that a possible US ground operation in the Gulf would further escalate the conflict.

Explosions were heard in Dubai and near Erbil airport in northern Iraq, and sirens sounded in Jerusalem and two people were wounded when air defence intervened to intercept a drone near the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, civil defence said.

Israeli emergency services said eight people received minor injuries from falling munitions fragments in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv. At least 10 blasts were heard in the Jerusalem area after missile launches from Iran were detected.

- 'Direct and malicious' -

Kuwait's state oil company reported that one of its giant crude old tankers was on fire in Dubair Port after a "direct and malicious Iranian attack while in the anchorage area".

Such attacks on oil tankers and export facilities have world markets jumpy, and all eyes were on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime channel out of the Gulf that Iran has effectively closed to all vessels except those it approves as not hailing from "hostile countries".

Two Chinese container ships were able to pass the strait, and Beijing expressed gratitude to "the relevant parties", a foreign ministry spokeswoman told reporters.

World oil prices have surged overall since the US and Israel launched the war more than a month ago with strikes on Tehran that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but fall back every time Trump promises a rapid conclusion to the conflict, leaving markets jittery. 

"The fog of war continues," investment adviser Christopher Dembik of Pictet Asset Management said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said more than half of the operation's military aims had been achieved, but both leaders have refused to put a timeline on the war.

Israel's military also reported Tuesday that four more of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where the war has spread and where they are battling Iranian-backed Hezbollah. 

Trump warned Monday that if Iran did not strike a war-ending deal -- which included reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane -- US forces would destroy all of Tehran's oil wells, its main Kharg Island export terminal, power systems and possibly desalination plants. 

But the Wall Street Journal reported he also told aides he was willing to end the war even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed -- likely strengthening Tehran's control on the waterway.

Refusing to back down, an Iranian parliamentary committee voted to impose tolls on vessels in the strait, the passageway through which one-fifth of global oil passes, and completely ban ships from the United States and Israel.

- Ready for talks? -

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, whose country is acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, was to travel to Beijing for talks Tuesday on "global issues of mutual interest" with counterpart Wang Yi.

Dar hosted foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey in the Pakistani capital on Sunday, saying Islamabad was ready to host talks between the United States and Iran in the "coming days".

Trump has claimed to be in direct contact with senior Iranian figures, but has not identified the publicly and the Iranian foreign ministry said that Washington had  sent only a request to talk via intermediaries, including Pakistan.

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A humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off Germany's northern Baltic Sea coast has freed itself for a third time and has now disappeared, a police spokesman told AFP Tuesday.

"The whale seems to have left Wismar. However, there have been no sightings so far," the spokesman for the city's water police said.

The 13.5-metre (44-foot) long animal has been struggling in shallow waters in the area for more than a week, having first been spotted in the early hours of March 23 near the city of Luebeck.

It managed to free itself from a sandbank there but ran into further difficulty after swimming east.

It twice became stuck on sandbanks close to the city of Wismar and over the weekend experts warned that its breathing rate had reduced.

Nevertheless experts hope that the whale may be able to make it back to its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean.

Speaking on ZDF television on Monday, marine biologist and rescue coordinator Burkard Baschek said the lack of sightings was a good sign.

"We haven't received any further reports so far, which is good," he said, adding: "We can now only hope that it will eventually manage to make it under its own steam."

The whale is believed to be suffering from skin problems due to the lower level of salt content in the Baltic Sea compared to the open ocean.

It is possible the whale came into the Baltic following a shoal of fish or having been distracted by the noise of a submarine.

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Thailand's king endorsed the new cabinet of second-term Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, with the nephew of jailed ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra made a deputy prime minister, the Royal Gazette said Tuesday.

The cabinet posts, mostly reserved for members of Anutin's party, include six deputy prime minister positions -- one of which was given to Yodchanan Wongsawat, the top candidate of Thaksin's Pheu Thai party in the general election last month.

Anutin's Bhumjaithai party won the most seats in parliament in the February 8 poll, putting the conservatives at the head of the new ruling coalition.

But without an outright majority, Bhumjaithai allied with the third-placed Pheu Thai of tech billionaire Thaksin, who is serving a one-year prison sentence for corruption.

Yodchanan, a biomedical engineering professor, was also made minister for higher education, science, research and information.

Anutin himself will pull double-duty, also serving as interior minister.

Bhumjaithai members and its loyalists hold 32 cabinet positions, including the economic and defence portfolios, with several ministers from Anutin's first short-lived term being re-appointed.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow will retain his position as Thailand's top diplomat, as will the ministers of finance and commerce -- all three of whom were also made deputy prime ministers.

The justice and defence ministers also fall within the camp of the pro-military and pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai.

Pheu Thai was allotted nine minister jobs, including agriculture, labour, education and social development.

The new government is expected to offer its policy positions before parliament next week, according to local media.

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Chinese authorities have banned entombing cremated remains in cheap apartments, a practice that had gained popularity as mourners took advantage of the subdued housing market to dodge rising funeral costs.

"Bone-ash apartments" are units in often barely occupied residential complexes used by some families as resting places for their loved ones' remains. 

They can be cheaper than a public cemetery plot, according to local media, as well as giving families more control over the site.  

Acquiring one "kills two birds with one stone", Carsten Herrmann-Pillath from Germany's Erfurt University told AFP. 

"It's an investment and eases the (process of carrying out) ritual practices."

But regulations that came into force on Monday explicitly ban "the use of residential dwellings specifically for the interment of ashes".

Bone-ash apartments are often identifiable by sealed-off windows or closed curtains, according to Chinese media reports.

A resident quoted by the Communist Party-run Legal Daily newspaper described peeking inside an apartment in his estate to see two candlesticks around a black box and a black-and-white portrait, a typical arrangement in China for commemorating the dead.

The ban comes days before the Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, when families traditionally visit relatives' graves to tidy them and make ritual offerings.

Human remains are only permitted to be buried in designated areas such as public cemeteries, according to the State Council, China's cabinet.

Demand for cemetery plots is increasing though, as China's population ages and deaths outpace births.

In 2020, funerals cost nearly half of the country's average annual salary, according to a survey by British insurance firm SunLife.

On Tuesday, China's market watchdog announced new rules to tackle fraud and a lack of transparency in funeral pricing to "reduce the burden of funerals on the masses".

The price of apartments meanwhile has continued to fall as consumer confidence remains low and a long-running property sector crisis lingers.

Debt and stalled construction have plagued leading firms since 2020, when curbs on excessive borrowing and speculation dramatically narrowed access to credit.

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Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was elected a vice-president by the lower house on Tuesday, parliament officials said, with the coup leader edging closer to becoming the country's civilian leader.

Myanmar's former commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing has led Myanmar since 2021, when he ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered civil war.

His election sets in motion a process for him to exchange his uniform for civilian clothes, as the country's parliament selects three vice-presidents, one of whom is then chosen as president. 

On the lower house floor Tuesday morning, MPs queued up at a row of tables and dropped their ballots into one of three clear-sided boxes.

"The lower house of elected MPs announces Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as a vice-president," lower house speaker Khin Yi said after the vote.

The junta chief received 247 of the 260 votes, a parliament official said, according to a live broadcast.

The upper house elected Nan Ni Ni Aye, a regional MP from Karen state with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), as another vice-president, local media reported.

A third vice-president will be chosen by the military.

A parliament-wide vote to select which of the three will be elevated to president is expected this week.

Democracy watchdogs have long warned that the new government will be a proxy of the military, which has ruled Myanmar for the vast majority of its post-independence history.

Myanmar's military has long presented itself as the only force guarding the restive country from rupture and ruin.

The generals loosened their grip for a decade-long democratic experiment beginning in 2011, allowing Aung San Suu Kyi to ascend as civilian leader and steer a period of reform as the nation opened up.

But after Aung San Suu Kyi trounced the USDP in a landslide in 2020 elections, Min Aung Hlaing snatched back power as he grew anxious about the military's waning influence, analysts say.

After five years of hardline rule, the top general oversaw heavily restricted elections that returned a walkover win for pro-military parties in January.

Now the USDP -- led and staffed by many retired officers -- is entrenched in parliament after winning 80 percent of elected seats, and it is expected the new government will march in lockstep with the top brass.

Min Aung Hlaing is expected to manage a carefully orchestrated transition to becoming president, after he handed over the reins of the military to loyalist Ye Win Oo on Monday. 

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A Russian oil tanker was set to deliver the first crude shipment to Cuba since January on Tuesday after Washington gave the crisis-hit island a reprieve from an effective fuel blockade.

The Anatoly Kolodkin, a tanker under US sanctions, was on its way to the port of Matanzas, east of Havana, with 730,000 barrels of crude.

US President Donald Trump's decision to let Russia deliver the oil avoids a confrontation with Moscow and provides temporary relief to a country that has endured blackouts, fuel rationing and dwindling public transportation.

"We'll welcome it with open arms. You have no idea how badly we need that oil," said Rosa Perez, a 74-year-old retiree whose home in Matanzas had lost power again.

"Let's see if things improve for us, even just a little... I can't take it anymore," she told AFP, voicing hope that more shipments will follow.

Trump said Sunday that he did not object to Russia or others sending oil to the island because Cubans "have to survive."

The White House denied however that there was any change to US sanctions policy.

"We allowed this ship to reach Cuba in order to provide humanitarian needs to the Cuban people. These decisions are being made on a case-by-case basis," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

- Driving Cuba 'to the brink' -

Cuba was cut off from oil supplies in January after US forces ousted its main regional ally, Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, and Trump threatened tariffs on countries that send crude to the country.

The US president has mused about "taking" the communist-ruled island, though Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed in March that Cuban and US officials had held talks.

Ricardo Herrero, executive director of the Cuba Study Group, a nonpartisan policy group in Washington, said the aim of restricting oil was to force Havana "to make real concessions at the negotiating table."

"The strategy here is to drive the system to the brink," Herrero told AFP. "But it's not to precipitate a full-blown societal or humanitarian collapse."

"It's all consistent with idea that the US holds all the cards and they'll decide when to hold, when to fold and when they go all in," he said.

- Two weeks of diesel -

Cubans have endured seven nationwide blackouts since 2024, including two in March, and fuel prices have soared.

The blackouts as well as persistent shortages of food and medicine have fueled public frustration and some rare protests.

Analysts said the Russian oil would buy the Cuban economy only a few weeks.

Jorge Pinon, an expert on Cuba's energy sector at the University of Texas at Austin, said the more urgent need is diesel, which could be used for backup power generators or for transportation systems to keep the economy running.

It would take a month to refine the oil and deliver the diesel, which would be enough to cover demand for about two weeks, he said.

Herrero said the shipment was just "another donation" by Cuba's Russian ally, but he doubted that Moscow wanted to subsidize the Cuban economy in the long term.

"This is not going to help the economy recover," he said. "This is just humanitarian aid."

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Iran fired missiles across the Middle East on Tuesday as its capital was hit by fresh explosions, after US President Donald Trump threatened the country's key oil export hub, power stations and desalination plants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said more than half of his military aims had been achieved, but both leaders refused to put a timeline on an operation that has ignited a month-long regional war and jolted global markets.

As sirens rang out in Jerusalem, Israel's military said it had responded to fresh Iranian missiles, while local Iranian media reported new explosions in Tehran that caused "power outages in parts" of the capital.

Israel's military also reported Tuesday that four more of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where the war has spilled and where they are clashing with Iranian-backed Hezbollah. 

Before the latest strikes on Tehran, Israel issued a warning on X to residents of an area in the west of the city saying it would "attack military infrastructure" there.

Iran, meanwhile, fired a new salvo of missiles at Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes.

In Dubai, four people were wounded by falling debris from intercepted projectiles while an Iranian attack sparked a fire at a Kuwaiti oil tanker in the city's port, said authorities in the financial hub whose reputation for stability has been shaken by the conflict.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities said they intercepted eight ballistic missiles, hours after Iran's top diplomat called on Riyadh to "eject US forces".

Trump warned Monday that if Iran did not strike a war-ending deal -- which included reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane -- US forces would destroy "all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)."

But the Wall Street Journal reported he also told aides he was willing to end the war even if the strait remains largely closed --likely strengthening Tehran's control on the waterway.

Refusing to back down, an Iranian parliamentary committee voted to impose tolls on vessels in the strait, the passageway through which one-fifth of global oil passes, and completely ban ships from the United States and Israel.

The strait had been open before the war, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently spoken of building a "coalition" to oppose the Iranian tolling plan.

"It sets an incredible precedent," Rubio told Al-Jazeera of the tolls.

"So this means that nations can now take over international waterways and claim them as their own," Rubio said of the waterway the US president recently called the "Strait of Trump".

- War 'beyond halfway point' -

Trump said the United States was speaking to a "more reasonable regime" in Tehran, which has denied any talks and accused him of lying about negotiations as cover while readying a ground invasion.

For Israel's part, Netanyahu said his military had achieved key objectives including "wiping out" industrial plants in Iran and coming "close to finishing their arms industry".

"It's definitely beyond the halfway point. But I don't want to put a schedule on it," Netanyahu told US broadcaster Newsmax.

The war, and the spiraling price of oil, has been unpopular in the United States, where Rubio again said Monday that it would last "weeks" more and not months.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose country is feeling the economic pinch of the war, appealed directly to Trump to find an offramp.

"Please, help us to stop the war; you are capable of it," Sisi told a press conference. 

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, whose country is acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, was set to travel to Beijing for talks Tuesday on "global issues of mutual interest" with counterpart Wang Yi.

Dar hosted foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey in the Pakistani capital on Sunday, saying Islamabad was ready to host talks between the United States and Iran in the "coming days".

Trump has claimed to be in direct contact with senior Iranian figures whom he has not identified publicly.

But Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei again denied any negotiations, saying the United States had sent only a request to talk via intermediaries, including Pakistan.

After weeks of strikes, residents of Tehran painted a picture of a city that is still clinging to some routine despite tight security.

"When I make it to a cafe table, even for a few minutes, I can almost believe the world hasn't ended," said Fatemeh, 27, a dental assistant.

"And then I go back home, back to the reality of living through war, with all its darkness and weight."

- Lebanon pounded -

On another front, Israel has relentlessly pounded Lebanon, including central Beirut, as it seeks to deliver a heavy blow to Iranian ally Hezbollah, which fired rockets in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

The UN mission in Lebanon said that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed when "an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle", with two other peacekeepers wounded, one seriously. Another Indonesian peacekeeper was killed on Sunday.

The Israeli military said early Tuesday that it had opened an investigation to determine if it or Hezbollah was responsible.

France, a key player in Lebanon, called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, which was subsequently scheduled for Tuesday at 1400 GMT.

Economy ministers and central bankers from the G7 club of rich countries, meanwhile, met in Paris to discuss the war's consequences, with many countries introducing energy-saving measures.

Market experts warned that any US ground operation or wider Iranian retaliation could send oil prices to levels not seen since the 2008 commodity boom.

Adding pressure, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels over the weekend fired missiles and drones at Israel, posing a threat to shipping on the Red Sea in addition to the Gulf.

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Indonesia issued summons letters to Google and Meta over their failure to comply with a social media ban for under-16s that entered into force over the weekend, the communications minister said.

In a video posted on Instagram late Monday, Minister Meutya Hafid said "the government is sending summons letters" to Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, as well as to Google, which oversees YouTube, adding they "violated Indonesian law".

The summonses were issued "as part of the application of administrative sanctions in accordance with the applicable provisions", the minister added.

App-addicted Indonesia began enforcing a social media ban for users under the age of 16 on Saturday, citing threats from online pornography, cyberbullying and internet addiction, as concerns grow globally over the impact of social media on children's well-being.

Australia, which in December became the first country to introduce measures to protect teens from online threats, is investigating Facebook, TikTok and YouTube for possible breaches.

Meutya said over the weekend there would be "no room for compromise regarding compliance".

In Monday's video, she accused Google and Meta of having opposed the new regulations "from the very beginning".

She named TikTok and Roblox as examples of platforms not yet fully compliant but "making efforts". They will receive warning letters.

"We will focus on working with platforms that have the goodwill to respect Indonesia, not only as a digital market, but also (by) committing to Indonesian laws and legal instruments for child protection," she said.

Indonesia, with its population of over 284 million, boasts among the most social media users in the world, including about 70 million children under the age of 16.

"We understand this is not easy. Indonesia is indeed one of the most active countries in the digital space, with average scrolling time of 7–8 hours per day," said the minister.

She urged parents and children to help the government monitor compliance and report companies that flout the law.

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In India's capital, Hindu "bhajan clubbing" is electrifying nightlife, with revellers dancing to traditional devotional songs reimagined through guitars and pounding drumbeats, transforming public venues into spiritual hangouts.

ChaiLeela, a cafe in the suburb of Noida, crackled with energy as devotees swayed to rhythmic riffs soaring into crescendos in songs praising the deity Krishna.

"I felt energised and alive," said Himanshu Gupta, a 30-year-old IT professional and regular attendee of the song nights.

Bhajans -- devotional songs with ancient roots in Hinduism -- have long been used as a spiritual bridge between the individual and the divine.

But "bhajan clubbing" represents a modern twist that is gaining traction in New Delhi, which hosted at least five major devotional concerts in March alone, drawing tens of thousands.

One open-air event this month -- at the grounds of the 16th-century Purana Qila fort -- drew about 7,000 devotees, with the atmosphere resembling a rave more than a religious gathering.

"It provides an opportunity for our youth to connect with devotion and spirituality," said Aishwarya Gupta, 31, a nuclear physicist attending the concert, her face dotted with both paint and religious marks. "It feels great to be here."

Musicians performed devotional hits backed by guitars and drums as crowds danced in a near-trance.

"It is a calming feeling," said Kumar Shubham, a 27-year-old doctor and fitness influencer, who said the events also instilled "pride" in Indians.

"When we see today's youth, they seem more interested in things other than religious matters," said businessman Jay Ahuja, 28. "But this... shows them the right path... it's a good way to connect with God."

- 'Spirituality, not spirits' -

The phenomenon reflects a broader revival of public expressions of Hindu identity in India, alongside the growing political and cultural influence of Hindu populist narratives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has backed the trend, noting that bhajan traditions had been the "soul of Indian culture for centuries".

The 75-year-old Hindu nationalist leader has praised how bhajan clubbing "incorporated the spirit of devotion into the youth's experiences and lifestyles", speaking in his weekly radio broadcast in January.

When tens of thousands packed Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for a devotional show this month -- with electric guitars and drum beats projected by giant speakers -- it was introduced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, a member of Modi's party.

Nikunj Gupta, 26, who organised the devotional music festival at Purana Qila, said that "spirituality is necessary to unite the next generation".

He said such events offered young people a festive atmosphere without the alcohol commonly associated with concerts in Delhi, which some conservative Hindus frown upon.

"It gives them a medium to explore a different activity, rather than going to a regular club where they have to consume alcohol with friends," he said.

"We want the youth to be high on spirituality, not spirits."

The movement is also spreading beyond India. In neighbouring Hindu-majority Nepal, more than 3,000 people attended a bhajan club night in February.

"We wanted to raise the interests of youths in bhajans -- the essence of the music remains the same, but we deliver it in a bit more modern style," the night's co-founder, Abhishek Adhikari, 28, told AFP.

"It is for anyone who wants to begin their spiritual journey... People really enjoy it -- and it is growing popular."

In India, fashion figure Ratnadeep Lal compared the shows to flashy international concerts.

"I have attended many international concerts, such as Shakira," he said. "This kind of initiative in India, which uses devotional music to teach and connect with the next generation, is very good."

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Victor Wembanyama bagged a season-high 41 points and scored the fastest double-double in NBA history as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a ninth straight victory with a 129-114 blowout of the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Another dominant all-round offensive performance saw the Spurs pull away decisively after outscoring Chicago 35-19 in the second quarter, after only one point separated the two sides after the first period.

French star Wembanyama was once again the pivotal figure for San Antonio, who have emerged as genuine NBA title contenders since the mid-season All-Star Break with 19 wins and only two losses.

Wembanyama finished Monday's game with 41 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal in a performance which underscored his status as one of the front-runners for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award.

Wembanyama's double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds arrived just eight minutes and 31 seconds after he stepped on court, a new NBA record.

Stephon Castle backed Wembanyama with 21 points while four other Spurs players finished in double figures.

"Today wasn't perfect as a team and personally," Wembanyama said. "I wish I was better, but it's still satisfying."

San Antonio's victory left them 57-18 in the Western Conference, just two games behind leaders Oklahoma City (59-16).

"The most fun part is that we've got a healthy locker room and we're just happy as a whole because we get on together well on and off the court," Wembanyama said. "We're just loving the experience."

The Atlanta Hawks boosted their playoff hopes with a 112-102 defeat of the Boston Celtics in their Eastern Conference clash.

Jaylen Brown led the scoring with 29 points for a depleted Celtics line-up missing Jayson Tatum, but Atlanta’s balanced offense with 20 points apiece from Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu carried the Hawks to victory.

The Minnesota Timberwolves saw seven players finish in double figures in a 124-94 rout of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Phoenix Suns were similarly emphatic winners in a 131-105 romp over the Memphis Grizzlies.

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