Author: Admin

MOSCOW – The Kremlin accused Washington of deliberately provoking conflict after a deadly maritime confrontation near Cuba left four people dead on Wednesday, according to Russia’s state media outlet TASS.

The fatal encounter occurred when a speedboat registered in Florida entered Cuban territorial waters and engaged in gunfire with Cuban patrol vessels. Cuban military forces responded by opening fire, killing four Cuban exiles aboard the vessel and injuring six others during the Wednesday incident.

Maria Zakharova, who serves as Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, characterized the maritime clash as intentional American aggression designed to increase regional tensions.

“This is an aggressive provocation by the United States aimed at escalating the situation and detonating a conflict,” Zakharova stated, as reported by the Russian news agency.

The deadly confrontation comes during a period of increased strain between Washington and Havana, adding another layer of complexity to already tense U.S.-Cuba relations.

KYIV – Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces conducted a widespread aerial bombardment during the overnight hours, leaving approximately 20 people wounded across the nation’s eastern and southern territories, according to local government statements released Thursday.

The assault involved both ballistic and cruise missile strikes targeting the capital city of Kyiv along with surrounding areas and the eastern city of Kharkiv, while unmanned aircraft struck the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Ukrainian officials have not yet revealed the total count of projectiles launched during the nighttime bombardment or identified the primary objectives of the strikes.

Over the past several months, Russian forces have concentrated their aerial campaigns on Ukraine’s electrical grid infrastructure, systematically destroying generating facilities and distribution networks, leaving vast areas without power for extended periods.

Kharkiv region sustained the heaviest casualties with at least 14 wounded civilians, including a child aged seven, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov’s statement on the Telegram messaging platform. He reported that the city endured strikes from two missiles and 17 unmanned aircraft.

In Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed that no fewer than seven residents suffered injuries during the nighttime bombardment. The drone strikes caused structural damage to 19 residential apartment complexes, while an additional 500 households lost heating services due to infrastructure destruction.

Fedorov shared images showing residential structures with gaping holes in exterior walls, completely destroyed private residences, and damaged commercial establishments.

Officials in Ukraine’s capital reported that multiple structures across three city districts sustained damage from debris created when air defense systems intercepted incoming missiles and drones.

Chinese military forces have been operating surveillance drones over the South China Sea while broadcasting deceptive identification signals, according to new analysis of flight tracking data reported by Reuters.

The large military drone has been conducting routine missions in recent months while transmitting fraudulent transponder codes that disguised it as various other aircraft, including a sanctioned cargo plane from Belarus and a British Typhoon fighter jet.

Defense experts and military officials analyzing these operations believe the flights mark a significant escalation in China’s gray-zone military tactics in the disputed waters and may represent preparation for potential invasion scenarios involving Taiwan.

Flight tracking data reveals that since August, no fewer than 23 missions have been recorded using the call sign YILO4200, identified as a Chinese military drone with extended flight capabilities. However, the aircraft broadcast registration codes belonging to completely different planes during these operations.

The drone’s typical flight routes originate from China’s Hainan province and head eastward toward the Philippines, passing near the contested Paracel Islands and along Vietnam’s coastline.

This represents the first comprehensive reporting on the scope and sophistication of these deceptive operations.

According to regional diplomatic sources, intelligence specialists, and security researchers who have examined the flight information, these missions demonstrate a new level of complexity in China’s expanding military presence throughout the South China Sea and around Taiwan. The operations involve real-time deployment of electronic warfare and deception techniques as China’s military works to enhance combat readiness.

While such masking techniques may not completely fool air traffic control systems or advanced military radar, they could create costly delays and confusion during actual conflict, hide sensitive intelligence gathering, or serve propaganda purposes, according to diplomatic and intelligence sources.

Ben Lewis, who founded the open-source intelligence platform PLATracker, said the operations were unprecedented.

“We’ve not seen anything like this before,” Lewis stated. “It’s … a kind of deception trial being carried out in real time using aircraft that are not exactly low profile. It does not appear to be at all accidental.”

China’s defense ministry has not responded to inquiries about these flights or their intended purpose.

The flights have primarily appeared on flight tracking systems as an Ilyushin-62 cargo aircraft operated by Belarus-based Rada Airlines, though they have also masqueraded as a Royal Air Force Typhoon, a North Korean Il-62 passenger aircraft, and an unidentified Gulfstream business jet.

Since mid-December, the drone designated YILO4200 has also conducted several missions in northwestern China, most recently on February 15 when it transmitted signals identifying it as an anonymous Pilatus PC-12 turboprop passenger plane.

Aircraft identification codes originate from a specialized 24-bit address system managed by the International Civil Aviation Authority. These numbers, transmitted through transponder systems, help determine an aircraft’s location, heading, and velocity.

Though each aircraft receives a unique address, these codes are publicly available, and aviation experts confirm that reprogramming a transponder to broadcast a different registration number is technically feasible.

The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Rada Airlines in August 2024 for transporting cargo to and from Africa that included Wagner Group personnel connected to Russian military operations, as well as involvement in illegal wildlife trafficking.

Flight data shows the actual Belarusian Il-62 aircraft remained active during this period using its legitimate call sign and was even airborne simultaneously with the Chinese drone that was impersonating it.

Rada Airlines has not responded to requests for comment, and Britain’s defense ministry declined to provide statements on the matter.

An International Civil Aviation Organization representative said the organization does not comment on issues or speculation regarding specific member nations.

Operating from Qionghai Boao International Airport in Hainan, the aircraft typically remained airborne for extended periods, flying distinctive star-shaped or hourglass patterns over identical areas repeatedly.

These flight characteristics match those commonly associated with large military drones conducting surveillance missions and covered strategically important sections of the South China Sea, including waters frequently used by submarines, according to intelligence analysts reviewing the data.

Chinese military forces typically operate their drones in “dark” mode, transmitting neither call signs nor registration identifiers.

Two missions among the 23 examined were particularly noteworthy: During one flight spanning August 5-6, the drone initially broadcast the RAF Typhoon’s identification code, then switched between three different aircraft signals over approximately 20 minutes before finally landing while transmitting the Rada Airlines identifier.

In another instance on November 18, the drone operated while impersonating the Belarusian aircraft at the same time the genuine Rada Il-62 departed from near Belarus bound for Tehran.

Alexander Neill, a Singapore-based security analyst, described the Hainan operations as representing a novel approach within China’s digital warfare capabilities designed to “muddy the waters” if regional tensions escalate into armed conflict.

“They don’t appear to be exercises as much as the kind of action the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has described as rehearsals for a confrontation – anything the Chinese can do to sow confusion in the minds of their rivals is to their advantage,” Neill explained. Neill serves as a fellow at Hawaii’s Pacific Forum.

“The U.S. and its allies know that given the realities of highly automated conventional conflict, even milliseconds count along the kill chain of escalation.”

The Pentagon has not responded to requests for comment regarding the Chinese drone operations.

Lewis and three additional open-source intelligence analysts identified the YILO4200 call sign as belonging to an extended-range Wing Loong 2 unmanned aircraft, comparable to the U.S. Reaper drone with a 67-foot wingspan.

The Wing Loong primarily serves surveillance functions but can be configured for additional roles including command and control operations, precision missile attacks, and anti-submarine warfare.

State-connected Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, an AVIC subsidiary, manufactures the aircraft but declined to comment on the matter.

Flight tracking specialist Amelia Smith originally linked the Wing Loong 2 to the call sign through analysis of flight data, official press reports, and government announcements.

Lewis, Smith, and other intelligence analysts said it remains unclear which Chinese agency operates the aircraft from Boao Airport, which serves both commercial and military purposes.

Satellite imagery from July, September, and January obtained show large drones positioned on the airport’s tarmac alongside support facilities in a section currently undergoing expansion.

Ian Petchenik, communications director for Flightradar24, confirmed the tracking service had observed the Hainan flights and had not encountered similar activity previously, apart from apparent accidental miscoding, nonexistent addresses, or data corruption.

“Based on the flight patterns and the kind of usage of these 24-bit addresses, it doesn’t seem like it is a mistake in the programming of the transponders,” Petchenik stated.

It could not be determined whether the flights follow pre-programmed routes or receive ground-based control.

The flight paths traverse areas of significant naval activity, including waters south of Hainan near Chinese submarine installations and eastward toward the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines – a critical passage point for China’s navy to reach the Pacific Ocean.

Security analyst Neill suggested the route patterns indicate preparation for operations over Taiwan.

When the 23 flight paths are mapped over Taiwan, they pass numerous military locations of strategic importance, concentrated around Taipei while also extending along the island’s southern coast. The eastward trajectories bring the aircraft near Japanese and U.S. military installations in Okinawa and other Ryukyu chain islands.

“It is a compelling image – extensive rehearsals across the South China Sea to be deployed over Taiwan’s key points,” Neill observed.

GENEVA (AP) — Iranian and American diplomats gathered Thursday in Geneva for nuclear discussions that many view as diplomacy’s final opportunity, as Washington has positioned naval vessels and military aircraft throughout the Middle East to apply pressure on Tehran for an agreement.

President Donald Trump seeks an agreement that would limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities, believing this moment presents an opening while Tehran faces domestic turmoil from widespread protests that occurred last month. Iran continues to assert its right to uranium enrichment, despite its nuclear infrastructure suffering significant damage after Trump authorized strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

Should American military action occur, Iran has declared that all U.S. military installations across the Middle East would become legitimate targets, potentially endangering tens of thousands of American troops. Tehran has also issued threats against Israel following an intense 12-day conflict last year, raising concerns about another regional war erupting throughout the Middle East.

“There would be no victory for anybody — it would be a devastating war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told India Today in an interview recorded Wednesday before his departure to Geneva.

“Since the Americans’ bases are scattered through different places in the region, then unfortunately perhaps the whole region would be engaged and be involved, so it is a very terrible scenario.”

Araghchi will once again negotiate with Steve Witkoff, a wealthy real estate mogul and Trump associate who functions as the president’s special Middle East representative. These two officials conducted several negotiating sessions last year that broke down after Israel initiated its military campaign against Iran in June. Oman, the sultanate positioned on the Arabian Peninsula’s eastern border that has historically facilitated communication between Iran and Western nations, is once again mediating these current discussions.

Trump is now demanding that Iran completely stop uranium enrichment activities, while also addressing Tehran’s ballistic missile development and its backing of regional militant organizations. Iran insists the negotiations must concentrate exclusively on nuclear matters.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed reporters Wednesday that Iran is “always trying to rebuild elements” of its nuclear program. He stated that Tehran currently isn’t enriching uranium, “but they’re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.”

Iran claims it hasn’t conducted enrichment since June, yet has prevented International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from accessing the facilities targeted in American bombings. Satellite imagery examined by The Associated Press has revealed ongoing activity at two of these locations, indicating Iran may be evaluating and possibly recovering materials from these sites.

Western nations and the IAEA maintain that Iran operated a nuclear weapons program until 2003. Prior to the June military action, Tehran had been enriching uranium to 60% purity levels — requiring only minor technical advancement to reach weapons-grade concentrations of 90%.

American intelligence services conclude that Iran hasn’t restarted a weapons program but has “undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.” Despite claiming their program serves peaceful purposes, Iranian leadership has made threats about pursuing nuclear weapons in recent years.

“The principle’s very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance told reporters at the White House Wednesday.

Vance explained that Trump is “sending those negotiators to try to address that problem” and “wants to address that problem diplomatically.”

“But, of course, the president has other options as well,” Vance added.

Should these negotiations collapse, questions remain about when any potential military action might occur.

If military strikes aim to force Iranian concessions in nuclear talks, it remains unclear whether limited attacks would achieve this goal. If the objective involves removing Iran’s government, this would likely require America to commit to an extensive, prolonged military operation. No public evidence exists of planning for subsequent steps, including potential chaos within Iran.

Questions also surround how military action might affect the broader region. Tehran could strike back against Persian Gulf nations allied with America or target Israel. Oil prices have climbed recently partly due to these worries, with benchmark Brent crude reaching approximately $70 per barrel. During previous negotiations, Iran reported briefly stopping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of global oil trade passes.

Satellite photographs taken Tuesday by Planet Labs PBC and reviewed by The Associated Press seemed to indicate that American naval vessels normally stationed in Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, had all deployed to sea. The 5th Fleet directed inquiries to U.S. Central Command, which refused to provide comment. Before Iran’s attack on Qatar in June, the 5th Fleet similarly dispersed its ships to sea as protection against possible assault.

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron plans to present his country’s updated nuclear strategy Monday, rejecting the idea of shared European nuclear control while explaining what France might provide to allies concerned about America’s nuclear protection under President Donald Trump.

While both France and Britain possess nuclear weapons, most European nations depend heavily on the United States for protection against potential threats — a cornerstone of transatlantic security for decades.

However, Trump’s closer ties with Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict and his tougher stance toward traditional partners — including threats to take control of Greenland, which belongs to NATO member Denmark — have unsettled European leaders.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in Munich earlier this month that Berlin had begun talks with France about creating a European nuclear deterrent. Macron described this as needing a “holistic approach of defence and security.”

Several other nations, including Nordic countries traditionally supportive of the US, have carefully shown interest in such discussions.

DOUBTS ABOUT FRANCE’S REACH

Behind closed doors, European officials wonder whether France’s nuclear arsenal can adequately defend the entire continent. Their concerns involve sharing costs, determining who would make launch decisions, and whether emphasizing nuclear weapons might reduce crucial investments in conventional military forces.

France allocates approximately 5.6 billion euros ($6.04 billion) annually to maintain its collection of 290 nuclear weapons launched from submarines and aircraft — ranking fourth globally in arsenal size.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the European Parliament in January: “For Europe, if you really want to go it alone… you have to build up your own nuclear capability. That costs billions and billions of euros.”

“You would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the U.S. nuclear umbrella,” he added.

Expert analysis indicates the US maintains roughly 100 nuclear weapons across Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey as part of NATO’s deterrent strategy.

During wartime, these non-nuclear nations’ air forces would deploy the American weapons under what’s called “nuclear sharing” policy.

US Undersecretary of Defence Elbridge Colby assured allies in Brussels this month that Washington will maintain its nuclear protection for Europe, despite investing over a trillion dollars in upgrading its own weapons systems.

French leadership emphasizes Paris doesn’t aim to replace American protection or challenge NATO’s role.

Etienne Marcuz from the FRS research institute explained in a recent analysis: “While U.S. nuclear forces’ primary mission is to target adversary nuclear arsenals, their French and British counterparts aim to inflict unacceptable damage on the political, military, and economic centres of potential adversaries.”

“This doctrine requires far fewer warheads to be credible,” he noted.

CLARIFYING FRANCE’S APPROACH

French authorities want Europeans to better grasp what France’s nuclear policy can and cannot deliver. However, Paris insists that financing its deterrent remains exclusively French to maintain complete national authority.

A fundamental aspect of France’s position involves “strategic ambiguity” about when nuclear weapons might be deployed and where French essential interests align with broader European security.

This lack of clarity troubles some partners.

“We first want to see what France has to offer… It’s not about having deterrence. It’s about how credible it is,” stated a senior eastern European diplomat.

Any expanded French nuclear role would require Europe to create long-range strike missiles exceeding 2,000 kilometers — technology currently unavailable.

Creating tactical nuclear weapons for battlefield use, rather than strategic weapons for long-distance strikes, appears even more unlikely.

Officials believe such development would raise serious concerns under nuclear non-proliferation agreements that European governments have long supported.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Brussels reporters this month: “We understand where these discussions are coming from. They’re stemming from the fact that our transatlantic alliance is not what it used to be.”

“My personal view is that, you know, if we have more nuclear weapons all around the world, I don’t think we’re going to be in a more peaceful world,” she said.

MACRON’S NUCLEAR STRATEGY UPDATE

At France’s nuclear submarine facility in Brittany, Macron will present his traditional once-per-presidency nuclear doctrine briefing.

France’s approach seeks to maintain a small but effective arsenal capable of inflicting damage significant enough to prevent any initial attack.

“Just discussing alternatives is sending a message to Moscow,” observed a senior European official.

French officials provided no advance details about Macron’s address but noted the strategic environment has changed dramatically since his previous speech in 2020, pointing to Russia’s expanding arsenal and heightened nuclear threats following its 2022 Ukraine invasion.

France has consistently stated its essential interests include a European component. In 2020, Macron extended invitations to partners for strategic consultations — an offer that received limited interest then.

Officials confirmed one principle remains constant: only France’s president can authorize nuclear weapons use.

“It is the case and will remain so,” a French presidential adviser confirmed.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A new Truth and Reconciliation Commission has begun operations in South Korea, with investigators focusing heavily on fraudulent practices that plagued the country’s international adoption system for decades.

This marks the third such commission in South Korea’s history, which started accepting cases on Thursday. The previous commission concluded its work in November, leaving over 2,100 complaints without resolution.

The newly formed panel will take on these outstanding cases, including 311 submissions from Korean adoptees living in Western nations. These cases were either postponed or given incomplete reviews when the second commission ended its groundbreaking adoption investigation in April of last year, after internal disagreements arose about which cases deserved recognition as problematic.

Adoption advocacy groups report significantly greater interest from adoptees this time around, with hundreds already requesting investigations. Many of these requests come from the United States, a group that was underrepresented in the prior inquiry despite American families being the primary recipients of Korean children throughout the past seventy years.

However, former investigators from the earlier commission warn that actual investigations may not begin for several months, potentially stretching into May or June. The government has not yet named a chairperson for the commission, which lacks organized investigative teams and will initially operate under civil servants responsible for receiving and cataloging cases.

The current commission operates under expanded authority granted by legislation passed in January, allowing it to examine additional government-linked human rights violations. These include civilian deaths during the Korean War period from 1950-53, suppression under military rule from the 1960s through 1980s, and long-term mistreatment of individuals in welfare institutions.

During its peak years, South Korea facilitated the placement of thousands of children annually with Western families, beginning in the 1970s and continuing into the early 2000s. The 1980s saw the highest numbers, averaging over 6,000 children per year. At that time, the nation operated under military leadership that viewed population expansion as detrimental to economic objectives, using international adoptions as a method to decrease domestic welfare obligations. This practice contributed to creating what may be the world’s largest population of international adoptees.

The previous adoption investigation was suspended in 2025 after nearly three years of case reviews spanning Europe, the United States, and Australia. During this period, the second commission validated human rights violations in only 56 out of 367 adoptee complaints.

Despite the limited number of confirmed cases, the commission produced an important preliminary report establishing government accountability for an international adoption system characterized by fraudulent practices and abuse. The report concluded that the program was motivated by cost-cutting measures and executed by private organizations that frequently falsified children’s histories and backgrounds.

This report contradicted the long-held belief in both South Korea and receiving Western countries that adoptions were primarily humanitarian efforts. The findings supported earlier investigative work conducted by The Associated Press.

The AP’s investigations, conducted in partnership with Frontline (PBS), utilized thousands of documents and numerous interviews to demonstrate how South Korean officials, Western governments, and adoption agencies collaborated to place approximately 200,000 Korean children with overseas families, despite ongoing evidence of corrupt and illegal procurement methods.

A Hong Kong court has imprisoned the 69-year-old father of a Washington-based democracy advocate for eight months after he attempted to access money from his daughter’s insurance plan, marking the first prosecution of a family member under Hong Kong’s domestic national security legislation.

Kwok Yin-sang was convicted earlier this month under the 2024 security statute, known locally as Article 23 legislation, for trying to handle financial assets of an “absconder.” His daughter, Anna Kwok, serves as executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council and condemned her father’s conviction as “transnational repression.”

Hong Kong police have placed a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $127,900) on the younger Kwok’s capture and prohibited anyone from managing her financial assets. She is one of 34 individuals facing police rewards as part of what observers describe as a broader suppression of dissent following the large-scale anti-government demonstrations in 2019.

Officials claim she has called for foreign sanctions and blockades while conducting hostile activities against China and Hong Kong through meetings with international politicians and government representatives.

Following the ruling, Anna Kwok stated “my father was convicted simply for being my father,” describing his charges as based on “incoherent fiction.”

The elder Kwok had purchased the insurance plan for his daughter during her early childhood, with ownership transferring to her at age 18. This year, the father attempted to cancel the policy and retrieve approximately $11,000 in funds, according to court proceedings. He was taken into custody the same year on allegations of attempting to manage an “absconder’s” assets.

Acting principal magistrate Cheng Lim-chi delivered Thursday’s sentence. Kwok’s defense attorney had requested a 14-day jail term, contending that no proof existed showing his client planned to transfer the funds to his daughter.

While Kwok’s offense could have resulted in up to seven years imprisonment, his case was processed through magistrates’ courts, which typically impose sentences not exceeding two years.

Law enforcement has similarly issued rewards for other Hong Kong activists living abroad, including former pro-democracy legislators Nathan Law and Ted Hui. Both U.S. and U.K. governments have criticized these bounty programs.

In 2025, Washington imposed sanctions on six Chinese and Hong Kong officials it accused of participating in “transnational repression” and actions threatening the city’s autonomy. Beijing responded weeks later by announcing sanctions against U.S. officials, legislators, and NGO leaders it claimed have “performed poorly” regarding Hong Kong matters.

Both Hong Kong and Chinese authorities maintain that the 2024 legislation and a Beijing-implemented national security law from 2020 were essential for maintaining the city’s stability.

In Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu, 21-year-old Rahul Pariyar practices attaching his safety harness to climbing ropes at a job preparation facility. These fundamental techniques will serve him well when he begins painting buildings and cleaning skyscrapers in the United Arab Emirates.

“I am not happy to leave my family back and go for work in a foreign country. But what to do?” Pariyar said while wearing his bright yellow safety helmet. He noted that workers in Dubai typically earn approximately four times the wages available in Nepal.

The mountainous country, situated between China and India, faces elections on March 5. These elections came about after unprecedented demonstrations led by young citizens who demanded change due to limited employment opportunities and widespread government corruption, ultimately forcing the elected leader to step down.

However, Pariyar expressed little interest in the political process, stating: “I am not interested in the upcoming elections. It does not pay my wages.”

According to World Bank statistics, Nepal’s jobless rate among young people stands at 20.6%, making it the worst performer across all South and Southeast Asian countries. This figure highlights how multiple administrations have failed to address the employment shortage.

Industry representatives report that approximately three million of Nepal’s 30 million citizens currently work in other countries, particularly in Middle Eastern nations. Many of these workers participated in last September’s uprising.

Data from the Rastriya Shramik Mahasangh Nepal (RSMN), a nationwide labor union organization, shows roughly 1,500 young Nepalis depart daily to find work abroad.

Mahesh Raj Dahal, who works at Motherland Overseas recruitment company where Pariyar receives training, observed: “Over the past six months the number of people going for work abroad has increased.”

“This is because of the political instability, lack of jobs in Nepal and low wages for workers,” Dahal explained.

This mass departure has devastated rural communities throughout Nepal’s remote areas, leaving behind primarily children and elderly residents while most working-age adults have migrated elsewhere.

During their campaigns, Nepal’s major political organizations pledge to address the worker outflow that started when the nation opened its economy in 1991, allowing private employment agencies to establish operations.

The migration surge intensified during subsequent years as Maoist rebels gained control over rural regions.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), considered the leading contender due to prime ministerial candidate Balendra Shah’s popularity, has committed to establishing 1.2 million employment opportunities to decrease involuntary migration.

Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress, the nation’s most established political organization, claims it will produce 1.5 million jobs and cut worker emigration in half over the coming five years.

Yet widespread doubt exists about their ability to fulfill these commitments. Many young people hold Nepal’s political organizations responsible for insufficient development and employment, criticizing parties that have contributed to decades of uncertainty through constantly changing alliances and frequent elections.

Economist Keshav Acharya, formerly employed at Nepal’s central bank, explained: “Nepal was always an agricultural economy, and it directly shifted to the service sector. The politicians here bypassed the manufacturing sector, which created this crisis of jobs.”

“They come and make promises, but they hardly act on it,” Acharya added.

Multiple structural obstacles have hindered Nepal’s industrial development, including unstable policies, insufficient infrastructure, poor governance, and workforce skill gaps.

A World Bank analysis from last year stated: “The manufacturing sector, historically an engine of growth in other developing countries, has been on a constant decline.”

The report continued: “Increasing remittances have also not translated into significant job creation or higher productivity in key sectors.”

During the fiscal period ending July 15, 2024, overseas Nepali workers transferred 1.44 trillion rupees ($9.93 billion) back home, representing a 16.5% increase from the prior year and accounting for nearly 25% of Nepal’s total economic output, according to central bank records.

While Nepal’s service industries comprise more than half of its $42 billion economy, farming continues to provide employment for over 60% of workers in a country where approximately one-fifth of residents survive on less than $2 daily.

Astha Bhatta from Kathmandu’s Institute for Integrated Development Studies noted: “Even where people are counted as employed, a bigger problem is under-employment – wages that are not enough to sustain a decent living.”

“That gap between effort and earnings is a major reason why many people try to leave the country,” Bhatta said.

At Kathmandu’s primary international airport, 31-year-old Ramesh Bahadur B.K. Nimaile prepared for his departure to Romania for employment. As the oldest among six children, Nimaile supports his entire family and previously spent two years working construction in Dubai before returning due to harsh working conditions.

“Will this election give me a job? No, right? Inflation is soaring, everything is expensive,” he stated.

“I carry a family debt of over 2.5 million rupees ($17,200). What option do I really have except to migrate for work?” Nimaile asked.

HONG KONG – A Hong Kong judge handed down an eight-month prison term Thursday to a 69-year-old man whose daughter is a prominent democracy activist now living in the United States.

Kwok Yin-sang was convicted of violating Hong Kong’s national security law when he tried to cancel his daughter’s insurance policy and access the money. The court found him guilty earlier this month of “attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources” that belonged to someone considered an “absconder” under local security laws.

This marks the first time anyone has been charged and found guilty of this particular violation. Kwok had entered a not guilty plea and chose not to take the stand during his trial.

His daughter, Anna Kwok, currently serves in a leadership role with the Hong Kong Democracy Council, an advocacy organization based in Washington. She is among 34 overseas activists that Hong Kong national security authorities are seeking to arrest.

Authorities have accused Anna Kwok of working with foreign powers against Hong Kong’s interests, and law enforcement has put up a reward of HK$1 million, equivalent to about $128,000, for information leading to her capture.

HONG KONG — Former media owner and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai scored an uncommon legal win Thursday when a Hong Kong appeals court reversed his fraud convictions, though the 78-year-old will remain behind bars serving a separate 20-year sentence.

Lai, who established the shuttered Apple Daily newspaper and has been a vocal opponent of China’s Communist leadership, received the two-decade prison term just weeks ago following his conviction under Beijing’s national security legislation.

His arrest occurred over five years ago as part of extensive government efforts to silence Hong Kong’s democracy movement leaders. International observers have condemned his treatment as an attack on press freedom, while local officials maintain his prosecution was unrelated to journalism.

Thursday’s overturned conviction stemmed from allegations that Lai’s consulting company improperly used office space leased by his media operations for publishing and printing activities.

In 2022, Lai received a sentence of five years and nine months after a court found him guilty on two fraud counts.

The original judge determined that Lai and co-defendant Wong Wai-keung had hidden the consulting firm’s use of the space, violating their lease terms. The judge stated Lai had used his news organization as cover and imposed a 2 million Hong Kong dollar fine ($257,000).

However, appellate judges determined prosecutors failed to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants made misleading statements, resulting in both convictions being dismissed.

Both defendants were absent from Thursday’s proceedings.

The decision may marginally reduce Lai’s overall prison time. Judges in his national security case permitted concurrent serving of sentences for only two years, with the remaining 18 years to follow completion of the fraud sentence.

The extended imprisonment has sparked worries that Lai may die in custody.

Lai’s family members have expressed optimism that President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing might help secure their father’s freedom. Lai holds British citizenship. The White House has announced Trump will visit China from March 31 through April 2 to meet with President Xi Jinping.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated that Lai was punished for exercising free speech rights and has urged Hong Kong officials to release him for humanitarian reasons.

Both Chinese and Hong Kong leadership have justified Lai’s national security conviction, claiming it demonstrates proper legal procedures. They maintain the security legislation is essential for maintaining regional stability.

A Hong Kong appeals court has reversed the fraud conviction of imprisoned pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, throwing out his nearly six-year prison sentence in a Thursday ruling.

Three appellate judges – Jeremy Poon, Anthea Pang, and Derek Pang – granted Lai’s appeal request along with that of a co-defendant in the case.

In their written decision, the justices stated: “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences.”

The media tycoon had received a sentence of five years and nine months behind bars in December 2022 after a lower court determined he violated lease agreements for Apple Daily’s office space. The court found Lai guilty of hiding the operations of a private firm called Dico Consultants Ltd within the newspaper’s building.

A second Next Digital company executive, 61-year-old Wong Wai-keung, had also been convicted on fraud charges and received a 21-month prison term.

The Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it will permit companies to seek authorization for reselling Venezuelan oil to Cuba, a policy change that could help address the Caribbean island’s severe fuel shortage crisis.

Cuba’s energy situation has deteriorated significantly since Washington assumed oversight of Venezuela’s oil exports in early January following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The halt in Venezuelan shipments has intensified Cuba’s energy emergency, affecting electricity production and fuel availability for transportation, residential use, and aviation.

For over two and a half decades, Venezuela served as Cuba’s primary source of crude oil and refined fuel through a partnership agreement that largely involved trading goods and services rather than cash payments. Mexico, which had stepped in as an alternative fuel supplier, has also stopped deliveries to Cuba since a shipment reached Havana in January, shipping records indicate.

Major international trading companies like Vitol and Trafigura manage most of Venezuela’s petroleum exports, shipping millions of barrels to destinations including the United States, Europe, and India, while storing additional supplies at Caribbean facilities for future sales.

President Donald Trump has stated that Venezuela’s partners who previously received oil through exchange agreements, debt settlements, and similar arrangements must now purchase shipments at current market rates. This requirement affects countries including China and Cuba.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to the Caribbean Wednesday to meet with regional officials who have expressed concerns that Cuba’s worsening humanitarian situation could create regional instability.

Despite this new authorization process, questions remain about Cuba’s ability to purchase oil without preferential payment terms. Given Cuba’s recent difficulties affording fuel on international markets, any purchases from traders would likely require standard business conditions including financial guarantees and immediate payment.

The Treasury Department’s new guidelines specify that approved transactions must “support the Cuban people, including the private sector,” covering commercial and humanitarian exports to Cuba. However, deals involving or benefiting Cuba’s military or other government agencies would not qualify for approval.

The Bureau of Industry and Security had earlier issued guidance permitting exports and re-exports of American gas and petroleum products to qualifying Cuban private sector businesses.

While Cuba’s government maintains control over fuel distribution and electrical power through state-owned enterprises, fuel users also include private airlines and other commercial entities.

Treasury officials noted that license applicants don’t require an existing U.S. business presence, and restrictions from a January license for general Venezuelan oil exports wouldn’t apply to Cuban transactions.

American pressure on both Venezuela and Cuba has resulted in multiple fuel shipments remaining undelivered since December, contributing to the island’s struggles with power outages and transportation fuel shortages.

One vessel connected to Cuba that loaded Venezuelan gasoline in early February at a facility run by state oil company PDVSA has remained anchored in Venezuelan waters this week awaiting departure clearance. The same ship had previously taken on Venezuelan jet fuel but returned that cargo, company records revealed.

No oil shipments have left Venezuela since January without Washington’s approval, as the U.S. now oversees the country’s export operations and revenue under an arrangement with interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s administration.

On Wednesday, the Hong Kong-registered tanker Sea Horse, carrying fuel potentially destined for Cuba, stopped moving in the Atlantic Ocean, according to vessel tracking information. The ship could have reached Cuba within days.

The tanker received its cargo through a ship-to-ship transfer in the Mediterranean, according to monitoring service TankerTrackers.com.

Hongkong Hangda Shipping LTD, identified in maritime records as the Sea Horse’s owner and operator, along with PDVSA, did not respond to requests for comment.

The militant group Hezbollah once operated across Syria like a powerful military force, with thousands of fighters, open supply routes, and visible bases that helped keep Bashar Assad’s government in power for years.

Today, Syrian officials say what remains of Hezbollah’s presence looks vastly different: small covert operations near Damascus using drones and Katyusha rockets, with weapons officials claim originated from Lebanon.

On February 1st, Syria’s new leadership announced they had broken up a cell suspected of firing rockets at the Mezzeh district and a nearby military airport. Hezbollah’s media office denied these accusations, stating the organization “has no presence or activity on Syrian soil” and rejecting any connections to armed groups in Syria.

This incident illustrates how the post-Assad period has transformed Hezbollah’s operations. Where the group previously supported Assad’s war efforts openly, it now faces allegations of conducting secretive missions using basic equipment.

Syria served as Hezbollah’s crucial land route to Iran’s weapons supply networks. That pathway is now being severed from several directions.

In early February, Lebanese military forces discovered their second major Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon within two months, containing ammunition, missiles, and drones. A senior American official confirmed that US intelligence assisted in locating the site, with Admiral Brad Cooper of US Central Command commending the discovery.

Simultaneously, Lebanese forces shut down unauthorized border crossings in the northern Beqaa Valley, a region historically used for smuggling weapons and drugs. Military officials announced the closure of additional crossings as part of an expanded enforcement effort along the approximately 233-mile border.

The US Treasury also imposed sanctions on a Turkey-based company involved in transporting Iranian fertilizer through Oman and targeted a gold trading business created by Hezbollah’s financial division to convert organizational assets into cash for reconstruction efforts.

Brigadier General Fayez al-Asmar, speaking for the Syrian military, explained that the new government confronts challenges from multiple sources.

“There is no doubt that since the fall of the former Assad regime, the Syrian state has been facing overlapping security challenges from multiple directions that include Israel, ISIS, remnants of the former regime, and armed groups operating outside state control,” al-Asmar told The Media Line.

Defense expert David Des Roches emphasized that losing unrestricted land access through Syria represents one of Hezbollah’s most significant setbacks in the post-Assad era.

“Hezbollah has long operated as a ‘state within a state,’ and losing unimpeded land access across Syria is a major strategic blow,” Des Roches told The Media Line. “Without Syria as an open corridor, Hezbollah shifts from being an organized military force with reliable supply routes into something closer to a network dependent on smuggling and limited access.”

This transformation alters Hezbollah’s operational footprint even without eliminating it entirely. Power once demonstrated through visible deployments and established routes now operates through intermediaries, small cells, and unofficial border crossings that are simpler to deny and more difficult to verify.

Brigadier General (retired) Yossi Kuperwasser, director of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and former Israeli intelligence official, noted that Hezbollah is attempting to recover from simultaneous setbacks, with Syria remaining part of that recovery effort.

“Hezbollah is trying to recover from the damage it has suffered—not only because of what is happening in Iran and Lebanon, but also because of what happened in Syria,” Kuperwasser told The Media Line. “They are trying to rebuild a presence, especially in the south, through smaller cells. But their achievements are limited, because Israel’s presence and readiness to act make it difficult for them.”

Kuperwasser explained that Hezbollah has preserved some operations near the Lebanese border and continues using smuggling networks for weapons transport. While Syrian authorities may interrupt some routes, he said, they cannot stop all of them.

“Hezbollah still manages activity in Syria near the Lebanese border,” he said. “They have been able to build cells that help smuggle weapons. Syrian authorities have tried to stop some of these efforts, but not all, and some smuggling continues successfully. It is not the strategic infrastructure it once was, but the network has not been fully dismantled.”

These evaluations help explain Israel’s expanded military stance in southern Syria in recent months. Israeli officials describe their presence near the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon as preventative measures designed to stop Hezbollah and other Iranian-supported groups from establishing positions near the border. Critics view this expanded presence less as temporary security measures and more as efforts to influence the post-Assad situation in Israel’s favor.

“Israel believes it needs a military presence to prevent Hezbollah and Iranian-backed cells from deploying in southern Syria,” Kuperwasser said. “Even if Syria’s new leadership appears pragmatic, Israel is cautious because many of its figures come from jihadist backgrounds. The US would prefer a solution that makes Israel’s presence unnecessary, but for now it understands Israel’s logic.”

Damascus is working to rebuild centralized governance after years of fragmentation, militia control, and competing armed networks.

Al-Asmar characterized the Mezzeh case as one aspect of a larger battle over who controls Syria’s security environment.

“In this environment, security agencies are watching closely for cells tied to external agendas that are trying to exploit Syria’s transition.”

A security official from the Syrian Interior Ministry reported that no additional Hezbollah cell activities have been uncovered or disrupted since the Mezzeh announcement.

“If any such activity is uncovered, it will be officially announced through statements issued by the Syrian Interior Ministry,” the security official said.

The source acknowledged the possibility of dormant cells that could remain inactive while waiting for changes in regional conditions. Such networks, the source added, might attempt to create instability if the US launches strikes against Iran.

Al-Asmar warned that the danger comes from networks that combine political objectives with smuggling and criminal financing, enabling external actors to maintain influence while the state attempts to regain control.

“By announcing this operation now, the Syrian state is sending a message domestically and internationally that it is regaining its capacity,” al-Asmar said. “The point is not only to stop a single cell, but to show that Damascus will not allow anyone—whoever they may be—to undermine national security, threaten neighboring countries, or destabilize social peace.”

Hezbollah has strong reasons to avoid confirming any of these allegations. Acknowledging a Syrian presence could force the new authorities into public confrontation and provide Israel with additional justification for military strikes. Within Lebanon, any admission would create difficulties while the group already faces pressure.

No official response came from Beirut. Writing in the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, columnist Rosanna Bou Mounsef observed that the party rejected any connection, claiming its name had been “dragged in arbitrarily.” Critics, she noted, view ongoing cross-border activities as either network reconstruction or a justification used by adversaries to portray Hezbollah as destabilizing.

Even analysts sympathetic to Hezbollah argue the group’s priorities have become more focused. Lebanese political analyst Rabih Ghosn said Hezbollah’s main Syrian interest is now stability.

“What matters to Hezbollah in Syria today is political and military stability,” Ghosn told The Media Line. “Hezbollah sees Syria’s unity under a centralized authority in Damascus as a priority at this stage, and believes that stability in Syria reflects positively on Lebanon.”

Ghosn maintained that the immediate threat from Hezbollah’s viewpoint is not Damascus asserting control but Israel expanding its military presence in the south.

“The main threat Hezbollah faces in Syria today is Israeli military expansion and the construction of bases, which we have seen in Mount Hermon and in areas adjacent to Daraa,” he said. “Political differences exist, but they do not amount to hostility.”

However, not all observers accept this interpretation. A report in the Beirut daily Al Joumhouria suggested Hezbollah was maneuvering to gain time, using concealment and delays until conditions improve, coordinating with Iran. The strategy reportedly included proposing to place weapons under supervisory oversight and promoting figures with stronger political profiles, moves intended to prevent Israeli military action and delay plans to restrict arms north of the Litani River.

Des Roches noted that Hezbollah’s limitations are also internal, influenced by pressure within Lebanon and the long-term costs of conflict.

“The loss of freedom of movement in Syria is extremely valuable for Israel, and extremely damaging for Hezbollah, because it limits how easily the group can move material across the region,” he said. Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department announced measures to disrupt what it described as two key mechanisms Hezbollah uses to maintain economic stability: generating revenue in coordination with Iran and exploiting Lebanon’s informal financial sector.

Within Lebanon, these pressures are tangible. Nearly 100,000 housing units were destroyed during the fighting with Israel. Hezbollah’s secretary general announced the organization would cover three months’ rent for displaced families, but the change from annual to quarterly payments indicates reduced capacity.

Residents in Shia areas have complained about unequal payments and lack of long-term guarantees. One resident of Beirut’s southern suburbs reported receiving $2,000 for four months, while a neighbor received $3,000 for six months, with no explanation for the difference. In Dahieh, rents now range from $300 to $600, often exceeding the official minimum wage of approximately $312.

In Taybeh, a south Lebanon border town located about 4 miles from the Israeli frontier, graffiti appeared on the municipality building demanding housing assistance “without favoritism.”

The danger in southern Syria is that each side’s protective measures become provocations to the other. Syria frames security operations as restoring sovereignty; Hezbollah interprets them as political targeting. Israel frames military activity as deterrence; Damascus sees it as violation. When Hezbollah moves to maintain a smuggling route, Israel treats it as confirmation that the threat persists.

Previously, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operated storage facilities, missile infrastructure, and networks inside Syria with minimal interference. That access is no longer assured.

Hezbollah’s influence is neither completely eliminated nor fully restored. What remains operates more quietly: intermediaries instead of battalions, smuggling operations instead of convoys, small cells instead of bases. The old corridor may be disrupted, but the motivation to maintain networks persists.

“It forces Hezbollah to adapt to a much more limited and risky environment,” Des Roches said. “But history shows that tactical victories can create long-term consequences.”

The terrorist organization ISIS has broken nearly two years of silence from its top leadership, releasing a lengthy audio message that security analysts say demonstrates internal coordination rather than a resurgence of power.

On February 21, 2026, the extremist group published a 35-minute audio recording featuring spokesman Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari. This marks the first significant communication from ISIS central command since their last major audio statement nearly two years ago.

The timing of this message is notable, as ISIS currently operates without any territorial control in Syria or Iraq, functioning instead through scattered insurgent cells while facing continuous counterterrorism operations throughout the region.

Security experts analyzing the recording suggest the communication represents an effort to maintain organizational structure and discipline within the group’s remaining network, rather than indicating preparations for renewed attempts at territorial expansion.

The message comes as the once-powerful terrorist organization continues to operate under sustained pressure from international counterterrorism efforts across the Middle East.

During a groundbreaking speech to Israel’s parliament on Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for global unity against terrorism while strengthening the strategic alliance between India and Israel. The address served as the highlight of Modi’s two-day diplomatic mission to Jerusalem, where he appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Modi began his remarks by telling Israeli lawmakers, “I bring with me the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians and a message of friendship, respect and partnership.” The Indian leader noted the symbolic timing of his birth, which coincided with “the same day that India formally recognized Israel.” He expressed unwavering support for Israel following the Hamas attacks of October 7, stating, “We feel your pain. We share your grief. India stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction in this moment and beyond.”

The fight against terrorism dominated much of Modi’s address to the Knesset. “Nothing can justify terrorism,” Modi declared, calling for unified global efforts against extremist threats. He emphasized that “terror anywhere threatens peace everywhere,” drawing parallels between Israel’s security challenges and India’s own experiences, including the devastating 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Modi described this as evidence of both nations’ unwavering stance against terrorism.

Looking toward future collaboration, Modi outlined an ambitious economic partnership vision. He characterized Israel as a crucial innovation ally and advocated for enhanced cooperation across multiple sectors including artificial intelligence, infrastructure development, environmental technology, and digital innovations. The Indian leader also endorsed progress on a Free Trade Agreement and expansion of joint initiatives through programs like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Modi also touched on Middle East diplomacy, backing a UN Security Council-supported peace plan for Gaza and calling for discussions focused on “durable peace and regional stability.” His comments demonstrated India’s delicate balancing act between its historical support for Palestinian causes and its increasingly strong relationship with Israel, which has flourished since Modi’s historic 2017 visit.

Netanyahu welcomed Modi’s visit, praising India as a vital strategic partner and expressing enthusiasm for deeper defense and technology collaboration. The visit represents Israel’s efforts to build new strategic relationships beyond Europe and the United States, while India continues expanding its influence in Middle Eastern affairs through security alliances and commercial partnerships.

Modi’s opening day wrapped up with discussions centered on innovation and defense partnerships, with more meetings planned including a session with President Isaac Herzog before his departure on Thursday.

AKOBO, South Sudan — In a hospital bed in South Sudan’s northeastern region, 18-month-old Kool Gatyen Pajock received medical treatment as his grandmother Nyayual Chuol watched healthcare workers tend to his wounded legs.

According to Chuol, government soldiers shot the toddler and murdered his parents before she carried him 80 miles from their village to seek medical help in Akobo, near the Ethiopian border.

Their story represents just a fraction of the 280,000 individuals forced from their homes over the past two months due to escalating violence in Jonglei state between government military forces, called the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, and opposition fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition.

“I have nothing in my hand now to take care of this baby,” Chuol said. “I’m worried about my four children who ran in different directions when the attack took place. I don’t know where they are now.”

The current violence puts at risk a delicate peace accord established in 2018 following five years of civil warfare.

Under a 2020 power-sharing deal, opposition leader Riek Machar became first vice president serving with President Salva Kiir. However, Kiir detained Machar at his residence after fresh violence erupted in March. Authorities charged Machar with treason in September along with seven other opposition figures connected to an assault on government troops.

Tensions intensified in December when opposition fighters captured government positions in Jonglei. Since January, government forces have launched a counterattack using air strikes and ground operations, even while officially supporting the peace deal.

Beyond displacement, ordinary citizens have endured substantial casualties.

“People are still fearing that the government army may come and attack here,” Chuol said. “This is what is worrying me right now.”

Twenty-eight-year-old Nyankhiay Gatluak Jock fled her village of Walgak following a government assault in early February.

“They bombed us from the gunship helicopter, and after that the soldiers came with their cars and started shooting,” said Jock, who joined 42,000 displaced individuals seeking shelter in Akobo under United Nations Mission protection.

“We want to ask the president to tell his army to differentiate between the combatants and the civilians,” Jock said while nursing two children in a church where other displaced women and young people had gathered.

Following government forces’ bombing of a Doctors Without Borders medical facility on February 3rd, Nyaphan Nyang Lual traveled toward Akobo with her husband, daughter and one-month-old granddaughter. During their journey, gunmen killed her husband and kidnapped her daughter.

Lual arrived in Akobo with granddaughter Bhan Tut Mut but couldn’t locate food aid and feared for the infant who had developed severe diarrhea.

“We took her to the clinic but there is no medicine there, and I cannot afford to buy from the pharmacy,” Lual said.

Aid organizations have also suffered attacks. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 13 medical facilities in Jonglei were “looted or partially destroyed.” Accounts of extensive sexual violence have also surfaced.

Budget reductions and government limitations on relief organizations have created shortages of resources and supplies, according to aid workers who expressed frustration about their inability to provide adequate assistance.

“We have nothing … no feeding, no medication,” said Susan Tab, a reproductive health officer in Akobo with Nile Hope, a South Sudanese organization. “The only thing we can provide to help these displaced people is psychosocial support.”

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher traveled to Akobo on February 21st as part of a tour through South Sudan’s conflict-affected regions.

With nearly three years of civil conflict in northern Sudan and fighting in neighboring Horn of Africa nations, Fletcher described South Sudan as “one of the most neglected crises in the world right now.”

“I want to make this crisis more visible to the public. And I want them to demand change. To demand funding. To demand political engagement to end this war,” Fletcher said.

Thousands of displaced women and children welcomed him in Akobo, though they remained uncertain about their safety and prospects. Some carried signs with handwritten pleas, including one with the stark message, “They killed everyone.”

“Help is coming,” Fletcher assured the survivors.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — In a surprising development, Venezuela’s chief prosecutor stepped down from his position Wednesday only to be immediately named as the country’s acting human rights ombudsman by lawmakers.

Tarek William Saab, who has served as a key figure in the government’s enforcement actions and maintained close ties to former President Nicolás Maduro, tendered his resignation to the National Assembly controlled by the ruling party without providing any explanation for his departure. Saab has overseen the prosecutor’s office since 2017, facing ongoing allegations of human rights abuses throughout his tenure.

The resignation marks another shift in government leadership following the dramatic January 3 arrest of Maduro by U.S. military forces in Caracas.

Lawmakers moved quickly to install Saab in the ombudsman position on an interim basis, where he will serve until a committee selects a permanent successor to Alfredo Ruiz. Ruiz, who had occupied the ombudsman role since 2017, stepped down citing “personal, family, and health reasons that I must attend to.” The ombudsman office focuses on promoting, defending and overseeing human rights protections.

These leadership changes come amid increased examination of both offices after acting President Delcy Rodríguez made decisions last month to free individuals imprisoned for political reasons and advance amnesty legislation, which became law last week.

Rodríguez’s actions have sparked small protests and public discussions that have highlighted issues including fabricated charges, delayed prosecutions and other mistreatment of actual and suspected government critics.

“His departure as Attorney General is promising but appointing him as Ombudsman is a slap in the face of victims,” stated Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, regarding Saab’s transition. “Meaningful reform requires appointing a new attorney general who is independent, ceases to persecute dissent, and commits to ensuring that all political prisoners are released and amnestied.”

Saab has consistently rejected all allegations of misconduct. In defending his record Wednesday, he stated he carried out his duties “with integrity and honor” and “played the constitutional role of preserving peace and protecting the human rights of our people in a period of unimaginable aggression.”

Human rights organizations, including a United Nations Human Rights Council-supported panel, have documented the charges against Saab. In findings related to the 2024 presidential election, the panel criticized Saab’s efforts to “give a semblance of legality” to the severe violations that occurred following the voting.

“The role played by the Attorney General was most conspicuously evident during the crackdown after the announcement of the election results,” the panel’s findings stated. “Following the protests, the Attorney General led the State action that resulted in human rights violations, including mass arrests, under the guise of the executive’s narrative of fighting a ‘coup d’état’ and ‘fascism’.”

The teenage daughter of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un made another prominent public appearance this week, attending a major military parade in Pyongyang alongside her father and top military officials.

State-controlled media released images Thursday showing Ju Ae, believed to be in her early teens, standing beside Kim Jong Un as they watched the Wednesday evening parade that concluded the ruling Workers’ Party Ninth Congress. Both father and daughter wore matching black leather coats as they observed the proceedings.

The photos, distributed by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency, depicted the young woman applauding the parade and watching military aircraft fly overhead with Kim and senior defense leaders.

While state media didn’t specify Ju Ae’s official role at the event, her prominent placement at one of North Korea’s most significant political gatherings has intensified discussions about potential leadership succession in the dynasty-based system.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service recently informed legislators that there are indicators Ju Ae is contributing to policy discussions, suggesting she “was in the stage of being internally appointed successor.”

The teenager has become increasingly visible in North Korean state media over the last three years, beginning with her first public appearance in late 2022 when she joined her father at an intercontinental ballistic missile launch. At that time, official media referred to her as Kim’s “beloved” daughter.

Since then, she has been photographed at various high-profile events including weapons tests, military commemorations, and important state celebrations. She’s typically shown with long hair and wearing luxury leather jackets or fur-lined outerwear as the regime’s propaganda machine has gradually increased her public profile.

North Korean authorities have never officially disclosed Ju Ae’s exact age, though experts believe she was born in the early 2010s. Intelligence sources in South Korea identify her as the child of Kim Jong Un and his spouse Ri Sol Ju.

Her existence first became known internationally in 2013 when former NBA player Dennis Rodman mentioned meeting Kim’s “baby” daughter named Ju Ae during a visit to Pyongyang.

The young woman expanded her international presence last September when she accompanied Kim Jong Un on a trip to China, further fueling questions about her future role in the regime.

Little information is available about Kim Jong Un’s other children, if any exist.

GENEVA – American and Iranian diplomats will sit down for another round of nuclear negotiations Thursday in Geneva, as tensions escalate over Tehran’s atomic program and the possibility of military action looms large.

The diplomatic session represents the latest attempt to resolve a dispute that has persisted for decades, with Washington and its allies suspecting Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities through its uranium enrichment activities. Iranian leadership continues to reject these allegations.

Representing the United States will be Special Envoy Steve Witkoff alongside Jared Kushner, who serves as President Trump’s son-in-law, according to a U.S. official speaking to Reuters. They will engage in indirect discussions with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi serving as mediator, similar to last week’s Geneva meetings.

During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Trump outlined his position on potential military action against Iran, expressing his preference for a diplomatic solution while firmly stating he would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Vice President JD Vance reinforced this stance Wednesday during a Fox News interview, declaring: “Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. That would be the ultimate military objective, if that’s the route that (Trump) chose.”

The diplomatic efforts unfold against a backdrop of significant American military deployment throughout the Middle East, raising concerns about broader regional warfare. Last June, U.S. forces joined Israeli operations targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to promise severe retaliation for any future attacks.

Trump delivered an ultimatum on February 19, demanding Iran reach an agreement within 10-15 days or face what he described as “really bad things.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi responded Tuesday by expressing his nation’s commitment to securing a balanced and prompt agreement while maintaining Iran’s rights to peaceful nuclear technology. American officials view uranium enrichment within Iranian borders as a potential route to weapons development.

“A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority,” Araqchi posted on social media platform X.

Recent reporting by Reuters indicates Tehran has proposed new compromises in exchange for sanctions relief and acknowledgment of its uranium enrichment rights, seeking to prevent American military strikes.

Despite these overtures, significant disagreements persist between both nations, particularly regarding the extent and timing of sanctions relief, according to a senior Iranian official who spoke with Reuters.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confronts perhaps the most serious challenge of his 36-year leadership, with the country’s economy buckling under intensified sanctions and facing renewed domestic protests after violent suppression of major demonstrations in January.

Rafael Grossi, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency, is anticipated to participate in the Geneva discussions with representatives from both countries, mirroring his involvement in previous talks.

MANCHESTER, England – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confronts a crucial political challenge Thursday as Manchester voters select a new member of Parliament in what polling indicates will be an extremely tight race among three parties.

The special election in the Gorton and Denton constituency pits Starmer’s Labour Party against the populist Reform UK movement and the environmentally-focused Green Party, with surveys showing all three competitors running neck-and-neck.

This electoral battle represents another hurdle for Starmer, whose leadership has come under scrutiny following multiple policy reversals and his controversial decision to name Labour veteran Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States.

Starmer made an unexpected campaign visit to the region Monday, with his team emphasizing that voters face a clear decision between Labour and Reform UK, the party headed by Brexit champion Nigel Farage.

Labour officials have consistently argued that supporting the Green Party, which appeals to voters through progressive policies on economic relief and Gaza solidarity, essentially amounts to “a vote for Reform.”

Speaking before the election, Starmer characterized the decision as one that “could not be more stark,” stating: “Driving down the cost of living with Labour or driving a wedge between communities under Reform. Moving forwards together, or opening up anger and division that holds our country back.”

Labour secured this parliamentary seat comfortably during their overwhelming national victory in 2024, though the sitting representative announced his resignation last month.

Current polling data suggesting equal support among the three parties makes this the first significant electoral challenge for Starmer since facing criticism over the Mandelson appointment. Questions have emerged about Mandelson’s past connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, though Mandelson maintains his innocence of any misconduct.

This ambassadorial selection compounds a growing list of strategic errors and policy flip-flops that have not only questioned Starmer’s decision-making abilities but prompted some within his own party to demand his resignation.

The 63-year-old leader has pledged to continue in his role, though his standing in Gorton and Denton may have suffered after he reportedly prevented popular Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from seeking Labour’s nomination in the district.

Labour instead selected Angeliki Stogia, a local council member, to compete against Reform’s Matt Goodwin, a professor and writer, along with Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, also serving on the local council. The campaign has been characterized by mutual accusations of unfair tactics.

A defeat in this traditionally Labour stronghold would deliver another significant setback to Starmer, particularly if the Green Party emerges victorious.

However, Labour members of Parliament suggest such a loss might not prove devastating, pointing instead to May’s local government elections across England and regional assembly contests in Wales and Scotland as the more decisive evaluation of Starmer’s leadership.