Stranded whale 'Timmy' released into North Sea in dramatic rescue

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- US Navy 'acting like pirates' -

President Donald Trump said the US Navy was acting "like pirates" as he described an operation seizing a ship amid the tit-for-tat American blockade of Iranian ports.

"We... land on top of it and we took over the ship. We took over the cargo, took over the oil. It's a very profitable business," Trump told a rally in Florida.

"We're like pirates," he added to cheers from the crowd. "We're sort of like pirates. But we're not playing games."

- Troop withdrawal 'expected' -

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the withdrawal of 5,000 American troops from Germany had been expected and that Europe needed to do more to ensure its own security.

"That US troops are withdrawing from Europe and also from Germany was to be expected," Boris Pistorius said in a statement sent to AFP by his ministry. "We Europeans must take greater responsibility for our security," he added.

NATO's spokesperson said on Saturday: "We are working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany."

- Renewed war 'likely' -

A senior Iranian military officer said on Saturday that renewed fighting between the United States and Iran was "likely", hours after Trump said he was "not satisfied" with a new Iranian negotiating proposal.

Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in the Iranian military's central command, said "a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely", in quotes published by Iran's Fars news agency.

"Evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements," he added.

- US to slash troops in Germany -

The Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany within the next year.

The announcement came after Trump threatened this week to remove troops from NATO ally Germany amid a row with its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, over the US-Israeli war against Iran.

- Iran executions -

Iran hanged two men on Saturday convicted of spying for Israel, the judiciary said, the latest in a string of executions in recent weeks.

"Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh were hanged for the crime of intelligence cooperation and espionage in favour of the Zionist regime," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

It was not immediately clear when the two men were arrested.

- Lebanon says 13 killed in strikes -

Lebanon's health ministry said 13 people were killed Friday in Israeli strikes on the country's south, including in a town where Israel's army had issued an evacuation order despite a ceasefire.

burs-ach/jhb

A humpback whale that had been struggling to survive after beaching near the German coast was released Saturday into the North Sea off Denmark, after being transported in a barge in a last-ditch rescue operation.

The whale, dubbed "Timmy" in Germany -- where its ordeal captured hearts and sparked a media frenzy -- exited the barge, blew air through its blowhole and swam off, said Karin Walter-Mommert, one of the wealthy entrepreneurs who financed the rescue initiative.

It was now swimming on its own and, at least for the time being, in the right direction, she said.

The whale "has some small injuries -- probably from being transported in rough seas -- but they are superficial", said Walter-Mommert.

It "should now swim up the Norwegian coast toward the Arctic", added the entrepreneur, who made her fortune in horse racing.

The whale was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23 near the city of Luebeck, on Germany's Baltic Sea coast, before freeing itself and then becoming stuck again several times.

Various attempts to save it had failed, and authorities had announced they were giving up -- prompting Walter-Mommert and another wealthy entrepreneur to step in.

They came up with what many saw as a long-shot plan: coax the whale into the water-filled hold of a special barge and tow it back to its natural habitat.

Some experts criticised the privately financed rescue plan, saying it would only cause the animal more distress.

But the plan appeared to have succeeded against the odds, as the whale left the barge from Wismar Bay on the Baltic coast at around 8:45 am (0645 GMT), organisers said.

- Weeks-long saga -

To get the whale onto the barge, rescuers had attached straps to it and heaved it down a channel that had been specially dug in the sand to allow it to reach the vessel.

Rescuers then swam alongside it as it sped up and entered the barge -- sparking cheers from the crowd watching from shore.

The barge idea was hatched after the entrepreneurs' initial attempt to save the whale with inflatable cushions and pontoons was unsuccessful.

Officials gave the green light for the rescue after veterinarians said the whale was fit to be transported.

The saga has drawn non-stop coverage from TV channels, online outlets and social media influencers -- but has also led to angry spats and conspiracy theories about how the whale got off track in the first place.

jpl/ach/jhb

Japan's prime minister vowed Saturday to do more to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific", using a speech in communist Vietnam to tout a regional strategy that has long rankled neighbouring China.

"I am renewing my determination to fulfil Japan's responsibilities and... to play an even more proactive role than ever before in building an international order based on freedom, openness, diversity, inclusiveness, and the rule of law," Sanae Takaichi said in an address at a Hanoi university.

In an era of "intensifying geopolitical competition, accelerating technological innovation", the Japanese premier called for Asian countries to cultivate "resilience" and the ability to "determine their own future".

Japan and Vietnam share common concerns about China's territorial claims in the East and South China Seas, and both have sought to hedge against US-driven trade disruptions by broadening economic and security ties.

But Hanoi aims to stay on good terms with all global powers through its traditional "bamboo diplomacy" approach, while Tokyo has seen its already frosty relations with Beijing deteriorate markedly in recent months.

That makes Vietnam a striking choice of venue for a Japanese foreign policy speech touting a strategy backed by Washington and closely associated with US President Donald Trump.

First articulated a decade ago by Takaichi's mentor Shinzo Abe, the idea of a "free and open" Indo-Pacific has since been embraced by multiple US partners and allies seeking to curb China's influence in the region.

Beijing has slammed the initiative as veiled attempt to promote bloc confrontation, with Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian accusing Tokyo of "stirring up confrontation between camps".

In her address Saturday, Takaichi said she was updating the diplomatic vision for a "challenging" new era.

Without naming Beijing directly, she warned against "excessive dependence on a single country for critical goods", saying this often results from "unduly low prices" and calling for a "level playing field".

She also underscored the importance of open shipping lanes, saying "regional supply chains are underpinned by the safe and open navigation of sea".

- Taiwan tightrope -

Long considered a China hawk, Takaichi drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing in November when she suggested that close US ally Japan might intervene militarily to thwart any Chinese attempt to take Taiwan.

China, which regards democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to annex it, summoned Japan's ambassador, warned Chinese citizens against visiting Japan and imposed trade restrictions.

Japan, which like others in the region has territorial disputes with China, has moved to deepen security cooperation ties, in particular with the Philippines.

Takaichi, on her first visit to Vietnam since becoming prime minister in October, aims to deepen bilateral cooperation on energy security and supply chain resilience amid major disruptions stemming from the Middle East crisis.

Japan is Vietnam's largest provider of official development assistance and a key investor and trading partner, with two-way trade surpassing $50 billion for the first time last year.

Takaichi met Saturday with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung as well as top leader To Lam, the Communist Party boss who last month became president as well.

They agreed to advance their high-level strategic partnership to a "new phase of development", Hung said, and inked six agreements spanning technology, climate preparedness and information and communication.

The two sides also agreed to deepen security cooperation and "reaffirmed the importance of resolving disputes in the South China Sea through peaceful means based on international law," according to the Vietnamese prime minister.

Prior to her speech, Takaichi said "Vietnam highlights strategic self-reliance with a positive and active external foreign policy".

"Therefore, increasing cooperation with Vietnam is extremely important for the realisation and progress of (a) free and open Indo-Pacific".

Takaichi will travel to Australia after departing Vietnam on Sunday.

bur-tym/ami

Alex Zanardi, the Italian Formula One driver who became a Paralympic cycling champion after losing both legs in an accident, has died aged 59, his family announced Saturday.

Zanardi, one of his country's most loved and respected sportsmen, who was credited with helping transform the perception of disability in Italy, died on Friday evening.

In a statement issued through the charity he founded, Obiettivo3, his family said he died "suddenly", but also "peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and friends".

It comes six years after the four-time Paralympic gold medal winner suffered a second horror crash in June 2020, when his handbike crashed into an oncoming truck during a race in Tuscany.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed Zanardi as "a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every trial of life into a lesson in courage, strength and dignity".

Cordiano Dagnoni, head of the Italian Cycling Federation, said he "transformed the culture of our country, bringing joy and happiness to those fortunate enough to know him, and hope to so many in Italy and around the world".

He said there would be a minute's silence observed at this weekend's races in tribute to the athlete.

Zanardi raced for Jordan, Minardi and Lotus in F1 in the early 1990s before switching to the CART championship in the United States where he was series champion in 1997 and 1998.

He returned to F1 with Williams in 1999 before heading back to CART.

Zanardi almost died in a horrific accident in 2001 at the Lausitzring track in Germany, after which he had both legs amputated.

His car had stalled in the middle of the track after a spin and was struck by another car at a speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph).

Yet he went on to become one of the best-known figures in Paralympic sports, winning two gold medals at the 2012 London Games and two more in Rio de Janeiro, four years later.

In June 2020, he was involved in another terrible accident, this time in Tuscany. He suffered serious head injuries and only returned home 18 months later.

Zanardi, born in Bologna on October 23, 1966, leaves his wife Daniela and son Niccolo. 

ar/gj

Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines said on Saturday that all of its flights have been cancelled as it started an "orderly wind-down of operations," citing spiking fuel prices in recent weeks that left it no choice.

The troubled carrier, which was set to emerge from its second bankruptcy in a year, announced it was ceasing operations after a potential White House bailout fell through.

Spirit Airlines' parent company, Spirit Aviation Holdings, said in an early Saturday press release that it has "started an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately."

"All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport," said the company, which had put pressure on larger airlines with its no-frills offering launched over 30 years ago.

The company's webpage displayed a message telling guests that "customer service is no longer available." The airline said it will process refunds for purchased flights.

Jet fuel prices have more than doubled since the conflict with Iran began in February, prompting major US airlines to lower their profit forecasts, trim back on capacity growth plans or both.

Spirit's President and CEO Dave Davis said the company in March "reached an agreement with our bondholders on a restructuring plan that would have allowed us to emerge as a go-forward business."

"However, the sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks ultimately has left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company," Davis said in the press release.

"Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted."

- 'Final proposal' -

Trump said on Friday that Spirit was given a "final proposal" for a bailout package.

"I guess we're looking at it. If we can do it, we'd do it, but only if it's a good deal," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump administration officials have also criticized predecessor Joe Biden's administration, which successfully blocked a proposed $3.8 billion takeover of the carrier by JetBlue, arguing it would harm consumers.

In its statement, Spirit said there were "extensive and comprehensive efforts to restructure the business," but the lack of additional funding meant that Spirit "had no choice but to begin this wind-down."

Jan Brueckner, emeritus economics professor at the University of California, Irvine, told AFP last week that the fuel price surge was "the straw that broke the camel's back."

American Airlines said early Saturday that it was in touch with US authorities on "steps we are taking to help mitigate the impact on the communities Spirit serves and the traveling public."

American said it was offering "rescue fares" on Spirit's routes.

United Airlines also said it was providing "price-capped, one-way tickets from most cities where Spirit flew."

Spirit Airlines, which began offering flights in 1992, was known for its yellow-colored planes and employed just over 11,000 people as of 2024.

bur-hol/aks

A humpback whale that had been struggling to survive after beaching near the German coast was Saturday released into the North Sea off Denmark after being transported in a barge, a member of a rescue mission said.

Dubbed "Timmy" by the German media, the whale was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23 near the city of Luebeck before freeing itself and then becoming stuck again several times.

The whale left the barge it had been towed on from Wismar Bay on the Baltic coast at around 8:45 am (0645 GMT), said Karin Walter-Mommert from the rescue initiative.

It is now swimming on its own and freely, and at least for the time being, in the right direction, she said.

At the start of April, German officials gave up on trying to rescue the animal, saying they believed it could not be saved.

But this triggered an outcry and authorities were persuaded to approve a privately financed rescue plan proposed by two wealthy entrepreneurs.

The barge idea was hatched after their initial attempt to save the whale with inflatable cushions and pontoons was unsuccessful.

The rescue effort was seen as a long shot and criticised by experts who said it would only cause the animal more distress.

The whale's ordeal has sparked a media frenzy -- with non-stop coverage from TV channels, online outlets and social media influencers -- but has also led to angry spats and conspiracy theories.

jpl/ach/jhb

Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines said on Saturday that all of its flights have been cancelled as it started an "orderly wind-down of operations" after a potential White House bailout fell through.

US President Donald Trump previously expressed interest in organizing a package to save thousands of jobs at the carrier, which filed for bankruptcy twice in 2025.

Spirit Airlines' parent company, Spirit Aviation Holdings, said in an early Saturday press release that it has "started an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately."

"All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport," said the company, which had put pressure on larger airlines with its no-frills offering launched over 30 years ago.

The company's webpage displayed a message telling guests that "customer service is no longer available." The airline said it will process refunds for purchased flights.

Spirit's President and CEO Dave Davis said the company in March "reached an agreement with our bondholders on a restructuring plan that would have allowed us to emerge as a go-forward business."

But skyrocketing jet fuel prices since the start of the Middle East war "left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company," Davis said in the press release.

"Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted."

The company said that the lack of additional funding meant that Spirit "had no choice but to begin this wind-down."

Spirit Airlines, which began offering flights in 1992, was known for its yellow-colored planes and employed just over 11,000 people as of 2024.

The airlines announced in February an "agreement in principle" to restructure its debt with creditors, saying it expected to emerge from bankruptcy by early summer.

But a spike in fuel prices sparked by the US-Israeli war on Iran that started a few days later delivered a heavy blow to the struggling carrier.

hol/aks

The top-seeded Detroit Pistons recovered from the brink of elimination with an astounding comeback against Orlando as the Los Angeles Lakers finally saw off Houston at the third time of asking in the NBA playoffs Friday.

The Pistons' come-from-behind win took their series with the Magic to a decisive game seven, while the Toronto Raptors also set up a decider against Cleveland thanks to an overtime thriller triumph.

Up 3-2 in the series against Detroit and seeking a close-out victory, the Magic had led by as many as 24 points before their shooting suddenly collapsed and the Pistons took full advantage.

A shell-shocked Orlando missed 23 consecutive field goals -- the longest streak in playoff history -- and scored just one point in over 10 minutes of basketball, as the Pistons sealed a 93-79 win.

"Never say die, simple as that. I mean, Detroit grit, it's what we've been talking about all year," said Detroit's Cade Cunningham, who led the scoring with 32 points and 10 rebounds.

Having been down 3-1 in the series, the Pistons had looked set to become just the seventh top seed in NBA history to lose in the first round to their conference's bottom seed.

But they now have a chance to win the series back in Detroit on Sunday.

After an even first quarter, Orlando went on a hot streak, before the pressure of closing out their first playoff series win since 2010 seemed to kick in.

Boos rained down on the court as a 71-54 Magic advantage was transformed into an 80-72 Detroit lead.

The Pistons, having dominated the regular season, will now be favorites to claim their own first playoff series win since 2008.

"Thank God we get to take this back to the crib. It's gonna be loud in Detroit, and we got to finish our business," said Cunningham, who scored 19 in the fourth quarter.

- 'Glory' -

If Detroit reach the Eastern semi-final they will play either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Raptors, whose series also stands 3-3 after an overtime Toronto win.

Playing at home, the Raptors led most of the night, before the Cavaliers powered back in the fourth quarter to set up an intense finish.

Leading by two points with less than a minute remaining, Toronto handed Cleveland a lifeline with a shot-clock violation. 

Evan Mobley forced his way through the Raptors' defense to tie up the game 104-104, and Toronto's Jamal Shead just missed a return shot at the end of regulation.

In overtime, Cleveland nudged in front, and led by one point until the final few seconds.

But RJ Barrett's three-pointer jump shot bounced off the heel of the rim, looped up in the air and dropped through the net to seal the Toronto win.

"Glory be to God, man. I didn't make anything in the fourth quarter, overtime, I was playing bad... thank God I was able to make that shot," said Barrett.

Game seven will be played in Cleveland Sunday.

- 'Close-out' -

The Lakers, having led their series against Houston 3-0, had twice wobbled to allow the Rockets to get back to 3-2.

But LeBron James' men killed off the series with a comfortable 98-78 win to set up a Western semi-final against Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions.

Superstar James top-scored with 28 points, plus eight assists and seven rebounds, continuing his fine post-season form at the age of 41.

The win spared the Lakers' blushes. A loss would have left them one defeat away from being the first team in NBA history to squander a 3-0 playoff lead.

"A lot of our guys, quite frankly, have not been in this position, have not been in a close-out situation, especially on the road, so it was important for me to go out and set the tone," said James.

amz/hol

The addition of Tanyuel Welch gives Missouri women's basketball another experienced option in the backcourt, but it may not dramatically shift expectations heading into next season.

Missouri coach Kellie Harper has been active in the transfer portal, and Welch’s résumé, spanning stops at Memphis and Arizona brings stability and versatility. Still, on paper, the move looks more like a depth addition than a headline-grabbing pickup.

Welch’s speed and ability to playmake in transition are clear strengths. She has shown that she can handle the ball, create offense and contribute across multiple statistical categories with splits of 8.7 points per game and 1.2 assists per game last season. But Missouri’s backcourt is increasingly crowded with younger, high-upside talent, which complicates her projected role.

Early outlooks suggest Welch could begin the season as a rotational guard, providing minutes off the bench behind a group of more dynamic, younger options. Incoming freshmen like Natalya Hodge and Jada Maples arrive with significant recruiting profiles and long-term potential, while transfers such as McKenzie Mathurin and Navaeh Coffey bring athleticism and upside that could be difficult to keep off the floor.

That leaves Welch in an interesting position. From a pure talent ceiling standpoint, she may not match some of the younger guards on the roster. Her shooting consistency and overall production have fluctuated at times, and she has not been a primary star at the Power Five level.

However, experience still carries weight, especially for a team that dealt with injuries and inconsistency last season. Welch has played meaningful minutes in multiple systems, battled back from injury and shown she can contribute without needing to dominate the ball. Those qualities often appeal to coaches looking for reliability.

Because of that, it wouldn’t be surprising if Harper leans on Welch more heavily than early projections suggest. Veteran guards frequently earn trust in practice and in-game situations, particularly when it comes to decision-making, defensive positioning and late-game composure.

There is a realistic scenario where Welch opens the season in a reserve role but works her way into the starting lineup. If Harper prioritizes experience, ball security and defensive awareness over raw upside, Welch could emerge as a steadying presence alongside Missouri’s more explosive options.

At the same time, Missouri’s long-term trajectory likely hinges on the development of its younger guards. Players like Hodge and Maples represent the program’s future, while Mathurin and Coffey offer immediate-impact potential with higher ceilings.

For now, Welch’s addition is best viewed as a complementary move. She raises the floor of the roster, provides insurance at multiple guard spots and adds a veteran voice to the locker room. Whether she ultimately becomes more than that will depend on how the backcourt competition unfolds once practices begin.

In a crowded guard rotation, Welch may not be the flashiest piece, but she could still become an important one.

Missouri’s NCAA Tournament hopes took a hit Friday, falling to No. 8/9 Tennessee 4-2 at Mizzou Softball Stadium and dropping below the .500 threshold required for at-large eligibility.

The Tigers led early but couldn’t hold on. A Stefania Abruscato single in the first drove in Addy Waits, who led off the inning with a walk. Abby Hay and Sidney Forrester added two more singles to load the bases, but Tennessee pitcher Sage Mardjetko struck out back-to-back batters to limit any further damage.

“We had some opportunities,” head coach Larissa Anderson said. “Especially with the bases loaded in the first inning. We couldn’t capitalize on that, you don’t get many chances with runners in scoring position against a team like Tennessee and we let that slip away from us.”

Mardjetko settled in for the rest of the game, striking out seven batters while holding Missouri to a pair of earned runs and five hits in five innings pitched. In relief, Karlyn Pickens struck out four while holding Missouri to zero hits in two innings.

“[Pickens] got great movement,” Anderson said. “I felt like they were swinging at good pitches. They were getting beat on some movement, but I just wanted them to control what they could control.”

Ella Dodge tied the game in the third with a leadoff home run before Missouri’s defense unraveled in the fourth. With two outs, Bella Faw reached on a throwing error from Madison Uptegrove. Maddi Rutan then singled to left field, where another throwing error from Saniya Hill moved Faw to third. Dodge then drove both runners home with a two-run single to give Tennessee a 3-1 lead.

It was the second straight game Missouri’s defense hurt the Tigers, as two errors in Game 1 of the series similarly cost Missouri two runs. The mistakes are uncharacteristic for a team that led the nation in fielding percentage heading into the weekend.

“We beat ourselves because of defense,” Anderson said. “We could’ve easily been out of that inning. Errors are gonna happen, mistakes are gonna happen, balls hit hard. It's how we respond after it. That’s where we got to be stronger.”

Tennessee extended its lead in the fifth, as Makenzie Butt hit an RBI single to give Tennessee a 4-1 lead. Missouri responded in the bottom, as a Forrester groundout scored Abruscato who doubled earlier.

In the circle for Missouri, Marissa McCann struggled early, receiving the loss on six hits, one walk and one earned run through 3⅔ innings. Courtney Donahue followed in relief, giving up one earned run and two hits before Abby Carr closed the game. Carr finished with two strikeouts and just three hits in 2⅓ innings.

Now at 27-28, Missouri needs to find wins in order to get back above the .500 threshold required to make the NCAA Tournament. If they win Saturday, Missouri would be back at .500, but would need to win again in the SEC Tournament to remain eligible. If they lose Saturday, the Tigers will need three wins in the SEC Tournament in order to get back to .500.

“We’ve made some deep runs, we’ve played through this conference, we know how tough it’s gonna be,” Anderson said. “We’re playing really, really hard right now, but we have to play better on all three sides of the game.”

Even if Missouri does finish at .500, it will not guarantee a bid. The Division I Softball Championship Subcommittee selects 33 at-large teams, weighing RPI, strength of schedule and results against ranked opponents before making its selections. Missouri currently ranks 41st in RPI with a top-20 strength of schedule.

“We’ve been in this situation since March,” Anderson said. “We know we have to win every single game that we possibly can and we just have to continue that mentality and fight until the game is over.”

First pitch of the series finale is noon Saturday, and will be streamed to SEC Network.