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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Julius Malema, who heads South Africa’s opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party, received a five-year prison term Thursday following his conviction for violating gun laws when he discharged a rifle during a 2018 political gathering.

In October, Malema was found guilty on multiple charges including illegal firearm and ammunition possession, discharging a weapon in an urban area, and putting others at risk through reckless behavior.

The controversial political leader, who heads the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters organization, faced charges along with bodyguard Anton Snyman after footage of the shooting incident spread widely online. Snyman was acquitted of all charges.

When announcing the punishment, Magistrate Twanet Olivier explained she weighed the seriousness of his actions in deciding the sentence. “We hear daily, or weekly, of children playing in the front yards, in the street, who are caught in crossfire, random shots fired, killing people. It’s just the first time that we hear, it’s being called celebratory shots,” Olivier said.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Malema maintained that the accusations were driven by political motivations, noting they originated from Afriforum, an advocacy organization representing white Afrikaner interests that has clashed with Malema repeatedly over the years.

Olivier stated that both the conviction and punishment were determined exclusively by his conduct during the incident in question.

Malema leads the nation’s fourth-largest political party and remains a polarizing personality, largely due to his organization’s platform calling for seizing white-owned property without payment and government takeover of mining operations and financial institutions.

His profile gained international attention when former U.S. President Donald Trump displayed footage of him during a strained discussion with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, showing Malema performing a contentious anti-apartheid anthem that some view as promoting violence against Afrikaners.

MIDDELBURG, Netherlands — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted a distinguished international honor Thursday, recognizing both his leadership and his country’s bravery in defending against Russia’s full-scale military assault that began over four years ago.

The International Four Freedoms Award was presented by the Roosevelt Foundation, established in 1982 to recognize individuals who exemplify the four fundamental freedoms President Franklin D. Roosevelt described in his 1941 State of the Union speech: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

“We pay the highest tribute to the unwavering courage and enduring perseverance of the Ukrainian people and to the steadfast and resolute leadership of their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” foundation chair Hugo de Jonge stated during Thursday’s ceremony.

Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten praised Zelenskyy at the event, noting, “It speaks volumes that you only agreed to accept this award if you could do so on behalf of all the people of Ukraine.”

Following a standing ovation from attendees, Zelenskyy requested a moment of silence to honor victims of a recent Russian overnight attack that claimed at least 16 lives and injured numerous others.

“Dozens of people have been injured and, sadly, so sadly, there are also lives lost in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro. Just ordinary people, children, civilians, killed by Russian madness,” he stated, while demanding international accountability for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

“Do not let Russia go unpunished,” he urged.

The prestigious award has previously been given to notable figures including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and organizations such as the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Other recipients this year included French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, who received the Freedom from Fear Award, the Committee to Protect Journalists for the Freedom of Speech Award, and Chilean activist Isidora Uribe Silva, who has cerebral palsy and earned the Freedom from Want Award for her advocacy work on inclusion, equal human rights, and gender equality.

The foundation did not publicly identify the Freedom of Worship Award recipient due to security considerations.

Following the ceremony, Zelenskyy scheduled a meeting with Prime Minister Jetten. The Netherlands has provided substantial support to Ukraine throughout the conflict, including Patriot missile systems and fighter aircraft. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced a 248 million euro ($292 million) investment in drone technology for Ukrainian forces.

With no additional U.S.-facilitated negotiations with Russia currently scheduled, Zelenskyy has spent the week visiting three European capitals within 48 hours, seeking commitments for continued military and financial assistance from Germany, Norway, and Italy. Ukrainian officials report that Germany and Ukraine have agreed to a defense package worth 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion), while Norway has committed 9 billion euros in aid.

The Four Freedoms ceremony takes place annually at the New Church in Middelburg, located in Zeeland province, the ancestral homeland of President Roosevelt’s family.

A Kazakhstan court has handed down sentences to 19 activists who demonstrated against China’s harsh treatment of Muslims in the Xinjiang region, marking what human rights experts describe as an extraordinary effort by Kazakhstan to suppress dissent on behalf of Beijing.

The 19 Kazakh citizens staged their demonstration near the Chinese border in November, where they destroyed Chinese flags and images of President Xi Jinping while demanding freedom for a Kazakh citizen being held in Xinjiang.

Eleven demonstrators received five-year prison terms on charges of “inciting discord,” while eight others face travel and movement limitations. Attorney Shinquat Baizhan, who represents the group, verified the punishments that local news outlets also covered.

While Kazakhs who criticize China’s Xinjiang policies have historically encountered government pressure, advocacy organizations note this marks the first instance of such a substantial number of Xinjiang protesters being incarcerated in Kazakhstan.

“This is unprecedented,” stated Yalkun Uluyol, who researches China for Human Rights Watch. “It signals that Kazakhstan is willing to sacrifice freedom of its people to maintain good relations with Beijing.”

Beginning in 2017, Chinese authorities implemented a severe suppression campaign in Xinjiang, forcing over one million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other primarily Muslim groups into detention facilities and re-education centers. While many detainees have been freed, the area continues under heavy surveillance with significant restrictions on religious and cultural expression.

The Xinjiang situation has consistently created tension in Kazakhstan, a Central Asian nation of 20 million that depends heavily on Chinese trade. Kazakhstan’s government initiated criminal proceedings against the protesters following a formal complaint from China’s consulate in Almaty, the country’s largest city, according to Uluyol.

The diplomatic communication, which The Associated Press reviewed, described the demonstration as “an open provocation against the national dignity of the People’s Republic of China and an insult to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people.”

China’s Foreign Ministry characterized the sentencing as an “internal affair” and commended Kazakhstan as a “friendly neighbor” that understands “China’s policies on governing Xinjiang.”

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry did not provide a response when contacted for comment.

The convicted activists belonged to Atajurt, a group that champions the rights of Chinese-born Kazakhs experiencing persecution in China. More than one million ethnic Kazakhs live in Xinjiang, with thousands having been detained and many others still facing travel restrictions.

Atajurt has endured ongoing pressure from Kazakhstan’s authoritarian government, which shows little patience for opposition voices. Officials detained the organization’s founder, Serikzhan Bilash, in 2019, freeing him into exile only after he agreed to cease political involvement.

However, the Kazakh government had previously shown some tolerance for the group’s work, recognizing widespread public support in Kazakhstan for Chinese-born Kazakhs.

This tolerance appears to be ending, Uluyol observed, as Kazakhstan strengthens ties with China and shows decreasing acceptance of groups challenging Beijing’s policies.

Bilash warned that the arrests will have far-reaching consequences. His organization provided financial assistance to families of Xinjiang detainees, wrote advocacy letters to embassies and the United Nations, and recorded hundreds of testimonies from people searching for missing relatives.

“The world will lose more than just a human rights organization; it will lose the biggest window into the humanitarian disaster in neighboring Xinjiang,” said Bilash, who now lives in exile in the United States.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mathematician Masood Masjoody was known for publicly accusing those he viewed as enemies. When he posted on social media last autumn that two Iranian-born activists were planning his murder, few people paid attention.

The academic vanished in early February. Police in British Columbia discovered his remains by mid-March and filed first-degree murder charges against the same two individuals Masjoody had identified as threats.

The news shocked Iranians living abroad, especially those who oppose both the current Iranian government and efforts to install the former monarchy’s heir as the country’s future ruler. Shortly after Masjoody’s disappearance, 10 prominent diaspora voices—mostly critics of the monarchist cause or the ongoing conflict with Iran—received a threatening message on X.

“Soon you’ll have to find the corpses of many,” the message warned.

The Farsi-language post, accompanied by a knife emoji, originated from a now-deleted account bearing the name SAVAK, referencing the monarchy’s notorious secret police that once suppressed opposition.

This incident has intensified existing fractures within a diaspora split over the current war and potential future leadership should Iran’s government collapse. Those who received threats point fingers at the influential movement supporting the exiled crown prince who endorses the U.S. and Israeli-led military campaign. The two murder suspects had expressed opposition to Iran’s current regime while supporting monarchist causes in their online activity.

Followers of Reza Pahlavi, whose father was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, reject responsibility for such intimidation and claim Iranian government operatives are impersonating activists online. Tehran has an established record of pursuing dissidents internationally.

Peace advocates and Pahlavi opponents describe an atmosphere of intimidation that has prompted some to contact law enforcement and modify their daily habits.

Nik Kowsar, among those targeted in the threatening post, explained he regularly receives hostile social media messages and blocks accounts to avoid harassment.

“But this one gave me chills,” said Kowsar, who faced imprisonment in Iran in 2000 for creating a cartoon mocking a senior cleric and currently resides in Washington, D.C. Previously serving as an unpaid advisor to Pahlavi, he has transformed into a sharp critic, alleging monarchists aim to substitute one authoritarian system for another.

Additional Iranian activists have received comparable threats since then.

Measuring Pahlavi’s actual support within Iran or among expatriates remains challenging.

His January call for demonstrations drew hundreds of thousands to the streets in the most significant protests in years. Authorities responded with brutal suppression, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

Pahlavi, a Maryland resident, claims readiness to take control and guide a democratic transformation following the theocracy’s fall. However, this possibility seems increasingly remote as Iran has survived weeks of military strikes and a naval embargo without signs of popular revolt since hostilities began.

The exile community has become more divided as the monarchist movement grows “radicalized, more entrenched and more coordinated,” according to Sahar Razavi, who directs the Iranian and Middle East Studies Center at California State University, Sacramento.

“They demand unity of voice and purity of politics and anyone who falls short of that is not just their rival but their enemy that has to be vanquished,” Razavi explained. Her center implemented additional security measures after she faced harassment for hosting a journalist some accused of supporting Iran’s government.

A representative for the National Union for Democracy in Iran, which maintains close ties to Pahlavi, stated the exiled prince has “consistently called for civility in public discourse” and the movement bears no responsibility for antagonism toward critics.

“The prince has, by any estimate, millions of followers. He cannot be reasonably held responsible for the comments of all of them,” policy director Andrew Ghalili wrote in an email. “Second, the Islamic Republic has a history of posing as opposition supporters online to discredit them.”

Two additional activists mentioned in the X message reported the threat to authorities and changed their routines for protection.

“With the latest threat after that Canadian Iranian activist disappeared, I’ll be honest with you, I freaked out,” said Alireza Nader, a Washington, D.C.-based security analyst. Nader, who previously supported Pahlavi but now openly criticizes him, said he currently avoids demonstrations and public gatherings.

Other diaspora activists report receiving concerning threats as well.

Chicago-based activist Ali Tarokh received a March phone call from a number belonging to a fellow Iranian immigrant. Tarokh said the caller labeled him an Iranian government agent and threatened to “go after” him. He contacted police and requested a judge issue a restraining order against the caller.

Tarokh has criticized war supporters, highlighting the conflict’s impact on ordinary Iranians, and continues participating in peace demonstrations despite the intimidation.

“It doesn’t matter if you tell them, ‘I agree with you, the regime has to go, but I disagree with your approach.’ There is zero tolerance,” said Tarokh, who was imprisoned for student activism in Iran and received U.S. political asylum 12 years ago.

The National Iranian American Council, which promotes U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran, has also experienced increased threats.

Staff members received a January email warning they would be “responsible for all loss of lives” if they continued with an anti-war forum in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Organizers alerted law enforcement before transitioning the event online, said Etan Mabourakh, NIAC’s organizing manager.

A subsequent message targeting the organization’s president threatened to “leave your body in the water” unless panel speakers condemned Iranian leadership.

Some threat recipients attribute hostile online rhetoric to Pahlavi supporters. However, with Iran, Israel, the U.S., and various opposition factions seeking to promote specific narratives about the war and diaspora politics, determining the authenticity of online accounts proves difficult.

“I have to believe that a lot of the things that we see online are not created by authentic users. But that’s not very comforting when we see people we know in real life sharing or repeating them,” said Amy Malek, a William & Mary professor researching the Iranian diaspora.

Kowsar revealed that days before Masjoody’s disappearance, they discussed a harassment lawsuit the mathematician was pursuing against Pahlavi supporters.

Masjoody had filed over six lawsuits since 2014, with a Canadian judge labeling him a “vexatious litigant” last year. Defendants in his final case included one person later charged with his murder, plus Pahlavi himself. In court documents filed last fall, Pahlavi stated he was unfamiliar with Masjoody and disputed the accusations.

Kambiz Ghafouri, another recipient of the X message, said he had long worried about retaliation from Iran’s government despite living in Finland for two decades. Threats seemingly originating from within the diaspora have intensified those concerns.

“Our lives were like hell every day in Iran,” he said.

“But recently, especially after the death of Masood, who was my friend, we feel unsafe here.”

Financial markets in Peru experienced significant volatility this week as leftist congressional representative Roberto Sanchez advanced toward a potential runoff position in the country’s presidential election, sparking investor anxiety reminiscent of Peru’s previous experience with anti-establishment leadership.

Sanchez, who previously served as a cabinet minister during the administration of removed leftist former President Pedro Castillo, may find himself competing against conservative leader Keiko Fujimori in a runoff election set for June 7, pending completion of official ballot tallying.

During a Reuters interview conducted before Sunday’s election, Sanchez expressed his belief that Peru requires a “new beginning” following what he characterized as decades of marginalization of Peru’s underrepresented communities within the existing economic framework.

“We want a new social contract, a plurinational state that recognizes the true face of Peru,” Sanchez stated during the interview at the Together for Peru party headquarters in Lima, where he displayed a wide-brimmed straw hat that he claimed had belonged to Castillo — an emblem strongly connected to the former president’s support among rural voters.

With approximately 92% of votes tallied by Wednesday evening, Sanchez has captured roughly 12% of ballots cast, placing him in second position behind Fujimori’s 17% in an election characterized by processing delays and disputed claims of voting irregularities. The top two vote-getters will proceed to the runoff election.

International election monitors have recognized issues with the voting process but have found no evidence supporting allegations of fraud.

The tight competition for the second runoff position has captured investor attention. Sanchez’s late momentum in vote tallies, combined with his policy agenda including constitutional reform and mining contract renegotiation, could strengthen further as ballots from rural areas, which typically favor leftist candidates, are completely processed.

Sanchez contends that Peru’s economic system has marginalized significant portions of the population, particularly remote and Indigenous communities.

“The rural vote, the Andean vote, the Quechua, Aymara and Amazonian vote was never respected,” he stated.

“We sell stones. Thirty years of mining and the mining towns are still the poorest in our country.”

A cornerstone of his political agenda involves establishing a constituent assembly to create a new constitution, replacing the existing document established during the 1990s under Alberto Fujimori, who is the father of the current frontrunner.

Regarding economic matters, he supports increased government oversight of natural resources and has suggested reviewing mining and gas agreements, implementing windfall profit taxes, and establishing a wealth tax.

“We are not talking about expropriating anyone’s property,” he explained. “We are demanding justice for a people that remain poor despite living atop enormous wealth.”

Coming from an Indigenous background with family ties to Peru’s Andean south, Sanchez has also indicated opposition to the current central bank leadership, creating unease among investors who consider the institution crucial for maintaining economic stability.

Financial markets responded quickly to Sanchez’s electoral progress. Wednesday saw the sol currency decline 1.46% against the dollar to reach its lowest point since late September, while Lima’s primary stock index dropped nearly 5%.

Sanchez’s electoral gains led investors to “recalibrate their positions,” according to Cesar Huiman, an analyst with Renta4 SAB, who described the candidate as “less business-friendly.”

These market concerns are intensified by Sanchez’s strong ties to Castillo, who has provided his endorsement from behind bars.

Castillo currently faces imprisonment on rebellion and conspiracy charges following a brief presidency that concluded with an unsuccessful attempt to dissolve Congress in 2022.

Throughout the interview, Sanchez consistently referenced Castillo as “president,” strengthening beliefs that his campaign represents a continuation of the former leader’s agenda.

While Sanchez stated he would not transfer power back to the former leader if victorious, he acknowledged their close alignment and regular communication. He indicated he would work toward Castillo’s release and pursue accountability for those killed during demonstrations that followed Castillo’s removal from office.

Some political observers suggest Peru’s fractured political environment may constrain the scope of change regardless of electoral results.

Based on preliminary results and pre-election polling projections, Peru’s legislative chambers for the 2026 to 2031 period would likely see increased representation from right-wing parties, although they would remain divided.

“The only certainty in Peru’s chaotic 2026 election is that Keiko Fujimori has a place in the June runoff, and that Congress and the new Senate will lean strongly conservative,” stated Eileen Gavin, principal Americas analyst at Verisk Maplecroft.

This conservative control of the legislature, she noted, indicates that economic policy will likely remain stable, helping markets move beyond immediate political uncertainty.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is preparing for a significant diplomatic journey that will take him to India and Vietnam later this month, marking a historic moment in international relations.

The presidential trip, scheduled from April 19 through April 24, begins in New Delhi following an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to presidential adviser Wi Sung-lac during a Thursday briefing reported on the Blue House website.

This marks the first time a South Korean head of state has visited India in eight years, with a formal summit planned for April 20. Discussions between the two leaders are anticipated to focus on collaborative efforts in shipbuilding, artificial intelligence, and defense sectors.

A major business component will accompany the diplomatic mission, with Lee participating in a roundtable discussion featuring corporate leaders from both nations. Industry sources tell Yonhap that approximately 200 executives will form an economic delegation for the journey.

The Federation of Korean Industries will manage the India portion of the trip, organizing business forums, leadership meetings, and the execution of memoranda of understanding. Meanwhile, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will handle the Vietnam segment.

High-profile corporate executives are expected to join the Vietnam delegation, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, according to Yonhap reporting.

Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and LG Group leaders are also anticipated to participate in the India delegation.

Both the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Korean Industries chose not to provide comments regarding the arrangements.

Wi explained that South Korea aims to strengthen cooperation with India on energy supply chain matters during these uncertain global times, though he did not provide specific details. The president also hopes to address challenges South Koreans face with immigration and residency processes in India.

India represents a crucial market for South Korea’s largest corporations. Hyundai Motor is working toward an annual production goal of 1.5 million vehicles there and successfully listed an Indian subsidiary on the local stock exchange in 2024.

Both Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics maintain manufacturing operations in India, with LG having listed its Indian division on the domestic stock market last year.

Following the India visit, Lee will continue to Hanoi on April 21, where he will meet with Vietnam’s top leader To Lam on April 22.

The Vietnam discussions will address advancing relationships in energy, global supply chains, and critical minerals, while Lee will also work to strengthen cultural connections between the nations, Wi noted.

During Lam’s Seoul visit in August 2025, the leaders reached an agreement to grow bilateral trade to $150 billion by 2030, with Hanoi expressing support for increased South Korean business investment.

The Biden administration is initiating naval patrol operations in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, with the stated goal of cutting off Iran’s petroleum export earnings.

According to White House officials, the mission aims to disrupt Tehran’s ability to generate revenue from oil sales. However, defense analysts caution that maritime enforcement operations frequently prove difficult to maintain and can lead to unforeseeable outcomes.

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a crucial waterway for global energy shipments, with approximately one-fifth of the world’s petroleum passing through this narrow passage between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.

Military vessels including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., and the supply ship USNS Carl Brashear have been photographed operating in the Arabian Sea as part of the expanded naval presence in the region.

The deployment represents a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to apply economic pressure on Iran through maritime operations, though experts emphasize the complex challenges involved in effectively monitoring and controlling shipping traffic in such busy international waters.

KUGOMPO CITY, South Africa – A magistrate’s court handed down a prison sentence Thursday to Julius Malema, a leading South African opposition figure, for discharging a rifle into the air during a political gathering.

The prominent politician faced conviction last year on multiple weapons-related charges, including illegal firearm possession and firing a weapon in a public area, stemming from an incident that occurred in 2018.

Malema ranks among South Africa’s most well-known political figures in the opposition movement.

MIDDELBURG, Netherlands – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Netherlands Thursday to receive a prestigious international honor recognizing his nation’s resistance against Russian aggression.

The Roosevelt Foundation presented Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people with the International Four Freedoms Award during a ceremony in the historic Dutch town of Middelburg. The award takes its name from a famous 1941 address by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that identified four essential human liberties: freedom of expression and speech, freedom of religion, freedom from poverty, and freedom from fear.

When announcing the award selection in January, foundation officials stated they chose Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s citizens in “recognition for their courageous struggle for our freedom and democracy under exceptionally difficult circumstances.”

“They are battling for the security of all Europe and defending, with their lives,” the foundation declared.

Russia’s military assault on Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, forced millions from their homes, and left Ukrainian cities in ruins.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Rob Jetten attended Thursday’s award ceremony.

The 2026 awards also recognized other champions of freedom, including the Committee to Protect Journalists for their work defending free speech, and French activist Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was found guilty of orchestrating her repeated sexual assault by strangers, receiving the Freedom from Fear honor.

Security considerations prevented organizers from publicly identifying the Freedom of Worship award recipient, while Chilean advocate Isidora Uribe Silva earned recognition in the Freedom from Want category.

The Four Freedoms Awards have previously honored notable figures including former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former German leader Angela Merkel, the Dalai Lama, and the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

A high-ranking Iranian official announced Thursday that diplomatic discussions between Iran and the United States have achieved modest advancement through Pakistani intervention, though significant obstacles persist more than a week into a temporary ceasefire agreement.

The Iranian official stated that the visit by Pakistan’s military leader to Tehran helped bridge some gaps between the two nations, while major disagreements continue regarding nuclear issues. “The trip of the Pakistani army chief to Tehran was effective in reducing differences in some areas, but fundamental disagreements still remain in the nuclear field,” the official explained. “More hopes have been created for extending the ceasefire and holding a second round of talks.”

Key sticking points include Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the timeframe for nuclear limitations. “The fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the duration of Iran’s nuclear restrictions are among the highly disputed issues for which no solution has yet been found,” the official noted.

Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, traveled to Tehran Wednesday in an effort to prevent renewed hostilities. Pakistan previously facilitated initial peace discussions between the two countries over the past weekend.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that no schedule has been established for additional negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

The diplomatic efforts follow failed weekend discussions aimed at resolving the conflict that began when President Donald Trump and Israel launched a coordinated strike on February 28. That action prompted Iranian retaliation against Gulf nations and sparked additional fighting in Lebanon.

In Bulgaria’s rural Haskovo province, cattle farmer Nikolay Vasiliev displays an election poster outside his property featuring Rumen Radev, the nation’s former president who resigned in January to pursue a parliamentary seat. Vasiliev represents many Bulgarian voters frustrated with years of government corruption that has stifled economic growth and blocked business expansion.

“I see a leader who can make this drastic change and provide security for people,” Vasiliev explained during a farm interview. “The time has come for us to fundamentally solve the problems in the country.”

Radev, a former military pilot with pro-Moscow sympathies, currently tops polling data as Bulgaria prepares for its eighth election in five years. The Black Sea nation of 6.5 million citizens will vote Sunday amid ongoing political turmoil that has prevented stable coalition governments from taking root.

The candidate has gained traction among older rural populations who view him as capable of dismantling what he describes as an “oligarchy” of entrenched corrupt officials. During a recent campaign event, Radev vowed to eliminate “the local feudal lords and strongmen who are suffocating entire regions of Bulgaria.”

Bulgaria ranks 84th globally on Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, matching Hungary as the European Union’s lowest-scoring member nation. Corruption experts note that graft permeates everything from government contracting to municipal elections throughout the country.

A Radev administration could dramatically alter Bulgaria’s international relationships, which have traditionally aligned with Brussels. The country recently adopted the euro currency and signed a security pact with Ukraine – decisions Radev publicly opposes.

“The coalition-makers introduced the euro in Bulgaria without asking you. And now, when you pay your bills, always remember which politicians promised you that you would be in the ‘club of the rich’,” Radev stated Wednesday, capitalizing on public anger over increased living costs.

Following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s electoral defeat, Radev positions himself as potentially the EU’s sole remaining leader advocating for improved Russian relations despite the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

“We are the only member state of the European Union that is both Slavic and Eastern Orthodox,” Radev told journalist Martin Karbovski. “We can be a very important link in this whole mechanism…to restore relations with Russia.”

Current polling shows Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party capturing approximately 30% support, maintaining a 10-point advantage over the largest opposition party, GERB, though falling short of an outright majority. Campaign finance records indicate Progressive Bulgaria has collected over 650,000 euros in private donations, representing 67% of all contributions reported.

Coalition building appears inevitable, which could moderate Radev’s pro-Russian positions. The pro-European We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria alliance, polling around 12%, shares Radev’s reform agenda and represents a potential partnership.

Radev has rejected any alliance with GERB, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, or the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, whose leader Delyan Peevski faces U.S. and British sanctions for corruption.

“All indications point towards…coalition-building,” observed Tihomir Bezlov, senior fellow at Sofia’s Centre for the Study of Democracy, though he questioned any coalition’s longevity.

Electoral officials expect voter participation to exceed 50% as the interim government implements anti-corruption measures including vote-buying enforcement and EU assistance combating online disinformation from suspected Russian sources. Radev dismisses these efforts as vote manipulation tactics.

“No one from outside can come and tell us who and what to vote for. That is decided here, by us Bulgarians,” he declared. Russian officials have denied election interference allegations.

Since communism ended in 1989 and EU membership began in 2007, Bulgaria has experienced significant development. The nation now boasts the EU’s lowest unemployment rate, improved life expectancy, and enhanced economic stability through eurozone membership.

Sofia’s renovated downtown features thriving restaurants and well-maintained parks where residents gather during spring evenings, while mountain ski resorts draw European tourists each winter.

However, rural areas like Haskovo suffer from chronic underinvestment and youth migration, leaving deteriorating infrastructure and struggling agricultural communities.

Farmer Vasiliev rejects characterizations of Radev as pro-Russian, focusing instead on leadership character.

“The first word that comes to mind when I think of a leader is ‘dignified’,” he explained. “To be a dignified leader, you must be a dignified person.”

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces faced a devastating aerial assault Thursday as Russian military forces unleashed nearly 700 drones and dozens of missiles in a prolonged bombardment that lasted from daylight hours well into the evening, claiming the lives of at least 16 people and wounding over 80 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

The extensive attack represents Moscow’s most significant aerial offensive in nearly two weeks, with authorities reporting that Russian forces deployed close to 700 unmanned aircraft along with numerous ballistic and cruise missiles, focusing their strikes on civilian targets. Since launching its full-scale invasion more than four years ago, Russian forces have consistently targeted civilian areas in daily attacks, occasionally escalating to large-scale bombardments. United Nations data indicates that these ongoing strikes have resulted in over 15,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine.

This latest wave of attacks occurred following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent two-day diplomatic mission to Germany, Norway, and Italy, where he sought additional air defense capabilities to counter Russian missile threats. Ukraine has expressed concerns that conflicts in Iran are depleting stockpiles of sophisticated American-manufactured defense systems, while also opposing a temporary U.S. exemption on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv believes helps fund Moscow’s military operations.

“Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions,” Zelenskyy said on X.

The Ukrainian leader expressed gratitude to Germany, Norway, and Italy for new defense cooperation agreements reached during his recent visit. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with the Netherlands regarding additional military supplies.

However, Zelenskyy noted that certain allied nations have failed to fulfill their military assistance commitments.

“I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems,” Zelenskyy said.

The capital city of Kyiv suffered significant casualties, with at least four deaths including a 12-year-old child, while more than 50 residents sustained injuries, local authorities confirmed.

Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old Kyiv resident, described the terrifying experience when two missiles struck near her residence, forcing her to seek shelter in her hallway with her dog as explosions illuminated the darkness and shockwaves shattered windows.

“On the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog,” she told The Associated Press. “I still can’t find the cats in the house, they climbed out somewhere, I don’t even know. No windows, nothing, the dog is still walking around in stress.”

Additional casualties were reported across multiple regions: nine fatalities and 23 injuries in the southern coastal city of Odesa, three deaths and approximately three dozen wounded in the central Dnipro area, and one death in southern Zaporizhzhia.

“Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.

Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted or neutralized 667 of 703 incoming threats, including 636 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aircraft, according to the country’s air force.

Military officials reported that 20 attack drones and 12 missiles successfully struck 26 different locations throughout the country.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian lawmakers began deliberations Thursday on historic legislation that would guarantee women one-third of all seats in the nation’s Parliament, a move that could trigger extensive redistricting and heighten political conflicts across the country.

The proposed legislation would accelerate implementation of a 2023 law requiring 33% of parliamentary and state legislative positions be designated for women. This would represent one of the most significant changes to political representation since India gained independence and could dramatically expand female involvement in a government where women currently have limited presence.

However, the women’s quota proposal is connected to a contentious companion measure that would restructure voting districts, potentially expanding the lower house from its current 543 members to approximately 850.

Although broad cross-party support exists for increasing women’s parliamentary participation, opposition groups have expressed alarm about the redistricting component, cautioning it might shift the political landscape to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Both measures are under consideration during Parliament’s three-day special session and need approval from two-thirds of both legislative chambers. Modi’s governing National Democratic Alliance currently controls 293 parliamentary seats, falling short of the 360 needed for the required supermajority.

Multiple Asian nations, including India’s regional neighbors Nepal and Bangladesh, have established comparable quotas for women in their national legislatures. India already requires one-third of local government positions be reserved for women, yet women currently occupy just 14% of lower house parliamentary seats.

The quota system could bring hundreds of additional women into legislative roles, which advocates believe might shift policy focus toward women’s healthcare, education and combating gender-based violence. The method for distributing seats to women in an enlarged Parliament remains undetermined.

Women’s rights activist Ranjana Kumari described the initiative as making India’s “democracy truly representative” while compelling political parties to nominate more female candidates.

“(The) door is little open. Women will enter and fill the room slowly,” Kumari stated.

Many young Indian women view this development as symbolically important.

Pranita Gupta, a 23-year-old law graduate, explained it will create “a sense of confidence that we can participate in politics and we can be part of Parliament not only as an exception but as well as a norm.”

Implementation of the quota depends on population-based redistricting using information from the most recent completed census in 2011. While the schedule for this redistricting process remains uncertain, the proposal has already sparked political controversy.

Opposition parties caution that population-based constituency creation could transfer political influence toward rapidly growing northern states while reducing parliamentary representation and overall power of southern regions. They contend this could advantage Modi’s party, which enjoys strong northern state support.

India’s Constitution requires parliamentary seat distribution based on population and revision following each census. Nevertheless, boundaries haven’t been redrawn since the 1971 census, as consecutive governments postponed the process due to concerns about unequal population growth patterns.

Southern state leaders, where birth rates have dropped more dramatically, argue population-based redistricting could increase northern representation while disadvantaging southern areas that have controlled population growth and developed stronger economies.

Modi’s party has rejected criticism of the legislation, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju describing the concerns as misleading on Wednesday.

However, opposition emerged Thursday when Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin burned a copy of the bill and displayed a black flag in protest. He encouraged residents statewide to take similar action.

Several southern state leaders also appeared in Parliament wearing black clothing as a protest gesture.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused the redistricting effort of potentially being used to “gerrymander” parliamentary constituencies to favor Modi’s party before the 2029 national elections.

“Delimitation should be based on a transparent policy framework, developed after wide consultations with a consensus,” he posted Wednesday on X.

Fourteen-year-old Fadel al-Naji once loved playing soccer, but now he spends most of his time at home in Gaza City after losing both legs in an Israeli drone strike last September.

The teenager sits quietly on a sofa, one empty pant leg hanging down while the other is folded at his waist, next to his 11-year-old brother who lost an eye in the same attack.

“He has become withdrawn and isolated,” his mother Najwa al-Naji explained while showing old videos of her son juggling a soccer ball on her phone. “It is as if he is dying slowly, and I wish that they would fit him with prosthetic limbs.”

However, artificial limbs remain extremely difficult to obtain for Gaza’s approximately 5,000 war amputees — one-fourth of whom are children like al-Naji — due to Israeli limitations on importing materials such as plaster of Paris, according to seven aid and medical sources who spoke with Reuters.

Israel, which engaged in a two-year conflict with Hamas militants in the Palestinian territory, justifies the restrictions by pointing to security concerns.

When combined with Gaza’s existing amputee population before the war, Palestinian health officials report that the territory’s per capita amputation rate now surpasses even Cambodia, which previously held that distinction due to landmine injuries, according to aid organization Humanity & Inclusion.

The shortage has become so severe that two medical facilities report attempting to salvage old prosthetic devices from war casualties. Other medical professionals are constructing improvised artificial limbs using plastic tubing or wooden boards, though doctors warn this approach could damage residual limbs or lead to infections.

Gaza’s amputee crisis represents the gap between promises made during October’s ceasefire and President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan that envisioned complete aid delivery “without interference.”

The plan also called for reopening the Rafah border crossing — Gaza’s only exit to Egypt — but medical evacuations for amputees and others have remained sporadic.

Israel maintains restrictions on imports of items it considers to have both military and civilian applications, a policy that existed before the two-year conflict. Although plaster of Paris and other plastic components for prosthetics aren’t specifically listed on Israeli dual-use item catalogs, “construction products” do appear there, according to an Israeli export control document.

COGAT, Israel’s military agency overseeing Gaza access, states it allows regular entry of medical equipment but prohibits materials that Hamas could use for “terrorist build-up.”

When asked about prosthetic supplies, COGAT indicated it maintains discussions with the United Nations and other aid organizations to find ways to enable proper medical responses.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which assists Gaza’s Artificial Limbs and Polio Centre — the territory’s primary prosthetic facility — reports that plaster of Paris imports have been almost entirely blocked for more than four months, with remaining supplies lasting only until June or July.

“What we are producing now are very small quantities compared to the actual need,” explained Hosni Mhana, the center’s spokesperson, though he declined to provide specific numbers.

The Qatari-funded Sheikh Hamad Hospital reports receiving no supplies throughout the war and has completely run out. The facility can now only perform maintenance on existing prosthetics. “There are no local alternatives for prosthetic manufacturing materials,” stated the hospital’s General Director Ahmed Naim.

Humanity & Inclusion, which has fitted 118 temporary prosthetics in Gaza since early 2025, says supplies from its final December 2024 shipment are nearly exhausted.

The Trump-led Board of Peace, which has worked to increase Gaza aid, stated it takes the struggles of amputees and other patients very seriously.

“These are urgent civilian needs,” the board told Reuters, emphasizing that ceasefire obligations included sustained delivery of humanitarian, commercial and medical supplies.

The board noted that restrictions and delays are discussed with appropriate authorities. “We have significant guarantees and commitments that these restrictions will be eased and eliminated as armed parties agree to decommission their weapons and hand over authority to a Palestinian technocratic government in Gaza.”

Prosthetic limbs cannot be shipped complete to Gaza since each device must be custom-built for individual patients, with plaster used to create precise casts of remaining limbs to form fitted sockets.

Reuters spoke with three additional Gaza amputees, all facing difficulties returning to their pre-war routines without prosthetics.

Many amputees remain on waiting lists and may have completed preliminary procedures, including stump revision surgeries to improve the limb’s shape.

Among those waiting is Hazem Foura, a 40-year-old former office employee who hasn’t worked since losing his left leg above the knee in December 2024 when he says Israeli forces bombed his residence.

“I am not asking for the luxuries of life, I am asking for a limb so I can regain my humanity,” he stated.

The absence of prosthetics significantly hampers recovery and extends psychological trauma for amputees, many of whom could have avoided limb loss with more specialized surgeons available.

This situation also increases their vulnerability to continuing Israeli attacks, which have claimed 750 Palestinian lives since the ceasefire, according to Palestinian health officials.

Israeli limitations on items like wheelchairs have relaxed since the ceasefire, the ICRC and UNICEF reported, but medical staff say navigating Gaza’s debris-filled streets remains challenging.

Beyond materials, expertise is also scarce, with only eight prosthetists remaining in Gaza according to the World Health Organization. Follow-up treatment for children presents particular difficulties, medical professionals noted, since they require regular adjustments as they develop.

“The amputation itself is not just a lost limb, it’s lost hope, it’s lost independence,” said Heba Bashir, prosthetic and orthotic technical officer for Humanity & Inclusion. “For the kids, it means losing their future.”

BEIJING – Chinese officials have issued a travel warning for their citizens planning trips to the United States, specifically advising them to avoid Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to what they describe as harassment by American border agents.

The advisory, released Thursday by China’s foreign ministry, stems from a recent incident involving approximately 20 Chinese academics who were traveling to attend a scholarly conference in the United States. Despite possessing valid American visas, these researchers were turned away at the Seattle airport after being subjected to what Beijing characterized as “unreasonable questioning” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.

Chinese authorities are urging their nationals to “strengthen safety awareness, avoid entering through this airport” and “make all necessary preparations” when traveling to America. The ministry cited “repeated incidents of malicious questioning and harassment targeting Chinese scholars” specifically at the Seattle-Tacoma facility as the reason for the warning.

The travel advisory also provides guidance for Chinese citizens who may encounter questioning by American law enforcement, recommending they “respond calmly and rationally” during such interactions.

This diplomatic advisory highlights growing tensions between the two nations and raises concerns about the treatment of international visitors at U.S. border crossings.

BANGKOK (AP) — A former U.S. diplomat who launched his refugee advocacy career with a daring unauthorized rescue mission in Vietnam has passed away at 82.

Lionel Rosenblatt died Saturday in the Washington area following a cancer diagnosis. His death marks the end of a remarkable career that began with a bold defiance of government orders during the final days of the Vietnam War.

In 1975, as communist forces closed in on Saigon, Rosenblatt and fellow State Department official Craig Johnstone grew frustrated with U.S. Ambassador Graham Martin’s hesitation to evacuate Vietnamese allies. The two men took personal leave and traveled privately to South Vietnam, where they organized flights that saved between 200 and 400 at-risk Vietnamese citizens.

When they returned to Washington, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger delivered what Rosenblatt described as a formal reprimand mixed with personal praise, but no official punishment followed.

That daring mission launched Rosenblatt into a distinguished career as a refugee advocate. He led the Washington-based Refugees International from 1990 to 2001, pushing for stronger humanitarian responses in conflict zones including Bosnia and Rwanda.

Jeremy Konyndyk, current president of Refugees International, remembered Rosenblatt as a “fierce, creative, passionate champion for refugees” who “helped to shape a generation of humanitarian leaders.”

Born in New York in 1943, Rosenblatt entered the State Department in 1966 with early assignments in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Washington. Southeast Asian refugees became his particular focus.

From 1976 to 1981, he worked at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok as refugee coordinator, assisting Vietnamese “boat people” and Cambodians fleeing hunger after Vietnam removed the brutal Khmer Rouge from power in 1979.

Rosenblatt showed particular compassion for ethnic minorities often overlooked in major conflicts. He worked extensively with the Hmong people of Laos, who had fought alongside American forces in the “Secret War” against communist Pathet Lao forces.

When the Pathet Lao won control in 1975, tens of thousands of Hmong fled to Thailand, fearing revenge. Recognizing the discrimination these tribal people would face in American resettlement, Rosenblatt and his team deliberately obscured their ethnic identity on official documents to improve their chances of acceptance.

“It was always a mystery to me why they were good enough to fight for us but not good enough to consider for resettlement,” Rosenblatt said in a 2022 television interview.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced Thursday that his country will dramatically increase military expenditures by 53 billion Australian dollars ($38 billion) over the coming decade, pointing to the ongoing Iran conflict as a key factor destabilizing worldwide security.

During the release of Australia’s updated two-year defense strategy, Marles outlined plans to expand the nation’s defense budget from its current 2.8% of gross domestic product to 3% by 2033, stating that “Australia faces its most complex and threatening strategic circumstances since the end of World War II.”

When questioned about how significantly Australia’s security environment has deteriorated since the February attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, Marles responded to journalists: “I don’t think anyone could honestly answer that question.”

“It greatly complicates the global strategic landscape,” Marles explained. “The world feels less safe.”

“Having said that, we do very much support the strategic objective of denying Iran a deployable nuclear weapon,” Marles continued.

The Defense Minister emphasized that the decision to raise military spending to 3% of GDP was not made in response to demands from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

In January, the Pentagon issued its National Defense Strategy, which criticized U.S. allies for not taking greater responsibility for their own security needs.

Marles stressed that Australia was making independent decisions about resource allocation.

“What that has yielded to date is, under our government, the biggest peacetime increase in defense spending that our nation has seen,” Marles stated.

The new spending framework will emphasize Australian self-reliance, though Marles clarified this should not be interpreted as complete military independence.

“This is not about jettisoning alliance relationships. To the contrary, alliances, especially with the United States, will always be fundamental to Australia’s defense,” Marles explained.

The most significant component of Australia’s defense expansion will be acquiring a minimum of eight submarines equipped with U.S. nuclear technology through the AUKUS alliance with the United States and Britain.

Officials estimate the submarine program will cost between AU$268 billion ($193 billion) and AU$368 billion ($264 billion) across three decades.

During their current four-day Australian tour, Prince Harry applauded the nation’s groundbreaking approach to protecting teenagers from harmful online content, while Meghan Markle opened up about years of cyberbullying she has endured.

Speaking at a mental health discussion organized by Batyr in Melbourne on Thursday, the Duke of Sussex described Australia’s regulatory stance as exemplary. “Now we can sit here and debate the pros and cons of a ban – I’m not here to judge that. All I will say is from a responsibility and leadership standpoint – epic,” Harry stated during the youth-focused event.

Australia made history in December by implementing the world’s first nationwide prohibition on social media access for anyone under 16 years old. The groundbreaking legislation restricts minors from accessing platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, with other nations now considering similar measures.

During the same Melbourne discussion, the Duchess of Sussex shared her personal struggles with online harassment. “For now, 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world,” she revealed.

The royal couple’s current visit marks their return to Australia since 2018, when they were still active members of the British royal family and announced Meghan’s first pregnancy shortly after landing in Sydney. They departed from royal duties in 2020, relocating to the United States while citing desires for financial independence and privacy from media scrutiny.

Their reception in Australia has been varied, particularly in a country where King Charles serves as head of state despite growing republican sentiment among some citizens. The couple is funding their own travel expenses, though Australian taxpayers are covering some security costs, which has generated controversy and prompted a petition with over 45,000 signatures.

Unlike their previous official royal visit, Harry and Meghan are combining public appearances with what their representatives describe as “private meetings and special projects.” Harry has met with military veterans, while Meghan participated as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia.

The Duchess is also scheduled to co-host an upscale wellness retreat in Sydney this weekend, featuring activities like yoga, manifestation sessions, and sound healing. Attendance fees for the luxury event begin at approximately $1,912 per participant.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian civilians in the nation’s capital examined destruction and sought safety Thursday after Russian forces launched an attack on a civilian neighborhood in Kyiv.

The strike represents the latest in ongoing military actions targeting residential areas throughout the conflict zone.

Images captured by Associated Press photographers document the aftermath and impact on local residents in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted 31 missiles and 636 drones during Russian strikes across the nation in a 24-hour span, military officials announced Thursday.

The Ukrainian air force reported through a Telegram statement that Moscow launched two separate waves of coordinated strikes against Ukrainian targets, deploying both ground-launched and air-launched missiles alongside attack drones.

“During this period, the enemy launched two waves of combined attacks on Ukrainian territory, using ground-based and air-launched missiles, as well as attack drones,” the air force said in a statement on Telegram.

Military officials said they identified a total of 703 Russian aerial threats during the assault period.

France is demanding that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security free an elderly French woman who remains in immigration detention in Louisiana following her arrest earlier this month.

The 86-year-old widow, whose deceased husband served in the military, has become the subject of diplomatic pressure as French officials work to secure her release from ICE custody.

The case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement policies and their impact on elderly individuals with family ties to U.S. veterans.

KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — An agricultural business owner in Ukraine who established a volunteer military unit with just 30 members during the early stages of Russia’s invasion wasn’t sure he’d survive to witness its growth — but both he and his force endured.

That small group has since expanded into a 40,000-member corps recognized as among Ukraine’s most capable fighting units within the official defense structure.

“Ukraine needs to have an effective modern army. And this is our number one guarantee of the country’s security,” said Vsevolod Kozhemyako, who owns a major agricultural business and now serves as an adviser to the Khartiia Corps Commander.

This dramatic growth illustrates a wider change happening throughout Ukraine’s armed forces, as new formations like the Third Army and Azov Corps emerge, moving away from Soviet-era methods that soldiers have long criticized.

While discussions about potential peace agreements remain stalled and international focus turns toward Middle Eastern conflicts, Ukraine continues pursuing solid security assurances from allies, especially the United States.

However, many Ukrainians have reached a different understanding through this war: their nation’s best protection may come from their own military forces.

“We have kids, we have grandkids, and we will stay on this territory,” Kozhemyako said. “The future of this country depends on us.”

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse, Ukraine received a substantial military and weapons stockpile. However, by 2014, Russia’s seizure of Crimea and armed conflicts in eastern regions revealed serious weaknesses from insufficient funding, corruption and strategic confusion, leading to volunteer recruitment and overdue military changes.

These reforms helped Ukraine resist the 2022 invasion, but as fighting continued, some fundamental issues — inflexible top-down command, overwhelming bureaucracy and a culture of concealing problems due to fear of retaliation — started returning, affecting battlefield performance.

Kozhemyako explained that his unit needed to follow a different approach from the beginning. As an active military member since 2014 surrounded by veterans, he recognized the regular army’s limitations.

“They didn’t want to join the post-Soviet army, but they wanted to fight,” Kozhemyako recalled.

Most were civilians with business backgrounds, he explained. They contributed their leadership experience and aimed to create an organization that encouraged initiative.

The process started with learning and implementing U.S. Army planning techniques, merging them with combat experience and adjusting as warfare developed. The unit adopted Western procedures including Troop Leading Procedures (TLP) and After Action Reviews (AAR), using internal specialists to improve these methods.

TLP enable smaller units to organize operations more quickly, which proves essential for taking advantage of brief battlefield opportunities. AAR encourage soldiers to analyze events, causes and improvements, a system the corps has applied especially thoroughly to its rapidly advancing technology use.

Khartiia’s emphasis on quickly advancing technologies has attracted international notice. In a Military Review article, the U.S. Army’s professional publication, Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor highlighted Khartiia’s December 2024 drone operation near Kharkiv as a significant milestone — the first completely robotic attack against Russian positions. For the U.S. Army, he suggested, this represented a signal to reconsider how its armored units must change to survive modern warfare.

This technology now forms part of routine operations. A 23-year-old platoon leader transferred to Khartiia from a standard unit received responsibility for ground robotic systems regularly used for supply transport and evacuation.

He and other soldiers interviewed for this report requested anonymity following Ukrainian military guidelines, though higher-ranking officials may speak publicly.

The soldier noted how little attention was given to strict formalities that characterized his previous unit — from rigid uniform requirements to repetitive procedures unconnected to combat.

“People understand why we are here, and they don’t overload us with unnecessary tasks,” he said, having just walked through the military position wearing blue plush house slippers.

He also described a different command relationship, contrasting it with the rigid structure he previously experienced, where punishment fears often discouraged honest communication.

“When officers look at you from above, like in rear units, they become almost like enemies to you,” he said. “In Khartiia, relationships are different. When you go on a mission, you trust the people giving you orders.”

These changes have produced concrete battlefield results. In December 2025, the Khartiia Corps spearheaded a counteroffensive in the Kupiansk area, freeing several villages north of the city and advancing to the Oskil River. The Institute for the Study of War reported that capturing Kupiansk had been a Russian objective since mid-2025, but despite extended efforts, Russian forces couldn’t achieve major progress there.

The Khartiia Corps has experienced no significant defeats and hasn’t disclosed casualty numbers, following standard practice for both warring sides.

The Washington-based research organization concluded in December that the operation showed Ukrainian forces can still “conduct successful counterattacks and make tactically significant gains, particularly when Russian forces are overstretched.”

Operating mainly through independent recruitment and fundraising, the corps has developed a professional human resources system and strong reputation, actively utilizing YouTube and social media, collaborating with public personalities and simplifying online donations.

A Ukrainian military officer handling public outreach for a Ground Forces unit explained that the Third Army Corps, followed by Khartiia, became pioneers in this area whose strategies others carefully examine when developing their own. These two corps were among the first to establish their own identities, something now crucial for the army facing constant recruitment needs.

“The approaches that work in the commercial sphere translate perfectly here — only you are competing not for profit, but for people, equipment and attention of the volunteers,” he said.

Entering one of Khartiia’s underground command centers feels more like visiting a gaming facility than a military headquarters. However, instead of video games, numerous large screens mounted across walls display live reconnaissance video from Ukraine’s Kharkiv region front lines. Supervising everything is a former bodybuilding instructor who advanced from soldier to senior officer, wearing a Khartiia sweatshirt with an energy drink beside his keyboard.

“One of our secrets is that we don’t spare people during training — we train them constantly,” he said. “But during combat, it’s the opposite. People come first. We don’t save drones or equipment at the expense of our people.”

This philosophy is something Khartiia now attempts to spread by creating direct partnerships with units sharing similar approaches.

The Khartiia and 3rd Army Corps recently established a joint training program, sharing resources and knowledge to develop unified fighting methods.

For the commanders, who are also front-line neighbors, the reasoning is practical: after months of exchanging strategies, both units identified the same critical weakness in the broader army — an urgent need to reform basic combat training for soldiers, sergeants and junior officers.

Ihor Obolienskyi, commander of the Khartiia Corps, calculated that approximately 300,000 troops currently serve along the front line, with the two corps representing roughly 80,000 — sufficient, he said, to create significant military change, even though reform remains challenging in what he called an inherently resistant system.

Leaders from other units have already contacted the corps to study their model, indicating growing military demand for change.

Still, whether senior command will abandon its Soviet heritage remains uncertain.

“We want to give a tool to the General Staff,” said Andrii Biletskyi, the commander of 3rd Army Corps, during a joint briefing. “Whether they accept it or not — that is their decision.”

Iran is working to strengthen its control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz by implementing toll charges for ships seeking safe transit, working alongside the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The waterway serves as a crucial link between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, running through territorial waters controlled by both Iran and Oman. This shipping corridor ranks among the planet’s most critical energy transport routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments passing through its waters.

Stretching approximately 104 miles in length, the strait’s width changes throughout its course. At the most constricted section, vessels navigate through 2-mile-wide channels for incoming and outgoing traffic, with a 2-mile separation zone between them.

Following military strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran, the nation has essentially blocked the strait and insisted on toll collection rights as a condition for ceasing hostilities. Current details about any actual toll payments remain unclear.

International maritime passage through the strait falls under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, commonly called UNCLOS, which was established in 1982 and became effective in 1994.

Under Article 38 of this treaty, ships maintain rights to unrestricted “transit passage” through more than 100 global straits, including Hormuz.

The agreement permits nations adjacent to straits to control passage within their “territorial sea” extending 12 nautical miles from their coastline, while still allowing “innocent passage.”

Passage qualifies as innocent when it doesn’t threaten a nation’s peace, stability, or security. Activities like military operations, significant pollution, espionage, and fishing are prohibited. This innocent passage principle played a central role in a 1949 International Court of Justice ruling regarding the Corfu Channel between Albanian and Greek waters.

Around 170 nations plus the European Union have approved UNCLOS. However, both Iran and the United States remain non-signatories. This creates uncertainty about whether the treaty’s maritime navigation freedoms have evolved into standard international law or only apply to countries that have ratified it.

Legal scholars generally consider UNCLOS to have achieved or be widely recognized as customary international law. Some countries that haven’t ratified may claim exemption by maintaining persistent and consistent opposition. Iran contends it has voiced such objections, while the United States challenges Iran’s authority to impose tolls.

No official enforcement mechanism exists for UNCLOS. Both the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany, created by the treaty, and the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, can issue decisions but lack enforcement power.

Nations and businesses possess alternative methods to counter toll implementation.

A cooperative state or group of states might attempt treaty enforcement. The UN Security Council could adopt a resolution condemning the tolls.

Shipping companies have the option to reroute cargo away from the Strait of Hormuz and have already begun this practice. Countries might expand sanctions targeting financial dealings that potentially benefit Iran’s government by penalizing companies that agree to pay the tolls.

Nepal’s recently elected administration has formed an investigative committee to examine the wealth and property holdings of government officials and politicians, marking a significant step in the country’s fight against corruption.

The initiative comes from Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former rapper whose Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) achieved a decisive win in parliamentary elections held on March 5. These elections marked the first time voters went to the polls following major anti-corruption demonstrations led by young protesters in September.

Shah built his political reputation during his tenure as Kathmandu’s mayor, where he became known for his reform-minded approach and aggressive stance against corrupt practices in Nepal’s capital.

Cabinet spokesperson Sasmit Pokhrel announced that retired Supreme Court Justice Rajendra Kumar Bhandari will lead the five-person investigative committee.

“An impartial investigation will be carried out on the basis of evidence based on legal standards … Its report and recommendations will be implemented by concerned agencies of the government,” Pokhrel stated during a press briefing following Wednesday evening’s cabinet session. He did not specify a deadline for the panel’s work.

Political observers anticipate the investigation will examine hundreds of current and former officials who have served in government positions since the popular uprising that ended Nepal’s 239-year monarchy in 2008.

The three-year-old RSP campaigned heavily on anti-corruption promises and successfully defeated established political parties that had controlled the country’s government for many years.

A major blaze at Australia’s biggest oil refinery has disrupted gasoline production Thursday, compounding fuel supply challenges as the nation grapples with shortages stemming from Middle East warfare that has destabilized global energy markets.

Fire officials reported the flames that erupted Wednesday evening at Viva Energy’s facility, which processes 120,000 barrels daily, were contained by midday Thursday at 12:00 p.m. local time.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Australia, which relies on foreign sources for four-fifths of its fuel requirements and has been scrambling to secure alternative supplies after Middle Eastern conflicts disrupted traditional sources and pushed energy costs higher globally.

“This is not a positive development, but obviously there’s a long way to go in terms of working out just what the impact is,” Energy Minister Chris Bowen stated during an interview with Channel Nine.

The Viva Energy facility provides more than half the fuel consumed in Victoria, Australia’s second-largest state by population, and handles one-tenth of the nation’s overall fuel demand.

Company officials indicated that gasoline and aviation fuel production would face disruptions, though they plan to satisfy demand through imported supplies.

While the facility continues producing jet fuel and diesel, output has been reduced as a safety precaution, Bowen explained.

“I would expect we’d see a price hike depending on the scale of the damage, and secondly, it reinforces the challenges we have in terms of sovereign and resilient capabilities here,” stated John Coyne, an analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

The refinery emergency coincides with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Kuala Lumpur Thursday, where he’s meeting with Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim to negotiate fuel supply agreements, following similar diplomatic missions to Singapore and Brunei.

While Malaysia and Brunei possess crude oil and refined product capabilities, their ability to boost output remains limited, Coyne noted.

The refinery, situated roughly one hour from Melbourne, reported no injuries from the incident. Officials have not yet determined what sparked the fire or assessed the full extent of damage.

Since the Middle Eastern conflict began nearly seven weeks ago, supply concerns have triggered panic purchasing that doubled fuel demand in certain regions, despite government assurances that adequate supplies remain available.

Last month, Albanese implemented emergency relief measures, cutting fuel taxes in half and suspending heavy vehicle road charges for three months to help families manage rising costs driven by the overseas conflict.

“It’s going to be a very bumpy and expensive few months,” warned Tennant Reed, who oversees climate and energy issues for the Australian Industry Group.

In March, government officials committed to backing a portion of fuel purchases made by refiners and suppliers.

“We’ll continue to work with the company to do what we can to make sure that anything that is offline is brought online as soon as possible,” Albanese told reporters during a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative center.

Reed explained the government could seek additional market supplies to offset production losses at Viva’s plant, though cargo deliveries would require several weeks.

Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt informed reporters that the company’s immediate priority involves fully extinguishing the blaze that damaged two facility units before evaluating damage and safely resuming normal operations.

“All the other units are still operating and still in production but they are at minimum rates to maintain safety across the site,” he explained.

“We’ll only start increasing production again once we’re confident that we can do that safely.”

Trading of Viva’s stock has been suspended pending an official assessment of the fire’s impact.

Pakistan’s military commander is scheduled to hold discussions with Iranian leadership Thursday in Tehran as part of an effort to reduce Middle Eastern tensions and facilitate a second round of diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran following nearly seven weeks of conflict.

According to the White House, any upcoming negotiations would probably occur in Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad, although officials have not yet decided whether to restart the diplomatic process.

The United States continues its naval blockade of Iranian shipping lanes while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the Trump administration plans to intensify economic pressure on Iran through additional sanctions targeting nations conducting business with Tehran, describing the strategy as the “financial equivalent” of military bombardment.

Pakistan has become a crucial intermediary after hosting direct diplomatic discussions between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad, which officials say helped reduce disagreements between both nations. Negotiators are working to establish another round of talks before the current ceasefire ends next week.

On Wednesday evening, Trump posted on Truth Social that Israeli and Lebanese leaders would hold discussions Thursday in a fresh attempt to establish a ceasefire following the nations’ first direct negotiations in decades, which concluded Wednesday in Washington without reaching an agreement. The specific leaders Trump referenced remained unclear, and the Israeli prime minister’s office had not responded to requests for comment on the post, which appeared before dawn in both Israel and Lebanon.

The conflict has disrupted global markets and shaken the worldwide economy as shipping routes have been blocked and air attacks have devastated military and civilian infrastructure throughout the region. Oil costs have dropped amid hopes for an end to hostilities, while U.S. stock markets Wednesday exceeded records established in January.

Despite strain on the ceasefire agreement from the American blockade of Iranian ports and renewed Iranian warnings, regional officials reported advancement, telling The Associated Press that the United States and Iran had reached an “in principle agreement” to extend the truce to permit additional diplomacy. These sources requested anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

According to Iranian state media, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi participated in preliminary discussions Wednesday with Pakistan’s army chief of staff Asim Munir.

However, while mediators pursued peace efforts, tensions continued to escalate.

Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s joint military command, warned of halting regional trade if the United States refuses to end its naval blockade, while a recently appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated his opposition to extending the ceasefire.

Negotiators are working toward compromise on three primary obstacles that disrupted direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear activities, the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official participating in mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated Iran remains willing to discuss the nature and extent of its uranium enrichment, but emphasized his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” as reported by Iranian state media.

The violence has resulted in at least 3,000 deaths in Iran, over 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab nations. Thirteen American service members have also lost their lives.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the opening window of peace during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, who updated him on recent developments in Iran-U.S. negotiations and Tehran’s considerations regarding next steps, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry late Wednesday.

Wang informed Araghchi that the situation has reached a crucial moment between war and peace, stating that Iran’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights should be respected as a coastal nation of the Strait of Hormuz, while ensuring freedom of navigation and safety through the waterway.

Since hostilities began, Iran has restricted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carried one-fifth of global oil during peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait caused oil prices to surge dramatically, increasing costs for fuel, food, and other essential goods well beyond the Middle East, prompting the United States to implement a blockade on Iranian shipping.

U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday that no vessels had successfully passed the blockade since its implementation two days earlier, while 10 commercial ships followed directions from American forces to reverse course and return to Iranian waters.

The blockade aims to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil, primarily to Asia, since the war started February 28. Much of this oil has likely traveled through so-called dark transits that avoid sanctions and oversight, providing crucial funding that has been essential to Iran’s operations.

Meanwhile, Israel continued its aerial and ground campaign in Lebanon. The country’s National News Agency documented airstrikes and artillery bombardment across southern Lebanon Wednesday, including areas near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have surrounded Hezbollah fighters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli troops were preparing to “eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah” and would continue expanding control over areas in southern Lebanon.

Netanyahu indicated that negotiations are ongoing, with disarming Hezbollah as a primary objective.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that Israel targeted three paramedic teams Wednesday in southern Lebanon, first attacking one team and then two additional teams that responded to assist. The attacks resulted in three paramedic deaths and six wounded, according to the ministry.

The Israeli military had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Israel and Lebanon have remained technically at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948, and Lebanon continues to be deeply divided regarding diplomatic engagement with Israel.

SYDNEY – Two Pacific nations announced Thursday their intention to collaborate on securing energy supplies as ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts raise concerns about regional stability and fuel costs.

In a joint declaration released Thursday, Australia and Malaysia outlined their commitment to enhancing energy supply chain security while ensuring consistent trade operations between their countries.

Both nations expressed what they termed “deep concern” regarding the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, particularly its expansion and the resulting effects on their region, specifically noting potential disruptions to energy availability and pricing.

The partnership comes as global energy markets face uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions affecting major oil-producing regions.

MOSCOW, April 16 – Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russia’s Tuapse Black Sea port region have claimed the lives of two young victims, according to local officials who reported the incident Thursday.

Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratiev announced via Telegram that the casualties included children ages 5 and 14, while multiple business facilities in the port vicinity sustained damage from the aerial assault. Kondratiev added that the extensive drone operation also caused harm to several homes in residential neighborhoods throughout the area.

An Australian federal court has rejected an appeal from a former U.S. Marine pilot fighting extradition to America, where he faces serious weapons charges related to training Chinese military pilots.

Daniel Duggan, who became an Australian citizen, was taken into custody in New South Wales during October 2022 at the request of U.S. authorities. His arrest came shortly after he returned from China, where he had been residing since 2014.

Australia’s former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus gave the green light for Duggan’s extradition to the United States in December 2024.

Duggan’s legal team contested the extradition ruling, claiming the attorney-general committed procedural mistakes and failed to correctly interpret Australia’s Extradition Act alongside the bilateral extradition agreement with America.

However, Federal Court Judge James Stellios rejected the challenge on Thursday, determining that no legal mistakes had occurred in the original decision.

“I am not persuaded that the impugned decisions were infected by jurisdictional error. Therefore, the application must be dismissed,” the judge stated.

Current Attorney-General Michelle Rowland’s office acknowledged the court’s decision through a spokesperson.

“Mr Duggan will remain in extradition custody in Australia until his surrender to the United States of America,” the statement read.

Duggan, a father of six children living in Australia, has remained behind bars since his initial arrest.

His spouse, Saffrine, expressed the family’s disappointment with the outcome to Australia’s public broadcaster ABC, while indicating they would explore their remaining legal options. “Make no mistake: we will not give up,” she declared. The family has 28 days to file an appeal.

American authorities want Duggan extradited to face four criminal charges stemming from his alleged involvement in training Chinese pilots in South Africa from 2009 through 2012.

The charges include conspiracy to break U.S. arms export regulations and defraud the government, which could result in five years imprisonment. He also faces two separate arms export control violations, each carrying potential 20-year sentences, plus one money laundering conspiracy charge that could add another 20 years behind bars.

Duggan’s defense attorneys contended that his alleged actions weren’t considered crimes in Australia when they occurred or when America requested his extradition, failing to meet the “dual criminality” standard required under the Australia-U.S. extradition treaty.

The court ruled that the treaty doesn’t modify Australia’s Extradition Act to mandate “dual criminality,” meaning Australia wasn’t required to deny the American extradition request on those grounds.

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast announced a comprehensive economic reform initiative on Wednesday, revealing details of an anticipated package containing 40 measures designed to stimulate economic growth and strengthen employment opportunities.

During his first national address since assuming office last month, Kast outlined five primary objectives for the legislation: enhancing Chile’s tax competitiveness, bolstering legitimate employment practices, reducing regulatory complexity, increasing legal and regulatory predictability, and maintaining fiscal discipline in government expenditures.

“This bill is not an ideological agenda. It is a concrete response to … real emergencies,” Kast stated, calling on lawmakers to expedite passage of the proposed measures.

The conservative president has characterized Chile, known globally as the leading copper-producing nation, as facing significant challenges from organized criminal activity and financial instability.

Kast’s administration aims to accelerate Chile’s annual economic expansion to approximately 4% from the previous year’s 2.5% rate, though economic experts question whether this target can be realistically achieved.

The president faces potential obstacles in implementing his agenda due to lacking a congressional majority. Conservative coalition partners control only 76 seats in the 155-member lower chamber and 25 positions in the 50-seat Senate.

The reform package’s primary feature involves a phased reduction of corporate taxation from the current 27% rate to 23%, which officials have indicated would occur over a four-year period. However, opposition legislators have questioned the clarity of actual benefits from such corporate tax reductions.

Additional tax provisions encompass establishing a wage payment tax credit system intended to motivate smaller businesses to maintain official payroll records rather than conducting off-the-books transactions.

“This injects $1.4 billion annually into the productive sector, benefits 235,000 SMEs (representing 86% of the credit’s recipients), and protects more than 4 million workers. Formal employment will no longer be a penalty but an advantage,” he said.

Further reform elements include procedures to accelerate environmental permit processing for development projects like mining operations, a temporary sales tax waiver on new residential purchases, 400 billion pesos ($450 million) in assistance for fire-damaged areas, and property tax elimination for homeowners aged 65 and older on their principal residences.

SAN SALVADOR (AP) — President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador enacted controversial constitutional changes on Wednesday that authorize lifetime imprisonment for individuals beginning at age 12, marking another aggressive step in the populist leader’s hardline approach to crime.

Bukele’s political party, which holds control of the Legislative Assembly, approved the legislation last month. The new law targets those found guilty of murder, femicide, sexual assault, and gang involvement, either as primary offenders or accomplices. Bukele’s administration championed the measure.

El Salvador previously capped prison terms at 60 years for adults, with shorter maximums for juvenile offenders. The new regulations, set to begin April 26, will establish specialized criminal courts for these cases. The law includes provisions for mandatory sentence reviews after several decades, with timing based on the defendant’s age and crime severity.

Opponents view these changes as another extreme action in Bukele’s anti-gang campaign, which has lasted more than four years.

After a spike in gang-related violence during 2022, Bukele declared what was initially described as a temporary emergency state. This emergency status has become permanent in the Central American country through repeated extensions. Constitutional protections were suspended, leading to the incarceration of over 1% of El Salvador’s citizens, frequently based on unclear accusations with minimal proof. Mass court proceedings have become common, and defense attorneys often cannot locate their clients within the prison system.

During one mass proceeding last year, suspected gang affiliates received sentences spanning hundreds of years.

Bukele administration officials have previously declared that detained gang members “will never return” to the streets.

The government’s crackdown has resulted in approximately 91,650 arrests throughout El Salvador. Bukele has stated that fewer than 10% of these individuals have been freed.

While these actions have drawn criticism for human rights violations and wrongful imprisonment, they have also dramatically reduced murder rates in a nation previously plagued by gang terror, boosting Bukele’s public approval ratings.

The right-wing leader, who maintains ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, faces harsh criticism for eroding governmental oversight and damaging El Salvador’s vulnerable democratic institutions.

These sentencing modifications represent the newest addition to numerous constitutional changes forced through by Bukele and his supporters. The administration previously enacted one of its most controversial reforms last year, removing presidential term restrictions and creating a pathway for Bukele to maintain power without limitation.

Strengthened by his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, the government has also targeted opponents, arresting critics and activists while increasingly forcing media professionals and opposition figures to choose between leaving the country or facing imprisonment.

Human rights organizations have recorded instances of wrongful detention spanning multiple years, with one group filing a formal complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The complaint alleges that most individuals imprisoned during the emergency state were detained without proper justification, claims that Bukele disputes.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A former Marine Corps aviator has lost his legal battle to prevent being sent back to the United States to face charges related to allegedly providing unauthorized flight training to Chinese military personnel more than ten years ago.

Daniel Duggan stands accused of instructing Chinese air force pilots during his employment with South Africa’s Test Flying Academy. The 57-year-old Boston native has consistently denied these accusations, claiming they represent political maneuvering and that American authorities are targeting him unjustly.

On Thursday, Federal Court Justice James Stellios dismissed Duggan’s challenge, determining that former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus committed no legal errors when he approved the extradition request in 2024.

Speaking to media outside the Canberra courthouse, Duggan’s spouse Saffrine — who is raising their six children — indicated that his legal team plans to explore additional appeals. They are also petitioning current Attorney-General Michelle Rowland to overturn the extradition decision.

“We are very disappointed by this ruling and we will consider our options carefully. But make no mistake, we will not give up,” Saffrine Duggan said. “Today does not end our search for justice.”

Rowland’s office has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

Court documents from Washington D.C., made public in late 2022, contain a 2016 criminal indictment claiming Duggan worked with co-conspirators to train Chinese military aviators during 2010 and 2012, and potentially at other times, without obtaining proper authorization.

Federal prosecutors claim Duggan collected approximately nine payments worth roughly 88,000 Australian dollars (equivalent to $61,000 USD) from a fellow conspirator, plus funded trips to America, South Africa and China for activities sometimes labeled as “personal development training.”

Since his 2022 arrest outside a grocery store near his New South Wales residence, Duggan has remained incarcerated in maximum-security facilities.

A viral social media phenomenon has young adults worldwide showcasing their adoption of Chinese lifestyle practices, signaling a notable shift in global cultural influence.

The trend, known as “Chinamaxxing” or being in a “very Chinese time,” features millions of TikTok videos where users celebrate activities like consuming hot water with goji berries, enjoying dumplings, wearing indoor slippers, and praising China’s modern infrastructure after visiting the country.

This grassroots cultural movement has achieved what years of official Chinese government efforts to expand soft power could not accomplish through traditional diplomatic channels.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng has acknowledged the phenomenon, using it to promote new visa policies while encouraging Americans to “experience for yourselves a real, dynamic and panoramic China.”

The viral content represents part of a broader surge in global appreciation for Chinese entertainment, products, and everyday customs that were previously unknown or overlooked internationally.

“China is gaining real soft power, and you can see it most clearly in how Chinese culture and ‘Chineseness’ are becoming familiar, repeatable, and globally consumable in everyday life,” explained Shaoyu Yuan, a professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs.

Yuan added that “That legitimacy is earned through taste, utility, and entertainment.”

This cultural momentum stems from China’s advancement across multiple sectors, including manufacturing where it maintains a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus, technology development behind platforms like TikTok, and domestic brands that now rival international competitors.

New Jersey resident Sherry Zhu, 23, sparked the movement with videos joking that enjoying noodles, hotpot, and house slippers made someone Chinese. Her December post received nearly one million shares, inspiring countless similar videos.

However, the trend has generated controversy among some Chinese Americans who view it as cultural appropriation rather than genuine appreciation.

“Appreciation does not erase the racism that many Chinese people grew up with,” stated Elise Zeng, 28, from Brooklyn, whose critical response video received over 36,000 likes.

Zeng described her family’s fear during the COVID-19 pandemic when anti-Asian attacks increased, saying “Those experiences don’t just disappear because Chinese culture is suddenly cool and trendy.”

Despite acknowledging similar experiences with discrimination, Zhu maintains pride in her heritage, believing “that visibility and cultural sharing can reduce misunderstanding over time.”

The social media craze coincides with broader international success for Chinese cultural products.

Labubu dolls, carried by celebrities including Rihanna, created such demand that parent company PopMart saw 300% annual profit growth during peak popularity last spring and summer.

Chinese rapper Skaii isyourgod gained worldwide followers despite performing in Cantonese with a regional accent that many mainland Chinese cannot understand. His track “Blueprint Supreme” accumulated billions of TikTok views globally last summer.

The animated film “Ne Zha 2,” based on traditional Chinese mythology, became the highest-grossing animated movie ever before its North American release, while video game “Black Myth: Wukong” set Steam records with 2.4 million simultaneous players.

Even Chinese mapping applications like Amap have gained social media attention for superior features compared to Apple or Google Maps, including shade versus sun positioning details.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promoted cultural outreach since 2013, urging officials to “tell China’s story well” through initiatives like the Belt and Road infrastructure program and Confucius Institutes.

Many Confucius Institutes have closed in Western countries amid espionage and propaganda concerns, while the Belt and Road Initiative faces criticism as potential debt entrapment.

While China’s economic and military strength is well-established as the world’s second-largest military power and dominant green energy manufacturer, soft power influence proves more difficult to measure or artificially create.

State media outlet Global Times has attempted to link the “becoming Chinese” trend to successful “social development,” but Professor Yuan warns that government claims may backfire.

“Cultural influence travels farther when it is chosen rather than announced,” Yuan observed.

Five sources with knowledge of the plans confirm that Vietnamese President To Lam will welcome South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to Hanoi next week for diplomatic discussions.

This diplomatic visit marks the first time a foreign head of state will meet with Lam since his presidential election last week, which allows him to hold both the presidency and Communist Party leadership simultaneously – the most influential position in Vietnam’s single-party system.

While this represents Lam’s inaugural meeting with a foreign leader on Vietnamese soil in his new role, he previously conducted high-level diplomacy by meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this Wednesday.

According to the informed sources, the diplomatic encounter is planned for April 23.

Officials anticipate the signing of various governmental cooperation pacts during the visit. Although Seoul has expressed interest in Vietnam’s major infrastructure initiatives, including railway development and nuclear energy facilities, sources indicate no significant decisions regarding these projects are anticipated.

Neither South Korea’s foreign ministry nor Vietnam’s foreign ministry provided responses when contacted for official statements.

In terms of economic partnerships, South Korea holds the position as Vietnam’s top foreign investor based on total accumulated investment. Samsung’s manufacturing operations alone contribute over ten percent of Vietnam’s total export revenue. However, Vietnamese government statistics show Korean investment commitments declined approximately 25% in the previous year compared to 2024, attributed to trade uncertainties and concerns regarding Vietnamese regulatory policies.

This upcoming diplomatic meeting represents the second encounter between these leaders within roughly eight months. Lam previously traveled to Seoul in August, becoming the first foreign leader received by Lee following his presidential election.

Lee’s delegation will include a substantial business contingent featuring Samsung representatives, with multiple corporate agreements anticipated for signing, potentially on April 23, though officials have not disclosed specific deal details.

Regarding Samsung’s discussions with Vietnamese officials about constructing a semiconductor backend facility, three informed sources report progress after years of negotiations, though the timing of any official announcement remains uncertain.

Vietnamese media recently removed reports about a proposed $4 billion investment in semiconductor testing and potentially packaging facilities.

The three sources indicated Samsung’s potential financial commitment has not reached finalization. They noted the initial investment would be smaller than previously reported and could grow over time, possibly encompassing a network of supplier companies.

Samsung has declined to provide official comments on these developments.

Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces launched a missile assault on the nation’s capital early Thursday morning, leaving multiple people wounded and igniting fires throughout various neighborhoods in Kyiv.

According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, one missile struck the sixth floor of a 16-story residential building located in the central Podil neighborhood, though the impact did not spark a blaze at that location.

Klitschko reported that a significant fire erupted at a structure in the northern Obolon district, where four emergency medical personnel sustained injuries. The mayor also noted that missile fragments scattered across multiple areas of the city.

City military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko confirmed that no fewer than four individuals were wounded in the Thursday morning assault.

The attacks extended beyond the capital, with regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha reporting via Telegram that Russian strikes also ignited substantial fires in the southeastern city of Dnipro, where five people were injured. Social media images revealed buildings engulfed in flames throughout the area.