World
Morocco youth protests spread and turn deadly, two killed
Two people were killed and others injured in Lqliaa, near Agadir, when security forces used firearms to prevent a group of individuals from stealing their weapons on Wednesday night, local authorities said, in an incident that marks a deadly turn in anti-government protests that initially rallied for social justice reforms.
The protests, which began Saturday with demands for better education and healthcare, have been organized online by a loosely formed, anonymous youth group calling itself “GenZ 212.” The group has used platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and the gaming app Discord to mobilize support, Reuters reported.
Security forces had to use firearms in self-defense after tear gas failed to stop the group from storming into the security forces (gendarmerie) facility, local authorities said.
Armed with knives, the group managed to set fire to a part of the facility and to a vehicle, forcing security forces to use firearms in self-defense, said local authorities, who did not specify how many were injured.
The GenZ 212 movement is inspired by similar youth-led protests in Asia and Latin America. Membership in GenZ 212’s Discord server surged from around 3,000 last week to more than 130,000 today, reflecting the rapid growth of the youth-led protest movement.
Authorities initially responded with attempts to quash the rallies, but the demonstrations escalated into widespread unrest on Tuesday night. Reuters images showed security forces encircling protesters forcefully hauling them into vans.
The Interior Ministry said, opens new tab 263 members of security forces and 23 civilians were injured during Tuesday’s clashes.
WAVE OF YOUTH ANGER
On Wednesday night, violence spread to Salé, near the capital Rabat, where groups of young men in densely populated neighborhoods hurled stones at police, looted shops, set banks ablaze, and torched police vehicles, according to witnesses.
In Tangier, on the Strait of Gibraltar, young men threw stones at security forces.
Smaller towns in the Souss region near Agadir saw for the second consecutive night some of the most intense unrest. In Sidi Bibi, masked youths burned the commune headquarters and blocked a main road, said local resident Hassan Berkouz.
South of Agadir in Biougra, a bank was ransacked and shops damaged.
“I was in the cafe watching PSG vs Real Madrid match when young men started hurling stones at shops. We watched the game still inside the closed cafe,” Abdeslam Chegri, a local civil society activist, said.
Morocco’s tourist hub Marrakech saw violent clashes as protesters burned a police station, according to local media LeDesk.
The recent wave of youth anger was sparked by earlier protests in Agadir over poor hospital conditions, which quickly spread to other cities.
In Taroudant, usually a quiet town east of Agadir, demonstrators clashed with security forces, attacked shops and burned cars.
By contrast, peaceful demonstrations were held in Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, and in the eastern cities of Oujda and Taza.
Protesters there called for Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign and chanted slogans such as “The people want an end to corruption.”
Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 35.8% and 19% among graduates, according to the national statistics agency.
While Morocco has seen recurring peaceful protests over economic and social grievances, this week’s unrest is the most violent since the 2016–2017 demonstrations in the northern Rif region.
Earlier in the day, the Interior Ministry said it would uphold the right to protest within legal boundaries and pledged to respond with “restraint and self-control, avoiding provocation.”
On Tuesday, in posts on social media sites discussing the protests, the “GenZ 212” group said it rejected violence and was committed to continuing peaceful protests. It said it had no conflict with the security forces, only with the government.
So far, 409 people have been taken into police custody following the unrest and 193 will face trial – mostly on bail – on charges including arson, ransacking, attacking security forces, according to the prosecutor.
World
Trump says US could restart Iran strikes ‘if they misbehave’
Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month, the U.S. imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had been told about the concept of a deal with Iran, but was waiting for the exact wording, while warning there was still the possibility of restarting strikes on the country if Tehran misbehaves, Reuters reported.
A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that an Iranian proposal so far rejected by Trump would open shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade of Iran while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear program for later.
When asked about Iran’s proposal before boarding a flight to Miami at West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump replied: “They told me about the concept of the deal. They’re going to give me the exact wording now.”
He added on his social media channel that he could not imagine the proposals would be acceptable and that Iran had not paid a big enough price for what it had done.
Asked if he might restart strikes on Iran, Trump replied: “I don’t want to say that. I mean, I can’t tell that to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we’ll see. But it’s a possibility that could happen.”
Trump has said repeatedly that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and said on Friday he was not satisfied with the latest Iranian proposal, while Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran was ready for diplomacy if the U.S. changes its approach, read the report.
Reuters and other news organizations reported over the past week that Tehran was proposing to reopen the strait before nuclear issues were resolved. The official confirmed that this new timeline had now been spelled out in a formal proposal conveyed to the United States through mediators.
Trump also said on Friday that “on a human basis,” he did not prefer the military course of action and told congressional leaders he did not need their permission to extend the war beyond a deadline set by law for that day because the ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities.
While saying repeatedly he is in no hurry, Trump is under domestic pressure to break Iran’s hold on the strait, which has choked off 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies and pushed up U.S. gasoline prices. Trump’s Republican Party faces the risk of a voter backlash over higher prices when the country votes in midterm congressional elections in November.
Iranian media said Tehran’s 14-point proposal included the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas surrounding Iran, lifting the blockade, releasing Iran’s frozen assets, payment of compensation, lifting sanctions and ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, as well as a new control mechanism for the strait.
The United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, but appear no closer to a deal to end a war that has caused the biggest disruption ever to global energy supplies, roiled global markets and raised worries about the possibility of a wider global economic downturn.
Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month, the U.S. imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.
Washington has repeatedly said it will not end the war, which has led to the deaths of thousands of people, without a deal that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the primary aim Trump cited when he launched strikes in February in the midst of nuclear talks. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential diplomacy, the senior Iranian official said Tehran believed its latest proposal to shelve nuclear talks for a later stage was a significant shift aimed at facilitating an agreement, Reuters reported.
Under the proposal, the war would end with a guarantee that Israel and the United States would not attack again. Iran would open the strait, and the United States would lift its blockade.
Future talks would then be held on curbs to Iran’s nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, with Iran demanding Washington recognize its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, even if it agrees to suspend its nuclear program.
“Under this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere,” the official said.
World
Trump says he’s dissatisfied with Iranian proposal as rift with allies deepens
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was not satisfied with the latest Iranian proposal for talks on the Iran war, while Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran was ready for diplomacy if the United States changes its approach.
Trump’s comments indicated the deadlock over the two-month-old war is likely to persist, even as he looks to end a conflict that remains deeply unpopular among Americans, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, U.S. relations with its traditional allies were further strained over Iran on Friday, as the United States announced it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany. Trump had threatened a drawdown over differences with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said on Monday the Iranians were humiliating the United States and that the Americans lacked an exit strategy.
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said recent German comments were “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
“The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,” the official said.
Though the United States and Iran have suspended hostilities since an April 8 ceasefire, the two countries remain at odds over a range of issues, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions and control over the Strait of Hormuz, and the two sides have yet to agree to a second meeting following a brief summit of senior officials in Islamabad last month.
It was unclear what the Iranians had submitted in their fresh proposal. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has cautioned against expecting quick results.
“They want to make a deal, but … I’m not satisfied with it,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the Iranian leadership was “very disjointed” and split into two or three groups.
“They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to,” he said, adding that negotiations by phone were continuing.
Later on Friday, during a speech in Florida, Trump said the United States would not end its confrontation with Iran early “and then have the problem arise in three more years.”
Trump has said Iran would not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. He is also under pressure to break Iran’s hold on the strait, which has choked off 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies.
Global oil prices eased on Friday following news of the Iranian proposal, coming off Thursday’s four-year high. Benchmark Brent crude was down 1% to around $109.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said his country was ready to pursue diplomacy if the United States changes what he called its “excessive approach, threatening rhetoric and provocative actions.”
However, Araqchi added in a post on his Telegram channel that “Iran’s armed forces remained ready to defend the country against any threat.”
Iran has activated air defenses and plans a wide response if attacked, having assessed that there will be a short, intensive U.S. strike, possibly followed by an Israeli attack, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
REPORTS ON PLANS FOR NEW STRIKES
Separately, Trump told leaders in Congress that he did not need their permission to extend the war beyond a Friday deadline set by law because the ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities.
“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump said when asked about his options.
Trump added that “on a human basis,” he did not prefer the military course of action.
The war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has led to the deaths of thousands of people. The closure of the strait has increased concerns about the possibility of a wider global economic downturn.
The U.S. Navy is blockading exports of Iranian crude oil. As of Friday afternoon, 45 commercial vessels had been stopped, according to the U.S. military.
The U.S. Treasury said that any shipper paying tolls to Iran for passage, including charitable donations to organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, would be at risk of punitive sanctions.
IRAN SAYS TO BUY DOMESTIC
The war has aggravated Iran’s economic plight, but it looks able to survive a standoff for now, despite the U.S. blockade that has curtailed its energy exports.
In a written message, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on businesses damaged in the war to avoid layoffs as much as possible, Iranian news agencies reported.
China’s U.N. ambassador, Fu Cong, said it was an urgent necessity to maintain the ceasefire and that the strait needs to be reopened as quickly as possible. He said he was sure the strait would be high on the agenda in talks between China’s leader Xi Jinping and Trump if it is still closed when Trump travels to Beijing this month.
World
US judge rejects Trump administration’s halt on immigration applications
A federal judge on Thursday ruled that policies that make it harder for people from countries on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list to get green cards and work permits are discriminatory and unlawful.
U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick in Boston reached that conclusion as she issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit by around 200 people from 20 countries including Iran, Haiti, Venezuela and Syria who sued over a halt on the processing of their immigration-related applications, Reuters reported.
The lawsuit, filed in December, took aim at policies U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services adopted beginning in November affecting applications by immigrants seeking asylum, green cards and work authorization.
Those policies have resulted in the agency placing a hold on the processing of applications from people from the 39 countries that are the subject of full or partial travel bans imposed by Trump, who has cited vetting and security concerns.
Before instituting that halt, the agency, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, adopted a policy in November 2025 that treats the nationality of people from those countries as a “significant negative factor” when reviewing their applications.
Kobick, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, concluded the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in proving that policy ran afoul of the Immigration and Nationality Act’s bar against nationality-based discrimination.
The judge said the agency’s subsequent halt on reviewing asylum and naturalization applications was likewise “contrary to Congress’s command that the agency issue decisions on such applications.” She said the pause on reviewing green card and work authorization applications violated regulations governing them.
Kobick blocked USCIS from enforcing the policies against 22 plaintiffs who had provided declarations detailing how they were harmed by them, and she directed the parties to discuss whether her order should apply to the rest of the 200.
Jim Hacking, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, welcomed the ruling, which he said appeared to be the first by a judge nationally to address the “significant negative factor” policy alongside the separate but related hold on the processing of applications. A handful of other judges have previously ruled against that halt in some migrants’ cases.
“USCIS wants to make it harder for people to receive an immigration benefit if they are from one of the 39 countries, even though Congress has never allowed them to,” he said.
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