Author: Admin

Senior economic representatives from the United States and China began discussions in Paris on Sunday, working to resolve trade disagreements and prepare the groundwork for President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing later this month to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The negotiations, headed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are anticipated to address modifications to American tariffs, Chinese rare earth mineral and magnet exports to the United States, American technology export restrictions, and China’s purchases of U.S. farm products.

The delegations are convening at the Paris offices of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to a source with knowledge of the arrangements. China does not belong to this organization of 38 predominantly wealthy democratic nations and identifies as a developing nation.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is also participating in the discussions, which represent a continuation of diplomatic meetings held in various European locations last year designed to reduce tensions that nearly caused a complete breakdown in commerce between the world’s two biggest economies.

Experts analyzing U.S.-China trade relations indicated that given limited preparation time and Washington’s focus on the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, the likelihood of significant trade breakthroughs remains slim, whether in Paris or during the Beijing summit.

“Both sides, I think have a minimum goal of having a meeting, which sort of keeps things together and avoids a rupture and re-escalation of tensions,” said Scott Kennedy, a China economics expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Trump may seek substantial Chinese commitments to purchase new Boeing aircraft and increase imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas and soybeans, but achieving this might require offering concessions on U.S. export restrictions, Kennedy noted.

Kennedy suggested the summit would likely “superficially suggests progress but that really just leaves things about where they’ve been for the last four months.”

Trump and Xi may potentially have three additional meetings this year, including a China-hosted APEC summit in November and a U.S.-hosted G20 summit in December that could produce more concrete results.

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran will likely be discussed during the Paris meetings, particularly regarding rising oil prices and the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which China receives 45% of its oil supply. Bessent announced a 30-day sanctions waiver Thursday evening to permit the sale of Russian oil currently held in tankers at sea, aimed at increasing available supplies.

On Saturday, Trump called on other countries to assist in protecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, following Washington’s bombing of military facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal and Iran’s threats of retaliation.

China’s government-controlled China Daily newspaper published an editorial advocating for continued U.S.-China dialogue as a “stabilizing anchor” during the uncertainty of the “ongoing crisis in the Middle East” and as the most effective approach to addressing specific disagreements on strategic materials, technology, market access and agriculture.

“In a moment like this, the last thing the world needs is a trade war between its two largest economies,” China Daily said.

Both nations are expected to assess their advancement in fulfilling obligations under the October 2025 trade agreement announced by Trump and Xi in Busan, South Korea. This arrangement prevented a major escalation in tensions, reduced U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, and suspended China’s strict rare earth export controls for one year. It also halted the expansion of a U.S. blacklist preventing Chinese companies from purchasing advanced American technology such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

China also committed to purchasing 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans during the 2025 marketing year and 25 million tons in the 2026 season, beginning with the fall harvest.

American officials, including Bessent, have stated that China has fulfilled its obligations under the Busan agreement so far, pointing to soybean purchases that achieved initial targets.

However, while some industries are receiving rare earth exports from China, which controls global production, U.S. aerospace and semiconductor companies are not and are experiencing worsening shortages of essential materials, including yttrium, used in heat-resistant jet engine coatings.

“U.S. priorities will likely be about agricultural purchases by China and greater access to Chinese rare earths in the short term” at the Paris talks, said William Chou, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank.

Greer and Bessent also introduce a new source of tension to the Paris discussions: a new “Section 301” investigation into unfair trade practices targeting China and 15 other major trading partners regarding alleged excess industrial capacity that could result in additional tariffs within months. Greer also initiated a similar investigation into alleged forced labor practices in 60 countries, including China, that could prohibit certain imports into the United States.

These investigations aim to restore Trump’s tariff pressure on trading partners after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Trump’s global tariffs under emergency law as illegal. This decision effectively lowered Trump’s tariffs on Chinese products by 20 percentage points, but he immediately implemented a 10% global tariff under different trade legislation.

China condemned the investigations on Friday and stated it reserves the right to implement countermeasures. The China Daily editorial added that the investigations were “representative of unilateral actions that complicate negotiations.”

More than 73 million Vietnamese citizens cast ballots Sunday in parliamentary elections where the ruling Communist Party dominated candidate selections, fielding almost 93% of those running for the 500-seat National Assembly.

The elections, held every five years, serve as one of the limited democratic exercises in Vietnam’s strictly governed single-party system. Voters also selected local council representatives during the process.

According to the national election council, Communist Party members comprised 864 candidates seeking national parliament seats, with independent candidates making up just 7.5% of the field – a decrease from 8.5% in the previous 2021 election. This composition ensures the party will continue its overwhelming legislative control.

Currently, Communist Party members occupy 97% of parliament seats, having governed Vietnam without opposition for multiple decades.

While the National Assembly lacks authority to overturn major party decisions, particularly regarding personnel appointments, legislators have occasionally modified proposed legislation.

The new parliament’s inaugural session is set for early April, when members will formally approve state leadership positions previously selected by the party, including the president and prime minister roles.

During January’s five-year party congress, officials confirmed To Lam as general secretary – Vietnam’s highest-ranking position – and chose 19 politburo members who form the primary decision-making council.

Party leadership is anticipated to officially announce their state position nominees before parliament convenes, with Lam’s expected presidential appointment considered routine.

This transition would enable the former public security chief to simultaneously hold both influential roles for a five-year term, bringing Vietnam’s governmental structure closer to neighboring China’s model, where Xi Jinping also maintains dual positions.

Notable business executives among the candidates include party members Nguyen Thanh Tung, who leads Vietcombank – Vietnam’s largest bank by market value – and Le Hong Minh, chairman of technology company VNG that operates the nation’s leading messaging platform Zalo.

Male candidates represent approximately 55% of those running, matching proportions from the last election cycle. Following the 2021 voting, women secured roughly 30% of available seats.

Parliament chairman Tran Thanh Man informed local news outlets that election outcomes would be revealed March 23.

State news agencies report that voter participation has surpassed 99% in each of the previous seven parliamentary elections.

President Donald Trump is requesting that allied countries deploy naval vessels to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, while Iran promises to intensify its military response following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian energy infrastructure.

The strategic waterway serves as a critical route for global oil and gas transportation, and Iran’s capability to halt maritime traffic through the passage creates substantial challenges for America and its partners as they confront rising energy costs amid unprecedented disruptions to oil supplies.

“The Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!” Trump posted on social media Saturday. “The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”

As hostilities enter their third week, both nations seem prepared for prolonged warfare. Three individuals with knowledge of diplomatic efforts informed Reuters that Trump’s team has rejected attempts by Middle Eastern partners to initiate peace talks to resolve the conflict.

Iran has maintained its defiant stance, dismissing any possibility of a ceasefire while American and Israeli aerial bombardments continue.

Iranian military forces have maintained their offensive operations. A drone assault disrupted a significant United Arab Emirates energy facility Saturday, and American officials advised U.S. nationals Saturday to depart Iraq following a missile strike on the Baghdad embassy Friday night.

The conflict began when Israel and America launched air campaigns against Iran on February 28, resulting in over 2,000 deaths, predominantly Iranian casualties, based on official government reports and state media accounts. At least 15 people died when an airstrike struck a refrigeration and heating equipment factory in Isfahan, central Iran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency Saturday.

Iran instructed civilians in the UAE to evacuate ports, docks and “American hideouts,” claiming U.S. forces had launched attacks on Iran from those locations. The UAE rejected allegations that Friday night’s strikes on Iran’s Kharg island originated from UAE territory.

Designating any facility connected to America as a “legitimate target,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps demanded all U.S. businesses withdraw from the region.

Energy market disruptions appear likely to continue. Several oil-loading activities were halted in the UAE’s Fujairah emirate, an important global ship-refueling center, following a drone attack, according to industry and trade sources Saturday.

The emirate’s media office confirmed a drone was intercepted, though civil defense teams were still working late Saturday to extinguish fires caused by falling wreckage.

Trump remained at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort over the weekend, maintaining a low public presence Saturday while posting updates on his Truth Social platform.

In one message, the Republican president expressed hope that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and other nations would dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz. None of these countries provided immediate confirmation of such plans.

French officials stated Friday their government continues efforts to build a coalition for securing the Strait of Hormuz once regional security conditions improve.

A British Ministry of Defence representative said Saturday: “As we’ve said previously, we are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region.”

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his deceased father, has declared the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed.

Additionally, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi rejected claims from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggesting Khamenei was injured and possibly disfigured. “There is no problem with the new supreme leader. He sent his message yesterday, and he will perform his duties,” Araqchi told MS Now.

Khamenei has not made public appearances, instead releasing a Thursday statement read by a television presenter.

Iran minimized damage reports from Kharg Island. America stated it targeted military rather than energy industry facilities on the island, located approximately 15 miles off Iran’s Gulf coastline.

U.S. Central Command reported striking over 90 locations on Kharg, including naval mine storage areas, missile storage bunkers and additional military installations.

Araqchi stated Iran would retaliate against any assault on its energy infrastructure. Iran’s Ministry of Defense announced Saturday that nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were fired from Iran toward the UAE.

Iran warned residents to evacuate areas near Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa port and the UAE’s Fujairah port, stating it was targeting U.S. bank branches throughout the Gulf.

Fujairah, positioned outside the Strait of Hormuz, serves as the export point for approximately 1 million barrels daily of the UAE’s Murban crude oil — representing roughly 1% of global demand.

Animal enthusiasts in Romania’s capital city came together to celebrate their beloved companions at the 15th edition of the country’s premier pet industry exposition. The annual event in Bucharest featured a festive costume parade where pet owners showcased their creativity by outfitting their furry friends in elaborate and vibrant attire.

The celebration brought together animal lovers from across the region for the colorful spectacle that has become a beloved tradition in Romania’s pet community.

Fear has gripped Iranian security forces as drone strikes targeting military checkpoints throughout Tehran have escalated, according to a leaked audio recording from a Basij militia commander obtained by The Media Line.

The recording, shared on the Telegram channel Mamlekateh, captures a commander addressing his troops through a messaging platform used by forces in one Tehran district. The commander can be heard instructing his personnel to remain calm during drone attacks and not to desert their positions.

A Tehran resident reports that growing numbers of Basij members have stopped showing up for duty in recent days due to fears of becoming targets.

The commander in the audio identifies the aircraft used in one checkpoint attack as a Heron TP drone, explaining it can fly continuously over Tehran for 16 hours and deploy eight cluster-operating missiles. He explains that with fewer traditional military targets available for fighter jets, drones are now being used to target military personnel in the capital.

According to the recording, aircraft are also being utilized to locate gathering spots for military personnel, with large concentrations of mobile phones helping to reveal their positions.

The commander instructs forces stationed in schools, mosques, and other civilian buildings to immediately turn off their phones when they hear drone sounds, evacuate their posts, and relocate to nearby positions where they can engage any “armed individuals” while avoiding potential missile strikes.

“They are clearing the way so that by creating fear and terror they can move operational teams across the city to the intended areas,” the commander states in the recording, urging his forces to manage their anxiety and “not be scared for no reason.” He notes that Basij personnel are constantly scanning the skies in anticipation of air strikes, despite no ground-based attacks occurring.

Recent days have seen the Israeli military release multiple videos showing strikes against Revolutionary Guards and Basij personnel at security checkpoints, with additional footage appearing on various Telegram channels. These attacks have created significant anxiety among Basij members.

A southern Tehran resident told The Media Line that a family member who had been stationed at a neighborhood checkpoint – which locals refer to as a “trap” – shut off his phone yesterday and fled to northern Iran. When Basij officials called asking about his absence, the family claimed they had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

These developments coincide with Friday’s Quds Day demonstration, where several high-ranking officials participated, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, who appeared to move through the crowd with minimal visible security protection.

State television labeled Pezeshkian as “brave” in on-screen text, while his security detail maintained distance, many positioning themselves behind television cameras with weapons at the ready.

During Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei’s rally appearance, an explosion occurred in the vicinity, prompting both uniformed and plainclothes security personnel to quickly escort him from the area while the event was being televised. State media also confirmed that explosive debris killed a woman near Enghelab Square in central Tehran during the Quds Day gathering.

Combined Israeli and US operations targeting Tehran locations have significantly intensified over recent nights, with massive explosions reported throughout most areas of the Iranian capital, particularly in eastern and western districts, as well as in Karaj, continuing around the clock.

As bombing continued and electrical power was disrupted in sections of the city, an eastern Tehran resident informed The Media Line on Friday evening that all VPN access had been blocked since morning, and satellite television channels – residents’ primary source for war updates – had been jammed, leaving people unaware for hours of US and Israeli warnings about targeted areas.

On Thursday evening, Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref made visits to multiple checkpoints to encourage military personnel and took photographs with the forces.

Following the announcement of Ali Khamenei’s death, the former Islamic Republic leader, civilians took to the streets in celebration, prompting Basij and IRGC forces to open fire in several incidents, resulting in multiple civilian deaths.

In recent days, Iranian authorities have positioned military units throughout city streets in vehicles mounted with machine guns, openly threatening demonstrators and warning that any public protests will face suppression more severe than the violent crackdown in January.

Social media users reported additional checkpoint attacks in Tehran and other cities, including Karaj, on Friday evening.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un personally supervised his military’s testing of powerful rocket launchers on Saturday, according to the country’s state-controlled media.

The weapons test involved 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers that successfully struck targets on an island in the East Sea, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency reported.

“The launched rockets battered the island target in the East Sea of Korea about 364.4 km away with the accuracy of 100 percent,” KCNA said.

South Korean military officials confirmed that North Korea fired more than 10 ballistic missiles into the ocean on Saturday. The launch occurred while American and South Korean forces were conducting joint military exercises, and as former President Donald Trump has made new attempts to restart diplomatic talks with the North Korean regime.

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were fired from a location near North Korea’s capital city of Pyongyang at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time. The projectiles were aimed toward waters off the nation’s eastern coastline.

Multiple Middle Eastern nations have unsuccessfully attempted to broker peace talks between the United States and Iran, with both President Donald Trump and Iranian officials refusing to engage in ceasefire discussions, according to sources who spoke with Reuters.

The Trump administration has turned away diplomatic overtures aimed at halting the conflict that started two weeks ago following a major U.S.-Israeli aerial campaign against Iranian targets.

A high-ranking White House official verified that the administration has dismissed attempts to initiate peace negotiations and plans to maintain its military campaign against Iran.

“He’s not interested in that right now, and we’re going to continue with the mission unabated. Maybe there’s a day, but not right now,” the official said.

The nation of Oman, which had previously served as a mediator before hostilities erupted, has made multiple attempts to restore dialogue between the parties, but two sources indicated the White House showed no willingness to engage in talks.

Similarly, Egypt has made efforts to restart diplomatic channels, according to three security and diplomatic sources, though these attempts have failed to yield any progress.

Iranian officials have indicated they will refuse any ceasefire discussions until American and Israeli bombing campaigns end and Iran’s demands are met, which include a lasting halt to all attacks and monetary reparations as components of any potential deal, two senior Iranian sources informed Reuters.

According to one source, Iran’s leading security official Ali Larijani and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tried to utilize Oman as a go-between for possible ceasefire negotiations that might have included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, but these discussions never materialized.

The administration’s stance continues as American military actions against Iran persist, including Friday night’s strikes targeting Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export facility.

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has pledged to maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and has issued warnings of further attacks against regional nations. A senior Iranian source noted that the Revolutionary Guards believe ‘if they lose control of the Strait of Hormuz, they will lose the war.’

The ongoing hostilities have resulted in over 2,000 deaths, with the majority occurring in Iran, and have brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill. This critical passage handles approximately 20 percent of global oil transportation.

Saturday brought a surge of violence across the Middle East as Iran unleashed six separate waves of missiles targeting Israel while coordinated attacks struck key facilities in Iraq.

According to Israeli emergency officials, the missile barrages triggered warning sirens across the entire country. The attacks caused casualties in Eilat, a southern Israeli city, where a 12-year-old child was among those wounded.

Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services initially classified the young victim’s injuries as serious but later upgraded the condition to moderate. Two other individuals sustained minor wounds, while six additional people required hospital treatment for anxiety-related symptoms.

Rescue teams documented two strike zones in Israel’s central region following the missile launches. Authorities confirmed no casualties occurred at these locations and no individuals were trapped beneath rubble.

Officials noted that defensive missile fragments damaged one building, while debris from interceptor missiles scattered across a nearby roadway.

Meanwhile, in northern Iraq, a drone attack forced the complete shutdown of the Lanaz oil refinery located in Irbil after the strike ignited a blaze on Saturday. Kurdistan Region Ministry of Natural Resources representatives told Reuters that refinery operations would stay suspended until firefighters control the flames and officials evaluate the full scope of damage.

The United Arab Emirates reported that attackers targeted its diplomatic facility in Iraqi Kurdistan for the second occasion within seven days.

“The attack resulted in injuries to two security personnel and damage to the consulate building,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement carried by WAM.

The ministry said targeting diplomatic missions “constitutes a flagrant violation of international norms and laws,” adding that “such acts represent a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional security and stability.”

ROME — Large crowds gathered across Italy and Spain on Saturday to voice opposition to Middle East military actions and Italy’s proposed changes to its court system, creating a dual protest movement that highlights both international and domestic political tensions.

Italy’s upcoming March 22-23 national vote on judicial system modifications has transformed into a critical political challenge for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration, which must face voters again next year. What began as a policy discussion about legal system changes has expanded into a wider political clash between Meloni and opposition forces.

Demonstrators in Rome’s city center carried red labor union flags alongside Palestinian and Cuban banners, shouting “Meloni government, resign” during the peaceful gathering.

Protester Sandra Paganini expressed her concerns about international conflicts, stating: “The United States and Israel are destroying any form of coexistence dictated by international law.”

“They are dragging us towards a world war in which they are targeting completely innocent people who have done nothing wrong, intervening and destroying nations,” Paganini added.

Prime Minister Meloni maintains that judicial modifications are essential to address Italy’s long-standing court backlogs and rebuild citizen trust in the legal framework. Critics counter that these proposals might compromise judicial autonomy and expose judges to political pressure.

The upcoming vote has evolved into a significant political evaluation of Meloni’s leadership, prompting her to actively participate in campaigning this week.

During a Thursday campaign event in Milan, Meloni declared: “If justice doesn’t work, if it’s slow, if it’s inefficient, if it’s unfair, then the whole machine gets stuck and everyone pays the consequences.”

Anti-conflict demonstrations have intensified following February 28th’s extensive U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, which targeted defense installations and key officials, prompting counter-attacks that have disrupted international financial markets.

Similar rallies occurred throughout Spain on Saturday, with civic organization coalitions coordinating events in numerous cities demanding Middle East conflict resolution. Madrid saw thousands of participants chanting anti-war messages while showing support for affected civilian populations.

Earlier this week, comparable demonstrations took place in Athens and other Greek cities.

Moscow’s mayor reported that Russian air defense systems intercepted 65 Ukrainian drones targeting the capital city during an extended assault on Saturday, according to officials.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on the Telegram messaging platform that the drone interceptions occurred during an 11-hour span starting at approximately noon local time. Emergency teams were deployed to examine debris at locations where the unmanned aircraft came down.

In the Bryansk region along Ukraine’s border, Governor Alexander Bogomaz reported via Telegram that defense forces in his area successfully intercepted 128 drones, though he did not specify the timeframe for these downings.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian military forces claimed responsibility for striking a critical facility that manufactures missile parts located in the Bryansk region. Bogomaz confirmed that seven fatalities resulted from that earlier assault, but did not identify the specific target that was hit.

Russia’s Defense Ministry released its latest assessment stating that air defense forces successfully intercepted 280 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions of central and western Russia during a 10-hour window that concluded at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The ministry’s report indicated that 47 of the intercepted drones had been aimed at Moscow.

The World Health Organization confirmed Saturday that a dozen medical professionals lost their lives when a primary healthcare facility in Lebanon’s Bourj Qalaouiyeh area came under attack late Friday evening.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the organization had verified the deaths of 12 doctors, nurses, and paramedics at the medical center. “The killings in the last 24 hours of 14 health workers in southern Lebanon mark a tragic development in the escalating Middle East crisis,” Ghebreyesus wrote on the social media platform X.

The WHO chief also reported that two additional emergency medical technicians were killed earlier that day during an assault on a healthcare facility located in Al Sowana.

The attacks occurred amid ongoing military operations between Israel and Hezbollah, the influential Lebanese militant organization. Israeli forces have conducted widespread airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions, resulting in more than 770 casualties and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents from their homes. In response, Hezbollah has launched numerous rocket attacks into Israeli territory.

Switzerland’s government announced Saturday that it had reviewed multiple requests from American military and official aircraft seeking permission to traverse the country’s airspace, ultimately denying two while approving three others under its strict neutrality laws.

According to a government statement, the decisions were made in accordance with Switzerland’s neutrality requirements. “The law on neutrality prohibits overflights by parties to the conflict that serve a military purpose related to the conflict. Permitted are humanitarian and medical transits, including the transport of wounded persons, as well as overflights that are unrelated to the conflict,” officials explained.

The requests were connected to ongoing tensions and military operations involving Iran, though specific details about the nature of the flights were not disclosed by Swiss authorities.

Law enforcement officials in the Netherlands launched a manhunt Saturday for two individuals believed responsible for detonating an explosive device outside a Jewish educational facility in Amsterdam overnight.

According to Amsterdam City Hall, the blast occurred in the Buitenveldert neighborhood and struck the exterior wall of the school, resulting in minimal structural damage to the building.

Police investigators determined that the pair traveled to the scene using a motor scooter. Surveillance evidence shows one individual positioning an explosive device against the building’s wall before retreating to the waiting scooter, with the blast occurring as the duo fled the area.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema expressed concern about the growing climate of antisemitism affecting the city’s Jewish population, stating they experience “fear and anger” due to increasing targeting.

“That is unacceptable. A school must be a place where children can learn safely. Amsterdam must be a place where Jews can live safely,” she said.

The incident prompted enhanced security measures at Jewish educational institutions and religious sites following similar attacks in the region. On Friday, explosions occurred near a synagogue in Liege, Belgium, and at a Rotterdam synagogue entrance, which sparked a small fire.

Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel addressed the escalating situation on social media platform X, writing: “Two nights in a row, a cowardly attack with an explosive at a Jewish building. First in Rotterdam, now in Amsterdam.”

“The safety of Jewish institutions has our full attention. An investigation into the perpetrators is underway,” van Weel added.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The bustling metropolis of Dubai is experiencing an unprecedented downturn in visitor activity during what should be its peak tourism period, as regional warfare continues to impact the travel industry.

Ongoing conflicts involving Iran have created significant disruptions to airline operations throughout the Middle East region. Additionally, drone and missile strikes launched by Iranian forces against locations within the United Arab Emirates have severely damaged the nation’s reputation as a secure travel destination in the region.

Popular visitor destinations throughout Dubai are experiencing dramatically reduced foot traffic, including the renowned Al Seef marketplace situated along Dubai Creek and coastal areas adjacent to high-end accommodations like the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.

Recent imagery captures the stark reality of Dubai’s tourism struggles, revealing deserted shopping areas, vacant restaurant patios, and largely abandoned beach areas as the hospitality industry grapples with the broader consequences of Middle Eastern tensions.

The visual documentation was compiled by Associated Press photography staff.

Turkey’s top diplomat revealed Saturday that while no formal diplomatic efforts are underway between Washington and Tehran, Iran appears willing to participate in unofficial negotiations despite the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared these insights during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, as Turkey works to maintain neutrality amid the expanding regional warfare.

Turkey, which maintains strong relationships with both the United States and Iran, had previously tried to broker peace between the two nations before American and Israeli forces struck Iran two weeks ago, escalating the current conflict.

“The conditions are not very much conducive” to diplomacy now, Fidan explained. He noted that Iranian officials “feel betrayed” after being attacked for the second time while actively participating in nuclear negotiations with America, though he added, “I think they are open to any sensible back-channel diplomacy.”

The 57-year-old Fidan previously led Turkey’s intelligence operations for over ten years before taking his current position in 2023.

During his intelligence tenure, he significantly influenced Turkey’s Middle Eastern policies, especially regarding Syria, Iraq and Iran. He remains among President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most trusted advisors and is viewed as a possible successor.

Turkey has adopted a neutral stance throughout the war, condemning both American and Israeli attacks on Iran as well as Tehran’s counter-strikes against Gulf nations hosting U.S. military installations. Fidan revealed he has been working to convince Iranian leadership to cease those retaliatory operations.

According to Fidan, Turkey’s main goal is avoiding involvement in the conflict, even after NATO defense systems intercepted three missiles over Turkish territory that appeared to originate from Iran. Turkey belongs to NATO, and a southern Turkish air base houses NATO forces, including American personnel.

Iranian leadership has denied targeting Turkey, though available intelligence indicates the missiles came from Iran, the Turkish foreign minister stated.

He dismissed the possibility of military retaliation at present, noting that NATO’s defensive systems proved effective and that Ankara’s “primary objective” remains staying out of the fighting.

“I know that we are being provoked and we will be provoked, but this is our objective,” he stated. “We want to stay out of this war.”

Fidan, who regularly communicates with Iranian officials, said he lacks detailed information about the extent of injuries sustained by Iran’s current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during an earlier strike, but confirmed “what we know is that he is alive and functioning.”

Khamenei assumed leadership following his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death on February 28 during the war’s initial phase.

Fidan explained that “the process of electing a new leader and the medical conditions of the new leader, it created a gap” in Iran’s power structure, adding “I think that gap has been filled by the high command of the Revolutionary Guards,” referencing the paramilitary organization that answers to the Supreme Leader.

Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, Turkey attempted to prevent war by proposing Istanbul-hosted negotiations involving the United States, Iran and other regional powers. Iran subsequently chose Oman-mediated discussions without regional participation, focusing exclusively on nuclear issues — talks that eventually collapsed.

Fidan noted that Iran had declined to address its missile capabilities and the proxy armed organizations it supports throughout the region, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and various Iraqi militias — both groups now actively participating in the regional conflict.

Turkey had suggested that “the Americans and the Iranians can discuss fully the nuclear issue and we as regional countries can come together to discuss the other two with Iran” as part of a regional trust-building effort.

Relations between Turkey and Israel remain strained, with Erdogan emerging as one of Israel’s harshest critics regarding Gaza operations. Turkey has severed commercial relationships with Israel and regularly accuses the nation of genocide. Israel responds by claiming Turkey supports Hamas, the Palestinian organization responsible for the devastating October 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel.

Following Israel’s strikes on Iran, some observers have suggested Turkey might become the next target. Fidan rejected this possibility while acknowledging that the Iranian conflict has motivated Turkey to accelerate domestic weapons and air defense production.

“As long as Netanyahu is there, (Israel) will always identify somebody as an enemy,” he observed. “Because they need it to advance their own agenda. If not Turkey, they would name some other country in the region.”

He criticized Israel’s activities elsewhere in the region, particularly in Syria, where both nations have strategic concerns.

Turkey has strongly supported Damascus’s current administration under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly an Islamist rebel leader.

Israel views al-Sharaa’s government with skepticism and has seized control of southern Syrian territory since the government took power in December 2024, while conducting airstrikes against Syrian military installations and destroying much of the country’s weapons stockpile. Israel claims its Syrian presence aims to protect its borders from another October 7-style assault.

“They are after not security, they are after more land,” Fidan argued. “So as long as they don’t give up this idea, there will always be a war in the Middle East.”

Turkey has also pursued an active role in post-conflict Gaza planning. It has joined U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace — boycotted by numerous other nations that view it as an attempt to replace United Nations authority and criticize the absence of Palestinian representation — and has volunteered to provide troops for an international stabilization force in the devastated territory.

Fidan described Turkey’s Board of Peace participation as important, calling it an “opportunity” to end the war, though “we are not under the illusion that the Board of Peace will address all the existing issues.”

Fidan said Turkey has not yet received a troop contribution request for the stabilization force, which he attributed to Israeli opposition, but added, “I think the Americans are quietly trying to settle the issue with the Israelis to allow Turkey to participate.”

However, Fidan emphasized that Turkey’s priority involves establishing a Gaza administration committee composed of 15 politically independent Palestinian administrators.

“We expect them to go into Gaza and start their work,” he said. “This has not started yet, so we need to start from somewhere.”

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad — Parliamentary lawmakers in Trinidad and Tobago voted Friday night to continue emergency powers for an additional three months as the Caribbean nation grapples with escalating violence and criminal activity.

Members of the House of Representatives approved two separate motions in a 26-12 decision, with no lawmakers abstaining from the vote. The emergency powers grant authorities expanded capabilities, including the ability to arrest individuals and conduct searches without obtaining warrants first.

The Caribbean nation has operated under emergency conditions for approximately 10 months out of the past 14 months, highlighting the persistent security challenges facing the twin-island country.

While emergency declarations initially last up to 15 days, lawmakers can vote to extend them when deemed necessary by the administration. The repeated use of these extraordinary powers has created negative impacts on the nation’s vital tourism sector.

Opposition party leaders have strongly criticized the continued renewal of emergency measures, claiming the ruling government has been unsuccessful in developing effective strategies to combat the crime crisis.

Violence statistics show the country has already witnessed more than 60 homicides during the current year.

CARACAS, Venezuela — For the first time in five years, the Stars and Stripes flew over the United States Embassy in Venezuela on Saturday, marking a significant diplomatic milestone between the two nations following dramatic political upheaval that saw former President Nicolás Maduro detained by U.S. military forces in January.

The embassy’s restoration follows public endorsements from President Donald Trump for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s replacement, who has worked to maintain diplomatic dialogue with Washington.

Embassy officials marked the occasion on social media, stating the flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down.”

Local Venezuelans gathered to witness the historic moment expressed optimism about renewed diplomatic ties.

“It’s a good thing, really, what a joy,” said Caracas resident Luz Verónica López. “Other countries must come back too because that’s what we need; progress, to move forward with good relations with the rest of the world, as it should be.”

Fellow resident Alessandro Di Benedetto observed the celebratory mood among onlookers. “I found several people here surprised and happy because today they raised the U.S. flag at the embassy,” he said. “This is positive; this is another step.”

However, the diplomatic progress faces resistance from significant portions of Venezuelan society and political circles who oppose Trump’s military intervention that resulted in Maduro’s removal and imprisonment in New York alongside his spouse, as well as increased U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s petroleum sector.

Medical officials at a Brasilia hospital report that imprisoned former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s kidney problems have deteriorated since his transfer to intensive care earlier this week. The 70-year-old ex-leader is battling pneumonia, and doctors describe his condition as serious yet stable.

Hospital staff moved Bolsonaro from his prison cell to DF Star Hospital on Friday after he developed concerning symptoms including high fever, difficulty breathing, excessive sweating, and chills. Medical tests revealed he has bronchopneumonia, which doctors believe developed from aspiration.

The former leader, who held office from 2019 to 2022, is currently serving a 27-year sentence for orchestrating a failed coup attempt in 2023. Medical staff noted that inflammatory indicators in his blood have risen since beginning treatment.

Bolsonaro’s family members have repeatedly petitioned Brazil’s Supreme Court to allow him to serve his sentence at home, arguing that prison medical care has been inadequate. Prison officials moved him from federal police headquarters to more spacious accommodations in January.

This latest hospitalization continues a pattern of medical issues stemming from a 2018 stabbing incident during his presidential campaign. His son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who is preparing to challenge current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in upcoming elections, addressed reporters about his father’s condition.

“Unfortunately we have to learn how to live with this. It is not the first, the second or the third time my father is hospitalized because of the problems coming from the stabbing,” Flávio Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia. “He is stable, he did not improve, but he is stable.”

The former president faces additional convictions related to leading an armed criminal organization and attempting to violently overthrow democratic institutions. Bolsonaro maintains his innocence on all charges.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has dismissed suggestions that the nation’s new Supreme Leader is facing health issues, according to a Saturday interview with MS Now.

Araqchi’s comments came as a direct response to statements made Friday by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who alleged that Mojtaba Khamenei had sustained injuries and possible disfigurement.

The Iranian foreign minister stated during the interview that there are no concerns regarding Supreme Leader Khamenei’s condition.

The Trump administration has declined diplomatic overtures from Middle Eastern partners seeking to broker peace talks and end the ongoing conflict with Iran that began two weeks ago following a large-scale U.S.-Israeli military operation, according to three sources with knowledge of the diplomatic efforts.

Iranian officials have similarly dismissed any possibility of a ceasefire while American and Israeli military strikes continue, two high-ranking Iranian sources revealed to Reuters. They noted that multiple nations have attempted to facilitate negotiations between the warring parties.

The unwillingness of both Washington and Tehran to engage in dialogue indicates both nations are preparing for a prolonged military confrontation, despite mounting civilian deaths and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz causing global oil prices to spike dramatically.

Friday evening’s American military strikes against Iran’s Kharg Island, the nation’s primary oil export facility, demonstrated Trump’s commitment to continuing the military campaign. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has pledged to maintain the Strait of Hormuz blockade and threatened to escalate attacks against regional nations.

The conflict has resulted in over 2,000 deaths, primarily Iranian casualties, and has created an unprecedented disruption to global oil supplies as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has ceased. This critical waterway normally handles one-fifth of worldwide oil transportation.

DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS REMAIN CLOSED

Oman, which previously facilitated diplomatic discussions before hostilities began, has made repeated attempts to establish communication channels, but the White House has indicated no interest, according to two sources who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.

A senior White House official verified that Trump has rejected these diplomatic initiatives and remains focused on advancing military operations to further diminish Tehran’s defense capabilities.

“He’s not interested in that right now, and we’re going to continue with the mission unabated. Maybe there’s a day, but not right now,” the official stated.

During the conflict’s initial week, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform claiming Iran’s leadership and military forces were so damaged by U.S.-Israeli attacks that they sought negotiations, but declared it was “Too Late!” His track record of unexpected foreign policy reversals makes it difficult to completely dismiss the possibility he might explore diplomatic options.

“President Trump said new potential leadership in Iran has indicated they want to talk and eventually will talk. For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated,” a second senior White House official commented when asked about this report.

The Iranian sources indicated Tehran has refused mediation attempts by various countries to arrange a ceasefire until the United States and Israel halt their air campaigns and satisfy Iran’s conditions, which include a permanent cessation of U.S. and Israeli attacks plus financial compensation as part of any ceasefire agreement.

Egypt, which participated in pre-war mediation efforts, has also attempted to reestablish communication channels, according to three security and diplomatic sources. While these initiatives appear unsuccessful, they have achieved some military restraint from neighboring countries targeted by Iran, one source reported.

Representatives from Egypt’s foreign ministry, Oman’s government, and Iran’s government did not respond to comment requests.

ESCALATING TENSIONS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

The conflict’s effects on international oil markets have substantially increased costs for the United States.

Some U.S. officials and Trump advisers advocate for rapidly ending the war, cautioning that rising fuel prices could create significant political consequences for the president’s Republican Party as midterm elections approach.

Other advisers encourage Trump to continue the offensive against the Islamic Republic to eliminate its missile capabilities and block its nuclear weapons development, according to Reuters reporting.

Trump’s dismissal of diplomatic initiatives suggests the administration currently has no intentions of quickly concluding the war.

Both the United States and Iran now appear even more reluctant to negotiate than during the war’s early days, when senior U.S. officials contacted Oman about reducing tensions, multiple sources confirmed.

One source revealed that Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had attempted to utilize Oman as an intermediary for ceasefire negotiations that would have included U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

However, those discussions never occurred.

Instead, Iran’s stance has become more rigid, a third senior Iranian source indicated.

“Whatever was communicated previously through the diplomatic channels is irrelevant now,” the source explained.

“The Guards strongly believe that if they lose control over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will lose the war,” the source continued, referencing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite paramilitary organization that controls significant portions of the economy.

“Therefore, the Guards will not accept any ceasefire, ceasefire talks, or diplomatic efforts, and Iran’s political leaders will not engage in such talks despite attempts by several countries.”

The European Union announced Thursday it will continue sanctions targeting supporters of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine for another six months, despite ongoing resistance from Hungary and Slovakia.

The decision by the Council, which represents all 27 EU member nations, keeps restrictive measures in place until September 15 against those accused of undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

While maintaining the bulk of sanctions, EU officials did make some adjustments to the list. Two living individuals had their sanctions lifted, including Dutch national Niels Troost, who had been sanctioned for involvement in Russian oil trading, according to diplomatic sources. Additionally, five deceased individuals were removed from the sanctions roster.

Currently, approximately 2,600 people and organizations face these punitive measures, which include travel bans, asset freezes, and prohibitions on providing financial resources to those listed. These sanctions have grown progressively since Russia launched its military offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

The extension faced hurdles from Hungary and Slovakia, both countries having previously pushed for the removal of several Russian oligarchs from the sanctions framework, EU diplomatic sources revealed.

Adding to the tension, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union Monday to halt sanctions targeting Russian energy, citing rising prices driven by the conflict in Iran. Both Hungary and Slovakia have also clashed with Ukraine regarding Russian oil shipments flowing through the Druzhba pipeline system.

JERUSALEM – According to two knowledgeable sources cited by Israeli publication Haaretz on Saturday, Israel and Lebanon are preparing for face-to-face negotiations in the upcoming days, marking their first direct diplomatic contact since the Iran conflict began and subsequently drew Lebanon into the broader regional fighting.

The discussions are anticipated to take place either in Paris or Cyprus, with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, participating in the process. Ron Dermer, a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is slated to head Israel’s negotiating team, according to the Haaretz report.

The diplomatic efforts are planned to concentrate on halting the violence in Lebanon and dismantling the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah, the newspaper indicated.

The Lebanese armed faction began attacking Israeli targets on March 2, stating they were responding to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader when the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran commenced.

Following these attacks, Israel initiated a comprehensive aerial bombardment campaign targeting the influential Lebanese militant group. This military action has resulted in over 770 fatalities and forced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rocket strikes into Israeli territory across the border.

Rwandan officials announced March 14 that they may pull their military forces from Mozambique’s troubled Cabo Delgado province if international financial support continues to fall short of mission requirements.

Since deploying at Mozambique’s invitation in 2021, Rwandan forces have successfully helped stabilize territories once controlled by Islamic extremist groups, according to government spokesperson Yolande Makolo in a social media statement.

Reports from Bloomberg indicate the European Union’s mission funding will end in May without current plans for extension. EU representatives in Brussels have not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.

Makolo emphasized that continuing the deployment depends on “adequate, predictable funding” and referenced the Bloomberg coverage in her remarks.

“Should the RDF (Rwanda Defence Force) Command assess that the work being done by Rwandan Security Forces in Cabo Delgado is not appreciated, they would be right to urge the government to end this bilateral counter-terrorism arrangement and pull out,” she stated.

Mozambican officials were not available for immediate response to the announcement.

European Union contributions have totaled approximately 20 million euros ($23 million) so far, which Makolo described as only a small portion of actual mission expenses. She noted Rwanda’s government has spent at least ten times that EU amount on the operation.

The violent insurgency began in 2017 in the natural gas-rich region, forcing TotalEnergies to suspend work on its $20 billion liquefied natural gas facility. The French energy giant and Mozambican authorities reached an agreement in January to restart the project’s construction.

Officials report significant security improvements throughout Cabo Delgado, especially near Total’s Afungi construction location where Rwandan forces maintain a presence. While considerably weakened, the Islamic insurgency remains active in the area.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s medical condition has taken a concerning turn while he remains hospitalized in intensive care, according to doctors treating the imprisoned leader.

Medical staff at DF Star hospital in Brasilia reported Saturday that while the 70-year-old politician’s overall condition remains steady, recent laboratory work reveals declining kidney function alongside elevated inflammation levels. Hospital officials have not provided a timeline for when Bolsonaro might be released from medical care.

The former leader was admitted to the hospital Friday following a bronchoaspiration incident that developed into bronchopneumonia, a serious lung infection that begins in the airways before spreading deeper into lung tissue and can severely impact breathing.

Medical teams are providing comprehensive care including antibiotic medications, intravenous fluid therapy, breathing treatments, physical therapy for movement, and preventative measures to avoid blood clots, the hospital reported.

Bolsonaro is currently incarcerated while serving a 27-year prison term for his role in orchestrating a coup attempt following his defeat in the 2022 presidential race against current leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Legal representatives and family members of the former president have repeatedly petitioned the courts to allow him to serve his sentence under house arrest rather than in prison since his incarceration began last year. However, Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the judge overseeing the case, has consistently rejected these requests, with higher court panels supporting his rulings.

Israeli forces have issued a warning that they may target ambulances and medical facilities in Lebanon, alleging that the militant group Hezbollah is exploiting these services for military operations, though no evidence was provided to support this accusation.

Avichai Adraee, the Israeli military’s Arabic language spokesperson, posted on X that “As part of its terrorist activities, Hezbollah is using ambulances extensively for military purposes,” demanding this practice cease immediately.

“If this practice does not stop, Israel will act in accordance with international law against any military activity carried out by the terrorist group Hezbollah using these facilities and ambulances,” Adraee stated.

A representative from Hezbollah rejected the allegations, stating that the organization was not utilizing ambulances or medical facilities for military operations.

When asked to provide proof of their claims regarding Hezbollah’s alleged misuse of medical infrastructure, Israeli military officials did not respond immediately.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, no fewer than 26 healthcare workers and emergency responders have lost their lives in Israeli attacks since March 2. Israeli military leadership maintains they implement safeguards aimed at minimizing civilian casualties.

The Iran-supported Hezbollah began attacking Israeli targets on March 2, claiming the action was revenge for Iran’s supreme leader’s death during the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Following this escalation, Israel initiated a comprehensive aerial bombardment campaign targeting the influential Lebanese militant organization, resulting in over 700 deaths and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes, while Hezbollah has launched numerous rockets into Israeli territory.

On Friday, Israeli warplanes scattered leaflets across Beirut, warning of potential destruction comparable to the devastation inflicted on Gaza throughout Israel’s two-year conflict with Hamas militants. Large portions of Gaza have been demolished, with most residents forced to flee their homes.

Throughout its Gaza operations, Israel conducted multiple raids and strikes against hospitals, claiming militants were operating from these locations. Hamas has rejected accusations of hiding among Gaza’s civilian population, although portions of their tunnel system have been discovered running underneath medical facilities.

Under international law, civilian infrastructure including hospitals are designated as protected locations. While both attacking medical facilities and using them for military purposes typically violate international law, they may lose their protected designation under specific circumstances.

Israeli forces bombed a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday, stating Hezbollah was utilizing the structure, while Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of potential strikes against national infrastructure that Hezbollah exploits.

Israel has increased troop deployments along its northern Lebanese border and has indicated preparations for an extended military campaign.

A senior Israeli official informed Reuters on Friday that operations against Hezbollah would likely intensify and persist beyond any strikes against Iran.

The official revealed that targeting civilian infrastructure remains under consideration by leadership.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem announced Friday that his organization was ready for a prolonged conflict.

BERLIN — Jürgen Habermas, a towering figure in philosophy whose groundbreaking research on communication and rational thought established him as one of the most important thinkers of our time, passed away at age 96.

The German scholar died Saturday at his home in Starnberg, a town located near Munich, according to his publishing house Suhrkamp.

Throughout his career spanning multiple decades, Habermas regularly offered commentary on major political developments. His scholarly writings spanned multiple academic fields, offering insights into contemporary society and how people interact with one another. Among his most celebrated contributions was his comprehensive two-part work “Theory of Communicative Action.”

The philosopher, who was just 15 when Nazi Germany collapsed, later described how witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in 1945 and confronting the horrific truth about Nazi atrocities shaped his intellectual journey into philosophy and social analysis. He remembered realizing “you saw suddenly that it was a politically criminal system in which you had lived.”

During the turbulent student protests of the late 1960s, Habermas maintained a complex stance toward the left-wing movement in Germany and elsewhere. While he participated in discussions with activists, he also cautioned against what he termed “left-wing fascism” — a response to an inflammatory address by a student organizer that he later acknowledged was “slightly out of place.” Years afterward, he would credit the movement with spurring a “fundamental liberalization” throughout German society.

During the 1980s, Habermas played a central role in what became known as the Historians’ Dispute, where Berlin academic Ernst Nolte and his colleagues advocated for a revised interpretation of the Third Reich and German national identity. These historians sought to draw parallels between Hitler’s regime and brutalities committed by other nations, including Stalin’s mass killings in the Soviet Union. Habermas and his allies argued that these conservative scholars were attempting to diminish the severity of Nazi atrocities through such historical comparisons.

The philosopher endorsed the election of center-left leader Gerhard Schröder as Chancellor in 1998. He later criticized the “technocratic” governing style and apparent absence of political imagination under Schröder’s conservative replacement, Angela Merkel, lamenting in 2016 about the numbing impact on public discourse of “the foam blanket of Merkel’s policy of sending people to sleep.”

He expressed particular frustration with the “limited interest” demonstrated by German political figures, corporate executives and journalists in “shaping a politically effective Europe.” In 2017, he commended newly inaugurated French President Emmanuel Macron for presenting comprehensive European reform proposals, noting that “the way he speaks about Europe makes a difference.”

Born June 18, 1929, in Duesseldorf, Habermas spent his childhood in the neighboring town of Gummersbach, where his father served as director of the local chamber of commerce. At age 10, he joined the Deutsches Jungvolk, the Hitler Youth division for younger children.

A cleft palate condition at birth required multiple surgical procedures during his youth, an experience that significantly influenced his later theoretical work on language and communication.

Habermas described discovering the significance of verbal communication as “a layer of commonality without which we as individuals cannot exist” and remembered his difficulties in making others understand him. He also discussed the “superiority of the written word,” explaining that “the written form conceals the flaws of the oral.”

His spouse, Ute Habermas-Wesselhoeft, passed away last year. The couple raised three children together: Tilmann, Rebekka, who died in 2023, and Judith.

BERLIN – Juergen Habermas, the influential German thinker whose theories on democratic dialogue helped guide his nation’s moral awakening after World War II, passed away Saturday at age 96 in Starnberg, Germany, according to his publisher Suhrkamp.

For seven decades, the renowned philosopher’s public commentary – ranging from harsh criticism of fascist ideology in the 1950s to recent concerns about growing militarism and nationalism in Germany – influenced his country during pivotal moments in its history.

His enduring impact and the continued relevance of his work stand out particularly as Germany grapples with declining post-war pacifism and the far-right Alternative for Germany party’s rise to become the nation’s second-largest political force in parliament.

FORMATIVE YEARS AND EARLY INFLUENCE

Habermas entered the world on June 18, 1929, into a middle-class family in Dusseldorf. Born with a cleft palate that required multiple surgeries during infancy and childhood, he developed a speech impediment that scholars often point to as a formative influence on his later work examining human communication.

His upbringing occurred in a devoutly Protestant home where his economist father became a Nazi party member in 1933, though Habermas later described him as merely a “passive sympathiser.” Like most German youth of his generation, he joined the Hitler Youth organization. When he turned 15 near the war’s end, he successfully evaded military conscription by hiding from authorities seeking to draft him into the Wehrmacht.

During his studies at the University of Bonn, Habermas met fellow student Ute Wesselhoeft, with whom he bonded over their shared love of contemporary art, film and literature. The pair wed in 1955 and remained married until her death last year. They are survived by their children Tilmann and Judith. Their daughter Rebekka, who worked as a modern historian, passed away in 2023.

Habermas gained recognition as both a journalist and scholar during the 1950s, drawing inspiration from the Frankfurt School and Marxist philosophers including Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer.

His groundbreaking academic work traced how public discourse evolved from the elite salons of 18th-century Europe into the mass media-dominated public arena of the 20th century.

This analysis struck a chord with West Germans who were learning to engage in open political discussion following their liberation from Nazi rule, particularly as they lived under a conservative government that showed little patience for opposing viewpoints.

According to Philipp Felsch, author of the biography “The Philosopher,” Habermas essentially became a “public educator” for post-war Germans, maintaining both optimism and skepticism about their capacity to maintain democratic institutions.

CONFRONTING HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY

In 1986, Habermas sparked a major national discussion about the Holocaust after historians such as Ernst Nolte suggested that Nazi atrocities were not exceptional and should be viewed within the broader context of European warfare and violence.

Arguing for the singular nature of Third Reich crimes, Habermas insisted that “Vergangenheitsbewältigung” – the process of confronting and processing the past – must remain fundamental to German national identity.

“It was extremely important that Germany took a clear position on the question of guilt,” former foreign minister Joschka Fischer explained. “I was only able to understand the full implications of [Habermas’s contribution] later on.”

The distinctive German culture of Holocaust remembrance that emerged from this debate faces renewed challenges today, as the far-right AfD minimizes Nazi crimes and claims the Holocaust is weaponized against their movement.

EUROPEAN VISION AND RECENT CONTROVERSIES

When German reunification appeared likely in 1989, Habermas re-entered public discourse, though his wariness about recreating a unified German nation-state angered many of his countrymen.

He subsequently became a passionate supporter of European integration, viewing it as protection against renewed German nationalism. Following the millennium, he worked unsuccessfully to advance the adoption of a European constitution.

In a notable shift, Habermas gradually embraced religion as a significant and potentially positive influence in contemporary society. Having previously championed secularization, he eventually advocated for peaceful coexistence between secular and sacred elements. “Religion,” he contended, “is still indispensable in ordinary life for normalising intercourse with the extraordinary.” When asked about his personal faith, he responded: “I am, religiously-speaking, rather unmusical.”

Habermas’s final major public statement came in 2022 when he supported then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s measured approach to military assistance for Ukraine.

He subsequently advocated for diplomatic talks with Moscow, prompting Ukraine’s then-ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, to denounce him as a “disgrace for German philosophy” who would make fellow philosophers Kant and Hegel “turn over in their graves.”

Habermas later explained his stance: while he viewed the assault on Ukraine as “a fateful violation” of Europe’s post-World War II restraint regarding “the archaic violence of war,” he worried that this confrontation with a nuclear-armed nation “did not trigger any anguished reflection, but instead immediately prompted a highly emotionalised war mentality.”

FINAL CONCERNS

When biographer Felsch visited Habermas at his Bavarian residence in autumn 2023, he found a “very gloomy” individual who feared his political and philosophical contributions were in jeopardy.

Habermas voiced concerns that the Ukrainian conflict would lead Europe to “gambling away the last remnants of its geopolitical credibility” and worried about militarism’s resurgence in Germany, Felsch told public broadcaster rbb.

“What fascinated me during the visit was this encounter with a still very lucid thinker in whom I saw the embodiment of the country I grew up in, but that no longer existed,” Felsch reflected.

Anti-government demonstrators violently stormed a Communist Party headquarters in northern Cuba during the early morning hours of Saturday, according to state media reports, marking an unusual display of public unrest sparked by deteriorating power outages and worsening U.S. economic sanctions.

The demonstration began as a peaceful gathering Friday evening in Moron, a coastal city located approximately 250 miles east of Havana near the Cayo Coco tourist destination, but escalated into violence by Saturday morning, the state-controlled Invasor newspaper reported.

Social media footage captured large flames and individuals hurling stones through building windows while voices could be heard calling out “liberty” in the background. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos purportedly showing the disturbance in Moron.

The escalating tensions come as the United States has intensified economic pressure on Cuba throughout this year following the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who serves as Cuba’s primary international ally and economic supporter.

President Trump has eliminated Venezuelan petroleum deliveries to Cuba and issued threats of imposing tariffs on any nation that provides oil to the island nation, creating additional strain on an economy already facing severe shortages of food, fuel, electricity, and medical supplies.

Trump has recently made multiple public statements suggesting Cuba is approaching economic collapse or seeking negotiations with the United States. Cuban officials announced Friday that discussions with Washington have commenced in an effort to ease the current crisis.

Violent public demonstrations are extremely uncommon in Cuba. While Cuba’s 2019 constitution provides citizens with demonstration rights, specific legislation defining those rights remains stalled in the legislative process, creating legal uncertainty for street protesters.

“What initially began peacefully, and after an exchange with local authorities, turned into acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Party Committee,” the Invasor newspaper said.

“A smaller group of people stoned the entrance of the building and started a fire in the street with furniture from the reception area,” it added.

The vandalism extended to multiple other government-operated facilities in the surrounding area, including a pharmacy and a state-run market, according to the report.

One unconfirmed social media video captured what appeared to be gunfire, with the camera showing someone on the ground. However, the state media outlet Vanguardia de Cuba refuted online claims that police had shot the individual.

“The image circulating shows the scene of the protest, but it’s important for the public to know the truth: no one was injured by gunfire,” Vanguardia de Cuba said on X.

“Media manipulation seeks to sow fear and confusion among our people. Let’s not fall for provocations,” it added.

Authorities arrested five individuals, while one intoxicated participant suffered injuries from falling and received treatment at a nearby hospital.

Throughout the past week, small groups of Havana residents have engaged in pot-banging protests against extended power outages.

University students conducted a sit-in demonstration Monday on the University of Havana steps after officials canceled in-person classes, citing the U.S. oil embargo as the cause. Fuel shortages have severely limited public transportation, creating significant obstacles for educators and students attempting to attend classes.

Moron previously experienced substantial protests during the July 11, 2021 anti-government demonstrations, which represented the largest civil unrest since Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution.

KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey (AP) — When explosions struck close to her residence in Golestan, a city in eastern Iran, 32-year-old hairdresser Merve Pourkaz made the difficult decision to abandon her home.

The young woman journeyed approximately 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) to reach a mountainous border checkpoint, hoping to find refuge in the Turkish city of Van.

“If they let me, I will stay in Van until the war ends,” she told The Associated Press recently while waiting at the crossing. “If the war doesn’t end, maybe I’ll go back and die.”

According to United Nations refugee agency estimates, Pourkaz represents one of 3.2 million Iranians who have been forced from their homes since fighting began between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran. While many are finding temporary refuge in more secure areas within Iran or in adjacent nations, some individuals are actually traveling back from overseas, determined to defend their loved ones and property.

The number of people choosing to leave remains relatively small thus far: U.N. data shows approximately 1,300 Iranians cross into Turkey daily since hostilities commenced, with some days seeing more people return to Iran than depart. However, Iran’s neighboring countries and European nations are expressing growing alarm about a potential refugee emergency if the conflict continues, prompting preparations for various scenarios.

While Pourkaz made her way into Turkey, 45-year-old Leila Rabetnezhadfard traveled in the opposite direction.

Rabetnezhadfard had been in Istanbul making wedding plans with a German university professor when the conflict erupted. She delayed her marriage ceremony and departed for her hometown of Shiraz in southern Iran.

“How can I feel safe in Istanbul when my family is living in Iran during the war?” said Rabetnezhadfard, explaining that bringing her family to Istanbul wasn’t an option because her apartment is small, her brother needs medical care, and life there is expensive.

“I will not leave Iran until the war ends,” she said.

United Nations officials have cautioned that ongoing hostilities will probably force additional Iranians to abandon their residences.

Similar to the 12-day military action from the previous year, numerous Iranians are currently remaining in their homes, either lacking funds to evacuate or responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s February 28 advisory.

“Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere,” he said.

While massive numbers of Iranians have not yet departed the nation, residents have been moving from major urban centers to the comparatively safer rural areas near the Caspian Sea north of Tehran, the capital, according to the International Organization for Migration.

“Movement out of Iran appears limited mainly because people are prioritizing staying with their families, as well as the safety of their families and property, and due to security conditions and logistical constraints,” said Salvador Gutierrez, chief of the IOM’s mission in Iran.

Should Iran’s essential infrastructure face destruction, this could trigger mass movements of people attempting to enter one of Iran’s neighboring nations: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iraq.

“If Tehran, a city of 10 million people, doesn’t have water, they’re going to go somewhere,” said Alex Vatanka, a fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

The country already hosts one of the globe’s largest displaced populations: approximately 2.5 million forced migrants primarily from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Should the situation worsen, humanitarian organizations indicate the most probable destinations for displaced people would be Iran’s frontiers with Iraq and Turkey, spanning roughly 2,200 kilometers (1,367 miles) across challenging mountainous landscape inhabited by numerous Kurdish populations and difficult to monitor.

Turkey previously maintained what officials called an open-door policy that permitted millions of Syrian displaced persons to enter during Syria’s prolonged civil conflict. However, the country has since abandoned this strategy for multiple reasons.

Turkish officials have instead developed plans to house Iranian refugees in “buffer zones” near the frontier, or in temporary camps or housing within Turkey, according to the country’s Hurriyet newspaper quoting Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci.

Iranians who have escaped the fighting will probably not pursue official refugee recognition in Turkey because asylum applications could require years to resolve, if approved at all, according to Sara Karakoyun, an aid worker at the independent Human Resource Development Foundation located near the border.

“They don’t want to wait in limbo for years for a refugee status they might not get,” she said.

Turkey’s defense ministry announced in January that the nation had strengthened its Iranian border by constructing 380 kilometers of concrete barriers, 203 optical monitoring towers and 43 surveillance positions.

Turkey will probably deploy military forces to patrol its frontier and strictly regulate the movement of people entering the country while requesting European Union funding to assist with refugee management, according to Riccardo Gasco, an analyst at the IstanPol Institute.

The Syrian refugee emergency from ten years ago fundamentally changed EU-Turkey relations. Almost two-thirds of the 4.5 million Syrians escaping civil war settled in Turkey. Many subsequently traveled to Europe using small watercraft.

Brussels and Ankara negotiated a migration agreement in 2016 where the EU provided Turkey incentives and up to 6 billion euros ($7.1 billion) in assistance for Syrian refugees within its borders to convince Ankara to prevent tens of thousands of migrants from departing for Greece.

Humanitarian groups criticized that agreement for creating outdoor detention facilities with deplorable conditions. However, EU leadership viewed the deal as life-saving, preventing many migrants from reaching EU territory while improving refugee conditions in Turkey.

The agreement’s renewal comes up this year, but Turkish public opinion has turned against Syrian refugees and anti-immigration right-wing political movements have gained strength across parts of Europe.

Additionally, another displacement crisis is already developing even nearer to Europe, with combat in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah forcing more than 800,000 people from their homes so far.

“We’ve got a situation (in the Middle East) that could have grave humanitarian consequences right at a time where humanitarian funding has been completely slashed,” said Ninette Kelley, chair of the World Refugee & Migration Council, pointing to the Trump administration’s gutting of USAID. “Is the world ready for another humanitarian disaster?”

CAIRO, March 14 – In an unprecedented public statement about Iranian policy, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas has urged Tehran to exercise restraint with neighboring nations while backing Iran’s right to defend itself against U.S.-Israeli strikes.

This marks the first occasion Hamas has openly weighed in on Iran’s strategic decisions. The group has shown support for Iran throughout the ongoing conflict but has previously avoided making threats about potential retaliatory measures.

“While the group affirms Iran’s right to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, it calls upon our brothers in Iran not to target neighboring countries,” the organization stated.

Hamas also urged regional nations and international bodies to work toward an immediate end to the current warfare.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect in October, though sporadic violence has continued to erupt. Israeli military operations in Gaza initially decreased when the conflict with Iran began but have subsequently intensified.

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel on March 2 in response to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader at the conflict’s outset. Israel has since conducted extensive strikes against Lebanon and targeted the militant group.

The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, who initiated a maritime campaign against vessels they believed were connected to Israel in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict, have also demonstrated strong support for Tehran. However, they have not yet indicated plans to restart their attacks.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Popular Ugandan opposition figure Bobi Wine announced Saturday that he has escaped the country while evading a military manhunt following January’s contested presidential race.

The opposition leader, born Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, disappeared from public view after the January 15 election results. Official tallies showed incumbent President Yoweri Museveni secured 71.6% of votes, but Wine denounced these numbers as fraudulent.

For several weeks, Wine’s whereabouts remained a mystery, sparking widespread worry about his wellbeing as army commander Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba issued repeated warnings against him on social media platform X.

The general, who is Museveni’s son and expected successor, has implied Wine faces criminal charges without providing specifics. However, Ugandan police officials deny actively pursuing him.

Speaking in a video message shared on X Saturday, a bearded Wine confirmed his departure from Uganda without disclosing his destination.

“Fellow Ugandans and friends of Uganda all over the world, by the time you see this video I will have left the country for some critical engagements outside Uganda,” he said. “And at the right time I will come back and continue with the cause. I thank all of you fellow Ugandans who have concealed and protected me for all this time when the regime was looking for me.”

Wine credited ordinary citizens for his ability to evade capture, stating security forces couldn’t locate him “because the people have protected me.”

Government troops stormed Wine’s residence one day after the January 15 voting concluded, but the candidate had already vanished, concerned for his safety after weeks of campaigning while wearing protective gear at events heavily monitored by security personnel.

Kainerugaba has spearheaded efforts to locate Wine, labeling him a “baboon” and “terrorist” in social media posts. The general frequently shares inflammatory content online, which he typically removes afterward.

Among seven challengers to Museveni’s rule, Wine gained significant support from younger voters in cities, many facing unemployment or frustrated by government corruption and limited economic prospects. These supporters desire political transformation after four decades under the same leadership.

The 81-year-old Museveni is scheduled for inauguration in May, beginning a seventh term that would extend his rule to nearly five decades.

Museveni’s backers praise him for maintaining relative stability and peace, making Uganda a refuge for hundreds of thousands fleeing conflicts across the region. Critics, including former allies, argue his administration has become increasingly authoritarian.

BERLIN — A leading Belarus democracy activist finally collected a prestigious European award on Saturday, four years after she was imprisoned for challenging her country’s authoritarian government.

Maria Kolesnikova received the International Charlemagne Prize during a ceremony in Aachen, Germany. The award was originally given to her in 2022, but her sister Tatsiana Khomich had to accept it on her behalf while Kolesnikova remained behind bars.

The 43-year-old became a central figure during the massive demonstrations that swept through Belarus in 2020. She worked closely with opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced to flee the country after mounting an electoral challenge against longtime dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

Kolesnikova became instantly recognizable during the protests with her short haircut, bright smile, and signature move of forming a heart shape with her hands while leading marches. Her status as a resistance icon was cemented when government forces attempted to force her out of the country in September 2020. At the Ukrainian border, she managed to escape her captors momentarily, destroyed her passport, and deliberately returned to Belarus, where she was immediately arrested.

The former professional flute player faced conviction in 2021 on charges that included plotting to overthrow the government, resulting in an 11-year prison term. During her incarceration, she became severely ill and required surgical treatment.

Her freedom came in December when she was among dozens of political prisoners released as part of an agreement with the United States that resulted in the removal of harsh American sanctions on Belarus’s fertilizer industry.

The honor Kolesnikova received takes its name from Charlemagne, the medieval Holy Roman emperor who governed much of western Europe from Aachen. Past winners of this award include French President Emmanuel Macron, former President Bill Clinton, Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The prize committee honored Kolesnikova for her “extraordinary courage” in advocating for democratic principles, fair elections, and fundamental human rights.

BAGHDAD – Security officials confirmed Saturday that three fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces died during an attack on the militia group’s headquarters in Baghdad early Saturday morning.

The casualties occurred when the Shi’ite militia organization’s compound came under fire, according to security officials who spoke about the incident.

Authorities have not provided additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding the deadly attack.

American military forces carried out a major bombing campaign against Iranian military installations on Kharg Island Friday evening, according to an announcement from U.S. Central Command on Saturday.

The operation targeted more than 90 Iranian military facilities on the strategic island location, with CENTCOM stating that “U.S. forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, while preserving the oil infrastructure.”

According to military officials posting on social media platform X, the bombing campaign eliminated facilities used for storing naval mines, destroyed bunkers housing missile stockpiles, and took out numerous additional military installations.

The military action followed President Donald Trump’s warning issued Friday, in which he threatened to target Iran’s critical Kharg Island oil operations if the Iranian government continued its attacks on shipping vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces conducted a coordinated aerial bombardment targeting the capital region, using both missiles and unmanned aircraft to strike multiple locations.

The assault impacted four separate districts within the Kyiv region, causing widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure. Residential buildings, educational institutions, commercial establishments, and essential services facilities sustained damage during the offensive.

The attack represents the latest escalation in Russia’s ongoing military campaign against Ukrainian territory, with the capital region continuing to face regular bombardments despite Ukrainian air defense efforts.

Pakistan’s president delivered a sharp rebuke to Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership on Saturday, declaring they had overstepped acceptable boundaries by conducting drone strikes against civilian targets within Pakistani territory.

President Asif Ali Zardari stated that the Kabul administration has brought serious repercussions upon itself through these actions. His condemnation comes amid the most violent exchanges yet between the two neighboring nations.

Pakistani military forces successfully intercepted the unmanned aircraft launched Friday, but debris from the destroyed drones wounded four people, including two children in Quetta and two others in different locations across the country.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan countered by alleging that Pakistan conducted aerial bombardments in Kabul and eastern regions of Afghanistan on Friday, resulting in six civilian deaths and 15 injuries.

Kabul subsequently claimed its air force retaliated by striking military facilities near Islamabad and in Pakistan’s northwestern territories.

Pakistani officials rejected accusations of targeting non-combatants, insisting their military operations focus exclusively on Pakistani Taliban fighters and their support structures. Islamabad has characterized the situation as an “open war,” heightening international concerns about regional stability while conflicts involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran continue affecting the Middle East.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reported that Pakistani aircraft also bombed fuel storage facilities owned by private carrier Kam Air near Kandahar’s airport, infrastructure he said serves both civilian and United Nations flights.

Pakistan maintains that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are providing sanctuary to Pakistani militant organizations, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, who exploit the unstable border to launch attacks on Pakistani security forces. Islamabad also accuses Kabul of partnering with India, Pakistan’s primary regional rival. Afghan authorities deny sheltering extremist groups.

A roadside explosive device killed seven police officers in Pakistan’s northwestern Lakki Mawat district on Friday.

Zardari condemned Kabul’s leadership, stating: “While the Afghan terrorist regime seeks negotiations with our friendly countries, it crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for diplomatic resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions on Friday, cautioning that military action intensifies hostilities and endangers regional peace. China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday that Wang had discussed the crisis with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Wang revealed that China’s special representative is traveling between both nations to encourage moderation and promote a cessation of hostilities. Muttaqi emphasized Afghanistan’s desire for regional harmony and opposition to armed conflict, maintaining that diplomatic dialogue offers the sole path forward while requesting greater Chinese involvement.

A ceasefire mediated by Qatar temporarily eased tensions in October, but follow-up discussions in Turkey have failed to establish a permanent resolution.

NEW DELHI, March 14 – Tehran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed Saturday that Iran has granted permission for certain Indian ships to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, marking an unusual exemption to the maritime blockade that has affected worldwide energy shipments.

Speaking at the India Today broadcaster’s conference in New Delhi, Fathali declined to specify how many ships have received safe passage authorization.

Following the commencement of U.S. and Israeli bombing operations against Iran, Tehran has significantly restricted vessel movement through the strategic waterway that borders its coastline. The strait serves as a crucial route for approximately 20% of the world’s petroleum and maritime liquefied natural gas transportation.

LONDON – Representatives for Prince Harry issued a scathing response Saturday to a recently published biography that alleges Queen Camilla accused Meghan Markle of having “brainwashed” her stepson, calling the work a “deranged conspiracy.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have maintained distance from Britain’s royal family ever since they withdrew from their official roles in 2020 and relocated to California, though they remain subjects of intense public fascination in the UK and internationally.

Author Tom Bower, known for his royal family biographies, published excerpts from his latest work in the Times newspaper, claiming that conflicts between the Sussexes and other royals emerged soon after their spectacular 2018 wedding ceremony.

The couple now maintains minimal communication with other members of the royal family, and Harry has had few encounters with his father King Charles in recent years.

According to Bower’s account, Prince William and his wife Kate became concerned about Meghan’s influence on Harry and viewed her as a potential danger to the family.

The author claims that Camilla, Harry’s stepmother, confided to an acquaintance: “Meghan’s brainwashed Harry.”

The book’s excerpts also suggest that Harry felt disturbed by the downfall of his uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who lost his royal titles and residence due to connections with deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and worried his brother might similarly cast him out.

Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson delivered an unusually forceful rebuttal, stating that Bower’s analysis has “long crossed the line from criticism into fixation.”

“Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him,” the spokesperson declared.

Buckingham Palace refused to provide commentary on behalf of King Charles and Queen Camilla, while representatives for Prince William and Kate have not yet responded.

Students at Venezuela’s Central University took an unprecedented step in mid-February when their demonstration moved beyond campus boundaries and onto the streets of Caracas for the first time in years.

Prior to the January 3 U.S. military action that led to Nicolas Maduro’s capture, Venezuelan students faced severe consequences for public activism. While university grounds provided some safety, those who demonstrated in public areas faced beatings, imprisonment, or worse treatment. International organizations including the United Nations have documented torture methods used against Venezuelan detainees, such as electric shock, suffocation, and forced sleep deprivation.

The sight of students marching beyond campus walls while chanting “free them all” alongside family members of political prisoners represented a bold new stance.

“I was born in 2003 and all I knew was fear…until today,” 22-year-old Paola Carrillo, a student union representative, told the assembled crowd. “We are fighting for the freedom we want.”

Venezuelan college students became symbols of resistance during massive anti-government demonstrations ten years ago, often appearing bloodied from confrontations with authorities while carrying their national flag.

Those earlier movements collapsed under government pressure that included student and faculty arrests, violence from pro-government motorcycle groups that resulted in hundreds of deaths, and economic hardship that forced many to leave school for work. Smaller demonstrations in 2019, 2024, and early 2025 were rapidly suppressed.

Today’s student activists represent a fresh wave of opposition. Ten student leaders from universities across Venezuela told Reuters they feel more optimistic following Maduro’s removal and safer expressing dissent than they have in recent memory.

These students, between ages 22 and 27, have experienced only the socialist ‘Chavismo’ system established by former President Hugo Chavez in 1999.

“I hadn’t done anything like this before, and I think now is the moment even though it’s frightening,” said Carrillo, who is completing law school and was barely a teenager during the previous major student uprisings.

Her mission, she explained, involves encouraging participation “to let people who feel like I do know that they have a voice, that there is someone who feels the same and is still here, trying.”

Neither Venezuela’s communications ministry nor the attorney general’s office provided responses to inquiries about this story.

The student movement’s objectives extend well beyond prisoner releases. They seek elimination of hate speech and terrorism laws they view as oppressive tools, legitimate democratic elections, and what they term “reinstitutionalization” – rebuilding state institutions they believe the socialist party has dismantled.

Students also demand increased university funding and professor salary improvements, as educators currently earn only $4 monthly.

Miguelangel Suarez, 26, who leads the Central University student federation, directly challenged Interim President Delcy Rodriguez during her January campus visit, creating a viral moment on Venezuelan social media.

“I told the group: ‘Look, I’m going to confront Delcy Rodriguez.’ About 20 others stood up and decided, ‘We’re going with you.’ That says a lot about how the paradigm has changed since January 3,” he recalled.

This represented an unusual unplanned interaction for the 56-year-old Rodriguez, a Central University alumna and lawyer who rarely grants interviews or accepts questions, typically appearing only at government-supporting events.

“She told us we weren’t letting her speak. On the contrary, we were — and still are — willing to engage in dialogue,” said Suarez, who will graduate in December with a political and administrative studies degree. “As a graduate, and as someone with such important responsibilities, she should come and talk with us about the many problems facing universities.”

While opposing the government, many students remain unaffiliated with formal opposition parties and haven’t focused on upcoming elections promised by the United States.

Approximately 1.3 million students can vote, according to Carlos Melendez, a sociologist directing the non-governmental Observatory of Universities, potentially creating a significant voting bloc in the nation of 28 million.

“We are seeing a group of students who not only want to study, but also to engage in the country’s political agenda,” said Melendez, who has tracked Venezuela’s higher education system since 2018. Their involvement stems “not due to party indoctrination, but rather a reaction to the government and its policies, as they seek to push for democratic restoration.”

Students nationwide expressed appreciation for Maduro’s departure while remaining skeptical of U.S. involvement and wishing his removal had occurred through alternative methods.

Maikel Carracedo, 27, studying law at the University of Zulia in Maracaibo, learned about the U.S. operation when a friend’s phone call awakened him saying “They’re invading Caracas!”

“The first thing I did was make myself a cup of coffee. My first coffee in freedom,” he recalled.

Despite celebrating the potential conclusion of the Chavista period and hopes for rebuilding, Carracedo shared other students’ concerns about the intervention method.

“We truly hoped that change would come in a much more democratic, peaceful way,” he said. “Nobody wants their country to be bombed or attacked, but that’s what happened. Most people weren’t injured, it was surgical. And I’m genuinely glad because the dictator’s departure was quite significant.”

Carrillo, the Caracas student leader, noted that young Venezuelans generally “would have preferred to reach this point differently.”

“Deep down there is frustration that it couldn’t be done by us and that the situation, the circumstances, the regime, led us to this point where someone else had to do it for us,” she explained. “Furthermore, there is practically indirect administration by a third country over our country and especially over our resources.”

President Donald Trump has consistently praised Rodriguez for stabilizing Venezuela after Maduro’s removal and for opening the country to oil and mining opportunities.

Maduro consistently rejected claims of running a dictatorship and maintained he won his third term fairly in 2024, though opposition groups and international observers assert the opposition coalition candidate actually won.

Some students have personal connections to prisoner releases.

Jose Castellanos, a 22-year-old economics student at Lisandro Alvarado Central Western University in Lara state, spent nearly four months in detention after his October 2025 arrest on terrorism, hate incitement, and treason charges, all of which he denies.

Officials accused Castellanos of displaying a banner reading ‘Freedom… it’s happening’ on a university building.

He was detained with his brother, a communications student and journalist, and their mother. All three have since been freed.

“Being in prison made me mature. It gave me more courage and strength to fight for the country’s freedom, for democracy,” Castellanos said during a February march in Barquisimeto. “We will continue peacefully in the streets, with the truth on our side, demanding our rights as Venezuelans.”

At least two Central University students and two professors gained release from detention in February, according to student leader Suarez. Among them was Jesus Armas, a professor, human rights advocate, and opposition figure arrested in December 2024 on terrorism charges he denies.

“We are basically going through a personal transition — from uncertainty and fear of speaking out to feeling freer,” said Luigi Lombardo, 26, a social sciences education student at the University of Carabobo, noting that Maduro’s capture represented “the end for us of a long and painful era.”

“It’s the freedom to say what you feel, to express the circumstances you’re living through today or the needs facing the university, such as lack of transportation funding, increases in student grants and decent salaries for professors,” Lombardo explained. “Now there is space to express that discontent…to understand that the country is moving toward reconciliation.”