Author: Admin

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has finalized petroleum agreements with energy giant Shell, according to state-controlled media reports released Thursday, though specific terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

State broadcaster VTV aired footage without sound showing Rodriguez meeting with formally dressed officials, including U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is currently visiting the South American nation.

Shell has not yet provided a response to requests for information about the agreements.

Military-focused state television channel TV FANB announced the development on their Telegram platform, stating: “In a decisive step toward strengthening our industry, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez led the signing of important agreements with international oil company Shell. This strategic alliance reaffirms that Venezuela continues to be a safe and reliable destination for foreign investment, driving the development of the hydrocarbons sector and the nation’s economic stability.”

Burgum, who leads the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, has praised Rodriguez’s efforts to welcome international investment in the country’s oil and mining sectors, mirroring statements made by President Donald Trump.

This marks the second visit by a U.S. cabinet member to Venezuela following January’s American military operation that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro. Energy Secretary Chris Wright made a trip to the country in February.

Venezuela’s parliament approved comprehensive oil sector legislation in January that reduced tax burdens, enhanced the petroleum ministry’s authority, and provided independence for private energy companies, among other changes designed to encourage investment.

Israeli military forces unleashed a series of intensive nighttime bombardments against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut after instructing civilians to evacuate the area, while the militant organization issued counter-warnings for Israelis living near the Lebanese border.

The night sky above Beirut’s southern districts was illuminated by explosions and bright flashes, according to video evidence. Israeli defense officials reported conducting 26 separate bombing campaigns throughout the night, focusing on what they described as Hezbollah command centers and ammunition depots.

Israeli military representatives had instructed southern suburb residents on Thursday to relocate toward the east and north, releasing a detailed map that highlighted four major sections of the capital that needed immediate evacuation, including zones near Beirut’s airport.

In response, Hezbollah published a Hebrew-language warning on its Telegram platform early Friday morning, urging Israeli citizens to abandon communities located within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the Lebanese frontier.

“Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged,” Hezbollah said.

Throughout the 2024 conflict between the two forces, tens of thousands of Israeli residents were relocated from border communities, though many have subsequently returned home. Israeli government representatives have stated there are currently no immediate plans for additional evacuations.

Lebanon became entangled in the broader Middle Eastern conflict this past Monday when Hezbollah initiated attacks, sparking a fresh Israeli military campaign concentrated on Beirut’s southern neighborhoods and Lebanon’s southern and eastern regions.

Israeli authorities have also directed Lebanese civilians to abandon extensive areas throughout southern and eastern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s health ministry reports that this week’s Israeli military operations have resulted in 123 deaths and 683 injuries. These statistics do not separate civilian casualties from military personnel.

No Israeli deaths have been documented from Hezbollah’s retaliatory strikes.

The Shiite Muslim organization, which Iran’s Revolutionary Guards founded in 1982, suffered significant losses during Israel’s 2024 military campaign.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan authorities began moving more than 200 Iranian sailors from their disabled vessel to land on Friday, after the ship requested emergency assistance while positioned in international waters near the island nation. The operation follows Wednesday’s sinking of an Iranian warship by an American submarine, which has heightened tensions throughout the Indian Ocean region.

Navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath confirmed that crew members from the IRIS Bushehr were initially being transported to Colombo’s port, with plans to relocate the vessel itself to a harbor on the island’s eastern coastline.

“The process of bringing personnel ashore is currently underway,” Sampath explained, noting that the sailors would undergo health screenings and immigration processing before being housed at the Welisara naval facility, located approximately 12 miles north of Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s decision to assume responsibility for the Iranian ship follows Wednesday’s attack when U.S. forces destroyed the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in waters near the island. The submarine strike represents one of the uncommon occasions since the Second World War where an underwater vessel has successfully targeted and destroyed a surface military ship, demonstrating the widening reach of American-Israeli operations against Iran.

The destroyed IRIS Dena had recently taken part in multinational naval training exercises organized by India, involving military forces from 74 nations including the United States, which participated with surveillance aircraft and ocean patrol operations, according to India’s Defense Ministry.

Following the underwater assault, Sri Lankan naval forces managed to save 32 crew members while retrieving 87 bodies from the wreckage.

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident as an “atrocity at sea” and warned that America would “bitterly regret” the assault.

On Thursday evening, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake explained that officials chose to take charge of the IRIS Bushehr following consultations with Iranian representatives and the vessel’s commanding officer, after mechanical problems disabled one of the ship’s engines.

“We must recognize this represents an exceptional circumstance. When a vessel from one nation requests entry to our harbor, we must evaluate such requests in accordance with international maritime agreements and protocols,” Dissanayake explained to reporters Thursday evening.

In a Friday social media post, he added: “No civilian should die in wars. Our approach is that every single life is as precious as our own.”

Iranian state media had previously identified the IRIS Bushehr as a naval support vessel equipped with helicopter landing capabilities.

The situation illustrates how Iran-related conflicts are expanding beyond Middle Eastern boundaries into the Indian Ocean, creating a challenging diplomatic situation for Sri Lanka as it attempts to balance humanitarian duties, international maritime regulations, and its traditional neutral foreign policy stance.

Dissanayake indicated that select crew members would stay aboard to assist Sri Lankan naval personnel in steering the ship to Trincomalee, a port facility on the island’s northeastern shore roughly 165 miles from Colombo. The remaining Iranian sailors will be accommodated at a military installation, he said, emphasizing that Sri Lanka was maintaining neutrality while honoring humanitarian commitments.

“We have maintained a transparent position. We will not show favoritism toward any nation, nor will we bow to pressure from any state,” he declared.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli strike last week, attention has turned to his son Mojtaba Khamenei as a leading contender for the nation’s highest position, despite his lack of formal government experience.

The 54-year-old has remained out of public view since Saturday’s Israeli airstrike on his father’s offices claimed the life of the 86-year-old leader. The attack also killed Mojtaba’s spouse, Zahra Haddad Adel, whose family has deep connections to Iran’s religious government structure.

While Iranian state media hasn’t disclosed his location, officials believe Mojtaba remains alive and has sought refuge as American and Israeli military operations continue targeting Iran.

His candidacy for succession has previously drawn criticism for potentially establishing a religious dynasty similar to Iran’s historical monarchy. However, the deaths of his father and wife, now viewed by hardliners as war martyrs against America and Israel, may strengthen his position with the elderly religious leaders of the 88-member Assembly of Experts responsible for choosing Iran’s next supreme leader.

The future leader will inherit command of Iran’s military forces during wartime and oversight of the country’s highly enriched uranium reserves that could potentially produce nuclear weapons if authorized.

According to United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S. advocacy organization, Mojtaba’s role paralleled that of Ahmad Khomeini, son of Iran’s founding Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, serving as “a combination of aide-de-camp, confidant, gatekeeper and power broker.”

President Donald Trump may have inadvertently strengthened Mojtaba’s prospects by denouncing him during a Thursday interview with Axios and demanding involvement in Iran’s leadership selection process.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment,” Trump stated, referencing his administration’s actions regarding former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Trump further declared: “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

Born in Mashhad in 1969, approximately a decade before Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Mojtaba witnessed his father’s opposition activities against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi during his childhood.

An official account of Ali Khamenei’s life describes an incident where the shah’s secret police, known as SAVAK, raided their residence and assaulted the religious leader. When the children awakened afterward, they were initially told their father had departed for a holiday.

“But I told them, ‘There is no need to lie.’ I told them the truth,” the elder Khamenei reportedly said.

Following the shah’s overthrow, the Khamenei family relocated to Tehran, Iran’s capital city. Mojtaba participated in the Iran-Iraq conflict as part of the Habib ibn Mazahir Battalion, a Revolutionary Guard paramilitary unit whose veterans later gained prominent intelligence roles, likely with Khamenei family support.

When his father assumed the supreme leadership in 1989, Mojtaba and his relatives gained access to billions in assets controlled by Iran’s bonyads, or foundations, which manage wealth from state enterprises and former royal holdings.

His influence expanded alongside his father’s authority as he operated from offices in central Tehran. U.S. diplomatic documents released by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s dubbed the younger Khamenei “the power behind the robes.” One report alleged he monitored his father’s communications, functioned as his “principal gatekeeper,” and was building his own political network.

A 2008 diplomatic cable described Khamenei as “widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership; his father may also see him in that light,” while noting his limited religious credentials and relatively young age.

“Mojtaba is, however, due to his skills, wealth, and unmatched alliances, reportedly seen by a number of regime insiders as a plausible candidate for shared leadership of Iran upon his father’s demise, whether that demise is soon or years in the future,” the document stated.

The U.S. Treasury reports that Mojtaba has maintained close relationships with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, including leaders of its overseas Quds Force and the volunteer Basij militia that brutally crushed nationwide demonstrations in January.

During Trump’s initial presidency in 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on him for working to “advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.”

These accusations include claims that Mojtaba secretly backed hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2005 election victory and his controversial 2009 reelection that triggered Green Movement demonstrations.

Former presidential candidate Mahdi Karroubi, who ran in both 2005 and 2009, condemned Mojtaba as “a master’s son” and accused him of election interference. His father reportedly responded at the time that his son was “a master himself, not a master’s son.”

Iran has experienced only one previous supreme leader transition since the Islamic Revolution. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini passed away at 86 after spearheading the revolution and guiding Iran through its eight-year conflict with Iraq.

The incoming leader will assume power following the 12-day conflict with Israel and during ongoing U.S.-Israeli efforts to neutralize Iran’s nuclear capabilities and military strength, while hoping Iranian citizens will revolt against their theocratic government.

Iran’s supreme leader sits at the center of the nation’s intricate Shiite religious government structure and maintains ultimate authority over all state affairs. The position also includes commander-in-chief responsibilities for the country’s armed forces and the Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary organization the United States classified as terrorist in 2019 and which gained significant power under his father’s leadership.

The Guard directs the self-proclaimed “Axis of Resistance,” a network of militant organizations and allies throughout the Middle East designed to oppose American and Israeli interests, while also controlling substantial business interests in Iran and the nation’s ballistic missile capabilities.

JERUSALEM – Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz disclosed Thursday that his country made the determination to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei back in November, with plans to execute the mission approximately six months down the road.

The Iranian leader was eliminated during the opening hours of a combined U.S.-Israeli aerial operation that commenced Saturday, marking the first time a nation’s highest leader has been assassinated via airstrike.

The collaborative military offensive is approaching the conclusion of its initial week following opening strikes that eliminated the nation’s leadership and triggered a broader regional conflict, featuring Iranian strikes on Israel, the Gulf region and Iraq, along with Israeli operations targeting Iran’s partner Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Already in November we were convened with the prime minister in a very tight forum and the prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) set the goal of eliminating Khamenei,” Katz stated during an interview with Israel’s N12 TV news. He indicated the original timeframe was established for mid-2026.

According to Katz, the strategy was ultimately coordinated with Washington and moved up to around January following the outbreak of demonstrations in Iran, when Israel grew worried that the pressured religious leadership might initiate an assault on Israeli and American interests throughout the Middle East.

Israeli officials have stated their objective is to remove what they perceive as an existential danger from Iran’s atomic weapons program and missile development capabilities, while also seeking to achieve governmental transformation. Iran’s leadership has thus far demonstrated no indication of surrendering authority.

NEW DELHI – Karnataka, a southern Indian state known for hosting the technology hub Bengaluru, has implemented a groundbreaking restriction prohibiting minors under 16 from accessing social media platforms, according to an announcement made Friday by the state’s Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who goes by a single name, revealed this historic decision during his budget address on Friday, making Karnataka the first Indian state to enact such a comprehensive ban.

“With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16,” Siddaramaiah stated during his speech.

The announcement positions Karnataka as a pioneer in addressing concerns about young people’s exposure to social media platforms and excessive screen time, particularly significant given the state’s prominence as India’s technology capital.

SINGAPORE – Asian fuel oil markets are facing severe supply disruptions as ongoing conflict in the Middle East dramatically reduces shipments through the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway, forcing traders to scramble for alternative sources from Western nations.

The supply crunch is expected to significantly impact bunker fuel availability for maritime vessels, with major shipping ports like Singapore bracing for additional price increases in the coming weeks. These rising refueling expenses will ultimately be passed on to companies that transport goods worldwide.

Market anticipation of worsening shortages triggered a dramatic price surge in fuel oil markets this week, particularly affecting high-sulfur fuel oil that typically originates from Middle Eastern sources.

Data from Kpler reveals that fuel oil shipments from the Strait of Hormuz to Asian markets normally reach 1.2 million metric tons monthly, equivalent to approximately 246,000 barrels daily, with roughly 70% destined for Southeast Asian countries.

Total fuel oil exports passing through the Strait of Hormuz generally amount to about 3.7 million tons each month, according to the data.

Current tanker movement through the strait has dropped to roughly 90% below last week’s levels, based on Kpler’s vessel tracking analysis.

“When such a large share of the global high-sulphur complex depends on a single chokepoint, even partial transit disruption can tighten balances quickly and amplify bunker volatility,” said Sumit Ritolia, lead analyst for refining and supply modelling at Kpler.

High-sulfur bunker fuel prices for delivery in Singapore, the world’s primary ship refueling center, have jumped more than 40% since hostilities began, while low-sulfur fuel oil costs have increased over 30%.

Western refineries could potentially provide some high-sulfur supply, but extremely elevated tanker rates are making trade economics nearly impossible, according to fuel oil traders.

“Everyone is struggling to find oil for the second half of March. Tankers are too expensive and arbitrage to Singapore is closed,” a Singapore-based trader said.

Potential supply alternatives include the United States and Mexico, traders noted, though available quantities remain inadequate. Venezuela represents another possible source, but those shipments have stayed in Western markets throughout this year.

“Obviously there is also Russia but these barrels remain sensitive for some buyers,” another trader said. Russian fuel continues to face sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict.

Iranian fuel oil also operates under longstanding sanctions, though China maintains purchases. However, those deliveries have also ceased due to the current conflict.

Any reduction in Iranian high-sulfur fuel oil supply would likely drive China’s independent asphalt manufacturers to increase straight-run fuel oil purchases from Russia, further limiting availability in the Singapore Strait, according to consultancy FGE NexantECA.

Some are turning to regional Asian refineries, but production volumes are expected to decrease as facilities reduce output amid crude oil shortages caused by the Middle Eastern conflict.

In low-sulfur markets, price increases have been more moderate since some supply continues from Brazil and Nigeria, although shipments from Kuwait’s al-Zour refinery remain blocked in the Gulf region.

Future replenishment expenses are anticipated to rise significantly due to broader market constraints, traders indicated.

Although the market is currently managing with substantial onshore inventory stockpiles in Singapore plus volumes held on vessels, these reserves are expected to decline rapidly in upcoming weeks, traders said.

A devastating explosion shattered the quiet of Tamar Biton’s kitchen as she prepared for what should have been her eldest son’s 17th birthday celebration. The Iranian missile strike that hit her home in Beit Shemesh, Israel, created destruction beyond anything she had ever witnessed.

Rushing to the remains of her window, Biton discovered flames and devastation stretching in every direction.

“I couldn’t find my kids, but I was sure they would be able to rescue them from underneath the rubble,” she recalled.

Her hopes would not be realized. A full day passed before rescue workers confirmed the deaths of three of her four children: Yaakov, who was hours away from his 17th birthday; Avigail, 15; and Sarah, 13.

The three siblings were among nine fatalities when Sunday’s Iranian missile attack leveled a synagogue and surrounding homes in Beit Shemesh. Israeli emergency services reported that 65 individuals required hospitalization, with two in critical condition.

This attack represents the most devastating single incident in Israel since hostilities erupted Saturday with American and Israeli military action against Iran. The expanding conflict now involves 14 nations throughout the Middle East and beyond, with casualty reports showing at least 1,230 deaths in Iran and over 100 in Lebanon, while Israeli losses total 11 people.

The surviving family members – Tamar, her husband Yitzhak, and their 4-year-old daughter Rachel – are now staying at a Jerusalem hotel while observing the traditional Jewish mourning period, their home having been completely destroyed.

Throughout endless hours of visitors offering condolences, Tamar shared memories of each lost child.

She described Yaakov as a born leader and gifted speaker who attended his father’s Jewish seminary and inspired friends to embrace religious observance. Avigail possessed intelligence, sensitivity, and deep thoughtfulness, while Sarah brought endless energy to household and community service.

When recounting these memories, Tamar’s face brightened as she recalled specific moments with each child she laid to rest Monday evening at Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives cemetery, among Judaism’s most sacred burial grounds.

Yet between these stories, she appeared to fold inward under the weight of her loss.

That tragic morning, Yitzhak had been leading a religious text study session attended by his son and Yaakov’s closest friend, 16-year-old Gavriel Ravach. Both young men perished in the attack.

Multiple families suffered similar devastating losses, including volunteer paramedic Ronit Elimelech, 45, who died alongside her mother Sara Elimelech. Penina Cohen lost both her husband Yosef and mother-in-law Buria. Her son, scheduled to celebrate his bar mitzvah Monday, instead attended funeral services for his father and grandmother, Cohen explained to Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his hospital visit.

When warning sirens announced the incoming missile Sunday afternoon, Yitzhak decided to remain in their house while Yaakov, Avigail, and Sarah headed toward the synagogue’s underground shelter, following official civilian safety protocols.

Rescue teams discovered Yaakov inside the protective shelter, though it remains uncertain whether his sisters reached safety in time, Tamar explained. The missile’s impact completely flattened the synagogue above the shelter and demolished homes across multiple nearby blocks.

As rescue efforts continued without finding her children alive, Tamar’s prayers shifted focus.

“I said to my husband, ‘Please let something be left of them — or do you think it’s just ash and that’s why they can’t identify them?’” she shared Thursday.

Yitzhak described attempting to search for his children despite overwhelming fear of what he might discover.

“They started taking out bodies, and I kept saying, ‘Where are my children? Where are my children?’ When they came and asked for a DNA sample, I knew the answer,” he explained.

Both parents maintain their religious faith, sharing stories with visitors about Yaakov’s commitment to avoiding digital devices forbidden by Orthodox Judaism and their daughters’ charitable actions.

Yitzhak plans to establish a Jewish seminary honoring his children’s memory, focused on promoting unity among Israeli youth and addressing divisive issues like unfounded hatred and negativity.

“They sanctified God’s name with their life, and also after their death, they continue sanctifying his name,” Yitzhak said, tears streaming down his face.

Tamar credits her daily spiritual practices with sustaining her faith through this tragedy.

“Faith isn’t built in a day,” she reflected. “Faith is a gift from God, and faith is what gives you the ability to stand in front of these challenges, these experiences, in front of these waves.”

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Thousands of young partygoers packed into a spacious venue in Lekki, an affluent Lagos neighborhood, on a recent Friday evening.

The massive hall remained shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by pulsing green strobe lights emanating from the stage, making it nearly impossible to see faces just a few feet away. These attendees had gathered for what they called therapy.

This was Group Therapy, a wildly popular rave event in Lagos that offers participants an entirely different nighttime experience unavailable elsewhere in Nigeria’s bustling commercial capital.

For generations, Lagos nightlife has revolved around table service culture — an exclusive club atmosphere centered on how much patrons spend on beverages and premium seating arrangements. This competitive party environment has increasingly excluded young Nigerians struggling with the country’s soaring inflation rates.

Group Therapy operates differently — no reserved tables exist. Party-goers in Lekki moved together in close quarters on the dance floor. A single modest bar offered beverages at prices significantly lower than standard Lagos nightclubs.

“At raves, the dance floor is present. You go to a usual Lagos party, and there is no dance floor,” DJ Aniko, the founder of Group Therapy, told The Associated Press. “We barely have spaces to just dance, spaces you can just go to literally have a nice time. Most places you have to make a reservation, or book a table, it is a lot more complicated.”

Yetunde Onikoyi, 28, started going to raves last year.

“Ever since then, I have been hooked by the neck; it is like a chokehold. I always want to be here,” Onikoyi said.

Traditional nightclub culture operates on a table service model where partying becomes a competition over who purchases the most beverages at premium prices, with seating arranged in multiple tiers including VVIP, VIP and general admission.

Individual bottles can range from 100,000 naira ($72.34) to nearly one million naira, effectively excluding most young residents dealing with challenging economic conditions. Servers parade through venues carrying drinks with LED displays identifying tables of the evening’s biggest spenders. Group Therapy admission costs only 21,000 naira ($15.19), with no obligation to buy drinks.

Industry observers say rave culture has emerged as a direct response to traditional club table service.

“Raves are more democratic,” said Oluwamayowa Idowu, founder of Culture Custodian, a leading culture publication in Lagos. “What this says is that people don’t have the purchasing power to sustain a club lifestyle. Clubs are still open and busy, but just generally in today’s climate, there is more of a focus on you enjoying yourself as opposed to you performing enjoying yourself.”

Aniko told the AP that several patrons have reached out to create separate seats, requests which they have declined on several occasions.

“Finding a place that still focuses on the human aspects of things, as against the materialism or need to amass as much as possible, is always a blessing,” said Dayo Williams, a consultant who had come to the party.

DJs took turns at their equipment throughout the late evening into early morning hours, delivering continuous high-energy beats that energized the venue, building to thunderous peaks before transitioning into new musical sequences. Crowds of dancers moved rhythmically while bodies swayed energetically.

Beginning around 2022 following post-pandemic integration of South African musical styles, DJs started incorporating African sound elements into house music — an electronic dance music subgenre that has become the preferred choice for Lagos raves. These events, considered more welcoming than traditional clubs, have gained popularity among younger generations challenging Nigeria’s conservative social norms.

House music “evokes feelings,” said Zia Yusuf, a content writer and creator who attended. “You just connect to the music, and you connect to the music with other people who connect to the music with you.”

Cultural analysts view this as part of South African musical influence spreading globally, similar to amapiano’s rise.

Nigeria has recently gained international recognition through its artists’ explosive success, sharing its music worldwide while simultaneously embracing various imported genres. The selection of house music is intentional, according to Aniko. Aniko doesn’t want musicians to control Group Therapy like they often do in big clubs, sometimes previewing unreleased songs or dictating the audience’s choice for the night.

“Once you are reliant on the mainstream industry for the music, the mainstream creeps into the space,” Aniko said.

March 5, 2026

Extensive areas of Cuba experienced widespread power failures this week following a major electrical outage that struck the island’s western regions. Officials attributed the latest blackout to the country’s deteriorating power infrastructure and ongoing fuel shortages that continue to plague the nation’s electrical system.

In Mexico City, Colombian superstar Shakira made history by shattering the attendance record at the iconic Zócalo plaza. Approximately 400,000 devoted fans packed the historic square for the final show of her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” tour, nearly two decades after her initial performance at the same venue.

Tragedy struck Bolivia when a military aircraft transporting 18 tons of fresh currency notes went down, resulting in the deaths of more than 20 individuals aboard the flight.

This photo collection was assembled by Leslie Mazoch, a photo editor based in Mexico City.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Ballot counting commenced Friday across Nepal following the nation’s historic parliamentary election, marking the first countrywide voting since deadly youth-led demonstrations drove the previous administration from office in September.

By Friday morning, the Election Commission had initiated vote tallying in 53 out of 165 districts, with officials planning to start processing ballots in all remaining areas before day’s end.

Authorities deployed helicopters to transport ballot boxes from isolated mountain polling locations, some requiring multiple days of trekking to reach on foot, according to election administrators.

Officials projected final results would be available by weekend, estimating approximately 60% of eligible citizens participated in the voting.

Citizens directly selected 165 representatives for the House of Representatives, parliament’s lower house. The remaining 110 positions in the 275-seat legislature will be filled using proportional representation, where parties receive seats based on their overall vote percentages.

Enthusiastic crowds assembled outside ballot-counting facilities throughout the country. In Kathmandu, the capital city, candidate supporters celebrated with cheers and campaign chants.

Political observers characterize the race as a three-candidate competition, driven by citizen frustration over rampant corruption and calls for increased governmental transparency.

The National Independent Party, established in 2022, has emerged as the leading contender, mounting a serious challenge against two established political forces: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

The upstart party’s prime ministerial nominee is Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician who captured Kathmandu’s mayoral office in 2022 and became a prominent leader during the 2025 demonstrations that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

The 35-year-old Shah, capitalizing on widespread dissatisfaction with established political organizations, emphasized healthcare and educational improvements for Nepal’s impoverished population throughout his campaign.

The 2025 anti-government demonstrations, sparked initially by social media restrictions, evolved into massive public opposition to corruption and ineffective leadership. The unrest resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries as demonstrators stormed government facilities and security forces responded with gunfire.

Although the Congress and Communist parties maintain dedicated supporter networks, Shah’s organization attracted significantly larger campaign audiences, demonstrating its increasing popularity among younger voters seeking political alternatives.

Military operations across the Middle East have intensified as Israeli forces launched attacks on the capitals of both Iran and Lebanon, while American forces reportedly targeted an Iranian naval drone vessel, escalating the campaign against Iran’s maritime fleet.

Early Friday morning brought fresh Iranian counter-attacks against neighboring nations hosting American military installations, though initial reports indicated no casualties from these strikes.

The current round of military action has now entered its second week, with conflicts spanning multiple countries throughout the region.

According to Israeli defense officials, their operations have successfully eliminated the majority of Iran’s air defense systems and missile launching capabilities. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a warning that military operations against Tehran were “about to surge dramatically.”

Iranian officials have issued threats regarding the potential devastation of military and economic infrastructure across the Middle East, with the ongoing conflict creating significant volatility in global financial markets.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry reported successfully intercepting and destroying three unmanned aircraft in eastern areas surrounding Riyadh.

Earlier on Friday, Saudi officials announced they had successfully stopped a cruise missile targeting the city of Kharj.

Iranian state media reported Friday that a governing council convened to plan a gathering of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for choosing Iran’s next supreme leader.

The governing council consists of President Masoud Pezeshkian, chief justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, and religious leader Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi.

Officials provided no specific timeline for selecting the supreme leader and gave no details about whether the 88-member religious assembly would convene in person or conduct remote voting.

Facilities connected to the Assembly of Experts have sustained damage during the ongoing Israeli-American air campaign.

Dubai citizens have begun receiving widespread text alerts cautioning them about their online activities.

According to a message from Dubai law enforcement, “photographing or sharing security or critical sites, or reposting unreliable information, may result in legal action and compromise national security and stability.”

The warning provided no additional specifics.

This development follows similar but more severe warnings issued by Bahrain as the Iranian conflict continues across the region.

The United Arab Emirates operates as a union of seven ruling territories, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

While the UAE maintains relatively liberal social policies compared to regional neighbors, the nation enforces strict regulations on public expression and prohibits political organizations and worker unions.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced Friday that Iranian authorities are holding a second Japanese citizen, prompting officials to call for the prompt release of both detained individuals.

According to ministry officials, the second person was taken into custody prior to the February 28 military operations conducted by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran.

While the ministry reported that the detained individual remains safe and healthy, they declined to provide additional information about when the arrest occurred or whether it connects to the detention of a Japanese reporter disclosed last month.

Japanese authorities had previously acknowledged the first person’s detention while declining to reveal the individual’s name.

During a Friday parliamentary session, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that officials successfully made contact with both detainees following the February 28 strikes and verified their well-being. The government is “doing everything to support them, their families and others involved,” Motegi said.

Motegi revealed he had asked for their prompt release during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador earlier this week.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has identified the first detained person as Shinnosuke Kawashima, who serves as the Tehran bureau chief for Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. The organization’s report cited an unnamed source who requested anonymity due to concerns about possible retaliation.

According to CPJ, Kawashima was taken into custody on January 20 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was moved to Evin Prison on February 23.

The press freedom organization has called for Kawashima’s immediate release along with other journalists being held for their professional activities.

JAKARTA, March 6 – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to Islamic leaders that he will exit President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative should it fail to serve Palestinian interests, according to a government announcement released Friday.

The nation with the world’s largest Muslim population has faced domestic backlash for its involvement in the peace board and its commitment to provide military personnel for Gaza stabilization efforts. Critics and religious organizations argue this stance undermines Indonesia’s historic advocacy for Palestinian rights.

During a Thursday evening gathering with Islamic group representatives, Prabowo defended his rationale for board membership, as detailed in an official government communication statement.

According to the statement, Hanif Alatas from the Islamic Brotherhood Front reported that Prabowo would abandon the board if Palestinian and Indonesian priorities are not served.

“The president said that if he sees that there is no longer any benefit for Palestine…and that it is not in line with Indonesia’s national interests, he will withdraw,” Hanif stated.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, a prominent religious authority, had earlier demanded Indonesia’s departure from the board citing America’s involvement in the current Iran conflict.

Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s most significant Muslim organization, suggested the government could leverage board membership to promote Middle Eastern de-escalation.

“Indonesia could declare that the (board’s) agenda is on hold until there are talks on de-escalation and peace from the American-Israeli war against Iran,” stated chief Yahya Cholil Staquf in a Thursday announcement from Prabowo’s office.

Foreign Minister Sugiono previously confirmed that all Board of Peace deliberations have ceased due to the ongoing war.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that his nation will bolster its partnership with Lebanon’s military by delivering armored transport vehicles along with operational and logistical assistance, as the Middle Eastern country becomes increasingly entangled in regional warfare.

“Everything must be done to prevent this country, which is close to France, from being dragged into war once again,” Macron wrote in a social media post on X.

The French president issued direct appeals to regional leaders to avoid expanding the conflict. “In this moment of great danger, I call on the Israeli Prime Minister not to extend the war to Lebanon. I call on Iranian leaders not to involve Lebanon further in a war that is not its own,” Macron stated.

The announcement comes during a week when Lebanon has been drawn deeper into the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, prompting international concern about regional stability.

President Donald Trump stated during a Thursday phone conversation with Reuters that America should have influence in determining who will lead Iran next, while also expressing backing for Kurdish opposition groups taking aggressive action.

During the interview, Trump indicated the leadership selection process remains in early stages but suggested that Mojtaba, the deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son, would not be a likely candidate, though he did not provide additional details.

“We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future,” Trump stated. “We don’t have to go back every five years and do this again and again.”

The president also voiced support for Iranian Kurdish forces taking offensive measures against the current regime.

“I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president commented.

When questioned about whether America would provide or had already offered air support, Trump replied, “I can’t tell you that,” while noting the Kurdish groups’ goal would be “to win.”

“If they’re going to do that, that’s good,” Trump added.

According to three knowledgeable sources, Iranian Kurdish militias have recently discussed with American officials whether and how they might launch attacks against Iran’s security apparatus in the nation’s western regions.

The coalition of Iranian Kurdish organizations, operating from the Iran-Iraq border area within Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, has been preparing for potential attacks designed to weaken the country’s military capabilities, while the United States and Israel continue bombing Iranian positions.

Trump also expressed optimism that the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping passage near Iran would stay operational.

Iran has prioritized shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that handles one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Maritime traffic through this vital energy corridor has nearly stopped following Iranian strikes on six commercial vessels.

“They have no navy, you know the navy is now at the bottom of the sea,” Trump remarked. “I’m watching Hormuz very closely.”

WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department announced Thursday it is expanding charter flight operations to evacuate American citizens stranded throughout the Middle East following regional airspace shutdowns caused by escalating conflict.

The evacuation efforts come after lawmakers criticized the Trump administration’s initial response to assist Americans seeking to leave the region since hostilities between the U.S.-Israel alliance and Iran erupted.

Military strikes launched Saturday, followed by Iran’s counterattacks against neighboring countries, have forced widespread closure of airspace across the region. The shutdowns have disrupted major flight corridors and left thousands of travelers unable to depart.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s department reported Wednesday that the first government-chartered evacuation flight had left the Middle East headed for the United States, though officials provided limited specifics about the operation.

Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson posted on X Thursday: “At the direction of @SecRubio, Department of State charter flight and ground transportation operations are underway and will continue to ramp up with additional flights and ground transports taking place today.”

Officials have not specified which nations will serve as departure points for the charter flights.

Johnson instructed American citizens currently in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel to complete crisis intake forms to receive updates about upcoming flights and ground transport arrangements. He noted that a newly formed task force has provided assistance to over 10,000 Americans since the crisis started.

Initially, the State Department had only issued travel advisories for U.S. citizens in Israel and Lebanon as regional tensions escalated. However, Iran’s military response has struck American diplomatic facilities and civilian infrastructure across multiple countries, including Gulf Arab states that serve as major transportation centers.

Security warnings for Americans in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain were distributed after fighting commenced. On Monday, the U.S. instructed Americans across 14 Middle Eastern nations to leave immediately using “available commercial transportation” without providing government-backed alternatives, prompting sharp criticism from members of Congress.

JERUSALEM – Former President Donald Trump has intensified his pressure on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that the embattled leader needs to concentrate exclusively on confronting Iran without legal distractions.

During a Thursday interview with Israel’s N12 television network, Trump used Netanyahu’s familiar nickname while making his appeal. “President Herzog must give Bibi a pardon today. I don’t want there to be anything troubling Bibi other than the war with Iran … Herzog is a disgrace … he promised me five times to give Bibi a pardon,” Trump stated.

Herzog’s office responded by emphasizing that during wartime, the pardon matter is not his current priority. The Israeli president’s statement acknowledged Trump’s contributions to Israeli security and his stance on Iran, while affirming Israel’s sovereignty and commitment to legal principles.

“The president will examine the request according to the law, the good of the state, his conscience and free of any internal or external pressure,” Herzog’s office declared.

Netanyahu holds the distinction of being Israel’s first serving prime minister to face criminal charges. He has consistently denied allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust stemming from his 2019 indictment. The prime minister formally submitted his pardon petition in November.

This marks another instance of Trump advocating for Netanyahu’s pardon, though Herzog has previously challenged Trump’s assertions about promised pardons. The timing coincides with recent joint U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran conducted over the weekend.

Israeli law grants the president pardoning authority for convicted individuals, though no historical precedent exists for mid-trial pardons. The legal procedures involved in such pardons typically require considerable time to complete.

A rescue mission to evacuate French citizens from the United Arab Emirates encountered dangerous conditions Thursday when the chartered aircraft had to reverse course due to missile activity in the area, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

The Air France plane, commissioned by the French government to retrieve nationals from the UAE, abandoned its mission after coming under threat from missile fire, Tabarot announced on the social media platform X.

“This situation reflects the instability in the region and the complexity of repatriation operations,” Tabarot added.

The evacuation effort began Wednesday as part of France’s emergency response to extract citizens from the Middle East region. Multiple nations are currently working to rescue thousands of their people who remain trapped as tensions escalate between the United States and Israel against Iran.

President Donald Trump has voiced his backing for Iranian Kurdish forces to carry out strikes against Iran as a week-long Middle East conflict continues expanding across the region.

Speaking to Reuters during a Thursday phone interview, Trump expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of Kurdish forces entering Iran. “I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president stated.

The expanding warfare has now stretched across seven days, with Iranian forces targeting Israel, Gulf nations, Cyprus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. The conflict has even reached the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, where an American submarine destroyed an Iranian naval vessel.

Israel announced Friday it had launched what it called a “broad-scale” series of strikes against infrastructure facilities in Tehran, while Iranian forces continued bombarding Gulf cities.

Sources familiar with the situation report that Iranian Kurdish militia groups have been in discussions with U.S. officials recently about potential attacks on Iranian security forces in the country’s western regions. These Kurdish coalitions, operating from the Iran-Iraq border area within Iraqi Kurdistan’s semi-autonomous territory, have been preparing for such operations aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities.

Thursday saw Iranian drone strikes hit an Iranian opposition facility in Iraqi Kurdistan, according to security officials.

Trump also indicated the United States should play a role in selecting Iran’s next leadership following last week’s airstrikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We’re going to have to choose that person along with Iran. We’re going to have to choose that person,” he declared.

However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified Thursday that U.S. military goals in Iran remain unchanged despite the president’s comments about leadership selection. “There’s no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we’re trying to achieve,” Hegseth explained.

Azerbaijan announced preparations for unspecified retaliation after reporting that four Iranian drones entered its territory and wounded four individuals in the Nakhchivan region. President Ilham Aliyev addressed his Security Council, stating: “We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan.” Iran has disputed targeting its neighbor.

Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hezbollah organization issued warnings Friday morning for Israeli civilians to leave communities within three miles of the Lebanese border. The group posted a Hebrew-language message on Telegram declaring: “Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged.”

During a briefing at Central Command headquarters in Florida, Hegseth and Admiral Brad Cooper, who oversees U.S. Middle East operations, assured that American ammunition supplies can support continued bombardment operations without time limits. “Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation,” Hegseth told media representatives. “Our munitions are full up and our will is ironclad.”

The Pentagon has designated the military operation as “Operation Epic Fury,” focusing on eliminating Iran’s offensive missile capabilities, missile manufacturing facilities, and naval forces while preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

Cooper reported that U.S. forces have struck at least 30 Iranian vessels, including a massive drone carrier comparable in size to World War II-era aircraft carriers. He noted that B-2 bombers recently deployed dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs against deeply buried ballistic missile sites, while also targeting missile production installations.

According to Cooper’s assessment, Iranian ballistic missile attacks have declined by 90% since the conflict’s opening day, with drone strikes decreasing by 83% over the same period.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reports at least 1,230 fatalities within Iran, including 175 schoolchildren and educators killed at an elementary school in Minab during the war’s first day. Lebanon’s Health Ministry has documented 77 deaths in that country. Thousands of residents evacuated southern Beirut Thursday following Israeli evacuation warnings.

The military campaign represents a significant political risk for the Republican president, as polling indicates limited public support and Americans express concern over rising gasoline costs due to energy supply disruptions. Trump has dismissed these economic worries.

Wall Street markets declined Thursday amid climbing oil prices, reflecting the operation’s economic consequences. The global impact has intensified as nations worldwide face reduced access to one-fifth of international oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, while air transportation remains disrupted and worldwide logistics networks face increasing complications.

Initial ballot counting from Nepal’s general election shows a former rapper’s political party building a commanding early advantage over traditional political establishments.

Balendra Shah, age 35, who previously served as mayor of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, sees his centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party holding leads in 37 parliamentary seats based on preliminary tallies released Friday morning by election officials.

The results represent a striking shift from Nepal’s established political order. Former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist – UML) currently leads in just three constituencies, while the historic Nepali Congress party under 49-year-old Gagan Thapa shows strength in five races.

Shah’s three-year-old party appears positioned for a potential upset victory as counting continues across the Himalayan nation. Election authorities expect complete results by Friday night or Saturday.

Nepal’s parliamentary system includes 275 total seats in the lower chamber. Direct voting determines 165 positions, with the remaining 110 allocated through proportional representation.

During campaign events, Shah successfully mobilized younger demographics seeking political transformation, drawing substantial crowds throughout the country. His appeal resonated particularly with voters frustrated by decades of governmental instability and economic stagnation.

The 35-year-old candidate even challenged 74-year-old Oli directly in the Jhapa 5 district near the Indian border, demonstrating his party’s national ambitions.

Nepal’s 30 million citizens have endured persistent political turmoil that has undermined the predominantly agricultural economy while increasing joblessness. Widespread corruption has worsened these fundamental challenges.

These longstanding problems sparked massive street protests last September after authorities imposed social media restrictions. The demonstrations resulted in violent confrontations and deaths, ultimately forcing Oli’s resignation from the prime minister’s office.

The South Asian nation, situated between regional powers China and India, now faces the possibility of significant political realignment under Shah’s leadership.

Fishing communities along Mexico’s Gulf Coast are facing an environmental crisis as oil continues washing up on their shores, threatening the livelihoods of residents who depend on the sea for their income.

In the coastal village of Jicacal, located in Veracruz state, local residents have taken matters into their own hands, working together to clear hardened petroleum from their beaches as the thick substance continues moving along the shoreline. Officials have yet to inform the community about what caused the contamination.

The region serves as a major hub for Mexico’s petroleum industry, with extensive drilling operations both offshore and on land. State-owned oil giant Pemex has stated that none of its installations were responsible for this week’s environmental incident.

Local fisher Aurora Apolonia Martinez explained how she discovered the contamination: “As usual, we went out fishing and cast our nets, and we realized that the net was full of oil.” The crude oil has made fishing equipment completely unusable.

Reuters reached out to Pemex for additional information regarding monitoring activities the company promised to conduct in the affected area, but received no immediate response.

Environmental advocacy group Cemda reported this week that more than twelve contaminated locations have been documented along the Gulf coastline in Veracruz and the adjacent state of Tabasco since March 1st.

While Pemex has rejected any blame for the current incident, the corporation has been linked to multiple similar environmental disasters in recent years. Just last October, crews extracted 2.7 million liters of spilled oil from the Pantepec River in Veracruz following a pipeline rupture.

The contamination has struck two communities that rely heavily on fishing and coastal tourism – Jicacal and the nearby village of Las Barrillas. Local tourism operators report that visitors are avoiding the area due to the environmental damage.

Tourism business owner Nicolás Vargas from Las Barrillas emphasized the urgency of the cleanup effort: “What we are interested in is cleaning up the entire beach,” noting that without proper remediation, tourists will not visit the area.

Two major Middle Eastern airlines have started operating reduced flight schedules despite continued missile threats that are creating chaos for air travelers across the region.

Emirates and Etihad Airways began offering limited service from their United Arab Emirates bases on Friday, as tens of thousands of passengers remain stranded due to widespread airspace closures stemming from the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.

The dangerous conditions became clear when a French government charter flight attempting to evacuate citizens from the UAE was forced to return Thursday after encountering missile fire, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

“This situation reflects the instability in the region and the complexity of repatriation operations,” Tabarot stated.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad announced Friday it would operate restricted service through March 19, connecting to 25 cities including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Delhi, New York and Toronto.

Dubai-based Emirates, meanwhile, said it was running reduced operations to 82 destinations including London, Sydney, Singapore and New York, with connecting passengers only accepted if their next flight was confirmed to operate.

Flight tracking data shows Dubai International Airport, typically the world’s busiest, saw traffic nearly double from Wednesday to Thursday but still remained at just 25% of normal capacity.

The disruptions have particularly affected travelers flying between Europe and Asia-Pacific destinations. Under normal circumstances, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad collectively handle about one-third of Europe-to-Asia passengers and more than half of all travelers from Europe to Australia, New Zealand and surrounding Pacific islands.

Qatar’s Doha airport remains completely closed, though the airline has arranged some emergency flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Aviation data reveals the scope of the crisis: between February 28 when fighting began and March 5, over 25,000 of the 44,000 scheduled Middle East flights were canceled.

The conflict has also sent fuel costs skyrocketing, with Singapore jet fuel prices hitting a record $225 per barrel this week before settling around $195 – nearly double last week’s levels. Industry experts blame supply shortage concerns from Middle Eastern refineries.

Airlines worldwide are feeling the financial impact, with share prices falling across the board. Qantas dropped more than 3% Friday, Air New Zealand fell nearly 7%, Cathay Pacific declined over 2%, and Singapore Airlines was down more than 1%. Major Chinese carriers including Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern saw declines between 2% and 4%.

Passengers describe desperate and expensive attempts to escape the region. Ed Short, who arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport Thursday, said finding alternative routes home from Dubai was “absolute chaos.”

“We paid 1,500 pounds ($2,005) to get across to Muscat (Oman) to get on the plane,” Short explained. “We’d spent about 20,000 pounds booking Emirates flight instead. So we’re hoping we get those back.”

With no end to the conflict in sight, aviation experts predict the disruptions will continue. Saudi budget airline flynas announced it would begin operating limited flights between Saudi Arabia and Dubai starting Friday.

A former newspaper publisher in Hong Kong who received a 20-year prison sentence will not challenge his national security conviction, according to his attorneys who announced the decision Friday.

Jimmy Lai, age 78, previously operated the Apple Daily publication and has been a vocal opponent of China’s Communist government. In December, a court determined he was guilty of working with foreign entities in a conspiracy and plotting with associates to distribute seditious content.

The Associated Press received confirmation of this decision through a text message from Lai’s legal representatives, bringing to a close several years of court proceedings. The attorneys declined to provide reasons for choosing not to pursue an appeal.

Legal experts suggest his guilty verdict demonstrates how press freedoms and civil liberties have deteriorated in Hong Kong, the former British territory that became part of China again in 1997. Government officials maintain the case was unrelated to journalism freedom, arguing the accused individuals disguised harmful activities against China and Hong Kong as legitimate news work.

Lai became among the first high-profile individuals detained when the security legislation took effect in 2020. Apple Daily’s top editorial staff faced arrests within twelve months, leading the publication – which regularly criticized both Beijing and Hong Kong leadership – to cease operations in June 2021.

Given Lai’s advanced age of 78 years, the substantial prison term has sparked worries he may remain incarcerated for life.

Following his sentencing, Lai’s family members suggested that a potential diplomatic visit from U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing might prove essential for obtaining their father’s freedom, noting that Lai holds British citizenship.

The White House announced Trump’s scheduled trip to China from March 31 through April 2 for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, though Beijing has not yet provided official verification.

Officials from both China and Hong Kong have supported Lai’s punishment, stating it demonstrates their commitment to legal principles.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Heavy Israeli bombardments hammered the capitals of both Iran and Lebanon during the early morning hours Friday, while American forces apparently destroyed an Iranian naval drone vessel, escalating military operations against Tehran’s maritime fleet.

Tehran launched fresh counter-strikes across the Middle East following a complete week of sustained attacks, prompting U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to caution that the bombardment was “about to surge dramatically.”

Israeli defense forces announced Friday morning they had initiated “a broad-scale wave of strikes” against Tehran, Iran’s capital city. Local witnesses characterized the Israeli bombardments as exceptionally heavy, causing residential buildings in the vicinity to tremble. Additional reports indicated explosions near the Iranian city of Kermanshah, an area housing several missile installations.

Israeli military officials stated their strikes have already eliminated the majority of Iran’s air defense systems and missile launching platforms.

The conflict has expanded to impact nations throughout the Middle East and beyond. During the early Friday hours, Iran launched missile and drone assaults against Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all nations that provide bases for American military personnel. No immediate casualty reports were available.

In Lebanon, where the conflict has heightened clashes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah forces, Israel conducted multiple airstrikes from late Thursday into Friday morning targeting Beirut’s southern neighborhoods and surrounding regions. Vehicle traffic clogged roadways as drivers attempted to evacuate or find protective shelter.

American and Israeli forces have pummeled Iran with nationwide bombardments, focusing on their military infrastructure, leadership structure and atomic weapons program.

Tehran’s assaults have focused on neighboring Arab states, interrupted petroleum deliveries and disrupted international aviation routes. The conflict has claimed at least 1,230 lives in Iran, over 120 in Lebanon and approximately twelve in Israel, based on government reports from these nations. Six American service members have lost their lives.

American military forces reported early Friday they attacked an Iranian drone vessel, causing it to catch fire.

The U.S. military’s Central Command distributed black-and-white video footage showing the burning vessel. Iranian military officials had not immediately confirmed the attack.

The drone vessel, designated IRIS Shahid Bagheri, represents a modified cargo ship featuring a 180-meter-long flight deck for unmanned aircraft. The ship can navigate up to 22,000 nautical miles without requiring port refueling, according to reports from its 2005 commissioning.

Adm. Brad Cooper, commanding officer of U.S. Central Command, characterized the vessel as “roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier.”

“And as we speak, it’s on fire,” Cooper informed media representatives.

Speaking with Cooper, Hegseth provided limited information Thursday when he announced an impending escalation.

“It’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities,” Hegseth stated. “And it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.”

Qatar’s Defense Ministry announced early Friday it successfully intercepted a drone assault aimed at Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the forward command center of U.S. Central Command.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and eliminated three ballistic projectiles launched early Friday toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, hosting American personnel, according to a Saudi Defense Ministry representative.

Emergency warning systems activated in Bahrain, where Interior Ministry officials reported Iranian strikes hit two hotels and an apartment complex. Officials stated no casualties occurred. In Kuwait, where six American soldiers died Sunday, Kuwaiti military forces said their air defense systems engaged when missiles and drones violated Kuwait’s airspace.

During brief White House comments Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump once again encouraged Iranian citizens to “help take back your country.” This time he pledged America would provide them “immunity” during the conflict and continuing threats under Iran’s current government.

“So you’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity,” Trump declared, without providing specifics about the meaning. “Or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death.”

In a discussion with news outlet Axios, Trump stated he should participate in selecting Iran’s new supreme leader to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in the war’s initial strikes. Trump spoke critically of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, being considered a leading candidate to succeed his father, describing him as “a lightweight.”

“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump stated.

Iran has not sought discussions with America to end the expanding conflict, Iran’s ambassador to Egypt informed the Associated Press Thursday. Ambassador Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour rejected Trump’s claims that Iran desires negotiations.

He explained that insufficient trust prevents such discussions after nuclear agreement talks failed twice and resulted in warfare.

“There will be no trust in Trump,” Ferdousi Pour stated.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the U.S. Navy of conducting “an atrocity at sea” for destroying the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, resulting in at least 87 crew deaths.

The Iranian vessel was returning from naval exercises hosted by India’s navy that America also participated in. Sri Lankan officials reported 32 crew members were rescued. Araghchi indicated it carried “almost 130” personnel.

An Iranian religious leader subsequently demanded on state television the killing of both Israelis and “Trump’s blood.”

Israel executed at least 11 airstrikes from late Thursday through early Friday, focusing on Beirut’s southern neighborhoods. Blazes erupted near a fuel station.

Israeli military forces issued an alert Thursday evening, encouraging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately.” Two medical facilities evacuated patients and personnel. No casualties were immediately confirmed.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported the fatality count has increased to 123 since renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which attacked Israel during the war’s opening phase.

A representative for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, Tilak Pokharel, stated Thursday that peacekeepers had observed and heard fighting, including ground battles, in southern Lebanon as additional Israeli forces crossed the border.

NEW YORK — Global demand for essential minerals that fuel everything from cell phones to military weapons systems may increase threefold by 2030 and grow four times larger by 2040, according to a senior United Nations official who addressed the Security Council on Thursday.

Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo highlighted how dramatically the strategic landscape has shifted in recent years. “A decade ago, minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel had limited strategic importance,” DiCarlo explained. “Today, they underpin the technologies powering the digital economy and the energy transition.”

DiCarlo delivered her remarks during a special Security Council session organized by the United States, which currently leads the council this month. The meeting focused on “Energy, Critical Minerals and Security.”

The UN political chief characterized critical minerals as a primary economic force of this century, noting that global commerce in raw and partially processed minerals totaled roughly $2.5 trillion in 2023.

“This represents more than 10% of global trade,” she explained. “Demand could triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040.” DiCarlo’s office confirmed these statistics came from 2025 UN research reports.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who led the session, emphasized that America and its partners must avoid excessive reliance on any single nation “for materials critical to our economies and national security.”

“The work we’re doing today, especially on the strategic importance of critical minerals and energy, is directly tied to preventing conflict and building a world where countries can cooperate and move forward together,” Wright stated.

The current administration is taking aggressive steps to secure critical mineral supplies necessary for electric cars, advanced aircraft and other cutting-edge technologies. China has maintained tight control over rare earth minerals and restricted their export following President Donald Trump’s comprehensive tariff policies implemented last year.

Although both nations agreed to ease import duties and rare earth limitations, China’s current restrictions remain more stringent than before Trump assumed office. His administration recently announced plans to establish a critical minerals trading partnership with allied nations to challenge China’s market control.

China’s UN representative Fu Cong acknowledged to the council that accelerating global energy transformation and advancing technologies like artificial intelligence are driving increased demand for critical minerals and related resources. He noted that supply and demand imbalances are becoming more severe “as the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation.”

Fu called for enhanced international collaboration to maintain reliable resource availability and supply networks, “thereby supporting global economic growth.”

The Chinese ambassador also encouraged all nations to join China’s “green mining” initiative, which was introduced at November’s G20 summit in South Africa to transform mining industry practices.

The U.S. strategy to diversify critical mineral sources includes partnerships with Australia and Ukraine, while also strengthening cooperation with Venezuela and Congo.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Thursday that Venezuela’s leadership will provide security guarantees to mining companies investing in mineral-rich regions previously dominated by guerrilla fighters, criminal organizations and other illegal entities.

Last month, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi proposed giving American companies access to eastern Congo’s abundant mineral deposits — largely undeveloped due to ongoing violence and valued at approximately $24 trillion — in exchange for U.S. assistance in combating rebel forces and developing essential infrastructure.

Congo’s UN Ambassador Zenon Mukongo, representing a current council member nation, emphasized the importance of private sector compliance with domestic regulations and ensuring their activities don’t fund armed groups or enable illegal mineral extraction.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo dismissed a rival political party’s alternative military spending plan on Friday, calling their proposed timeline unrealistic and their funding insufficient to meet the island’s security needs.

The Kuomintang opposition party, working with a smaller allied party that together control parliament, put forward their own defense budget proposal this week that would allocate roughly one-third of the $40 billion in additional military spending requested by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.

President Lai had announced the substantial defense spending increase last year as a response to escalating military threats from China, which continues pressing Taiwan to acknowledge Chinese sovereignty over the island. The United States has also urged Taiwan to significantly boost its defense expenditures.

Rather than reviewing the president’s original proposal, the opposition parties advanced their own plan limiting spending to T$380 billion ($11.96 billion) with all projects required to finish by the end of 2028.

Speaking to media in Taipei, Minister Koo explained that the government’s spending plan covers advanced artillery systems and unmanned anti-armor equipment.

“If everything is required to be delivered and fully implemented before that deadline, it would in effect shut down these projects, making their execution impossible,” he said.

The opposition’s proposal also restricts weapons purchases to government-to-government deals with the United States while blocking commercial sales channels, which the Kuomintang views as prone to irregularities and insufficient oversight.

Koo countered that eliminating commercial procurement options would “create a major gap in our overall defence and operational capabilities and significantly undermine the improvement of our joint combat capabilities.”

The defense minister emphasized that both the U.S. administration and Congress support the government’s comprehensive spending proposal.

Kuomintang leaders have criticized President Lai’s military budget as “sky-high” and lacking transparency, demanding stronger oversight mechanisms.

KMT chairperson Cheng Li-wun recently revealed her party maintains communication with China’s Communist Party leadership and expressed hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a potential China visit this year.

Beijing regularly conducts military exercises in waters surrounding Taiwan and refuses diplomatic engagement with President Lai, whom Chinese officials label a “separatist.” Lai maintains that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their island’s future.

The budget dispute comes amid increasing pressure from American lawmakers, who serve as Taiwan’s primary international ally and weapons supplier, to avoid delays in defense spending approvals.

Media mogul Jimmy Lai has chosen not to challenge his conviction and two-decade prison sentence, according to his legal representative who spoke Friday.

The 78-year-old Hong Kong businessman will accept the lengthy prison term that has sparked condemnation from international leaders, including officials in Britain and the United States, a member of his defense team confirmed to reporters.

Lai received his conviction in December and was sentenced in February on two conspiracy charges related to working with foreign forces, plus one charge for publishing seditious content. The sentencing brings to a close a nearly five-year legal battle.

In an unexpected turn last month, a Hong Kong court reversed his fraud conviction and related prison sentence in an unrelated case, a decision that came after he had already received the 20-year term.

Cuban officials announced Thursday evening that another victim has died from injuries sustained during last week’s deadly speedboat incident, bringing the total death toll to five.

According to Cuba’s interior ministry, Roberto Alvarez Avila succumbed to his injuries on March 4th while receiving medical care at a hospital. Alvarez Avila had been hospitalized following the confrontation in which Cuban military forces opened fire on a speedboat that had entered the nation’s territorial waters.

The initial incident resulted in four Cuban citizens being killed and six others wounded when government forces engaged the vessel.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization announced Thursday it has elevated its missile defense readiness across the alliance after successfully intercepting an Iranian ballistic missile targeting Turkey.

According to Colonel Martin O’Donnell, spokesperson for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the enhanced security measures will continue until Iran’s “continued, indiscriminate attacks across the region subsides.” O’Donnell made the announcement in a statement posted on X.

The NATO spokesperson praised Wednesday’s defensive response as flawlessly carried out. “In less than 10 minutes, NATO service members identified a threat to allies, a ballistic missile, confirmed its trajectory, alerted land- and sea-based missile defence systems and launched an interceptor to defeat the threat and protect our territory and its people,” O’Donnell stated.

Despite the missile attack, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed Thursday that the alliance will not activate Article 5, its mutual defense provision, as concerns grow about potential involvement in the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.

When questioned about the specifics of the heightened defense measures, Rutte declined to provide additional details.

American and Qatari government representatives are exploring the acquisition of Ukrainian drone defense technology as an economical solution to counter Iranian Shahed attacks in the Gulf region, according to a knowledgeable source.

These preliminary negotiations involve government officials rather than private contractors and focus on technology that can detect approaching hostile drones and jam their communications systems, the source revealed.

Neither Qatar’s International Media Office nor the Pentagon provided responses to requests for comment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed Thursday evening that Washington had sought Kyiv’s assistance in neutralizing Shahed drones.

“I have instructed that the necessary resources be provided and that Ukrainian specialists be present to ensure the necessary security,” Zelenskiy stated, though he didn’t elaborate further or specifically reference Ukrainian interceptor drones.

The Ukrainian leader mentioned earlier that several Middle Eastern nations had made similar requests, emphasizing he would only approve agreements that wouldn’t compromise Ukraine’s defensive capabilities against Russia’s ongoing invasion. Zelenskiy has expressed willingness to trade drone technology for air defense missiles.

A Western diplomatic source in the Gulf confirmed that Ukrainian representatives visited Doha this week to meet with Qatari officials and share Ukraine’s drone defense expertise. The delegation also traveled to Abu Dhabi, according to the diplomat.

Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones targeting Gulf nations following extensive US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday that eliminated much of the Islamic Republic’s senior leadership.

Gulf states have successfully intercepted most of these attacks using American-manufactured PAC-3 Patriot systems, the same technology Ukraine depends on to protect its energy infrastructure and military installations from Russian missiles.

However, Ukraine has developed significantly more cost-effective methods for destroying Shahed kamikaze drones throughout its four-year conflict with Russia, which has deployed these Iranian-designed weapons extensively during the war.

According to Kyiv, Russia has launched 19,000 long-range drones at Ukraine this winter, with most being successfully intercepted.

Following the outbreak of conflict with Iran, Ukraine’s SBU security service issued warnings to Ukrainian companies against selling weapons to Middle Eastern countries without official authorization from Kyiv, the initial source reported.

Neither the SBU nor Ukraine’s defense ministry responded to comment requests.

A third source indicated that Britain is supporting Ukraine in preliminary discussions with Gulf states regarding the deployment of Ukrainian drones to intercept Shaheds.

This source suggested that some drones might be provided through Project Octopus, an existing joint interceptor drone venture between London and Kyiv.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence didn’t respond to inquiries. Ukrspecsystems, the Ukrainian company operating the Octopus drone facility in the UK, declined to comment.

Zelenskiy revealed Wednesday that he had conversations with leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, without providing specific details.

While the Financial Times initially reported Ukraine’s discussions with Washington, Qatar’s involvement and Britain’s participation had not been previously disclosed.

The United States and its Gulf partners have depleted hundreds of air defense missiles, each costing millions of dollars, since the Iranian conflict began.

Lockheed Martin currently manufactures approximately 600 PAC-3 missiles annually, though production is planned to increase to 2,000 under a seven-year Pentagon contract.

Kyiv has faced shortages of these missiles for months, creating concerns about its ability to counter Russian ballistic missiles, against which the Patriot system remains Ukraine’s only effective defense.

Zelenskiy has suggested exchanging Ukrainian interceptor drones for Patriot system missiles.

Taras Tymochko from Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian foundation that has purchased tens of thousands of interceptor drones through donations, questioned who besides Ukrainian operators could effectively use them.

“It’s rather difficult to remove our pilots from their operations and send them to the Middle East,” Tymochko explained. “There’s a significant need to scale up existing training capacities in Ukraine to share experience with our partners.”

The European Union’s foreign policy chief delivered sharp criticism of Iran on Thursday, accusing the nation of deliberately working to expand the ongoing Middle East conflict through attacks on neighboring countries.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Zurich, Switzerland, EU diplomat Kaja Kallas described Iran’s actions as part of a broader strategy to involve more nations in regional warfare.

“Iran is an exporter of war,” Kallas stated during a joint press conference with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. “Right now, the regime tries to drag as many countries into this war as possible.”

When questioned about whether Iran might be attempting to pull NATO forces into the conflict and what steps the EU was taking to prevent such escalation, Kallas responded that Tehran was working to “sow chaos” throughout the region while launching attacks on other nations “indiscriminately.”

The EU official noted that both NATO and the European Union maintain procedures allowing member nations to request assistance when needed, though she emphasized that no such requests have been made to date.

Kallas suggested that Iran’s position has been significantly weakened and expressed optimism that Iranian citizens might soon have the opportunity to “determine their own future.” She confirmed the EU continues pursuing diplomatic solutions aimed at reducing tensions across the region.

During an earlier address at the University of Zurich, Kallas connected the Middle Eastern instability to broader breakdowns in international law, arguing that Russia’s military action in Ukraine had emboldened other nations to ignore global rules.

She also pointed to China as taking advantage of weakened international standards to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific while applying economic pressure to European nations.

“Without restoring international law, together with accountability, we are doomed to see repeated violations of the law, disruption and chaos,” Kallas warned.

Addressing recent shifts in U.S. foreign policy, the EU diplomat said Washington’s changing approach had “rocked the transatlantic relationship to its foundation, with aftershocks in other parts of the world,” describing its effect on global order as “seismic.”

“The current direction is a new world order characterised by competition and coercive power politics, a world order dominated by a handful of military powers who aim to establish and secure spheres of influence,” Kallas concluded.

Pentagon investigators are examining the possibility that American military forces may have been behind a devastating attack on a girls’ school in Iran that occurred over the weekend, according to two defense officials who spoke anonymously about the ongoing probe.

The incident took place Saturday at a school in Minab, located in southern Iran, during coordinated military operations by US and Israeli forces against the country. Iran’s United Nations representative in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, reported that 150 female students lost their lives in the strike, though Reuters has been unable to verify this casualty figure independently.

While military investigators consider US involvement probable, they have not yet finalized their findings or wrapped up their examination of the evidence. The officials cautioned that additional information could still surface that might clear American forces of responsibility and identify another party as being behind the attack.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday that the military is conducting an investigation into what happened. During a press briefing, he stated: “We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio similarly told journalists Monday that America would not intentionally strike a school facility. “The Department of War would be investigating that if that was our strike, and I would refer your question to them,” Rubio commented.

The White House avoided directly addressing the investigation, though press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided a statement saying: “While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.”

Central Command spokesperson Captain Timothy Hawkins declined to provide additional details, explaining: “It would be inappropriate to comment given the incident is under investigation.”

According to sources familiar with the military coordination, American and Israeli forces have been dividing their Iranian operations both by location and target type. While Israel has focused on missile facilities in western Iran, US forces have been hitting similar targets along with naval installations in the southern region.

Iranian state media broadcast footage Tuesday showing funeral services for the young victims. Small coffins wrapped in Iranian flags were transported by truck and carried through large crowds toward burial sites.

The United Nations human rights office has called for a thorough investigation without specifying who they believe carried out the attack. UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva: “The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it.”

Under international humanitarian law, intentionally targeting schools, hospitals, or other civilian facilities would constitute a war crime. Should American involvement be confirmed, this incident would represent one of the most serious civilian casualty events in decades of US Middle Eastern military operations.

Investigators have not disclosed what evidence has led to their preliminary assessment, what type of weapon may have been used, or how much longer the investigation might continue.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has launched an aggressive campaign to diminish China’s expanding influence across Latin America, implementing sanctions and diplomatic pressure on multiple nations in recent weeks.

The United States has imposed travel restrictions on three Chilean government officials due to concerns over a potential underwater fiber optic cable project involving China. Additionally, American officials have cautioned Peru against allowing Chinese control over a massive port facility.

Following threats from President Trump to reclaim the Panama Canal under American authority, Panama’s government took control of two port facilities at both ends of the canal that were previously operated by a Hong Kong-based company.

The situation escalated further when U.S. forces detained Venezuela’s former President Nicolás Maduro in January, putting China’s substantial investments in the oil-rich nation at risk.

These recent actions are part of Trump’s broader strategy to reestablish American leadership in the Western Hemisphere. This weekend, the president is welcoming Latin American leaders to his Miami-area golf resort for a gathering called the “Shield of Americas” summit.

Administration allies argue these measures are essential to counter what they view as China’s harmful influence in America’s backyard, expressing concern that Beijing’s growing presence could shift global power dynamics. Critics, however, question whether such direct confrontation will succeed given China’s deep-rooted interests throughout the region.

Francisco Urdinez, who serves as an associate professor at the Political Science Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, expressed concern that Latin American nations may be forced to choose sides.

“Trump’s approach is making hedging increasingly difficult,” he stated. “The most likely outcome is a more fragmented region. Right-leaning governments will align more closely with Washington, while left-leaning governments will maintain or deepen ties with China. Countries caught in the middle will try to manage the tension case by case.”

According to Urdinez’s research documented in his 2026 publication “Economic Displacement: China and the End of US Primacy in Latin America,” only Cuba conducted more trade with China than the United States in 2001.

However, two decades later, his findings show that every South American nation except Paraguay and Colombia now trades more extensively with China than with America.

“China’s core advantage is its economic weight, plain and simple,” he explained.

Rebecca Ray, a senior academic researcher at Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center, noted that China has established itself as essential and sometimes irreplaceable in Latin American sectors where American investment has been lacking.

“The U.S. did not invest in the industries that the developing world in general is eyeing to close their infrastructure gaps. The U.S. is not investing in green energy; the U.S. is not investing in green mobility,” Ray explained. “Meanwhile, over the last 20 years, China has leapfrogged technologically into these new industries, and Chinese companies have had to develop technologies that nobody else has in order to make those industries practical.”

Data from AidData, a research facility at Virginia’s William & Mary university, reveals that between 2014 and 2023, China delivered approximately $153 billion in loans and grants to Latin American and Caribbean nations – making it the region’s largest official financing source. This figure significantly exceeds the roughly $50.7 billion provided by the United States during the same period.

The White House’s National Security Strategy, published in December, acknowledged “years of neglect” as the cause of diminished American influence in the Western Hemisphere. The document pledged to prevent “non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our Hemisphere.”

China’s economic expansion has translated into diplomatic gains. Since 2016, five regional countries – Panama, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras – have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established embassies in Beijing, seeking improved economic opportunities.

However, among the 12 nations worldwide that continue to recognize Taiwan’s independence, seven are located in Latin America, demonstrating the ongoing competition between the world’s two largest economies.

Taiwan remains the most contentious issue in U.S.-China relations. Beijing views Taiwan as Chinese territory and has pledged to forcibly annex the island if necessary. American law requires the U.S. to supply Taiwan with adequate military equipment to prevent any mainland attack.

China also provides weapons and police equipment to Latin American countries while offering training for their law enforcement and military forces.

The Chinese-constructed Chancay port in Peru, among Latin America’s deepest harbors, has generated concern in Washington about potential military applications.

“President Trump is right to focus on defending the Western Hemisphere from China,” declared Rep. John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican who leads the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. “President Trump has made it clear we stand with our friends in the region against China’s efforts to undermine America’s interests.”

Enrique Millán-Mejía, senior fellow on economic development at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, believes Latin American countries want to diversify beyond China economically, and America has significant opportunities to offer.

“There is some discontent about the presence of China as an investor and how the footprint and the outcome of those investments has not been significantly positive for the economy, and they are trying to align more with the U.S. — with the promise that the U.S. might invest in strategic sectors,” Millán-Mejía explained.

He warned that China maintains substantial advantages through existing investments in crucial areas including infrastructure, security, logistics and technology. Nevertheless, he anticipates Latin American nations will adopt pragmatic approaches, seeking benefits from relationships with both superpowers.

“Certainly, for Latin America, it’s very important to have a very good and close relationship with the U.S., because the U.S. is very near to them. But obviously, from an economic standpoint, it’s good to keep at least trade relations with China,” Millán-Mejía noted.

Sun Yun, who directs the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank, emphasized that China’s primary focus in Latin America is commercial.

“There’s no competition with the U.S. for dominance from the Chinese view,” Sun stated. “They will prioritize protection of their assets and will not give up facilities such as a port without a fight.”

She indicated that China expects reciprocal treatment from the United States.

“What they are trying to do is to argue that Taiwan is fairly and squarely in China’s sphere of influence,” Sun explained. “If the U.S. expects China to respect its own definition, then the U.S. should also respect China’s definition of the Western Pacific, especially Taiwan, to be a core national interest for China.”

BRUSSELS (AP) — Kurdish officials have revealed to The Associated Press that thousands of experienced Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq are making preparations for possible cross-border military operations against Iran, with support from the United States.

Three Kurdish officials, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public statements, confirmed that President Donald Trump met with leaders from Iraq’s two primary Kurdish political parties on Sunday to discuss the developing situation.

The involvement of armed Kurdish forces at this time, while Israel and the United States maintain their strikes against Iran, could pose a serious challenge to Iranian military defenses. However, it also threatens to draw Iraq — where several Iranian Kurdish organizations maintain operational bases — further into the expanding conflict.

Here’s an examination of the Kurdish people and their complex Middle Eastern relationships:

The Kurdish population represents one of the world’s most significant stateless ethnic communities, with approximately 30 million people living as minority populations across Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. They maintain their distinct language with multiple regional dialects, and the majority practice Sunni Islam.

While Kurds have never achieved independent statehood, they maintain semi-autonomous governance in northern Iraq and previously controlled much of northeastern Syria for several years. Many Kurdish groups have conducted insurgency operations aimed at creating an independent nation they call Kurdistan.

Iran hosts approximately 9 million Kurds, primarily concentrated along the nation’s western boundaries with Iraq and Turkey. This population has maintained longstanding grievances and has staged multiple rebellions against both the current Islamic Republic government and the previous monarchical system.

Prior to the current conflict, Amnesty International documented that Iranian Kurds experience “systemic discrimination” and noted that in previous years “security forces killed or injured many unarmed Kurdish cross-border couriers (kulbars) with impunity.”

Multiple Kurdish opposition organizations have engaged in armed resistance against Iranian government forces throughout recent decades.

Several of these groups established operational headquarters in Iraq, creating diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Baghdad’s central government until 2023, when both nations reached an accord to disarm the Iranian Kurdish organizations.

Leading up to the current warfare, five Iranian Kurdish organizations formed an alliance committed to toppling the Islamic Republic and securing Kurdish self-determination rights. On Thursday, a sixth organization joined this coalition.

“For the first time, all major Kurdish parties have come together as one in a new coalition — a historic step toward shaping a new future for Kurds and a democratic Iran,” said Abdullah Mohtadi, secretary general of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

However, coordinating with other Iranian opposition movements to remove Tehran’s leadership may present significant challenges.

Kurdish groups have historically faced disappointment in their dealings with American presidents.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford failed to shield Kurdish forces from defeat by Iraqi military units.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan took no action to prevent Iraqi forces from deploying chemical weapons against Kurdish populations.

In 1990, President George Bush urged Kurdish uprising against Saddam Hussein following his Kuwait invasion but provided no support when Iraqi forces violently suppressed the rebellion.

More recently in January, Trump permitted Syrian forces to capture Kurdish-controlled territory that had been secured during the Syrian civil war and through costly battles against Islamic State militants.

Turkey, a crucial NATO member and potential refuge destination for war displaced persons, would likely oppose Western arms transfers to Kurdish fighters, regardless of their Iranian targets.

Since 1984, Turkey has conducted an intensive military campaign against armed Kurdish insurgents, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties and extending into Iraq and Syria.

On Thursday, Turkey expressed opposition to potential Iranian Kurdish dissident participation in the Iranian conflict, cautioning about increased regional instability.

Turkish authorities classify the primary Kurdish dissident organization, PJAK, as a terrorist entity with connections to separatist movements fighting Turkey. Turkey’s defense ministry stated Thursday that PJAK’s operations “negatively affect not only Iran’s security but also the overall peace and stability of the region.”

Combat has already broken out throughout Kurdish territories spanning the Iran-Iraq border region.

While Israel and the United States have conducted strikes throughout Iran, Iranian military forces and their Iraqi allies have launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military installations and the U.S. Consulate in Irbil, as well as Iranian Kurdish group facilities.

Khalil Nadiri, representing the Kurdistan Freedom Party operating from northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish territory, confirmed Wednesday that some of their personnel had relocated to positions near the Iranian border in Sulaymaniyah province and remained on alert status.

In January, the organization claimed responsibility for conducting operations inside Iran during extensive protest suppression efforts. Iranian state media subsequently designated them “terrorists” without providing supporting evidence, a classification that carries capital punishment in Iran.

Representatives from Iraq’s Kurdish regional government and Iraqi Kurdish political organizations have stated their opposition to launching attacks against Iran from their territory, citing concerns about severe retaliation.

Peshawa Hawramani, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government, declared in an official statement that “allegations claiming that we are part of a plan to arm and send Kurdish opposition parties into Iranian territory are completely unfounded” and emphasized that Iraqi Kurdish parties do not wish to “expand the war and tensions in the region.”

CAIRO (AP) — Persian Gulf allies are expressing growing frustration with the Trump administration over what they describe as inadequate warning before U.S.-Israeli military actions that sparked a wave of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the region.

Sources from two Gulf nations revealed their governments’ disappointment with how Washington has managed the conflict, especially regarding last Saturday’s initial strike against Iran. These countries received no advance warning of the joint U.S.-Israeli operation and had previously cautioned that such actions would bring catastrophic regional consequences.

According to one official, Gulf states are increasingly frustrated and angry that American military forces have provided insufficient protection for their territories. The source indicated regional leaders believe U.S. operations prioritize defending Israel and American personnel while leaving Gulf countries to fend for themselves, noting that his nation’s missile interceptor supplies are “rapidly depleting.”

The Gulf officials requested anonymity due to the sensitive diplomatic nature of their statements.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain’s governments declined to provide comment when contacted.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly responded: “Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90% because Operation Epic Fury is crushing their ability to shoot these weapons or produce more. President Trump is in close contact with all of our regional partners, and the terrorist Iranian regime’s attacks on its neighbors prove how imperative it was that President Trump eliminate this threat to our country and our allies.”

Pentagon officials did not provide a response.

While Gulf Arab governments have maintained restrained official positions, prominent figures with government connections have publicly criticized U.S. actions, suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulled President Donald Trump into an unnecessary conflict.

“This is Netanyahu’s war,” former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal stated during a CNN interview Wednesday. “He somehow convinced the president (Trump) to support his views.”

During private congressional briefings this week, Pentagon leadership acknowledged difficulties in stopping Iranian drone swarms, leaving some American assets in the Gulf region exposed to attack.

Iran views Gulf countries as strategic targets within easy reach of short-range missiles, with numerous high-value objectives including U.S. military personnel, prominent commercial and tourist sites, and energy infrastructure that affects global oil supplies.

Since hostilities began, Iran has launched no fewer than 380 missiles and more than 1,480 drones against five Arab Gulf states, based on official reports compiled by AP. Local authorities report at least 13 fatalities in those nations.

Six American soldiers died Sunday in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations facility at a civilian port, located more than 10 miles from the primary Army installation. A family member of one deceased soldier, who served with an Iowa-based supply and logistics unit, described the operations center as a shipping container-style structure without defensive measures.

During Tuesday’s congressional briefings, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine informed lawmakers that U.S. forces cannot intercept most incoming unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly Shahed drones, according to three briefing attendees.

When pressed by legislators about apparent lack of preparation for Iranian drone swarms targeting regional U.S. assets, Caine and Hegseth provided no specific explanations, one attendee reported.

A U.S. official familiar with Gulf region security arrangements explained that America lacks comprehensive capabilities throughout the area to effectively counter waves of one-way attack drones targeting locations beyond traditional military installations in Iraq and Syria.

Recent drone strikes caused limited fire damage at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while another attack sparked a small blaze near the American consulate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. and Middle Eastern partners sought assistance Thursday from Ukraine, which has developed expertise countering Iranian Shahed drones, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. When asked about Zelenskyy’s remarks, Trump told Reuters Thursday, “Certainly, I’ll take, you know, any assistance from any country.”

Kuwait-based Chatham House analyst Bader Mousa Al-Saif suggested the U.S. underestimated risks to Gulf Arab partners, assuming Iranian retaliation would primarily target American forces and Israel.

“I don’t think they saw that there would be as much exposure to the Gulf,” he explained, calling the absence of Gulf protection plans evidence of “U.S. short-sightedness.”

Gulf nation frustration stems partly from Israel’s superior success rate in intercepting drones and missiles compared to their own defensive capabilities, according to a diplomatic source unauthorized to speak publicly.

While Gulf air defense systems lack Israel’s sophistication, U.S. officials reportedly remain puzzled by Gulf countries’ reluctance to launch counter-strikes against Iranian targets.

Elliott Abrams, who handled Iran and Venezuela policy during Trump’s first presidency, noted that American security officials and Gulf allies understood Iran’s strike capabilities.

“And the neighbors knew it and were afraid of it. But it was never clear that Iran would actually do it, because they have a lot to lose,” Abrams explained. “These attacks will leave long-term enmity, and if they keep up, the Gulf Arabs may start attacking Iran.”

Former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney observed that while Gulf states want to see Iran weakened, they harbor serious concerns about the ongoing conflict’s economic damage, regional instability, and uncertain duration.

Ratney, currently a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Middle East program, stated: “What comes next? The countries of the Gulf will have to bear the brunt of whatever that is.”

KUALA LUMPUR – A major ally within Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s governing coalition is evaluating whether to continue its partnership as disagreements intensify over how the administration has handled corruption allegations at the nation’s anti-graft watchdog.

Malaysia has spent the past ten years attempting to restore public trust and investor confidence following a massive fraud scheme at the 1MDB state fund that saddled the nation with enormous debt and resulted in a former prime minister’s imprisonment.

Though not as extensive as the 1MDB case, accusations of extensive wrongdoing at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have put fresh focus on Anwar’s anti-corruption promises after he declined demands for a thorough investigation.

These accusations, combined with ongoing frustrations about sluggish governance reform progress, have prompted the Democratic Action Party (DAP) – the coalition’s largest member and longtime backer of Anwar during his two-decade career as a progressive opposition figure – to reconsider its alliance.

“I expect the party to evaluate its position in the relevant coalitions when the time comes for elections, to determine the best strategy going forward,” DAP disciplinary chief Tony Pua told Reuters.

However, Pua noted the party won’t pull its support during the current term to avoid creating political chaos.

Anwar’s office declined to comment. The prime minister has stated his government is working diligently to resolve governance problems and eliminate corruption while recognizing the difficulty of ending systemic graft.

MACC director Azam Baki has faced mounting pressure to resign following Bloomberg’s reports suggesting he potentially violated shareholding regulations for government officials and that the agency assisted business groups in taking over companies. Azam and the MACC have rejected these claims.

Officials have established a committee to investigate these accusations, with results anticipated this week.

Yet Anwar has rejected DAP’s requests for a royal commission of inquiry into the broader misconduct allegations, leading coalition members and political observers to warn that an inadequate response could alienate voters, worsen internal divisions, and jeopardize government stability.

“If this issue is not contained or solved quickly, it will be a major issue until the next election,” stated Adib Zalkapli from political risk firm Viewfinder Global Affairs.

While Malaysia’s next national election isn’t required until early 2028, two government legislators indicated Anwar might call snap elections as soon as July.

One lawmaker from Anwar’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) revealed they and several colleagues are contemplating running as independents after losing faith in the prime minister’s leadership. These officials requested anonymity given the sensitive nature of the situation.

PKR member Hassan Karim emphasized the need for comprehensive reforms to combat systemic corruption.

“The prime minister and his government must terminate the contract of the MACC chief immediately and promptly form the RCI,” he stated.

Anwar’s time in office has featured internal cabinet disputes, public frustration over increasing living expenses, and concerns about democratic backsliding.

Although his administration has enacted some progressive changes, including ending mandatory death sentences, other initiatives have stalled.

Parliament narrowly rejected a constitutional amendment this week that would have capped prime ministerial terms at 10 years after several government-supporting lawmakers missed the vote.

Anwar’s coalition also suffered a significant defeat in November’s regional election, the first of multiple upcoming contests that will gauge support for the prime minister before national voting begins.

DAP’s Pua called the November defeat surprising and said it motivated party leadership to demand faster reforms.

The party, which holds 40 seats versus PKR’s 31, plans to meet in July to decide whether its leaders should step down from all government roles, including cabinet positions – a step Pua said would be necessary if promised changes aren’t delivered.

“If we don’t withdraw, the party will lose all credibility and can expect a punishing outcome from the elections,” Pua explained.

On Friday morning, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah issued an evacuation directive to Israeli civilians residing in communities located within approximately three miles of the Lebanon-Israel border, according to a Hebrew-language statement distributed through the organization’s Telegram messaging platform.

The militant group’s announcement followed closely after Israeli authorities had issued their own evacuation orders targeting residents of Dahiyeh, the southern suburban area of Beirut, which led to a mass departure from that section of Lebanon’s capital city.

The broader Middle East conflict expanded to include Lebanon earlier this week when Hezbollah initiated hostilities, which subsequently triggered retaliatory Israeli air operations targeting both Beirut’s southern neighborhoods and regions throughout southern and eastern Lebanon.

In their statement, Hezbollah declared: “Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged.”

Israeli officials have indicated they will not comply with demands to evacuate their border communities and have instead deployed additional military personnel to Lebanon, characterizing this action as a protective strategy designed to safeguard Israeli civilians living in the border region.

BERLIN – German officials announced Thursday they will not be deploying additional military personnel to the Middle East region, even as several European partner nations prepare to move naval vessels to the eastern Mediterranean waters.

The decision comes in response to recent developments following a drone attack targeting a British military installation in Cyprus, which has prompted coordinated defensive measures from multiple allies.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto informed lawmakers Thursday that his country, along with Spain, France, and the Netherlands, will dispatch warships to help defend Cyprus in the upcoming days.

Meanwhile, Britain plans to deploy a destroyer vessel and extra helicopter units equipped with anti-drone technology to the area, while collaborating with France and Greece to strengthen Cyprus’s air defense systems.

While Germany maintains naval participation in the ongoing UN UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, defense officials emphasized that their military priorities remain centered on NATO operations in eastern Europe.

“Germany is currently not planning any additional military capabilities beyond its existing contributions to international missions in the Middle East,” defense ministry officials stated.

The ministry noted that their anti-aircraft frigate “Sachsen” is presently engaged in NATO’s Cold Response training exercise in Arctic waters.

The official statement echoed remarks from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who told parliament: “Germany is not a party in this war. The Bundeswehr is not taking part in this war.”

Philippine security officials announced Thursday that classified details about the country’s naval supply operations in the South China Sea were stolen and delivered to Chinese intelligence operatives.

National Security Council spokesperson Cornelio Valencia disclosed the security breach one day after Manila revealed it had detained several Filipino citizens suspected of conducting espionage activities for China in what authorities described as a “serious national security matter.”

Valencia characterized the intelligence leak as “alarming” while noting its limited extent, and confirmed that communication methods used to transfer the sensitive data have been terminated.

“Rotation and resupply data fall under operational security because disclosing it can endanger personnel, and that has been compromised,” Valencia stated.

The South China Sea has become a flashpoint for tensions, with Philippine and Chinese naval forces regularly clashing during Manila’s missions to resupply its military outposts in the contested waters. Recent weeks have seen increasingly hostile public disputes between Chinese diplomatic officials, Philippine legislators, and Coast Guard representatives regarding the disputed maritime region.

Valencia confirmed that authorities have detained three Filipino nationals and indicated “there could be more.” He refused to specify whether formal criminal charges would be pursued.

Reuters previously interviewed the three suspects last month under conditions requiring anonymity, as arranged with security sources.

One detained individual, who accessed intelligence about military deployments, supply operations, and staff rotations through connections with a Philippine Coast Guard employee, admitted to transmitting this information using a specially provided mobile device.

The suspect demonstrated the phone to Reuters, which featured a Tetris video game that, when activated with a secret code, revealed a concealed messaging application used for handler communication.

“What I can say is that they’re cooperating with our security services,” Valencia explained. “They have confessed and admitted to it. They disclosed the data that they were able to get and share, the assessments they made and how they were recruited.”

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Manila’s espionage allegations Thursday, declaring: “We object to it, the case is not clear and there is no conclusive evidence.”

A second suspect revealed to Reuters that a Filipino woman initially contacted him while he worked as a junior employee at the Department of National Defence, offering payment for writing opinion pieces.

The arrangement eventually evolved into providing intelligence about South China Sea matters and the defense department’s diplomatic cooperation with Philippine partners, including the United States, according to his account.

He explained that he initially remained unaware of his work for Chinese operatives and only grew suspicious later, but found it difficult to withdraw due to financial necessity. He said this activity occurred from 2023 through 2025.

This recruitment approach reflects tactics observed in other international intelligence campaigns, where apparently legitimate consulting or writing opportunities serve as initial contact points before gradually escalating into requests for classified materials.

Reuters previously reported that organizations connected to Chinese interests have employed consulting companies and secret employment opportunities to target individuals, frequently exploiting economic hardships and progressively seeking increasingly sensitive data – a strategy experts identify as consistent with established Chinese intelligence methods.

Philippine legislators from both government and opposition parties are working to modernize outdated espionage legislation that would broaden their historically wartime-focused scope to address peacetime and cyber-enabled security threats.

WASHINGTON – International leaders including the United States and European Union released a collaborative statement Thursday voicing deep alarm about ongoing and recent breaches of peace agreements in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The coalition of nations is demanding that all involved parties honor their commitments to cease hostilities and return to the negotiating table to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.

The joint declaration highlights growing international frustration with the deteriorating security situation in the mineral-rich eastern provinces of Congo, where various armed groups have repeatedly broken truces despite previous agreements to end the fighting.

A corruption scandal involving Brazil’s central bank has sent shockwaves through the country’s capital, raising serious questions about the integrity of the nation’s financial oversight system.

The controversy centers around Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of the now-defunct Banco Master, who was taken into custody Wednesday as part of an expanding criminal investigation. Authorities allege that Vorcaro paid bribes to two high-level central bank officials while also conspiring with an associate he nicknamed “Sicario” – a reference to Mexican cartel assassins – to threaten and intimidate his perceived enemies.

The targets of these alleged intimidation schemes included former bank employees, household staff, and members of the media.

What began as an investigation into fraudulent lending practices at Master has mushroomed into a far-reaching probe that now encompasses public pension systems, a government-owned bank, and senior officials connected to Vorcaro.

The central bank’s reputation as an institution of principled civil servants resistant to political pressure had seemed intact when regulators shut down Banco Master last November. However, federal investigators have now shattered that perception with allegations that Vorcaro corrupted former central bank director Paulo Sergio Neves de Souza and ex-banking supervision chief Belline Santana.

Court-approved surveillance of communications revealed that the two officials allegedly provided insider information and guidance to Vorcaro in exchange for payments, according to federal police.

Neither Souza nor Santana could be reached for comment, and their legal representatives were not immediately identified.

The central bank has refused to discuss how the scandal might affect its credibility or past regulatory actions involving the implicated officials. However, the institution issued a public statement expressing support for the federal police investigation and promising appropriate legal consequences for any confirmed violations.

A source with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigations described the alleged misconduct as “absolutely unacceptable, absurd and horrifying,” while noting that the central bank’s institutional decision-making process ultimately led to the correct outcome.

Despite any opposition from Souza and Santana, the source explained, the central bank prevented regional lender BRB from acquiring Banco Master and proceeded with the troubled bank’s liquidation.

Nevertheless, the revelations have intensified criticism that regulators acted too slowly, allowing Master’s financial problems to worsen while technical evaluations overseen by Souza and Santana may have minimized the severity of the situation.

“The central bank was slow to rein in Master and it was slow to liquidate it,” said another source familiar with the regulator’s decision-making process.

Souza, who directly oversaw bank supervision as a board member, served on the monetary policy committee for nearly six years from 2017 to 2023 – precisely when Banco Master was pursuing aggressive expansion.

Court documents authorizing Wednesday’s police raids referenced messages showing that both he and Santana assisted Vorcaro with regulatory issues, including advance review of submissions to the central bank.

The judicial ruling cited evidence suggesting they received bribes while serving in senior positions, including Vorcaro’s efforts to establish fraudulent consulting contracts that were used to funnel money to the two officials.

Both officials continued working at the central bank in different supervisory capacities until January, when they resigned from their leadership roles during an internal investigation. They remained as career employees until Wednesday’s court order suspended them. Formal termination would require separate administrative proceedings.

“I was surprised and, above all, saddened. There is deep dismay,” said one former director who worked alongside Souza. Three additional sources who served with him expressed similar shock.

“It is very sad. But any wrongdoing by two officials must be separated from the institution and its staff,” one source commented, noting that the central bank’s own internal reviews helped support the investigation by federal police and prosecutors.

A federal police source, speaking anonymously, concurred that current findings suggest corruption by individual civil servants rather than systemic institutional failure.

Souza joined the central bank as a career employee in 1998 and was appointed to the board under former President Michel Temer. He continued serving through former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration and into the early months of current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s term, departing in July 2023.

His time in leadership coincided with Banco Master’s meteoric growth, built primarily on selling high-yield securities to individual investors with marketing that emphasized protection by the Credit Guarantee Fund.

Before Vorcaro’s 2017 acquisition, the institution operated as Banco Maxima and was already on the central bank’s confidential list of problematic lenders, flagged for loans that disregarded basic principles of “selectivity, liquidity and guarantees.”

Regulatory approval for the young banker’s takeover of the rebranded institution came in 2019 under current governor Roberto Campos Neto. Two sources familiar with Vorcaro’s influence said he maintained strong political connections in Brasilia that helped him portray a risky business model as beneficial for market competition.

Despite controlling less than 1% of Brazil’s total banking assets, Master’s collapse last November amid cash flow problems and mismanagement has cost the deposit insurance fund approximately 40 billion reais ($7.7 billion) – roughly one-third of its available resources. The bill has grown larger with the liquidation of other institutions under Master’s corporate umbrella.

The deposit insurance fund relies on mandatory contributions from banks, with larger institutions bearing most of the burden for new funding requirements.

The financial strain received some relief this week when the central bank permitted 30 billion reais in reserve requirements that would normally be deposited with the regulator to be redirected to the insurance fund this year.