Day: May 18, 2026

In a joint statement, leaders of the opposition parties called for dissolution of Knesset and early elections, News.Az reports, citing The Times of Israel.
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It added that “instead of continuing to support a dysfunctional Knesset, we call on everyone to support the proposal of dissolving the Knesset, which will be presented next Wednesday, and to go to the polls as soon as possible.”
“The governing coalition withdrew all its bills from the agenda of Monday’s session, ahead of the expected preliminary vote on the bill,” it said.
It noted that the timeline for passing the bill remains unclear, but it is likely to pass quickly in the Knesset, where, after its preliminary approval, it will be referred to the relevant committee, and then presented for three plenary readings before becoming law.
If the Knesset is dissolved, Israel will head to early elections, unless those elections are held on their original date of October 27, the date on which the current Knesset’s term legally expires.
Israel’s ruling coalition submitted a bill on May 13 to dissolve the Knesset amid a Haredi conscription crisis, in a move seen as an attempt to thwart a similar step from the opposition.
General elections are scheduled to take place in October.
Opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman warned on Thursday in press remarks that Netanyahu could take military action for electoral purposes amid growing talk of dissolving the Knesset and going to early elections.
Lieberman’s remarks came as Israel continues to violate ceasefire agreements in Gaza and southern Lebanon daily while expanding its occupation of territory on both fronts and stepping up incitement against Iran, Lebanon and Gaza.
The opposition has long called for early elections, a step Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
Netanyahu has been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, where more than 72,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children since October 2023.

The post Israeli opposition urges Knesset dissolution, early polls appeared first on azeritimes.com.

Photos show children being evacuated from the area, News.Az reports, citing ABC news.

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“Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said earlier on social media.

The center says it is the largest mosque in San Diego County.

The post Active shooter reported at San Diego mosque, police on scene​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

In a statement on Monday, the ministry announced that “the quantity of crude oil exports, including condensates, reached 9,884,130 barrels,” for the month of April, “with revenues exceeding $1,087,000,082,” News.Az  reports, citing The New Region.

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Iraq exported nearly 100 million barrels per day in February before the US-Iran war started, generating $6 billion. The number dropped to 18.6 million barrels and just shy of $2 billion for March, then less than 10 million barrels and barely over $1 billion for April.

The sharp drop in export capacity is a direct result of the tightened restrictions placed on the vital Strait of Hormuz, amid the tensions between the US and Iran. 

The regional turmoil has forced Iraq to explore northern routes in a scramble to sell more oil, such as Turkey’s Ceyhan port. It has also compelled Baghdad to explore land routes westward through Syria. 

According to the oil ministry, Basra oil accounted for over 4.5 million barrels, while nearly 5 million barrels of Kirkuk oil were transported through Turkey’s Ceyhan port. Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region – also transported through Ceyhan – reached nearly 340 thousand barrels.

Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement in mid-March to export Iraqi oil through the Kurdistan Region to the Ceyhan port.

During his first meeting as Iraq’s new finance minister on Sunday, Falih al-Sari stressed the need to increase revenue from the ministry’s non-oil sources amid the decline in the country’s oil exports. The newly appointed minister called for “maximizing public revenues in the bodies and departments affiliated with the ministry.” 

The drop in Iraqi exports, currently by a full decimal point compared to pre-war times, is particularly detrimental as Baghdad relies heavily on oil for around 90 percent of its annual budget.

The post Iraq collects $1B from April oil sales​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

Her death Sunday followed months of complaints over his disappearance and the lack of information about his whereabouts, News.Az reports, citing UPI.

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Navas, affectionately known as the “grandmother of Venezuela,” became a national symbol of the struggle, suffering and dignity of the families of political prisoners in Venezuela, publicly exposing what human rights defenders and the opposition describe as the Venezuelan state’s “systematic cruelty” and institutional opacity.

Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, a 51-year-old businessman accused of terrorism, had been detained Jan. 3, 2025, and was being held at Rodeo I prison during a time when his family said it did not know his location, health condition or legal status.

For months, human rights organizations and relatives demanded proof that he was alive and sought access to official information about the detainee, while his mother traveled to prisons, courts and security agencies in Caracas to find answers.

“Give me proof of my son, where are they holding him? If he is alive … because since they arrested him, I have not seen him a single time,” Navas said May 4 at Altamira Square in Caracas during one of her final public appearances while holding a photograph of her son and defending his innocence.

The Ministry for Penitentiary Services confirmed Quero’s death in a statement released Wednesday. According to the document, Quero died July 24 at a military hospital in Caracas after suffering an “upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and acute febrile syndrome.”

The ministry also said the cause of death was “acute respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary thromboembolism,” information that authorities said appears on the death certificate registered July 30.

That meant the state concealed the detainee’s death for nearly 10 months while the Ombudsman’s Office continued issuing false reports that the man remained alive in prison.

The Ministry for Penitentiary Services claimed that Quero “did not provide information about family ties” during his imprisonment and said no relatives formally requested visits.

Navas witnessed exhumation of her son’s remains. The body had been secretly buried in a mass grave without notifying the family.

In addition, the improvised gravestone showed discrepancies in the dates of death compared with the official statement, raising questions about the true circumstances of his death, the newspaper El País reported.

Scientific police exhumed the body Friday. That day, Quero was buried again in a different cemetery.

After confirmation of her son’s death, Navas publicly demanded DNA tests to verify the identity of the body and fully clarify the circumstances of the case.

Carmen Navas’ death was confirmed to CNN on Sunday by the person caring for her.

The non-governmental organization Foro Penal, which accompanied the family during its search for Quero, described Navas as a mother who was “tireless” in demanding truth and justice.

“Her strength, dignity and perseverance in the face of silence and uncertainty were an example of the strength of mothers and relatives of victims in Venezuela,” the organization said in a statement posted on Instagram.

Venezuelan authorities said a criminal investigation had been opened to determine the causes of death. The Attorney General’s Office said it would carry out proceedings to clarify the facts, while the Ombudsman’s Office called for a review of possible responsibilities and guarantees of due process.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have described the actions of Venezuela as a campaign of systematic, widespread and brutal repression.

After the dramatic political changes that occurred at the beginning of 2026, including the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces and establishment of an interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez, the organizations warned that the state’s repressive apparatus remains completely intact.

According to reports by EVTV, students at the Central University of Venezuela blocked access to the Francisco Fajardo highway Monday to demand justice for the deaths of Quero and his mother, as well as an end to political persecution in the country.

The post Venezuelan prisoner’s mother dies 10 days after son’s death confirmed​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

Sur Killers, comme sur Iron Maiden, on retrouve Eddie au premier plan d’un décor londonien éclairé d’un unique lampadaire par une nuit une nouvelle fois brumeuse. Il s’agit en fait d’un quartier particulièrement mal fréquenté de l’Est de Londres, Manor Park. Ambiance !

Complete our survey on the boundaries and landmarks of South Phoenix.

As with the rest of the British Isles and Wales, Barry experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters, and often high winds. It is amongst the sunnier of Welsh locations, due to its southerly and coastal position.

On May 18, an official reception was held at the Gulustan Palace in Baku on behalf of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva in honor of the heads of state and delegations participating in the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

The Azerbaijan pavilion is now welcoming visitors at Urban Expo, held within the framework of the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), AzerNEWS reports.