Author: Admin

BOGOTA — Colombia has chosen a new direction, electing nationalist attorney Abelardo De La Espriella as its next president in a Sunday vote count that signals a dramatic rightward shift for the country.

Affectionately called “The Tiger” by his supporters, De La Espriella presented himself as an outsider capable of turning around Colombia’s struggling economy and bringing stability to a nation long troubled by illegal armed factions and drug trafficking.

His rise began early in the year, fueled by a firm stance on crime and public safety. He secured a first-round victory in late May with 43.7% of the vote, then defeated leftist senator Ivan Cepeda in the runoff election — earning 49.66% compared to Cepeda’s 48.7%, according to the national registrar’s official count.

De La Espriella has placed the blame for Colombia’s economic and security struggles squarely on outgoing President Gustavo. He won over a large portion of voters by promising to cut the size of government by 40%, expand the tax base, and abandon peace negotiations with armed groups in favor of a stronger military approach.

Among his economic plans, he intends to resume oil exploration and permit fracking, with the goal of nearly doubling production to 1.3 million barrels per day.

The president-elect says he funded his own campaign and that his political movement, “Defenders of the Homeland,” developed independently without backing from established parties or business interests. Reuters was unable to confirm that claim on its own.

Beyond his legal career, De La Espriella has built a wide-ranging business portfolio covering wine, rum, clothing, and real estate. Investigative news outlet La Silla Vacia reported that a number of those businesses have been dissolved, carry debt, and collectively lost money in 2024 — with his law practice standing out as his most financially successful venture. His campaign refused to respond to La Silla Vacia’s inquiries about his businesses, and later publicly questioned the outlet’s funding sources. La Silla Vacia denied any bias.

Despite never having served in the military, De La Espriella used a military salute as a signature gesture throughout his campaign. At 47 years old, he is frequently photographed wearing luxury timepieces, designer sunglasses, and a neatly trimmed beard — an image that has drawn comparisons to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who has famously referred to himself as the “world’s coolest dictator.”

Bukele has pursued aggressive law enforcement policies in El Salvador, including the construction of massive prisons, which have pushed crime rates to some of the lowest in Central America. Critics, however, point to the detention of more than 90,000 people and raise serious human rights concerns.

While De La Espriella denies that he is copying Bukele’s model, he has put forward a proposal to build 10 large-scale prisons across Colombia.

His legal career has also drawn scrutiny. De La Espriella previously represented Alex Saab, who is facing charges in the United States for allegedly laundering money on behalf of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He has also taken on clients connected to corruption cases, financial fraud, and right-wing paramilitary organizations. De La Espriella maintains that his work as an attorney does not imply any personal wrongdoing or criminal involvement.

A married father of four, De La Espriella was raised in the Caribbean city of Monteria and is known for his love of vallenato, a traditional folk music style from that region. He holds citizenship in three countries — the United States, Italy, and Colombia — and is scheduled to be inaugurated as Colombia’s president on August 7.

BEIJING — China has placed 10 American companies on its export control list, describing them as entities connected to the U.S. military, in a retaliatory move against Washington’s recent actions targeting Chinese firms.

The companies affected include Aveox, a manufacturer specializing in motors for mission-critical uses, along with rare earth producers MP Materials and USA Rare Earth. Being placed on the list means Chinese exporters are prohibited from selling dual-use items — goods with both civilian and military applications — to those companies.

China’s Commerce Ministry released a statement Monday saying the actions were taken in response to what it called the “U.S. government’s malicious practice.” The ministry said the measures were necessary to protect national security and fulfill international obligations, including commitments related to non-proliferation.

The ministry also stated that any ongoing export activities involving those listed companies must be halted immediately.

In a separate announcement, China’s finance ministry said it is moving against an additional 46 U.S. companies, banning Chinese buyers from purchasing any products those firms make. However, U.S.-funded businesses operating within China are still permitted to make such purchases.

The escalation comes two weeks after the United States added Chinese tech and automotive giants — including e-commerce company Alibaba, internet search provider Baidu, and automakers BYD and NIO — to a list of companies Washington believes are supporting Beijing’s military operations.

Authorities in Australia announced Monday they have made the nation’s biggest cocaine bust in history, recovering 2,700 kilograms of the drug from a semi-rural property on the western edge of Sydney.

The Australian Federal Police reported the seized cocaine carries an estimated street value of approximately A$816 million — roughly $572.3 million in U.S. currency. Officers found the drugs packed into plastic tubs that had been buried inside three shipping containers equipped with false floors.

The discovery was made on Friday during an ongoing investigation targeting an organized crime syndicate believed to be responsible for bringing illegal drugs into Australia along the country’s eastern coastline.

Two men, one 21 years old and the other 25, were taken into custody after they allegedly tried to run from the scene on foot. Both now face charges of possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug — an offense that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Investigators say the cocaine was initially smuggled into the country near Midge Point in northern Queensland before being moved south to Sydney under the direction of the criminal organization. The investigation into the syndicate remains active.

This latest find comes on top of earlier drug interceptions tied to the same case, including 178 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of methamphetamine. Combined with Monday’s announcement, the total amount of drugs seized through this investigation has surpassed three metric tonnes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a sweeping defense of his country’s recent military actions at the JNS International Policy Summit on Sunday, claiming that operations against Iran and its regional allies have dramatically reduced threats to Israel’s security.

Speaking to the gathering, Netanyahu pushed back against critics who had urged him to avoid military action in Rafah, hold back from striking Hezbollah, and steer clear of any confrontation with Iran.

“What have we achieved?” he asked the audience, before walking through what he called the results of those decisions.

Netanyahu said Israel successfully prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and that joint operations with the United States resulted in what he described as the most extensive airstrike campaign in Israel’s history. He credited American military cooperation for making those strikes possible.

“We destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure,” he said. “We knocked out 20 of their top nuclear scientists — 12 in Rising Lion, another eight in Roaring Lion.”

Beyond nuclear targets, Netanyahu said Israeli forces also struck Iran’s missile production, military industries, navy, and air force, while causing what he estimated to be hundreds of billions of dollars in economic damage to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He argued that the sustained military pressure had weakened the Iranian regime to the point where its eventual collapse was possible.

“But we didn’t just confront Iran. We shattered Iran’s terror axis,” he said.

Netanyahu told the summit that Israel eliminated senior terrorist leaders, killed tens of thousands of fighters, and managed to bring all hostages held in Gaza back home.

“And despite those who said it couldn’t be done, we brought back to Israel every single hostage, every single hostage, every last one of them,” he declared.

Addressing the situation in Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israel had wiped out more than 90% of the roughly 150,000 rockets and missiles that Hezbollah had stockpiled, severely weakening the group’s military capability.

He also confirmed that Israel has established security zones in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, and made clear those positions would be held indefinitely.

“As long as we need to protect our people, we will remain in the security zone in South Lebanon,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister also defended the conduct of Israeli forces in both Lebanon and Gaza, saying troops go to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties while carrying out operations against armed groups.

He closed his remarks by reaffirming his personal commitment to keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands, regardless of how ongoing diplomatic talks unfold.

“No matter what happens in the talks, with an agreement, without an agreement, I pledge to you that Iran, as long as I’m Prime Minister, will never have a nuclear weapon, never,” he said. “As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, I will not let that happen.”

Turkey has put the finishing touches on a landmark transit project, completing the last segment of the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport-Halkalı Metro Line on Friday. The fully operational 69-kilometer route is now recognized as the nation’s longest and fastest metro line.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presided over the opening ceremony in Istanbul, officially inaugurating the 22-kilometer Halkalı-Arnavutköy section — the project’s final phase. The completion brings the entire underground corridor connecting Gayrettepe, Istanbul Airport, and Halkalı into full service.

Stretching 69 kilometers with 16 stations total, the line reaches top speeds of 120 kilometers per hour, making it Turkey’s fastest metro route and placing it among the world’s lengthiest underground airport rail links.

At the ceremony, Erdoğan spoke to the scale of Istanbul’s growth and connectivity goals. “We are weaving our city, one of the world’s largest metropolises, with a population of 16 million and nearly 20 million annual visitors, stitch by stitch with a network of railways,” he said.

The newly unveiled segment features five stations: Ibn Haldun University, Kayaşehir, Olimpiyatköy, Halkalı Stadium, and Halkalı. Officials noted that around 1.5 million residents living in the Başakşehir and Küçükçekmece districts will now have direct rail access to both Istanbul Airport and the city center.

The metro system runs without drivers and uses the COBALT signaling platform, a technology developed domestically by ASELSAN. Of the 25 train sets assigned to the route, 15 were built to fully autonomous specifications by CRRC.

Turkish government projections suggest the line will produce economic benefits totaling 935 million euros by the year 2043. Additionally, reduced traffic congestion is expected to save commuters and travelers roughly 117 million hours of travel time.

The project was rolled out in phases over several years. Service on the Kağıthane-Istanbul Airport section launched in January 2023, with the Kağıthane-Gayrettepe portion following in January 2024. The Arnavutköy-Istanbul Airport segment came online in March 2024.

With the full line now active, travel times are expected to drop considerably. Riders going between Halkalı and Istanbul Airport should reach their destination in about 30 minutes, while the trip from Gayrettepe to the airport is projected at roughly 35 minutes. End-to-end travel between Halkalı and Gayrettepe is estimated at 57 minutes.

The metro line also connects to a broader web of transportation options, including Marmaray commuter rail, high-speed rail services, and several other metro lines throughout the city.

South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Monday that two vessels operating under South Korean management have navigated through the Strait of Hormuz, a development that comes in the wake of a memorandum of understanding on a ceasefire agreement signed by the United States and Iran last week.

According to the ministry, both ships are currently underway without incident, though officials noted they have not yet fully cleared the high-risk zone in the area. The ministry chose not to release additional details about the specific vessels involved.

Officials also confirmed that neither ship carries South Korean crew members, and neither vessel is headed to South Korea as its destination.

Despite this development, the situation remains tense for South Korean maritime operators in the region. A total of 22 South Korean-operated ships are still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said.

Peace negotiations between the United States and Iran pushed into their second day Monday in Switzerland, following a rocky first session that saw Tehran announce it had once again shut down the Strait of Hormuz while President Donald Trump renewed his warnings of military action against Iran.

Vice President JD Vance led talks with Iranian representatives on Sunday at the Qatari-owned Buergenstock mountain resort in Switzerland. The discussions were held under a memorandum of understanding reached last week, which extended a fragile ceasefire — originally established in April — by at least 60 more days.

Just before negotiations formally got underway Sunday, Fox News reported that Trump warned Iranian officials directly, saying “you won’t have a country” if they attempted to close the strait again. Trump also repeated an earlier threat that the U.S. could take control of the waterway and potentially charge its own toll, according to Fox News.

The two sides offered conflicting accounts of how the talks unfolded. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing an unnamed informed source, reported that after Trump’s remarks became public, the Iranian delegation refused to re-enter the negotiating room — though communication continued through Pakistani and Qatari intermediaries.

According to Tasnim’s source, the Iranian side insisted that before nuclear discussions could begin, the U.S. needed to fulfill other parts of the memorandum, including releasing frozen Iranian assets and issuing waivers to allow Iranian oil exports.

A U.S. diplomat directly involved in the negotiations pushed back on that characterization, telling Reuters: “The Iranians never left and are still here meeting and negotiating deep into the night. We’ve talked about the Strait, Lebanon, nuclear issues, and details of implementing the MOU, among other topics.”

A U.S. official said high-level talks were expected to conclude Monday, with technical teams staying on to continue more detailed discussions.

The memorandum of understanding had called for the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments — to remain open, and for all hostilities to cease, including in Lebanon. There, Israel has continued to carry out deadly strikes even as Iranian ally Hezbollah fires on Israeli targets.

Iran cited the ongoing fighting in Lebanon as justification for again halting maritime traffic through the strait over the weekend, and said Sunday’s session would not address substantive issues like Iran’s nuclear program.

At the Swiss talks, Vance downplayed the violence in Lebanon, telling reporters that progress had been made toward ending the fighting there. “These things are always a little bit messy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trump took to social media from the United States to issue a stern warning: “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” The message appeared to be directed at Hezbollah.

Even as Trump was issuing those warnings, Vance told reporters that the president had “asked us to turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran.”

Late Sunday, a U.S. diplomat said discussions focused on “clarifying some of the confusing messaging from Iran on the Strait and building deconfliction mechanisms to ensure the Strait will remain fully open.”

Despite a new ceasefire announced in Lebanon on Friday, there has been little evidence of a genuine halt to the fighting. Iran said Saturday that, as a result, it had closed the strait once more — a closure that, over nearly four months, had caused the most significant disruption to global energy supplies in history.

U.S. officials disputed that the strait was actually closed, but shipping data told a different story. According to analytics firm Kpler, only five vessels passed through the strait on Sunday — a dramatic drop from the 26 ships recorded just one day earlier. The figures may not account for vessels that turned off their tracking transponders while in the Gulf.

Iran’s Fars news agency quoted a military source Sunday saying no new permits were being issued for ships to cross the strait until further notice.

Trump said he agreed to last week’s memorandum of understanding in order to prevent a global economic depression driven by surging oil prices caused by the strait’s closure. Oil prices had fallen sharply over the past week to their lowest levels since the conflict began on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched attacks on Iran. By early Monday, Brent crude futures had climbed more than $1 to $81.66 per barrel following the turbulent start to the peace talks.

Sunday appeared to be one of the calmer days Lebanon had seen in some time, with no major incidents reported by nightfall — a relative quiet following two days of intense Israeli strikes and Hezbollah rocket fire on Israeli positions.

More than one million people have been displaced from their homes in Lebanon since Israel launched a ground operation in March targeting Hezbollah fighters who had been firing across the border in support of Tehran. Reuters journalists in southern Lebanon on Sunday observed some of the heaviest traffic seen since the memorandum was signed, as residents began returning home — some stopping along backed-up highways to wave Hezbollah flags.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to a near standstill on Sunday after Iran declared it had once again sealed off the vital waterway, pointing to what it called violations of an interim peace deal by Israel and the United States.

According to data from shipping analytics firm Kpler, just five vessels made their way through the strait on Sunday — a steep drop from the 26 ships recorded passing through the day before. Among those five were three Very Large Crude Carriers, each transporting 2 million barrels of Saudi crude oil and fuel oil, with at least one of those vessels bound for Japan. Analysts noted the figures may not account for ships that disabled their tracking transponders while traveling through the Gulf.

Iran had lifted its effective blockade of the strait last week after reaching an agreement with the United States to extend an April ceasefire by 60 days, creating a window for peace negotiations. However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reversed course on Saturday, declaring the waterway closed again in response to Israeli military strikes in Lebanon. The U.S. military, for its part, stated that commercial vessels were continuing to operate in the area.

On Saturday, among the ships that exited the strait were three Very Large Crude Carriers transporting crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq. Three additional tankers carrying assorted oil products also passed through. On the inbound side, 13 ships entered the strait on Saturday, including two Very Large Crude Carriers.

In response to the uncertainty, Gulf energy producers Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Kuwait Petroleum Corp. have both issued tenders offering crude oil with flexible loading options — allowing buyers to pick up shipments from locations either inside or outside the Strait of Hormuz.

SAO PAULO — Brazilian authorities have intercepted what may go down as the largest cocaine seizure in the country’s history, after discovering evidence that drug smugglers had concealed narcotics inside a shipment of lumber in a joint operation involving U.S. and Bolivian officials.

Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service announced that law enforcement officers are now carrying out a forensic examination of the cargo after finding signs that illicit drugs had been embedded within the wood itself.

Acting on shared intelligence, officials ramped up border inspections on June 19 and stopped eight trucks on Sunday that were hauling roughly 260 metric tons of timber.

Drawing on experience from similar past cases using the same concealment technique, the revenue service estimated that narcotics could make up anywhere from 10% to 20% of the total cargo weight. Should the Federal Police analysis confirm those findings, the total cocaine recovered could fall somewhere between 20 and 50 metric tons — a staggering amount that would set a national record.

Qatar’s interior ministry announced Sunday that an explosion caused by what it described as a “technical accident” took place at a factory in Ras Laffan, an industrial city located north of the capital Doha and home to the country’s main liquefied natural gas processing operations.

Authorities confirmed that several people sustained injuries in the blast. Officials also stated there was no leak detected that “threatens safety” in the surrounding area.

While the interior ministry did not specify the exact location within the industrial zone, a source familiar with the incident told Reuters the explosion happened at the Barzan gas plant and was the result of an “operational error.”

The force of the blast was significant enough that a Reuters reporter in Doha reported hearing a loud boom from the city.

Crowds gathered in Beirut on Sunday to honor the memory of a beloved Lebanese conservationist who lost her life after an Israeli strike destroyed her home along Lebanon’s southern coast.

Mona Khalil, 76, had dedicated more than two decades to safeguarding sea turtles along Lebanon’s shoreline. She was critically wounded when a strike hit her home in the village of Mansouri earlier this month and passed away from those injuries on Friday.

Over the years, Khalil helped transform a building that had once belonged to her grandmother into the Orange House — a small but influential conservation center and ecotourism destination in Mansouri. The site became a sanctuary for endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles and served as a training ground where volunteers learned to document nesting activity along the coast.

Word of her death prompted an overwhelming wave of grief from environmentalists and the many people who had volunteered and worked alongside her over the years.

Journalist and environmental activist Fadia Jomaa first crossed paths with Khalil in 2016 while conducting research on sea turtles in Lebanon. That encounter led her to join Khalil’s conservation efforts as a volunteer.

For those who gave their time to the project, Jomaa explained, “this relationship didn’t stop at being a volunteering relationship — Mona became our mother.”

Jomaa eventually became one of Khalil’s most trusted collaborators, helping oversee the sea turtle conservation project. She even brought her own children along to volunteer, introducing them to the vital work of protecting nesting turtles and their hatchlings on Lebanon’s southern coast.

During the previous conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in 2024, Khalil initially refused to abandon Al-Mansouri beach, according to Jomaa. It took the Lebanese army to convince her to leave for her own safety. “She was the last one to leave the area,” Jomaa recalled.

“She had an awful time in Beirut,” Jomaa said, noting that Khalil desperately longed to return south to the Orange House and the beach she had spent years protecting.

A new conflict between Israel and Hezbollah broke out in March. Hezbollah launched cross-border fire into Israel on March 2, two days after Israel and the U.S. struck its ally, Iran.

Khalil had the option to leave Lebanon entirely. She held both Dutch and Lebanese citizenship, having previously lived in the Netherlands before returning to Lebanon and making her home in what had once been her grandmother’s residence — the structure that would come to be known as the Orange House. But she refused to flee again.

“She said I am a civilian, I have no weapons, I will shut my door,” Jomaa recounted.

On June 4, an Israeli strike hit Khalil’s home. She and her domestic worker were immediately taken to the hospital. The intended target of the strike remained unclear, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment.

Jomaa said Khalil’s condition seemed encouraging following surgery, but she ultimately succumbed to her wounds two weeks later.

“It is a great loss for conservation, for the country, and for all of us who cared about the sea and the natural heritage of Lebanon,” said Johnny Baaklini, a former Orange House volunteer who had worked closely with Khalil.

Like Jomaa, Baaklini remembered that Khalil “treated us, the conservation advocates, like her kids.” He added, “It feels impossible to describe the impact Mona personally had on me and on so many other young naturalists.”

The center of Khalil’s life work was a narrow strip of shoreline — Al-Mansouri beach in Tyre province. Every nesting season, she and her volunteers would walk the beach after dark, tracking fresh marks in the sand and carefully moving vulnerable nests away from human disturbance and artificial lighting.

Beyond conservation, the Orange House also operated as a small beachfront bed-and-breakfast. During nesting season each summer, Khalil organized turtle hatchling viewings for visitors, drawing families who brought their children to witness the remarkable sight. These events typically took place at sunset, with volunteers guiding groups to watch the tiny hatchlings emerge from protected nests and make their way toward the sea.

Jomaa recalled conversations in which Khalil would gesture toward an olive tree or a small hill overlooking Al-Mansouri beach and say, “My soul will stay here” and “This is where you will bury me.” Where Khalil will ultimately be laid to rest remains uncertain, tied to the ongoing security situation in the region, Jomaa said.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Voters across Colombia cast their ballots Sunday in a tightly contested presidential runoff, with two very different candidates vying for the nation’s highest office.

On one side is Sen. Iván Cepeda, representing the progressive wing of Colombian politics. On the other is Abelardo de la Espriella, a business owner running as a conservative outsider. The two emerged from an earlier round of voting to face off in this decisive contest.

The Associated Press assembled a photo gallery capturing scenes from the historic election day, curated by AP photo editors.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced Sunday on social media that Ramiro Valdes, a celebrated figure of the Cuban revolution and one of Fidel Castro’s earliest companions in arms, has passed away at the age of 94. No cause of death was given.

Valdes carried the honorary distinctions of “Hero of the Republic” and “Commander of the Revolution” and served as a senior member of the Cuban Communist Party’s powerful Political Bureau until 2019. He was a fixture of Cuban government leadership for more than six decades following Castro’s rise to power in 1959.

Diaz-Canel expressed deep grief in a post on X, writing that Valdes’ death “hurts deeply, like that of a father.” The Cuban president closed his tribute with the words, “Until victory, always, Commander!”

Born on April 28, 1932, Valdes was only 21 years old when he stood beside Fidel Castro during the 1953 assault on the Moncada barracks — the bold attack that ignited the uprising against the regime of Fulgencio Batista.

After going into exile with Castro in Mexico, Valdes was among the 82 men who boarded the yacht Granma and sailed to Cuba in 1956 in an effort to reignite the revolution. Only 12 of those men survived the journey and its immediate aftermath.

Among those survivors were Fidel Castro, who died in 2016; his younger brother Raul Castro, who later became president and head of the Communist Party; and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, who was killed in Bolivia in 1967 while attempting to spark an insurrection there.

Valdes joined the Castro brothers in the Sierra Maestra mountains of eastern Cuba, where he served as Guevara’s deputy commander. He fought alongside Guevara in the pivotal Battle of Santa Clara during the final days of the revolution, just before Batista fled Cuba on January 1, 1959.

Following the revolution’s success, Valdes took charge of the newly established security agency under Fidel Castro’s government.

Much like Castro and Guevara, Valdes carried a certain personal magnetism and was known for wearing olive-green military fatigues even in government settings. He maintained the Leon Trotsky-style goatee he had worn since his revolutionary days and was known as a fitness enthusiast who kept up an exercise routine well into his 80s.

Throughout his career, Valdes held a wide range of senior government posts, including interior minister, vice minister of defense, minister of information and communications, and vice president.

Even as Raul Castro worked to transition power from his so-called “historic generation” to a younger leadership — including handing the presidency to 60-year-old Diaz-Canel in 2018 — Valdes continued to serve in key roles. Most recently, he served as deputy prime minister with responsibility for addressing the island’s ongoing energy crisis.

Valdes frequently appeared in military uniform alongside Diaz-Canel, urging Cubans to conserve electricity, reduce demand, and maintain their “revolutionary” spirit during the country’s persistent power shortages.

Throughout his life, Valdes remained unwavering in his commitment to the revolution and Cuba’s one-party system, even during the nation’s most trying times.

At the 61st anniversary commemoration of the Moncada attack in 2014, Valdes offered a reminder of the revolution’s foundation: “We cannot forget we arrived here thanks to the unity of the people and their trust in the revolution.”

“We must preserve this unity above all things because we are aware this fight has not ended,” he added.

American and Iranian negotiators sat down together in Switzerland on Sunday, working to hammer out details of an interim agreement intended to bring an end to the Iran war. Pakistani and Qatari mediators also participated in the technical-level discussions, which center on a conflict that the U.S. and Israel launched in late February.

Vice President JD Vance is heading the American delegation, which also includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Across the table, the Iranian side is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Just before the talks got underway, Tehran announced it had once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon. The interim agreement under discussion is designed to halt fighting on every front, Lebanon included.

President Donald Trump has threatened to impose American tolls on the strait if a final deal with Iran is not finalized within 60 days. The current interim agreement calls for 60 days of toll-free passage through the waterway, which is critical to the global supply of oil, natural gas, and related commodities such as fertilizer.

Hezbollah Leader Demands Full Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem took to the airwaves to declare that his group will not accept any ceasefire arrangement that gives Israel what he called “freedom of action” inside Lebanon, or one that falls short of a full pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.

“There are no ‘security zones,’ for Israel,” Kassem stated, pushing back against Israel’s own terminology for the areas.

He added that Hezbollah would honor a ceasefire “if it happens,” but made clear that “we will not accept any violation.” The Iranian-backed militant group is not taking part in the separate Israel-Lebanon negotiations scheduled to resume Tuesday in Washington.

A fragile quiet has taken hold across Lebanon, with no Israeli strikes reported overnight or into Sunday following several days of intense fighting.

U.S. Ambassador Downplays Rift Between Trump and Netanyahu

The American ambassador to Israel is pushing back on talk of a growing divide between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mike Huckabee, speaking in Jerusalem, acknowledged that Trump has at times used blunt language when referring to the Israeli leader, but insisted the two maintain a strong bond and that Trump remains firmly committed to Israel’s security.

“The one thing that I’ve always heard him say – always — and that I’ve always watched him do, is that America has an unbreakable bond with the state of Israel,” Huckabee told the JNS International Policy Summit. “And I trust that he means what he says.”

Energy Secretary Says Ships Continuing to Move Through Strait

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright reported that 67 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, a volume comparable to pre-war traffic levels for oil and oil-related cargo.

Iran’s joint military command had announced Saturday that it shut down the strait in response to Israel’s military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon — a claim the U.S. disputed.

Wright told Fox News that while Iran has not yet cleared mines from the strait’s main shipping lane, the U.S. has established an alternative route to the south and has been guiding ships through it. He also acknowledged that some commercial shipping companies continue to have concerns about safety in the area.

Previous Vance-Iran Talks Stretched Nearly a Full Day

The last time Vance met face-to-face with top Iranian officials in this context was in early April, just days after a ceasefire took hold. Those talks, held in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, dragged on for 21 hours before ending without a deal. Qalibaf served as the lead Iranian negotiator in those discussions as well.

By Sunday afternoon, the clock in Switzerland had passed 4 p.m.

Four-Way Talks Officially Underway in Switzerland

Both Iran and the White House confirmed that four-party negotiations have officially begun in Switzerland, with Vance sitting down directly with Iranian officials.

Trump is hoping to revive the agreement that was signed the previous week, which has been put at risk by Israel’s continued operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. While Iran says its primary concern in these talks is the situation in Lebanon, and Israel maintains it must protect itself from Hezbollah, the U.S. is focused on locking Iran into negotiations over its nuclear program — the long-standing core of the tensions between the two countries.

Trump Issues Warning to Iran Over Hezbollah

President Trump took to social media to warn Iran that it must rein in Hezbollah and stop the group from “causing trouble.”

“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote from Camp David, where he was spending the weekend.

Vance Calls This a Turning Point for the Middle East

Speaking as officials gathered ahead of the start of Sunday’s U.S.-Iran talks — referred to as the “Lake Lucerne Summit” — Vance struck a cautiously optimistic tone.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said in brief remarks before the session began.

“Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen,” he added.

It was unclear at the time whether Iranian officials were in the room when Vance delivered those comments.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s ruling party has locked in a dominant hold on parliament after final results from the June 1 election were announced Sunday, according to the country’s National Election Board.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party claimed 438 out of 501 seats in the House of Representatives. The newly elected parliament is set to gather in October, at which point Abiy is expected to be reelected to serve an additional five-year term.

The election unfolded against a backdrop of violence and political repression. Ongoing conflict in the Oromia and Amhara regions forced 143 polling stations to remain closed on election day, the election board reported. Armed clashes between the Fano militia and federal forces in Amhara, along with fighting involving the Oromo Liberation Army rebels in Oromia, have been central drivers of the instability as the government works to disarm both groups.

Officials reported a voter turnout of 94%. More than 50 million people had registered to vote out of Ethiopia’s estimated population of 130 million, according to the election board.

The Tigray region was once again left out of the election entirely. The area, where hundreds of thousands of people died during a war between federal and regional forces, has now gone without federal parliamentary representation for six years.

Electoral board chairperson Melatwork Hailu defended the process Sunday, saying the board upheld “institutional neutrality and performed its duties solely in accordance with the law and electoral guidelines, without interference.”

International observer missions from regional bodies including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development were present but drew criticism for largely staying within the capital, Addis Ababa, rather than deploying widely across the country. Their limited presence still provided the election with a degree of international legitimacy.

The vote drew sharp criticism from opposition figures, many of whom were barred from running. The ruling party’s most vocal critics were either imprisoned, living in exile, or had vanished. Those who did participate in the race said the environment was marked by fear and intimidation, and that the playing field was far from level.

Yitayal Assefa, who ran under the All Ethiopia Unity Party opposition banner and lost his race, spoke with The Associated Press on Sunday. He said the government held an enormous advantage while opposition candidates faced harassment and had little realistic chance of success.

“My participation was not about winning but about fighting for my voice and political ideals within the political spectrum against a government that is assured of a win, win or lose,” Assefa said.

Merara Gudina, a professor at Addis Ababa University and an opposition leader who chose not to participate in the election, told the AP the vote was a “sham” and that the outcome was never in doubt.

He warned the result will “negatively affect the already deteriorating stability of the country.”

Abiy’s government has faced repeated accusations of human rights abuses targeting critics and members of the press, despite pledges of democratic reform and peace that he made in 2020. Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for resolving a long-running dispute between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea. However, the two nations are now at odds, with Addis Ababa accusing Asmara of backing rebel groups to undermine Ethiopia’s stability, while Eritrea claims Ethiopia is threatening to seize its seaport.

MILAN — Fashion’s most iconic Italian house went back to basics Sunday when designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons took the runway at Milan Fashion Week with a collection rooted in the humble spirit of denim — though executed in anything but ordinary materials.

The duo’s vision for next spring and summer centers on a pared-down wardrobe: slim, cropped jackets paired with five-pocket trousers, anchored by classic blazers or leather blousons. Think everyday dressing, elevated.

“Sometimes you just realize you need a good pasta pomodoro,” Simons said ahead of the show, invoking the beloved Italian comfort dish as a metaphor for returning to something simple and satisfying.

Interestingly, despite the denim-driven inspiration, Prada revealed she has never actually worn a pair of jeans in her life. Simons, for his part, admitted he only recently rediscovered the wardrobe staple after spending roughly twenty years wearing wool trousers exclusively.

The result is a collection where five-pocket trousers and flat-pocket jackets — both slim and cropped — take center stage as the new Prada uniform.

The majority of looks were rendered in rich, soft leather in a palette of antique white, gray, burgundy, and turquoise, sent down the runway to the sound of rock guitar. A secondary grouping appeared in nearly sheer white technical fabric, well-suited to the heat gripping Europe this season. Only a handful of closing looks were made from actual denim.

Cropped shirts and knit vests with geometric patterns made appearances throughout, accessorized with clashing silk scarves tied at the waist. The only bags in the collection were colorful pouches worn at the hip, sometimes attached to wide belts. A pointed shoe with multiple Velcro straps completed each look.

Prada described the goal as creating pieces with universal appeal, deliberately steering away from what she called “useless design” — something she suggested was plentiful on other runways.

Simons echoed that sentiment, saying the designers wanted to bring fashion back in touch with how real people dress. He noted that some of the most powerful fashion ideas throughout history have come “from the street” rather than being handed down by luxury labels and runway shows.

“It’s a clear silhouette, vertical, simple, sharp, proud. A lot of white, peaceful, hopeful, and cleansing,” Simons said. “We think this collection is breaking the perception of what is perceived as typical luxury in high fashion.”

True to the theme of simplicity, the show took place in a stripped-down space with transparent bench seating — giving every attendee an equal view of the runway.

The front-row crowd included NBA star Anthony Edwards, South African-Australian singer and actor Troye Sivan, K-pop group ENHYPEN, and British actor Louis Partridge. Throngs of enthusiastic fans braved the summer heat outside to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrities.

PRAGUE — A large crowd descended on the Czech capital on Sunday to push back against a government proposal that many fear would strip public broadcasters of their independence.

Demonstrators assembled outside the headquarters of Czech public television in Prague to show solidarity with the media. The rally came just one day before broadcast employees were scheduled to stage a warning strike, and followed a series of earlier protest marches held in Prague and other regional cities across the country.

The government, led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, approved the plan earlier in the week. Under the proposal, public radio and television would begin receiving their funding directly from the state budget starting next year, replacing the current system in which fees collected from individuals, households, and businesses support the broadcasters.

Opponents of the plan argue that shifting to state funding would hand the three-party coalition government a lever of control over the media — drawing comparisons to moves made by populist governments in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Mikuláš Minář, a lead organizer with the Million Moments for Democracy group, addressed the crowd with a pointed message: “The media don’t belong to politicians. They belong to us all and we won’t allow them to be stolen from us.”

The proposal has drawn criticism from international media organizations as well. Beyond the funding source change, the plan would also cut the broadcasters’ budgets by roughly 15% compared to current levels and includes no guarantees of future financial support.

Leaders of both the public radio and television networks warned that such cuts would force them to eliminate hundreds of positions. Babiš, for his part, argued that the media organizations need to tighten their belts financially.

The record of Babiš, his cabinet members, and allied lawmakers includes a pattern of criticism and attacks directed at public and mainstream media outlets. His coalition’s broader agenda also includes pulling back from support for Ukraine and opposing certain key European Union policies.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem issued a firm warning on Sunday, declaring that Israel will not maintain a presence in Lebanon and that his organization stands ready to respond to any actions taken by Israeli forces that cross the line.

Qassem’s remarks came just days after a ceasefire between the two sides went into effect on Friday. Despite the agreement, Israeli officials have made clear that their military personnel are authorized to act freely and without limitation when it comes to neutralizing what they describe as threats within Lebanese territory.

PRAGUE — Thousands of people marched through the streets of Prague on Sunday to voice their opposition to the Czech government’s plan to completely overhaul how public media is funded — a system that has been in place for decades.

Protesters and critics argue the proposed changes would not only reduce funding but also open the door to political meddling in public broadcasting.

The demonstration came just one day before employees at public broadcasters Czech Television and Czech Radio were set to go on strike over the same issue. The work stoppage was expected to affect programming, though both stations planned to remain on the air.

The government — led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ populist ANO party and supported by right-wing and far-right coalition partners — announced last week its intention to eliminate licence fees, which currently serve as the primary source of revenue for public television and radio. Officials argue that most citizens do not want to pay the fees levied on households and businesses, and say they plan to fund public broadcasters directly through the state budget instead. Opponents contend this shift would be a direct threat to the broadcasters’ independence.

Mikulas Minar, a representative of the Million Moments (Milion Chvilek) group that organized the march, addressed the crowd at the outset of the demonstration with a firm message: “Media does not belong to politics.”

The planned march route was trimmed shorter than originally intended due to the intense heat wave gripping Prague and much of Europe. The CTK news agency estimated that thousands participated, walking through city neighborhoods toward the Czech Television building while holding banners reading “Hands off public media.”

Under the government’s proposal, funding would revert to levels last seen between 2008 and 2024 — before a rare fee increase implemented by the previous government took effect in 2025. That rollback would amount to a 15% reduction in overall financing for the broadcasters.

Czech Television’s chief stated this week that such a cut could force the station to lay off somewhere between 300 and 500 employees out of its total workforce of 2,900.

While the government has repeatedly criticized both public and privately owned independent media outlets — accusing them of bias — officials maintain that the funding changes do not threaten the editorial independence of Czech Television or Czech Radio.

WARSAW — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took to social media Sunday to warn that the escalating political clash between Poland and Ukraine is damaging to both nations, urging leaders to pull back from the brink of a deeper rift.

The dispute flared on Friday when Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s Order of the White Eagle — Poland’s highest state honor. The move prompted three former Ukrainian presidents and other top officials to send their own Polish state awards back in protest.

Nawrocki’s decision came after Zelenskiy angered many Poles by renaming a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — a nationalist group responsible for the massacre of Polish civilians during World War Two.

Tusk, a pro-European leader who was returned to the prime minister’s office in 2023 after his coalition defeated the nationalist Law and Justice party — the political home of President Nawrocki — posted a pointed message on X calling for de-escalation.

“Wading into a conflict between politicians in Poland and Ukraine is a strategic mistake that will harm both sides: business-wise, geopolitically, and reputationally. And in politics, as we know, a mistake is worse than a crime,” Tusk wrote.

He also noted the difficulty of the situation, adding: “In discussions with my European partners, I strive to minimise losses and reduce tensions. This is no easy task.”

Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party has secured a comfortable parliamentary majority in this month’s elections, according to results announced by the country’s national election board on Sunday.

The outcome came as little surprise, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s party was broadly expected to dominate the vote against a fragmented and divided opposition field.

Abiy first came to power in 2018 following widespread mass protests that brought down the long-ruling EPRDF coalition. He established the Prosperity Party the year after taking office.

The party’s latest victory follows a similarly dominant performance in the 2021 parliamentary elections, when it captured more than 90% of the available seats.

LONDON — Scottish police announced Sunday that a 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a series of violent attacks that took place in Edinburgh on Friday, which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as appearing to have an anti-Muslim motive.

Five men were hurt during the attacks, and three of them required hospital care for injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, according to authorities.

Footage circulated on social media showed a shirtless, tattooed white man who appeared to be armed with a large weapon chasing an Asian man and then trying to force his way into a restaurant. The man was later seen being taken into custody by officers on the ground.

According to the BBC, the attacks appeared to have started near a mosque in the western part of the Scottish capital before spreading to other areas of the city.

In a brief statement released Sunday morning, Police Scotland confirmed that the 36-year-old had been charged and that a report had been forwarded to prosecutors. The man is expected to appear in court at a future date.

Taking to social media on Saturday, Prime Minister Starmer wrote that the attacker “appears to be motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.”

The Muslim Council of Britain echoed that assessment, describing the incident as “a direct consequence of political rhetoric that demonises entire communities.”

The Scottish Association of Mosques also placed blame on “language that portrays migrants, refugees and Muslims as threats to be feared rather than people to be understood.”

The attacks come shortly after Northern Ireland experienced two days of anti-immigrant rioting earlier this month, which the British government labeled “racist thuggery.” Those disturbances followed a knife attack for which a Sudanese man was charged with attempted murder.

Nigel Farage, who leads the populist Reform UK party — currently topping British opinion polls — has repeatedly criticized the government over its handling of small boat crossings, which brought 41,000 immigrants across the English Channel last year.

Rupert Lowe, who split from Reform UK to establish the smaller Restore Britain party, has made organized child sexual abuse a central issue, claiming it is largely carried out by Muslim men of Pakistani heritage.

Last year, the government directed police to track the ethnicity of gangs involved in such abuse cases, following a report that highlighted government failures to confront the problem and a reluctance to acknowledge an “over-representation” of Asian men among those involved.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a bold prediction on Sunday, posting on his Truth Social platform that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to leave office.

“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump wrote. “He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!”

The post came without any additional context or explanation from Trump about the basis for his claim. The remarks put a spotlight on the embattled UK leader, who has faced mounting pressure on both immigration and energy issues during his time in office.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday with a blunt warning directed at Iran: bring your Hezbollah allies in Lebanon under control, or face another round of U.S. military strikes — and this time, even more severe ones.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

The post signals a sharp escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, with Trump making clear that military action remains on the table if Iranian-backed forces continue their activities in Lebanon.

LA PAZ — Bolivia appeared to be turning a corner on Sunday, one day after President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency in response to a 50-day social crisis that had shut down the country’s primary highway routes.

In the early hours of Sunday, the Legislative Assembly voted overwhelmingly to approve Paz’s emergency decree, which was designed to restore road access and ensure the delivery of essential goods after protest groups spent weeks cutting off major roads. The blockades had left trucks stranded and severely limited the flow of food, fuel, and medicine to communities across the country.

Sunday’s congressional vote came alongside several significant developments on the ground. In Santa Cruz, local officials and protest leaders reached an agreement to end a major blockade in the town of San Julian. Separately, a well-known campesino federation based in La Paz announced it was temporarily suspending its demonstrations, though the group made clear its underlying demands had not changed.

Although police and military personnel remain stationed across the country, the national highway authority confirmed that no active protest-related blockades were still in place. That said, many roads sustained considerable damage during the weeks of unrest and will need extensive cleanup and repairs.

The roots of the crisis stretch back to a decision by Paz — who took office in November — to abruptly eliminate long-established fuel subsidies in an effort to reduce the budget deficit during a worsening shortage of dollars and ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund. Even after taking steps to stabilize fuel prices and walk back unpopular land reform measures, the protests grew stronger. Labor unions pushed for wage increases, relief from fuel and dollar shortages, and Paz’s removal from office.

Political analysts and legal experts have cautioned that the emergency powers could actually make the situation worse if the government fails to tackle the deeper issues driving the protests.

The calming of tensions on Sunday happened to fall on the same day as the celebration of the Andean-Amazonian New Year, a culturally significant occasion in Bolivia. Across the country, government representatives and indigenous leaders used the occasion to call for unity and healing. At a ceremony in La Paz, Tourism Minister Cinthya Yanez expressed her hope that “prosperity” and “bounty” would return to Bolivia and that its people would once again “join hands.”

Aviation authorities in Switzerland say a technical malfunction in air traffic control systems caused significant disruptions at Zurich airport on Sunday — and the cause was tied directly to security preparations for ongoing peace negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Swiss air traffic control authority Skyguide said the problem arose when a newly created no-fly zone above Buergenstock — the Swiss mountain resort hosting the diplomatic talks — was being integrated into radar display systems. That integration process triggered the technical fault.

The restricted airspace zone was established at the last minute, according to a statement from Skyguide, because the decision to hold this latest round of negotiations wasn’t finalized until Saturday.

Despite the disruption, Skyguide emphasized that safety was never compromised. “The systems are running smoothly, and security was ensured at all times,” the agency said, confirming that normal operations had resumed.

The impact on travelers was significant. An airport spokesperson told Reuters that by midday, 12 arriving flights and 14 departing flights had been cancelled outright. At least 60 other departures faced delays.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived at Buergenstock on Sunday for the scheduled peace discussions with Iran, as outlined in a tentative agreement. However, the diplomatic effort was quickly overshadowed by Iran’s announcement that it had reinstated its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The resort where talks are being held sits roughly 50 kilometres — about 31 miles — south of Zurich airport. Switzerland had pledged to provide what it called a “discreet and reliable setting” for the high-stakes negotiations.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday that Israeli soldiers operating in Lebanon have unrestricted authority to act against any threats they encounter, with troops continuing to hold their positions in what Israel refers to as a security zone.

A ceasefire agreement with Iran-backed Hezbollah officially went into effect on Friday, following months of intensifying conflict. However, Israeli strikes the very next day — Saturday — resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA.

Israel defended those strikes, saying they were carried out in direct response to projectiles launched by the Iran-backed group targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. An Israeli official described the targets of the retaliatory strikes as “Hezbollah targets.”

Meanwhile, Iranian officials indicated that Lebanon is a central topic in Sunday’s peace discussions between Iran and the United States, taking place in Switzerland. Those talks follow a framework agreement signed by Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the war between the two countries, which began at the end of February and had been fueling broader regional tensions.

The Israeli military has moved into portions of southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah maintains it has the right to engage Israeli forces on Lebanese soil, though the group says it will refrain from launching attacks into northern Israel.

Katz confirmed that Israeli forces will stay in all positions within the security zone, which stretches roughly 10 kilometers — about 6 miles — into southern Lebanese territory. Israel says this presence is necessary to safeguard communities in northern Israel.

“All of the IDF’s achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being preserved, with our forces deployed in the security zone along the Yellow Line in Lebanon and operating from there inward against terrorists and terrorist infrastructures,” Katz stated in his Sunday announcement.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until a ceasefire in Lebanon is being honored, according to a source with close ties to the country’s negotiating team.

Beyond the Lebanon ceasefire condition, the source indicated that the vital shipping waterway would also remain blocked until waivers permitting the sale of Iranian oil are put in place.

LONDON (AP) — A decade has passed since the United Kingdom made the historic decision to leave the European Union, a vote that continues to shape political identities and dismantled a 50-year effort to build closer ties with the European continent.

Known as Brexit — a shorthand for British exit — the departure was set in motion on June 23, 2016, when 52% of voters, totaling more than 17 million people, chose to leave the EU. Despite the slim margin, the vote triggered the most sweeping transformation of British society and its economy since the Second World War.

Like any complicated split, the process of actually completing the break took far longer than expected — nearly five years in total.

The roots of Brexit stretched back to a growing frustration with the EU and with the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. Those who championed leaving argued that Britain, freed from EU constraints, could focus on its own priorities and recapture its former economic strength. Opponents countered that the move would cause economic turmoil and damage the country’s global reputation.

Ten years later, the results are being assessed.

Brexit supporters had envisioned a Britain that would flourish outside the EU by tapping into the bold, entrepreneurial spirit that once made it the world’s dominant economic power. That vision has largely not come to pass.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflicts in Ukraine and more recently the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran have contributed to Britain’s difficulties, the broader economic revival that was promised has not materialized. Businesses have repeatedly complained about the new obstacles they face when trading with EU member nations — the 27-country bloc remains by far the U.K.’s largest trading partner.

Even without formal tariffs on British goods entering the EU, a wide range of non-tariff barriers have emerged, including complicated customs paperwork, border certification requirements, and visa restrictions. Many trade agreements that Brexit supporters promoted — most notably a deal with the United States — have never been finalized.

Economic analysts estimate that the British economy is somewhere between 4% and 8% smaller than it would have been if the country had chosen to remain in the EU. That gap translates into significantly lower living standards and billions of pounds less available for public services — including the beloved National Health Service, which Brexit campaigners famously promised would receive an extra 350 million pounds (approximately $468 million) per week. That pledge was prominently displayed on their campaign bus.

Jonathan Portes, a professor at King’s College London, put it plainly: “Brexit has made the U.K. economy smaller than it otherwise would have been.”

Writing for The UK in a Changing Europe think tank, Portes added: “The effect has not been a sudden collapse, but a gradual and cumulative drag on trade, investment and productivity.”

Brexit supporters, however, maintain that the full impact of leaving the EU cannot be judged this soon. They argue that some short-term economic pain was always expected in exchange for greater control over domestic policy — particularly on immigration.

Brexit ended the free movement of people between the U.K. and EU nations, but controlling the borders has produced mixed results. Reining in immigration was a central promise of the Brexit campaign, and the message of “taking back control” struck a chord with many voters.

Net migration from EU countries has dropped sharply. However, arrivals from non-EU nations have surged — partly due to changes in visa rules introduced by the previous Conservative government to address labor shortages in sectors such as elder care.

Overall, there are signs the government is gaining more control over legal immigration. Net migration fell dramatically, from over 900,000 in 2023 down to 171,000 last year.

Even so, public anger over illegal immigration remains intense. Many Britons are particularly upset by the sight of people — often fleeing conflict zones like Afghanistan and Sudan — arriving on inflatable boats after crossing the English Channel. Small boat crossings peaked at 46,000 in 2022 and reached 41,000 last year, making it one of the country’s top political flashpoints despite representing only a small portion of overall migration. Tensions have boiled over, with angry crowds protesting outside — and in some cases attempting to set fire to — hotels being used to house asylum seekers at public expense.

Britain’s political landscape has splintered in the years since Brexit. Support for the two historically dominant parties — the Conservatives and Labour — has eroded. The Conservatives were voted out in 2024 following 14 years in power, a period heavily defined by the ongoing battles over the U.K.’s relationship with Europe.

The Labour government has also struggled to win public confidence, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer appears to be on the verge of announcing his resignation.

Meanwhile, millions of voters are gravitating toward Reform U.K., led by Nigel Farage — arguably the politician most associated with the push for Brexit. His party has topped nearly every opinion poll for more than a year.

At the same time, sentiment toward Brexit itself has shifted. According to two polls from Ipsos, 52% of people in the U.K. would now like to rejoin the EU, compared to 33% who are opposed. The same polling found that 48% believe Brexit has gone worse than expected, while just 9% say it has gone better. Additionally, 48% said they would support holding another referendum on EU membership, versus 27% who would not.

Against this backdrop, the Labour Party has been walking a careful line since winning power in 2024. Having ruled out reversing Brexit — or even rejoining the EU’s tariff-free single market — the party has limited room to maneuver on the issue.

Starmer has been pursuing a “reset” of the U.K.’s relationship with the EU, focusing mainly on reducing trade friction. He had hoped to unveil additional steps at an upcoming EU summit next month — assuming he remains in office.

His most likely successor, Andy Burnham, carefully softened his language on the question of EU membership during a recent campaign, ahead of winning a special election on Thursday. That victory came in a seat that had voted heavily in favor of Brexit, and Burnham fended off a challenge from Reform U.K.

“I am not proposing that the U.K. considers rejoining the EU,” Burnham said. “I respect the decision that was made at the referendum and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don’t respect that vote.”

KYIV — Even as Ukraine has managed to largely stall Russian advances on the battlefield, the humanitarian suffering endured by millions of displaced Ukrainians remains severe and is being compounded by dramatic reductions in international aid, according to the leader of the International Rescue Committee.

In recent months, Ukraine has brought Russian progress on the front lines to nearly a standstill, a shift significant enough that G7 leaders acknowledged at a summit last week that the war’s momentum has changed. But that military development has done little to ease the crisis facing civilians.

David Miliband, the IRC’s president and CEO, was visiting Ukraine when he spoke out about the consequences of aid cuts — reductions largely driven by the United States — that have slashed his organization’s budget in the country by half. The IRC’s funding in Ukraine now stands at an estimated $20 million for 2027, down from $40 million the previous year.

Miliband made his remarks on Saturday, which marked World Refugee Day. “It feels particularly important at a time when there is this new sense of a different geopolitical narrative to recognise the brutality and strain that’s being faced by millions of Ukrainians,” he said.

The United Nations estimates that approximately 118 million people around the world are currently displaced, frequently due to conflict, violence, or persecution. Ukraine alone accounts for roughly 10 million of those individuals, with close to four million displaced within the country’s own borders.

Miliband pointed to what he called a broader global crisis, describing the situation as part of “the new world disorder.” He cited the toll of more than 60 ongoing wars, along with disease and natural disasters. “There are more shocks and fewer shock absorbers,” he said. “And money is one of the absorbers.”

The Trump administration has significantly scaled back foreign aid and dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development, a move that has prompted other countries to follow suit with their own aid reductions.

On the ground in Ukraine, the IRC is working to deliver mobile medical services to communities living near sections of the 1,200-kilometer, or roughly 745-mile, front line. The organization also provides trauma support to vulnerable women and children who have experienced abuse.

Miliband highlighted an often-overlooked dimension of the conflict: the toll more than four years of war has taken on the mental health of Ukraine’s population. He argued that redirecting even a fraction of the billions in military support provided by Ukraine’s allies toward humanitarian and psychological assistance could go a long way in preserving the resilience of Ukrainian society.

Authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea cut off civilian access to gasoline on Sunday as Ukraine continued to hammer fuel infrastructure across the Black Sea peninsula.

Gov. Sergey Aksyonov, who was installed by the Kremlin to lead Crimea, reported that overnight Ukrainian strikes left four people dead and 28 others wounded. He did not identify the specific target of those attacks.

Aksyonov followed up with a social media post announcing that gas stations across the region would immediately stop selling fuel to private individuals and non-government businesses for an unspecified length of time.

“Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea,” Aksyonov stated. “I ask everyone to remain calm and to only trust official sources of information.”

Ukrainian forces have struck Crimean fuel supplies repeatedly in recent weeks, creating the most severe energy shortage the peninsula has seen since Russia’s illegal annexation of the territory in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed in a Sunday statement that among the targets hit were a Crimean oil depot and an oil transport facility located in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. He characterized the strikes as part of Ukraine’s strategy of “long-range sanctions” aimed at Russia’s energy infrastructure.

“Russia understands only strength, and our long-range strength is certainly working for peace,” Zelenskyy wrote.

Russian authorities in Krasnodar reported earlier Sunday that a drone attack set off a fire at a Black Sea oil terminal in the village of Chushka. Officials there also said Ukrainian strikes hit a ferry, resulting in one fatality.

While Crimea has faced fuel shortages from Ukrainian attacks in the past, the current situation is described as the worst since the 2014 annexation. Late last month, officials had already moved to limit fuel purchases to 20 liters — roughly 5 and one-third gallons — per vehicle owner each week, distributed through prepaid coupons. Those coupons were gone almost instantly after being made available through an official messaging app, leaving drivers waiting in line for hours just to refuel.

Residents have flooded social media with tips on where to find gasoline, and officials set up a hotline specifically for tourists in the area who found themselves stranded without fuel.

Some drivers have been bringing gas in from Krasnodar and other areas via the Kerch bridge, though they are limited to 100 liters — about 26 and a half gallons — per vehicle. Taking advantage of the shortage, some individuals are reselling fuel at twice the going market rate.

In an unusual move, the Kremlin publicly acknowledged the severity of the fuel crisis and pledged to resolve it quickly.

The Ukrainian strikes have underscored Kyiv’s capacity to inflict meaningful damage on Russian-held territory, even as Russia’s recent battlefield advances have largely stalled. On June 11, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine hit its 1,569th day — a milestone that surpasses the entire duration of World War I.

BOGOTA — Colombian citizens are heading to the polls this Sunday to decide the country’s next president in a runoff election that pits a leftist senator against a right-wing lawyer and businessman making his first run for office.

The May first round failed to produce a clear winner, setting up a showdown between Senator Ivan Cepeda, who represents the left, and Abelardo De La Espriella, a political outsider from the right who has never previously held public office.

Cepeda, 63, is running on a platform that would extend the current administration’s agenda — including state pension payments for low-income Colombians, labor reforms backed by unions, continued peace negotiations with armed groups that have battled the government for decades, and a freeze on new oil exploration projects.

De La Espriella, 47, is offering a sharply different vision. He wants to end peace talks with armed groups and launch a sweeping military campaign against them, while also expanding Colombia’s oil and gas industry. He has blamed the current government for the country’s economic troubles and security problems, and has pledged to cut taxes and shrink the size of government by as much as 40%. However, he has said he would keep a 23% minimum wage increase and other well-received social programs put in place by the current administration.

No matter who wins, the new president will face serious challenges, including heavy public debt and a divided Congress that could block major reform efforts.

Polling and financial markets appear to lean toward De La Espriella, who led the first round with 43% of the vote, though analysts say the final outcome could be very close. Both candidates have worked hard to bring out voters — nearly half of all eligible Colombians sat out the May election.

LATIN AMERICA’S RIGHTWARD TURN

Colombia’s election is unfolding against a backdrop of political shifts across the region. Voters in Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Ecuador have all chosen right-wing presidents in their most recent elections. Bolivia also broke with two decades of leftist leadership last year by electing center-right candidate Rodrigo Paz.

In Peru, vote counting is still underway from a June 7 election, with conservative Keiko Fujimori — daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who spent 16 years in prison for human rights violations — appearing set to claim the presidency after three previous unsuccessful bids.

Concerns about rising crime and sluggish economies have been the driving force behind most of these rightward shifts, including in Colombia.

Peace negotiations launched by the current Colombian government have largely fallen apart as armed factions have grown stronger and drug trafficking organizations have expanded, fueling increases in murders and extortion, particularly along the Caribbean coast.

De La Espriella has attempted to link Cepeda — whose father, a communist leader, was assassinated — to criminal elements, though the current government points out it has confiscated more cocaine than any previous administration. Cepeda has pushed back firmly, stating there is no factual basis for those claims.

Meanwhile, Cepeda has raised questions about De La Espriella’s legal career, noting that he has represented clients connected to right-wing paramilitary groups and corruption cases — including Alex Saab, who faces U.S. charges for allegedly laundering money on behalf of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. De La Espriella has maintained that his professional work does not make him complicit in any wrongdoing.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been actively working to expand American influence throughout the region, including the arrest of Maduro, military strikes targeting alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean, and the formation of a military coalition called the Shield of the Americas, made up of right-wing leaders committed to combating drug trafficking.

Trump, who has had a public falling-out with Colombia’s current president, came out this month with an explicit endorsement of De La Espriella.

“It is my Honor to give Abelardo my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling Sunday’s election “very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States.”

More than 41 million Colombians are eligible to participate in the vote. Polling locations will be open for eight hours beginning at 8 a.m. local time, or 1 p.m. GMT. Early results are anticipated within a few hours of polls closing.

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is at a crossroads, facing the most consequential decision of his political career: walk away from office or dig in and battle a challenge from Labour Party rival Andy Burnham.

While Starmer has publicly declared his intention to remain in his role, pressure within the Labour Party is intensifying as growing numbers of colleagues believe his leadership has run its course. There is increasing expectation that he could announce a timeline for stepping down as early as Monday — the same day Burnham is set to be sworn in as a member of the House of Commons following his victory in a special election last week.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle appeared on the BBC Sunday and said Starmer is “making time to reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that he finds himself in.” Kyle described reports of an imminent resignation as “speculation,” while adding, “I know he is a prime minister who always puts his country first.”

Starmer spent the weekend at Chequers, the official country residence available to British prime ministers, accompanied by his family. He made no public statements about his political future, though he did post a Father’s Day message on X. “Being a dad is my greatest joy. Today, I’m thinking about my dad, and the father I am to my children because of him,” he wrote.

Should Starmer step down, he would become the sixth British prime minister to leave office within the past decade — an unusually high rate of leadership turnover for the United Kingdom.

Dissatisfaction with Starmer has been mounting for months. Labour lawmakers have been eager to reverse the party’s falling popularity since Starmer guided the center-left party to a sweeping election win in July 2024. He has struggled to deliver on promises of economic growth, fix deteriorating public services, and address the rising cost of living. His leadership has also been dogged by a series of missteps, including his decision to name Peter Mandelson — a figure with ties to Jeffrey Epstein and a history of controversy — as the UK’s ambassador to the United States.

The Labour Party is losing ground on two fronts: liberal voters are gravitating toward the expanding Green Party, while the anti-immigration Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, continues to top national opinion polls.

Burnham, who until this week served as the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, won the Makerfield seat in northwestern England decisively in Thursday’s special election. He captured nearly 55% of the 45,510 votes cast — more than 9,000 votes ahead of the Reform UK candidate who finished second.

With a seat in Parliament now secured, Burnham is positioned to mount a formal challenge for the Labour leadership. His victory speech left little ambiguity about his ambitions. “Everyone knows that politics isn’t working,” he said. “Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.”

Whether Burnham would face a clear path to the leadership or a competitive race remains uncertain. Wes Streeting, who stepped down as health secretary last month in protest of Starmer’s leadership, has indicated he would enter a contest if one takes place.

Starmer congratulated Burnham on Friday but made clear he had no intention of stepping aside quietly. “I will run, I will stand,” if a Labour leadership contest is held, Starmer said. “I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that.”

However, Charlie Falconer, a senior Labour member of the House of Lords, said Saturday that Starmer has “absolutely no authority” remaining. “There should be an agreed transition process in which Andy and Keir cooperate as to when the handover should take place,” Falconer told the BBC.

Crowds of yoga enthusiasts came together in a massive gathering spanning India and other regions of Asia on Sunday to celebrate International Yoga Day.

The widespread event drew participants from across the continent, marking the occasion with group yoga performances and demonstrations.

Images from the day were captured and assembled into a photo gallery by editors at the Associated Press.

American and Iranian officials are sitting down together in Switzerland this Sunday, working to iron out the finer points of a temporary agreement intended to bring an end to the ongoing Iran war.

The U.S. delegation is being led by Vice President JD Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. They are set to meet with an Iranian team headed by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Representatives from Pakistan and Qatar are also participating in the technical-level discussions, which aim to resolve a conflict that first broke out in late February.

Vance expressed confidence heading into the negotiations, saying he was optimistic about making headway on both Iran’s nuclear ambitions and securing a ceasefire in southern Lebanon.

Just before the talks got underway, Tehran announced that it had once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon. The interim agreement between Washington and Tehran is designed to halt fighting across all fronts — including Lebanon — and calls for billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets to be released.

President Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. will impose tolls on the strait if a permanent deal isn’t finalized within 60 days. The current interim agreement provides for toll-free passage through the waterway for that same 60-day window — a critical stretch of water for the global oil supply.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir are also present in Switzerland for the high-level discussions, according to the prime minister’s office, though no additional details were provided.

The meetings are taking place at the Bürgenstock Resort near the Swiss city of Lucerne. They were originally planned for Friday but were pushed back due to concerns raised by Iran. Sharif had dispatched his special envoy, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, to Tehran to encourage Iranian officials to send a delegation to Switzerland. Naqvi eventually reported back to Islamabad that Iran had agreed to attend, and Pakistan then relayed that news to Washington.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a central issue in the negotiations. Iran’s joint military command stated Saturday that the waterway was closed again because the U.S. had, in their words, clearly breached its commitments by not bringing the war to an end. The interim deal is intended to stop all fighting, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces are engaged in combat with the militant group Hezbollah.

The U.S. pushed back on Iran’s claim. U.S. Central Command reported that shipping traffic is still moving through the strait, noting that 55 merchant vessels passed through on Saturday carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil.

Vessel traffic through the strait resumed after the interim U.S.-Iran deal was signed last week. As part of that agreement, the U.S. lifted its blockade on Iranian ports and now permits Tehran to sell its oil on the open market — a concession that has prompted some members of Congress to question whether the war was justified.

The interim deal, signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, gives both sides 60 days to negotiate a formal nuclear agreement, with the possibility of extending that deadline if needed.

Taiwan’s armed forces began a five-day combat readiness drill this week, with the island’s defense ministry announcing the exercise on Sunday as part of a broader push to modernize military training by shifting away from scripted events toward more realistic, war-simulating scenarios.

The island sits at the center of an ongoing territorial dispute — China considers Taiwan part of its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei firmly rejects. Taiwan says Chinese military forces regularly operate in the airspace and waters surrounding the island in an effort to pressure it into accepting Chinese rule.

As part of its updated training approach, Taiwan’s military has begun designing drills around a scenario in which China suddenly converts one of its routine exercises near the island into a real military assault.

The defense ministry identified the exercise as the “Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise,” scheduled to run from Monday through Friday. Officials described it as part of the military’s annual joint operations training program.

According to the ministry, “The main objective is to train units at all levels to become familiar with combat practices and the battlefield environment during the readiness deployment phase, and to strengthen rapid peacetime-to-wartime transition and priority deployment actions.”

The ministry further stated the exercise would be carried out with “actual troops, on actual terrain, in real time, using actual equipment, and through actual implementation.”

Officials said the drills would sharpen command structures at every level and build combat-ready capabilities among troops, with a particular focus on joint operations command and control, supply chain sustainment, and battlefield preparation.

The announcement coincided with a separate ministry statement reporting that China had conducted another “combat readiness patrol” in the vicinity of Taiwan. According to the ministry, China deployed 21 aircraft during that patrol, including J-16 fighter jets, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control planes, and Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft. Nineteen of those aircraft moved into airspace southwest of Taiwan and out into the Western Pacific to carry out what China described as “long-distance training over open seas.”

Attempts to reach China’s defense ministry for a response went unanswered on Sunday, as the calls came outside of normal office hours.

Taiwan has been conducting military exercises with increasing frequency. Earlier this month, the island fired its newly acquired U.S.-made HIMARS rocket system — the same weapon widely used by Ukraine — into the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s primary annual military exercise, the Han Kuang war games, is expected to be held in August.

Five people are dead following a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian-controlled territory, with the strikes triggering a significant fuel crisis across the Crimean peninsula.

The Russian-installed governor of Crimea reported that four people were killed and 28 others were wounded during a Ukrainian drone assault on the peninsula. In a separate attack, one person aboard a passenger ferry was killed after a Ukrainian drone struck an oil transport facility in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that attack.

Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that 239 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight during the assault.

In the aftermath, Crimean Governor Sergei Aksyonov announced that fuel stations throughout the peninsula had stopped selling gas to the general public and to private businesses. Fuel supplies are now being directed exclusively to government agencies responsible for essential services and security operations.

Ukraine has been ramping up drone strikes against Crimea in recent weeks, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The attacks have focused on the peninsula’s supply routes, creating a growing fuel shortage just as the summer holiday season gets underway.

A local power grid operator reported electricity outages across several areas due to damage to the power infrastructure. Ferry service across the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from the Krasnodar region, was also temporarily shut down.

Traffic on the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s Krasnodar region was suspended for more than nine hours, leaving 11 trains running behind schedule.

LONDON — British Business Minister Peter Kyle pushed back Sunday against mounting speculation that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to step down from office on Monday.

Appearing on Sky News, Kyle revealed he had a lengthy, “frank” conversation with Starmer just two days earlier, on Friday, though he declined to share the specifics of what was discussed.

The Observer newspaper had reported that Starmer was expected to announce his resignation Monday and lay out a timeline for leaving office. However, a government source countered that the prime minister remained committed to the work of governing the country.

When asked directly about the resignation reports, Kyle said: “I have nothing to believe that they are true. I am seeing a lot of speculation out there.”

Kyle went on to defend the prime minister’s dedication, saying: “Today, as in every other day I’ve ever known Keir, he is out there working hard. At the same time, he is also trying to create the space where he can think and reflect on the political realities and challenges — and the opportunities — that are before us.”

While Kyle would not detail what the two men discussed Friday, he did say that during the entire conversation, Starmer “not once … did he ever ask about self-interest. It was always about the country.”

The pressure on Starmer has been building for months, but intensified sharply Friday when prominent party rival Andy Burnham secured a seat in parliament — a move that now allows him to formally launch a leadership challenge.

According to The Observer, Starmer was weighing his next steps with his wife at the Chequers country residence before reaching a final decision. Senior figures within the Labour Party reportedly anticipated a definitive statement about his political future as early as Monday.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian voters are heading to the polls Sunday for a presidential runoff election that has sharply divided the country, with two very different candidates each promising to end decades of brutal violence that has long plagued the South American nation.

The choice comes down to businessman and attorney Abelardo de la Espriella, a political outsider with a conservative approach, and Iván Cepeda, a sitting lawmaker who carries the torch of outgoing President Gustavo Petro — the country’s first leftist head of state. The two men outlasted nine other candidates in a May 31 first-round vote.

Both men have made security a centerpiece of their campaigns, vowing to protect Colombians from the kind of relentless violence — including car bombings, kidnappings, forced disappearances, and mass displacements — that defined life in the country for generations.

De la Espriella favors a tough-on-crime stance that has drawn an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Cepeda, on the other hand, has pledged to build on Petro’s efforts to open dialogue with the country’s various illegal armed factions — a strategy that has largely fallen short of its goals.

The two candidates also disagree on how to fix Colombia’s troubled health care system, its growing national debt, and widespread corruption.

In Bogota, residents expressed anxiety about the nation’s direction. “Right now, what worries me is the polarization that exists between us: there are two very extreme sides, and the violence is concerning,” said John Manrique, a lawyer in the capital who was out walking his dog.

Manrique added: “What I hope is that people accept who won. Let’s accept it, regardless of the side, and try to reach a social consensus. … Let’s not go out and fight.”

According to official results from the first round, de la Espriella received 44% of the vote compared to Cepeda’s 41%. Outgoing President Petro, without presenting evidence, raised doubts about those results after Cepeda — who had led in polls heading into the May vote — not only failed to win outright but actually finished behind de la Espriella.

This election falls a decade after Colombia reached a landmark peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, which had raised hopes of breaking the country’s long cycle of armed conflict.

However, violence has surged again in the years since, largely because most rebel groups shifted away from ideological motivations and toward the financial rewards of drug trafficking.

Last year, authorities recorded 14,780 homicides — the highest number since at least 2015 — fueled by clashes between illegal armed organizations. One of those killed was conservative presidential candidate Miguel Uribe. Extortion cases have also skyrocketed, with 13,417 incidents reported in 2025, more than twice the number recorded in 2015.

More than 41 million Colombians are eligible to cast ballots Sunday.

De la Espriella, a political newcomer who goes by the nickname “The Tiger,” has vowed to crack down hard on criminal elements and construct 10 large-scale prisons. His model draws inspiration from the approach used by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, which has brought homicide rates down but also sparked allegations of human rights violations.

Cepeda is seeking to continue Petro’s controversial “total peace” initiative, which aims to negotiate disarmament agreements with guerrilla groups and criminal organizations. That strategy, launched in 2022, reached a milestone just Thursday when the first armed group — one with roughly 100 members — surrendered its weapons and began a reintegration process into civilian life. Colombia’s illegal armed groups collectively have more than 27,000 members.

Yamile Guevara, a retired educator in Bogota, argued that Petro’s peace plan simply needs more time, noting that a six-decade-old conflict cannot realistically be resolved in a single presidential term. She also took issue with what she called a persistent distrust of left-leaning politics in Colombia due to its historical ties to rebel movements.

“The left has always been viewed negatively; it has been harsh, and many people have died,” said Guevara, who supports Cepeda. “So, one wonders what’s wrong with people who have forgotten history … how can they not think carefully about which candidate they are going to elect?”

The weeks leading up to Sunday’s runoff have been marked by heated exchanges between the two camps, along with allegations of election fraud, vote-buying, and voter intimidation.

Cepeda has filed formal complaints with Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office and the International Criminal Court, accusing de la Espriella of having connections to paramilitary organizations. De la Espriella has flatly denied those claims.

The Israeli military announced Sunday that it had “eliminated” two operatives with ties to the armed wings of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The two men, identified as Hussein Qadra and Mohammed Farra, were connected to a large-scale financial operation that channeled funds to Hamas. According to a post on the Israeli military’s X account, Qadra led the network alongside Farra, operating under Hamas leadership and facilitating the transfer of more than half a billion shekels to the organization.