Author: Admin

BAGHDAD — A senior official at Iraq’s oil ministry warned Thursday that the country will be forced to consider every option available if its production quota within OPEC is not substantially raised, according to Reuters.

Additional sources told Reuters that Iraqi officials have discussed the possibility of withdrawing from OPEC entirely, though the current strategy is to stay in the organization and push for a larger share of production.

The possibility of Iraq walking away from OPEC would deal another serious blow to the organization, which already lost the United Arab Emirates as a member this year. Iraq holds the distinction of being one of the group’s five original founding members, and OPEC itself was established in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

OPEC had not responded to a request for comment at the time of the report.

The Iraqi official described the situation as urgent, telling Reuters that Iraq is in the grip of a severe financial crisis stemming from the Iran war, and that a meaningful increase in its OPEC production quota is not just important — it must be treated with the highest level of seriousness.

OPEC+ is made up of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries along with allied oil-producing nations, including Russia.

Cambodia’s highest court has confirmed the 14-year prison sentences handed down to two journalists who were convicted of leaking military secrets during the nation’s border conflict with Thailand, according to their legal team.

The two reporters — Phorn Sopheap, age 39, and Pheap Pheara, age 41 — were both employed by a local news organization called TSP 68 TV Online.

A provincial court in Siem Reap sentenced the pair last December after finding them guilty of “supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defence” under Article 445 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code.

Both journalists were arrested separately on July 31, 2025, after returning from a reporting assignment in Oddar Meanchey province, a region that borders Thailand and saw some of the fighting during the conflict. Authorities alleged that their coverage revealed the locations and tactical strategies of Cambodian military forces.

Before reaching the Supreme Court, their case was reviewed by the Battambang Appeal Court in March, which also upheld the original sentences. Thursday’s Supreme Court decision is now considered final — the only remaining avenue for the journalists is a pardon from the king.

The case is part of a broader pattern of concern about press freedom in Cambodia. The country has faced significant international criticism over its treatment of journalists, activists, and environmental advocates. Among those detained was an award-winning reporter who had been investigating corruption and illegal scam operations within the country.

The U.S.-based watchdog organization Freedom House recently downgraded Cambodia’s press freedom rating, citing the fact that “virtually all independent media outlets in the country have closed.”

Freshly printed Sudanese currency has started showing up in territory held by a powerful paramilitary force that has been at war with Sudan’s national military, potentially widening the nation’s growing divide.

The Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, once worked alongside Sudan’s armed forces before the relationship broke down and full-scale fighting erupted in April 2023. The group now holds large portions of the country, including the sprawling western Darfur region.

In an effort to consolidate its hold on these areas, the RSF established a rival governing body last year called the “Tasis” government, which has been gradually taking on governmental responsibilities — including paying the salaries of civil servants.

The question of who controls Sudan’s currency became a flashpoint in 2024, when the military-backed government declared older Sudanese pound notes worthless and rolled out new 500 and 1,000-pound denominations. The RSF rejected these new bills as illegitimate, and residents in RSF-held areas reported that usable cash became increasingly difficult to find. Four residents shared their experiences with Reuters.

That cash shortage appeared to ease in late May, when both civil servants and RSF fighters received payments in Sudanese pounds — something that had been virtually unheard of in RSF-controlled territory. Residents described the notes as brand new and untouched. A photograph shared with Reuters showed the bills were dated May 2022.

The origin of the notes remains unclear. They appear nearly identical to banknotes that were in use before the war began. However, a banker based in Nyala — the Darfur city that serves as the headquarters of the Tasis authority — confirmed to Reuters that the notes were freshly printed.

The bills carry the signature of Hussein Yahia Jangol, who served as Sudan’s central bank governor before the conflict began. Notably, Jangol was named to lead a newly created Tasis-run central bank on May 21, just days before the new notes began circulating.

Tasis Prime Minister Mohamed Hasan al-Taishi said his administration continues to recognize pounds that were issued before June 2024. He declined to address questions about where the new notes came from, but stated that “any arrangements related to cash management or liquidity provision” were based on “well-thought-out technical plans aimed at maintaining economic stability and meeting the needs of citizens and markets.”

Al-Taishi also directed criticism at the military-aligned government, accusing it of hurting ordinary people “by changing the currency, drying up the markets, and exploiting the currency as a tool of war.” The army-backed central bank did not respond when Reuters sought comment.

Sudan’s military has alleged that the RSF receives both financial and military backing from the United Arab Emirates — a claim the UAE denies. Regardless, experts say the RSF may face an uphill battle gaining international recognition for its central bank. Suliman Baldo, who leads the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker think tank, noted that most countries would be hesitant to legitimize a parallel banking system.

“But they are moving ahead … because they have a real problem they need to resolve,” Baldo said.

With physical cash hard to come by, many Sudanese have turned to Bankak, a digital payment app operated by the Bank of Khartoum that functions on both sides of the conflict’s front lines — though users often pay steep fees that make it costlier than using cash. In RSF-held areas, a competing transfer service called Future Bank has emerged this year and was reportedly used to distribute at least some of the May salary payments, according to residents.

Since the war began, Sudan’s currency has lost an enormous portion of its value. The pound has recently fallen to more than 5,000 to the dollar, compared to fewer than 600 to the dollar before the fighting started.

TOKYO — Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed Thursday that he sat down with Japan’s defence minister to discuss a cutting-edge military aircraft program that the two countries’ governments are jointly pursuing alongside Britain and Italy.

The program in question is the Global Combat Air Programme, known as GCAP, which was launched in 2022 with the goal of producing a next-generation stealth fighter jet by 2035. The effort is being led by three major defense contractors: Britain’s BAE Systems, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy’s Leonardo.

McGuinty met with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo on Wednesday. Speaking to Reuters afterward, McGuinty described GCAP as a “promising initiative” and said Canada wants to learn more before making any decisions. “We are interested in learning more about it. I’ll take it back to my team and see what it looks like,” he said.

Canada’s curiosity about the program is drawing attention at a time when GCAP is gaining interest from potential new partners. If Canada were to formally join, it would become the first nation outside the program’s three founding members to participate. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said this month that he would welcome additional countries willing to share in the development costs.

Officials in Rome and executives at Leonardo have floated Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Germany as countries that could potentially join as partners or observers. However, any expansion of GCAP would need to be approved by all three founding nations.

GCAP is considered one of two major Western sixth-generation fighter jet initiatives. The other is the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance program, known as NGAD.

A competing European project called the Future Combat Air System, or FCAS, which had been developed by France, Germany, and Spain, has fallen apart due to a dispute between aerospace companies Airbus and Dassault Aviation.

LONDON — British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves publicly declared her support Thursday for Andy Burnham to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister, while sidestepping questions about whether she might be demoted if he takes the helm of the Labour Party.

“I’m supporting Andy to be prime minister,” Reeves told the BBC. Her comments came after Burnham stepped forward as the sole declared candidate to replace Starmer, who announced his resignation on Monday following pressure over poor poll numbers and disappointing local election results.

Starmer has pledged to manage a smooth transition of power. The formal leadership contest is scheduled to kick off on July 9.

Reeves, who has been a close ally of Starmer, emphasized her loyalty to the departing leader, noting that the two had worked together for six years.

With no other candidates having entered the race, Burnham is widely anticipated to take over without facing a challenge, which could put him in office as early as mid-July. Should that happen, he would become Britain’s seventh prime minister in just ten years.

When pressed about reports suggesting she could be reassigned to a lower-ranking position, Reeves made clear that such decisions would rest with Burnham alone.

“I’m not going to pre-empt the decisions that the new prime minister will make. I’m backing Andy. I think he’d be a great prime minister, but those are his decisions, not mine,” she said.

Reeves also indicated she was prepared to offer focused, short-term assistance on energy bills later this year.

On fiscal policy, Reeves said the incoming leader should honor her existing financial guidelines, which include balancing everyday government spending with tax income and bringing down national debt relative to economic output. Burnham has previously indicated he intends to maintain the current borrowing rules.

“I know that whoever is prime minister and chancellor in the future will inherit a stronger economy than the one I inherited two years ago,” Reeves said.

An Israeli military official announced Thursday that a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon after a vehicle overturned in the area.

The official characterized the incident as an accident rather than a combat-related event.

Prior to that clarification, the Israeli military had stated only that a soldier died during what it called “operational activity.”

NAIROBI, Kenya — Police in Kenya deployed roadblocks Thursday to restrict entry into the capital city of Nairobi, taking action ahead of planned demonstrations that mark two years since at least 60 people lost their lives during anti-government protests — an event that also saw demonstrators breach the parliament building.

Relatives of those who died during the 2024 unrest announced they would take to the streets to protest what they describe as an unacceptably slow pursuit of justice for victims. Critics have also accused the government of operating without transparency in its ongoing effort to compensate individuals whose human rights were violated during the demonstrations.

Last week, President William Ruto said citizens would be permitted to protest, but emphasized that the government would also defend the rights of children to attend school and workers to carry out their jobs. He issued a warning against any efforts by demonstrators to bring the country to a halt.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen announced Wednesday that law enforcement would accompany protesters along their route, but cautioned that criminals using the protest as cover would not be permitted to infiltrate and target businesses.

By Thursday morning, officers had established checkpoints on all major roads leading into Nairobi, turning away drivers attempting to enter the city. The parliament complex remained sealed off with barriers, and many businesses kept their doors shut.

Opposition figures voiced their support for the demonstrations, joining calls for the government to be more open about how its compensation program is being administered.

For Edith Wanjiku, the past two years have been marked by grief and hardship following the death of her son, Ibrahim Kamau, who was 19 years old when he was shot twice in the neck. “We’ve really suffered emotionally for the last two years,” she shared with The Associated Press.

Wanjiku said that despite submitting all required documentation to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, her family has yet to receive anything from the compensation program. “Only two out of 10 families whose children were shot that day near Parliament have been compensated and we are wondering what criteria the government is using,” she said.

The protests that erupted in June 2024 were driven largely by young Kenyans who flooded the parliament building, pressing lawmakers to reject a finance bill that proposed raising taxes at a time when the cost of living was already placing a heavy burden on citizens. Police responded by firing on the crowd outside the building, killing dozens.

President Ruto addressed the compensation issue last week, stating that the payments represent “a state acknowledgment that harm occurred” rather than an “admission” of wrongdoing. He also clarified that the compensation was not meant to serve as the “price of life, of pain or of loss,” and should not be interpreted as a “reward for violence or criminality” in a nation where violent protests occur with some regularity.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Liberian-flagged oil tanker successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, taking a newly established route along Oman’s coastline even as Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued stern warnings against unauthorized ship traffic in the waterway.

The vessel, known as the Stoic Warrior, completed its transit at a time of growing friction between Iran and the United States over the specifics of a recent interim agreement aimed at permanently resolving the Iran conflict. The two nations are increasingly at odds over issues ranging from how commercial ships pass through the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf to what happens to Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Last week, the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that gave both sides 60 days to work out the remaining details. While private negotiations continue, leaders from both countries have also been making public statements about the deal — a dynamic that risks destabilizing the fragile regional ceasefire.

Adding to the uncertainty is renewed fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Israel carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon that killed two people, according to the country’s state-run news agency. It marked Israel’s first airstrike on Lebanon since the most recent ceasefire went into effect on Saturday.

The Stoic Warrior departed early Thursday morning, sailing close to the shores of the United Arab Emirates before continuing along the Omani coastline. It then rounded Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, following a route developed by Oman in partnership with the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for overseeing global shipping.

That route runs south of the Traffic Separation Scheme — the central strait corridor that ships have used for decades to transport roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas. That traditional passage has been effectively shut down after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reported mining the area during the war that began on February 28, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. At least one mine has reportedly been spotted in the water.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces responded angrily to the Oman-IMO route on Thursday, with a statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

CARACAS, Venezuela — A pair of devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, leaving at least 32 dead and more than 700 injured, according to the country’s acting president. Officials expect those numbers to grow as rescue teams continue searching through rubble across the nation.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the country late Wednesday, declaring a state of emergency and confirming that multiple states suffered damage. She noted that the early casualty figures did not even include the state of La Guaira, which she described as a “disaster zone” and the hardest-hit area in the disaster.

“Dozens of buildings have collapsed there, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Caracas, and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives,” Rodríguez said.

The two earthquakes — measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude — are considered among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in over a century. The shaking was felt as far away as Brazil’s Amazon region, roughly 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Venezuela’s capital of Caracas.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first quake initially registered at a 7.1 magnitude before being revised upward to 7.2. Its epicenter was located west of Morón along Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometers (13.6 miles). Just one minute later, a second and larger 7.5-magnitude quake struck with its epicenter 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

Both quakes hit shortly after 6 p.m. local time.

Rodríguez said the country’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas, sustained damage and was forced to close. Subway service and natural gas operations in Caracas were also suspended. She called on Venezuelans to report any damage through a government app and urged healthcare workers to report to hospitals to help treat the injured.

“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”

School classes were canceled for several days, and the Ministry of Education announced that some school buildings would serve as shelters and donation centers.

In the coastal state of Falcon, Gov. Víctor Clark reported that 32 people had been hospitalized and 15 individuals were trapped in the hours immediately following the quakes.

Eyewitnesses in Caracas described frightening scenes as buildings swayed and walls crumbled, exposing furniture to the street. Dust clouds rose over at least two neighborhoods in the capital. Many residents fled into the streets, some sitting on the ground holding their pets as debris settled around them. Collapsed structures, downed power poles, and rubble blocked roads throughout the city, and parts of Caracas lost electricity and cellphone service.

“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” said Caracas resident Hector Ricci.

Roberto Gamas, another resident of the capital, described the experience: the building he was in “really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong.”

Venezuela Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed the quake was felt across several states and asked drivers to yield to ambulances and emergency vehicles. He reported collapsed homes and buildings in the Altamira neighborhood and urged people to stay outside due to the risk of aftershocks causing further structural damage.

“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said on state television. “Be very careful with children and the elderly. Call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”

The loss of cellphone signal in parts of the country added to the anxiety of many families, especially among the more than 7.7 million Venezuelans who have left the country during its prolonged crisis and were unable to reach loved ones.

Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado, currently in exile after departing Venezuela in December, used social media to send her support. “May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time,” she wrote.

Aid offers poured in from numerous governments, including the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay.

Jeremy P. Lewin, the U.S. undersecretary of state for foreign assistance, announced that the State Department had activated a disaster assistance team and task force to coordinate support — including search-and-rescue personnel, medical supplies, humanitarian resources, and other assistance — in coordination with the interim Venezuelan government.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who has historically been at odds with Venezuela’s government, posted on X Wednesday night that he had offered help. “We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela,” he wrote.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced he had ordered the immediate dispatch of humanitarian aid. “Ecuador will respond with the speed and commitment this moment demands because, despite our enormous differences, humanity must always guide the actions of a leader,” Noboa wrote.

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz — who declared his own state of emergency less than a week ago following weeks of anti-government protests — said Bolivia stood ready to provide whatever assistance was needed. Brazil’s government expressed solidarity and confirmed no Brazilians had been reported injured.

Buildings in the Brazilian Amazon cities of Manaus, Belem, and Macapá were evacuated, according to reports from TV Globo. The earthquakes were also felt in Colombia’s Caribbean and northeastern regions, though no injuries or damage were reported there.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center briefly issued tsunami alerts following the earthquakes before lifting them shortly afterward.

Strong earthquakes are rare in Venezuela. Although the country sits near several fault lines and straddles the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, major seismic events are far less frequent there than in other parts of Latin America. Countries along the Pacific coast, such as Mexico and Chile, experience far more frequent earthquakes due to their location along the Ring of Fire — a seismically active belt that the USGS says accounts for 90% of all earthquakes worldwide.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, on Wednesday night for the final stop of a three-day diplomatic tour through the Gulf region, where he has been working to build support for the Trump administration’s preliminary nuclear agreement with Iran.

The mission is a delicate one. Gulf Arab leaders are concerned that too many concessions to Tehran could shift the region’s security balance and disrupt oil flows — fears Rubio has openly acknowledged as he makes his case for the deal.

In Bahrain, Rubio is scheduled to meet with government officials on Thursday. He will also sit down with the Gulf Cooperation Council — a bloc of six Sunni-led monarchies that includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.

This trip marks the first high-level U.S. diplomatic mission to the oil-rich Gulf since the U.S.-Iran framework agreement was reached last week to bring an end to the conflict.

At earlier stops in the UAE and Kuwait, Rubio worked to convince officials that the proposed deal does not unfairly favor Iran, which launched strikes against several Gulf nations during the U.S.-Israeli war.

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” Rubio told reporters during his stop in Kuwait.

The deal has already sparked confusion over its terms. President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections stretching to “infinity,” but Tehran pushed back, saying it had made no such commitment — casting doubt on the durability of the fragile agreement.

The two countries, which concluded an initial round of negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, have also offered contradictory accounts regarding financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel’s ongoing conflict in Lebanon.

All six GCC member nations are long-standing U.S. strategic partners that provided varying levels of logistical support to Washington during the war, and all faced Iranian airstrikes as a consequence. Together, they form the foundation of America’s military and security presence in the Middle East, meaning any shift in their relationship with the U.S. could have wide-ranging consequences for American strategy in the region.

The draft agreement contains no restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program, calls for a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund, and includes provisions that critics say could expand Tehran’s regional influence and its grip on critical oil shipping routes.

Rubio has stated he will not ask Gulf allies to contribute to any reconstruction fund during this trip, even as the memorandum of understanding with Iran suggests that regional countries could be expected to help cover those costs.

Several U.S. Gulf partners are privately expressing disappointment with the interim deal, which could open a path toward U.S. normalization with Iran — a predominantly Shiite nation that most Sunni-led GCC states view as their primary adversary.

Bahrain presents a particularly sensitive case: its Shiite majority population is governed by a Sunni monarchy that fears a financially empowered Iran could stoke internal unrest.

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III is poised to make history on Thursday by becoming the first British monarch to publicly disclose his personal tax bill, a move driven by mounting calls for the royal family to be more open about its finances following months of damaging headlines tied to his disgraced younger brother, the former Prince Andrew.

According to British media reports over the weekend, the information will be made public during Buckingham Palace’s yearly briefing on the sovereign grant — the system by which taxpayers finance the monarchy. Last year’s briefing produced a 159-page document detailing how the palace spent the 86.3 million pounds ($113.7 million) it received from the Treasury, which included funding for a major renovation of the palace itself.

Although Charles previously disclosed his tax payments when he held the title of Prince of Wales, this marks the first time he will do so as king, a role he assumed following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. Prince William, who now holds the Prince of Wales title, is expected to release similar information during a separate briefing.

These disclosures come amid growing pressure from both lawmakers and the general public for more transparency about how the monarchy operates, particularly in the wake of revelations surrounding the former Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his titles in 2025.

Now going by the name Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the king’s younger brother is under investigation for misconduct in public office connected to his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor was also compelled to vacate a large royal estate where he had been living rent-free.

The BBC reported last Saturday, citing palace sources, that the king personally chose to disclose his tax information as part of an effort to “encourage wider understanding and accountability.”

Even before the controversy surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor came to a head, Charles had already committed to reducing the size and cost of the monarchy as part of his effort to secure the future of an institution that is more than 1,000 years old, amid growing debate about the relevance of a hereditary monarchy in a modern democratic society.

The king’s personal wealth is estimated at 680 million pounds ($896 million), placing him at number 230 on the Sunday Times’ annual ranking of Britain’s wealthiest individuals.

While the monarch is not legally required to pay income tax, Charles does so voluntarily on his private earnings. This practice was started by his mother in 1993, following public anger over the cost of repairing Windsor Castle after a serious fire the year before. The arrangement was later formalized through a memorandum of understanding between the government and the crown, which gives Charles the same privacy protections as any ordinary taxpayer.

The king is expected to disclose only the taxes he pays on his private income, which is generated primarily through two privately owned estates — Balmoral in Scotland and Sandringham on England’s east coast — along with savings and investments.

Balmoral spans more than 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) and includes the king’s summer residence, Balmoral Castle. Much of the property is accessible to visitors, who can enjoy guided tours, afternoon tea, and golf. Sandringham is a 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) country retreat also located on England’s east coast, where the house and gardens welcome the public and much of the land is farmed by the estate or its tenants.

The king does not pay taxes on the sovereign grant or any other income used to carry out his official royal duties.

Prince William’s main source of private income is the Duchy of Cornwall, a collection of land and investments held in trust by whoever holds the Prince of Wales title. The duchy covers roughly 130,000 acres (52,000 hectares) and reported a profit of 22.9 million pounds ($30.2 million) last year. It is managed by a board of directors, and significant financial decisions require approval from the Treasury.

Before the heat arrived, Amelie Kenney felt like she had landed a great deal: a small but affordable top-floor apartment in Paris, complete with a tiny balcony offering a stunning view of the city’s famous gray rooftops — and, if she leaned out far enough, a glimpse of the Sacré-Cœur basilica crowning Montmartre.

But a record-breaking heat wave has turned her attic apartment into a potential health hazard, and the 23-year-old recent graduate is no longer counting her blessings.

“It’s been the worst week that we’ve had in this apartment,” she said as Paris and much of Europe sweltered. “It’s just baking in the whole afternoon and it’s impossible to just get a respite.”

Many of Paris’ buildings — so charming when viewed from the street — are proving to be hostile and even dangerous environments during the relentless record heat, which is making both long summer days and short, sweat-soaked nights a struggle for survival.

The problem is especially severe for those living directly beneath Paris’ rooftops, who frequently cannot afford larger apartments on lower floors that are less exposed to direct sunlight.

Extreme heat in these spaces can be lethal. France’s public health agency reported last year that a study examining a record 2003 heat wave — which was blamed for 15,000 heat-related deaths — found that living in a Parisian attic room directly under the roof raised the risk of death by more than four times. Additionally, researchers studying heat-related deaths across European cities for a 2023 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal determined that Paris carried the highest risk of heat-related deaths among 30 European capitals examined.

Roughly three-quarters of Paris’ rooftops are covered in zinc sheets, giving the city its beloved gray skyline that has long captivated artists and filmmakers. The skill of the city’s zinc roofers has even been recognized by the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO as a valued piece of cultural heritage. Zinc is durable, flexible, and recyclable — but as a metal, it readily absorbs and transfers heat.

“People find the rooftops of Paris charming. There’s the image of the attic room. But in reality, when you look at who lives in these apartments, it’s often students paying a great deal of money for a small room,” said Maider Olivier, with The Foundation for Housing for the Disadvantaged campaign group.

“Not only are they extremely exposed to heat, but it’s also impossible to create cross-ventilation to get rid of the heat at night,” Olivier added.

In the sixth-floor walk-up that Kenney shares with her partner, Francesca Pilia, also 23, the two have managed to fit a desk, a double bed, and a small electric piano. The apartment’s single window juts out from the zinc roof and faces west, meaning it catches direct sunlight from noon until dusk. Together, they pay 735 euros — about $835 — each month in rent.

“It was the cheapest place to be,” Kenney said. “I like that it looks out onto the square. I can see marriages almost every Saturday morning.”

“But now I think if I could spend extra money to be somewhere else, I would,” she added.

While offices, shopping centers, movie theaters, and other modern public spaces typically have air conditioning, private apartments in Paris — particularly in the densely packed central neighborhoods filled with classic Haussmann-style buildings, named after the 19th-century urban planner who reshaped the city with wide boulevards and its distinctive architectural character — almost never do.

Olivier noted that zoning rules designed to preserve Paris’ appearance, including its signature rooftops, are standing in the way of heat adaptation efforts.

“There are people who are unable to insulate their roofs or install shutters to block the sun and prevent their homes from overheating because of regulations to protect the rooftops,” she said. “But these regulations which protect the rooftops of Paris do not protect the people who live beneath those rooftops.”

Kenney, originally from Australia, and Pilia, who is Italian, are both accustomed to warm weather. But Paris’ temperatures — with June record highs pushing past 40°C (104°F) during the day and dropping only to about 25°C (77°F) at night — have worn them down.

The two have purchased a small electric fan, taken cold showers, used wet rags to cool themselves, stayed hydrated, and wrestled with the constant dilemma of whether to leave their window open or shut.

“I’ll wake up and I’ll decide, it’s too hot, I have to open the window,” Kenney said. “An hour later, I wake up, I say, ‘It is too loud, I have to close the window.’”

“It’s a very, very Kafkaesque cycle,” she said.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia’s highest court was expected to deliver a decision Thursday on whether to overturn the treason convictions of two journalists who were jailed for posting photographs connected to border clashes with Thailand last year.

The ruling arrives at a time when serious questions are being raised about whether the court operates independently of the country’s ruling party.

Phorn Sopheap, a journalist with Battambang Post TV Online, and Pheap Pheara, of TSP 68 TV Online, were taken into custody last July after returning from reporting assignments along the border. Authorities alleged the two men had posted images they captured inside a restricted military zone to Facebook.

Both journalists have denied any wrongdoing, maintaining they had authorization to be in the area where the photographs were taken. They are asking the Supreme Court to throw out their convictions and the 14-year prison sentences that came with them.

Among the photos that drew significant attention was an image showing land mines, which was picked up and widely circulated by Thai media. That photograph strengthened Thailand’s argument that Cambodia had placed new mines along the shared border — mines that had injured Thai soldiers on patrol.

Cambodia’s government officially rejected those claims, stating the country complies with international agreements that prohibit the use of land mines. Cambodian officials suggested the mines found may have been remnants from decades of internal conflict that came to an end in the late 1990s.

The border fighting, which flared up in July and again in December, forced hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border from their homes and resulted in the deaths of roughly 100 soldiers and civilians. A ceasefire reached in December has held, though the situation between the two countries remains tense.

The two journalists were originally found guilty of treason in December by Siem Reap Provincial Court, which determined they were guilty of “supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defense.” Each received a 14-year sentence.

After a lower appeals court upheld those convictions in March, more than a dozen journalism organizations — both national and international — signed a joint letter urging the Cambodian government to drop the case against the two men.

Thursday’s hearing at the Supreme Court comes less than a week after that same court upheld an incitement conviction against Rong Chhun, a well-known opposition politician. That ruling once again put a spotlight on what critics describe as a pattern of using the legal system to suppress dissent.

Rong Chhun, who is 56 years old, was found guilty last year of inciting social unrest following meetings he held with villagers who had been displaced by government construction projects. Many observers viewed the prosecution as part of a broader effort by the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet to silence political opponents and critics.

Human Rights Watch said the ruling against Rong Chhun exposed the “lack of independence from the ruling party” within Cambodia’s court system. The government pushed back on that characterization, insisting the Supreme Court operates without political interference.

Cambodia spent nearly four decades under the autocratic leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, a period marked by widespread criticism over human rights abuses, including the suppression of free speech and the right to organize. His son, Hun Manet, who received part of his education in the United States, took over in August 2023, but there have been few indications that political conditions have meaningfully improved.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York, accused Cambodia’s government earlier this year of “using vague national security laws to criminalize legitimate reporting” in the cases involving Pheap Pheara and Phorn Sopheap.

In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based organization, Cambodia ranked 161st out of 180 countries and territories — placing it in the category of nations where the press freedom situation is considered “very serious.”

Hong Kong police have taken two bookshop owners into custody on suspicion of displaying and selling publications considered to have “seditious” content, according to an official government statement issued Thursday.

Neither the two individuals nor the bookshop were named in the statement. Both were taken into custody on Wednesday.

The arrests were carried out by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force during an enforcement operation in the Sham Shui Po district. The two detainees — a 33-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man — are the bookshop’s owners.

According to police investigators, the pair is suspected of selling materials that incite hatred toward the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, its courts, and law enforcement agencies.

Authorities also allege that the two individuals received multiple money transfers funded by foreign political organizations.

During the operation, officers confiscated a collection of items labeled “seditious,” along with books and documents connected to the case, from both the shop and the suspects’ residence.

The timing of the arrests is notable — they occurred just one week before July 1, the anniversary marking Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to Chinese rule. Under Hong Kong’s Basic Law, the city was promised a high degree of autonomy for 50 years, which includes freedom of the press.

In 2020, Beijing enacted a national security law in Hong Kong following a year of often violent anti-government demonstrations. The move drew widespread international condemnation, with critics arguing that the freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong at the time of the handover are steadily eroding.

MELBOURNE, Australia — The final Australian woman remaining in a Syrian camp that housed families of Islamic State group fighters has been granted permission to return home, but she will face a rigorous set of conditions once she does, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced Thursday.

The 29-year-old woman, who once lived in Sydney, and her nine-year-old daughter had been set to travel back to Australia in February alongside a group of other Australian women and children from the Roj camp. However, a temporary exclusion order blocked her from departing at that time.

Australia introduced these exclusion orders in 2019 as a tool to keep defeated IS fighters from coming back from the Middle East for periods of up to two years. This woman is the only known person to have been targeted by such an order.

Burke explained Thursday that after the woman’s legal team applied for a permit allowing her return, his government no longer had a legal basis to keep her out of the country.

Upon her return, police and national security agencies will impose a strict set of requirements. She must keep authorities informed of where she lives, works, studies, and intends to travel. She will also be required to give 24 hours advance notice before using any form of communication technology.

“Even if you want to use a public phone, it’s 24 hours notice. Any social media, 24 hours notice on everything has to be given so that there will be a very high level of scrutiny and surveillance and we have gone absolutely to the legal limit that we’re able to,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Members of the opposition have pushed back against the government, arguing it should have changed the law to stop the woman from coming back at all.

Officials confirmed the exclusion order had been issued on national security grounds, though they declined to elaborate on the specific reasons behind that decision.

The woman’s attorney, Moustafa Kheir, had not responded to a request for comment as of Thursday.

Australian Federal Police have been looking into the conduct of Australians who traveled to the territory where IS declared its caliphate across parts of Iraq and Syria since 2015 — the same year this woman, then 18 years old, left Sydney for Syria.

Whether she will face arrest when she lands in Australia remains uncertain. Of four women who arrived in Australia on May 7 with nine children, three were taken into custody upon arrival and charged with terrorism and slavery-related offenses. Those three have been denied bail and remain behind bars.

The United States government announced late Wednesday that it has reached out to Venezuelan authorities and is working to deliver assistance following a series of powerful earthquakes that struck the South American country.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau took to social media platform X to confirm the outreach, calling the earthquakes “devastating” and stating that the U.S. is “in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance.”

The earthquakes hit west of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Wednesday afternoon, causing buildings to collapse, trapping people beneath rubble, and prompting scientists to issue warnings about potentially significant casualties and widespread damage throughout the country.

U.S. State Department official Jeremy Lewin also posted on X, confirming that a disaster assistance team and task force had been activated to deliver and coordinate critical aid to those affected.

“Working with our partners in the interim Venezuelan government, the U.S. will be sending search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources in the crucial first days after this tragic natural disaster,” Lewin wrote.

The U.S. embassy in Caracas confirmed that all American staff members had been located and were safe.

Relations between the United States and Venezuela have improved in recent months following the seizure of then-President Nicolas Maduro by American forces during a deadly raid on the capital in January. The Trump administration has since been working with an interim government led by former Maduro ally Delcy Rodriguez, including reaching an agreement for the U.S. to sell Venezuelan oil, and has issued sanctions waivers aimed at encouraging American investment in the country.

Three U.S. government departments have issued a joint warning, saying China has been reaching out to American state governments and private companies in an effort to push them away from doing business or engaging with Taiwan — and in some cases, misrepresenting what U.S. policy actually says.

The warning came in two similarly worded letters, signed by the U.S. Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce. One letter was directed to governors’ offices and the other to CEOs and business leaders. Both were dated June 16 but were made public late Wednesday by the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan.

According to the letters, China’s embassy and consulates have been routinely contacting local governments and private businesses across the United States to “discourage engagement with Taiwan.”

“In doing so, they often mischaracterise U.S. policy by, for example, falsely claiming that Washington has previously accepted Beijing’s specific position on Taiwan,” both letters state.

The letters advise that if any government office or company finds itself being pressured by Chinese officials, it should reach out to the State Department for guidance.

China’s foreign ministry had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.

Under Washington’s “One China” policy, the U.S. officially takes no stance on the question of Taiwan’s sovereignty. Even so, the U.S. remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and its primary arms supplier — a relationship that has long been a source of frustration for Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory despite the island governing itself independently.

The letters emphasize that Taiwan holds an important place in global trade and that American states and businesses have maintained strong ties with the island for many decades.

“Taiwan is a vital U.S. partner and democratic success story,” the letter addressed to governors reads. “We hope you will take advantage of all the opportunities that our shared values and robust relationship with Taiwan offer.”

Australia’s top intelligence official is sounding the alarm about a worsening national security landscape, saying the country faces overlapping dangers from authoritarian governments, cybercriminals, and antisemitic extremists that are collectively eroding the nation’s safety.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess delivered the warning during his annual threat assessment speech Wednesday night, saying that while Australia’s terrorism threat level officially remains at “probable,” that label fails to capture the full picture of what the country is facing.

“‘Probable’ does not tell the full story. The next level on the scale is ‘expected,’ which applies when we have intelligence about a specific attack. We do not,” Burgess said. “But we do know the environment is degrading and acts of politically motivated violence are becoming more likely than ‘probable’ suggests.”

The assessment comes after a turbulent year that included online radicalization cases, state-sponsored cyberattacks, arson targeting Jewish-owned businesses, and a mass shooting in Sydney. Burgess noted that ASIO has disrupted 31 major terror plots since 2014 and has closed more than a dozen major terror-related cases since a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in December, during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, that left 15 people dead. Police have said the two alleged gunmen appeared to have been inspired by the Islamic State militant group.

Burgess defended how ASIO allocated its resources in the lead-up to the Bondi Beach attack, explaining that the agency was simultaneously managing numerous threats and that it was extremely difficult to “simplistically pivot” from one danger to another.

“We cannot stop every terrorist, just as we cannot catch every spy. But we continue to work around the clock to keep Australians safe,” he said.

The spy chief also highlighted the growing role of technology in fueling extremism, saying encrypted messaging platforms are radicalizing individuals — including minors — within just weeks. Social media, he added, is amplifying grievances, eroding public trust in institutions, and deepening societal divisions.

On the espionage front, Burgess said foreign intelligence operatives are actively trying to steal classified information related to Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership with the United States and Britain. He cited one case where an official with a security clearance was approached by someone posing as a representative of a consulting firm.

Burgess also pointed the finger at Iran for a series of arson attacks on Jewish businesses in Australia since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. He said one attack on a Sydney restaurant was likely coordinated by an Australian citizen living in Iran who was working as an agent within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

“Thankfully, no-one died as a result of the arson attacks…but I do worry that one day an Australian will be killed at the hands of a foreign government here in Australia,” Burgess said.

Australia formally accused Iran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne in August 2025 and expelled Tehran’s ambassador — the country’s first such diplomatic expulsion since World War Two.

Despite the sobering assessment, Burgess expressed confidence that Australia is well-positioned to confront these threats going forward.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced a state of emergency on Wednesday after two strong earthquakes struck back-to-back, triggering nearly two dozen aftershocks that toppled buildings in the capital city of Caracas and other parts of the country.

Rodriguez made the announcement on state television, standing alongside her brother Jorge — who serves as head of the national assembly — and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. She expressed her sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives in the disaster, though she did not reveal how many people were killed or injured.

Rodriguez also confirmed that Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia, located near Caracas, has been closed due to damage caused by the earthquakes.

One of the world’s biggest iron ore mining companies is now facing a class action lawsuit over allegations of widespread sexual harassment targeting women at its remote work sites in Australia.

The suit against Fortescue — ranked fourth globally among iron ore producers — was filed Thursday by law firm JGA Saddler. The same firm previously launched comparable class action cases against mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP in late 2024, and those legal battles are still ongoing.

The issue has deep roots in Australia’s mining sector. Back in 2022, the Western Australian state government called for sweeping reforms across the industry after documenting what it described as horrifying treatment of women, concluding that sexual harassment and assault were widespread among fly-in, fly-out, or FIFO, mining workers.

JGA Saddler litigator Paris Hamrey spoke out strongly about the conditions women say they are enduring. “Time and time again, women are telling us that they don’t feel safe at the Fortescue mine sites,” she said in a statement.

Hamrey went on to describe specific allegations from workers: “Women are telling us that they can’t do their daily washing because their underwear is being stolen from the public laundries, they can’t go to the gym because men are touching them inappropriately or following them back to their room.”

She also said that when women do speak up, the consequences are often severe — including demotion, dismissal, being silenced, or being blacklisted from the industry entirely.

The legal filing includes 45 personal accounts from women who have worked at Fortescue. Among the testimonials, one woman wrote: “I came home one night to find a random man in my room.”

Australia leads the world in iron ore production, with many of its remote mining operations relying on FIFO workers who travel long distances to work extended shifts. Women currently make up about 22% of the mining workforce, an increase from roughly 18% at the beginning of the decade.

According to Fortescue’s most recent safety report, the company recorded 22 sexual harassment cases with Western Australia’s mines safety regulator during the 2025 financial year — a 27% drop from the previous year. Notably, Fortescue was the only one of the three companies named in class action suits to report a decline in such incidents.

By comparison, Rio Tinto’s internal care hub — which tracks reports of disrespectful or harmful workplace behavior — logged 702 incidents last year, a 24% jump from the year before, according to its annual report. BHP reported 429 sexual harassment incidents in 2025, a 3% rise, and noted in its annual report that 100 individuals found to be responsible either lost their jobs or resigned.

SYDNEY — Australia’s labor market showed signs of renewed strength in May, with employment figures bouncing back and the unemployment rate retreating from its highest level in more than four years, according to data released Thursday.

Numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed a net gain of 40,300 jobs in May, reversing the prior month’s decline. April’s job losses were revised to 40,600 — a steeper drop than originally reported. Despite the revision, May’s rebound came in ahead of what analysts had anticipated, with market forecasts calling for a gain of around 30,000 positions.

The unemployment rate slipped to 4.4% in May, down from 4.5% in April, in line with expectations. The participation rate — which measures the share of the population either working or actively looking for work — ticked up slightly to 66.7%. On the downside, total hours worked dropped by a notable 1.1% during the month.

The stronger-than-expected employment data could give policymakers grounds to consider additional interest rate increases if economic conditions call for it.

Two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela in rapid succession on Wednesday, striking just about a minute apart and leaving a trail of collapsed buildings and significant damage across the country, including in the capital city of Caracas.

The twin tremors registered magnitudes of 7.1 and 7.5, making them among the strongest earthquakes to shake Venezuela in more than a century. The rare occurrence of back-to-back quakes of this magnitude caught residents and officials off guard.

Photos captured by AP photo editors document the destruction left behind by the historic seismic event.

A powerful earthquake hit off Japan’s northern coastline on Thursday, though the country’s meteorological agency quickly confirmed there was no risk of a tsunami following the tremor.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported the quake carried a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 and originated off the eastern shore of the Iwate region, at a depth of roughly 50 kilometers — about 30 miles below the surface. The U.S. Geological Survey independently confirmed the same 6.9 magnitude reading.

Thursday’s earthquake struck an area that has seen repeated seismic activity in recent months, including a quake last December that set off a week-long major earthquake caution advisory.

The tremor hit during the morning commute in Japan’s northeastern region and was felt as far away as Tokyo, though only mildly there. Top government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said there were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed reporters in Tokyo, saying her government’s emergency response team is “putting people’s lives first” as officials gather information and stand ready to launch relief efforts if necessary. She called on residents in impacted areas to remain cautious in the event of aftershocks.

Tomoko Nagane, who serves as principal of a primary school in the town of Hashikami in Aomori prefecture, told NHK she was behind the wheel when earthquake alerts sounded. She described feeling a moderate side-to-side shaking. Students who had already arrived at school were safe, she said, though some were shaken and crying. School was called off for the day, and Nagane confirmed all children made it home safely.

NHK journalists reporting from hard-hit communities, including Sendai and Morioka, described feeling the shaking for roughly two minutes but said they observed no visible damage. Video from those areas showed commuters continuing about their day as normal.

East Japan Railway Co., which runs train service throughout the northeastern part of the country, announced that several bullet trains and regional rail lines were temporarily suspended to allow for safety inspections.

Spokesperson Kihara also confirmed that nuclear facilities in the region — including the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which suffered severe damage in the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami, as well as a spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in Aomori — reported no irregularities as a result of Thursday’s quake.

Japan sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire and ranks among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

Japan’s government is preparing to formally ask its central bank to keep interest rates low in support of private-sector demand, according to a draft of the country’s long-term economic blueprint obtained by Reuters.

The document urges the Bank of Japan, known as the BOJ, to align its monetary policy decisions with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to stimulate economic growth. It cites legal provisions that require the central bank to coordinate closely with the government.

“The government won’t hesitate taking nimble and sufficient steps” to prevent Japan from slipping back into deflation, the draft stated, as part of broader pledges to strengthen the country’s long-term economic potential.

The draft further states: “As the government seeks to achieve strong growth under its economic and fiscal policy, appropriate monetary policy that supports private demand through stable price rises is extremely important.”

The blueprint, which shapes Japan’s long-term economic direction, is expected to be finalized in July. It will be the first such document produced under Takaichi, who has historically expressed skepticism toward the BOJ’s attempts to move away from deflation-era stimulus measures.

While Japanese law protects the independence of the central bank, it also requires the BOJ to maintain close coordination with the government on policy matters. Using that requirement as a basis, the draft calls on the BOJ to “work closely with the government to sustainably and stably achieve its 2% inflation target” while watching for signs of a “positive cycle” of rising wages and prices.

The BOJ is scheduled to hold its next policy meeting on July 30-31. Markets widely expect rates to remain unchanged at that gathering, though investors will closely examine updated quarterly forecasts for clues about when the next rate increase might come.

Since assuming office last October, Takaichi has prioritized government spending as a tool for economic recovery — a position that has pushed bond yields higher amid growing concerns about Japan’s fiscal health.

Her new growth strategy targets more than 370 trillion yen, or approximately $2.3 trillion, in investment through the fiscal year 2040, spread across 17 strategic sectors including artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

That level of spending would be easier to sustain under low interest rates. However, rising inflationary pressures have led the BOJ to begin pulling back from its ultra-loose policy stance and raising borrowing costs.

Earlier this month, the BOJ lifted its policy rate to 1%, the highest level in 31 years, and has indicated it is prepared to tighten further as elevated fuel costs tied to the Iran war have kept inflation near its target for nearly four years.

Political pressure, however, may complicate any additional rate hikes. A government representative who attended the BOJ’s June meeting indicated the central bank should take “proactive and appropriate action” if economic conditions deteriorate — a signal, according to a summary of opinions from the meeting, that the administration is not pleased with the direction of rate increases.

Taiwan’s government voiced appreciation Wednesday after the United States, Britain, France, and Germany sounded the alarm over Chinese Coast Guard activities taking place off the island’s eastern shores, with Taipei emphasizing that open sea lanes are critical to commerce around the world.

Earlier this month, China dispatched Coast Guard vessels into the waters east of Taiwan, describing the deployment as a “special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation.” The move drew sharp criticism from Taiwan’s government. China, which considers democratically governed Taiwan to be part of its own territory, has also been sending maritime survey ships into the same area.

Beijing said its coast guard operation was triggered by an announcement from Japan and the Philippines that they planned to begin formal discussions about their shared maritime boundaries — talks that China viewed as encroaching on waters it claims near Taiwan.

Joseph Wu, who serves as secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, took to social media platform X late Wednesday to express his appreciation. He said he was “truly thankful” for the statements issued by the four Western nations.

“A rules-based int’l order, the StatusQuo, & regional peace & stability are what we all care about. The PRC should stop its maritime expansionism,” Wu wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China.

China’s foreign ministry had not yet responded to the statements made by the Western governments. Beijing does not recognize any Taiwanese claims to sovereignty and considers both the island and the surrounding waters to be Chinese territory.

Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, the government body that oversees the island’s coast guard operations, released a separate statement declaring that safe and open navigation through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters is essential to global trade.

“China’s maritime harassment of Taiwan, and the political pressure that follows, not only violate international law but also harm the shared interests of the international community. They must be promptly contained and collectively rejected,” the council stated.

The council added that Taiwan would continue standing alongside its allies and would “responsibly and jointly defend the international order in surrounding waters through lawful, appropriate, and firm measures.”

Kuan Bi-ling, the minister who heads the Ocean Affairs Council, posted on her Facebook page that China has been “certified” as a disruptor of regional stability. “The more China harasses Taiwan, the more the international community supports Taiwan!” she wrote.

Last week, Kuan hosted the de facto British ambassador to Taiwan, Ruth Bradley-Jones, aboard Taiwan’s Yunlin coast guard vessel while it was docked at port.

Taiwan maintains that China holds no legitimate claim of sovereignty or jurisdiction over the island or the waters around it.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in rapid succession Wednesday evening, causing buildings to collapse in the nation’s capital city of Caracas.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.1. Its epicenter was located west of the coastal community of Morón, situated along Venezuela’s Caribbean coastline approximately 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas. That quake reached a depth of 13 kilometers (about 8 miles).

Just one minute after the first tremor, the USGS recorded a second and even stronger earthquake measuring magnitude 7.5. That quake’s epicenter was 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Both earthquakes are considered among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

In the aftermath, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for the Virgin Islands. Authorities in the Dominican Republic also put out a similar warning for that island. A tsunami alert that had been issued for Puerto Rico was later lifted.

In Caracas, residents fled swaying buildings and gathered outside in the streets. Many were visibly shaken as they witnessed entire walls collapsed, leaving the interiors of buildings — including furniture — exposed to the street. Clouds of dust rose from at least two neighborhoods in the capital, areas where restaurants and businesses are normally bustling with activity.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed the earthquakes were felt across multiple states. He described “alarming situations” in Caracas’s Altamira neighborhood, where homes and buildings had collapsed. He indicated people had been injured and called on drivers to clear the way for ambulances and rescue crews.

Speaking on state television, Cabello urged calm and cooperation. “We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” he said. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”

Cabello also warned residents to stay outdoors, as aftershocks could cause further damage to already weakened structures.

One Caracas resident, Roberto Damas, described the terrifying experience firsthand. “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” he said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”

A significant earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 rattled the eastern coast of Honshu, Japan on Thursday, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

A powerful earthquake struck north-central Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, sending residents of the capital Caracas scrambling to get out of their buildings. People in neighboring Colombia also reported feeling the tremors.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.1. It was centered approximately one hour west of the city of Valencia, at a depth of about 13 kilometers — roughly 8 miles underground.

The timing of the earthquake was notable: many Venezuelans were home from work, observing a national public holiday that marks an 1821 military victory that secured the country’s independence from Spain.

In Caracas, frightened residents rushed out of their homes and offices as buildings swayed from the force of the quake. Video footage from Reuters witnesses showed fire trucks deployed throughout the city’s streets, and several buildings showed visible damage to their outer walls and facades.

Many people across Caracas lost electricity and internet service almost immediately after the shaking stopped.

Maria Romero, an 80-year-old retiree living on the south side of Caracas, was helped out of her building by police officers. She described the experience as devastating. “This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967,” she said.

Another witness described returning to their apartment to find cracks running up the walls and shattered glass in the entryway, with power going out shortly afterward.

A resident of Valencia, located to the west of Caracas, described widespread structural damage in their building. “Several walls in my building broke open or cracks formed,” the witness told Reuters. “As soon as it stopped (shaking) my husband and I evacuated.”

Following the earthquake, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Officials also warned that the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire — located off Venezuela’s coast — could face dangerous wave activity.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the question of who was responsible for a devastating strike on a girls’ school in Iran may never be answered.

The attack occurred on February 28 — the first day of the Iran war — when U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes against Iran. The strike hit a school in Minab, in southern Iran, killing more than 175 children and teachers, according to Iranian officials.

Reuters reported in March that an early internal U.S. military investigation pointed to U.S. forces as likely responsible for the fatal strike. The Pentagon has since expanded the investigation but has stopped short of confirming any preliminary conclusions.

Speaking to reporters, Trump cast doubt on whether the truth would ever come out. “I don’t know that they are ever going to solve that problem,” he said. “I don’t know that they are ever going to solve that problem in terms of whose fault was it because there were missiles flying all over the place, and it’s horrible what happened but there were missiles flying all over the place.”

Trump also pushed back on suggestions that the U.S. was to blame. “Somebody said it was our missile, maybe it wasn’t our missile but I have seen nothing to lead me to believe it was,” he said, adding, “I don’t think it was us.”

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in March that the strike may have resulted from the use of outdated targeting data by U.S. forces.

Under international humanitarian law, deliberately targeting a school would likely constitute a war crime. U.S. officials have publicly stated that Washington would never intentionally strike a school.

The attack sparked widespread global outrage. The United Nations human rights office described the incident as “absolutely horrific.”

Trump initially blamed Iran for the strike without providing evidence. He has since walked back that claim, saying he lacks sufficient information, that an investigation remains ongoing, that he will accept whatever the inquiry concludes, and that “nobody” deliberately targeted the school.

SAO PAULO — A prominent Brazilian senator and close political ally of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has stepped down from his role as the government’s leader in the Senate, adding new turbulence to the administration just months before a national election.

Senator Jaques Wagner announced his resignation on Wednesday through a post on the social media platform X. His exit marks another high-profile departure tied to a growing corruption investigation that has begun to reach into Brazil’s political establishment.

Brazilian authorities revealed last week that Wagner had come under formal investigation as part of a broader probe. The inquiry centers on allegations that Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of the now-defunct Banco Master, used his wealth and political connections to build influence among well-known politicians.

Wagner’s resignation is seen as a significant blow to Lula, raising fresh concerns about the administration’s political standing ahead of October’s election.