Author: Admin

An Ecuadorean candidate seeking to become the next United Nations secretary-general told a candidacy hearing Monday that while the global organization remains vital, it must be reduced in size in a thoughtful and deliberate way.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who previously served as both foreign affairs minister and defense minister of Ecuador, is one of six people competing to take over from Antonio Guterres when his term concludes at the end of this year.

Whoever steps into that role will inherit a massive challenge: breathing new life into an organization that has seen its influence and reputation diminish in recent years.

“I am under no illusion about the difficulties ahead, yet I remain optimistic,” Espinosa stated during her candidacy hearing.

Like the other candidates in the running, she pledged to push forward with reform efforts at the UN, while stressing that the need for the organization — founded in the aftermath of World War Two — was still “undeniable.”

“Too often the U.N. is missing in action, or relegated to the sidelines. Too often it is slow, fragmented, and constrained … the U.N. needs to rebuild credibility and show, not just say, that it can deliver real change,” she said.

She also made clear her vision for restructuring: “We can shrink the U.N. responsibly, while strengthening national ownership and delivery, and restoring faith in the U.N.”

Espinosa, who previously served as Ecuador’s ambassador to the UN and led the UN General Assembly between 2018 and 2019, suggested that national governments could take on expanded roles in areas where the UN currently operates, though she did not elaborate on specifics.

Within Ecuador, she was part of the leftist administration of former President Rafael Correa, though she has distanced herself from his political party over the past several years.

The small Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda put her name forward as a candidate to replace Guterres. Ecuador’s current government, led by President Daniel Noboa — a right-wing ally of U.S. President Donald Trump — has not weighed in on her candidacy.

Last week, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali announced that his country would put forward its UN Ambassador, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, for the position.

Back in April, four additional candidates also pledged their commitment to UN reform while emphasizing the organization’s core missions of promoting peace and supporting global development. Those candidates are Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica; Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile; Macky Sall, a former president of Senegal; and Rafael Grossi of Argentina, who currently serves as director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The selection process is expected to conclude later this year. Notably, no woman has ever held the position of UN secretary-general.

By tradition, the secretary-general is not drawn from one of the five permanent members of the Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States — though the support of those powerful nations plays a crucial role in the complex and opaque selection process.

BRUSSELS — The European Union has opened up its emergency cyber security assistance program to Ukraine, according to an announcement from the European Commission on Monday.

Under the newly extended access, Ukraine is now able to activate incident response services through vetted private providers whenever the country faces significant or large-scale cyber incidents.

Moldova had already been brought into the same support framework back in 2024, making Ukraine the latest nation to gain access to the program.

When Herut Davidson hits post on a video in Arabic, she braces for the reaction. Some viewers respond with hostility, calling her a propagandist. But others — sometimes reaching out quietly, and sometimes from countries where any contact with Israelis is considered off-limits — tell her that hearing an Israeli Jewish woman speak their language has transformed their perspective.

Davidson is an Israeli content creator who has grown an audience of more than 90,000 followers between TikTok, where she goes by hurriya.it.is.me, and Instagram, where she posts as hurriya.its_my_name. Her goal is as ambitious as it is controversial: communicating directly with Arab-speaking audiences in their own language during a period when war, deep political divisions, and clashing narratives have made mutual understanding harder than ever.

For Davidson, social media represents both a challenge and a chance. She has noted that traditional news outlets tend to leave everyday people relying on official or dominant versions of events, while social platforms give individuals the power to speak for themselves and reach audiences directly.

One message that has stuck with her captures the essence of what she is trying to accomplish — a viewer telling her: ‘Thanks to your content, I don’t hate Israelis anymore.’

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Monday to demand that Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership swiftly undo its crackdown on women’s rights and take action against militant groups operating within Afghanistan’s borders — groups that Pakistan blames for deadly cross-border attacks.

China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong, whose country put forward the resolution, expressed hope that the Afghan government would “take more proactive measures to protect human rights, especially the rights of women, and project an image of openness, inclusivity and responsibility.”

The measure extends the UN’s political mission in Afghanistan through June 17, 2027, and gives it authority to support the delivery of humanitarian aid “without discrimination.” It also directs the mission to promote governance at both the national and local levels “without any discrimination based on sex, religion or ethnicity, with the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women, … minorities, youth and persons with disabilities.”

The vote came after Taliban authorities arrested at least 30 women in the western city of Herat this month, accusing them of violating the Taliban’s rigid dress requirements. A rare public protest that erupted in response to those arrests was forcibly broken up by Taliban police, who shot and killed one person and wounded several others, according to the UN mission known as UNAMA.

The Taliban have governed Afghanistan since 2021, following the chaotic exit of U.S.-led military forces. Since taking power, they have enforced a strict reading of Islamic law, or Shariah, imposing sweeping restrictions on women and girls — including banning girls from attending school beyond the primary level and barring women from many types of employment. Religious and ethnic minorities have also faced significant restrictions.

The resolution also authorizes the UN mission to help facilitate dialogue between the Taliban and neighboring countries as well as the broader international community.

U.S. deputy ambassador Jennifer Locetta stressed that action from the Taliban is essential for any progress. “For that political process to succeed, the Taliban must act,” she said. “The Taliban must meet their counterterrorism commitments, respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, end hostage diplomacy, and cease their unconscionable abuses of the human rights of women and girls.”

Meanwhile, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to simmer. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militants responsible for deadly attacks on Pakistani soil — a charge the Taliban rejects. Hundreds of people have died in clashes between the two nations since February, when Afghanistan launched attacks against Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes conducted inside Afghan territory.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Ahmad welcomed the resolution, saying it “expresses the council’s serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which continue to constitute a threat to international peace and security.”

The resolution also tasks UNAMA with supporting Afghanistan’s economic recovery, including helping to facilitate business and financial activity and backing efforts to return assets belonging to Afghanistan’s Central Bank “for the benefit of the Afghan people.”

MIAMI (AP) — One of the primary websites that Cubans living in the United States rely on to send money, food, and clothing to family members back home has halted its operations as the Trump administration intensifies its economic pressure on the Cuban government.

Envioscuba.com has announced it is no longer accepting new orders, a move that comes amid escalating rounds of U.S. sanctions designed to cut off international financial support for Cuban businesses. The most recent sanctions have targeted Cuba’s state-owned oil and gas company, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, and GAESA — a large business conglomerate controlled by Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces that operates everything from car rental agencies and retail shops to transportation companies.

The burden of these measures is falling hardest on ordinary Cubans, who are already struggling with severe shortages of food and medicine, near-constant power outages, and extreme heat. Many have depended on support from relatives and friends in the United States, who send money and packages from Miami filled with appliances, groceries, and clothing — or purchase goods through online portals for delivery directly on the island.

While Envioscuba.com says it will honor and deliver all orders that were previously placed and approved, no new purchases are being accepted. The site offered little explanation for the decision, stating only: “Due to reasons beyond our control, our platform can no longer provide services.” It remains unclear exactly when the site stopped accepting new orders.

Attempts by the Associated Press to reach the company were unsuccessful. The website provides no phone number or email address for contact.

Emilio Morales, president of Havana Consulting Group — a Miami-based firm that focuses on market strategies for doing business in Cuba — explained that platforms like Envioscuba.com were operating in direct partnership with Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. He noted that most of these portals, including Envioscuba.com, do not actually ship products from the U.S. to Cuba. Instead, they sell and arrange delivery of goods already stored in GAESA warehouses on the island.

Morales predicted more closures are on the horizon. “The trend is for all of this to disappear, because GAESA is behind it all,” he said, adding that other similar platforms are likely to shut down as well rather than risk being penalized for conducting business with the Cuban government.

The sanctions carry serious consequences for foreign companies, threatening to freeze their U.S.-held assets and potentially bar their investors, employees, and shareholders from traveling to the United States — effectively cutting them off from the American financial system entirely.

In a related development, Spanish hotel chain Meliá recently announced it will stop managing 15 of the 34 hotels it currently operates in Cuba, adding to a growing number of international companies that are pulling back or scaling down their presence on the island.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s most vulnerable patients are bearing the brunt of U.S. energy restrictions, with surgical procedures being postponed, kidney dialysis schedules thrown into chaos, and children battling cancer facing a dramatically higher risk of death, according to a report released Monday by Cuban state-run outlet Cubadebate.

The report reveals that the survival rate for children with cancer has plummeted from 85% to just 65% since energy restrictions took effect in January. It also states that 100,000 children under the age of 7 are no longer receiving the daily liter of milk they had previously been provided by the government, and that Cuba’s 16-vaccine immunization program for infants is now considered “at risk.”

The report further notes that 100,000 Cubans are currently waiting for surgical procedures, and that treatment schedules for nearly 3,000 patients who require kidney dialysis have been thrown off course. On the medication front, 300 out of 395 essential medicines normally produced on the island are now unavailable due to shortages of the chemical components needed to make them.

Cuba operates a free, universal healthcare system, but that system has been pushed to its limits by a combination of resource shortages, scarce fuel supplies, and power outages lasting more than 20 hours at a time.

The island went three months without receiving a fuel shipment after the U.S. took action against Venezuela, one of Cuba’s key oil suppliers, and threatened tariffs against any nation that sells or delivers oil to Cuba.

Cuba was already struggling under a significant tightening of longstanding U.S. sanctions, which restrict the country from importing certain goods. The Trump administration has demanded that Cuba’s socialist government free political prisoners, undertake sweeping economic reforms, and change how it governs — or risk being deemed a national security threat. Cuba has consistently maintained that it does not pose any threat to the United States.

As the standoff between the two nations intensifies, United Nations officials have sounded alarms about a looming humanitarian disaster. In late March, the UN launched an emergency fundraising appeal on behalf of the island.

Paolo Spadoni, an associate professor at Augusta University in Georgia, described the current situation in stark terms. “What we are experiencing now is a unique situation,” he said. “There is no doubt that there were problems with healthcare and basic services in Cuba, but there is also no doubt that these recent events have vastly amplified what was already happening, and that we are now in a different dimension.”

While Spadoni acknowledged that Cuba faces real challenges and systemic failures that require reform, he argued that “it is impossible to deny” that the United States carries responsibility for the “acute humanitarian crisis” now unfolding there.

Monday’s Cubadebate report also revealed that roughly 1,400 megawatts of electricity generating capacity have gone offline due to shortages of diesel and fuel oil at smaller power plants, and that larger thermoelectric plants are unable to receive the spare parts they need.

Bread supplies have also been cut roughly in half compared to pre-restriction levels, the report said, due to “logistical and payment hurdles” in wheat procurement. A lack of fuel has also prevented the delivery of 170 containers of essential goods across the country.

The report concluded with a pointed statement: “Beyond numbers and coercive measures, the blockade amounts to an extreme and unjustifiable form of collective punishment inflicted on the Cuban people.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that while negotiations over a potential deal with Iran are ongoing, the final terms of any agreement remain unknown — but he made one thing clear: Iran will not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons.

At a press conference, Netanyahu declined to draw comparisons between the current diplomatic effort and past negotiations, saying it was too early to do so.

“I would not make that comparison yet,” Netanyahu said. “We do not know what the agreement will be.”

Netanyahu argued that the key distinction between now and previous rounds of diplomacy is the presence of a credible military threat against Iran. He pointed to a large-scale air campaign as evidence of that pressure.

“I can say that the fundamental difference between the situation then and the situation today is that every agreement must be accompanied by a credible military threat,” he said. “Back then there was no credible military threat. There was no military threat. Today, because of what we did — not only the United States, because of us, because we went in there with 14,000 sorties — that is the biggest difference.”

He later clarified the figure, saying the total number of sorties was approximately 140,000, split roughly evenly between Israel and the United States.

“About 140,000 sorties, roughly half and half,” Netanyahu said. “For us, a little, roughly half and half between the United States and us. There is a credible military threat.”

The prime minister framed his stance as the product of a lifelong commitment to keeping nuclear weapons out of Iranian hands.

“I can speak about my commitment as prime minister of Israel, who has devoted most of his adult life to only one thing: preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” he said.

Netanyahu contended that without the steps he has taken over the years, Iran would already be a nuclear-armed state.

“If I had not done the things I did over the years, Iran would long ago have had atomic bombs,” Netanyahu said. “So they do not have them, and I do not intend for them to have them.”

He left no doubt that Israel would take whatever action is needed to ensure that outcome.

“We will do what is necessary,” he said. “Again, I am not limiting myself in any way regarding that objective, and that objective is simple: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

When asked whether Israel was bound by any provisions in the US-Iran agreement relating to Lebanon or Iran, Netanyahu made clear that the deal is being driven by Washington.

“This agreement is being made by the United States, by the president of the United States,” he said. “He thinks he can truly combine both the opening of the straits and the elimination of the nuclear program.”

Netanyahu said he has communicated his views directly to President Trump, while acknowledging that the United States is leading the diplomatic effort.

“I said this is his decision,” Netanyahu said. “I repeat and say: This is his decision. He is leading this, and of course I expressed my opinion in various conversations.”

On the question of his relationship with President Trump, Netanyahu acknowledged that disagreements do occur between the two leaders, but said their longstanding ties remain intact. He noted that while they frequently see eye to eye, there are moments when their positions differ, and that his decisions are driven by Israel’s security needs rather than public appearances.

“We have known each other for a long time,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also pushed back against suggestions that Operation Rising Lion had failed to achieve its goals. He argued that the campaign had neutralized what he described as an existential threat, severely damaged Iran’s economy and infrastructure, and helped set conditions under which the Iranian people might challenge their own government.

He also reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to maintaining a security buffer zone in Lebanon, dismissing Iranian demands that Israel withdraw.

“Second, regarding Lebanon, we created a buffer zone there, a security zone,” Netanyahu said. “We will remain in it as long as required. Iran wanted us to withdraw from there. That did not happen.”

He attributed Israel’s refusal to withdraw, in part, to his own firm resolve.

“Do you know why that did not happen?” Netanyahu said. “Among other things, because I stood very, very firm. I was very, very decisive on this matter, and I think our American friends respect that determination and that firm stand.”

Netanyahu said the security zone is essential for protecting communities in northern Israel.

“We are staying there because we need to protect the residents of the north, and there are other things as well,” he said. “In any case, we want to preserve, and are acting to preserve, our freedom of action.”

The prime minister also reported that Israeli forces carried out operations Monday against individuals who threatened or approached Israeli troops in a hostile manner.

“If people come and attack us, attack us or come to attack us, as happened today — then we eliminated four terrorists,” he said. “Two motorcyclists who approached our forces in a threatening manner were eliminated, and afterward two more terrorists.”

Netanyahu closed by reiterating Israel’s dual objectives of maintaining military freedom of action and holding the security zone to shield northern residents.

“We are preserving our freedom of action, and we are preserving the security zone in order to protect the residents of the north,” he said.

JOHANNESBURG — The world of jazz is mourning the loss of one of South Africa’s most celebrated musicians. Abdullah Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, died peacefully in Germany at the age of 91 following a short illness, with family members by his side. His family made the announcement in a statement released Monday.

A native of Cape Town, Ibrahim built an extraordinary career as a pianist, composer, and bandleader over more than seven decades. He became known for weaving together jazz and South African musical traditions in a way that earned him recognition as a cultural ambassador, connecting audiences around the globe to the sounds and spirit of his homeland.

Among his most memorable moments was performing at Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration in 1994 — a milestone that cemented his place in South African history. His final concert on South African soil came just recently, at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March, where he once again demonstrated the extraordinary talent that defined his life’s work.

His partner, Dr. Marina Umari, offered a heartfelt tribute, saying he “passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart.” She added, “His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself.”

His family expressed that while Ibrahim’s life has come to an end, his influence and voice will continue to echo across the world for generations to come.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa honored Ibrahim’s memory, recognizing both his contributions to the fight against apartheid and the enduring impact of his music. “Today our nation mourns the passing of an international icon and global citizen whose profound creations honored the South Africa that shaped his political commitment and musical brilliance,” Ramaphosa said.

In 2009, Ibrahim received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Wits University. That same year, former President Jacob Zuma presented him with the Order of Ikhamanga, one of South Africa’s most prestigious civilian honors.

Alan Winde, the mayor of the Western Cape — the region that includes Ibrahim’s hometown — also paid his respects, saying, “South Africa has lost a legend. Abdullah Ibrahim represented everything that makes South Africa and the Western Cape so remarkable. His music told the story of our unique cultural diversity and past.”

According to his family, Ibrahim will be buried in the German state of Bavaria, where he had made his home.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Colombia’s largest active rebel organization has declared a self-imposed ceasefire as the South American nation braces for a highly contentious presidential election this coming weekend.

The National Liberation Army, commonly known by its Spanish initials ELN, announced through its official X account that its fighters have been ordered to stand down from attacks against the Colombian military between June 20 and June 23. The country’s presidential election is scheduled for Sunday, June 21.

In its statement, the ELN said it stands behind citizens’ “right to vote freely” and emphasized that the group does not wish to “threaten any of the candidates, or stop people from voting.”

The rebel organization also took aim at outside nations, warning against any foreign involvement in the electoral process. “We cannot accept any involvement by leaders of other countries in political decisions that should only concern Colombians,” the statement read.

The election is shaping up to be a sharp contest between Sen. Iván Cepeda, a political ally of sitting President Gustavo Petro, and conservative attorney Abelardo de la Espriella, who received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month. De la Espriella has pledged to take a harder line against remaining rebel factions by ending peace negotiations that began under President Petro.

Political critics have long argued that rebel groups in Colombia have exploited past ceasefires as opportunities to rebuild their ranks, restock weapons, and tighten their control over rural areas, where they run extortion schemes and intimidate those who interfere with illegal operations.

The Petro government launched formal peace talks with the ELN back in 2023, but those negotiations collapsed in 2025 after the rebels carried out a string of violent attacks in northeastern Colombia that drove more than 56,000 residents from their homes.

Despite that breakdown, the Petro administration is still engaged in talks with other armed factions — including the Gulf Clan — groups known for controlling drug trafficking corridors and profiting from illegal mining operations.

Last week, the De la Espriella campaign called on Colombian prosecutors to look into whether rebel groups pressured voters in 109 isolated municipalities to cast ballots for Cepeda. The ruling party candidate pulled in over 70% of the vote in those areas during the first round of voting on May 31. Cepeda has flatly denied any connection between his campaign and rebel groups.

In that first-round contest, which featured 14 candidates, Cepeda received 40.9% of the total vote while De la Espriella led with 43.7%.

Colombia’s Defense Ministry estimates that the ELN maintains a force of more than 6,000 fighters operating across Colombia and Venezuela, where the group profits from illegal gold mining and the drug trade.

The ELN was established in the 1960s by union organizers and intellectuals motivated by social justice causes and inspired by the Cuban revolution. Over the decades, however, the group has become associated with criminal enterprises in the territories it controls, including extortion rings and attacks on oil infrastructure. President Petro himself has described the group’s leadership as “drug traffickers disguised as guerrilla fighters.”

A tentative agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending their conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz caused oil prices to fall sharply, as markets anticipated a return of energy supplies. However, industry insiders warn that getting back to pre-war production and refining levels could take anywhere from weeks to years.

Here is a breakdown of what the deal means for global energy.

What Changes Right Away?

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz — a critical shipping corridor for the world’s oil and gas — would reopen on Friday. Iran had effectively shut down the waterway for months. Trump also said he had ordered an end to a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that a broader agreement addressing the wider conflict would be worked out during a 60-day ceasefire, which would also include sanctions relief for Iran.

How Quickly Can Oil Production Restart?

Several major Middle East oil producers — including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — were forced to cut millions of barrels per day of crude output because of the Strait’s closure.

The International Energy Agency’s latest report indicates that more than 14 million barrels per day of oil production is currently offline, which represents about 14% of total global demand.

According to an official familiar with the situation, some production — such as in Iraq — could resume within less than a week once a restart decision is made. Other operations will require considerably more time.

Analysts at Wood Mackenzie offered this assessment: “Assuming operators choose a measured and controlled ramp-up, our analysis suggests the fields affected by the Strait’s closure could get back to 70% of prior production within three months and to 90% within six months. The last 1 million bpd or so will take considerably longer.”

Why Are Refineries a Problem?

The conflict shut down as much as 3.52 million barrels per day of refining capacity as of May 7, according to industry monitor IIR — roughly 3.5% of the world’s total refining capacity, with some facilities sustaining damage.

Refineries that were closed as a precautionary measure could be back online within a couple of weeks, analysts say. Repairing damaged facilities, however, will take longer.

Bader Nooruddin, head of research at Vitol Bahrain, said earlier this month that Gulf refineries could recover to between 90% and 95% of capacity within 40 to 60 days.

Energy research firm Rystad Energy estimates that total repair costs across the Middle East will average around $46 billion, with refining and petrochemical facilities accounting for the largest portion due to the complexity and extent of the damage.

What About Natural Gas and LNG?

Early in the conflict, major liquefied natural gas operations — including those in Qatar — either halted or significantly reduced output following attacks on their facilities.

Once a decision to restart is made, it will take approximately two weeks to convert gas into its super-chilled liquid form and reach full operating capacity.

The liquefaction process — which involves cooling natural gas to around minus 162 degrees Celsius (minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit) — requires a deliberately slow cooldown to prevent thermal shock. The processing lines, known as LNG trains, cannot all be restarted at the same time and must be brought back online in sequence.

Qatar Energy kept three of its processing trains running throughout the war to supply Kuwait and Bahrain. However, a full return to capacity will take years. QatarEnergy’s CEO has said that Iranian attacks destroyed 17% of Qatar’s LNG capacity for as long as five years.

Oil Stockpiles Will Take Years to Rebuild

The global supply disruption has drained the world’s oil reserves significantly, and restoring them to normal levels will be a lengthy process — potentially taking years.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, stockpiles in the world’s largest economies are on track to hit their lowest levels since at least 2003, depleted at a record pace due to the loss of Gulf production.

Paul Gooden, head of natural resources at investment manager Ninety One, put it plainly: “It will take several months to fully normalise flows, and we estimate that global oil inventories have shrunk by more than 1 billion barrels since the start of the conflict.” At current prices, one billion barrels would be valued at more than $83 billion.

Gooden added: “Oil markets will therefore likely suffer a ‘hangover’ for several years as governments seek to rebuild inventories and to insulate themselves from further geopolitical shocks.”

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian authorities were on the scene Monday examining the wreckage from a deadly midair collision between two helicopters that claimed six lives the day before, near a suburb of Rio de Janeiro.

American singer Oliver Tree appeared on the passenger list submitted to aviation authorities for one of the helicopters, which came down in the parking lot of a car dealership. However, police had not yet confirmed that his body was recovered from the crash site.

Law enforcement confirmed the identities of five victims: Gaspar Prim Díaz, an Argentine content creator who went by the name Gaspi and had amassed more than 2.8 million subscribers on YouTube; fellow Argentine Lucas Vignale; and three Brazilian nationals — Lucas Brito, Charles Marsillac, and Alexandre Souza. The identity of one additional foreign victim had not yet been established.

A Rio de Janeiro police investigator, Alan Luxardo, told reporters at the crash site Monday that human error may have played a role in the collision. He said authorities were working to determine whether a pilot or an air traffic controller bore responsibility for the disaster.

Tree, who is 32 years old, had been traveling through South America and Europe as part of a world tour with scheduled stops in Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, and Spain. The day before the crash, on Saturday, the singer and comedian had posted a lighthearted video of himself playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.

Fellow public figures began paying tribute to Tree on social media Sunday. Among them was Jake Paul, a promoter known for high-profile boxing matches against professional fighters, who described Tree as “one of the most kind and funny people in the world.”

Drew Binsky, a content creator recognized for having visited every country on earth, shared on Instagram that Tree had reached out to him for travel tips, since the singer shared a similar goal of visiting every nation.

“We just spoke a few days ago and I was planning to show him around Prague in three weeks,” Binsky wrote. “He has become a great friend of mine and is genuinely one of the kindest and most positive people I’ve ever met.”

Argentine streaming channel Blender also expressed grief over the loss of Gaspi in a post on X, writing: “Every one of us will miss you.”

The United Kingdom’s Court of Appeal has determined that the British government acted within the law when it labeled Palestine Action a terrorist organization, overturning a February ruling by the High Court that had declared the ban unlawful.

The High Court had previously found the designation to be “disproportionate,” but the appeals court reached the opposite conclusion. Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, joined by fellow appeal judges, determined that Palestine Action openly encouraged violence that meets the legal threshold for terrorism and that the group functioned through hidden, cell-like networks rather than open acts of civil disobedience.

The British government originally designated Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025, citing a pattern of direct-action demonstrations and property destruction at sites connected to the defense industry.

Anne Herzberg, who serves as Legal Advisor of NGO Monitor, expressed support for the court’s decision. “The Court of Appeals made the right decision to uphold the government’s proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Since October 7, the group has gotten more and more extreme, vandalizing insurance companies, the BBC, and defense company offices,” she said.

Herzberg also described how the group broke into the offices of Israeli military technology company Elbit Systems, causing more than a million pounds worth of damage and fracturing the spine of a police officer. Four individuals involved in that incident were handed prison sentences last week.

Herzberg further noted that approximately a year ago, the group broke into a UK air force base and damaged aircraft at a sensitive moment for Western defense. “The group has long had shadowy organizing structure and financing. Their actions go far beyond any definition of peaceful protest. It is no surprise that those defending the group and decrying the court decision are also some of the loudest voices promoting antisemitic rhetoric and apologizing for the terrorism of Hamas and Hezbollah,” she added.

With the Court of Appeal’s decision now in place, the government’s position that Palestine Action’s conduct warrants designation under the Terrorism Act 2000 has been fully restored.

Gulf and Arab nations are rallying behind a newly reached agreement between the United States and Iran to cease military operations and enter into detailed talks aimed at a permanent settlement — with leaders across the region expressing optimism about what the deal could mean for stability and security.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry announced Monday that the kingdom supports the agreement and offered praise for the mediation work carried out by Pakistan and Qatar, as well as the willingness of both Washington and Tehran to reach a deal.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also spoke by phone Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. During that conversation, Prince Faisal expressed his support for the agreement and said Saudi Arabia hopes it will bolster both regional and international security while keeping momentum behind efforts to achieve lasting peace.

The United Arab Emirates called on all parties to fully carry out the preliminary agreement, specifically urging an immediate halt to hostilities and firm guarantees ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry also noted that the country suffered considerable damage from strikes during the conflict.

Kuwait similarly embraced the provisions calling for a permanent end to military activity and the protection of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Kuwaiti government commended the mediation efforts of Pakistan, Qatar, and other nations involved, and expressed hope that unresolved disputes could be addressed through what it described as principles of “good neighbourliness, mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of states and an end to support for proxies.”

Qatar said the agreement has the potential to bring military operations to a permanent close and reaffirmed its commitment to diplomacy and dialogue, while also recognizing Pakistan’s contributions to moving the process forward.

Egypt characterized the deal as a meaningful step toward regional and international stability, saying it hopes the arrangement will help build trust and encourage further diplomatic engagement. Cairo also expressed a desire for international focus to shift back toward Gaza and the West Bank, and for renewed progress on the next phase of President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, President Joseph Aoun, as well as Iraq, Turkey, the Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general, and Jordan all joined in welcoming the agreement, each describing it as a positive development for regional security, stability, and future diplomatic efforts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told President Donald Trump that Israel refuses to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and does not consider itself bound by any Lebanon-related terms in a developing agreement with Iran, according to Israeli sources.

Netanyahu communicated to Trump that Israeli military forces would hold their current positions in Lebanon and press forward with operations targeting Hezbollah, including dismantling terrorist infrastructure and responding militarily to any attacks on Israel, the sources said.

The Israeli cabinet gave Netanyahu unanimous support for this approach during a cabinet meeting, with ministers aligned behind the view that Israel must continue pursuing its security interests in Lebanon, according to those same sources.

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the position firmly, stating: “Prime Minister Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy that establishes that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza — indefinitely to protect the border and Israeli communities from jihadist elements.”

Katz also declared, “We oppose the IDF’s withdrawal from Lebanon, despite all the existing pressures and those that will come.”

Katz confirmed that the message had been delivered directly to Washington. He said Netanyahu raised the matter with Trump and other American officials, while Katz himself brought it up in a separate conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Israel’s stance stands in sharp contrast to statements from other parties. Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif said the involved parties had “declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” Iran’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazam Gharibabadi similarly called for a “permanent and immediate end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

Adding to the tension, Trump publicly condemned Israeli airstrikes carried out Sunday against Hezbollah targets in the Dahieh area near Beirut. The strikes came after Iran threatened to walk away from the ceasefire and retaliate.

According to a report by Axios, Trump told Netanyahu he had “no f—ing judgment” over the timing of the strikes.

In a separate interview with Fox News, Trump said: “A deal will be signed within two or three hours. I told Netanyahu — what the hell are you doing?”

Trump also took to his Truth Social platform, writing that the strike “should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.”

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A judge has ordered the sibling owners of a Santo Domingo nightclub to stand trial following a deadly roof collapse that claimed 236 lives and left more than 100 others injured last year.

Magistrate Reymundo Mejía Zorrilla of the First Court of Instruction of the National District in Santo Domingo issued the ruling Monday, determining that Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, owners of the Jet Set nightclub, will face charges of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, each could receive up to two years behind bars.

The catastrophic collapse occurred on April 8, 2025, sending shockwaves throughout the Dominican Republic as rescue workers spent days desperately trying to pull survivors from the debris.

The decision drew sharp disappointment from families of the victims, who had gathered outside the courthouse beforehand — roughly 30 relatives holding hands and praying together. Many had been pushing for homicide charges, which carry far heavier penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors had previously accused the Espaillat siblings of attempting to intimidate or manipulate employees. Antonio Espaillat is described as a prominent business figure with ownership of upscale entertainment venues and dozens of local radio stations. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has said it holds hundreds of pieces of evidence connecting the two to the collapse.

At the time of the disaster, the venue was packed with hundreds of attendees — including athletes and politicians — who had come to see a performance by singer Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel was also at the event; he was pulled from the wreckage alive but later died at a hospital.

The Espaillat siblings will be tried together, though no trial date has been announced.

World leaders have descended on a French spa town for a high-stakes Group of Seven summit, arriving with fresh momentum after President Donald Trump announced an agreement he says will bring an end to the U.S. war against Iran.

Trump touched down in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Monday to begin talks with fellow G7 leaders — some of whom have been openly critical of how he handled the roughly 15-week conflict, which has sent global energy prices surging.

Tensions have been running high between Trump and the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy over his decision to go to war without consulting them. Trump has threatened to pull back U.S. troops stationed in all four countries — all NATO members — as a consequence of their lack of support.

The G7 consists of France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Several guest nations are also participating in this summit, including Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, South Korea, Qatar, Syria, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

Macron Tells Trump French Forces Are Ready to Move Into Strait of Hormuz

During a face-to-face meeting with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron said France could send fighter jets as early as Tuesday to conduct observation flights over the strategically critical waterway. He noted that France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, already positioned in the Middle East, could also be deployed rapidly.

The offer is part of a broader push by France and other G7 allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible to restore the free flow of energy to world markets, following the tentative U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.

“Within 48 hours, frigates could also be deployed. And within two to three days, the aircraft carrier,” Macron said.

Trump responded by saying, “I don’t think we’re gonna need much help” because the strait is “going to be open.” He added, “But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You’d be a great country to do it,” directing the comment at Macron.

Trump’s Schedule Includes Leader Greetings and Working Dinner

Following his one-on-one meeting with Macron, Trump was set to take part in a formal welcome with the other G7 leaders before heading to a working dinner at 7:30 p.m. local time — the final item on his public agenda for Monday.

Trump Uncertain Whether He’ll Attend Iran Deal Signing

When asked whether he would be present at Friday’s formal signing ceremony for the Iran agreement, Trump said he wasn’t sure. “Well, it depends,” he said during a joint appearance with Macron. “I may be involved. I may not.”

Trump mentioned that Vice President JD Vance had originally been slated to attend: “JD was coming in for that.”

While expressing optimism about the deal, Trump tempered expectations. “Hopefully we get along,” he said. “If we don’t, we go back to where we started.”

Trump Touts Iran Deal, Points to Oil Prices and Stock Market

Speaking alongside Macron at the G7, Trump spoke enthusiastically about the agreement reached with Iran. “I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” he said.

Trump also said he “felt badly that we had to go back on the attack for two nights” and expressed hope for a constructive relationship going forward. He arrived at the summit fresh off celebrating his 80th birthday at a UFC event held at the White House on Sunday.

Anti-G7 Protesters Accuse Police of Provocation

Organizers of Sunday’s “No G7” demonstration are demanding an apology from Geneva security and judicial officials after police deployed tear gas and water cannons against stone-throwing protesters.

Organizers said police surrounded roughly 300 people overnight — including minors, tourists, and bystanders. In a statement Monday, they declared the protest a success: “The No G7 demonstration of June 14 surpassed all our expectations,” adding that “30,000 took part despite the climate of anxiety created by the Geneva State Council (and sometimes by the media).”

Law enforcement put the crowd at 20,000, including approximately 600 so-called “black bloc” militants.

Geneva Police Detail Their Response to Protests

Geneva police brought more than two dozen individuals to police stations and made three arrests related to violence during Sunday’s anti-G7 march. Geneva police chief Monica Bonfanti said officers checked the identities of nearly 550 people and used tear gas and water cannons in response to stone-throwing youth.

Three people were arrested — two for firing pyrotechnic devices and one for damaging a police vehicle — and were later released, Bonfanti said. She noted that “black bloc” tactics made identity checks difficult, as some militants blended in with peaceful protesters and changed their clothing mid-demonstration.

U.S. Military: Iran Blockade Remains in Place

The U.S. military issued an advisory to merchant vessels Monday stating that the blockade of shipping to Iranian ports will remain active “pending execution” of the ceasefire deal set for Friday. “Do not attempt to cross until explicit direction is given,” the notice read.

Ship captains were urged to consider the safety of their crews and avoid sailing to or from Iranian ports until further guidance is issued. The advisory also warned that failure to comply with instructions from those enforcing the blockade “may result in rapid escalation to disabling or destructive fire.”

Ambassador Charles Kushner on Hand to Welcome Trump

Ambassador Charles Kushner, Trump’s top envoy to France and the father of Trump’s son-in-law, was present to greet the president when Marine One touched down in Evian-les-Bains. Kushner, a real estate developer, holds the prestigious diplomatic post. His son, Jared Kushner, is serving as an envoy in the Iran negotiations and is also involved in efforts to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Vance: Iran Deal Already Signed Digitally

Vice President JD Vance revealed that an interim agreement to end the conflict in Iran was electronically signed on Sunday, ahead of a formal ceremony scheduled for Friday in Geneva. “We already signed the deal digitally yesterday, and there’s been no money released, and that won’t change,” Vance said on “Good Morning America.” “Again, this is a performance-based thing.”

Some critics and Iranian media reports have suggested that Iranian assets would be released upon signing, but Vance pushed back. “We’ll be releasing the text this week, and what everybody will see is that Iran doesn’t get a dime of money unless they perform their obligations,” he said.

Vance Outlines Expectations for the Deal

In a Monday appearance on CNBC, Vance said the White House hopes to release the full text of the agreement this week. “I think when people see this deal — we hope to release the text this week — they’re going to realize that this is going to make the whole region safer,” he said.

Vance said the expectation is that the Strait of Hormuz will be “opened in a toll free way for the long term,” though he acknowledged that many details still need to be worked out during a 60-day technical talks period — including how Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium will be handled. He also signaled a willingness to ease economic sanctions on Iran, but said doing so would “require a long-term commitment” to nuclear inspections and verification.

Macron Pushes for Continued U.S. Support of Ukraine

The French president said he plans to press Trump to maintain support for Ukraine and step up pressure on Russia to bring about a peace agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join the summit Tuesday for discussions.

In an interview with French broadcaster TF1, Macron said he wants the United States to declare: “We are with you, we will continue to support Ukraine, and we will increase the pressure on Russia to achieve a meaningful negotiation.” He added, “The right negotiation is one in which Ukraine and Russia are at the table, but with Europeans and Americans present as well.”

Macron Stands Firm Against Trump Tariff Threats

Macron said he will not yield to Trump’s threat to impose 100% tariffs on French wines unless France eliminates its digital tax on American technology companies. Speaking on TF1, Macron said the tax was a European decision and that it is not “for the United States to decide what European or French law should be.” He said his position will not change “as long as I am here.”

Wines and spirits from the European Union currently face a 15% tariff when exported to the U.S. Macron said he intends to handle the dispute in a “respectful but firm” manner during the summit, emphasizing the importance of coordination among major democracies.

G7 European Leaders Call Iran Deal a ‘Diplomatic Breakthrough’

Ahead of their summit meeting, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom — along with Canada — issued a joint statement praising the U.S.-Iran agreement as a “diplomatic breakthrough.” The leaders called for swift implementation of the deal so that the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened to tanker traffic, and said they are prepared to contribute, including through possible mine-clearing operations.

Japan to Join G7 European Statement on Iran Deal

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed that Japan will join a joint statement from the G7’s European members calling for swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear program. Takaichi said Japan was asked to participate and agreed, though she did not specify what contribution Japan might make. She said she plans to use the summit to discuss ways to achieve broader peace and stability in the Middle East.

Nearly 13,800 Security Personnel Deployed for Summit

Macron stopped by a security operations center Monday morning to thank officers for their work protecting the summit. He described the three-day gathering as “a big source of pride for France, a big responsibility” and said nearly 13,800 officers — including police, gendarmes, firefighters, and health workers — have been deployed for the event. “Only your collective mobilization makes this possible,” he told them.

Trump Announces July 4 Rally in Washington

Even while traveling to France, Trump shared plans for a major celebration marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. “On July 4th, at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA,’” Trump posted on social media from Air Force One.

Trump said the event will feature military flyovers, a personally selected music playlist, and “the LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY.” He had previously announced plans to headline “The Great American State Fair” on June 24 as part of the America 250 celebration.

Brazil’s Lula First Leader to Arrive at Summit Hotel

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was the first foreign leader to arrive Monday at the Hotel Royal in Evian-les-Bains, a five-star property overlooking Lake Geneva and the foothills of the Alps. Brazil is among the guest nations — along with Egypt, Kenya, India, and South Korea — invited to participate in select discussions alongside the G7 members.

Brazil and WHO Chief Call for Stronger Pandemic Protections

Brazilian President Lula and the head of the United Nations health agency are jointly urging world leaders to strengthen an accord adopted last year aimed at preventing future pandemics like COVID-19. In a joint statement, they wrote: “Humanity promised itself, in the rawness of that grief, that it would not face such a day again unprepared.” They called on G7 leaders and other world leaders to “instruct your negotiators to come to the July session ready to conclude” a key annex to the agreement, which has stalled over disputes about sharing disease-causing pathogens and access to vaccines.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — For pet owners living through the ongoing conflict in Gaza, caring for their animals has become an overwhelming challenge, with veterinary supplies running dangerously low and food for pets nearly impossible to come by.

Across a territory home to more than 2 million people, only two veterinary clinics serving household pets are still functioning. A small number of other facilities focus mainly on livestock. At one modest clinic in Gaza City, staff have continued this month to offer basic medical care and grooming for cats and dogs, and have even treated other animals, including a rooster.

While COGAT — the Israeli military body responsible for coordinating civilian affairs in Palestinian territories — has stated that it approves the entry of animal vaccines into Gaza, local veterinarians say that many essential medicines and vaccines used to prevent and treat illness simply cannot be found. The shortages have proven fatal for many animals. Veterinarian Dr. Motasem Qadoura said numerous pets have died as a result.

One visitor, Saja al-Hattab, came to the clinic with her cat, Lulu, for a routine checkup. She described the desperate measures she took during the worst periods of hunger over the past two years, sometimes feeding Lulu nothing more than bread soaked in water because nothing else was available.

“Like us, cats also were being starved,” she said.

Dr. Qadoura echoed her account. “We experienced famine in Gaza and during that period, unfortunately, pet owners had to search for alternatives to feed their pets, and some of these alternatives weren’t suitable,” he said. “We saw cases of food poisoning caused by food like onions.”

Another pet owner, Heba Hathat, shared that her cat has not been vaccinated and that she has been unable to locate affordable cat litter or pet food.

This report is based on a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

JERUSALEM — The announcement of an interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran set off a wave of fury across Israel on Monday, with politicians, former leaders, and commentators from all sides of the political aisle calling it a disaster — and pointing the finger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

By early Monday evening, Netanyahu had not yet issued any public statement. However, government officials, political rivals, and media figures wasted no time condemning the deal, in what amounted to an informal public judgment on the prime minister’s leadership ahead of elections this fall.

The backlash has also put a spotlight on what critics describe as Netanyahu’s growing isolation — within his own country, across the region, and increasingly with the United States.

Those critical of the prime minister argue he drew President Donald Trump into the conflict with Iran while making promises about what the war could accomplish that proved unrealistic. Now, they say, Trump is pulling Israel out of the fight before it has achieved its objectives. Critics contend Netanyahu underestimated Trump’s willingness to sustain a lengthy war, was outmaneuvered by Iran at the negotiating table, and found himself increasingly pushed to the margins by other major players in the region.

Former Prime Minister and Netanyahu rival Ehud Barak was blunt in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster on Monday. “Israel is paying the price of Netanyahu’s hubris and blindness, and the price of the manipulations that he tried to pull on Trump,” Barak said. “Iran emerged stronger; Israel emerged weaker. That is Netanyahu’s strategic responsibility. He failed.”

Yair Lapid, who is set to challenge Netanyahu in the coming elections, wrote Sunday that the deal was shaping up to be “one of the most shocking failures in Israel’s foreign and security policy … entirely registered in Netanyahu’s name.” He added: “It can be fixed, it must be fixed. Netanyahu can no longer fix it, we will do it.”

The U.S.-Iran agreement has left Israel in a difficult spot, partly because it sent troops into southern Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched missiles at communities in northern Israel during the opening week of the war. Throughout the negotiation process, Iran insisted that any agreement to wind down hostilities on the U.S.-Iran front must also include a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

As talks moved forward and Trump sought an exit from the conflict, he became increasingly frustrated with Israeli strikes on Beirut, warning they could threaten the emerging agreement. Ultimately, the president chose to end the war with Iran even if it limited Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon.

That decision has put Netanyahu in a precarious spot. His relationship with Trump may force him to scale back a military campaign in Lebanon that has been broadly popular among Israelis. On Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly pledged to keep Israeli troops in Lebanon.

Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, warned that the situation could quickly spiral. “All Hezbollah has to do is get one rocket across into an Israeli town in northern Israel, and then the pressure on Netanyahu — which he’s already hearing from his own base and from the opposition … will ramp up,” Shapiro said. “It’s gonna be very hard to resist that. And that gives a lot of power to control this dynamic to Hezbollah, and essentially to Iran.”

Some of the more hawkish members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition have already condemned the peace deal and are pushing the prime minister to press ahead with the Lebanon campaign — even at the risk of angering the United States and potentially unraveling the broader agreement. Israel’s ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, posted on X: “We must not compromise on anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah.”

While the deal left the fate of Israel’s Lebanon operation uncertain, it also constrained Netanyahu before he could reach his stated war goals against Iran. Netanyahu and the U.S. launched the war on February 28 with the stated objective of eliminating Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But nearly four months later, after Iran withstood an intense aerial assault, analysts and critics say Tehran has actually emerged in a stronger position. Its network of proxy forces remains intact and is still capable of firing missiles into Israel.

Iran has also managed to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically vital waterways, disrupting global trade and driving up the cost of basic goods worldwide. Meanwhile, the extent of damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile program remains unclear.

Political commentator Anna Barsky wrote in Ma’ariv, a major Hebrew-language daily newspaper, that “Israel believes that the war delayed the Iranian nuclear program, but did not change its objectives.” She noted that Israeli officials are also concerned that under the terms of its deal with the U.S., Iran could receive a significant infusion of cash.

Three regional officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said the agreement is expected to include a phased easing of sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Yair Golan, a center-left party leader and former general, posted on X: “Trump signs an agreement that funnels billions to the Ayatollahs’ regime, leaves the nuclear infrastructure intact, preserves the ballistic threat as is, and throws a lifeline to the murderous regime in Tehran.”

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan President William Ruto announced Monday that his government will compensate nearly 2,000 people who suffered human rights abuses tied to violent protests, in what officials are calling an unusual national reparations effort conducted outside the court system.

Over the years, waves of violent unrest across the East African country have resulted in hundreds of deaths, injuries, and significant financial losses for business owners. Most recently, two separate demonstrations over a proposed Ebola quarantine facility intended for Americans ended with three people killed and dozens more hurt.

Victims are expected to start receiving payments as soon as next week, once they have been reviewed and approved by the country’s state-funded human rights commission. The total amount set aside for compensation is approximately $15 million.

Speaking at the release of a national Reparations Framework Report, Ruto described the payments as “a state acknowledgment that harm occurred,” while making clear it was not an “admission” of guilt on the part of the government.

Dozens of people lost their lives and hundreds more were wounded during anti-government demonstrations that took place in June 2024 and June 2025, both centered on opposition to higher taxes. The government has said those protests were taken advantage of by criminal elements, who caused millions of dollars in property damage.

Ruto was careful to frame the compensation in measured terms, saying it was not the “price of life, of pain or of loss” and should not be interpreted as a “reward for violence or criminality” — a concern in a country where large-scale protests occur regularly.

“A nation heals by tending to its wounds rather than pretending they does not exist,” he said.

Claris Ogangah, who leads Kenya’s National Commission on Human Rights, said the financial payments are a meaningful step toward national recovery.

“The stories captured in the Reparations Framework Report remind us that behind every statistic is a human being — a family and a community whose suffering has often remained unseen and unacknowledged,” she said.

“By giving voice to these experiences, the report contributes to a national process of healing founded on truth, recognition, and remembrance,” Ogangah added.

LONDON — A first-edition copy of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” — typos and all — is going under the hammer for the first time in more than a century, drawing renewed attention as a new Hollywood film brings the beloved story to a fresh generation of fans.

Christie’s auction house announced Monday that this is the first copy of the novel still in its publisher’s original cloth binding to be auctioned since 1908. Approximately 250 copies of the first edition were ever produced, and this particular volume has sat in a private library since shortly after it was first published in 1847.

“The vast majority of surviving copies were rebound for collectors or libraries, meaning original cloth examples are now extremely scarce,” said Christie’s books and manuscripts specialist Mark Wiltshire.

The “Wuthering Heights” volume is being sold alongside a copy of Anne Brontë’s “Agnes Grey” and is expected to bring in between 400,000 and 600,000 British pounds — roughly $540,000 to $800,000 — at a June 30 sale in London. Both books were originally published under male pen names the sisters used to break into the publishing world: Emily wrote as Ellis Bell, and Anne as Acton Bell.

“Wuthering Heights” was rushed to press following the runaway success of Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre,” and the hasty production left its mark. The first edition became well known for its printing errors — including, as Wiltshire pointed out, occasional misspellings of the word “heights” itself.

The novel is enjoying a fresh wave of popularity thanks to director Emerald Fennell’s recent film adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the ill-fated pair Cathy and Heathcliff, which takes its own creative liberties with Brontë’s dark, Gothic story.

When the book first appeared, it scandalized some readers. A critic in 1848 condemned it for its “vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors.”

In the nearly two centuries since, Wiltshire said, the novel has “moved beyond literature to become a cultural touchstone,” influencing visual art, music — most notably Kate Bush’s 1978 pop-operatic song — and numerous film versions over the decades.

“It remains a work that artists return to again and again because of its emotional force, its atmosphere, and its psychological intensity, ensuring its place not only in literary history but in wider cultural imagination,” Wiltshire said.

FRANKFURT, Germany — A tentative agreement to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is being welcomed as a positive development for the world economy. However, despite oil prices dipping on Monday, significant uncertainty remains about when energy shipments will actually resume through the world’s most critical waterway for oil transport.

Before the conflict began, the strait handled roughly one-fifth of the global crude oil supply. Now, hundreds of vessels stuck inside the Persian Gulf face a slow and complicated process of navigating out through the narrow passage. Oil-producing nations in the Gulf that cut back their output will also need time to get production running again. Shipping analysts note that vessel captains may be cautious about declaring the route safe and that the threat from Iran has genuinely passed.

The bottom line: oil prices, inflation, and energy supplies will not snap back to prewar levels overnight — the recovery could take weeks, or even months. That timeline assumes the agreement, scheduled to be formally signed on Friday, actually holds. Specifics of the deal had not yet been made public.

Even if the strait reopens fully, tankers must still enter the Gulf, take on cargo, and complete long voyages to their destinations. Asian nations are the primary buyers of oil from Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Oman. A round trip to Japan alone can take between 45 and 50 days.

Ship captains, insurers, and vessel owners are expected to proceed cautiously given the unpredictable conditions in the region.

Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of shipping data and analysis company Lloyd’s List, wrote that

LIMA — Right-wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori has stretched her slim lead over leftist challenger Roberto Sanchez in Peru’s hotly disputed presidential contest, as the slow review of contested ballots continued Monday.

Fujimori reclaimed the top spot in the race midway through last week, largely on the strength of votes cast abroad. As of Monday, she held 50.051% of the vote compared to Sanchez’s 49.949% — a margin of just over 18,300 votes.

According to Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes, 98.59% of all votes have now been counted.

Election officials began examining disputed ballots from the June 7 runoff last Thursday. Authorities say the final certified results may not come for days or even weeks, making this one of the tightest presidential races in Peru’s history.

Over the weekend, Sanchez traveled to the Andean region of Cusco — a stronghold of his support — where he met with backers and expressed that he had “suspicions” about the ongoing vote review.

Last week, Sanchez asked authorities to throw out roughly 400,000 overseas ballots, claiming there were irregularities in how they were transported. Election officials rejected that request.

Supporters of Sanchez have taken to the streets in the capital Lima in recent days, responding to his call to “defend the people’s vote.” The protests, which drew hundreds of demonstrators, remained peaceful.

Following the runoff, both the Organization of American States and the European Union sent election observation missions to Peru. In separate press conferences, both groups said the voting had proceeded normally and encouraged the country to wait for the official results given how close the race is.

Sanchez is running with the backing of former leftist President Pedro Castillo, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison after attempting to dissolve Congress and seize expanded powers in late 2022. Sanchez’s rise has made private investors uneasy.

Financial markets bounced back last week as Fujimori moved ahead in the count. Prior to the election, markets had sold off amid concerns that a Sanchez victory could threaten economic stability, according to traders in stock and foreign exchange markets.

A Nigerian federal court issued a ruling Monday directing the country’s electoral authority to remove one of the nation’s prominent opposition parties — along with four other political organizations — from its official register, citing failures to meet constitutional standards.

Federal High Court Judge Peter Lifu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to strike the African Democratic Congress and the four other parties from its rolls. The decision came in response to complaints brought by former lawmakers who argued the parties had not reached the minimum performance benchmarks required under Nigerian law.

Under Nigerian law, a political party must either win at least one elected position at any level of government or receive no less than 25% of votes cast in a state during a presidential election. Parties that fall short of these thresholds face the possibility of being removed from the electoral register.

The court’s decision creates a significant obstacle for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who had been running as the ADC’s presidential candidate and was considered one of the strongest challengers to President Bola Tinubu. The ruling could significantly reduce the number of opposition candidates competing in the race ahead of next January’s elections.

ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi sharply criticized the decision, describing it as “a direct invitation to anarchy.” He confirmed the party intends to challenge the ruling through all available legal and constitutional channels.

THE HAGUE — An international arbitration court has determined that Russia violated certain maritime laws during the construction of its bridge spanning the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea, but rejected the majority of Ukraine’s broader legal claims against Moscow.

The case was brought before the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016, after Russia began building the 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge connecting the Russian mainland to the Crimean Peninsula.

Although the ruling was dated April 22, it was only made public on Monday in accordance with the arbitration court’s standard procedures. The five-judge panel dismissed most of Ukraine’s arguments — which centered on Russia allegedly seeking exclusive control over the strait — on procedural grounds.

Where the court did find fault with Russia, it was over the country’s failure to conduct proper environmental impact assessments before and during the bridge’s construction.

Despite finding those violations, the panel chose not to award any financial reparations to Ukraine. Both sides were directed to cover their own legal expenses accumulated over the course of the ten-year proceeding.

This case is among a number of legal actions Ukraine has pursued at various international courts and institutions, stemming from Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale military invasion that began in 2022.

The Kerch Strait bridge holds significant strategic importance, serving as a key supply route for fuel, food, and other goods flowing into Crimea. The peninsula is also home to Sevastopol, the historic base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Syria’s Interior Ministry announced Monday that one of its security officers was killed after forces successfully stopped an assault by two Islamic State militants targeting a command headquarters of the country’s internal security forces in the city of Raqqa.

A ministry statement described how two suicide bombers attempted to force their way into the facility. Security personnel confronted the attackers, neutralizing one of them. The second bomber, after being surrounded, detonated an explosive vest. Three additional security officers sustained injuries in the incident.

Earlier reports from Syria’s state news agency, citing an Interior Ministry spokesperson, indicated that preliminary information suggested at least two ministry personnel had been killed in a suicide attack on a ministry camp in Raqqa — a figure that differed from the later official count.

Islamic State announced in February that it was launching a new campaign of attacks against the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Since then, the group has carried out a series of strikes, including one near Raqqa that killed four Syrian security personnel.

Syria’s government under al-Sharaa joined the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State last year. Al-Sharaa himself previously fought against ISIS when he led the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front during Syria’s civil war, later cutting ties with al Qaeda in 2016.

At the height of its power roughly a decade ago during the Syrian civil war, Islamic State held control over approximately a quarter or more of Syrian territory before being pushed out by the U.S.-led coalition and other opposing forces.

Sweden’s parliament voted Monday to enact a law requiring government workers to notify police whenever they encounter migrants who do not have legal authorization to reside in the country. Opponents of the measure say it will foster fear among vulnerable populations and could take a serious toll on migrants’ physical and mental health.

The legislation is part of a broader push by Sweden to adopt a stricter stance on migration, coming at a time when the European Union is also restructuring its immigration policies — including measures aimed at speeding up deportations.

Jacob Lind, a migration expert from Malmo University, spoke with the AP following the parliamentary vote. “This is the latest measure in a long list of extremely problematic regulations on migration,” he said. “It has a symbolic meaning because it amounts to snitching by some very important state agencies.”

John Stauffer of Swedish nonprofit Civil Rights Defenders noted to the AP that the bill barely cleared the legislature, passing by just two votes — 174 in favor and 172 against. He said that razor-thin margin reflects the significant opposition that exists within Swedish society over the law.

After criticism from various groups, teachers, physicians, and social workers were carved out from the reporting requirement.

Under the new law, employees at agencies such as tax authorities, employment offices, social insurance agencies, and prison and probation services will be legally required to inform police when they have reason to believe someone they are dealing with lacks the proper documentation to remain in Sweden.

Louise Bonneau, representing Brussels-based nonprofit PICUM — an organization that advocates for migrants — told the AP that such requirements carry wide-ranging consequences. “Reporting obligations imposed on public agencies create a climate of fear that harms not only undocumented people but everyone who depends on these institutions,” she said.

The Swedish government has maintained that additional tools are necessary to ensure that individuals without legal permission to stay in the country can be sent back to their home nations.

A group of researchers from three Swedish universities cautioned in March that the law conflicts with fundamental human rights and encourages racial profiling — a practice in which authorities target individuals based on race or ethnicity rather than actual evidence of wrongdoing.

Those researchers spoke with public servants about the ethical dilemmas the law would introduce into their daily work.

As one example highlighted by the researchers: if a mother without legal residency status gives birth, the midwife is not obligated to report her — but information about the newborn will eventually reach the tax authority, which is then required to report the family to authorities.

“It creates a huge deterrence effect to be in contact with a healthcare professional,” Bonneau said. “We’ll see what happens in practice. Will we see people fearing to be in contact with authorities, issues of maternal health, of the children being born?”

Germany enacted similar legislation back in 2005, requiring certain public agencies to report migrants without valid residency status. That law applies to institutions such as welfare offices, while schools and hospitals remain exempt. Even so, migrants in Germany are known to avoid seeking medical care because doing so requires obtaining paperwork from a welfare office first — a step that can expose them to immigration authorities. In response, several organizations in larger cities like Berlin have established healthcare services specifically for migrants without legal residency status.

In 2018, the United Kingdom revised a policy that had allowed immigration officials to access patient records from the National Health Service. Amid concerns that the arrangement was discouraging migrants from seeking care and compromising patient confidentiality, the government scaled back the rules. Under the revised policy, the Home Office was limited to accessing only the names of individuals suspected or convicted of crimes who faced deportation proceedings.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court handed down a 26-year prison sentence Monday to a Syrian man found guilty of crimes against humanity, including the torture and rape of people imprisoned for opposing the government of former Syrian president Bashar Assad during the country’s devastating civil war.

The defendant, identified under Dutch privacy laws only as Rafiq al Q., stood trial beginning in April on charges that included torture, sexual abuse, and rape. The 58-year-old maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, alleging that both the victims and law enforcement had conspired against him.

The verdict from the District Court of The Hague marks the latest in a growing series of legal actions taken against Syrian suspects in courts around the world, following Assad’s removal from power in December 2024 after a swift rebel offensive that ended years of civil war. Assad subsequently fled to Russia, a longtime ally.

These prosecutions have drawn renewed attention to the widespread abuse that took place inside dozens of Syrian detention facilities while Assad held power. Former prisoners, human rights organizations, and activists have described systematic torture, sexual violence, mass executions, and brutal conditions.

Judges determined that Rafiq al Q. was a member of the pro-Assad National Defense Force, a paramilitary organization, and that between 2013 and 2014 he served as an interrogator for the group. Evidence presented in court showed he was responsible for the torture of detainees held at facilities in Salamiyah, including beatings, suspending victims upside down, and administering electric shocks.

In summarizing its ruling, the court stated: “The defendant was also guilty of sexually abusing multiple victims. He raped one of them. The defendant repeatedly subjected the victims to conditions of extreme fear, threats, pain, hopelessness, and powerlessness. During the court hearings, the victims gave compelling testimonies about the impact this had on them and the consequences they continue to suffer to this day.”

Rafiq al Q. sat quietly beside his attorney, wearing a striped shirt with guards positioned nearby, and appeared to offer no reaction as the conviction and sentence were read aloud. He was cleared of some charges where judges found the evidence insufficient to support a guilty verdict.

He arrived in the Netherlands seeking asylum in 2021 and was living in the eastern town of Druten when authorities arrested him in 2023.

The prosecution was made possible through the legal concept of universal jurisdiction, which permits courts to try individuals for serious international offenses — such as war crimes — even when those crimes were committed in a foreign country.

Both prosecutors and the defense have 14 days to file an appeal of the conviction and sentence.

The Netherlands is not the only country pursuing accountability for those tied to the former Assad regime. Last year, a German court sentenced a Syrian doctor to life in prison for torture and war crimes, including the killing of two people and the torture of nine others in Syria between 2011 and 2012. In 2024, a court in Paris sentenced three senior Syrian officials in absentia to life imprisonment for complicity in war crimes.

Syria itself is also working to hold former regime loyalists accountable. In April, the first public trial of former government officials opened in Damascus. Among those who appeared in court was Atef Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general who led the Political Security Branch in the southern Daraa province under Assad and is also a cousin of the former president. He faces charges related to what state-run news agency SANA described as “crimes against the Syrian people.”

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Heads of state representing the Group of Seven major democracies have descended on a scenic French spa town this week for a multi-day international summit.

The gathering, which kicked off Monday, brings together some of the most powerful leaders on the world stage for high-level discussions among the G7 nations.

The Associated Press has put together a curated photo gallery showcasing highlights from the summit, offering a visual look at the world leaders in attendance.

THE HAGUE — A district court in The Hague handed down a 26-year prison sentence Monday to a former member of a pro-Assad Syrian militia, finding him guilty of crimes against humanity for torturing and sexually assaulting prisoners over a decade ago.

Judges determined that 58-year-old Rafik A. — whose surname was withheld by the court — served as an interrogator for the National Defense Forces in Salamiyah, Syria, during 2013 and 2014. That militia fought alongside the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was removed from power in December 2024.

Throughout the proceedings, Rafik A. consistently denied any involvement in the alleged crimes and claimed that witnesses who testified against him were lying.

Presiding judge Wim van Hattum outlined the court’s findings in a summary of the ruling, stating: “The suspect was engaged in torture, rape or other sexual abuse of eight victims in this case, either by committing the acts himself or by ordering others to do so.”

The conviction is historic on two fronts: it is the first time a Dutch court has found someone guilty of atrocities in Syria carried out by forces loyal to the Assad government, and it is also the first Dutch conviction in which sexual violence has been classified as a crime against humanity.

Similar legal proceedings against officials tied to the Assad era have been pursued in other European nations, including Germany.

Rafik A. had been residing in the Netherlands for several years under asylum seeker status before his arrest there in 2023.

Dutch law, operating under the principle of universal jurisdiction, permits courts to prosecute foreign nationals for serious crimes committed in other countries, provided that the accused or some of the victims have a presence in the Netherlands.

WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran have reached a signed memorandum of understanding to bring their nearly four-month war to a close, senior U.S. officials announced Monday. A formal signing ceremony is set to take place on Friday.

According to one U.S. official, the agreement has been signed by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.

Alongside the announcement of the signed document, officials indicated that maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz is already beginning to pick up.

“You will see significant increase in traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, actually starting already, and that will ramp up slowly over time,” said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity during a briefing with reporters.

The official tempered expectations for an immediate full return to normalcy, stating, “We probably won’t return to normal in two weeks, but we will see a significant increase in strait traffic.”

Both nations confirmed they had agreed on terms to end hostilities and reopen the strategic waterway, news that offered relief to financial markets. However, the agreement may depend on a cessation of fighting in Lebanon, and discussions about Tehran’s nuclear program have been pushed to a later date.

Though still considered a framework agreement, the deal stands as the most significant breakthrough in efforts to end the conflict, which began in February following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The war has resulted in thousands of deaths and severely disrupted global energy markets.

WASHINGTON — The head of the International Monetary Fund says the global economy is holding its own against the pressures created by the war in the Middle East, even as commodity prices have surged, inflation has climbed, and financial conditions have tightened. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva made the comments Monday, noting there are no signs yet of a worldwide economic slowdown.

Georgieva, who leads the international lending organization, expressed support for Sunday’s agreement between the United States and Iran to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, she cautioned in a newly published blog post that any further escalation in the conflict or disruptions to supply chains would pose a “clear risk to global growth.”

The IMF is scheduled to release a revised economic outlook on July 8. Back in April, the fund had laid out three possible scenarios for global economic output in 2026 and 2027. Its middle-ground “adverse scenario” projected growth slowing to 2.5% in 2026, with headline inflation reaching 5.4%.

Last month, Georgieva indicated that the adverse scenario was already unfolding. Her latest remarks, however, suggest the fund may now lean toward its more optimistic baseline projection — one that assumed the Iran conflict would be short-lived and forecast global growth of 3.1% in 2026.

The ceasefire framework represents the most significant step yet toward ending a war that began in February with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The conflict has since expanded into a broader regional confrontation, claiming thousands of lives, rattling global energy markets, and fueling fears of a worldwide recession.

“More than three months into the war in the Middle East, the global economy appears to be holding up. Commodity prices, inflation and expectations for it, and financial conditions have all been impacted — but not yet in ways that signal a global slowdown,” Georgieva wrote in her blog post.

KIGALI, Rwanda — A trial involving Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire got off to a delayed start Monday after she informed the court that spending a year in detention had left her physically and mentally unprepared to proceed with the case.

Ingabire appeared before the high court in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, where she stated she was not well enough to stand trial. Her legal team had already notified prosecutors ahead of time that a postponement would be needed. The presiding judge granted the request, pushing the start of the trial back by one day.

She faces accusations from prosecutors of conspiring to incite unrest against the government of President Paul Kagame. If found guilty, she could spend many years in prison. Ingabire, however, has firmly rejected those charges, calling them baseless and part of a political effort to shut down her pro-democracy movement.

During her court appearance, Ingabire also raised concerns about being prevented from communicating with family members living outside Rwanda and said she had been unable to speak with others who are accused alongside her.

Prosecutors countered that Ingabire had been in unauthorized contact with nine other suspects, including members of the DALFA-Umurinzi group that she leads — an organization the Rwandan government does not officially recognize.

Ingabire has long been one of Kagame’s most persistent critics. She previously led the FDU-Inkingi group, a coalition of opposition parties that was also never allowed to register with the government. Most of those who oppose Kagame have fled Rwanda and continue their activism from abroad, making Ingabire unusual in that she has at times been the only opposition figure maintaining her activism from inside the country.

She spent 16 years living in exile in the Netherlands before returning to Rwanda in 2010 with plans to enter politics. She was arrested before she ever had the chance to run in the presidential election.

In a previous legal case, she was convicted of conspiracy against the government and of denying Rwanda’s 1994 genocide — charges she has consistently denied. She received a 15-year prison sentence but was released in 2018 following a presidential pardon.

Kagame’s party has governed Rwanda since 1994, and his administration has received recognition for maintaining relative peace and stability while working to heal the country’s deep ethnic divisions. However, human rights organizations have accused his government of widespread abuses, silencing independent journalists, and suppressing political opposition — accusations Kagame denies.

ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s migration minister is standing firmly behind his country’s immigration crackdown, telling a private television broadcaster on Monday that criticism from human rights organizations is something he wears proudly.

Minister Thanos Plevris, speaking on Action 24, described Greece’s current policies as “the toughest — if not the toughest — in Europe.” His remarks came as Greece’s conservative government works to deepen its relationship with authorities in eastern Libya, a region that has become a key departure point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

“Let me tell you something: the days when bureaucrats from Brussels or the United Nations could just show up and dictate how Greece handles the migration crisis are over,” Plevris declared during the broadcast.

The minister also pushed back against the influence of charities and rights organizations that assist migrants, arguing they have no place in determining Greek immigration policy.

“Every time U.N. envoys express concern over my legislation, it makes me proud of that legislation,” he said. “The more Amnesty International, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees or U.N. envoys are irritated by our migration policy, the more I view it as a badge of honor.”

Greece is currently in discussions with several African nations about setting up processing centers on their soil for migrants whose asylum applications have been denied within Europe — a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism from international human rights groups.

On Monday, Saddam Hifter, deputy commander of eastern Libya’s armed forces, visited Athens for meetings with Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Greece has offered eastern Libya’s authorities coast guard training along with support for employment programs and investment projects, all aimed at reducing the number of migrants setting out across the Mediterranean.

The surge in arrivals has been particularly pronounced on the island of Crete. Greek authorities reported Monday that arrivals and interceptions off Crete climbed more than 20% compared to the same period last year, reaching approximately 5,500 through May — with the pace accelerating since early June.

The European Union approved stricter migration measures last week, even as overall crossings from North Africa and the Middle East have declined in other areas.

Libya has long served as a major transit point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East hoping to reach European shores. More than a decade of political instability there has allowed human trafficking networks to thrive, with smugglers moving people across borders shared with Chad, Niger, Sudan, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia.

An analyst specializing in Libyan politics and security, Jalel Harchaoui, noted that eastern Libya is actively seeking stronger diplomatic relationships with European nations as well as financial support.

BRUSSELS — Ukraine took a historic step Monday by formally opening negotiations to join the European Union, launching what is expected to be a years-long process requiring major political and institutional reforms — all while the country remains at war with Russia.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka attended an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg to begin discussions on the first set of policy areas, a necessary step toward bringing Ukraine’s laws, standards, and values in line with those of the EU.

For Ukraine, joining the EU represents a key “security guarantee” for a stable future once the fighting ends. While NATO membership would be considered an even stronger guarantee, the Trump administration has made clear that is not on the table, and many nations are reluctant to extend membership to a country still engaged in active conflict.

Moldova also formally launched its own EU membership bid on Monday. Russia has long worked to keep Moldova within its sphere of influence, and last year was accused of running a large-scale disinformation campaign powered by artificial intelligence during that country’s elections.

Any nation seeking EU membership must complete negotiations across 35 policy areas — covering everything from agriculture and energy to trade and taxation — a process that typically spans many years.

Monday’s conference opened five key policy chapters, grouped into what the EU calls “clusters,” that address the foundational values of the bloc. These include the rule of law, fundamental rights, and the functioning of democratic institutions. Specifically, the chapters cover the judiciary and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security, public procurement, statistics, and financial control.

This particular cluster carries special significance for several EU member nations that have expressed concern about Ukraine’s commitment and capacity to combat corruption. Last month, two national anti-corruption agencies named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff as an official suspect in a major corruption investigation, though officials stressed that Zelenskyy himself is not under suspicion.

The talks are unfolding at a moment when several European nations have been pushing hard to fast-track Ukraine’s path into the EU, viewing the country as essential to the continent’s broader security and having already invested heavily in supporting its military.

Last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged fellow EU leaders to consider offering Ukraine “associate membership” as a way to inject new momentum into peace negotiations aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia.

France and the Netherlands have also floated alternative arrangements that could bring Ukraine closer to the EU more quickly, though without granting full membership rights.

However, EU officials and other countries currently in the membership queue have pushed back, insisting the process must be merit-based and lead to nothing short of full membership.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen emphasized that completing the full reform process is essential, saying membership is not simply about getting a “club card for the EU.” Speaking to reporters in Luxembourg ahead of the ceremony, she said what Ukrainians “truly are after is freedom, democracy and a transparent market economy without any corruption.”

Ukraine’s path to EU membership had previously been blocked by Hungary, under its strongly nationalist former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was widely seen as Russia’s closest ally within the EU. Orbán repeatedly used voting rules that require unanimous agreement among all 27 member nations to delay progress on sanctions, policy decisions, and political statements.

The European Commission had frozen billions of euros in funding for Hungary over concerns about democratic backsliding under Orbán, and worries remain about the damage a single dissenting government can inflict by using its veto power.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stressed the need for vigilance going forward. “We need to be very cautious in the future and make sure that these are countries that really want to be a part of Europe, and a part of the European Union, and are willing to work with us,” she said. “In order for the EU to be really strong, we need to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”