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SEOUL — South Korea’s parliament voted Thursday to open a 45-day formal investigation into the National Election Commission following a ballot paper shortage that threw the country’s June 3 local elections into chaos.

The probe was approved at a full plenary session of the National Assembly. The ballot shortage fiasco has sparked public protests, led to the resignation of the election commission’s top official, and prompted President Lee Jae Myung to demand a thorough review of what happened.

A special parliamentary committee has been formed to scrutinize both the National Election Commission and regional election bodies. Lawmakers described the situation as a violation of citizens’ voting rights and said reforms to election management are urgently needed.

The investigation panel includes members from the ruling Democratic Party, the main opposition People Power Party, and several smaller parties. People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun is set to serve as the committee’s chair.

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik addressed the significance of the inquiry, saying: “The fact-finding investigation is not the end, but the beginning.” He added, “The parliamentary investigation should identify the causes and lead to election management reform measures that the public can trust.”

On Wednesday, NEC acting secretary-general Kang Dong-wan met with university student representatives who had been staging protests. He told them the commission felt “devastated” over its failure to adequately prepare and pledged cooperation with the parliamentary inquiry, a joint police-prosecution investigation, and an internal audit.

An NEC official confirmed Wednesday that ballot shortages affected 91 polling stations across the country, with voting temporarily suspended at 26 of those locations during the local elections.

In Seoul’s Songpa district, one polling station was forced to halt voting at 4:46 p.m. It did not resume until 5:39 p.m. and ultimately stayed open until 10 p.m. to accommodate roughly 175 voters holding waiting tickets. However, 12 people who had received waiting tickets never came back to cast their ballots, according to the NEC official.

Residents of Makerfield, a former coal mining district near Manchester in northern England, cast their votes Thursday in a by-election that carries far-reaching consequences for British national politics.

At the center of the race is Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, 56, who is seeking to return to parliament. Should he win, political observers say he would be positioned to mount a challenge to deeply unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party — potentially making Burnham Britain’s seventh prime minister in just over ten years.

The by-election was triggered when a fellow Labour Party member resigned his parliamentary seat. The vacancy drew an unusual level of national attention to the area, given what the outcome could mean for the future of the country’s governing party.

Burnham has attempted to frame the race around local concerns, pointing to his personal ties to the region — he lives nearby and his three children attended school there. But rival candidates have accused him of treating the election as little more than a launchpad for national ambitions, particularly after he began offering hints about how he might lead the country.

Speaking to party supporters in remarks also broadcast on the social media platform X on Wednesday evening, Burnham declared: “Change is coming, but the question tonight is ‘what kind of change?’” He added, “A vote for me is a vote to end 40 years of trickle-down economics that didn’t trickle down much at all to people here.”

Labour flooded Makerfield with senior ministers and dozens of lawmakers in the run-up to the vote and is cautiously optimistic that Burnham can defeat Reform UK’s candidate, Robert Kenyon, a self-employed plumber who also hails from the area. Reform UK is the populist party led by Brexit advocate Nigel Farage. Polling shows Burnham ahead, though Reform’s support has been somewhat reduced by competition from a newer right-wing party called Restore Britain.

If Burnham secures a win, he has made clear he intends to enter any leadership race against Starmer, though he may not move immediately. Another potential challenger, former health minister Wes Streeting, has said he is ready to force a leadership contest if Starmer does not voluntarily step aside — something Streeting has publicly called for.

Starmer, 63, has repeatedly pushed back against calls to resign, noting that he has “always battled against the odds” — pointing to how he guided Labour from its worst election defeat in 84 years in 2019 to a landslide victory in 2024. He has pledged to fight any leadership challenge.

Nevertheless, multiple senior Labour lawmakers suggest Starmer might be persuaded to hand power to Burnham voluntarily, given that Burnham appears to have strong support among Labour’s members of parliament. The thinking is that a negotiated transition could spare the party a drawn-out leadership contest that might further damage its standing with voters ahead of a general election scheduled for 2029.

One scenario floated by Labour lawmakers would have Burnham offering Streeting a prominent cabinet position in exchange for Streeting declining to formally trigger a leadership race. One senior lawmaker noted that a likely three-month summer leadership campaign would only hurt the party, and that members of parliament would probably favor a swift and orderly resolution.

KYIV — Four years after Ukraine’s Azov Regiment was forced to surrender the last remnants of the battered city of Mariupol to Russian forces, the reconstituted unit has turned its attention back to making Russia answer for that occupation.

That crushing defeat in May 2022 — during which hundreds of Azov fighters were either killed or taken prisoner — transformed the regiment into a symbol of resilience across Ukraine and set the stage for its return as a larger, more formidable force. The unit is now once again directing its efforts toward its home city on the Azov Sea.

Drones operated by First Corps Azov flew over the city’s strategically important seaport last week in a mission that struck electrical substations, repair facilities, and a sanctioned vessel, knocking out power to the port entirely, according to Ukraine’s military. Reuters was able to verify the location of portions of attack footage the corps posted publicly.

The strike was part of Ukraine’s growing campaign to hit Russian military supply lines far behind the front lines, with the goal of wearing down Moscow’s ability to wage war and shifting momentum in Kyiv’s favor.

Col. Arsen Dmytryk, First Corps Azov’s chief of staff, told Reuters that many more such operations are planned to demonstrate the unit’s capabilities, technology, and strategic thinking.

He acknowledged that pushing Russia out of Mariupol — which sits roughly 120 kilometers, or about 75 miles, behind front lines that have barely shifted — is a slow process he described as a “long game.”

“If it takes 20 years, we will spend 20 years planning, waiting, preparing,” said Dmytryk, 32, who was among those captured by Russia and later released. “But when the time comes, we must be ready. I believe we will return it (Mariupol). It’s just a matter of time.”

Russia’s defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

The port strike, conducted alongside Ukraine’s drone forces and the SBU security service, hit just a few miles from the steel mill where Azov fighters and other Ukrainian troops surrendered following a three-month Russian siege of the city.

It came after months of strikes on major roadways throughout Russian-occupied areas of the eastern Donetsk region, including in Mariupol itself, as part of a coordinated effort to disrupt Russian supply lines heading to the front.

Video footage released by the corps documents these operations: an April 16 clip shows drones flying over wide open fields and long stretches of highway around Donetsk before slamming into heavy military vehicles. A May 8 post features aerial footage sweeping over central Mariupol and the heavily damaged Azovstal Iron and Steel Works — the site of the Ukrainian garrison’s final stand in 2022. “Azov is already patrolling its home city of Mariupol. From the skies — for now,” the post stated.

Mariupol’s population has dropped significantly from its prewar total of more than 400,000. Today the city is the site of new infrastructure projects that are part of Russia’s effort to solidify its hold on occupied southern Ukraine, according to a Reuters investigation conducted earlier this year. In January, Kyiv’s foreign intelligence service reported that Russia is expanding Mariupol’s seaport as a major economic hub while pursuing high-profile construction projects at the expense of ordinary residents.

Within Ukraine’s broader “middle strike” campaign, Azov’s main objective is to cut off enemy cargo — particularly fuel — moving from Russia through key transit points like Mariupol and Donetsk city, according to a corps drone officer. He noted that the constant movement of supply trucks along wide, exposed roads makes them hard to protect. “There’s no way to hide a tanker carrying fuel … It’s just impossible,” he said.

The targeted routes include the M14 highway connecting Mariupol with the Russian city of Rostov to the east, the H20 running north from Mariupol to Donetsk, and a ring road around Donetsk city.

Ukraine’s military is also intensifying strikes on logistics across the Russian-occupied “land bridge” through southern Ukraine that links Russia with Crimea — attacks that have already caused fuel shortages on the peninsula. Ukraine’s top drone commander Robert Brovdi pledged last week to “isolate Crimea in the near future” through continued strikes on the key P-280 highway.

Azov’s strikes are “cumulative rather than decisive,” according to Franz-Stefan Gady, a Vienna-based expert with the Center for a New American Security. He explained that the strikes force Russian forces to spread their vehicles across longer alternate routes and rely more heavily on nighttime driving — which over time “degrades the offensive tempo Russia can generate” on the battlefield.

Russian forces are currently on the verge of capturing the city of Kostiantynivka, the southern anchor of what is known as the “fortress belt” in the Donetsk region that Moscow has demanded Kyiv hand over. Russian drone teams are also targeting Ukrainian battlefield supply lines. However, Russia’s overall rate of advance has slowed considerably in recent months, and Ukrainian forces have reclaimed ground in some areas along the front.

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, said Kyiv’s mid-range strikes could “test the conditions” for Ukraine — and possibly Azov — to eventually launch offensive operations. “This is one of the big stories of this year: how does Russia deal with Ukraine’s middle strike campaign?” he said.

Among Azov’s primary weapons is an AI-assisted drone called the Hornet, produced by a U.S. defense-technology firm run by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt called Perennial Autonomy. Corps operators enhanced the drone by fitting it with Starlink internet terminals to extend its original 100-kilometer range — an innovation that highlighted the unit’s technical expertise. “Azov was responsible for a lot of the improvements to the Hornet,” Lee said.

By targeting roads into and out of Mariupol with drone strikes, the corps is working toward another critical goal, said chief of staff Dmytryk: speeding up an end to the war that he hopes would result in the release of more than 700 Azov fighters currently held in Russian prisons. Kyiv has made a full prisoner exchange a central demand in any peace negotiations. Frequent “Free Azov” rallies are held in Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities, reflecting the unit’s revered status in Ukrainian society.

Corps commander Denys Prokopenko wrote on X last month that freeing his fellow fighters was “my personal priority and a matter of honour.”

Despised in Russia due to its origins as a nationalist militia, today’s Azov is a far different organization from the small volunteer battalion that liberated Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists in 2014, or the fragmented regiment that fought in 2022. Now formally part of the National Guard, it is considered one of Ukraine’s top fighting units and among its “most advanced formations” in drone warfare, according to defense analyst Olena Kryzhanivska of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

Last year, the unit expanded into a full corps made up of six brigades, a drone regiment, and a special-purposes unit, and now numbers in the tens of thousands of troops, the unit says.

“When we were in captivity, the Muscovites told us that they wanted to destroy, destroy, destroy us,” said Dmytryk, whose call sign is “Lemko.” “But somehow their ‘destruction’ keeps scaling up Azov instead.”

ZURICH — Switzerland’s lower house of parliament has turned down a trade agreement with the South American trading bloc Mercosur, following pushback from lawmakers on both the political right and left.

The vote, which took place late Wednesday, resulted in the accord being rejected by a margin of 96 to 86, with nine abstentions. The agreement had been reached last year.

Opposition to the deal came from two very different directions. Conservative lawmakers, many representing agricultural interests, stood against it, as did left-leaning parties who raised concerns about labor standards and the ongoing destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Despite the lower house rejection, the process is not necessarily over. The agreement will now be considered by the upper chamber of parliament, and if approved there, it could be sent back to the lower house for another vote.

Mercosur is a South American trade bloc made up of four nations: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Skyrocketing fuel costs linked to the ongoing Iran war are giving electric vehicle sales across Europe a significant boost, according to industry data obtained by Reuters — though some auto industry leaders caution that the momentum may not hold if gas prices retreat.

Experts in the field point to improvements in charging networks and a new wave of more budget-friendly EV models — including vehicles from Chinese manufacturers — as factors helping electric cars become more accessible to everyday consumers.

Although the United States and Iran have agreed to an extended ceasefire, disruptions to shipping mean oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to return to normal levels, keeping fuel prices elevated for the foreseeable future.

Research group New Automotive and industry organization E-Mobility Europe shared data with Reuters showing new electric vehicle registrations climbed 34% compared to the same period last year in May, covering 17 markets that represent more than 90% of car sales across the European Union and European Free Trade Association.

Fully electric models made up nearly one out of every four new vehicle registrations in those markets.

Renault CEO Francois Provost told Reuters last week that the automaker’s EV order book has grown by 50% in certain countries since the Iran conflict began in late February. However, he predicted that growth “will decrease” should fuel prices come back down.

Ford’s Europe chief Jim Baumbick acknowledged that the war has “increased customers’ interest” in EVs, but urged caution about viewing the trend as a permanent change in consumer behavior.

The conflict has coincided with a broader push by automakers to introduce less expensive electric vehicles in Europe, tackling one of the biggest obstacles to wider adoption — the higher purchase price compared to traditional gas-powered cars.

Chinese automakers are moving beyond larger vehicle segments and into smaller hatchbacks aimed at European buyers. BYD launched its Dolphin G model in Berlin last week as part of that expansion.

Andy Palmer, a former Nissan executive who helped bring the mass-market Leaf EV to consumers, commented: “Consumer interest in EVs is clearly stimulated by low-cost, very good Chinese cars arriving on the market.”

The used EV market is also heating up. Online marketplace OLX reported that sales leads for Chinese-brand vehicles in France surged more than fourfold in May compared to a year earlier.

German online marketplace Carwow, which tracks both new and used vehicles, said consumer interest in EVs — measured through vehicle configurations and purchase inquiries — has leveled off at between 70% and 75%, a notable jump from roughly 40% earlier this year.

Philipp Sayler von Amende, managing director of Carwow Germany, said: “This development has long since evolved from a short-term effect to a sustainable trend.”

Used electric vehicles are also attracting buyers with their relatively low price tags. Tesla’s aggressive price cuts in 2023 significantly dragged down resale values across the used EV market, though those prices are now beginning to inch back up as demand grows stronger.

Danish used-car platform Bilbasen anticipates used EV prices will rise by about 10% this year.

At present, used electric vehicles remain less expensive than comparable gas-powered models. In Britain, two- to four-year-old EVs are selling for roughly 33% of their original purchase price, compared to 52% for fossil-fuel vehicles, according to dealer services firm Cox Automotive.

Cox’s insight director Philip Nothard said the growing availability of affordable new and pre-owned EVs should help keep demand strong even if fuel prices ease. “The market should stabilise,” he said. “I very much doubt that we’ll see a downturn.”

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s president addressed foreign journalists Thursday, expressing his desire for a new U.S. arms sale package to be approved without delay, while also defending his government’s right to protect itself from Chinese pressure.

President Lai Ching-te made the remarks at a gathering of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Taipei, saying the United States’ commitment to Taiwan’s security remains intact — but that Taiwan itself must not waver in building up its own defenses.

“The key is that Taiwan must not change course in strengthening its own defence capabilities, nor can it slow its pace,” Lai said.

He added: “We will continue to maintain close communication with the U.S. government, and we also hope the arms purchases can be approved as soon as possible.”

The comments follow unease in Taiwan sparked by remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump last month. After meeting with China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump indicated he was still weighing whether to approve new arms sales to Taiwan, describing them as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.

Taiwan is a democratically governed island that China considers part of its own territory. Beijing has intensified both military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan in recent years.

China has labeled Lai a “separatist” and has rejected his repeated overtures for dialogue. Despite that, Lai said Thursday he still wants to engage in talks with China based on what he called “parity and respect.”

He also made clear that Taiwan’s people alone have the right to determine their own future, and he pushed back on the notion that Taiwan’s self-defense efforts are antagonistic toward Beijing.

“Taiwan’s safeguarding of its own national security and maintaining its democratic and free way of life, its refusal to accept unification, and its refusal to accept rule by the Chinese Communist Party should not be seen as a provocation against China,” Lai said.

A Thai fisherman named Chaiyaporn Arunrasamee was bent over his fishing nets along the Andaman Sea last month — waters that sit at the center of an enormous government infrastructure proposal that could reshape global shipping routes in Southeast Asia.

“Personally, I don’t want it to happen at all,” said Chaiyaporn, who has spent his entire 50 years fishing in the waters near Ranong, a coastal town on Thailand’s western shore.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has breathed new life into a long-discussed plan known as the “Land Bridge” — a massive logistics corridor valued at 1 trillion baht, or roughly $30.45 billion. The project gained renewed urgency following the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Hormuz Strait, events that underscored how dependent global trade is on a handful of critical sea passages.

The proposal calls for connecting two newly built deep-sea ports — one at Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand to the east, and another at Ranong along the western Andaman coast — through a 90-kilometer (56-mile) standard-gauge railway capable of handling up to 20 million shipping containers per year. Additional infrastructure would include a meter-gauge rail link to Thailand’s existing national rail network, multi-lane highways, and local roads.

The goal is to give cargo ships an alternative to the Strait of Malacca, a 900-kilometer (550-mile) waterway bordered by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore that serves as the primary sea route between East Asia and the Middle East and Europe. About 80% of container traffic at major ports along the Malacca Strait involves goods being transferred between ships rather than cargo headed to local destinations.

“We want to capture some of this 80% market, particularly the feeder segment,” said Jiraroth Sukolrat, Director-General of Thailand’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, referring to smaller freight vessels with a capacity of 12,000 containers or fewer. “We are not targeting giant mainline vessels.”

According to an internal government presentation reviewed by Reuters, the corridor could slash logistics costs by nearly 30% and trim transit times by up to 14 days for cargo traveling between southern China and Indian Ocean ports serving South Asia and the Middle East. Feeder-to-feeder shipments crossing the corridor could be around 10% cheaper and six days faster than comparable routes through Singapore, largely due to lower congestion.

Despite the ambitious projections, analysts are skeptical that the Land Bridge can truly rival the Malacca Strait as a global trade route.

“The land bridge may ultimately emerge as a modular national security asset aimed at securing local energy routes and boosting Thailand’s own western export capabilities,” said Eugene Mark of Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Mark also noted that convincing shipping companies to unload cargo, haul it overland, and reload it onto another vessel remains a steep challenge. “Proving that this double-handling model can genuinely compete with the seamless transit through the Strait of Malacca remains a major hurdle,” he said.

The Land Bridge concept was first introduced around 2020 and is the latest in a string of similar infrastructure proposals that Thai governments have pursued over two decades, none of which came to fruition. Unlike earlier versions, the current plan does not include oil refineries or petrochemical facilities, focusing instead on ports, railways, and light industry.

“The concept hasn’t really changed. What has changed is the packaging,” said Wipawadee Panyangnoi, an independent researcher who wrote her doctoral dissertation on the Land Bridge proposal. “In the past they openly talked about industrial estates and petrochemicals, which people opposed. Today the project is framed as transport infrastructure and logistics because that language is easier for the public to accept.”

The Thai government says it has drawn lessons from past failures, with the state taking a regulatory and supporting role while private investors provide the bulk of financing. “It has to be a consortium involving shipping lines, port operators, financiers and land developers,” said Jiraroth.

So far, investor interest has been cautious. Mark noted that shifting policy frameworks and enormous capital requirements have kept major backers from making firm commitments. The project also carries geopolitical complexity, with neighboring countries watching warily. “Chinese state enterprises are unlikely to commit significant capital unless they secure strong operational leverage, which would trigger intense domestic political pushback in Thailand over foreign control,” Mark said. “Thailand must navigate a delicate diplomatic balancing act to prevent the corridor from becoming a geopolitical flashpoint.”

The Singapore foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.

Meanwhile, communities along the proposed corridor are pushing back. In the fertile Phato district, where durian plantations and coffee farms generate significant income, residents are questioning the need for large-scale industrialization.

“My hometown’s durian industry alone generates around 10 billion baht a year without needing to build anything new,” said coffee entrepreneur Chalermchart Seekhiao, 30. “People need to understand: this isn’t an empty wasteland.”

Chaiyaporn, speaking from the small fishing village of Baan Hat Sai Dam on an island surrounded by mangrove forests, put the stakes simply: “This thing will be located in the area where we make our living. Where will we go?”

The project suffered a recent setback when regulators ordered a completely new Environmental and Health Impact Assessment after a significant gap was found between government and private research estimates on the density of marine life near the proposed port sites.

A government-appointed review panel is expected to submit its findings before the end of July.

“Local opposition alone rarely cancels a top-down mega-project in Thailand, but it acts as a powerful regulatory drag that compounds investor risk,” Mark said.

LONDON (AP) — One of England’s most iconic trees, long connected to the legend of Robin Hood, appears to have been killed by the very people who came to admire it.

The Major Oak, a 1,200-year-old giant in Sherwood Forest, is believed to have died after it failed to grow leaves this spring, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which announced the news Thursday.

The conservation organization explained that centuries of visitors coming to gaze at the tree’s twisted branches and wide-spreading canopy in Nottingham gradually packed down the soil around its base, preventing rainwater from reaching its roots.

The forest has faced threats for years, and rumors of the tree’s death had circulated before — only for the group to confirm each time that it had survived. This time, there is no such reassurance.

“The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone,” said Hollie Drake of the RSPB in a statement confirming the tree’s death.

According to legend, Robin Hood — the fictional 13th-century outlaw known for stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor — used the forest as a hideout while evading the sheriff of Nottingham, and the Major Oak is said to have provided him shelter.

The tree earned its name after being featured in a book about oaks written by Major Hayman Rooke in 1790, which sparked the first surge of visitors flocking to the forest to see it.

Pinpointing a single cause of death is not possible, experts say, but the cumulative impact of millions of footsteps played a role, as did efforts to physically support the tree’s enormous limbs using cables and poles. Climate change, which has brought increasingly severe heat waves and drought conditions, was also cited as a contributing factor.

Specialists who examined the tree found its root system had been choked and deprived of nutrients.

“Ancient trees like the Major Oak are the ‘conservation white rhinos of the U.K.’ but their decline is far less visible,” said Ed Pyne of the Woodland Trust. “Saving them is vital to the health of the world we live in and yet most disappear quietly, without the recognition or care given to the Major Oak.”

Beyond its place in folklore, Sherwood Forest holds historical significance for another reason — its oaks were used to build the ships of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Royal Navy during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and timber from the forest was used in the roof of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

The Major Oak was spared from being cut down and has been protected behind a fence since the 1970s.

“The Major Oak will continue to stand at the heart of Sherwood as a natural monument for visitors to come and see, living on in the legend of Robin Hood and continuing to provide as much support to the forest’s ecosystem in death as in life,” Drake said.

LONDON (AP) — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer isn’t running in Thursday’s special election, but his political survival very much depends on its outcome.

Residents of the Makerfield district in northwest England are heading to the polls to choose a new member of Parliament, and the heavy favorite is Andy Burnham — the current mayor of Greater Manchester and the man betting markets consider most likely to become the country’s next prime minister.

Should Burnham beat out a challenger from the anti-immigration party Reform UK and secure the seat for the governing Labour Party, he is widely expected to mount a leadership challenge against the increasingly unpopular Starmer.

On the campaign trail, Burnham made a bold pledge: “If people put their trust in me, I will change politics” — a sweeping promise from someone who, if elected, would be just one of 650 members of the House of Commons.

Yet the extraordinary level of global media attention — with scores of journalists from around the world descending on Makerfield — signals this is anything but a routine by-election. Results are anticipated in the early hours of Friday morning.

Roughly 75,000 people are eligible to cast ballots in Makerfield, a constituency made up of several towns and villages on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of London.

Those voters effectively hold the fate of Starmer in their hands. His public approval has collapsed since he guided the center-left Labour Party to a sweeping election victory in July 2024.

Starmer’s government has stumbled in its efforts to deliver economic growth, fix deteriorating public services, and bring down the cost of living. A series of missteps has compounded his troubles, including his choice to name Peter Mandelson — a figure with a scandal-clouded past and ties to Jeffrey Epstein — as the UK’s ambassador to the United States.

A poor showing in May’s local elections prompted dozens of Labour lawmakers to call for Starmer’s resignation. He has refused to step aside, but senior party figures are pushing for a change at the top. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting quit his Cabinet role in May, declaring that “where we need vision, we have a vacuum.”

Shortly after, Labour lawmaker Josh Simons resigned his Makerfield seat, deliberately triggering the special election to create a path for Burnham to return to Parliament.

Britain’s system of government allows a ruling party to swap out its leader mid-term, with the new leader automatically becoming prime minister — no national election required. Under Labour Party rules, a leadership challenge can be launched if one-fifth of the party’s House of Commons members back it, which currently means 81 lawmakers.

Streeting said Tuesday that he hopes Starmer will voluntarily step down, but warned that if he refuses, “there will need to be a contest, and I would be prepared to do that.”

While Streeting is seen as a capable communicator with allies in Parliament, Burnham is viewed as the more probable successor to Starmer.

The 56-year-old politician — often called the “King of the North” — has served as Manchester’s mayor since 2017, overseeing a significant revitalization of the city where the Industrial Revolution took root. He is now promising to bring his distinctive “Manchesterism” approach to the national stage.

“It’s not right, the way the country has been run,” Burnham said during a campaign appearance last week, arguing that “London-centric politics” has left other parts of the UK behind.

Starmer, for his part, has projected an image of calm resolve. At a G7 summit in France this week, he insisted he has no plans to resign.

“I will fight if there’s a challenge,” Starmer said. “We won a significant general election result in 2024, with a mandate to bring about change. I’m not going to walk away from that.”

Starmer has also floated the idea of bringing Burnham into his Cabinet if Burnham wins the seat, telling Sky News on Wednesday that “I want him to have a big role in government.” However, sources close to Burnham signaled he has no interest in that offer.

Rob Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, said a convincing Burnham win would make “the pressure on Starmer very hard to resist.”

“Starmer can say all that he likes that he wants to carry on,” Ford said. “But if the entire Cabinet turns around and says, ‘We’re not going to serve under you and we think you should go,’ then either he’ll go with dignity or go without dignity, but he’ll end up having to go quite quickly.”

Still, Burnham’s path to victory is not guaranteed. Makerfield has returned Labour lawmakers to Parliament for over a century, but Reform UK has made rapid inroads across post-industrial northern England, scoring significant gains in last month’s local elections.

Reform’s candidate, Rob Kenyon — a local plumber — is aiming to capitalize on voter anxiety about immigration, a concern frequently voiced by residents despite the area having relatively few immigrants. Reform also faces pressure from its right flank, from Restore, an even more hardline anti-immigration and ethnonationalist party.

A Burnham win would be damaging enough for Starmer. But Ford warned that a Reform victory in Makerfield would mean “Gotterdammerung, apocalypse, disaster, chaos” for Labour.

“Andy Burnham is miles more popular than every other (leadership) candidate available. Miles better known, miles better liked,” Ford said.

“If Reform take him out, then simultaneously you have a situation where the Reform threat looks much graver, and the best person available to combat the Reform threat has failed.”

North Korea has pulled its ambassador out of Britain just weeks after he arrived, scaling back diplomatic relations in retaliation for sanctions placed on a North Korean children’s camp, according to a report from NK News, a website that focuses on North Korean affairs.

The North Korean embassy in London issued a statement to NK News announcing the withdrawal of Ambassador Mun Myong Sin and said diplomatic ties would be reduced to the charge d’affaires level until Britain removes its sanctions against the Songdowon International Children’s Camp.

Britain imposed those sanctions in May, designating the camp as part of Kremlin-run youth programs connected to the deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.

The North Korean embassy described Britain’s action as a “heinous, unethical, politically-motivated provocation,” accusing London of trying to damage North Korea’s reputation and weaken its relationship with Russia, NK News reported.

North Korea’s foreign ministry had already responded in May through state media, calling the sanctions a malicious act and warning that Britain would face consequences. The ministry dismissed the sanctions as baseless and argued they violated the rights of North Korean children, whom it described as receiving the “most precious” treatment.

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office declined to comment to NK News about Ambassador Mun’s status or the circumstances of his departure.

Britain had appointed a new ambassador to North Korea last year, though its embassy in Pyongyang has remained shuttered since the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea’s embassy in Britain did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The war involving Iran has rattled global fuel prices and strengthened Europe’s resolve to develop alternative trade and energy routes that don’t rely on the Strait of Hormuz.

Here’s a closer look at what the European Union is considering to strengthen its energy security and reduce vulnerability to future conflicts, as it deepens ties with Gulf nations and India.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed fresh enthusiasm for a project known as the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC. Speaking to G7 leaders at this week’s summit, she noted that “alternative export routes have been created that are more resilient and offer choices” and added that “other routes will be built — for example, a typical one is IMEC.”

The corridor is viewed as a way to give the EU greater economic resilience, diversified supply chains, and stronger energy security — particularly at a time when Russia continues its aggressive posture and U.S. strategic commitments appear to be shifting.

While the EU has backed IMEC through a memorandum of understanding, only a small number of its 27 member states have formally signed on. Still, a senior EU diplomat — speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss confidential talks — said political support behind closed doors is strong.

“The focus now is on translating that vision into practical implementation across its three pillars: transport and trade connectivity, energy connectivity and digital connectivity,” the diplomat said, noting the initiative could include new pipelines and transmission cables.

The EU’s press office would not offer a timeline for when the project might move forward.

IMEC would run through Israel, which has voiced its support. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last year that he had spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the corridor, describing it as “a very revolutionary and transformative development that we want to bring into place.”

Lianne Pollak-David, co-founder of the Israel-based Coalition for Regional Security, told a recent online briefing that U.S. leadership would be critical to advancing IMEC — particularly in helping normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a key player in the project.

“Without normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, IMEC cannot be truly realized,” she said.

Saudi Arabia has stated it will only normalize ties with Israel if there is a clear path toward Palestinian statehood — a position that Netanyahu has rejected.

It is still uncertain how the Iran war, which was launched by the U.S. and Israel and caused damage to Gulf Arab nations, may affect Saudi Arabia’s calculations going forward. Saudi officials declined to comment when asked about their stance on IMEC.

Von der Leyen has said the EU spent an additional 25 billion euros — roughly $29 billion — on oil and gas imports during just the first 54 days of the Iran war, while also facing the prospect of a prolonged jet fuel shortage.

She and European Council President Antonio Costa said during an EU leaders’ meeting in April that the bloc is “ready to team up with Gulf countries” to develop new energy infrastructure that avoids conflict zones like the Strait of Hormuz.

The importance of such alternatives is already on display. Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, which runs from its eastern oil fields to the Red Sea, saw Aramco ramp up transport to its maximum capacity of 7 million barrels per day after the Iran war began.

French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told the Associated Press that G7 leaders are discussing ways to finance and build infrastructure — “sometimes on the terrestrial part” — that can route energy “outside of the track of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Von der Leyen and Costa have not spelled out specifics on EU-backed projects. However, an EU official who spoke anonymously said the bloc would encourage European companies to invest in Gulf renewable energy projects to meet EU energy demand.

Gabriel Mitchell, an analyst with the German Marshall Fund think tank, said getting European collaborative projects off the ground in Gulf nations will take time. He noted that oil and gas pipelines are the most likely near-term projects given their shorter construction timelines, along with subsidizing repairs at Gulf facilities that were targeted by Tehran during the war. Mitchell added that any new infrastructure would need to align with the EU’s green policies — meaning pipelines, for instance, would likely be designed with future “dual-use” capability to carry both gas and potentially hydrogen.

Another significant initiative is the Great Seas Interconnector — an EU-backed undersea electricity cable planned to stretch 1,208 kilometers, or about 750 miles, connecting continental Europe’s power grid with EU member Cyprus and eventually Israel. Known as GSI, the project is currently held up by financing red tape, but its potential goes beyond ending the energy isolation of Cyprus and Israel — it could also serve as an energy link to India and become part of IMEC.

Gallia Lindenstrauss, a senior fellow with the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies, praised the GSI as a “very pragmatic solution for the modern energy needs” that helps pave the way toward green energy transition. “As energy security and grid backup move to the forefront of the global agenda, this project provides a flexible platform,” she said.

The United States is also working to strengthen energy ties among Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said last week that Washington views the Eastern Mediterranean as “an increasingly important region for global energy development.” Wright was in Houston to open the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center at Rice University, which is designed to boost cooperation on natural gas development, U.S. liquefied natural gas infrastructure, and energy transportation networks across the European region.

SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, carrying more than just diplomatic goodwill — he left with a pen from U.S. President Donald Trump and what appears to be a standing golf invitation.

Lee attended the summit as an invited partner and said Thursday that he and Trump sat down for an extended conversation during the leaders’ dinner.

“We had an in-depth conversation for about 90 minutes about peace on the Korean peninsula and South Korea-U.S. relations, and made significant progress,” Lee wrote on X.

The following day, Trump handed Lee the pen he had been using to sign documents at the summit. Lee noted the gesture mirrored their first summit, when Trump had received a pen from Lee.

The golf topic also came up during the dinner, with Trump reportedly raising it not once but twice. Lee said he initially brushed it off.

“I thought it was just a passing remark, but it seems I should prepare,” Lee said.

Lee recounted that Trump expressed interest in playing golf with both him and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, and that the promise became something of a formal commitment.

“He said he would play golf with my wife and me, and my wife even sealed the promise by hooking fingers,” Lee said. “Then, after today’s luncheon, he again said we should definitely play golf together.”

During a group photo session earlier at the summit, Lee asked Trump to take the initiative in working toward a peaceful resolution to ongoing tensions with North Korea, according to Lee’s office.

The presidential Blue House also said the two leaders talked about areas of mutual economic benefit, including shipbuilding, and agreed on the value of continued cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

Relations between Seoul and Washington have generally been strong, though they have faced occasional friction in recent years over issues including U.S. tariffs and how to divide the costs of maintaining a shared defense.

Trump referred to Lee as a “strong leader,” according to Lee’s office.

HSBC’s Australian banking arm has acknowledged major failures in keeping its customers safe from scams and now faces a potential penalty of A$35 million — roughly $24.59 million in U.S. dollars — pending a federal court’s approval, according to Australia’s corporate regulator.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, known as ASIC, announced Thursday that it and HSBC will jointly ask the Federal Court to sign off on the proposed punishment.

According to ASIC’s investigation, HSBC failed to keep proper controls over its internal transfer systems during a 12-month window stretching from May 2023 through May 2024. That gap in oversight left customers more vulnerable to unauthorized transactions.

The investigation also revealed that the bank had been aware of a growing impersonation scam threat as far back as May 2021 — cases in which criminals posed as HSBC representatives to deceive customers.

ASIC Chair Sarah Court called the case a landmark moment: “This is one of the first cases of its kind globally and sends a clear message that protecting customers from scams is a core responsibility of banks.”

Beyond the lapse in controls, the regulator found that HSBC violated its financial services license obligations by failing to adequately stop scams from occurring and by taking an average of 144 days to follow up on customer-reported incidents.

The bank also lacked sufficient systems to help customers who were locked out of their accounts following scam-related incidents, ASIC noted.

An HSBC spokesperson responded to the findings via email, stating: “(We) have reached an agreement to resolve the proceedings with ASIC, which recognises our customer redress program and the significant enhancements made to our fraud and scam prevention, detection and response.”

The settlement is not yet final. The Federal Court must still review and determine whether the proposed penalty and any additional orders are appropriate before anything is officially decided.

SURAT, India — Inside a textile factory on the outskirts of Surat, India, dozens of workers endure not just scorching temperatures and thick humidity, but also waves of steam, radiant heat, and chemical odors pouring off the massive machines that crowd the low-ceilinged factory floor.

The machines — known as stenters — thunder like engines. Boilers hiss constantly. Drum washers belch clouds of steam. The noise never lets up, and the air sits heavy and hot.

Soni Pande, a 27-year-old single mother, said the fans and mist-spraying coolers installed in the factory offer some relief, but they are no match for the worst days of heat.

“The heat does make us weak. We sweat a lot. Some people feel dizzy, unwell,” said Pande, who relocated from Bihar state in eastern India. “There are fans and coolers, but it’s still so hot inside.”

Across this major industrial city on India’s western coast, workers put in day and night shifts feeding wet fabric into machines that dry, print, dye, and finish cloth using extreme heat. The millions of meters of polyester fabric churned out daily are shipped to textile companies worldwide, eventually becoming sarees, dresses, and other affordable garments.

Like much of India, Surat is experiencing hotter days and nights and longer summers, a trend tied in part to climate change. Workers describe conditions inside the factories as sometimes unbearable. The problem is difficult to solve — even when cooling equipment is installed, its impact is often limited. On top of that, factory owners are facing financial strain from U.S. tariffs and supply chain disruptions caused by the Iran war, making it harder to spend the thousands of dollars required for adequate cooling systems.

Some factories have installed exhaust fans, while others use water-evaporation coolers that pull in fresh outside air to lower temperatures. These coolers, unlike air conditioners, don’t need sealed spaces, making them practical for factory settings with open entryways.

At the factory in the Sachin industrial area where Pande works — which The Associated Press visited — coolers were set up in quieter spots where employees gathered during 10 to 15 minute breaks. At a second factory, a central air duct ran cool air along the floor from coolers positioned at each end. In both locations, the cooling provided only short-term relief and was easily overwhelmed by the heat produced by the textile machinery.

“We sweat a lot and feel dizzy sometimes,” said Kundan Kumar, a worker from Bihar who operates a dyeing machine at Vinit Fabrics, the second factory, located in the Palsana industrial area near Surat.

Kumar acknowledged that the coolers help somewhat, but conditions remain difficult.

“Dyeing work is tough. It is difficult, but we have to do our work,” he said. “We need money to help our families, so we have to work.”

India, the world’s most populous nation, is also considered one of the countries most at risk from climate change. Each year, extreme weather events — including storms, floods, and dangerous heat — affect millions of people, causing thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in losses.

A 2022 World Bank report estimated that 75% of India’s workforce — roughly 380 million people — is exposed to heat-related risks, from construction laborers to factory employees, with temperatures sometimes reaching life-threatening levels.

India has laws and guidelines designed to shield workers from extreme heat, but labor unions wrote to the government earlier this year calling for stronger regulations and better enforcement. A further complication is that many of these labor protections do not apply to the more than 550 million informal workers — nearly 90% of India’s total workforce — a group that includes many of Surat’s textile employees.

Pooja Yadav, a researcher with the think tank WRI India, said the combination of humidity and heat in Surat’s factories creates genuinely dangerous working conditions.

“In textile processing units where steam and hot water are used, indoor conditions can be worse than outside,” she said.

Workers inside the factories face a mix of hot air and chemical fumes that can lead to headaches, dehydration, and fainting during shifts that can stretch to 12 hours, Yadav said.

“They can also develop long term issues with their lungs and kidneys,” she added, noting that high heat and humidity also reduce how efficiently workers are able to perform their jobs.

The financial pressures on Surat’s textile industry have grown due to shipping disruptions, rising material and energy costs from the Iran war, and steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration — all of which are cutting into factory owners’ ability to invest in better cooling infrastructure.

Surat ranks among the world’s largest producers of polyester and other synthetic fabrics. The textile sector there employs more than 1.4 million workers and generates an estimated 30 million meters of polyester cloth every day, according to local government figures.

Because polyester is made from a petroleum-based plastic, producers are especially exposed to price swings tied to the Iran war. Factory managers say many workers went back to their home regions after production dropped sharply and have been reluctant to return because of the intense heat.

Subhash Sharma, the textile production manager at Vinit Fabrics, said the company normally employs around 700 people but is currently operating at just 60% capacity due to a combination of economic pressures and a shortage of workers.

“In the last few years, we are seeing that the number of laborers are reducing due to increasing heat,” he said.

According to WRI India, working conditions can be improved by installing systems that remove hot air or bring in cooler air — such as turbo ventilators and air coolers — improving overall ventilation, and better insulating the machines that generate heat.

Vinit Fabrics invested approximately $5,300 in cooling systems, Sharma said. The company has also wrapped heat-radiating machines in jute bags for insulation and ensured that floor gutters carrying hot water are kept sealed.

However, Yadav said the majority of factories in Surat still depend primarily on fans, and more effective cooling technology remains uncommon across the industry.

Yadav also stressed that policymakers need to factor industrial zones into their heat action plans.

Back on the factory floor, workers like Pande earn $7 for shifts lasting 10 to 12 hours. She said that for her, sitting out a shift is simply not an option.

“We don’t have a choice. I must provide for three kids. Heat or not, we have to work,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taiwan’s highest-ranking diplomat in the United States says the island must be able to buy American weapons to protect itself, as the threat from Beijing continues to grow. He also said he has seen no shift in Washington’s stance toward Taiwan, the self-governing island that China insists belongs to it.

A proposed $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan remains on hold after President Donald Trump returned from Beijing in May and revealed he had discussed the package “in great detail” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping — a disclosure that rattled officials in Taiwan and sparked concern among members of Congress.

“We need those arms for defensive purposes,” said Alexander Yui Tah-ray, who leads the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, during a Wednesday interview in Washington with The Associated Press. “We’re trying to increase our defense expenditure. We try to increase our ability to defend ourselves better and survive times of crisis.”

Despite receiving approval from senior lawmakers earlier this year, the Trump administration has not moved ahead with the $14 billion weapons proposal. Trump himself has referred to the sale as a “very good negotiating chip” in dealings with China.

Under U.S. law, Washington is required to supply Taiwan with enough military equipment to deter Chinese aggression. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has vowed to take control of the island by force if needed, calling it part of an unfinished unification process. Beijing has consistently opposed American weapons sales to Taiwan, which has never been governed by China’s communist leadership.

Yui made clear that Taiwan understands it bears the primary responsibility for its own defense.

“This is our responsibility, so we will not wait and depend for the U.S. cavalry to come and save us,” he said. “That’s why we’re willing to acquire, to buy U.S. equipment and arms to make ourselves stronger.”

He added that any weapons transfers must be “commensurate” with the threat level, which he described as “actually pretty high” coming from China.

“First and foremost, we’re not the aggressors. It is the People’s Republic of China who is sending all the planes and ships,” Yui said. “They’re the ones huffing and puffing. They are the ones who’s trying to annihilate our freedom and democracy in Taiwan.”

Chinese warships and military aircraft approach Taiwan on nearly a daily basis, and Beijing has staged large-scale military exercises around the island in recent years. China views Taiwan as a core national interest and has blamed advocates of Taiwanese independence for stirring up instability in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese Embassy in Washington had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Yui emphasized that the U.S. position on Taiwan has not changed and said Taiwan’s government respects the Trump administration’s pace in making policy announcements.

The proposed arms sale enjoys strong backing in Congress. Lawmakers raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a recent hearing this month. Rubio confirmed that U.S. policy on Taiwan remains unchanged and stated that Washington does not “consult with the Chinese on these arms deals.”

“We’re aware of their position. They talk about it all the time,” Rubio said of Beijing. “They are not negotiated, and they are not consulted.”

Rubio characterized the arms package not as blocked, but as under review, noting that other factors must be considered — including the current state of American weapons stockpiles, which have been reduced during the Iran war. “We have to balance that with our own procurement process,” he said.

Separately, the administration did approve an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December, which included high-mobility artillery rocket systems, known as HIMARS, as well as howitzers.

Yui came to Washington in late 2023 during the Biden administration. Former President Biden had stated on multiple occasions that he would deploy U.S. troops to Taiwan’s defense if China launched an attack.

Yui is now working within the more unpredictable environment of the second Trump administration, which has taken a softer tone toward Beijing following a heated trade conflict defined by escalating tariffs on both sides.

While Trump drew attention by setting aside a Reagan-era commitment against prior consultation with Beijing on Taiwan arms sales, he also suggested he could place a direct call to Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te — something no sitting U.S. president has done, breaking a longstanding diplomatic tradition.

The Pentagon’s national defense strategy, released in January, stated that the U.S. aims to deter China through strength rather than confrontation. It outlined plans to maintain a strong defensive presence along a chain of strategic islands — including Taiwan — to prevent China from extending its reach into the broader Pacific.

Yui attributed what might appear to be contradictory signals to Trump’s unconventional approach, while voicing confidence in the overall Taiwan-U.S. relationship.

“It’s important to look at the actions, what is happening, not just the rhetoric,” Yui said. “The big stick is still there.”

Asian financial markets held steady Thursday while oil prices slipped after the leaders of the United States and Iran put pen to paper on an interim peace agreement, offering cautious hope for an end to the conflict in the Middle East — though significant uncertainty remains.

Both governments released the full text of the deal, which had already been widely circulating before its official publication. The agreement extends a ceasefire that was first announced in April by an additional 60 days, giving both nations time to work toward a permanent truce.

Despite the diplomatic progress, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning, threatening to resume military strikes and target Iranian officials if Iran fails to follow through on its obligations under the deal.

Kyle Rodda, a senior financial market analyst at Capital.com, offered this assessment: “Major geopolitical risk persists and will also remain a major driver of market action.”

On the markets, MSCI’s broadest measure of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was essentially unchanged. Japan’s Nikkei average climbed to a new record, crossing the 71,000 mark for the first time ever, driven by strong performance in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks. South Korean shares rose 0.9%. U.S. stock futures tied to the S&P 500 were up 0.81%, sitting at 7,484.8.

The yield on Japan’s benchmark 10-year government bond ticked up 2 basis points to 2.620%, approaching its highest closing level since June 16 after briefly touching 2.63% earlier in the session.

Oil markets moved lower, with U.S. crude falling 1.25% to $75.83 per barrel and Brent crude dropping 1.4% to $78.41 per barrel.

On Wall Street overnight, all three major stock indexes declined by close to or more than 1%. Traders grew increasingly convinced that the Federal Reserve’s next move would be a rate increase, after new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh emphasized the importance of bringing inflation under control and other policymakers signaled expectations for higher rates later this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 507.12 points, or 0.98%, closing at 51,492.55. The S&P 500 dropped 91.25 points, or 1.21%, to finish at 7,420.10. The Nasdaq Composite lost 354.69 points, or 1.34%, ending the session at 26,021.66.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 4.471%, up slightly from its Wednesday close of 4.463%. The 2-year Treasury yield, which reflects trader expectations for Federal Reserve rate moves, reached 4.1759%, compared to Wednesday’s close of 4.163%.

The Bank of England is also meeting Thursday, and similar to the Fed, no rate change is anticipated. Attention will be focused on the tone of officials’ remarks following the decision.

The U.S. dollar edged up 0.01% against the Japanese yen to 160.65, after briefly touching 160.79 overnight — its strongest level against the yen since July 2024. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a group of major currencies, slipped 0.03% to 100.32. The euro gained 0.1%, trading at $1.1511 against the dollar.

The recent slide in oil prices has helped ease some anxiety about an economic slowdown, particularly in energy-importing European nations. The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that the global oil market is expected to shift into a substantial supply surplus by 2027, following a recovery from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Gold was trading at $4,309.75 per ounce. In the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin gained 0.16% to $64,464.75, while ethereum climbed 0.37% to $1,752.54.

Oil prices dipped during early Thursday trading after the United States and Iran reached an interim agreement that would bring the Iran war to a close, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and remove American sanctions on Iranian oil exports — a development being described as a resolution to the most significant energy supply disruption the world has ever seen.

Brent crude futures dropped 89 cents, or 1.12%, settling at $78.66 per barrel as of 0005 GMT. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slid 98 cents, or 1.28%, to $75.81 per barrel.

Both benchmarks resumed a downward trend after briefly climbing Wednesday, when U.S. President Donald Trump warned he could restart his bombing campaign if Iran’s leaders “don’t behave.”

IG market analyst Tony Sycamore explained the continued price drop in a written note: “The sell-off extended as energy markets continued to aggressively price in a faster-than-expected return of Iranian barrels following the recent U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.”

The agreement, which spans 14 points, launches a 60-day period of negotiations. During that time, Iran has agreed to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital corridor for oil and natural gas shipments — without charging tolls. Under the terms of the deal, full shipping capacity through the strait must be restored within 30 days.

However, the preliminary accord leaves some of the thorniest issues unresolved, including Iran’s nuclear program. It also requires the U.S. and its partners to develop a $300 billion plan to help fund Iran’s recovery.

The International Energy Agency cautioned Wednesday that if the deal holds and the strait is fully reopened, the current supply crisis could reverse course dramatically — potentially creating a supply glut of 5.05 million barrels per day in 2027 as Middle Eastern oil flows back into global markets.

Adding another layer of complexity, the U.S. Federal Reserve is weighing whether it may need to raise interest rates later this year to combat inflation. Higher rates could slow economic growth and reduce demand for oil. Wednesday projections revealed that nine of 19 Fed policymakers now believe a rate hike will be necessary — a sharp shift from three months ago, when none of them held that position.

Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding into right-hand-drive markets stretching from Australia to Southeast Asia, taking direct aim at Japanese car companies that have dominated those regions for decades — and they’re doing it with high-end electric vehicles designed to attract wealthy buyers.

The Hong Kong auto show, which kicks off Thursday, will serve as a showcase for brands including BYD, Zeekr, Hongqi, and MG as they unveil new products and lay out their international strategies. The focus is on well-heeled consumers in markets long controlled by Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota.

For many years, Japanese vehicles ruled Hong Kong’s roads. The Toyota Crown Comfort was the backbone of the city’s taxi industry, and the Toyota Alphard was the go-to ride for celebrities and the wealthy. But that landscape is shifting fast.

Electric vehicles now make up more than 80% of all newly registered private cars in Hong Kong during the first four months of the year, according to data from the Hong Kong Transport Department. Chinese brands — including BYD, GAC Aion, Zeekr, and Denza — are now outpacing their Japanese rivals in both fleet and luxury categories.

BYD has carved out a notable presence in Hong Kong’s taxi fleets, replacing some Toyota models in the process. Meanwhile, combined sales of the Zeekr 009 and Denza D9 have surpassed the Alphard in the first four months of the year, making them the preferred vehicles among the city’s upper class, according to Hong Kong government figures.

A UBS analyst weighed in on the broader trend, noting that fuel costs have played a key role: “High oil costs since March have rejuvenated China’s EV sector, sparking fresh global interest and creating opportunities for Chinese automakers,” said UBS analyst Paul Gong.

Oil prices climbed sharply following the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February, though they have softened this week as reports emerged of a potential interim agreement to end that conflict.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows Toyota’s market share slipped by 1.4% in Southeast Asia and 4.1% in Oceania during the first four months of the year. Over that same stretch, Chinese brands picked up ground — Chery grew its share by 1.7% in Southeast Asia, while BYD grabbed an additional 2.5% of the Oceania market.

According to PwC, light vehicle sales across the six largest ASEAN nations totaled 3.28 million in 2024. The firm noted that “Chinese automakers are aggressively challenging Japanese dominance” in those markets.

Having secured a strong foothold in the mass-market EV space, Chinese brands are now setting their sights on the premium and luxury tier abroad. FAW’s Hongqi — a marque historically associated with China’s elite — will make its right-hand-drive debut at the Hong Kong show with its flagship electric SUV, the E-HS9, alongside a new luxury SUV model.

Geely’s upscale brand Zeekr will also be in the spotlight, unveiling its flagship 009 Glory and 9X models under what the company is calling a “luxury, new prologue” strategy aimed at consumers around the world.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday with the goal of ending the ongoing conflict with Iran, a U.S. official confirmed to Reuters.

According to the official, the document had already been signed digitally on Sunday by Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, with President Trump serving as a witness to that earlier signing before both heads of state formally signed on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced late Wednesday evening that he had a joint phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron following the conclusion of the G7 summit in Evian.

Zelenskiy described the call as highly significant, writing on Telegram: “This was an important coordinating conversation which could change a great deal.”

In the same post, he expressed appreciation to both leaders, stating: “I am grateful to President Trump for his attention to Ukraine and for his readiness to help bring peace closer. I am grateful to Emmanuel for the excellent organisation of the summit and the consistently strong joint work.”

In a follow-up message on Telegram, Zelenskiy revealed he had also sat down with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels to go over the results of the Evian summit. He noted that securing U.S. licenses to manufacture air defense systems was among the top priorities discussed, writing: “The main thing is working on strengthening our defence and getting U.S. licences to produce air defence systems.”

Zelenskiy thanked Rutte for his continued backing and committed to making the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara productive for Ukraine’s defense efforts next month.

The Ukrainian president also highlighted the importance of a Thursday gathering of the Ramstein group — a coalition of more than 50 nations that provides both financial and military support to Kyiv. European Union leaders are also set to convene separately on Thursday.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhail Fedorov stated Wednesday that Ukraine is requesting an additional $20 billion in military assistance from its allies. A Ukrainian defense source had previously told Reuters last week that the request would be formally presented at the Ramstein group meeting.

Russian forces launched a missile strike against Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city, in the early morning hours of Thursday, according to Tymur Tkachenko, the official leading the capital’s military administration, who announced the attack via the Telegram messaging app.

A Reuters reporter on the ground in Kyiv confirmed hearing explosions, and air raid sirens and alerts were activated across the majority of Ukrainian territory in response to the assault.

The latest attack follows a devastating strike earlier this week, on Monday, in which Russia targeted a monastery estimated to be 1,000 years old — a site considered a cornerstone of Ukraine’s spiritual and cultural identity. That attack left 10 people dead across the country and left the ancient landmark heavily damaged.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran has been made public, laying out a 14-point framework aimed at ending the current conflict, reining in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and setting the stage for a broader final agreement.

The document opens by calling for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations on all fronts — including in Lebanon — by both nations and their respective allies. Both sides pledge not to initiate future military action against one another and commit to respecting Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Under the terms of the agreement, both countries commit to reaching a final deal within 60 days, a timeline that can be extended if both parties agree. The United States would begin lifting its naval blockade immediately upon signing, with a full end to the blockade within 30 days. American forces would also be withdrawn from the vicinity of Iran within 30 days of a final deal being reached.

Iran, for its part, agrees to facilitate safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz at no charge for a period of 60 days. Demining and the removal of military obstacles would be completed within 30 days. Iran also agrees to engage with the Sultanate of Oman regarding future maritime administration of the Strait, in coordination with other Persian Gulf coastal nations.

A significant economic component of the agreement calls on the United States, working alongside regional partners, to develop a reconstruction and economic development plan for Iran valued at a minimum of $300 billion. The implementation details would be finalized as part of the final deal.

On the sanctions front, the United States commits to ending all forms of sanctions against Iran — including United Nations Security Council resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral U.S. sanctions — according to a schedule to be agreed upon in the final deal.

Regarding nuclear issues, Iran reaffirms that it will not develop or acquire nuclear weapons. The two countries agree to work out a mutually acceptable plan for dealing with Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, with the minimum approach being on-site blending down under IAEA supervision. Both sides acknowledge the urgency of resolving nuclear-related questions and express their intent to address them immediately in negotiations.

While negotiations toward a final deal are ongoing, both nations agree to maintain the current status quo — meaning Iran will not advance its nuclear program further, and the United States will not impose new sanctions or deploy additional forces to the region.

The U.S. Treasury Department would issue waivers immediately upon signing to allow the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and related services such as banking, insurance, and transportation. Additionally, frozen or restricted Iranian funds and assets would be made fully accessible upon implementation of the MoU, with procedures for releasing those funds to be agreed upon during negotiations.

The agreement also establishes an oversight mechanism to monitor compliance with both the MoU and any eventual final deal. Formal negotiations on remaining provisions would begin only after key initial steps — including the ceasefire, naval blockade removal, Strait of Hormuz access, oil export waivers, and asset releases — are put into motion.

The memorandum concludes by stating that the final deal will be formally endorsed through a binding United Nations Security Council resolution.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning Wednesday that Israeli settler groups could find themselves added to a worldwide blacklist for serious violations committed against children, as he expressed deep concern over what he called a “staggering” increase in harm done to Palestinian children.

The UN’s yearly report on Children and Armed Conflict documented 38,558 “grave violations” around the world in 2025, impacting 24,174 children — the highest number of affected children recorded since the program’s mandate was established in 1996.

According to the data, 14,224 children were killed or seriously injured, with the number of children killed climbing 34% compared to 2024, reaching 6,266. The UN verified that 2,668 Palestinian children were killed in Gaza and another 57 in the West Bank.

The conflict in Gaza traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters launched an attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people based on Israeli figures. Israel then launched a major military campaign that has since resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

A senior UN official told reporters during a briefing on the report that “countries with the highest levels of violations in 2025 were the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Somalia.”

While Israel already appears in what is commonly referred to as the report’s “list of shame” for alleged violations, this year’s edition marks the first time Israeli settler groups have been flagged as a potential future addition to that list.

“I am appalled by the magnitude of grave violations against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, notably by the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas,” Guterres wrote in the report.

He went on to say: “I am deeply alarmed at the staggering rise in attacks carried out by Israeli settlers resulting in grave violations against Palestinian children.”

Guterres stated that Israeli settler groups should be formally listed if similarly high numbers of violations occur again in 2026.

The report attributed 9,465 grave violations to Israeli forces and 326 to Israeli settlers. Grave violations are defined to include killing and injuring children, sexual violence, and attacks targeting schools and hospitals.

Israel’s UN mission did not respond to a request for comment.

Hamas’s armed wing and affiliated factions remain on the blacklist for killing and maiming children and for abductions. Palestinian armed groups were attributed 2,806 violations in the report.

This latest report arrives just weeks after Guterres angered Israel by placing it on a separate UN blacklist of countries and parties suspected of committing sexual violence during conflict. That decision prompted Israel’s foreign ministry to announce it was cutting off all ties with him.

Guterres also raised concern about the high number of children detained by Israel, citing reports of serious physical abuse and poor conditions, saying these situations “may constitute inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Being placed on the blacklist does not automatically trigger sanctions, but it carries significant reputational consequences and requires negotiating action plans in order to be removed from the list.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday with the goal of ending the war with Iran, according to a White House official who confirmed the news to Reuters.

The official disclosed the signing but provided limited additional details about the agreement or what steps would follow.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is in active negotiations with the United States to accept migrants who were deported from countries other than Jamaica, making the island nation the latest in a string of Caribbean nations aligning with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Jamaica’s National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang confirmed on Tuesday that the country has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Under the agreement, Jamaica would receive as many as 25 individuals from non-Jamaican nations every two weeks.

Chang indicated that the incoming deportees would not be placed in detention facilities, though the specifics of their housing arrangements have not yet been determined. Negotiations over financial compensation for accepting the migrants are also still ongoing.

Should the agreement be fully finalized, Jamaica would join Mexico, El Salvador, Uganda, and several other countries that have already agreed to take in third-country migrants removed from the United States.

The proposal has already drawn strong opposition from the People’s National Party, known as the PNP, which accused the Jamaican government of conducting the negotiations behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny.

The PNP argued that taking in these migrants puts Jamaica’s domestic security, international reputation, and already-strained social infrastructure at serious risk.

Opposition spokesperson Donna Scott Mottley issued a statement saying, “Jamaicans deserve to know whether discussions have taken place and whether any commitments or understandings have been reached.”

Minister Chang pushed back on those concerns, drawing a clear distinction between accepting Jamaican citizens back home and processing foreign nationals through the country. “Jamaica, like other sovereign nations, is obligated under international laws to accept the return of its own citizens,” he said. “However, this new arrangement does not mean third-country nationals are being dumped on our shores. This is a structured, managed process to transit individuals through Jamaica to their final destination.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.

As part of its broader immigration enforcement push, the Trump administration has used a series of largely secretive agreements to deport more than 19,000 people to third countries, according to the organization Third Country Deportation Watch. Some of those individuals have ended up in nations they had never even heard of before.

The majority of deportees have been sent to Mexico, but more than 1,500 others have been distributed across more than 20 additional countries — many of them lower-income nations in Latin America and Africa that are seeking to maintain good standing with Washington.

The debate unfolding in Jamaica reflects a wider divide across the Caribbean, where multiple governments have quietly entered into various arrangements with the U.S. in order to avoid damaging travel restrictions or economic consequences.

The Dominican Republic signed a non-binding agreement to temporarily house a limited number of non-criminal third-country nationals, while specifically excluding unaccompanied minors and nationals from neighboring Haiti — a deal that also faced heavy criticism.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit called a similar deal a “pragmatic step” to protect important ties with Washington, though he noted that violent offenders would not be accepted.

Antigua and Barbuda took a more cautious approach, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirming a framework that caps total acceptances at no more than 10 non-criminal individuals, evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Guyana, meanwhile, is using the negotiations to address a massive labor shortage driven by its oil boom, exploring a U.S.-funded framework to bring in skilled, non-criminal migrants to help fill an estimated gap of 80,000 workers.

Human rights advocates point to the case of Orville Etoria as a stark example of the dangers these third-country deportation agreements can pose. Etoria, a Jamaican citizen who arrived in the United States as a child in 1976 and lived there for nearly 50 years, had his green card revoked after a criminal conviction. Rather than being sent back to Jamaica, he was deported to Eswatini in July 2025.

Upon arriving in Eswatini, Etoria and four other third-country nationals were stripped of due process rights and held indefinitely at the Matsapha Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison. After two months of sustained diplomatic pressure from the Jamaican government, Etoria was finally returned to Jamaica.

A U.S. federal district court ultimately ruled the third-country removal policy unlawful in February 2026, finding that the U.S. cannot send migrants to undesignated countries without proper notice. However, the policy continues to be enforced while the case moves through the appeals process.