Five people have been killed and more than 700 injured in a huge explosion at the port of Bandar Abbas in southwestern Iran, according to official Iranian media.

The head of the Iranian emergency services said four people had died in the blast. A spokesperson for the emergency services earlier said 516 had been injured.

A video distributed by the Mehr news agency showed surveillance footage of the moment of the explosion, which appears to have occurred in a warehouse at the port. Other footage showed helicopters dropping water at the site of the fire ignited by the explosion.

Debris was spread over a wide area and many buildings at the port complex were badly damaged, according to state media. Windows within a radius of several kilometers were shattered, they said.

Some reports said people were trapped in the wreckage of a building that was reduced to rubble.

The region’s governor, Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, said injured people were being transferred to Bandar Abbas medical centers and the fire had been contained. The port has been closed and maritime operations suspended, according to state media.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the causes of the incident. He wrote on X that the interior minister had been sent to the region to “examine the dimensions of the accident.”

State broadcaster IRIB said the explosion took place in the chemical and sulfur area of the port.

A government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said it would take some time to establish the cause of the explosion – “but so far what has been determined is that containers were stored in a corner of the port that likely contained chemicals which exploded. But until the fire is extinguished, it’s hard to ascertain the cause.”

Shahid Rajaee is a large facility for container shipments, covering 2,400 hectares (around 5,900 acres). It handles 70 million tons of cargo annually, including oil and general shipping. It has nearly 500,000 square meters (5.4 million square feet) of warehouses and 35 shipping berths.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that his country has regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Ukraine’s army says fighting continues.

“The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed,” Putin said Saturday, congratulating the Russian forces that he said defeated the Ukrainian military in the region in what would be a symbolic boost for Moscow at a crucial point in the war.

But the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a Telegram post that Putin’s claim about the end of hostilities in Kursk was “not true.”

“The defensive operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the designated areas in Kursk region continues. The operational situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold their positions and perform their assigned tasks,” the Telegram post said.

Ukraine launched its shock incursion into Kursk in August, swiftly capturing territory in what was the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II.

Since then, Russia, with support from North Korean soldiers, has been fighting to oust Ukraine’s forces from its borders, while Kyiv had poured precious resources into holding onto its territory there, with the view of using it as a key bargaining chip in any peace talks. The operation was also launched to relieve pressure from the embattled eastern frontline.

In his address, Putin said recapturing Kursk “creates conditions for further successful actions of our troops in other important areas of the front.”

In a post on Telegram, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, thanked the North Korean soldiers, praising their “high professionalism, steadfastness, courage and heroism in battle.”

Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence reports found that about 12,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to fight in Russia.

If Putin’s claims are true, hopes of using Kursk as a bargaining counter are now gone and Ukraine’s retreat has the potential to dent Kyiv’s political clout as well as its military’s morale after three years of war and with intense efforts underway towards finding peace.

Though the US has attempted to broker peace talks between Ukraine and Russia over recent months, tensions between the leaders of the three countries have meant that very little has come to fruition.

Another whirlwind week of diplomacy saw US President Donald Trump accuse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of making it “so difficult to settle this war” for refusing to accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea but later saying Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal.”

On Saturday morning, at the funeral of the late Pope Francis in the Vatican, Zelensky briefly met with Trump for talks on potential peace negotiations. A White House spokesperson called the meeting “productive,” while Zelensky thanked Trump for the meeting, writing on X that it “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”

This story has been updated.

A senior Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo early Saturday for talks with Egyptian officials aimed at brokering a ceasefire agreement, according to a statement by Hamas.

The delegation, led by Chairman of the Hamas Leadership Council Muhammad Darwish, includes other key leaders, among them Khaled Meshaal, Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin, and Eng. Nizar Awadallah.

“The delegation began meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss Hamas’s vision for a ceasefire and an end to the war and a prisoner exchange based on a comprehensive deal,” Hamas said in the written statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, the talks will also address the impact of what Hamas describes as Israel’s “starvation tactics” against Palestinians in Gaza and the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid, food, and medical supplies to the besieged territory. Israel imposed a complete humanitarian blockade on Gaza on March 2, stopping food, medicine, and more from entering the besieged enclave.

“Israel only reacts to offers passed on by the mediators,” the source said.

The head of Mossad, David Barnea, was in Doha, Qatar, earlier this week, for ceasefire talks. So far, there has been no clear indication of a significant breakthrough.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “We’ve got to be good to Gaza.” Taking questions on the way to Italy, Trump said, “there’s a very big need for medicine, food and medicine. We’re taking care of it.”

The president, whose administration has unapologetically backed Israel, offered no details about what steps the US was taking to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“The coming days are going to be critical,” said Jonathan Whitall on Saturday from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza. “Today, people are not surviving in Gaza. Those that aren’t being killed by bombs and bullets are slowly dying.” One day earlier, the World Food Programme said it had run out food stocks in Gaza.

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have made clear that the humanitarian blockade is part of a pressure campaign against Hamas, along with Israel’s increased bombardment of Gaza in order to destroy Hamas and bring back the remaining 59 Israeli hostages.

Earlier this month, Israel put forward a ceasefire proposal that called for a disarmament of Gaza without guaranteeing an end to the war, which violates two of Hamas’ red lines.

Since Israeli resumed its war in Gaza on March 18, more than 2,111 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Pope Francis had a great sense of humor. When I met him once at the back of the papal plane, I cracked a joke with him that was a little bit close to the line. Luckily, he roared with laughter and told me “Sei cattivo!” (“You’re naughty!”). Every day, he used to say, he prayed the words of St. Thomas More: “Lord, give me a sense of humor.”

Francis took what he did seriously. But he never took himself too seriously.

One thing that struck me about him was his intuition and pastoral instincts. Whatever the situation, he always seemed to find the right words to say. When I met him with my family one time, my youngest child was crying.

“Whenever they see a man in white, they think I’m a doctor and about to give them some medicine!” he joked.

His ability to read people was also vital in his leadership. When he met bishops, he would get them into a circle and ask which one wanted to start speaking. It allowed him to understand the dynamics of a group, which helped him make appointments and decisions in the future.

Francis liked to make himself accessible. He would say his door was always open – but that same door also had a sign on it that read “no whining.”

There was never a dull moment covering his pontificate. As pope, he gave more media interviews than anyone else, but he never had a spokesperson or media advisers. Predicting his next move was notoriously difficult, and when it came to appointing new cardinals, no one knew in advance who he’d be choosing or when. New cardinals would talk about their phones blowing up in the middle of a Mass as people tried to contact them to tell them the news.

Francis wasn’t naïve, however. He was a politically savvy pope, very decisive and often stubborn. He wanted to stay true to himself and not become scripted. My enduring memory is of a very human pope who was full of surprises. He leaves big shoes to fill.

The funeral of Pope Francis gave Catholics across the globe the chance to bid farewell to a beloved pontiff – and for world leaders to rub shoulders at a fraught time for international diplomacy.

More than 250,000 people packed into St. Peter’s Square for Saturday’s service, the Vatican said, with members of the public there to mourn along with 55 heads of state.

The day’s most extraordinary meeting came just minutes before the service began. Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held what American and Ukrainian officials described as a “productive” discussion in St. Peter’s Basilica, as Francis’ coffin was about to be brought into the square.

So, what was said, who met who, and where did everyone sit?

What was the seating plan?

St. Peter’s Square was split into quarters. Dignitaries, cardinals and bishops were at the front, nearest the basilica, while clergy and the general public were a little further back. The coffin was placed in front of the central altar.

Behind the seated sections, thousands more had packed into the square, standing for more than two hours in the Italian heat.

In the dignitaries’ section, politicians sat in alphabetical order in French, the traditional language of diplomacy.

This meant that Trump – president of “États-Unis d’Amerique” – sat between the presidents of Finland and Estonia, two nations that share borders with Russia, and which will be especially wary of a reduced US military footprint in Europe.

Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, played a round of golf with Trump in March during an unofficial trip to Florida. Trump said Stubb was a “very good player.” The Finnish presidency said the pair discussed European security, including Ukraine.

During Saturday’s “Sign of Peace,” a rite where members of the congregation shake hands with their neighbors and say “peace be with you,” Trump was seen shaking hands with several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron.

The only dignitaries not sat in alphabetical order were those from Italy – the host nation – and Argentina – Francis’ birthplace. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinian President Javier Milei were sat near the front, with a cluster of other officials.

What happened at the Trump-Zelensky meeting?

In what was their first meeting since the explosive Oval Office meeting in February, Trump and Zelensky huddled in close discussion without aides in the ornate surroundings of St. Peter’s Basilica, shortly before the service began.

Both the White House and Ukrainian presidency said the talk lasted around 15 minutes, describing it as positive. Zelensky said the meeting was “symbolic,” with the “potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.” The crowd in the square broke into applause when Zelensky stepped into the square.

“We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,” Zelensky wrote on X.

The US president and First Lady Melania Trump left Rome swiftly after the service, meaning the two leaders did not hold further discussions. Zelensky later met with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The four leaders were pictured together in the basilica, after Trump and Zelensky’s one-to-one.

Who else was there?

Britain’s Prince William was among a string of royals in Saturday’s crowd. William, next in line to the British throne, sat next to Olaf Scholz, the outgoing chancellor of Germany. Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, as well as Queen Mary of Denmark, were also in attendance.

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban were among several other European leaders in attendance. The South American leaders there included Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – who had a close relationship with Francis – and Ecuador’s recently re-elected president Daniel Noboa.

The heads of several supranational institutions were also there, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – head of the World Health Organization, from which Trump withdrew the US in January – and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Julian Assange also made what was a rare public appearance since his release from Britain’s Belmarsh prison last year. The Wikileaks founder was seen with his wife, Stella, and their two children, at the Vatican.

Russian authorities say they have detained a man described as a “Ukrainian special services agent” in connection with a car explosion that killed Russian General Yaroslav Moskalik on Friday.

The suspect allegedly purchased the car that exploded in Balashikha, less than 20 miles east of Moscow, according to TASS citing Russia’s Federal Security Service. The suspect’s nationality is unclear; according to the FSB, he has a residence permit in Ukraine.

The FSB also accused him of planting an explosive device in the car, but said that it was detonated from Ukraine. Video published by TASS on Saturday appeared to show charred electronics and parts of the car. Russia’s Investigative Committee had previously said the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device packed with shrapnel.

Photos released by Russian authorities appear to show the suspect driving a dark green Volkswagen with license plates that match those purportedly found at the site of the blast.

TASS video also showed the man being put into a van, and included footage of him apparently in custody describing his alleged recruitment by Ukraine’s special services. It’s unclear if he was under duress during the confession.

Moskalik was killed on the same day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.

After the three-hour meeting, US President Donald Trump initially voiced optimism that both sides were “very close to a deal.”

But the next day, Trump questioned whether Putin wants a peace deal shortly after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican for Pope Francis’ funeral.

In a Truth Social post sent as he returned from Rome after the meeting, Trump raised the prospect of applying new sanctions on Russia after its assault on Kyiv last week.

“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote. “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Fatalities have been confirmed after a car plowed into a crowd at a street festival celebrating Filipino heritage in Vancouver on Saturday night, according to officials in the Canadian city.

“A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival,” the Vancouver Police Department wrote in a statement on X.

The driver of the vehicle is in custody, according to police.

Prime Minister Mark Carney mourned the dead and wounded, calling the ramming “horrific” in a statement on X.

“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you,” he wrote.

Vancouver’s mayor also offered condolences.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today’s Lapu Lapu Day event,” Ken Sim wrote on X.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”

Sim said he would provide more information on the incident.

This is a developing story and will be updated.