May 21, 2026UpdatesU.S. removes UN expert Francesca Albanese from sanctions listThe United States has removed Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on the ‌Palestinian territories, from its list of sanctioned individuals, according to the U.S. Treasury Department website.The removal comes a week after a federal judge temporarily blocked the sanctions, finding that the Trump administration likely violated her free-speech rights by imposing the measures after she criticized U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza.Turkey's Erdogan tells Trump issues with Iran can be resolved, urges steps to prevent Lebanon deterioration Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. President Donald Trump in a call on Wednesday he welcomed the extension of a cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran, adding he believed contested issues between the sides could be resolved, according to the Turkish presidency."During the meeting, our President stated that he viewed the decision to extend the cease-fire in the conflict zone in our region as a positive development (and) that he believed a reasonable solution to the disputed issues was possible," the presidency said in a statement.It added that Erdogan called renewed stability in Syria an "important gain" for the region, adding that he urged steps to prevent the situation in Lebanon from worsening amid the continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.RECAP: Hezbollah drone wounds four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, one severely, IDF saysHere are Wednesday's updates from the U.S.-Iran cease-fire and Israel's war with Hezbollah:■ The exchange ‌of messages ⁠between ⁠Iran and the U.S. has continued based ‌on ‌Tehran's 14-point proposal, with Pakistan's interior minister in Iran ⁠to help facilitate it, Iran's ‌foreign ⁠ministry ‌spokesperson said.■ U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on a post on X that the Gaza-bound flotilla was a "stupid stunt", but "Ben-Gvir betrayed the dignity of his nation," referring to the video uploaded earlier Wednesday by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing detained activists of the intercepted Gaza-bound flotilla being bound and dragged in Israel's Ashdod Port.■ The IDF announced that a female Israeli soldier was seriously wounded and three other soldiers were moderately wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon.■ Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said that the United States has submitted another proposal as part of negotiations aimed at ending the war, and that Tehran is currently reviewing it.■ U.S. President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Iran were "in the final stages", while warning of further attacks unless Tehran agrees to a peace deal.■ Germany has warned Israel against evicting the residents of the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank.■ Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on a post on X media that Iran has "explored every avenue to avert war," and that "all paths remain open" on Tehran's side.■ Several world leaders summoned their Israeli ambassadors and issued harsh criticism over a video published by Israel's far-right Defense Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X media that Ben-Gvir's conduct towards the flotilla activists is "inadmissible" and that Italy demands an apology for their mistreatment.