WORLD IN BRIEF: Trump Approval Falls to 33%, Russia-Ukraine Strikes Kill 13, and Other Global Stories

Trump threatens Oman over Iran talks
US President Donald Trump has reportedly threatened Oman over its involvement in negotiations with Iran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to Fox News.
The United States and Oman have been pursuing separate diplomatic efforts with Tehran over reopening the strategic waterway, which has reportedly remained largely closed for nearly six months amid the US-Iran conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, with about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally passing through it.
Oman has maintained a neutral position in the conflict and has played an important role in diplomatic efforts involving Iran.
Trump also said Monday that he did not intend to extend a 60-day memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, adding uncertainty to wider efforts to end the conflict.
Trump plans to cut military drills with South Korea
Trump has announced plans to substantially reduce joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, citing Seoul’s decision not to support Washington’s military campaign against Iran.
The US president described the exercises as expensive and said they sent an “inappropriate and hostile” signal.
Trump also pointed to South Korea’s refusal to join US efforts concerning the denuclearisation of Iran.
South Korea said it was reviewing Trump’s remarks but had previously confirmed that its annual military exercises with the United States would proceed as scheduled.
Trump also referred to the presence of about 39,000 US troops in South Korea, saying they remain there to protect the country from North Korea.
The announcement comes despite North Korea conducting ballistic missile tests this month in violation of UN sanctions.
Russia and Ukraine trade deadly strikes
At least nine people have reportedly been killed in Ukrainian strikes across Russia, while four people died in Russian attacks on Ukraine, according to officials on both sides.
Eight people were killed in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, while another woman died after a drone struck a home in the southern Astrakhan region.
In Ukraine, two people were killed in Russian drone attacks in the northeastern Sumy region, while another two died in strikes on the eastern Donetsk region.
A separate Russian attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa damaged a civilian vessel and injured four people.
The latest violence follows what Russia described as Ukraine’s largest drone assault of the year, with Moscow claiming that 822 drones were launched against Russian territory.
Kyiv has increased its long-range drone attacks deep inside Russia in recent weeks, while Moscow has intensified missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and ports.
US tourist dies after lightning strike on Mount Etna
A 30-year-old American tourist has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy.
The man was caught in a thunderstorm on Sunday while in a restricted area near the volcano’s summit. Emergency crews reportedly found him in cardiac arrest at about 20:00 local time.
He was transported by helicopter to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities have restricted access to parts of Mount Etna following recent eruptions and warnings about rapidly changing weather conditions at higher elevations.
Etna is Europe’s most active volcano and attracts about 1.5 million visitors annually. Recent eruptions have disrupted air travel while also drawing large numbers of tourists to the area.
Five teenagers killed in Irish motorway crash
Five teenagers have been killed in a head-on collision on Ireland’s M9 motorway in County Kildare after their vehicle was travelling in the wrong direction.
The crash occurred at about 03:00 on Sunday between junctions three and four near Moone.
Four people in the other vehicle, including a seven-year-old boy, were seriously injured.
Two women in their 30s are reportedly in critical condition, while another woman and the child remain seriously injured. The family was believed to have been travelling to the airport for a holiday.
The five teenagers were named locally as Joe Carthy, Alex McCarthy, Kamil Pustkowski, Jeremy O’Brien and Jack Kennedy.