Author: Admin

Officials in Egypt have put on display a remarkable plaster wall from King Tutankhamun’s burial chamber and opened two newly restored ancient tombs in Luxor that showcase scenes from daily life and burial customs from the New Kingdom era.

The plaster wall, which sealed the famous pharaoh’s tomb, represents an extraordinary piece of history that cannot be found anywhere else, according to Abdelghaffar Wagdy, director-general of Luxor Antiquities. He explained that this uniqueness stems from the fact that nearly all pharaonic burial sites were robbed throughout history.

“Therefore, it is a one-of-a-kind artifact — the only one currently on display more than 100 years after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb,” Wagdy stated during the Luxor exhibition. “It is the only surviving artifact of Tutankhamun that the world had never seen before. Recently, an Egyptian team reconstructed it.”

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities describes the original plaster barrier as one of the most significant elements connected to the sealing of the tomb that British archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered in 1922.

Making its public debut at the Luxor Museum, the wall served to protect the burial chamber entrances and featured official markings that represented funeral ceremonies and governmental authority related to the monarch’s interment, the ministry noted.

According to Wagdy, the barrier displays seals from Tutankhamun along with markings from cemetery guardians who were responsible for safeguarding the tombs and preventing robbery.

The western side of the Nile River at Luxor houses the Valley of the Kings, where rulers and aristocrats from the New Kingdom period were laid to rest in chambers carved from stone.

Tutankhamun, commonly called King Tut, was among the numerous New Kingdom pharaohs interred in this location. His 14th-century B.C. burial site and complete contents were discovered in 1922.

The newly opened burial chambers belong to Rabuya and his son Samut from the 18th Dynasty, which marked the beginning of the New Kingdom dynasties. Both men worked as doorkeepers for the deity Amun, the ministry reported.

“Today we are inaugurating two very important tombs that were discovered by chance in 2015,” announced Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The burial chambers feature depictions of various activities such as farming, harvesting, craftsmanship, bread making, pottery creation, and wine production.

An explosive drone attack injured four Israeli civilians Thursday in a parking lot in the Rosh Hanikra region, coinciding with the start of fresh US-facilitated peace discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington as hostilities persist in southern Lebanon.

Medical officials at Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya reported treating one victim in critical condition and another with moderate injuries from the drone attack. The facility also received two additional injured civilians in good condition, with one already discharged and the other expected to leave the hospital shortly.

Meanwhile, Israeli and Lebanese delegates launched new discussions at State Department facilities in Washington with American mediators. An Israeli official confirmed the negotiations had begun earlier and were scheduled to continue Friday.

Combat operations along the northern border persisted as the Israel Defense Forces documented further Hezbollah assaults on Israeli military personnel deployed in southern Lebanon. The IDF Spokesperson reported that Hezbollah fired surface-to-air missiles Thursday morning at Israeli Air Force planes conducting operations over southern Lebanon. Military officials stated the missile launches were unsuccessful.

The IDF Spokesperson additionally announced that Israeli troops eliminated 20 Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon over the past day and attacked roughly 65 Hezbollah infrastructure locations through air and ground campaigns.

Strike targets encompassed weapons storage sites, surveillance positions, command facilities, and other infrastructure that officials said Hezbollah operatives had utilized to develop terror operations.

Officials from both Lebanon and Syria are working together regarding approximately 100 former Syrian military and intelligence personnel connected to the fallen government of Bashar Assad who are currently in Lebanon, as Damascus pursues legal channels to go after individuals who escaped across the border when the previous regime crumbled.

According to a senior Syrian security source who spoke with The Media Line, these former officers crossed into Lebanon using unofficial border points in the Bekaa Valley and northern Lebanon, then established themselves primarily in regions with political, sectarian, or security connections to Assad’s previous supporters. The source stated that Lebanese agencies are tracking their activities, while Beirut and Damascus explore potential extradition processes and broader judicial collaboration.

This matter has emerged as one of the most delicate topics in renewed Lebanese-Syrian communications. The situation involves border security, wartime responsibility, the position of Hezbollah in eastern Lebanon, and Lebanon’s extensive history of participation in Syria’s domestic matters. This development occurs as Syria’s new leadership works to strengthen control following Assad’s downfall, while Lebanon’s administration attempts to prevent becoming a support base for former regime networks.

The Syrian source indicated that some of these former officers are thought to be residing in Jabal Mohsen, a mainly Alawite neighborhood in Tripoli historically connected with pro-Assad attitudes. Additional individuals are reportedly staying in villages in the Akkar plain near the Syrian border, including locations close to the Nahr al-Kabir River. Another group is believed to be in the Baalbek-Hermel area, where Hezbollah maintains significant political and military control.

The source explained their locations were not coincidental, characterizing the arrangement as connected to local networks favorable to the former Syrian government. Lebanese security services, according to the source, have put the group under careful surveillance as authorities evaluate whether any of the former officers represent an operational danger.

The matter of handling wanted former Syrian officials came up during recent communications between Lebanese and Syrian officials, the source reported. Both nations are exploring a combined legal structure that would establish guidelines for extradition, information exchange, and judicial-security collaboration. The justice and interior ministries in both countries are anticipated to have key roles in developing this framework.

The source noted that Lebanon does not want its land used for hostile actions against Syria or any other Arab nation. Beirut, according to the source, is attempting to handle the situation through legal processes that safeguard Lebanon’s domestic stability while preventing actions that would violate international law.

Legal expert Fadi al-Hawari explained to The Media Line that the most feasible approach would be to implement the 1951 Lebanese-Syrian judicial agreement, which governs extradition and legal cooperation between the two neighboring nations.

Al-Hawari stated that Damascus would need to submit official requests through the justice ministries, identify the people being sought, and supply evidence connecting them to criminal cases already proceeding through the Syrian courts. He noted that Lebanese law prohibits extradition in matters that are political in character, requiring Syria to demonstrate that any accusations involve criminal behavior rather than political association, speech, or service in the previous government.

This distinction may prove crucial. Numerous former Syrian officers face accusations from rights organizations of participation in repression, torture, forced disappearances, and wartime violations. However, Lebanese courts would still require clear documentation, ongoing proceedings, and charges that satisfy extradition criteria. Without these elements, Beirut might encounter legal challenges or claims of handing over opponents of Syria’s new leadership for political motives.

This situation follows previous reports that Syrian authorities provided Lebanon with a list of approximately 200 former military and security personnel who escaped after Assad’s fall. The worry in Damascus is that former regime supporters might reorganize in Lebanon, particularly in border areas where Hezbollah and other pro-Assad groups have historically maintained power.

Lebanon and Syria have a permeable border, strong family and business connections, and a past influenced by Syrian military control in Lebanon from the civil war period until Syrian forces withdrew in 2005. Throughout Syria’s civil war, Lebanon took in large numbers of refugees and became a logistical, political, and military battleground for competing Syrian-aligned forces. Hezbollah participated openly on Assad’s behalf, while numerous Lebanese communities became involved in the conflict through sectarian, political, or security connections.

The present disagreement puts Lebanon’s leadership in a challenging situation. Working with Damascus might enhance border security and decrease the possibility of armed actions by former regime members. Simultaneously, extradition proceedings involving Syrians accused of political or military connections to the Assad administration could worsen domestic tensions and attract examination from human rights organizations.

The matter received additional focus after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam traveled to Damascus on May 9 with a ministerial delegation. The trip was viewed as an attempt to restart Lebanese-Syrian relations after years of tension and to address unresolved security issues between the two nations.

During the visit, Salam stated that “senior figures of the Assad regime are not in Lebanon,” noting that many are thought to be in Russia and other nations, while only a small number stay inside Lebanon. He also mentioned that Beirut is working to stop Lebanese territory from being used for political or military actions against Syria’s new leadership.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights recently cautioned that dozens of former Syrian military and intelligence officials accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity continue to be in Lebanon. The organization stated that Lebanon should enhance judicial cooperation with Damascus and international organizations to prevent impunity, while ensuring that any action follows legal requirements.

Currently, the future of the former officers seems connected to whether Beirut and Damascus can convert their initial agreements into a working legal procedure. If the matter is managed quietly through courts and ministries, it might become part of broader normalization of relations between the two governments. If it becomes politicized, it could reopen previous Lebanese divisions regarding Syria, Hezbollah, accountability, and sovereignty.

President Trump’s diplomatic trip to China has resulted in a managed improvement in relations between the two nations, with both countries announcing intentions for enhanced trade cooperation, potential significant Chinese acquisitions of Boeing planes, and an invitation for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the White House, though major disagreements concerning Taiwan, trade duties, cutting-edge technology, rare earth materials, and Iran remain unaddressed.

The American president and Xi conducted meetings Thursday at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during President Trump’s initial China visit since 2017. These discussions occurred after President Trump’s Wednesday arrival in Beijing and took place as both administrations attempted to steady their relationship following extended periods of commercial tensions and strategic competition.

Chinese leadership characterized the session as an attempt to establish a more steady partnership in the coming years. According to official summaries of the discussions, Xi informed President Trump that China and the US ought to function as ‘partners, rather than rivals.’ Simultaneously, the Chinese leader cautioned Washington to approach Taiwan with ‘utmost caution,’ stating the matter could create an ‘extremely dangerous situation’ if handled improperly.

Taiwan continues to represent the most delicate political disagreement between both nations. Beijing considers the independently governed island territory as Chinese property and has not eliminated the possibility of military action to bring it under Chinese authority. Taiwan’s leadership disputes China’s assertion and maintains that only the island’s residents can determine their destiny. Washington keeps informal ties with Taipei and provides Taiwan with military equipment, while officially acknowledging Beijing as China’s legitimate government.

The commercial aspects of the trip seemed to generate the most apparent progress. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated he anticipated a substantial Chinese purchase order for Boeing aircraft to be revealed during the journey. He additionally mentioned that both nations were exploring Chinese acquisitions of US energy and farming goods, along with potential Chinese investments in non-critical areas of the American economy.

According to Bessent, Washington and Beijing were considering establishing a joint ‘Board of Trade’ and ‘Board of Investment’ to coordinate future economic cooperation. He also dismissed reports suggesting the administration was pursuing $1 trillion in Chinese investment, clarifying that such figures were not part of the negotiations.

Technology continued to be among the most scrutinized topics. The US has allegedly authorized sales of Nvidia H200 artificial intelligence processors to multiple prominent Chinese corporations, including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, and JD.com, although shipments have not yet commenced. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang accompanied President Trump’s group in Beijing, demonstrating the crucial role of semiconductors and artificial intelligence in bilateral relations.

For Washington, semiconductor exports present concerns regarding profits, technological supremacy, and national security. For Beijing, this matter connects to China’s attempts to decrease reliance on US technology while preserving access to advanced equipment required for artificial intelligence advancement.

The trip also conveyed a significant business signal. Top executives from leading American corporations, including Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple, attended the Beijing meetings as Xi attempted to convince international investors that China remained welcoming to foreign business. This message arrives when international companies are evaluating Chinese market opportunities against regulatory risks, sluggish domestic consumption, and increasing geopolitical tensions.

President Trump also extended an invitation to Xi and his spouse, Peng Liyuan, to visit the White House on Sept. 24. Officials have indicated the two leaders might convene multiple times this year, including during the Group of 20 summit in Miami and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Guangzhou.

Iran-related conflicts also featured in the discussions. Available public information suggests diplomatic positioning rather than significant Chinese commitments. Both sides addressed Middle East tensions, energy transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, China’s position in international oil markets, and US concerns regarding sanctions implementation. China continues as a principal purchaser of Iranian petroleum, while the US seeks Beijing’s cooperation in avoiding actions that undermine pressure on Tehran.

From a ceremonial perspective, the journey appears to have proceeded without incident, featuring an official reception, a Temple of Heaven tour, a state dinner, and high-level meetings intended to demonstrate stability. In terms of substance, the visit resembles a temporary halt in ongoing competition rather than a major breakthrough. Both administrations secured valuable public relations benefits and possible business agreements, but fundamental disagreements persist.

President Trump is scheduled to depart China on Friday, May 15.

A national public radio broadcast recently explored questions surrounding the adequacy of America’s military weapons supply during the current conflict with Iran.

The radio program featured host Ailsa Chang conducting an interview with Barbara Starr, who previously served as a Pentagon correspondent for CNN, discussing the current state of the nation’s weapons inventory.

The conversation centered on whether the United States maintains sufficient military equipment and armaments to sustain operations during the ongoing war with Iran.

HAVANA, May 14 – An aircraft belonging to the American government was observed taking off from Cuba’s main airport on Thursday afternoon, a Reuters reporter witnessed firsthand, occurring several days after President Donald Trump indicated that the two long-standing rival nations were “going to talk.”

When friends tried to predict where Golda Katz would settle after moving to Israel, Jerusalem wasn’t their first guess. Most people suggested Tel Aviv would be a better fit. They had their reasons. The 25-year-old from Monsey, New York, doesn’t match what many consider the typical Jerusalem newcomer profile.

“I have a lot of tattoos and piercings, and I’m kind of alternative looking,” Katz explained. Her background includes growing up in an ultra-Orthodox household, later attending public school, studying abroad in Taiwan, and spending years involved in progressive political movements in the United States.

Her perspective shifted during a trip to Israel following the October 7 attacks. While in Jerusalem on Independence Day, Katz encountered another young woman from Monsey who had also experienced the loss of friendships and political communities after the Hamas assault. The encounter resonated deeply because it marked the first time she met someone whose experience mirrored her own.

“I never met someone who looked like me, who was proud of being Jewish and a proud Zionist and who had the same experience,” Katz shared.

The conversation that followed included words that continue to stay with her. “Goldie, you need to make Aliyah,” the woman advised. “You will find your people here.” That statement transformed the concept of relocating to Israel from abstract to concrete for Katz. “If I met her after just one day in Israel, I’ll definitely meet more people like her,” she reasoned.

Katz completed her immigration to Israel in July 2025 and chose Jerusalem as her home. The decision caught some people off guard. “A lot of people told me because of how I look that I would suit Tel Aviv,” she noted. “I look like a very Tel Aviv type.” However, Jerusalem offered something Tel Aviv couldn’t provide. “There’s just something so special about Jerusalem,” Katz observed. “The people there are authentic, and they’re real.”

New statistics from Nefesh B’Nefesh reveal that Jerusalem has maintained its appeal for North American immigrants throughout the war period. The organization reports that more than 1,000 people have relocated to the city since the previous Jerusalem Day, representing a diverse group spanning young singles, families, and retirees. Since 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh has helped over 100,000 North American Jews immigrate to Israel, with nearly 30,000 selecting Jerusalem as their destination.

The demographic breakdown demonstrates the movement’s breadth: approximately 70 families, around 400 young singles, and roughly 180 retirees. The age range tells its own compelling story, stretching from an 11-month-old infant to a 96-year-old new resident.

Mayor Moshe Lion interpreted these numbers as proof that Jerusalem attracts people not merely as a historical or religious symbol, but as a genuine place to build lives. “Jerusalem is much more than a historic symbol or Israel’s capital city. It is a vibrant, growing city filled with opportunity, a place where people choose to build their future,” Lion stated. He highlighted “strong communities, excellent education, culture, employment opportunities, innovation, and a true sense of belonging unlike anywhere else.”

Lion also emphasized the broader significance of these immigration patterns. “Making Aliyah to Jerusalem is a powerful Zionist statement,” he declared, “and we are proud to open the doors of our city to everyone who chooses to build their lives and future in Israel’s capital.”

Katz’s upbringing was deeply connected to Israel and Judaism. Her ultra-Orthodox family remains close to her, she had Israeli relatives, and she visited for her bat mitzvah. However, as she matured, much of her identity developed within different environments, particularly leftist and progressive circles in America.

“I became very entrenched in that subculture and very passionate about social justice and a lot of progressive causes,” Katz told The Media Line.

The October 7 attacks marked a turning point. Katz anticipated that people within those circles would acknowledge what had happened to Israelis. Instead, she felt immediately rejected. A conversation with a college friend became the moment she realized something fundamental had changed.

The friend shared a video shortly after October 7, claiming that Israelis were taking pleasure in Gaza’s suffering. Katz reached out privately, attempting to explain that Israelis weren’t celebrating violence. She expected a compassionate, perhaps apologetic response.

“I expected a reaction of, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that. Please, can you share with me more information or more resources to help me understand what’s actually going on?’” Katz remembered. That wasn’t what occurred.

“Instead, what I got was antisemitism and hatred telling me that I’m wrong, that I’m evil for supporting Israel, that I don’t know what I’m talking about,” she said. Katz described receiving accusations that Israel was stealing organs, attempting to seize Gaza, and that October 7 was fabricated. “It really shocked me how someone who I thought was intelligent and had a nuanced view on the world could be so, so ignorant and so closed-minded and, honestly, so mean when I thought she was my friend.”

The impact extended beyond personal relationships. Watching protests spread across New York and other locations, Katz sensed the change wasn’t temporary. “I realized like this time is different,” she said. “Talking to people on Instagram is not going to change it. And something bad is coming.”

When explaining her choice of Jerusalem over Tel Aviv, Katz repeatedly returned to the concept of authenticity. For her, Jerusalem’s appeal wasn’t its convenience or ease, but the intentionality of people who chose to live there. “There’s an authenticity and a realness to the people who feel drawn to Jerusalem, where they feel it in their heart that that’s where they belong,” she explained. “And I felt the same way, even though I don’t necessarily fit.”

Katz doesn’t claim to represent the typical Jerusalem immigrant. Her decision stands out because she doesn’t match the profile many Israelis might expect, either politically or socially. She isn’t simply a young American continuing a familiar religious path in a more traditional setting. She arrived after discovering that movements she had trusted couldn’t accommodate her Jewish and Zionist identity following the October 7 massacre.

The newcomer demographics prove more diverse than stereotypes suggest. Nefesh B’Nefesh reports that nearly 60% of North American immigrants settling in Jerusalem are women. Many originate from New York, New Jersey, California, and Florida, with Ontario, Canada, also representing a significant source. The professional backgrounds of new immigrants include doctors, educators, lawyers, social workers, business professionals, and engineers. Physicians lead this year’s list, with 35 doctors selecting Jerusalem.

For Tony Gelbart, co-founder and chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh, this variety reinforces a key point: “Jerusalem is not only central to the Jewish people’s history, but also a vibrant center of life and community today.” Each new immigrant contributes to “the city’s evolving story.” He expressed pride that so many immigrants now consider Jerusalem home.

The organization’s physical presence has become part of Jerusalem’s immigration infrastructure. Its Jerusalem Campus, which opened in 2021 near many national institutions, has welcomed 150,000 visitors since launching. In the past year alone, it hosted over 8,000 visitors and organized more than 100 events, including professional networking programs, educational seminars, and initiatives for lone soldiers and young families.

For Katz, however, Jerusalem’s meaning isn’t primarily found in formal programs. She discusses buses, sidewalks, and the everyday proximity of people who might not encounter each other in the same spaces elsewhere. Even her morning commute, with its crowds and frustrations, has become part of how she understands the city.

“I always come back to the diversity,” she said. “Being able to get on my bus on the way to my office in the morning, and there’s so many different people just sitting on the bus together, just enjoying, well, I don’t know about enjoying their commute, but experiencing their commute, it reminds me of how all of the Jews in Israel are so different, but yet we’re all here.”

This diversity transformed her understanding of Judaism itself. In America, she said, the Jewish communities she knew were primarily those closest to her family and background. “My family is ultra-Orthodox. Half of them are Chabad and half of them are Yeshivish,” she explained. Beyond that, she was familiar with Reform Judaism in America. Jerusalem revealed something broader.

“Honestly, moving to Jerusalem showed me just how much diversity there is amongst the Jewish people,” Katz said. “When I arrived to Jerusalem, I saw the most Orthodox of the most Orthodox, ultra-Orthodox. And then I saw people who looked like me, with tattoos, piercings, and dyed hair. People who were secular, people anywhere along the spectrum in between.”

She laughed slightly at not having understood this earlier, but emphasized the discovery was genuine. “I had no idea there was so much diversity amongst the Jewish people,” she said. “Jerusalem is very alive with all sorts of, I don’t know if contradictions is the right word, but we’re all part of the same people. We’re all Jewish people, but people are still so different from each other and have such different opinions and views.”

This gives the official immigration statistics more personal significance. The city isn’t simply absorbing people; it’s also reshaping what some understand Jewish belonging to mean. Katz said she feels “safe and at home” walking through the city because she’s surrounded by her people, even when those people don’t resemble one another.

“When push comes to shove, Israelis, for the most part, I understand there are certainly a few exceptions, but for the most part, when it comes down to it, Israelis will have your back when you need them,” she said. “Jewish people will have your back when you need them.”

This year’s Jerusalem Day also finds the city again at the center of Israel’s diplomatic efforts. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who also oversees the Jerusalem Affairs portfolio, used an official visit to Romania this week to request that the Romanian Embassy be relocated to Jerusalem. Speaking to a special joint session of the Romanian parliament marking the Day of Solidarity between Romania and Israel, Levin connected the city’s status to international recognition of Israel’s historical rights.

“The heart of the Holy Land is our eternal capital, Jerusalem,” Levin stated. “After many years of denial of our historical rights in our capital, President Trump moved the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He was followed by other prominent leaders from a growing number of countries.”

Levin then made a direct request to Romanian leaders. “I believe that the Romanian flag deserves to be raised in the city of the great kings, David and Solomon,” he said. He also characterized Israel as defending democratic values and criticized those he said use international law against Israel while failing to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the fight against terror.

For Israeli officials, Jerusalem remains a diplomatic challenge. For municipal leaders and immigration organizations, it represents a city of growth, services, communities, and future residents. For Katz, the matter is more personal and, in some ways, more historical. She reflects on the generations of Jews who wanted to return to Jerusalem but couldn’t.

“For thousands of years, there were Jewish people around the world in the diaspora who wanted nothing more than to be able to return to Jerusalem safely,” she said. “It’s a privilege that I, from my comfy life in America, I live in a period of time where I can choose to just go to Jerusalem and live in Jerusalem and live in the land of my people.”

That privilege, she said, became impossible to ignore. “Who am I to not take this amazing opportunity?” Katz asked.

When asked why North American immigrants, including young people, would choose Jerusalem over places that might feel more familiar to an American lifestyle, Katz pointed to what she described as a spiritual attraction. “In the diaspora, obviously, we have synagogues, and we have Jewish community centers, but we’re very far removed from the center of Judaism,” she said. “When we have the chance to go to Israel, why not go right to the heart of it?”

Katz understands that Jerusalem is political. She knows it carries the weight of history and conflict. But when asked what the city means to her now, she didn’t start with policy. She began with a feeling of being close to the center of something she had inherited long before she arrived.

“Jerusalem is, I think, the beating heart of Israel,” she said. “You have everyone from everywhere. You’re in the center of it all. I mean, obviously, the political center of Israel, but like the cultural center and the spiritual center and just the authentic, like the center of authenticity, I feel is in Jerusalem.”

She then attempted to describe what it’s like to live near the Old City, in a place where so much of Jewish memory isn’t confined to books or prayers but exists just outside the door. Katz said she knows Israel isn’t literally the cradle of civilization, but Jerusalem feels that way to her.

“It feels like the center of the world to me,” she said.

Israel Aerospace Industries has made history by selecting its current chief executive Boaz Levy to simultaneously serve as board chairman, creating the first dual leadership arrangement of its kind among Israeli government-owned enterprises.

The groundbreaking appointment became official on May 13 when Defense Minister Israel Katz and Minister in charge of the Government Companies Authority Dudi Amsalem executed the formal appointment documentation. Levy’s selection followed board approval and clearance from the Senior Appointments Committee.

This decision establishes Levy in combined leadership positions at Israel Aerospace Industries, recognized as among Israel’s most significant government-controlled defense contractors. Levy has held the chief executive position since 2020.

Katz characterized the decision as an “unprecedented step” that combines “deep managerial, technological and defense experience” during Israel’s current push for enhanced military independence through what he termed a comprehensive strategic initiative.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu and I are leading a broad-based strategic plan, with an investment of hundreds of billions of shekels, to build the military power of the State of Israel and achieve self-reliance in defense,” Katz said. He added that IAI plays “a key role in this national process.”

Amsalem indicated the selection demonstrates trust in Levy’s capabilities and aims to preserve organizational stability while enhancing the company’s global reputation and its contributions to Israel’s economic and security interests.

Levy outlined his intentions to broaden the organization’s defense and commercial operations, promote technological advancement, and expand international market presence.

“IAI is a strategic asset to the State of Israel, combining technological excellence with a national mission,” Levy said. He also thanked the company’s employees and management for what he described as “unprecedented security, technological and business achievements.”

Levy began his career at IAI in 1990 as an engineering professional working on the Arrow program and subsequently managed multiple significant defense initiatives, including the Barak program and the organization’s air-defense systems operations.

Iraq’s legislative body confirmed 14 cabinet members out of 23 proposed positions on Thursday for Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi’s administration, while encountering obstacles with several key ministerial nominations.

Among the 270 legislators present for the vote, approval was granted for 14 positions in the proposed cabinet. The majority of confirmed ministers are new to government roles, though foreign minister Fuad Hussein kept his current position.

Three candidates for interior minister, higher education minister and planning minister positions were rejected by parliamentary vote. Decisions on additional roles including defense, labor, housing and reconstruction, and education ministers were delayed indefinitely.

Political gridlock frequently characterizes Iraqi governance, often resulting in extended periods without functioning leadership.

A power-sharing system divides ministerial positions among political groups, with the leading parliamentary coalition – the Coordination Framework, consisting of Shiite parties with Iranian ties – selecting 12 ministers. Sunni factions choose six positions, Kurdish groups pick four, and religious minorities select one.

The incoming administration must address political and economic consequences from the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which affected Iraq while Strait of Hormuz restrictions have interrupted oil shipments that support Iraq’s financial system.

Legislative approval was given to a government agenda focusing on enhanced public services, resolving electricity shortages, and maintaining economic stability, alongside anti-corruption efforts, administrative reform, and judicial system strengthening.

The approved plan contains measures for limiting weapons to state control, though practical implementation may prove challenging.

Several Iran-supported armed groups operate within Iraq, and these organizations repeatedly targeted U.S. military installations and diplomatic compounds during the recent U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Washington has pressured Baghdad to restrain these armed organizations, while Tehran likely opposes their disarmament.

Two Coordination Framework representatives, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization, revealed that Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed multiple Shiite political and militia leaders to avoid disarmament actions currently, postponing the matter pending clarity on U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks.

These sources indicated Qaani also recommended delaying votes on ministry positions connected to political groups with armed affiliates.

Al-Zaidi, a business leader without political experience, became the agreed-upon prime ministerial choice following extensive discussions within Coordination Framework member parties seeking a compromise leader for the next government. Both U.S. and Iranian officials endorsed his selection. Iraq maintains significant relationships with both competing nations and has historically balanced between their interests.

U.S. envoy to Iraq Tom Barrack congratulated al-Zaidi on government formation through a social media post, stating: “We are encouraged by your fresh leadership and look forward to collaborating on a bold new agenda aligned with our shared interests.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered congratulations to al-Zaidi in his own message and also praised Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on his reappointment.

“Expanding friendly and brotherly relations between Tehran and Baghdad remains, at all times, a top priority of our foreign policy,” he stated.

TAPACHULA, Mexico — Desperate family members are combing Mexico’s southern coastline searching for 40 migrants who disappeared while attempting a treacherous sea voyage toward the United States border on Christmas Eve 2024.

Among the missing is Elianis Caridad Morejón Pérez, a young woman from Cuba who made her last phone call to her mother before boarding a vessel in San José El Hueyate, a community in Chiapas state. Her final words indicated she had secured a life jacket and was preparing to depart on what smugglers call one of the most hazardous maritime routes for migrants.

This month, her mother Isis Pérez traveled to the same border village near Guatemala to conduct her own investigation. Joined by other family members of the vanished migrants from Cuba, Honduras and Ecuador, they examined the San José El Hueyate dock, took boats along the Pacific shoreline, and questioned local business owners and residents.

While Pérez gathered no definitive leads, multiple locals remembered that before the second Trump presidency began in January 2025, numerous vehicles regularly brought migrants to the area for ocean transport.

That migration pattern dropped significantly last year as the United States intensified deportation operations, returning migrants to their origin countries or transferring them to third nations that agreed to receive them.

“As family members, we live in constant torment and anguish, longing to find them,” said Óscar Hernández, a Honduran man who traveled to Chiapas in hopes of locating his brother, who is among the disappeared.

The International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project has documented 11,475 migrant disappearances or deaths along the South America to United States corridor since 2014, with more than half occurring within Mexico.

A recent IOM analysis identifies multiple smuggling harbors operating since 2021. The typical pattern involves migrants boarding small dual-engine vessels in Puerto de Ocós, Guatemala, then making stops for fuel and supplies at Chiapas ports including Puerto Madero, San José, Barra de Zacapulco, and Paredón. The journey concludes with arrivals in Salina Cruz or Huatulco, Oaxaca, where travelers continue northward overland.

Family members of some missing persons say the 40 migrants who vanished in late 2024 were rushing to reach America before U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term began, worried he would eliminate the more lenient immigration approaches of his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

Among the disappeared were Cubans Meiling Álvarez Bravo, 41, and her 15-year-old son, Samei Armando Reyes Álvarez.

“On Dec. 21, 2024, at 8 a.m., she told me they were going to have breakfast because they were about to cross toward Mexico City by boat,” recounted Julia Margarita Bravo Díaz, Meiling’s mother and the boy’s grandmother.

The mother and teenager had flown from Cuba to Nicaragua before making an overland journey through Honduras and Guatemala into Mexico. According to relatives of four missing individuals, the pair initially had no knowledge their route to the U.S. border would involve ocean travel.

Locating missing individuals in Mexico presents enormous challenges on land, but becomes exponentially more complex at sea, explained Ana Enamorado, coordinator of the nonprofit Regional Network of Migrant Families.

From July through November 2025, the Mexican Navy conducted rescue operations for 22 migrants — six from ocean shipwrecks and 16 from coastal areas as they prepared to depart from Chiapas. Responding to these dangers, Mexican officials announced in March they had expanded ocean surveillance operations with Guatemalan authorities to combat both narcotics trafficking and unauthorized migrant movement toward North America.

The mothers and family members of the 40 migrants who disappeared in late December 2024 acknowledge that while they must return to their home nations, their investigation will continue from a distance.

“We are leaving with heavy hearts but with the hope of finding them,” said Pérez. “We ask that you help us search, help us find them.”

BEIRUT (AP) — High-level representatives from Israel and Lebanon began their third round of face-to-face negotiations in Washington on Thursday, racing against time as a temporary ceasefire nears its expiration date while combat between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah persists.

Officials from Lebanon express optimism that these two-day discussions will produce a lasting ceasefire agreement and create a pathway to address complex challenges, such as removing Israeli military units from southern Lebanese territory and dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal.

The Trump administration has been working to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough between these neighboring nations, which have remained technically at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948.

However, Hezbollah remains excluded from these discussions and has publicly condemned Lebanon’s participation in face-to-face negotiations with Israel.

Despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire implemented on April 17, Israel and the Iranian-supported militant organization have maintained almost continuous exchanges of fire along their shared border. The initial 10-day pause in hostilities was subsequently extended for an additional three weeks.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who participated in the initial Israel-Lebanon meetings in Washington during April, was accompanying President Donald Trump on a diplomatic trip to China and was absent from Thursday’s session.

These current discussions mark progress toward more substantive negotiations, featuring senior-level representatives from both Lebanon and Israel, following earlier preparatory meetings led by each nation’s ambassadors to Washington.

Simon Karam, Lebanon’s lead negotiator for Thursday’s talks, serves as a lawyer and well-connected former Lebanese ambassador to the United States who recently represented Lebanon in indirect discussions with Israel regarding ceasefire implementation that preceded the most recent outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel’s delegation was expected to include Deputy National Security Adviser Yossi Draznin.

Substantial differences persist regarding what each side hopes to achieve through direct negotiations. Israeli representatives have emphasized dismantling Hezbollah and characterized the talks as potentially leading to normalized diplomatic ties. Lebanese representatives have indicated they seek a security arrangement or armistice that would fall short of full normalization.

Trump has publicly advocated for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though Aoun has refused to meet or communicate directly with Netanyahu at this time — a decision that would likely provoke domestic criticism in Lebanon.

A senior Lebanese official with knowledge of the Washington negotiations said Thursday that Lebanon seeks a comprehensive ceasefire initially, followed by negotiations over Israeli force withdrawal. The matter of Hezbollah’s weaponry would be addressed through Lebanon’s political processes afterward, he explained. The official requested anonymity to discuss the talks candidly.

He indicated Lebanon is “relying heavily on the U.S. administration” to provide negotiating leverage against Israel and believes Trump is “sincere” in his commitment to assist Lebanon.

The official reported that during Trump and Aoun’s recent conversation, Trump did not pressure Aoun to meet or speak with Netanyahu and showed understanding when Aoun explained his refusal. According to the official, Aoun informed Trump that meeting and shaking hands with Netanyahu in Washington, only to have talks collapse later, could create domestic consequences in Lebanon and damage Trump’s credibility.

Aoun informed Trump that if both countries successfully negotiate a security agreement, he would visit the White House to “inaugurate” it, to which Trump replied “I like that,” the official stated.

Should Israel agree to a ceasefire and withdraw from occupied southern Lebanese territory, the official believes Hezbollah would accept an arrangement where it transfers its weapons to Lebanon’s army, which could retain some and destroy others. This plan could include allowing individual Hezbollah fighters to enlist in Lebanon’s army if they satisfy eligibility criteria, he explained.

Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Israeli news site Walla News Thursday that Israel seeks “to negotiate for full peace as if Hezbollah does not exist — borders, embassies, visas, tourism, everything.” Despite Lebanese officials’ statements that diplomatic normalization is not currently under consideration, he expressed belief that “it is possible to reach such an agreement within a few months.” However, he noted, “it would be conditioned on the success of the second track — dismantling Hezbollah.”

Thursday’s negotiations began hours after a Hezbollah drone detonated within Israel, wounding three civilians, two critically, according to Israeli military and hospital sources. This marked the first civilian casualties from Hezbollah projectiles since the ceasefire began, based on reports from Israel’s rescue service, Magen David Adom.

Israel has found it challenging to prevent regular Hezbollah drone strikes against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and across the border in northern Israel.

Israel has maintained its strikes within Lebanon. On Wednesday, Israeli forces hit seven vehicles in Lebanon — three on the primary highway south of Beirut — resulting in 12 deaths including a woman and her two children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported. Subsequent strikes in southern Lebanon killed an additional 10 people, including six children, the ministry stated.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports that since fighting began on March 2, 2,896 people have died — approximately 400 since the nominal ceasefire took effect — with 8,824 injured. On the Israeli side, 18 Israeli soldiers, two Israeli civilians within Israel, and one defense contractor working in southern Lebanon have been killed.

U.N. peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon have also suffered casualties, with six deaths reported.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — New research published Thursday reveals that violence has escalated markedly across multiple African nations following former President Donald Trump’s abrupt elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development last year, which had served as a major international aid provider.

The study authors stopped short of directly attributing the violence surge to the USAID termination, but emphasized their findings illustrate how “large-scale, sudden aid cuts can destabilize fragile settings.” The researchers clarified this doesn’t prove increased aid prevents conflict, but rather highlights “the effect of a sudden and unexpected disruption.”

USAID had delivered essential assistance to African nations devastated by conflict and violence for decades. The Trump administration’s elimination of over 90% of foreign aid agreements effectively slashed approximately $60 billion in assistance.

European and American university researchers conducting the study noted that the sudden termination of USAID resources also disrupted existing agreements, personnel arrangements, and aid distribution networks.

“The abrupt withdrawal of USAID led to a significant and sustained increase in conflict across Africa’s most USAID-dependent regions,” the researchers wrote in their findings published in the Science journal.

The investigation analyzed whether USAID’s immediate shutdown correlated with increased violence in African areas that had historically received substantial support, discovering a clear connection.

Conflict specialists indicate Africa currently faces greater jihadi threats than any other global region. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, or ACLED, reported Wednesday that regional jihadis have escalated their involvement in widespread violence and increasingly targeted civilians over the past four years.

For years, USAID served as the primary funding source for numerous African countries, delivering resources that enabled governments and humanitarian organizations to address various crises across multiple sectors.

Nigeria exemplifies this relationship, where USAID assistance supported victims of the militant Boko Haram organization, active since 2002. In Ethiopia’s unstable Tigray region, local officials depended extensively on U.S. funding while comprehensive recovery initiatives remained stalled following warfare that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

Additionally, in northern Ivory Coast, positioned at the forefront of global anti-extremism efforts, USAID had committed substantial financial resources to combat the expansion of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, who wasn’t involved in the research, emphasized the study’s findings highlight the enduring consequences of funding reductions.

“The lasting problem with the shuttering of USAID is likely going to be that for much of its conflict prevention work, even if you put back all the money … the experience is gone,” Raymond said.

Furthermore, certain USAID initiatives may have prevented conflict expansion beyond affected zones, according to Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED.

“We now see increasing insurgency and spillover, so some of those programs may have supported these communities from insurgent threats, and now they are no longer active,” said Serwat.

UNITED NATIONS — On Thursday, the Trump administration revealed plans to provide an additional $1.8 billion in humanitarian funding to the United Nations, with officials stating the resources will support disaster relief efforts, combat famine, and assist “people who are truly in critical need.”

This funding will be distributed throughout the next year and supplements the $2 billion commitment made by the Trump administration in December. During a press conference, Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, described this new funding as just “the latest step.”

While the contribution represents less than historical U.S. funding levels, President Donald Trump’s administration views it as a substantial commitment that preserves America’s position as the world’s leading humanitarian contributor.

The Trump administration has reduced billions in U.S. foreign assistance, forcing U.N. agencies to cut expenditures, terminate aid programs and eliminate thousands of positions. Additional traditional U.N. contributors including Britain, France, Germany and Japan have similarly decreased their aid commitments.

U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described his agency as “overstretched, underresourced and literally under attack” and emphasized its 2026 goal to assist 87 million of the world’s most vulnerable people with $23 billion in funding — despite 300 million people requiring humanitarian assistance.

Prior to Waltz’s announcement, he noted, the U.N. had secured approximately $7.4 billion. He characterized the United States as “the single largest national donor” to the United Nations.

Waltz criticized what he described as a media narrative suggesting the U.S. has abandoned helping those in need, calling it “absolutely false.”

Under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. has adopted a selective approach to United Nations dues payments, choosing which operations and agencies align with Trump’s priorities while avoiding those that no longer serve U.S. interests. The State Department has stated “individual U.N. agencies will need to adapt, shrink, or die.”

Critics argue the Western aid reductions have been misguided, pushing millions toward starvation, displacement or illness, and weakening U.S. soft power globally.

A catastrophic breakdown of Cuba’s electrical infrastructure occurred Thursday morning, leaving the island’s eastern regions without power as the capital continues to endure extended blackouts, government officials reported.

The Caribbean nation’s deteriorating electrical system has steadily declined over recent years during an extended financial crisis, worsened by a U.S. energy blockade affecting the island where 10 million residents face daily hardships.

Officials from the state-run Electric Union reported that the system failure had cut electricity to all eastern regions spanning from Guantánamo to Ciego de Ávila, with repair teams working to restore service, though no timeline was provided for restoration.

One day earlier, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel had characterized the power situation as “tense” following the depletion of oil supplies that arrived via Russian tanker in late March. The island nation generates only about 40% of the fuel required to operate its economy.

Moscow has announced intentions to dispatch another fuel vessel to Cuba in early April. Russian media outlets report the oil tanker departed from the Russian Baltic port of Vysotsk in January but has remained stationary in Atlantic waters for several weeks.

Electrical outages in Havana, where officials have implemented power rationing, extended to 24 straight hours on Thursday.

Wednesday night, Associated Press reporters witnessed citizens across multiple neighborhoods protesting the blackouts by banging cookware and igniting garbage containers. Subsequently, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy appeared on Cuban television to classify the power situation as “critical.”

While Cuba’s electrical infrastructure is deteriorating, officials have also attributed the outages to U.S. sanctions following President Donald Trump’s January warning of tariffs against nations selling or supplying oil to Cuba. The Trump administration has insisted that Cuba free political prisoners and pursue political and economic reforms in exchange for sanctions relief.

The power failures have resulted in shortened work schedules and food spoilage as refrigeration units fail. Medical facilities have postponed surgical procedures in some instances.

The International Monetary Fund expressed approval Thursday for recent diplomatic engagement between the United States and China, stating that decreased friction between the world’s two economic powerhouses benefits global markets.

During a Washington news briefing, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack emphasized the significance of high-level communication between the economic superpowers when discussing outcomes from the Trump-Xi summit held in Beijing.

“It’s very important, of course, that the world’s two largest economies are engaging at the highest level,” Kozack stated during the briefing.

“We certainly welcome the fact that there’s a constructive dialogue between the two countries. Anything that is going to help reduce trade tensions and reduce uncertainty is good for both of those large economies, and, of course, good for the global economy as well,” she continued.

The spokesperson noted that ongoing Middle East warfare and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have driven oil prices beyond $100 per barrel, pushing the world economy toward the IMF’s middle-range projection from its April World Economic Outlook report.

Under this “adverse scenario,” worldwide real GDP growth would drop to 2.5% this year, down from the 3.1% predicted in the organization’s more optimistic “reference forecast” that anticipates swift conflict resolution, and below the 3.4% growth projected for 2025.

This unfavorable projection assumes oil remains at $100 per barrel throughout the year while also factoring in tighter financial conditions and increased inflation expectations.

Despite elevated energy costs driving up short-term price increase expectations, Kozack said the IMF considers medium-term inflation expectations to be stable. She added that global financial conditions remain “accommodative.”

The monetary organization continues exploring potential financial support for member nations struggling with increased energy and commodity expenses resulting from Middle East hostilities. However, Kozack provided no specifics about particular countries or responded to reports that Iraq has requested financial aid.

During spring meetings in April, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva indicated that approximately 12 countries would likely require assistance totaling $20 billion to $50 billion from the IMF and World Bank, with both institutions coordinating on optimal support strategies.

Kozack declined to update those estimates.

“Right now, what we’re seeing is that many countries are actually asking us for support in the policy area,” she explained. “They’re asking us for policy advice. How can they best respond to the shock given the individual country circumstances?”

In April, the Fund advised member nations against implementing widespread fuel subsidies that would deplete limited government resources and increase oil demand during supply shortages, further driving up prices.

AMMAN, Jordan — Two opposing factions in Yemen’s ongoing conflict have struck an agreement to exchange more than 1,600 prisoners, marking the most significant detainee swap since the civil war began 11 years ago.

The agreement was finalized in Jordan’s capital following 14 weeks of diplomatic discussions, with United Nations representatives and International Committee of the Red Cross officials serving as witnesses to the process.

According to Abdelkader al-Murtada, who leads the Houthis’ National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs and participated in the discussions, approximately 1,100 of the nearly 1,700 prisoners are connected to the Houthi movement. The remaining 580 individuals set for release by the opposing faction include seven Saudi nationals and 20 Sudanese citizens.

Government delegation leader Yahya Kazman announced on social media platform X that “a number of politicians and media professionals” currently held by the Houthis would also gain their freedom, though he provided no additional specifics.

U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg described the arrangement as covering the most extensive release of “conflict-related detainees.” The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed in an official statement that both warring parties have reached consensus on which prisoners will be freed and expressed readiness to assist with their return home.

Officials have not yet announced when the prisoner releases will commence.

Grundberg noted that this agreement stems from diplomatic talks conducted in Oman during December 2025, when both sides explored the possibility of releasing 2,900 detainees.

Yemen’s civil conflict erupted in 2014 after the Iran-backed Houthis captured Sanaa, the nation’s capital, along with large portions of northern territory, forcing the recognized government to flee the country. The following year, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and including the United Arab Emirates launched military intervention aimed at restoring governmental authority.

The prolonged warfare has devastated Yemen’s economic system and created what the World Food Program describes as “severe” food shortages across northern regions.

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer finds himself in political turmoil as his Labour Party faces mounting pressure following devastating losses in recent local elections.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting stepped down from his Cabinet position on Thursday, marking the first senior government official to resign, though he has not yet formally announced his anticipated campaign to challenge Starmer’s leadership.

The electoral losses appear to be the breaking point for a leader already facing criticism over his choice to name Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington, given the seasoned politician’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Over 90 Labour members of parliament are demanding Starmer resign to allow for a leadership competition to select a new leader who would assume the role of prime minister, with several junior government officials also stepping down.

Despite the pressure, Starmer maintains he will remain in position, and no official leadership challenge has been initiated.

Though no clear favorite has emerged to succeed Starmer, several prominent figures are being considered for the leadership role:

At 43, Wes Streeting is viewed as among the government’s most effective speakers and has spearheaded efforts to reform the struggling National Health Service.

His commitment to healthcare reform stems from personal experience, as the NHS treated him for kidney cancer, leading Streeting to pledge he would help save the health service in return.

First elected to parliament in 2015, Streeting has long been thought to harbor ambitions for the top position, though he previously denied any plans to challenge Starmer.

He documented his journey from London’s working-class East End, where he was raised in public housing, in his book “One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up: A Memoir of Growing Up and Getting On.” The title references his two grandfathers named Bill: his mother’s father had criminal associations and was imprisoned for armed robbery, while he credits his father’s father with guiding him toward Cambridge University.

Streeting entered politics early, heading the Cambridge student union and serving as president of the National Union of Students.

He subsequently worked for Stonewall, the LGBT organization, and has discussed his challenges with coming out as gay while maintaining his Anglican faith.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has distinguished herself as an unconventional politician with a remarkable background story. Raised in social housing, she left school at 16 after becoming a teenage mother.

The 46-year-old Rayner was involved in trade unions before winning election to parliament in 2015 and represents the party’s left wing. She quickly advanced through Labour’s leadership ranks during their opposition years and won election as deputy leader in 2020.

While Rayner commands substantial party support, she was compelled to leave government last year after acknowledging she underpaid taxes on a property transaction. On Thursday, she announced she had resolved the matter with tax officials in what seems to signal preparation for a potential leadership bid.

Following controversy over the Epstein document revelations regarding Mandelson, Rayner spearheaded a parliamentary rebellion that forced the government to transfer authority to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee for determining which documents should be made public.

Former Cabinet official Andy Burnham, the well-regarded, center-left Greater Manchester mayor, has long been viewed as a possible challenger to Starmer. However, his leadership chances suffered when Labour prevented him from running as the party’s parliamentary candidate in a special February election.

According to established tradition, the prime minister must hold a parliamentary seat. Burnham’s allies prefer postponing any leadership contest to allow him time to return to the House of Commons through a special election.

The 56-year-old Burnham held senior positions in previous Labour administrations, including culture secretary and health secretary.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband previously led the Labour Party, but his five-year tenure as opposition leader concluded with the party’s 2015 electoral defeat. The 56-year-old Miliband has publicly downplayed interest in returning to the leadership role, though he ranks among the Cabinet’s most seasoned members.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, 45, handles one of government’s most challenging portfolios, managing immigration and law enforcement. She has gained favor among Labour’s right wing through her efforts to strengthen border security and combat illegal immigration.

The former Royal Marine who served honorably in Afghanistan currently serves as armed forces minister in Starmer’s Labour administration and has gained prominence within the party since his initial election to Parliament during Labour’s 2024 electoral triumph.

At 46, Carns possesses a compelling personal narrative that might appeal to various Labour factions. Beyond his distinguished Afghan service, which earned him the Military Cross in 2011, Carns was born to a single mother in a working-class family in the Scottish oil community of Aberdeen.

“We do not need more slogans, strategies, press releases or commissions,” Carns wrote in a Thursday article for The New Statesman magazine, “We need action.”

His limited experience could prove problematic. Replacing a leader criticized for poor political judgment with a political newcomer, despite their compelling background, might pose risks.

International organizations report that Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban have taken at least three journalists into custody in recent days without revealing specific charges against them.

On Thursday, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan voiced “serious concern” about these arrests and “reports of assaults against journalists and confiscation of property during search operations by the de facto authorities.”

Afghanistan has become one of the globe’s most restrictive nations for media freedom since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with Reporters without Borders placing it at 175th position out of 180 countries in their 2026 rankings.

“A free, independent, and safe press is essential for transparency, accountability, and the well-being of Afghan society,” the U.N. mission stated, calling on authorities “to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and ensure that journalists can do their work without fear of intimidation, harassment, or reprisal.”

On Wednesday, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture confirmed that two TOLONews journalists were taken into custody “a few days ago.” Officials provided no explanation for the arrests but noted their situation remains “under investigation. The court has not yet ruled on them.”

TOLONews confirmed through social media that the detained journalists are Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi, both arrested in Kabul. “Security officials told TOLONews that details will be shared after the relevant legal procedures are completed,” the news outlet reported.

Danish serves as a political editor for the channel while Niazi works as an anchor.

The Committee to Protect Journalists demanded their immediate freedom and reported that authorities conducted “a sweeping raid” on the broadcaster and its parent company, Moby Group, following the arrests.

The arrests and subsequent raid “underscores the climate of fear facing journalists in Afghanistan,” stated Kunal Majumder, the CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator, in a Tuesday release. “Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalists and ensure the press can operate without interference.”

The Afghanistan Journalists Center, which advocates for media freedom, reported that a third journalist, Jawid Niazi, who operates the Paigard private news agency, has also been taken into custody. The organization indicated he was detained on May 6.

The organization demanded immediate and unconditional freedom for all detained journalists. “AFJC urges the Taliban to cease all efforts to suppress media freedom, including threats, arrests, and intimidation tactics that undermine the vital role of journalism in Afghan society,” their statement declared.

Previous journalist arrests by Afghan authorities have involved various accusations. In 2022, three TOLO journalists were detained over coverage reporting that the new government had prohibited all foreign drama series broadcasts. They were subsequently freed. In 2023, the Taliban released a French-Afghan journalist who had been held for more than 280 days after a court dismissed espionage and other allegations against him.

A global hunger monitoring organization announced Thursday that more than four in ten people living in conflict-ravaged Sudan are experiencing severe levels of acute food insecurity, with conditions projected to persist through May as the nation’s war nears its fourth year.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, nearly 19.5 million individuals are confronting this critical level of food insecurity. Among these, 135,000 people have reached Phase 5 conditions, defined by “extreme food gaps, starvation, very high levels of malnutrition, and death due to disease or acute malnutrition.”

The monitoring group’s assessment warns that circumstances will likely worsen during the coming June through September lean season. “Conditions are expected to deteriorate further in the upcoming June–September lean season,” the IPC assessment statement read. The organization projects that approximately 825,000 children under age 5 will experience severe acute malnutrition in 2026 due to restricted access to medical care, representing a 7% rise from the previous year and a 25% jump from pre-conflict numbers.

Treatment data shows that more than 98,500 children received care for severe acute malnutrition during the January through March period, the IPC reported.

Sudan’s armed conflict began in April 2023 when escalating tensions between military forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into comprehensive warfare. The violence has claimed at least 59,000 lives, forced 13 million people from their homes, and driven numerous regions into famine conditions. Humanitarian aid is needed by more than 30 million residents.

While Thursday’s IPC report found no current famine conditions, it cautioned that 14 locations across North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan provinces face famine risk should fighting escalate, food availability decrease, medical and sanitation services deteriorate, or population displacement expand.

Previous assessments confirmed famine conditions in el-Fasher, a significant city in western Darfur, and in Kadugli, located in South Kordofan.

Agricultural producers throughout Sudan are preparing for a costly planting period as expenses for fertilizers, gasoline for farming machinery, and diesel for irrigation equipment rise due to Middle Eastern conflicts.

The Gulf area, where numerous commercial vessels have remained stuck for weeks because of Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, supplies more than half of Sudan’s sea-imported fertilizer. Energy costs have surged approximately 30%.

China intensified its aggressive position regarding Taiwan on Thursday, cautioning the United States that the two superpowers could face “clashes and even conflicts” if Taiwan matters aren’t managed appropriately.

During a summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, China’s President Xi Jinping emphasized that the “Taiwan question” represents the most critical matter affecting relations between the two nations, based on an official statement from China’s foreign ministry.

“‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water,” Xi declared to Trump, the ministry’s statement revealed.

The Chinese leader’s harsh language demonstrates Beijing’s mounting pressure on America, which serves as Taiwan’s primary unofficial partner. While U.S. law mandates ensuring Taiwan maintains defensive capabilities, Washington officially follows what experts call strategic ambiguity — avoiding clear commitments about potential military intervention should China attempt forcible reunification.

“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi stated, the ministry reported.

China has already intensified efforts in recent years to persuade Taiwan’s diplomatic partners to switch allegiances while escalating military intimidation around the island.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Thursday that America’s Taiwan policy remains “unchanged” while cautioning that Chinese military action against Taiwan would constitute “a terrible mistake.”

“U.S. policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today,” he stated during an NBC News interview.

The mainland and Taiwan have operated under separate governments since 1949, following the Communist Party’s victory in Beijing after civil warfare. Defeated Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan, which eventually evolved from military rule into a multi-party democratic system.

Beijing considers independently-governed Taiwan a rebellious territory that must be reclaimed through force if needed.

Tensions between the mainland and Taiwan have escalated since Taiwan initially elected Tsai Ing-wen as president in 2016. Her Democratic Progressive Party maintains Taiwan operates as an independent, sovereign nation. China suspended most official communications with Taiwan’s administration. Recently, Beijing has deployed naval vessels and military aircraft near the island almost continuously.

The Chinese president has previously declared China would “surely be reunified” with Taiwan, home to approximately 23 million residents.

Apart from political considerations, Taiwan serves as a crucial producer of AI servers, semiconductor chips and advanced manufacturing equipment. The artificial intelligence surge has driven Taiwan’s top tech firms to unprecedented earnings and sales.

Experts suggest Xi’s statements reveal China’s concerns about strengthening defense cooperation between Taiwan and America.

“If China had secured any meaningful concession on Taiwan from Trump, it would have been reflected” in Beijing’s official summary of the leaders’ discussion, explained William Yang, a senior analyst for Northeast Asia for International Crisis Group.

“The lack of such mention and the relatively stern tone suggest Trump may not have budged on Taiwan in principle,” he noted.

In December, Trump’s administration revealed an $11 billion arms deal for Taiwan, representing the largest such package ever. Trump has also pressed Taiwan to boost its defense expenditures.

Ma Chun-wei, a specialist in China-Taiwan affairs at Taiwan’s Tamkang University, suggested China might also be concerned the Trump administration has shifted from traditional diplomatic terminology regarding Taiwan. America’s stance has historically acknowledged China’s Taiwan position while maintaining unofficial island relationships.

The most recent national security strategy from the Trump administration, released last December, states simply: “We will also maintain our longstanding declaratory policy on Taiwan, meaning that the United States does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.”

America typically employs highly standardized phrasing regarding its Taiwan relationship.

“For Xi Jinping, he must show that the Taiwan issue is in China’s hands. He must demonstrate this image, or else he would be criticized,” Ma observed.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group have agreed to swap more than 1,600 prisoners in what represents the war’s most extensive detainee exchange to date, according to the United Nations special envoy’s office announced Thursday.

The fighting began when Houthi forces took control of the capital city Sanaa in 2014, leading to a Saudi-led coalition military campaign backing the government in 2015.

According to Houthi official Abdulqader al-Mortada’s statement on X, the rebel group will free 580 detainees, including seven from Saudi Arabia and 20 from Sudan, while the government will release 1,100 Houthi captives.

Both parties have committed to conducting future discussions about releasing additional prisoners and permitting reciprocal visits to detention centers. They have also established an implementation framework with the International Committee of the Red Cross to execute the prisoner release.

“The agreement includes the release of a number of coalition forces personnel, members of the armed forces and security services, fighters from various military formations and the popular resistance, as well as politicians and journalists who spent years in Houthi detention,” said Yahya Kazman, who leads the government’s negotiating team, in a post on X.

This agreement comes after 14 weeks of talks conducted in Amman, stemming from a December accord reached by both sides following United Nations-mediated discussions in Muscat, the Omani capital.

“The issue of prisoners remains at the forefront of our priorities,” stated Mahdi al-Mashat, who heads the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, calling the agreement “a historic accomplishment.”

In April 2023, both sides conducted a significant prisoner exchange involving nearly 900 individuals, which was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and created one of the globe’s most severe humanitarian disasters.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The ancient city of Jerusalem was preparing Thursday for the arrival of tens of thousands of ultranationalist Jewish participants in an annual procession through Palestinian neighborhoods in the Old City, an event that has historically featured racist chanting and violent incidents.

The demonstration marks Jerusalem Day, celebrating Israel’s seizure of east Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East conflict, including the Old City and religious sites held sacred by Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. The same march triggered an 11-day conflict in Gaza four years earlier.

The event occurs as Israel’s far-right administration, which includes settler leaders in important roles, approaches upcoming elections and seeks to energize its political supporters.

Earlier Thursday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir made a provocative appearance at Jerusalem’s most contentious religious location, home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third most sacred site. The location is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, site of ancient biblical temples and Judaism’s most holy place. The appearance risked escalating tensions already high in the city following two and a half years of nearly continuous warfare and unstable truces.

During his Thursday appearance, Ben Gvir displayed an Israeli flag while singing and declaring “the Temple Mount is in our hands,” echoing the renowned words of an Israeli paratrooper commander from 1967 who announced Israeli control over sections of the Old City during intense combat.

Ben-Gvir has made repeated appearances at the disputed Jerusalem hilltop location during tense periods.

The parade frequently results in violent clashes between ultranationalists and Palestinian inhabitants of the Old City. Previous events have featured crowds shouting phrases such as “Death to Arabs” and “May your villages burn.”

The procession path goes straight through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, beginning at Damascus Gate and continuing down a marketplace normally filled with Palestinian shoppers. Early Thursday morning found the street deserted, as Palestinian families stayed indoors while merchants secured their businesses with heavy locks, shutting down early for protection.

Fighting erupted when groups of young participants entered the Old City ahead of the official march, meeting Palestinians in the Christian quarter. Chairs were thrown between the groups. Members of Standing Together, an Israeli-Palestinian peace organization, intervened to halt the confrontation, according to video shared by the group.

“When we put our bodies on the line, it oftentimes reduces the violence because settlers are less willing to attack when there are Jews there or when we document what’s going on,” said Ori Shaham, the group’s international spokesperson.

Tag Meir, another organization opposing extremist Jewish violence, conducted their yearly “flower march” before the crowds arrived, distributing flowers to merchants before they closed early.

Jerusalem Police created a restricted area for media coverage of the event. During previous marches, crowds have attacked journalists.

Jerusalem remains central to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Both sides view the city as essential to their national and religious heritage. It represents one of the most difficult aspects of the conflict and frequently becomes a source of tension.

Israel views all of Jerusalem as its eternal, unified capital. The international community does not recognize its annexation of east Jerusalem. Palestinians seek an independent nation with east Jerusalem as their capital.

MARMARIS, Turkey — A fleet of more than 50 vessels carrying humanitarian aid and activists set sail Thursday from Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline, marking another effort to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza following the recent interception of a similar convoy.

The departure from Marmaris port represents what organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla called the concluding phase of their mission to reach Gaza’s coastline, with nearly 500 activists from 45 nations participating in the initiative.

The new attempt comes just weeks after Israeli military forces stopped more than 20 boats from an earlier flotilla near the southern Greek island of Crete on April 30, initially detaining approximately 175 activists. The confrontation sparked international criticism and diplomatic protests, while raising legal questions about blockade enforcement in international maritime zones. Israeli officials justified the early intervention by citing the substantial number of vessels involved.

Two activists from the April incident — Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila — were taken to Israel for questioning and held for multiple days. The detained individuals alleged they suffered torture during their captivity. Both Brazil and Spain denounced Israel for what they termed the “kidnapping” of their nationals. The pair was expelled from Israel on Sunday.

According to organizers, the current mission includes vessels that regrouped following the earlier Israeli intervention, supplemented by additional boats that joined the effort.

The flotilla aims to spotlight the humanitarian situation facing Palestinians in Gaza, an area devastated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that 72,744 Palestinians have died since the war erupted following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that U.N. agencies and independent analysts consider generally credible, though it doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.

A tenuous ceasefire that began six months ago has paused the most severe combat between Israeli troops and Hamas-led fighters. However, roughly 2 million Gaza inhabitants continue living amid destruction with inadequate food and medical supplies, receiving only restricted aid through one Israeli-monitored border crossing.

Both Israel and Egypt have maintained different levels of restrictions on Gaza since Hamas took control from opposing Palestinian factions in 2007. Israel justifies the blockade as necessary to stop Hamas from acquiring weapons, while opponents characterize it as collective punishment against Gaza’s civilian population.

Israeli authorities prevented a comparable effort last year involving approximately 50 boats and some 500 activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and multiple European lawmakers.

Israel detained and subsequently expelled those participants, who alleged mistreatment by Israeli authorities. Israeli officials rejected these claims.

Earlier attempts to breach the maritime restrictions have similarly been unsuccessful. In 2010, Israeli special forces boarded the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara during an aid convoy’s Gaza mission, resulting in the deaths of nine Turkish nationals and one Turkish-American passenger. The most recent successful activist vessel to reach the territory occurred in 2008.

ATHENS, Greece — Greek authorities have activated a new biometric identification system for travelers from outside the European Union at the nation’s airports, dismissing claims that British visitors would receive a formal exemption during the summer months. However, airport officials indicate the scanners may be temporarily disabled during busy periods.

“We have not received any further update or clarification as to whether, for example, specific nationalities are temporarily exempt from the relevant procedure,” the Foreign Ministry said Thursday in response to a question from The Associated Press.

The European Union’s Entry-Exit System, known as EES, launched at Greek airports and border crossings on April 10 during a continent-wide implementation. The technology substitutes traditional passport stamps with biometric information gathered through facial photography and electronic fingerprinting.

Greek representatives visiting the United Kingdom had previously indicated the biometric requirements might be suspended this summer for British tourists, who represent a crucial segment of Greece’s travel sector.

Present travel advisories from the U.K. Foreign Office indicate: “Greek authorities have indicated that they will not collect biometric data (fingerprints and photos) for UK travelers as part of EES. Follow the advice of authorities on the ground.”

However, European and Greek officials subsequently explained that halting the system is only authorized during times of heavy passenger volume at particular border locations and does not exempt any specific nation or citizenship.

Despite official statements, numerous travelers will likely continue passing through airports without undergoing the new biometric procedures, since EU regulations permit temporary halts during the initial implementation phase.

Greek police recently characterized the electronic entry system as operating at “full operation,” while noting they would implement “all necessary measures to ensure the smooth flow of visitors … making full use of provisions in (European) Union legislation.”

Tourism industry operators worry that enhanced airport screening procedures might deter travel from the United Kingdom — particularly last-minute reservations — to European Union destinations and increase the advantage enjoyed by EU citizens, who can travel throughout the bloc without passport verification.

Greece welcomed almost 38 million tourists last year, who contributed 23 billion euros ($25 billion) to the nation’s 204 billion-euro economic output.

German visitors topped the list at nearly 6 million, with British travelers ranking second at 4.9 million.