Author: Admin

The ongoing conflict in Lebanon is taking a devastating toll on innocent people, with massive casualties and widespread forced evacuations, United Nations officials reported Tuesday from Geneva.

“Displacement is increasing incredibly quickly. Right now, hundreds of thousands of people left their homes. Many leaving with very little, just the clothes they were wearing,” U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza stated.

The violence erupted on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel, claiming the strikes were retaliation for the death of Iran’s supreme leader. Israeli forces have since launched a major military campaign that has resulted in over 800 deaths across Lebanon while displacing more than 800,000 residents from their communities.

Lebanese government data shows nearly 20 percent of the country’s population is now officially registered as displaced persons, with the U.N. warning that these numbers are expected to climb even higher.

Border violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan has reached devastating new levels, with Tuesday’s Pakistani airstrike reportedly claiming more than 400 lives and injuring 265 others at a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, according to Afghanistan’s Taliban government. Pakistani officials dispute this account, stating they targeted a military installation and “terrorist infrastructure.”

The escalating conflict between these South Asian nations, who were once close partners, has unfolded over several months with multiple failed peace attempts.

Key Events in the Conflict:

October 2025: The crisis began on October 12 when dozens of combatants died during nighttime border battles, marking the most severe confrontation since the Taliban assumed control in Kabul. A week later, both countries agreed to halt hostilities following negotiations facilitated by Qatar and Turkey, with plans for additional discussions. However, by October 28, these diplomatic efforts collapsed when neither side could reach an agreement during the second round of mediated talks.

November-December 2025: Violence resumed on November 25 when Pakistani airstrikes killed nine children and one woman across three eastern Afghan provinces, prompting Taliban officials to promise retaliation. Peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia on December 3 also ended without progress, despite involvement from Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, along with Pakistani military, intelligence, and diplomatic representatives.

Early 2026: The conflict intensified dramatically on February 27 when Pakistani forces struck 22 Afghan military positions. Pakistan’s military reported losing at least 12 soldiers while claiming to have killed 274 Taliban officials and fighters within a 24-hour period. By March 3, fighting had spread to multiple border locations, with the United Nations mission in Afghanistan reporting 42 civilian deaths over six days.

Recent Developments: Chinese diplomatic intervention showed promise on March 12, with President Xi Jinping’s mediation efforts helping to reduce tensions. This included a February meeting between China’s ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where Xi’s message to end hostilities was delivered. However, violence continued on March 13 when Pakistan bombed a Kam Air fuel depot near Kandahar airport and struck residential areas in Kabul, resulting in four deaths and more than a dozen injuries, according to Taliban authorities.

The March 17 incident represents the deadliest single attack in this ongoing conflict, with both sides providing conflicting accounts of the target and casualties involved.

A high-ranking Iranian official revealed Tuesday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has turned down diplomatic overtures designed to ease hostilities with the United States.

According to the official, two countries acting as intermediaries had delivered proposals to Tehran calling for reduced tensions and a potential ceasefire with America, but these efforts were rebuffed by Iran’s top leader.

During what was described as Khamenei’s initial foreign policy meeting, the official characterized his position toward seeking retribution against both the United States and Israel as “very tough and serious.” The source did not specify whether the Supreme Leader participated in the session directly or remotely.

BRUSSELS – Europe’s top diplomat says the European Union has learned to anticipate erratic behavior from the United States following a year of surprising policy decisions from Washington.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke with reporters Tuesday about how European leaders have adjusted their expectations when working with American officials.

“Of course, we are allies with America, but we don’t really understand their moves recently,” Kallas explained during the interview.

The Estonian diplomat described how European officials have changed their mindset over the past twelve months since working with the current U.S. administration.

“I think it is pretty clear after this one year that the word that we have to take into account is unpredictability. So we are now more calm because we are expecting the unpredictable things to happen all the time, and take it as it is, put some ice in our hats and be calm and stay focused,” she stated.

Kallas suggested that European leaders have developed a more patient approach to transatlantic relations, preparing themselves for sudden shifts in American foreign policy positions.

BRUSSELS – The European Union’s top foreign policy official emphasized Tuesday that peaceful negotiations must be pursued to maintain open access through the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway, responding to President Donald Trump’s requests for allied nations to deploy naval forces in the region during Iran’s ongoing conflict.

Kaja Kallas, who leads EU foreign policy, told Reuters in an exclusive interview that military deployment isn’t the preferred approach for European nations.

“Nobody is ready to put their people in harm’s way in the Strait of Hormuz. We have to find diplomatic ways to keep this open so that we don’t have a food crisis, fertilizers crisis, energy crisis as well,” Kallas stated during the Tuesday interview.

The strait serves as a crucial shipping corridor for global commerce, making its security a significant concern for international trade and supply chains.

Three European allies are working together on a plan to pool their resources for buying military equipment and weapons as global tensions continue to rise due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The United Kingdom, Finland, and the Netherlands announced Tuesday they are developing a collaborative approach to defense procurement that could be operational by 2027. According to a British government statement, additional unnamed partner countries are also participating in discussions about this new framework.

The announcement comes as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in London on Tuesday, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also expected to participate in the meetings.

This proposed partnership would work alongside current NATO and European Union defense programs rather than replacing them.

“By joining forces, we get more security with the same resources and we strengthen our alliances as well,” Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen stated in the announcement.

British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves emphasized the importance of expanding partnerships with allied nations while building up domestic defense manufacturing capabilities.

Reeves plans to outline her vision for stronger European Union relationships later Tuesday, building on comments she made last month about how European defense collaboration could deliver better value through improved equipment compatibility and shared purchasing power.

Four Israeli officials have confirmed that Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani was among the targets of overnight military strikes conducted by Israeli forces across Iran, though his current status remains unknown.

The officials speaking to Reuters said it remains unclear whether Larijani was killed or wounded in the attacks that took place last night.

Iranian authorities have yet to issue any statement regarding these reports.

Should Larijani’s death be verified, he would represent the highest-ranking Iranian official eliminated since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who perished on the conflict’s opening day.

A former nuclear negotiator who maintained close ties with Khamenei, Larijani was publicly observed in Tehran on Friday participating in Quds Day demonstrations.

That same Friday, the United States announced a bounty of up to $10 million for intelligence on top Iranian military and security leaders, with Larijani among ten individuals connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the list.

Israeli news sources have also reported that the strikes aimed at Gholamreza Soleimani, who leads the Basij Resistance Force, along with other high-ranking Basij commanders, though the results of these operations are still under evaluation.

Emergency response teams continue searching through debris at a drug treatment center in Afghanistan’s capital city on Tuesday, following what local authorities describe as a nighttime Pakistani military attack that claimed hundreds of lives at the medical facility.

The overnight strike targeted the rehabilitation hospital, leaving rescue workers to navigate through collapsed structures as they work to recover victims from the destruction.

This report includes a collection of photographs selected by Associated Press photo staff documenting the aftermath and ongoing recovery efforts.

Ukrainian officials reported Tuesday that overnight Russian strikes targeted key infrastructure across the Odesa region along the Black Sea, knocking out electricity to multiple communities in the area’s southern districts.

Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, announced via Telegram that the bombardment hit industrial complexes, port facilities, and power infrastructure throughout the coastal region. According to Kiper, emergency crews rapidly contained resulting blazes, and the assault produced no casualties.

“Critical infrastructure has been switched to backup power,” Kiper stated.

The strategic port city of Izmail, Ukraine’s largest Danube River shipping hub located directly across from NATO ally Romania, bore the brunt of what local officials characterized as an intense overnight drone bombardment.

Izmail’s mayor reported through social media channels that the strikes caused significant damage to both infrastructure systems and civilian housing throughout the municipality.

Romanian defense officials announced Tuesday they were conducting searches for reported drone debris near the border village of Plauru, situated on the opposite bank of the Danube from the targeted Ukrainian areas.

LONDON, March 17 – British telecommunications regulators announced Tuesday they will continue oversight of BT Openreach’s nationwide broadband infrastructure for an additional five-year period, implementing expanded price controls to boost competition and bring fiber internet to the remaining one-fifth of properties across the country.

The regulatory approach established by watchdog agency Ofcom in 2021 has delivered remarkable results, with nearly 80% of households now able to access full-fiber broadband service – a dramatic increase from fewer than 25% just five years earlier.

While approximately three-quarters of consumers can now choose between two providers – typically Openreach paired with either Virgin Media or a smaller alternative network – Ofcom determined that Openreach maintains substantial market dominance, making complete deregulation premature.

Under the new framework, regulators will impose price limits on what Openreach can charge retail companies such as Vodafone or Sky – which rent access to its network infrastructure – for download speeds reaching 80Mbit/s, expanding from the current 40Mbit/s threshold.

However, pricing for premium high-speed services will continue without regulatory constraints, creating financial motivation for companies to invest in infrastructure capable of delivering faster connection speeds, officials explained Tuesday.

President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has created uncertainty in U.S.-China relations, though experts believe the delay won’t significantly damage diplomatic progress made since their October meeting.

The postponement demonstrates how the Iranian conflict has disrupted Trump’s international diplomatic priorities, adding military concerns to the existing challenges of trade disputes and Taiwan tensions between the world’s largest economies.

This delay interrupts efforts to reshape bilateral relationships just after both nations finished important trade discussions in Paris on Monday, which were meant to prepare for Trump’s Beijing visit originally planned for late March.

These talks occurred following Washington’s launch of new probes into “unfair trade practices” designed to increase trade pressure on nations worldwide, including China, after the Supreme Court overturned Trump’s global tariff policies last month.

“The situation is not in jeopardy, and Beijing still wants to organise the summit, but the U.S.-Iran conflict and the Supreme Court ruling on tariff policies have complicated these efforts,” stated Zhao Minghao, an international relations specialist from Shanghai’s prestigious Fudan University. “It makes U.S.-China interactions this year more difficult because of Trump’s ‘war of choice’ in Iran.”

Zhao noted that the delay could also provide opportunity for additional trade measures.

“The White House says it will continue its tariff policy, but without a doubt, we could see new uncertainties in this regard that impact Beijing’s calculations on dealing with the U.S.,” he explained.

A person with knowledge of the Paris discussions told Reuters before the second day of negotiations that China demonstrated willingness to potentially increase purchases of American agricultural products, including poultry, beef, and crops other than soybeans.

Both countries also addressed the supply of rare earth minerals primarily controlled by China and explored new methods for managing trade and investment relations.

Government-controlled China Daily characterized the discussions in a Tuesday editorial as “constructive,” while cautioning Trump that Beijing’s “openness should not be mistaken for acquiescence.”

“The U.S. side should refrain from taking any further actions that could disrupt or undermine a stable China-U.S. economic relationship. Actions that inject uncertainty — whether tariffs, restrictive measures or unilateral investigations — do just that,” the editorial stated.

American officials have provided conflicting explanations for the postponement. On Sunday, Trump informed Britain’s Financial Times he might delay the meeting unless China assisted in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

However, on Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated Trump may need to postpone due to war coordination responsibilities, not because of requests for China’s help with the strait or trade disagreements.

Nevertheless, analysts say both nations prioritize maintaining stable relations and continuing preparations for an eventual successful visit. They emphasized that for China’s export-dependent economy, managing increasing global economic uncertainty remains the top concern.

“Trump is preoccupied with a war in Iran that has not been resolved as quickly as predicted, so he is keen to ensure that the military and economic fallout from that is contained within the next couple of weeks or so … which means planning a successful visit to Beijing is next to impossible,” explained Neil Thomas, a Chinese politics fellow at the Asia Society.

“From China’s perspective, there’s been a lot of concern in Beijing about the lack of preparations from the American side for the summit so Chinese policymakers wouldn’t mind an extra few weeks to prepare for a more substantive visit.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reflected this position on Monday when questioned about Trump’s weekend comments. “Diplomacy between heads of state plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance to China-U.S. relations,” Lin stated, noting that both sides were discussing the trip arrangements.

Nigerian authorities are investigating a series of deadly explosions that claimed the lives of at least 23 people and left more than 100 others injured Monday evening in Maiduguri, located in the country’s northeastern region. Officials believe suicide bombers were responsible for what has become one of the most devastating attacks the conflict-torn city has witnessed in recent years.

The blasts occurred in heavily populated areas throughout Maiduguri, which serves as the capital of Borno state. Emergency responders and local residents reported that three separate explosions rocked the city, with detonations occurring at a busy marketplace and near the main entrance to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“Regrettably, a total of 23 persons lost their lives, while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Borno police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso said in a statement that blamed the attacks on suspected suicide bombers.

While no organization has stepped forward to take credit for the coordinated assault, authorities and residents immediately pointed to the Boko Haram extremist organization as the likely perpetrator. The militant group began its violent campaign in northeastern Nigeria back in 2009, seeking to impose their extreme version of Islamic law across the region.

Over the years, Boko Haram has expanded its operations and now includes thousands of militants operating under various factions, including the Islamic State West Africa Province, which receives support from the broader Islamic State organization.

Despite being the epicenter of years of violent conflict, Maiduguri had recently enjoyed a period of relative calm, even as surrounding rural areas continued to face regular attacks from extremist forces.

Local residents described the panic and confusion that erupted following the explosions. Mohammed Hassan, who volunteers with a civilian group that supports security forces in their fight against extremists, characterized the scale of the violence. “This attack’s been one of the deadliest in Maiduguri in years,” Hassan explained. “We’re in dire need of blood,” he added while describing the urgent medical situation hours after the bombings occurred.

Security officials note that extremist groups have recently escalated their offensive operations against Nigerian military installations, resulting in the deaths of multiple high-ranking officers and soldiers while also allowing militants to seize significant quantities of weapons and ammunition from overrun bases.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Emergency workers continued pulling victims from the wreckage of a drug treatment center in Afghanistan’s capital Tuesday, following what Afghan authorities described as a devastating Pakistani airstrike that claimed at least 400 lives at the medical facility.

Pakistani officials have rejected Afghanistan’s claims that they deliberately struck a hospital, asserting that their military operations conducted Monday in eastern Afghanistan avoided all civilian locations.

Monday evening’s attacks represent a significant intensification of hostilities that erupted between the neighboring countries in late February, featuring repeated border skirmishes and aerial bombardments within Afghan territory. Efforts by the international community to broker a ceasefire have been unsuccessful.

Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat announced on X late Monday that the bombing struck the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which houses 2,000 beds in Kabul, around 9 p.m. local time. He reported that substantial portions of the complex were leveled, with casualties reaching 400 deaths “so far” and approximately 250 wounded. No updated casualty figures were available early Tuesday.

Video footage shared by local news outlets on X depicted security personnel using flashlights to evacuate victims while firefighters battled blazes throughout the destroyed structure’s remains.

The hospital bombing occurred following earlier border exchanges that Afghan officials said killed four people in Afghanistan, as the most severe fighting between these nations in years continued into its third week.

Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denounced the attack on X, charging Pakistan with “targeting hospitals and civilian sites to perpetrate horrors.” He described the victims as “innocent civilians and addicts.”

“We strongly condemn this crime and consider such an act to be against all accepted principles and a crime against humanity,” he stated in another X post.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, rejected these accusations as unfounded, maintaining that no medical facility was attacked in Kabul.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X early Tuesday that Pakistani forces had “carried out precision airstrikes” against military targets in Kabul and Nangarhar province in the east. He claimed that “technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities” at two Kabul locations were eliminated.

“All targeting has been done with precision only at those infrastructures which are being used by Afghan Taliban regime to support its multiple terror proxies,” he posted.

Pakistan’s Information Ministry earlier labeled Mujahid’s accusations as “false and misleading,” designed to inflame public opinion and conceal what it called “illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism.” The ministry insisted Pakistan’s operations were “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.”

The bombing followed a unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Afghanistan’s Taliban government to intensify counterterrorism efforts immediately. Pakistan maintains that Kabul provides sanctuary to militant organizations, especially the Pakistani Taliban, which allegedly conducts attacks within Pakistani borders.

While the Security Council resolution didn’t specifically mention attacks in Pakistan, it condemned “in the strongest terms all terrorist activity including terrorist attacks.”

Pakistan’s administration alleges that Afghanistan shelters the Pakistani Taliban, designated as a terrorist group by the United States, along with banned Baloch separatist organizations and other militants who regularly attack Pakistani military and civilian targets nationwide. Afghanistan disputes these allegations.

The current violence — the most intense between these neighbors — started in late February when Afghanistan launched cross-border operations responding to Pakistani airstrikes within Afghanistan that Kabul claimed killed civilians. The fighting shattered a Qatar-mediated ceasefire from October that followed earlier battles killing dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants.

Pakistan has announced it is engaged in “open war” with Afghanistan. The escalation has concerned the international community, especially given the region’s continued presence of other militant groups, including al-Qaida and the Islamic State, which have been attempting to reestablish themselves.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari declared Saturday that Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership crossed a “red line” by deploying drones that wounded several Pakistani civilians last week.

A Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor who gained worldwide recognition when former President Barack Obama embraced him during a groundbreaking 2016 visit has passed away at age 88, according to Japanese media reports.

Shigeaki Mori died March 14 at a Hiroshima hospital, Jiji Press announced Tuesday. The emotional moment when Obama held the tearful survivor at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park became an iconic image from the first-ever presidential visit to the site by a sitting U.S. leader.

Mori was just eight years old on August 6, 1945, when American forces detonated the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, devastating the entire city and rendering him unconscious from the explosion’s tremendous force.

Three decades after surviving the attack, Mori dedicated himself to a lengthy mission to locate victims who had been cremated at his school’s playground. Through his tireless research efforts, he also discovered the identities of 12 Americans who lost their lives in the bombing.

Survivors of the nuclear attacks, called “hibakusha” in Japanese, continue working to preserve the memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki despite their aging population and decreasing numbers. These remain the only two cities in history to experience nuclear warfare. Officials estimate approximately 550,000 people have died from the attacks, including those who succumbed to radiation-related illnesses in subsequent years.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to London Tuesday for high-level discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focusing on strengthening defense cooperation between their nations, according to the British government.

The meeting centers on finalizing an enhanced partnership agreement for collaborative development and manufacturing of unmanned aircraft and additional military equipment, Downing Street announced.

Officials indicated that both Ukraine and Britain will explore possibilities for expanding defense technology partnerships with additional allied nations.

NATO’s top official, Secretary General Mark Rutte, is scheduled to join the London discussions with Starmer and Zelenskyy, addressing European security concerns and strategies for achieving sustainable peace in Ukraine, British officials confirmed.

“Drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security, and that has only been further magnified by the conflict in the Middle East,” Starmer said in the statement.

A survivor of Monday night’s devastating airstrike in Kabul has described watching helplessly as flames consumed his fellow patients at a drug rehabilitation facility, calling the horrific scene “doomsday.”

Ahmad, a 50-year-old patient who also worked as a volunteer security guard at the hospital, was the lone survivor among 26 men sharing his dormitory when Pakistani forces launched their attack. The men had just finished evening prayers and gathered in their shared living space when the strikes began.

“The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday,” Ahmad said, identifying himself by only his first name.

According to Afghanistan’s Taliban government, the Monday evening assault claimed at least 400 lives and wounded 250 others. However, Pakistani officials dispute targeting the medical complex, stating their military operations focused on armed installations and “terrorist support infrastructure.”

The deadly attack represents the most recent escalation in mounting tensions between the neighboring Islamic countries during the sacred period of Ramadan.

Mohammad Mian, an employee in the hospital’s radiology unit, explained that numerous young patients receiving treatment resided in large shipping containers throughout the facility grounds. He said very few of these residents survived the bombardment.

“It was extremely terrifying,” Mian recalled. “Those who survived were the ones whose rooms were not destroyed and were fortunate. But the places where the bombs were dropped, everyone there was killed.”

Reuters journalists who visited the devastated site Tuesday morning found charred walls on single-story buildings that still showed signs of the intense fires from hours earlier.

Other areas of the complex had been completely flattened into heaps of brick, twisted metal, and splintered wood. Personal items belonging to patients – including pillows, shoes, and clothing – were strewn throughout the wreckage.

In Ahmad’s former dormitory, some bunk beds remained standing against walls, their bedding still neatly arranged, while the destroyed ceiling left the room exposed to open sky above.

Dr. Ahmad Wali Yousafzai, a medical officer at the facility that housed approximately 2,000 patients when the attack occurred, remembered hearing three separate explosions. The force of the blasts threw several of his coworkers from wall to wall, he said.

When fires broke out immediately afterward, screams and pleas for assistance came “from all directions,” according to Yousafzai.

“We were too few in number to save all of them,” the doctor added.

Haji Fahim, who drives ambulances, spent five hours transporting at least eight bodies to the nearby Afghan-Japan hospital following the attack.

“Now we have come again … there are still bodies under the rubble,” Fahim said Tuesday as recovery efforts continued.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Accompanied by horn blasts, bell chimes, and the whoosh of pneumatic brakes, a distinctive rail car emerges from a Budapest maintenance facility to continue its century-long service to Hungary’s capital transit network.

These specialized freight vehicles, called mukis, draw power from overhead electrical lines while navigating Budapest’s extensive tram system — among the world’s most active. However, unlike the hundreds of recognizable yellow passenger cars throughout the fleet, these workhorses don’t transport riders.

The city purchased these wooden-bodied vehicles in 1926 out of urgent need: They hauled cargo and materials to Budapest’s industrial sites after World War I had devastated much of the region’s freight transportation infrastructure.

“Transportation engineers of that era created an electric propulsion system primarily using components salvaged from war-damaged vehicles, along with parts taken from cars already marked for disposal,” explained Ádám Zadravecz, who oversees tram vehicle development and technology at BKV, Budapest’s public transportation authority.

“While freight hauling was their original mission, following World War II, these same vehicles helped clear away wartime debris,” Zadravecz noted.

As Hungary rebuilt, the mukis adapted to new roles. During the 1960s, several of the initial 40-vehicle fleet received snowplow attachments, allowing them to keep tram routes clear during winter months — a duty they continue performing today.

The vehicles also conduct overnight maintenance operations and tow disabled passenger trams back to repair facilities.

Through the decades, various components were swapped out, creating vehicles with mixed parts from different eras. By 2018, the mukis needed major renovation work.

“When originally constructed in the 1920s, these were remarkably basic, no-frills machines,” said Nándor Meixner, who heads vehicle maintenance at Budapest’s Ferencváros facility. “During our restoration project, we focused on improving working conditions for our staff. For instance, we installed an operator’s seat so drivers could finally sit while working.”

The renovation also included adding cabin heating systems.

Even after a full century of modifications, Zadravecz emphasized that the trams’ fundamental character hasn’t changed.

“Operating expenses are practically nothing because these vehicles are incredibly easy to service. Unlike today’s sophisticated electronic systems, there’s very little that can malfunction,” he explained. “Folks joke that you can fix them using just a hammer and file, and they’re absolutely right.”

Operating these vintage vehicles does require specialized instruction, plus what Meixner described as developing an intuitive connection with the machinery.

“Simply knowing how to drive and understanding signals isn’t sufficient — you must truly understand the vehicle’s personality. We always told operators they needed to feel the tram through their entire body,” he said.

From the original 40-vehicle mukis fleet, just six have survived Budapest’s century of changes, with three still actively working.

“These vehicles’ worth comes exactly from their straightforward design and the remarkable fact that they continue existing and serving our needs,” Zadravecz concluded.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — People living in Dubai and Doha, Qatar, were awakened by the sound of explosions on Tuesday morning as military defense systems worked to shoot down fresh waves of Iranian missiles and drones, while Israeli forces conducted new bombing operations against Iran and Lebanon in an escalating Middle Eastern conflict.

Dubai’s international airport temporarily closed its airspace after military officials announced they were “responding to incoming missile and drone threats” targeting the major travel hub.

Israeli defense forces announced early Tuesday they had initiated a “wide-scale wave of strikes” throughout Iran’s capital city while simultaneously intensifying attacks against Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. Israeli officials also confirmed two separate Iranian missile barrages launched before sunrise toward Tel Aviv and other locations, plus additional Hezbollah rockets aimed at northern Israel.

Tehran continued targeting energy facilities belonging to Gulf Arab nations, striking an oil installation in Fujairah, a UAE emirate located on the nation’s eastern coastline along the Gulf of Oman that has faced repeated attacks. Government-controlled WAM news agency confirmed no casualties resulted from the drone assault.

In Abu Dhabi, one person died from falling debris after the capital’s air defense systems destroyed an incoming missile, marking the eighth fatality in the UAE since hostilities began, according to official sources.

Tehran’s assault on Gulf states and its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying one-fifth of global oil shipments, has sparked growing fears of a worldwide energy shortage. Early Tuesday morning, Iranian forces struck a tanker positioned near Fujairah’s coast, adding to approximately 20 vessels attacked since Israel and the United States initiated military action against Iran on February 28.

As Washington faces mounting pressure regarding climbing oil costs, Brent crude prices stayed above $100 per barrel, representing a more than 40% increase since fighting commenced.

President Donald Trump announced he had requested roughly half a dozen nations to deploy naval vessels to maintain Strait of Hormuz navigation. However, his requests received no immediate commitments, with many countries expressing reluctance to join a conflict lacking a clear conclusion strategy and doubting their ability to exceed U.S. Navy capabilities.

The UAE temporarily closed its airspace early Tuesday after military leaders reported they were “responding to missile and drone threats from Iran.” Officials quickly reopened the airspace, followed shortly by explosion sounds as forces intercepted incoming attacks.

The sudden airspace closure highlighted the difficult situation facing Emirati officials attempting to maintain operations for their major airlines, Emirates and Etihad, while Iranian strikes continue threatening the country.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry confirmed intercepting twelve drones Tuesday morning above the kingdom’s expansive Eastern Province, which houses critical oil infrastructure.

In Qatar, explosion sounds echoed across the capital during early morning hours as defensive systems worked to stop incoming fire. Qatar’s Defense Ministry later announced successfully preventing a missile attack on the city, though a fire erupted in an industrial zone from debris of a destroyed projectile.

Attacks from Iranian-affiliated groups persisted in Iraq, with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad receiving shrapnel damage from intercepted drones.

Embassy air defense systems successfully destroyed all four drones targeting the compound, according to two Iraqi security officials who requested anonymity when discussing intelligence information.

A separate attack hit a residence within Baghdad’s heavily secured Presidential Compound in the al-Jadriya neighborhood, the officials reported. The perpetrators of both attacks remained unclear, though Iranian-allied militias have consistently targeted American installations throughout Iraq since the conflict started.

Israeli military forces announced early Tuesday they had launched fresh attacks across Tehran alongside strikes in Lebanon’s capital targeting Hezbollah militants.

Over 1,300 people have died in Iran since fighting began, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

Israeli operations have also forced more than 1 million Lebanese residents to flee their homes — approximately 20% of the nation’s population — according to Lebanese government figures, which report roughly 850 deaths.

Some Israeli ground forces have advanced into southern Lebanon, raising concerns about preparations for a large-scale invasion.

Military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated Monday during a northern border visit that Israel’s army is “determined to deepen the operation until all of our objectives are achieved” and confirmed additional soldiers are reinforcing the military’s Northern Command.

Israel confirmed two Iranian missile volleys fired early Tuesday toward Tel Aviv and an area south of the Sea of Galilee. Additional launches from Lebanon were also documented.

In Israel, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile strikes. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have died.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is disturbing global economic stability, pushing up energy costs, threatening food supplies in developing nations, destabilizing vulnerable countries and complicating central bank efforts to reduce consumer prices.

A small number of vessels have managed passage, mainly Iranian but also from countries including India and Turkey, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating: “from our perspective it is open” — excluding the United States, Israel and their allies.

Highlighting the risks of approaching the strait, a tanker anchored off the United Arab Emirates’ eastern shore was struck by a projectile early Tuesday morning.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, operated by British military forces, confirmed the attack, noting the vessel was positioned in the Gulf of Oman near Fujairah. Officials reported the tanker suffered “minor structural damage” with no injuries.

On Monday, Trump claimed “numerous countries” had told him “they’re on the way” to assist with Strait of Hormuz security, but no evidence of such deployment emerged.

European nations have criticized the U.S. and Israel for not clearly defining their war objectives and have indicated preference for diplomatic solutions rather than military involvement in the conflict.

Japan and Australia confirmed Monday they had not received requests to help protect the strait and currently have no plans to do so, while Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said his nation supports strengthening anti-piracy and defensive operations in the Red Sea but opposes expanding activities in the Strait of Hormuz.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated his country might deploy mine-hunting drones already stationed in the region but “will not be drawn into the wider war.”

HAVANA, Cuba — The entire nation of Cuba lost electrical service on Monday, marking another chapter in the country’s ongoing energy emergency that has left its electrical infrastructure in shambles. This widespread power failure represents the third significant outage to hit the island in just four months.

The latest electrical disruption comes barely a week after another major power failure knocked out service across western portions of the island, leaving millions of residents in darkness.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel disclosed on Friday that the nation has been without petroleum deliveries for more than three months, forcing the country to depend on alternative energy sources including solar panels, natural gas, and deteriorating thermal power facilities. Cuban leadership has attributed the ongoing electrical emergency to what they describe as a U.S. energy embargo, while U.S. President Donald Trump issued warnings in January about potential tariffs against any nation that provides petroleum products to Cuba.

The International Monetary Fund is expressing worry that Ukraine could lose access to a critical $8.1 billion aid package due to legislative delays in the country’s parliament, according to a Bloomberg News report released Tuesday citing an IMF official with knowledge of the situation.

Ukraine’s lawmakers face a deadline at the end of March to approve legislative changes that would increase taxes on both businesses and households, a requirement under the four-year loan agreement that received approval in February, the report indicated.

The IMF previously provided $1.5 billion to Ukraine in February to support government operations as the nation continues its defense against Russia’s invasion, now entering its fifth year.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the Bloomberg report, and the IMF has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.

According to the anonymous source cited by Bloomberg, IMF staff members under the leadership of mission chief Gavin Gray are scheduled to begin meetings with Ukrainian legislators starting March 18. The source requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the discussions.

NEWPORT, Wales – Britain’s political landscape could be heading for dramatic transformation as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage positions his populist movement to challenge the country’s established order.

Speaking to Reuters during his party’s policy rollout in Newport, Wales on March 5, the 61-year-old political maverick outlined an ambitious agenda that includes implementing large-scale deportations, abandoning international human rights agreements, and dramatically reducing foreign aid spending.

“The world is changing,” Farage stated, describing his vision for dismantling what he characterizes as a liberal establishment promoting “a progressive, woke ideology” that has caused British citizens to feel embarrassed about their nation.

Reform UK has surged ahead in British opinion surveys, establishing a commanding lead over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government. This momentum has strengthened Farage’s argument that his five-year-old party could capture control in the next general election scheduled by 2029.

The former Brexit champion drew parallels between himself and other global figures he considers agents of change, including his ally Donald Trump, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, and Argentina’s Javier Milei, describing them as leaders bringing “very, very big changes” worldwide.

Farage noted a shifting reception during his recent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, contrasting current interest with previous hostility. “I would say a third of the delegates I met there were genuinely interested in who I was, what I was, what I was trying to do,” he explained. “And next year it will be 50%.”

The Reform leader criticized conventional politicians as outdated, specifically targeting the current prime minister. “Keir Starmer is stuck in a mindset that is 15 years out of date,” Farage declared.

However, the party faces significant obstacles in convincing voters of their governing readiness, holding just eight seats in Britain’s 650-member parliament and lacking substantial government experience. Controversial statements about migrant “invasions” and racism allegations that resulted in member expulsions have alienated some potential supporters concerned about increased social tensions.

Adding to these challenges, a former Reform Wales leader received a prison sentence in November for accepting bribes to deliver pro-Russian speeches, actions the party condemned as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable.”

Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University London, highlighted this paradox: “Reform’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness – namely, Nigel Farage. He’s adored by those who are absolutely determined to vote Reform but hated by those determined to vote against it – and disliked and distrusted by far too many who might otherwise be tempted to move in its direction.”

Reform’s expanding policy framework, gathered through Reuters interviews with Farage and ten current and former advisors, encompasses eliminating diversity programs and climate targets, maximizing domestic oil and gas extraction, drastically reducing Britain’s civil service, and establishing the country as a cryptocurrency center.

Critics have characterized this agenda as merely copying Trump administration policies, a comparison Farage disputes. He describes Reform’s approach as grounded in “simple values” centered on “family, community, country.”

Labour officials have questioned the party’s policy coherence, with one stating: “Reform don’t have a proper policy platform. Their ideas don’t make sense.”

Farage’s advisors frequently discuss sweeping away liberal elites who maintain the “rules-based international order.” Alan Mendoza, Reform’s global affairs chief advisor, emphasized this transformation: “You need to be asking: What is your new destination? Because the old, the old world, has gone. It’s over.”

James Orr, the party’s new policy director and Cambridge University philosophy professor who maintains friendship with U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance, offered insight into Farage’s appeal. “I’m hesitant to use the word philosophy about Nigel,” the 47-year-old explained during an interview at a London private club. “He has instincts, not ideology.”

Orr’s skepticism toward elites developed during the 2016 Brexit referendum period, when he described being the “only out-of-the-closet Brexiteer” among Oxford University academics while finding support from “the porters, the butlers, the maintenance department and the gardeners and the groundsmen.”

Farage’s political influences include figures he encountered in Brussels: Italian comedian Beppe Grillo, who co-founded the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, and social media strategist Roberto Casaleggio. A longtime advisor noted Farage’s understanding of digital communication: “Grillo weaponised social media and Nigel gets it. For a man who has never really turned on a computer in his life, he really gets it.”

Both major opposition parties dismiss Reform’s policy development capabilities. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told a party gathering on March 7: “Reform are not serious people and they are not going to solve any of your problems. Reform have absolutely no idea what they want Britain to look like in the 2030s.”

Reform officials emphasize their American connections as potential governing assets. “With this administration, I happen to know most of the members of cabinet on a personal basis and have for many, many years,” Farage told Reuters.

He expressed alignment with Trump on major issues including global security, recognizing “Iran is the bad actor in the Middle East” and understanding “China wants to take over and dominate our lives,” along with shared positions on border control and domestic energy production.

However, Farage rejected suggestions that he copies Trump’s MAGA movement. “To some extent they copy what we were doing back in the run-up to the referendum,” he countered. “I have always gone for bells and whistles and fireworks and fun, and whilst we believe in what we’re doing, we have a good time as well.”

According to sources familiar with Reform operations, party officials regularly travel to Washington seeking financial support and business backing, particularly targeting British businesses and entrepreneurs who have relocated abroad due to UK tax policies. These efforts helped Reform raise 5.5 million pounds in the fourth quarter of last year, contributing to total 2025 donations of 18 million pounds, with Electoral Commission data showing at least two-thirds coming from overseas donors.

Mendoza argued that Britain must demonstrate value to Washington through substantial defense investment and expanded global engagement to maintain meaningful security partnerships, countering Trump administration perceptions of Britain as “a weak and feeble country.”

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK political movement continues to dominate British polling data ahead of upcoming local elections in May and the next national election scheduled by 2029, surpassing both the ruling Labour government and Conservative opposition with a controversial policy agenda.

The populist party has unveiled a comprehensive platform centered around strict border enforcement, economic restructuring, and cultural nationalism.

BORDER ENFORCEMENT AND MASS REMOVALS

Under the leadership of former Goldman Sachs executive Zia Yusuf, who oversees domestic policy, Reform UK proposes launching a comprehensive five-year initiative called “Operation Restoring Justice” designed to locate, detain and remove undocumented immigrants while discouraging future arrivals through rapid enforcement.

The party intends to establish Secure Immigration Removal Centres within 18 months, creating capacity to remove up to 24,000 undocumented individuals monthly. Reform UK estimates it could remove as many as 600,000 asylum seekers, including families with children, during its first term in office.

Reform UK also plans to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, claiming the Strasbourg-based tribunal prevents Britain from conducting removals. The party would eliminate the Human Rights Act 1998, which incorporates ECHR protections into British law, replacing it with domestic legislation.

The party, which frequently characterizes unauthorized immigration as an “invasion,” proposes establishing a new Deportation Command modeled after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Simultaneously, Reform UK would attract wealthy foreign investors through a “Britannia investor visa” program, offering 10-year residency permits for £250,000 ($334,000) with exemptions from UK taxation on international earnings.

FISCAL RESTRUCTURING AND JOB CUTS

Former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick leads Reform UK’s economic policy development, proposing a restructured financial framework governed by “strict fiscal rules” to control mounting national debt through targeted spending reductions.

The party would terminate benefit payments to foreign nationals, increase immigration health charges, and limit foreign aid expenditures.

Additional savings would come from eliminating 68,500 government positions, reducing welfare distributions, and shifting new public employees from guaranteed pension benefits to contribution-based retirement plans.

While respecting Bank of England autonomy, Reform UK would seek greater business representation on monetary policy committees. The party would delay tax reductions until achieving “fiscal headroom necessary” but promises cuts when financially feasible.

ENERGY EXPANSION AND CLIMATE POLICY REVERSAL

Richard Tice, a former property developer directing business, trade and energy policy, advocates maximizing domestic oil and gas production while rapidly expanding nuclear power generation.

Reform UK would eliminate net-zero carbon targets and zero-emission vehicle requirements. The party supports “buying British” policies for government procurement and would impose “tight quotas and significant tariffs” to prevent Chinese electric vehicle market dominance.

Reform UK opposes Labour’s 2025 Employment Rights Bill, arguing the legislation destroys youth employment by increasing business costs through expanded sick pay, parental leave, and restrictions on dismissal practices.

HOSPITALITY SECTOR SUPPORT

Under the slogan “save our pubs,” Reform UK proposes reducing hospitality VAT to 10% and eliminating employer National Insurance increases. The party would cut beer duty by 10% and gradually eliminate business rates for all public houses.

EDUCATIONAL NATIONALISM AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman oversees education policy, advocating for a “patriotic, balanced curriculum” to foster British pride while opposing “woke ideology.” The party supports stricter school discipline and prohibiting social and gender transitioning for students.

At the university level, Braverman wants to redirect young people away from “Mickey Mouse courses” by establishing a target for 50% of youth to enter trades, addressing shortages in nursing, construction and caregiving. She has not identified which academic programs Reform UK considers inadequate.

As equalities policy director, Braverman would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion requirements, claiming they promote left-wing ideology, and would repeal the Equality Act of 2010, which strengthened anti-discrimination protections. The party would also abolish the government equalities minister position.

CRYPTOCURRENCY ADVANCEMENT

Reform UK proposes introducing a Cryptoassets and Digital Finance Bill to encourage cryptocurrency adoption, including reduced capital gains taxation on digital assets and establishing a bitcoin reserve fund at the Bank of England.

ROME (AP) — Decomposing bodies continue appearing on shorelines. Family members cannot reach loved ones by phone. Migration camps sit empty after overnight departures.

People attempting to reach Europe are disappearing in massive numbers through what experts call “invisible shipwrecks,” while nations responsible for maritime rescue operations are restricting access to crucial information.

The early months of 2026 represent the most lethal period on record for Mediterranean crossings — with 682 confirmed deaths through March 16 — according to data from the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration. However, the actual number of fatalities is likely far greater.

Advocacy organizations face growing challenges in documenting casualties as Italy, Tunisia and Malta have quietly limited access to information regarding migrant rescue operations and maritime disasters along the world’s most dangerous migration corridor. These stories rarely reach major news outlets, partly because the lack of openness makes it difficult for reporters to substantiate claims.

“It’s a strategy of silence,” stated Matteo Villa, a migration and data specialist at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies think tank.

The group Refugees in Libya along with other advocacy organizations have raised urgent concerns since late January, documenting over 1,000 missing persons following Cyclone Harry’s impact on the area. Government officials have neither confirmed nor disputed these figures.

Following the storm, more than 20 decomposed remains appeared on beaches in Italy and Libya, while additional human remains were observed floating at sea.

For relatives of missing migrants, the uncertainty creates unbearable anguish.

“Europe should know that these people who got drowned in the sea have family members, have dreams, have passions,” Josephus Thomas, a Sierra Leone migrant and community organizer in Tunisia’s coastal community of El Amra, explained to AP.

Even the U.N.’s migration division struggles increasingly to confirm reports of deaths in these “invisible shipwrecks” due to diminishing information availability.

During the previous year, at least 1,500 individuals were documented as missing whose circumstances IOM could not substantiate, according to Julia Black, who oversees the organization’s Missing Migrants Project. This problem continues into 2026.

“We started a new secondary data set of what we are calling unverifiable cases because it’s just become so many,” Black explained. This year alone, they have documented over 400 missing cases they cannot confirm.

Numerous humanitarian groups that previously helped bridge information gaps can no longer perform this function due to widespread funding reductions and government-imposed limitations throughout the region.

“We’ve seen the restriction of access for humanitarian actors, which is not right. And now we’re seeing even the restriction of information,” Black noted.

The Associated Press made repeated inquiries to officials in Tunisia, Italy and Malta regarding their policies on sharing migrant rescue information at sea. None provided responses.

Mediterranean authorities have progressively limited migrant-related information over time. However, their silence became particularly notable in late January following Cyclone Harry, which brought intense rainfall, 100 kph (62 mph) winds, and 9-meter-tall (30 feet) waves.

Hundreds of individuals had left Tunisia’s Sfax coastal area and vanished, based on data collected by Refugees in Libya from migrants in Tunisia and their overseas relatives.

The organization admitted difficulty in providing exact numbers “because there is no central system recording departures, losses, or recoveries,” while warning the death count was probably even higher.

“We are looking at boats that never counted how many kids are inside,” David Yambio, founder of Refugees in Libya, told AP.

AP submitted five email requests to Italian coast guard officials seeking details about missing vessels and search operations but received no replies. A phone representative stated the coast guard lacked “any further verified and confirmed information regarding the circumstances.” AP also submitted a Freedom of Information request, which remains pending.

Coast guard officials also refused to discuss a January 24 alert asking ships traveling between Italy’s Lampedusa island and Tunisia to watch for eight distressed small boats carrying approximately 380 people. Italian journalist Sergio Scandura made this alert public.

Only one confirmed survivor exists from boats reported missing during Cyclone Harry. A merchant ship rescued him from the water on January 22. The man informed crew members he had traveled with 50 others, some of whose bodies were visible in rescue footage. His account allowed their deaths to be counted in IOM’s official records.

The ship’s captain reported the survivor was taken to Malta. Maltese Armed Forces did not respond to numerous inquiries about their role or reports they recovered the man and bodies.

Tunisia’s Foreign Ministry and National Guard have not answered multiple information requests via email and telephone.

Frontex, a European Union border surveillance agency, informed AP it identified eight boats with roughly 160 migrants between January 14 and 24 during the cyclone. Six boats were rescued by Italian forces, but the remaining two boats’ fate stays unknown.

On February 8, migrants held prayers and wept during a memorial service in olive groves near Sfax, assuming their relatives could not survive after weeks without contact.

“All of us here are in deep trauma, are in deep agony,” Dr. Ibrahim Fofana, a migrant in Tunisia whose family members disappeared in late January, said in footage shared by Refugees in Libya. He urged authorities to identify bodies that appeared on Italian shores.

Through mid-2024, Tunisian officials routinely published migrant interception numbers at sea, demonstrating to European partners their compliance with a 2023 agreement to reduce migration in return for financial assistance. However, this deal also preceded harsh enforcement actions against migrants on land, resulting in thousands being detained or abandoned in desert areas.

Organizations like the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, known by its French initials FTDES, which previously compiled and distributed migrant interception data, were also affected by the crackdown.

In June 2024, Tunisia’s Interior Ministry ceased releasing migrant information, claiming security concerns, said Romdhane Ben Amor, FTDES spokesperson. However, he believes the reasons were political. The statistics contradicted Tunisia’s position that it was not serving as Europe’s border patrol, he explained.

Italy’s information restrictions on migrant rescues predate Tunisia’s policies. Italian coast guard previously published comprehensive monthly migrant rescue data. Monthly reports became quarterly before ending entirely in 2020, Villa noted. In 2022, earlier reports were also deleted from the coast guard’s website.

This year, Italian coast guard has not issued any migration-related press statements despite nearly 5,000 migrants arriving on Italian coasts, according to Italy’s Interior Ministry data.

“It is very clearly a political strategy to repress as much information as possible from the public,” Villa concluded.

The United Arab Emirates temporarily shut down its airspace Tuesday following what military officials described as missile and drone threats originating from Iran, according to the state-run WAM news agency.

The airspace closure coincided with a drone strike that ignited a blaze at an oil storage facility in Fujairah, an eastern emirate along the Gulf of Oman that has faced repeated attacks. Officials reported no casualties from the incident.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted fresh military operations targeting both Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday, with strikes in the Lebanese capital aimed at Hezbollah fighters, according to Israeli military statements.

The escalating conflict has also reached Qatar, where a fire erupted in an industrial zone Tuesday morning after defense systems intercepted an incoming missile, the interior ministry announced. An Associated Press reporter in the area documented explosions as air defense systems near Doha engaged Iranian projectiles.

Dubai residents in the UAE received missile warning alerts around the same timeframe as the Qatar incident.

On Monday, President Donald Trump indicated that multiple nations have committed to assisting with security operations in the Strait of Hormuz, though he criticized some countries for what he characterized as insufficient cooperation in mutual defense arrangements with the United States.

The ongoing warfare has resulted in significant casualties across the region, with at least 1,300 fatalities reported in Iran, 850 in Lebanon, and 12 in Israel, based on official counts from each nation. U.S. military officials report 13 American service members killed and approximately 200 injured.

BANGKOK (AP) — The ongoing conflict with Iran is creating worldwide energy shortages, compelling nations to make difficult decisions about where to reduce consumption or absorb rising costs while managing limited fuel supplies.

Asian countries face the greatest impact due to their heavy dependence on imported energy, with much of it transported through the currently blocked Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway near Iran serves as the primary shipping route for one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquified natural gas trade.

Regional leaders are rapidly implementing adjustments — calculating petroleum stockpiles, reducing energy consumption, vying for available supplies, and attempting to moderate pricing. These measures involve challenging compromises: reducing electricity usage may harm business operations, while prioritizing household cooking gas can damage restaurants and other commercial enterprises.

“Even relatively modest constraints on energy use can create a drag on industrial activity,” said Linh Nguyen, with the consultancy Control Risks. She pointed to Vietnam’s energy-intensive export industries and warned that higher fuel costs or conservation measures could quickly raise production costs or slow factory output.

Experts caution that these same difficult decisions may soon extend beyond Asia to fuel-dependent economies in Africa and other regions as nations compete for limited resources.

“The situation is common across the board,” said Putra Adhiguna of the Jakarta-based Energy Shift Institute. “There is no easy decision for the short term.”

Despite strategic reserve releases, petroleum prices continue climbing, prompting Southeast Asian nations to extend their diminishing energy stockpiles by encouraging homes, companies, and government departments to dramatically reduce electricity consumption.

Philippine authorities have implemented a four-day work schedule to decrease fuel usage and lower government energy consumption by 20 percent. Offices have received instructions to power down computers during lunch periods and maintain air conditioning temperatures at no less than 24°C (75°F). Vietnam has encouraged remote work arrangements, while Thailand’s prime minister has requested officials use stairways rather than elevators.

However, these measures carry significant consequences.

Dieu Linh, a vegetable seller in Hanoi, said even a 10% rise in fuel costs will eat into her thin margins. “If my costs go up by even a little, the profit is almost gone,” she said.

Simultaneously, regional nations are competing for scarce supplies at elevated prices.

Vietnam has requested that refineries and fuel distributors maintain high inventory levels, while Thailand is extending its approximately two-month petroleum reserve and exploring alternative domestic energy options. Both countries are implementing price supports to protect households from increasing costs.

Thailand suspended exports to preserve its limited stockpiles, contributing to shortages that have forced nearly one-third of Cambodia’s approximately 6,000 gas stations to close.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, over 80 percent of the liquefied natural gas that traveled through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024 was destined for Asia, with significant portions going to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Japan’s primary defense mechanism is its extensive strategic petroleum stockpile, containing approximately 254 days’ worth of supplies. This reserve system was established following the disruptions from the 1970s Arab oil crisis.

Japan initiated the release of roughly 45 days’ worth of petroleum reserves this week to prevent fuel price spikes as crude oil imports decrease. The country previously released reserves following Russia’s Ukraine invasion in 2022.

This action will help maintain operations for Japan’s energy-dependent industries, including automotive, steel production, and heavy machinery sectors. Corporations such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Nippon Steel require consistent fuel availability.

South Korea intends to release 22.46 million barrels from its stockpiles as part of the International Energy Agency’s largest-ever coordinated reserve withdrawal.

However, experts indicate that accessing reserves represents only a temporary solution.

This will provide refineries “some buffer” against disruptions. But this does not increase a country’s overall supply unless it can buy oil released by other nations, said Muyu Xu of the energy consultancy Kpler.

Should the crisis persist, crude oil shortages may return. The releases might sustain refinery operations for several additional weeks, but companies may need to reduce production if disruptions continue, she explained.

“The fundamental difficulties will not be solved by this action,” said Mika Ohbayashi of the Renewable Energy Institute in Japan, adding that renewable energy was a long-term solution but the Japanese government was uninterested.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, and Japan’s plans to purchase additional American LNG and restart nuclear facilities are expected to be discussed, according to analysts.

India is giving priority to household requirements for its restricted supply of liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, which powers cooking appliances and vehicles.

The country has absorbed more than half of the increase driven by global market disruptions under a federal scheme to keep prices low for poor households, said Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

However, shortages are already affecting restaurants and hotels in the world’s second-largest LPG importing nation, as dining establishments reduce operating hours, temporarily close, or remove slow-cooked curries and deep-fried items from their offerings.

The magnitude of demand in India, the world’s most populous country, restricts how long it can maintain price controls to protect consumers. The situation may deteriorate within a week if government subsidies expire, said Duttatreya Das of the think tank Ember, noting gas supplies were the most immediate concern.

“You can’t store a lot of gas,” Das said, adding that fertilizer factories and small industries will feel the pinch first.

Indonesia, home to 287 million residents and Southeast Asia’s largest population, also confronts difficult decisions.

While government officials have pledged to maintain fuel pricing throughout Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim celebration concluding the Ramadan fasting period, Adhiguna of the Energy Shift Institute said there is “no clarity about what will happen after that,” adding that this implies fuel prices could increase.

Thailand also faces a challenging situation. Ending subsidies that maintain low prices would cause living expenses to surge and potentially trigger panic if reserves decline further, said Areeporn Asawinpongphan of the Thailand Development Research Institute.

Should the conflict persist, Indonesia must choose between maintaining subsidies that protect consumers or reducing expenditures to meet budget constraints. However, this approach could increase inflation. Given Indonesia’s limited 20-day reserve, Adhiguna warned that price changes in Indonesia’s fuel market will occur rapidly.

“It will eventually reach a breaking point,” Adhiguna said.

The European Union is intensifying its long-term renewable energy approach to reduce consumption and control prices across the 27-member alliance, which have increased significantly since the conflict began. Officials convened in Brussels this week to explore methods for enhancing the region’s energy security.

“We are looking at how we can reduce people’s energy bills,” said European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen. “We are working on immediate measures to help businesses and our most vulnerable citizens.”

President Donald Trump voiced his displeasure with several Western nations after they declined his request to deploy naval vessels for escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, while the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel enters its third week.

The vital shipping corridor, which handles approximately 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas transport, remains effectively blocked due to Iranian drone operations and naval mines. This closure has contributed to rising energy costs and growing concerns about inflation worldwide.

Several key U.S. allies, including Germany, Spain, and Italy, have stated they have no immediate intentions to deploy ships to help restore access to the crucial waterway.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz explained his country’s position during remarks in Berlin, stating: “We lack the mandate from the United Nations, the European Union or NATO required under the Basic Law.” He also noted that Germany was not consulted before Washington and Israel initiated military action.

During a White House gathering in Washington, Trump acknowledged that while many nations expressed willingness to assist, he remained disappointed with certain longtime allies.

“Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t,” Trump remarked, declining to name specific countries. “Some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years. We’ve protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren’t that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me.”

CONTINUED MILITARY OPERATIONS ACROSS THE REGION

Military strikes from both nations showed no signs of decreasing early Tuesday, with Israeli forces announcing they were hitting “Iranian regime infrastructure” throughout Tehran, along with Hezbollah positions in Beirut. This came one day after Israel announced detailed military plans extending at least three additional weeks.

Iran conducted overnight strikes against Israel, demonstrating that more than two weeks into the conflict, Tehran maintains its ability to execute long-distance attacks. Iranian forces also struck the United Arab Emirates, forcing temporary airspace closures and hitting an oil facility in Fujairah, a crucial Emirati oil export hub, for the second straight day.

Monday saw Dubai International Airport, normally among the world’s busiest, shut down for several hours. Oil loading activities in Fujairah were suspended, and operations at Abu Dhabi’s Shah gas field were halted following drone attacks.

Iran has claimed that weekend U.S. strikes on military installations at Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub, originated from UAE territory. Tehran has warned it will attack oil and gas infrastructure in any nation used as a launching point for U.S. operations against the island.

Iranian officials have also threatened to target American industrial facilities throughout the Middle East and advised residents near U.S.-owned facilities to evacuate.

Early Tuesday, rockets and at least five drones struck the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, according to Iraqi security officials, who described it as the most severe attack since hostilities began. Two American officials reported no casualties thus far.

‘WE WERE SHOCKED’

Trump revealed Monday that Iran’s retaliatory attacks against neighboring countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait caught his administration off guard.

“They (Iran) weren’t supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East,” he explained. “Nobody expected that. We were shocked.”

Despite this claim, intelligence sources indicate Trump received warnings that striking Iran could provoke retaliation against U.S. Gulf partners, according to one U.S. official and two sources with knowledge of intelligence briefings.

Oil markets climbed more than 2% during early Tuesday trading, recovering some of Monday’s losses due to supply concerns, while Asian stock markets also rebounded following Monday’s decline.

The conflict has resulted in at least 2,000 deaths across the Middle East since U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran on February 28, including at least 200 Iranian children, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

At an Iranian burial ground Monday, Marzia Rezaei mourned her son Erfan Shamei, who perished in an explosion at a military training facility just days before his scheduled leave.

“Just an hour before he was martyred, he spoke with me and then I never saw him again. He was supposed to come today,” she said.

A dramatic transformation has occurred in South Asian geopolitics as Pakistan now wages military campaigns against the very group it helped create and support for over thirty years – the Afghan Taliban.

The latest escalation occurred Monday evening when Pakistani forces conducted an airstrike targeting Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul, representing the most recent episode in growing hostilities between these neighboring nations.

Taliban officials claim the strike against a drug treatment facility resulted in at least 400 deaths and 250 wounded individuals. However, Pakistani authorities dispute these casualty figures, stating their forces “targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.”

The deteriorating relationship has reached such severity that Pakistan’s defense minister described the mounting tensions as an “open war” between the two Islamic nations last month. Additional Pakistani airstrikes occurred on February 22, targeting militant positions throughout Afghanistan.

These aerial and ground operations struck Taliban military facilities, command centers, and weapons storage sites across multiple border regions, following what officials described as Afghan attacks on Pakistani frontier forces.

Previous border confrontations in October resulted in dozens of military casualties before diplomatic intervention by Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia established a temporary ceasefire agreement.

This current animosity represents a complete reversal from Pakistan’s historical backing of the Taliban movement. During the 1990s, Islamabad actively supported the Taliban’s emergence as part of a strategy to gain “strategic depth” in its regional competition with India.

When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan initially celebrated the development. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan proclaimed that Afghans had “broken the shackles of slavery.”

However, Pakistan’s expectations of Taliban cooperation quickly proved unrealistic.

Pakistani officials now assert that leaders and fighters from the militant organization Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operate from Afghan territory. They also claim that separatist insurgents seeking independence for Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province use Afghanistan as a sanctuary.

Data from Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, an international monitoring organization, shows militant activity has increased annually since 2022, with both TTP and Baloch insurgent attacks growing more frequent.

Afghan Taliban leadership consistently denies permitting militants to use their territory for cross-border attacks against Pakistan. They counter-accuse Pakistan of harboring Islamic State fighters, which Pakistani officials reject.

The recent February military strikes followed Pakistani security officials’ claims of possessing “irrefutable evidence” linking Afghan-based militants to a series of attacks and suicide bombings targeting Pakistani military and police forces.

These sources identified seven planned or executed militant operations since late 2024 with alleged Afghan connections. One particularly deadly assault in Bajaur district killed 11 security personnel and two civilians, reportedly carried out by an Afghan national and claimed by the TTP.

The TTP, established in 2007 through a coalition of militant groups operating in northwest Pakistan, has become commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban. This organization has conducted attacks on civilian markets, religious sites, airports, military installations, and police facilities while seizing territory along the Afghan border and within Pakistan proper, including the Swat Valley.

The group gained international notoriety for its 2012 attack on schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, who later received the Nobel Peace Prize. The TTP previously fought alongside Afghan Taliban forces against U.S.-led coalition troops and provided sanctuary for Afghan fighters within Pakistan.

Despite multiple Pakistani military operations against the TTP achieving limited success, a major offensive concluding in 2016 significantly reduced attacks until recent years.

Military analysts predict Pakistan will likely escalate its campaign, while Afghan retaliation may involve border post raids and increased guerrilla-style cross-border operations targeting security forces.

Although Chinese diplomatic intervention previously helped reduce tensions due to Beijing’s positive relationships with both nations, fighting has resumed amid broader regional conflicts involving the United States and Israel against Iran.

The military balance heavily favors Pakistan on paper. Taliban forces number approximately 172,000 personnel, less than one-third of Pakistan’s military strength. While the Taliban possess at least six aircraft and 23 helicopters, their operational status remains unclear, and they lack fighter jets or an effective air force.

Pakistan’s armed forces include over 600,000 active personnel, more than 6,000 armored combat vehicles, and over 400 military aircraft, according to 2025 International Institute for Strategic Studies data. Pakistan also maintains nuclear weapons capability.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee expressed significant worry Tuesday about escalating energy costs resulting from ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts involving the United States, Israel and Iran, warning that the Asian financial center will experience economic turbulence alongside the broader region.

During a Tuesday news briefing, Lee outlined government efforts to maintain steady energy access while improving public information sharing regarding supply chains and fuel pricing.

“There are, of course, risks because the conflict is creating disruption to the supply of oil,” Lee stated, noting that officials are actively working to reduce potential impacts and track price changes.

“The government has also been in touch with local airlines and also will be meeting fuel suppliers, petrol fuel suppliers, so as to ensure that they will know their social responsibility,” Lee explained.

The ongoing Middle Eastern turmoil has created worldwide business uncertainty and pushed energy prices upward, particularly affecting aviation companies through increased jet fuel expenses and supply concerns. Many carriers have responded by implementing higher fuel surcharges while others have reduced flight schedules.

Hong Kong’s national airline, Cathay Pacific Airways, has continued its halt of all service between Hong Kong and both Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia through March 31.

Despite acknowledging these challenges, Lee suggested the Middle Eastern crisis “highlighted the strengths of Hong Kong” and could generate fresh business prospects for the Chinese territory.

“Investors and businesses looking for diversification at the same time looking for investment security will definitely look to Hong Kong,” he said.

A Los Angeles federal jury has found a former Syrian prison administrator guilty of torture charges, marking a significant legal victory in the pursuit of justice for Assad-era crimes, the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday.

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 73, was found guilty on four counts including conspiracy to commit torture and three individual torture charges stemming from his time overseeing Damascus Central Prison, commonly called Adra Prison, according to federal prosecutors.

The defendant served as prison director from 2005 through 2008 and had entered a not guilty plea to all charges. Following Monday’s verdict, Alsheikh’s attorneys expressed their disappointment and stated that he “will pursue all appellate and post-trial relief.”

Federal prosecutors also secured convictions against Alsheikh for deceiving U.S. immigration officials about his criminal history, illegally securing permanent residency status, and making fraudulent attempts to become a naturalized American citizen.

The charges, filed in late 2024, alleged that Alsheikh directed prison staff to inflict serious physical and psychological harm on political detainees and other inmates. Federal authorities said he sometimes participated directly in these abusive acts.

According to the Justice Department, these torture practices were designed to suppress resistance to Assad’s government.

Court records show Alsheikh maintained various roles within Syria’s security establishment and held membership in Assad’s Syrian Ba’ath Party. In 2011, the now-deposed Syrian leader named him provincial governor of Deir Ez-Zour.

Each of the four torture-related convictions carries a potential 20-year prison sentence, while the immigration fraud charges could result in up to 10 years behind bars. Alsheikh will remain detained while awaiting sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.

The Assad family’s control over Syria ended in late 2024 when rebel forces successfully completed a rapid military campaign. The country’s civil war, which lasted more than ten years, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, created a massive refugee crisis, and devastated Syrian cities.

Current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously commanded al Qaeda forces, assumed power following Assad’s removal and has worked to strengthen relationships with Western nations.

KABUL, March 17 – The deputy spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced Tuesday that a Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul resulted in the deaths of at least 400 people and left 250 others wounded.

Pakistani officials dismissed these allegations as inaccurate and deceptive, stating they “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure” during Monday evening’s operation.

The conflicting accounts highlight ongoing tensions between the neighboring countries as both sides offer dramatically different versions of what occurred during the strike on Afghanistan’s capital city.