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DJERBA, Tunisia (AP) — The annual Jewish pilgrimage to the 26-century-old El-Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia drew a modest but notable return of international visitors this year, worshipping together under tight security after a deadly 2023 attack disrupted the festival.

Visitors came from France, China, Ivory Coast and Italy, including France’s ambassador to Tunisia, a symbolic gesture after two French citizens were among those killed in the 2023 attack. A national guardsman shot and killed five people at the El-Ghriba synagogue soon after the festival that year, spreading fear among the local Jewish population and international pilgrims.

Participants said about 500 people have attended this year’s pilgrimage, held on the Mediterranean island of Djerba from April 30 to May 6 to celebrate the Lag B’Omer Jewish holiday. Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times, and the pilgrimage remains central to the country’s small but long-standing Jewish community.

Inside the synagogue, the atmosphere was calm and devotional, while also buzzing with conversations and social exchanges. Worshippers lit candles, read sacred texts and wrote wishes on eggs later placed in a sacred cave within the complex, a tradition believed to bring blessings.

Among them was Redj Cahen, a Tunisian-Italian pilgrim who returned after missing last year’s gathering. “We are back, and we are proud to be Tunisian Jews,” he said. “It is a feeling you cannot explain. Only those who come here understand.”

The gathering draws both local worshippers and members of the diaspora returning to their ancestral roots and has long been seen as a symbol of coexistence, attracting Muslim visitors alongside Jewish pilgrims.

A visible but contained security presence surrounded the synagogue, while heavier measures were deployed at access points to the island, where police checkpoints and barricades controlled entry. Vehicles were searched and identification documents carefully inspected. Within Djerba, security was especially concentrated in Hara Seghira and Hara Kebira, the island’s main Jewish quarters.

Despite security worries, the traditional “Minara” procession took place for the first time since the 2023 attack, signaling a cautious easing of restrictions.

The Minara, a pyramid-shaped tower of gold and silver, is placed at the center of the synagogue. Women drape it with colorful scarves in a gesture associated with good fortune, fertility and marriage. A symbolic auction of paintings and Jewish religious items follows as part of a traditional fundraiser for the synagogue’s maintenance, after which the scarf-laden Minara is placed on a cart and paraded outside to the sounds of the traditional darbuka drum, singing and throwing of candy. It is later brought back into the synagogue, concluding one of the event’s pillar traditions.

The pilgrimage, one of the oldest in Africa, has historically drawn thousands from around the world. Attendance dropped sharply after the 2023 shooting outside the synagogue that killed two pilgrims and three security officers. The synagogue was also targeted by a 2002 truck bombing by al-Qaida that killed about 20 people.

“This year’s Ghriba pilgrimage marks a gradual return,” said former Tourism Minister René Trabelsi. “We are returning little by little.”

Trabelsi said Tunisian authorities had pushed to maintain the pilgrimage despite the challenges. The event plays an important role in supporting the local economy.

Khedir Hnaia, who has worked at the synagogue for more than three decades, welcomed the return of longtime visitors. “We would like to reflect a good image to the world, to bring back the glory of Ghriba and make it even better than how it used to be,” he said.

“We need to stand up for our country, we love Tunisia very much and in the same way our country stood up for us we will always stand up for it,” said Haim Haddad, a member of the pilgrimage organizing committee from Zarzis.

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Ben Mbarek reported from Tunis, Tunisia.

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(Corrects paragraph 3 to reflect Clavijo leads a coalition with the People’s Party (not “belongs to the People’s Party”)

MADRID, May 6 (Reuters) – The regional government of Spain’s Canary Islands is opposed to allowing a luxury cruise ship that has been hit by an outbreak of the deadly hantavirus to dock on the archipelago, its leader, Fernando Clavijo, said on Wednesday.

“This decision is not based on any technical criteria, nor is there sufficient information to reassure the public or guarantee their safety,” Clavijo told radio station COPE.

He added that he had requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss the issue. Clavijo leads a coalition with the conservative People’s Party – the main opposition to Sanchez’s Socialists.

Earlier on Wednesday, Spanish state broadcaster TVE reported the cruise ship was set to dock at the Canary island of Tenerife, citing sources from the country’s health ministry. The ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

(Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Charlie Devereux)

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PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) – French shipping group CMA CGM said on Wednesday that one of its vessels, the San Antonio, had been the target of an attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel.

The incident, which CMA CGM said occurred on Tuesday, is the latest disruption in the crucial shipping route during the Middle East conflict. The war has blocked hundreds of vessels and brought roughly 20% of global oil trade to a virtual standstill.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would briefly pause an operation to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing “great progress” toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

CMA CGM said injured crew members from the San Antonio have been evacuated and are being provided with medical care. It declined to comment further on the incident.

CMA CGM had reported last month that one of its vessels was the target of warning shots in the strait, although no crew were injured.

The French firm, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, has indicated that 14 of its vessels were stranded in the Gulf at the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. One ship, the CMA CGM Kribi, exited the Strait of Hormuz at the start of April.

The Maltese-flagged San Antonio’s destination is marked as Mundra in India, according to shipping data.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; Writing by Makini Brice;Editing by Louise Heavens)

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WARSAW, May 6 (Reuters) – A pilot was killed and more than 200 hectares of forest scorched after a firefighting plane crashed while battling a major blaze in eastern Poland’s protected Solska Forest, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday.

The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon near the village of Kozaki in Biłgoraj County.

There was no reason to suspect the fire was deliberately set, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński told Radio Zet.

“We’re dealing with a very dry period. Forests and conifers catch fire very easily, and fire spreads very easily,” he said, adding that police Black Hawk helicopters were deployed to contain the blaze.

The situation remained serious, he said, with multiple fires in hard‑to‑reach areas, and the next few hours would be decisive in determining how the fire could be brought under control.

One of the firefighting planes crashed in the area, killing the pilot, a spokesperson for the regional governor said on Tuesday.

Kierwiński said there were no plans to evacuate nearby residents, noting the nearest buildings were four to five kilometers from the fire.

(Reporting by Barbara Erling, Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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SANTA CLARA, Cuba (AP) — Yudelaimys Barrero Muñoz used to spend up to three hours on the side of a highway under the blazing sun waving money at drivers as she attempted to hitch a ride from Cienfuegos, Cuba to Santa Clara, where she buys supplies to resell and support her husband and two children.

The 43-mile (70-kilometer) trip was impossible to make on her husband’s bicycle — at one time the family’s only mode of transportation — and later, with a rechargeable, three-wheeled vehicle whose battery didn’t have the capacity for the round trip.

Then, in early April, a local business owner opened what is believed to be Cuba’s first solar-powered charging station — and it was free. Cubans soon flocked to the solar station — or “solinera” as it’s known in Cuba — recharging everything from electric vehicles to UV nail lamps.

The Cuban government has stepped up the installation of solar panels in hospitals and other public places and established solar farms in the face of chronic blackouts and in recent months, a severe gas shortage stemming from a U.S. energy blockade.

Renewable energy now accounts for some 10% of the island’s electricity, up from 3.6% in 2024, but distribution remains limited, and few Cubans can afford such a system. Globally, just over 30% of electricity generation comes from renewable energies like solar, wind and hydropower, according to energy think tank Ember.

Because there is little gas for cars these days, Cubans are traveling miles to the Santa Clara solar station on rechargeable motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles. Others walk to the station. They haul cellphones with nearly depleted batteries, rice cookers, pressure cookers — an endless array of gadgets, appliances and vehicles that need power.

“They have solved many problems for many people,” Barrero Muñoz said.

She and her husband, along with their children, ages 3 and 4, drive regularly to Santa Clara now that they can charge their three-wheeled vehicle at the solar station.

“If it hadn’t been for this, I wouldn’t have been able to keep selling,” she said.

Barrero Muñoz now buys rice, sugar, hot dogs, mortadella, soap, shampoo, deodorant and other items regardless of their weight, because it all goes into the vehicle instead of the two bags and a backpack she used to haul when she was forced to hitch a ride.

“I have more clients because I have more merchandise,” she said with a smile.

Cars are largely absent on the highway from Havana to Santa Clara; horse-drawn carts are a more common sight in rural areas, where, inevitably, crises in Cuba hit harder.

With nearly a quarter of a million people, Santa Clara is one of Cuba’s most populous cities, best known as the city of “Marta and El Che.”

El Che — Ernesto Guevara de la Serna — led a key battle during Cuba’s 1959 Revolution in Santa Clara, where his remains are housed in a mausoleum.

It is also the town of Marta de los Ángeles González Abreu y Arencibia, a well-known philanthropist who supported Santa Clara and Cuba’s push for independence.

Santa Clara is home to people like Danailys Arboláez Pérez, a 32-year-old mother of two who sells sandwiches, coffee, beer and cigarettes out of her home. It is a short walk away from the solar station.

“Almost everyone in this neighborhood goes there,” she said.

Arboláez Pérez has cooked rice and beans and even fried fish at the solar station, even when she has electricity because she would like to save money on natural gas.

She also recharges two fans that cool the rooms of her 2-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter as Cuba’s temperatures start rising, noting that the power outages last year were “apocalyptic.”

She’s grateful that she no longer has to jump out of bed when the power suddenly comes on, forcing her to cook or wash at untimely hours including 2 a.m.

“We’re not running around so much,” she said. “I cook slowly, calmly. … If the power goes out, I’ll just take the pot there.”

Alexander Gutiérrez Altuve works at the business next door that helped finance and set up the solar station in Santa Clara.

It’s unknown how much the project cost, but he said the owner of the business, who was not available for an interview, worked with the government to install solar panels that provide 30 kilowatts of energy and a battery of 60 kilowatts. That’s enough energy to power the average U.S. home for a single day.

The station has 20 sockets to charge equipment, 16 spots to charge vehicles and 12 for cooking.

“This is something that hadn’t really been done before,” Gutiérrez Altuve said.

Some people are too shy to try it out.

“They are truly surprised when you tell them that it’s free,” said Lisandra Couto Pérez, a co-worker of Gutiérrez Altuve who helps track usage.

On a recent afternoon, Lorenzo Ravelo, Barrero Muñoz’s husband, drove his three-wheeled vehicle into the station and plugged it in as his wife and two young children hopped out the back.

Before buying the small three-wheeler, Ravelo would borrow money from neighbors to rent a car if their children needed medical care, “and later make payments however you can and whenever you can.”

With only a bicycle at the time, he couldn’t take his family on fun road trips to help them escape Cuba’s daily grind. Now, they can even go in their own vehicle to the beach, he explained, tearing up.

“It’s a great solution,” he said.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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(Refiles to correct to adviser in second bullet)

By Heejin Kim

SEOUL, May 6 (Reuters) – South Korea’s presidential office said on Wednesday it had suspended a review of whether to participate in a U.S. operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump put the mission on hold.

A Blue House official also said it was still unclear if a South Korean-operated vessel that suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday had been attacked in the strait.

Trump had earlier urged Seoul to join his “Project Freedom” initiative to free up navigation, claiming that Iran fired shots at a ​Korean-operated ship and other targets as the U.S. launched its operation to open the strait.

“After checking additional information, it seems to be unclear whether the vessel was attacked,” Wi Sung-lac, South Korea’s presidential national security adviser, told a briefing.

He said the ship did not seem to be listing after the fire, which started in the engine room and was extinguished hours later. None of the 24 crew members was injured.

The ship’s operator, South Korea’s HMM, said on Wednesday it had secured a vessel to tow the Panama-flagged bulk carrier to a port in Dubai for an inspection.

The carrier was expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday night or Friday morning Seoul time, the company said.

In normal times, about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strategic waterway.

South Korea ⁠has been cautious about becoming too directly embroiled in the Middle East conflict, but the presidential Blue House said on Tuesday it was reviewing Trump’s suggestion that Seoul participate in the plan to free up navigation.

Trump later said he would pause the operation, citing “great progress” toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

“We don’t believe a review of Trump’s call to participate in Project Freedom is needed at this point,” Wi said.

The government had already been examining another U.S. proposal to join an international framework for freedom of navigation, dubbed the Maritime Freedom Construct (MFC), he said.

“Freedom of navigation and international safety is important to us,” Wi said, adding Seoul would monitor international developments in this area and assess whether to take part.

The South Korean government has said 26 South Korean-flagged vessels were stranded around the Strait of Hormuz.

(Reporting by Heejin Kim, Jack Kim and Kyuseok ShimEditing by Ed Davies)

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Iran Launches Second Strike on UAE, President Trump Gives No Clear Answer on Ceasefire Violation  

President Donald Trump declined to say whether a ceasefire had been violated Tuesday after a second attack in as many days targeted the United Arab Emirates, as tensions rose following launches from Iran involving missiles and drones.  

The UAE’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses engaged ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. It reported that many of the incoming threats were intercepted but described the back-to-back attacks as a “direct threat” to national security.  

Asked in the Oval Office whether the actions constituted a breach of the ceasefire, Trump did not provide a clear answer. “You’ll find out because I’ll let you know when they do,” Trump tells a reporter in the Oval Office. “They know what not to do.” He added, “They should do the smart thing because we don’t want to go in and kill people.”  

According to a report by N12, Trump was close on Friday to approving a renewed round of strikes but reversed course after Iran submitted an updated proposal aimed at ending the war. The report said he later rejected that proposal.  

US officials say Trump is facing pressure from advisers outside the White House to resume military action, though they emphasized that he currently prefers to continue pursuing negotiations. At the same time, officials warned that if talks remain deadlocked in the coming days, Trump is prepared to authorize a short and powerful campaign designed to break the impasse.  

Separately, PressTV reported that Iran has implemented what it described as “a new mechanism to assert sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.” The report said vessels planning to transit the strait must receive notification of regulations by email and obtain permits before crossing.  

“We warn all vessels planning to transit the Strait of Hormuz that the only safe passage is the corridor previously announced by Iran. Any diversion of ships to other routes is dangerous and will result in a firm response from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy,” it says in a statement carried by state television.  

At an air force commander handover ceremony, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Tuesday: “We are closely monitoring the events in the Persian Gulf; we are prepared to respond with force against any attempt to harm Israel.”  

CNN, citing an Israeli official, reported that Israel is preparing in coordination with the United States for a possible new round of strikes in Iran. The official said plans, most of which were ready before the early April ceasefire, would focus on energy infrastructure and targeted assassinations of senior Iranian officials. The official added: “The intention will be to carry out a short campaign aimed at pressuring Iran into further concessions in negotiations.” 

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VATICAN CITY, May 5 (Reuters) – Pope Leo said on Tuesday said he is hoping to spread the Christian message by speaking about peace but that people are free to criticize him, following the latest attack on the pontiff by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace,” said Leo, the first U.S. pope. “If someone wants to criticize me for preaching the Gospel … I hope simply to be listened to because of the value of God’s words.”

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

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ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday denounced the circulation of a deepfake photo of her — posing in bed, wearing lingerie — and complained that such artificial intelligence-created images were being used to attack her.

Meloni shared the photo in question on Facebook. She included with it an apparent post from someone named Roberto who apparently had himself shared it on social media with the commentary that Meloni should be “ashamed” of herself.

Meloni warned against sharing such images on social media without verifying them.

“Deepfakes are a dangerous tool because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot,” she warned in her Facebook post.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Meloni would report the incident to law enforcement, as she was urged to do by people commenting on her post. She acknowledged though that the photo manipulation “actually made me look a lot better.”

“But the fact remains that, in order to attack and fabricate lies, people will now use absolutely anything,” she wrote.

It’s not the first time that the likeness of Meloni, Italy’s first female premier, has made waves. In February, a minor church-state scandal erupted after a cherub bearing a striking appearance to Meloni appeared in a Roman church.

Then, Meloni made light of the manipulation.

“No, I definitely don’t look like an angel,” Meloni wrote on social media with a laughing/crying emoji alongside a photo of the work.

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CAIRO, May 5 (Reuters) – A cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile within the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday, adding that the environmental impact from the incident was unknown.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna Ehab)

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