Author: Admin

A prominent Chinese Communist Party leader has been selected to lead the organization’s prestigious training academy, state television reported Friday.

Cai Qi, age 70, was named to head the central party school according to broadcasts on CCTV. The official currently serves as the de facto chief of staff for President Xi Jinping and directs the Communist Party Central Committee’s general office. His position on the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee places him among China’s most influential leaders.

The appointment means Cai will take over from Chen Xi, 72, who previously stepped down from leading the Organization Department in 2023.

Beijing houses the central party school, which serves as China’s top facility for educating high-ranking officials and developing party doctrine. Both Xi Jinping and Hu Jintao, the nation’s two most recent leaders, previously held the position of school director before rising to China’s highest office.

Pentagon officials announced Friday that American military personnel seized control of a sanctioned ship without national registration in the Indian Ocean during an overnight mission.

The Indo-Pacific Command identified the vessel as M/T DAVINA and explained the boarding operation in a social media statement.

“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the command stated in its Friday post.

The seizure represents the latest action in escalating maritime tensions, as the United States has established a naval blockade targeting Iran’s ocean commerce. Meanwhile, Iranian forces have attacked vessels to block passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane leading into the Middle East Gulf.

American naval forces have stopped numerous merchant ships and petroleum tankers in the Indian Ocean over recent months as part of these enforcement operations.

A Swedish court has determined that authorities acted within the law when they confiscated a cargo vessel in the Baltic Sea and has approved transferring the ship to Ukraine for investigation into alleged war crimes.

The vessel, known as the Caffa, was detained by Swedish police and coast guard forces near southern Sweden in March. Authorities alleged the ship was operating under fraudulent documentation and had breached maritime safety regulations due to being unseaworthy.

Legal representatives for the vessel’s owner, Caffa Shipping Limited, had contested the confiscation and requested the ship’s return, according to the court’s June 4 decision.

Ukrainian officials want custody of the vessel as part of their probe into suspected war crimes related to stealing and transporting property from territories under Russian occupation, the court stated.

“The court has confirmed that the seizure of the CAFFA, etc., was legally founded and that the vessel may be surrendered to Ukraine,” public prosecutor Hakan Larsson said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

The district court determined that the suspected activities could qualify as war crimes under Swedish legal statutes, opening the door for transferring the ship and associated evidence to Ukrainian investigators.

Larsson noted that the decision must become final before any handover occurs, explaining that the owners have a three-week window to file an appeal.

Legal counsel for Caffa Shipping did not provide immediate comment when contacted.

According to police reports from the time of seizure, most of the Caffa’s 11 crew members held Russian nationality. Ship-tracking service MarineTraffic identifies the vessel as a 96-metre general cargo ship.

Israeli military aircraft bombed multiple locations across southern Lebanon on Friday following evacuation orders issued for nine communities, including one area that had largely avoided damage and was housing thousands of war refugees.

According to Lebanon’s state news agency, the bombardment resulted in six deaths. The evacuation directives prompted hundreds of families to abandon the village of Anqoun and the Aarnaya region, located near the edge of the mainly Christian community of Maghdoucheh, close to the southern coastal city of Sidon.

These military operations occurred one day after the Hezbollah militant organization turned down the most recent ceasefire proposal between Israeli and Lebanese officials, insisting on full Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

The Lebanese conflict, where Israeli military units have captured significant portions of the south since March 2, jeopardizes attempts to conclude the Iran war and restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials have insisted that any permanent peace deal must include Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing upcoming elections this year, seeks to continue Israel’s military campaign until Hezbollah no longer represents a security threat.

Approximately three hours following the evacuation notices delivered by the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson, Israeli fighter jets bombed the communities, including Anqoun. The Lebanese news agency NNA reported that roughly 2,500 displaced individuals were taking refuge in Anqoun.

On Friday, U.N. peacekeeping forces and Lebanese military personnel were observed at a Dibbine village entrance, close to Marjayoun town, after Israeli forces retreated following heavy fighting with Hezbollah combatants.

The ceasefire proposal requires Lebanon’s military to assume security control over Lebanese zones where militants would be prohibited.

This marked the initial Israeli troop withdrawal from any southern Lebanon location since the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict started three months ago. At the village entrance, numerous destroyed homes were visible from the battles and air attacks. A peacekeeping force bulldozer was clearing the primary road into Dibbine.

Israeli forces have captured approximately one-fifth of Lebanon, advancing deeper into the country’s southern region than at any point since Israel’s 1982-2000 occupation ended. The recent ceasefire proposal emerged from U.S.-mediated negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese government officials, with Lebanon’s government accusing Hezbollah of involving the nation in warfare and attempting to disarm the group before current hostilities.

On Thursday evening, an airstrike in the southern city of Tyre resulted in three deaths and seven injuries, including three children and two women, according to the Health Ministry.

Over 3,500 individuals have died in Lebanon since the war started. The conflict has resulted in at least 29 Israeli military deaths and three civilian casualties.

GALPATHA, Sri Lanka (AP) — A devastating blaze at an unlicensed care facility for individuals with mental health conditions in western Sri Lanka has claimed its 13th victim, officials confirmed Friday, as another injured person died from burns sustained in the fire.

The charred remains of the facility in Anguruwatota, located approximately 55 kilometers (34 miles) southeast of Colombo, now stand empty with scattered eyeglass cases, medications, and reclining chairs among the debris. Survivors from the facility have been relocated to another care home in the area.

Law enforcement reports indicate 71 individuals with mental health conditions were housed at the facility when the fire broke out. Emergency responders, local residents, and firefighters managed to save 50 people, while seven required hospital treatment.

A police official from the Anguruwatota station, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak with media, confirmed Friday’s additional fatality from burn injuries.

Authorities have detained the facility’s director on charges related to causing deaths through negligent conduct. The individual appeared in court Thursday and received a week-long detention order while investigators continue their work.

Dhanuja Chathuranga, a 32-year-old staff member at the facility, told the Associated Press that investigators believe an electrical malfunction in wiring connected to a water pump sparked the blaze.

“The flames first ignited a stack of mattresses and pillows before rapidly engulfing the entire building,” he explained, noting that while staff rescued most residents, 10 individuals perished in the fire and three additional victims later died at the hospital.

Video footage from the Associated Press revealed the completely destroyed structure with burned furniture and equipment visible throughout. Television broadcasts showed emergency personnel, law enforcement, and community members battling the intense flames, while police and military officials transported survivors via bus to secure locations.

Chathura Mihudum, who heads the National Secretariat for Elders, confirmed the facility operated without proper registration as a nursing home despite receiving previous warnings about compliance with regulations.

The facility was severely overcrowded, housing 71 individuals in a space designed with sleeping arrangements for only 15 people, he noted.

Government inspectors had previously conducted visits to the institution and directed management to comply with legal requirements, though he did not provide additional specifics.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the European Union to demonstrate its capacity and commitment to welcoming new member states during a Friday gathering with Western Balkan officials in Montenegro’s coastal city of Tivat.

The drive for EU expansion has gained renewed urgency following Russia’s military action in Ukraine, as Kyiv seeks membership to solidify its place in Europe’s political center, while EU leadership views expansion as a way to limit foreign influence in neighboring regions.

However, the membership process typically involves lengthy and complicated procedures, requiring extensive negotiations and legal changes, with unanimous approval from all 27 existing EU nations needed at each stage.

“The European Union has to show that it is capable of enlarging and willing to enlarge and we want to discuss that here,” Merz stated to journalists at the Montenegro summit.

“There are, of course, a whole range of questions that we must answer, that we must answer together, but above all else, it must be clear that this part of Europe belongs within the European Union’s future,” Merz continued.

“The fact that we have not admitted any new members for 13 years now shows that there have also been shortcomings on the part of the European Union.”

Six nations from the Western Balkans are seeking EU membership – Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo – though each country stands at varying points in the admission process.

Montenegro, home to only 630,000 residents, is generally viewed as leading the pack and would be relatively straightforward to integrate into the EU, which encompasses 450 million people.

However, Montenegro still confronts challenges, particularly concerning judicial reform and anti-corruption efforts, with many experts considering its 2028 membership target overly optimistic.

Before the summit began, Germany and France put forward a proposal to provide prospective EU members with increased access to EU programs and the single market prior to full membership.

Last month, Merz also floated the idea of granting Ukraine “associate member” status, which would permit Ukrainian representatives to participate in EU summits and ministerial gatherings – without voting privileges – as a transitional step toward complete membership.

Thailand announced Friday it will participate in a United Nations arbitration process that Cambodia has initiated to resolve an ongoing maritime boundary disagreement, while simultaneously suspending other bilateral negotiations between the two nations.

Cambodia this week launched a mandatory conciliation procedure under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), following Thailand’s decision last month to unilaterally terminate a 2001 framework agreement for discussions regarding a disputed maritime area.

The two countries have been locked in a dispute for over 25 years regarding approximately 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 square miles) of ocean territory in the Gulf of Thailand. The contested area is believed to contain nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and substantial oil reserves, with an estimated total worth of $300 billion.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced Friday that Thailand will dispatch two representatives to the UN-supported negotiations, though he expressed disappointment with Cambodia’s decision to also address resource-sharing issues during the proceedings.

“I told my Cambodian colleagues, ‘Why don’t we give talks a chance? Six months or something,’” he said during an interview with Reuters.

“‘If we cannot make progress, then we can agree on the next step, which of course includes compulsory conciliation, but it also includes voluntary conciliation.’”

Sihasak noted that Cambodia announced its decision to pursue the mandatory conciliation process publicly on Tuesday before formally informing Thailand.

“And since June 2, we’ve not had any discussion informally, formally with the Cambodian side.”

When contacted by Reuters, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn stated that bilateral attempts to resolve the disagreement had been depleted, leading to Cambodia’s decision.

“Cambodia hopes that the Thai government will engage with this process in good faith,” he stated.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared that despite participating in the mediation, Thailand will not engage in any other bilateral discussions, including those aimed at managing and resolving land border disputes.

“We will use UNCLOS, which means from now on there will be no more talks … or other forms of cooperation,” he stated. “We will not discuss the restoration of relations yet.”

He added that all border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia would remain closed.

Relations between the nations have been strained following two periods of severe border conflicts last year that resulted in nearly 150 deaths and displaced at least 300,000 people on both sides, though a December ceasefire remains in effect.

Sihasak, who also serves as Thai deputy prime minister, said Cambodia’s selection of mandatory conciliation, which involves a five-member panel providing non-binding recommendations, will not enhance overall relations between the countries.

“We simply don’t agree with how they approached this,” he said.

To date, only East Timor, also called Timor Leste, has successfully utilized the UN-supported process to resolve a lengthy maritime dispute with Australia, completing the process in just under two years.

“If we do this through bilateral talk in a friendly way, it may take a shorter time to reach an amicable solution,” Sihasak said. “Now, we don’t know how long this will take.”

YAWOTA, Nigeria, June 5 (Reuters) — During a typical morning, Aduke Balogun spotted a masked individual dressed in military clothing approaching her children’s school. Moments afterward, shots rang out, additional armed men emerged, and locals ran for safety.

During the mayhem, her younger daughter Feranmi, age six, managed to get away, but her older child, eight-year-old Kausarat, was among more than 30 pupils and one educator who were captured and taken into the wilderness near Yawota, located in Oyo state in Nigeria’s southwest region.

Online footage showing abducted children has been shared widely, though Balogun finds herself unable to view them, and it remains uncertain whether the videos feature students from the Baptist Nursery and Primary School her daughters attended.

“Every day, I pray and hope for their safe return,” she shared with Reuters while working at her roadside stand selling beverages, bread and snacks positioned across from the educational facility.

The attack on May 15 — along with coordinated strikes on two additional schools in the area — has shocked a territory previously viewed as comparatively secure when measured against more volatile northern regions, raising concerns that ransom-seeking criminal groups are extending their reach well beyond their usual operating zones.

Extensive abduction activities and the growing influence of armed organizations throughout Nigeria — the continent’s most populated nation — are expected to become central concerns leading up to the country’s upcoming national voting in January.

“The Oyo abductions mark a dangerous escalation from a crisis once largely confined to Nigeria’s north and Middle Belt into the southwest,” said Cheta Nwanze, partner at security consultancy SBM Intelligence. “As the 2027 elections approach, Nigerians will judge politicians primarily on whether they can keep classrooms and communities safe.”

EDUCATOR KILLED DURING ESCAPE ATTEMPT

The Nigerian administration has faced ongoing difficulties addressing security concerns for years, dealing with everything from conflicts between herders and farmers in central areas to various bandits, religious extremists and local defense groups operating throughout northern territories.

During this violence, criminal organizations regularly abduct drivers, religious leaders and school students, detaining them until ransom money is provided. SBM Intelligence reported that kidnappers received no less than 2.57 billion naira ($1.89 million) in ransom payments throughout Nigeria during the year ending in June 2025.

Two weeks following the Yawota abductions, school supplies, textbooks, lunch containers, water bottles and children’s shoes remained spread across classroom floors at the Baptist Nursery and Primary School. A police patrol vehicle sat outside, with armed personnel maintaining surveillance beneath a fig tree.

At LA Primary School, located 5 km (3 miles) from where Balogun’s daughter was taken, one educator was fatally shot while attempting to flee through a classroom window during a separate assault, according to Lamidi Waheed, an instructor at the facility.

During the third incident, six additional teachers and seven students were abducted from the Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele, Waheed reported.

Subsequently, online video appeared to show gunmen executing a teacher captured in this assault.

Reuters could not confirm the authenticity of the footage.

Due to security fears and absence of cellular networks for emergency calls, many residents of agricultural communities in Oyo’s Oriire district, approximately 300 km northeast of Lagos, Nigeria’s business center, have evacuated, local chief Tajudeen Abioye informed Reuters.

‘WE WANT OUR CHILDREN BACK’

Upon assuming office three years ago, the president pledged — similar to previous leaders — to address security issues by hiring additional military personnel and police officers, while ensuring better equipment and compensation.

Nevertheless, the Oyo incident, combined with last month’s abduction of 42 school students in the conflict-affected northeastern Borno state, has heightened examination of the administration’s security performance before the 2027 elections.

The current president will pursue reelection and is expected to begin the campaign as the frontrunner since the opposition, headed by rivals Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, continues to be fragmented.

Still, deteriorating security conditions may impact his electoral prospects.

No organization has taken credit for the Oyo incidents, though military officials have attributed them to Boko Haram religious militants, who typically conduct operations in the northeast.

Several security personnel sustained injuries during an initial rescue effort for the children and educators from the Community High School, chief Abioye stated.

Following that incident, officials have established communication with the abductors and eight individuals have been arrested and are assisting authorities, police spokesperson Olayinka Ayanlade reported, declining to provide additional information.

Officials have encouraged families to remain patient and avoid sharing rumors or unconfirmed videos.

Grace Ojo, whose seven-year-old grandchild was taken from the Baptist school, has a simple plea. “We don’t need money, foodstuffs or anything. We just want our children back,” she stated.

($1 = 1,359.5900 naira)

Britain’s highest-ranking military officer issued an urgent warning Friday that the nation is running short on time to strengthen its defenses against escalating Russian threats, as a critical defense spending plan remains stalled after months of delays.

Chief of the Defence Staff Richard Knighton expressed alarm about Russia’s increasingly aggressive posture during an interview with BBC Radio. “Russia is definitely raising the stakes and risks crossing a line,” Knighton stated. “We need to spend more on defence and do it faster.”

The delayed Defence Investment Plan is designed to outline funding for military hardware and services needed to bring Britain’s armed forces to “warfighting readiness.” However, news reports indicate the plan has been stuck in limbo since last year due to disagreements over spending within the government.

During a Friday visit to a drone manufacturing facility, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the plan would be released prior to the July 7 NATO summit, following intensive collaboration between government officials and military leadership.

“It is no exaggeration to say that we’re living in more dangerous and volatile times than at any time in my life,” Starmer declared.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has consistently urged Starmer and other European allies to increase defense expenditures and reduce dependence on Washington for continental security, is expected to participate in the upcoming summit.

According to Knighton, the security risks and threats facing Britain have reached levels not seen since the Cold War era, requiring corresponding increases in defense investment.

“The challenge for ministers is to make those difficult trade-off decisions,” he explained.

News outlets report that military leadership has informed Starmer of a £28 billion funding gap over the coming four years, which sources say is responsible for the investment plan’s postponement.

While Starmer has committed to the most significant sustained defense spending increase since the Cold War, targeting 3% of national output during the next parliament, critics argue he has failed to deliver on these commitments.

George Robertson, who held positions as Britain’s defense secretary in the 1990s and later as NATO’s chief, criticized Starmer in April, stating there was a disconnect between his words and actions and that he was “not willing to make the necessary investment” in defense.

Knighton described how Russia has intensified its threatening behavior through increased violations of British airspace and constant “probing, challenging, testing” of defense systems, while also conducting cyberattacks, sabotage operations, and technology theft attempts.

“We do need to step up and enhance our capability as the threats from potential adversaries grow,” he emphasized.

LONDON (AP) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor generated income by subletting three cottages located on an estate where he resided without paying rent for twenty years, a British government spending oversight report revealed Friday.

The National Audit Office document also revealed that his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, reside in palace properties with controlled rents that are covered by their uncle, King Charles III.

According to the audit office findings, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor earned money from leasing the cottages situated on the Royal Lodge property, where he lived near Windsor Castle for more than two decades. Documentation from a 2003 lease agreement indicates he paid only a token amount called a “peppercorn rent” for the estate, which contained a mansion with 30 rooms and eight cottages, with permission to sublet three of them.

The report did not specify the rental income amount, an exclusion that Margaret Hodge, a Labour member of the House of Lords and former head of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, found troubling.

“It’s shocking that the National Audit Office was not able to establish how much money Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor secured from the properties he let,” she said.

Lawmakers requested the audit office investigation after Mountbatten-Windsor lost his royal titles and was removed from Royal Lodge by his brother, the king, due to revelations regarding his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor relocated this year to the king’s Sandringham Estate in eastern England.

In February, the 66-year-old former prince was detained and questioned by authorities regarding allegations of misconduct in public office. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing and faces no charges.

The audit office findings indicate that 11 working royals receive complimentary housing in palaces as compensation for their official responsibilities. This group includes the king and Queen Camilla, Prince William and his wife Catherine, and the king’s youngest brother, Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie.

William and Kate maintain a separate family residence near Windsor, paying annual rent of 307,200 pounds (approximately $413,000).

Eugenie’s cottage rent at Kensington Palace and Beatrice’s apartment rent at St. James’s Palace are calculated as a percentage of market value, ranging between 50% and 68% in recent years. The Privy Purse, the monarch’s personal funds, covers both rental payments.

Neither daughter is classified as a “working” royal with public responsibilities, and both maintain employment outside the royal family.

Buckingham Palace stated the audit office report “is in line with the royal household’s commitment to transparency. We hope that the findings will help correct, clarify or contextualize a number of points regarding royal properties.”

Monarchy critics pointed to these discoveries as proof the royal family fails to cover its expenses.

“It shows an absolute total contempt for the taxpayer, not only that Andrew was able to have a peppercorn rent for a gigantic property, but then to make potentially millions on the side from subletting properties,” said former Liberal Democrat lawmaker Norman Baker, a longtime critic of royal finances.

Mountbatten-Windsor appears in millions of pages of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January, demonstrating how the wealthy financier leveraged an international network of influential contacts to gain power and sexually exploit young women and girls.

British authorities are investigating allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential trade information with the disgraced financier during his tenure as U.K. trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. Investigators indicate they may expand their probe to include sexual misconduct allegations and have requested witnesses to step forward.

Mountbatten-Windsor has seldom appeared publicly since relocating to the Sandringham Estate, located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of London. He was photographed Thursday in a vehicle displaying a large facial bruise.

The Times of London reported, without naming sources, that the bruise resulted from a “nonserious medical condition.”

Hungary’s parliament will receive new anti-corruption legislation next week that officials say is essential for accessing billions in suspended European Union funding, according to Transport and Investment Minister David Vitezy’s announcement Friday.

The legislative package comes after Prime Minister Peter Magyar defeated longtime nationalist leader Viktor Orban in April elections and subsequently obtained 16.4 billion euros ($19.1 billion) in May based on commitments to eliminate Orban-era policies the EU considered harmful to democratic institutions.

Financial markets have responded positively to Magyar’s European Union-friendly approach and his commitment to prepare Hungary for euro adoption before 2030, with the forint currency and government bonds showing significant gains.

“This will be a comprehensive anti-corruption bill that also improves the transparency of Hungarian public life,” Vitezy explained to reporters. “This represents the rule-of-law criteria that will allow us to bring the EU funds home.”

The minister indicated the new laws would unlock access to 10 billion euros from the EU’s pandemic recovery program for transportation and clean energy initiatives, plus additional support for small enterprises and affordable housing development.

Under the proposed changes, Hungary’s Integrity Authority anti-corruption agency would receive expanded authority, while public officials would face stricter asset disclosure requirements with potential prison sentences of up to two years for violations, Vitezy detailed.

The government plans to allocate approximately 3.5 billion euros in EU recovery funding to the state development bank MFB for project financing while ensuring no funding is lost before the late August deadline, he added.

According to Vitezy, Hungary will also receive credit for 2.6 billion euros in previously self-funded investments through EU reimbursement, providing the government additional budget flexibility following deficit increases from substantial pre-election expenditures during Orban’s tenure.

Railway and transportation infrastructure improvements will receive 4.2 billion euros from EU cohesion funds, while higher education will benefit from an additional 2.2 billion euros that had been suspended due to concerns about academic freedom restrictions, Vitezy concluded.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry announced Friday that five citizens of the country died and three more were wounded during attacks on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov.

The ministry, responding to inquiries about the vessels struck in Taganrog Bay, confirmed that a total of 25 Azerbaijani nationals were working aboard the ships as crew members, though the vessels themselves are not owned by Azerbaijan.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attacks earlier Friday, stating that its unmanned aircraft had targeted five ships operating in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, along with vessels in coastal waters under Russian control.

Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukrainian drone forces, issued a statement saying his aircraft struck dry cargo vessels and a tanker that were participating in “stealing” Ukrainian grain and moving military cargo and fuel, with the ships’ names covered over and their radar systems disabled.

Aviation safety officials in Germany have initiated a formal investigation following the failure of front landing gear on a Boeing 787 aircraft that occurred Thursday while the plane was stationed at Frankfurt airport, a spokesperson for the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation confirmed.

The investigation team expects to release a preliminary report within approximately eight weeks, with a comprehensive final report anticipated in roughly one year, the spokesperson stated.

Lufthansa, the airline operating the aircraft, confirmed that multiple crew members and ground personnel sustained minor injuries and required hospitalization following the incident. Two Lufthansa workers who received brief hospital treatment on Thursday were discharged the same day.

The airline indicated that the affected Boeing 787-9 aircraft will undergo repairs once the investigation concludes.

No passengers had boarded the plane when the incident took place.

The nose gear collapse happened at 12:45 p.m. (1045 GMT) on Thursday, affecting a flight scheduled to travel to Los Angeles operating as flight LH450.

The Boeing 787-9 represents a recent fleet addition for the Lufthansa Group, which has announced plans to systematically retire older, less fuel-efficient aircraft while streamlining its overall fleet composition.

The small Himalayan nation of Bhutan has launched a financial incentive program aimed at reversing its declining birth rates by offering monthly payments to families who have more children.

Located between China and India in the eastern Himalayas, the kingdom with a population under 800,000 will provide families with monthly payments of 10,000 ngultrums (approximately $105) for each third child and any additional children born on or after June 4, 2026, continuing until the child reaches age three, according to a government announcement made Thursday.

The program will also extend benefits to eligible third and subsequent children who were born prior to that date but have not yet reached three years of age when the policy takes effect.

Cabinet Secretary Kesang Deki explained that the financial support would apply to families regardless of how many children they have beyond the second child. “They can have three, four, five, six or seven children,” she stated to Reuters on Friday.

Government data reveals that annual births in Bhutan have dropped from 11,001 in 2015 to 8,153 in 2024, representing approximately a 26% decrease, while the total fertility rate has fallen to nearly the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman during this timeframe.

According to the government statement, the combination of a shrinking and aging population along with emigration poses significant challenges for Bhutan’s workforce, communities, and economic growth over the long term.

Many young people from Bhutan are looking for opportunities in other countries, particularly Australia, as economic dissatisfaction grows within the landlocked Buddhist nation.

The government described the new initiative as demonstrating its “commitment to the welfare of mothers, children, and families, and to the long-term sustainability of Bhutan’s population.”

In a similar move, the neighboring Indian state of Sikkim introduced incentives in 2023 including year-long maternity leave for women, month-long paternity leave for men, and financial assistance for those pursuing in-vitro fertilization.

Bhutan has gained recognition for creating the Gross National Happiness index, an innovative economic measurement that incorporates elements typically overlooked by traditional gross domestic product calculations, including recreation and emotional well-being.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced Friday that his government plans to directly address what he called China’s “entirely inappropriate” decision to ban four legislators from Chinese territory following their visit to Taiwan.

Four New Zealand parliament members – Laura McClure, David Wilson, and Maureen Pugh from the centre-right coalition, plus Duncan Webb from the Labour party – spent five days in Taipei last month.

Following their trip, the Chinese embassy notified the legislators through an email from the Office of the Clerk that they were prohibited from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau for one year, according to parliamentary administration officials.

Speaking to reporters during his trip to Australia where he plans to meet with his counterpart Anthony Albanese, Luxon defended the lawmakers’ right to travel independently.

“We think it’s entirely inappropriate, the reaction that we’ve seen from the Chinese. We will raise that with them ourselves,” Luxon stated, emphasizing that the backbenchers were not acting as official government representatives in Taiwan and should be “free to see who they want to see.”

The diplomatic tension comes despite generally stable relations between New Zealand and China in recent years, with China serving as New Zealand’s top trading partner. However, Wellington has become increasingly vocal about Beijing’s growing presence in the Pacific region.

High-level officials from both nations have conducted numerous visits over the past three years, including Luxon’s own trip to China in 2025.

The dispute centers around Taiwan’s contested status, as China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not dismissed using military force to gain control of the island. Taiwan’s leadership disputes Beijing’s territorial claims.

A New Zealand parliament official confirmed Thursday that a meeting occurred with Chinese embassy representatives but declined to share specifics. Foreign Minister Winston Peters directed New Zealand diplomatic staff in both Beijing and Wellington to address the issue with Chinese officials.

Australia has indicated it will also express concerns through the Chinese embassy in Canberra and Beijing.

While Luxon appreciated Australia’s backing, he characterized the dispute as a “nation-to-nation” matter between New Zealand and China.

He indicated he would emphasize New Zealand’s “one China policy” stance, which recognizes Beijing as the legitimate government and acknowledges its Taiwan claims without formally endorsing them.

A contentious telephone conversation between the U.S. president and Israeli prime minister has brought their behind-the-scenes disagreements into the public spotlight, creating political complications for the Israeli leader as he faces a challenging election cycle.

The heated exchange, which was initially reported by media outlets and later acknowledged by Trump, featured the president calling the prime minister “fucking crazy” during discussions about Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Israeli government sources, who requested anonymity, described the conversation as one of the most confrontational exchanges between the two leaders. One source indicated that the public disclosure of the call has politically harmed Netanyahu as the country prepares for national elections.

The news website Axios first revealed details of the conversation on Monday, reporting that Trump angrily challenged Netanyahu regarding Israeli threats to resume bombing campaigns in Beirut’s southern neighborhoods. “Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” Trump was quoted as saying.

The American president instructed Netanyahu to avoid targeting Beirut after Iran indicated that Israeli military actions in Lebanon were hampering diplomatic efforts to conclude the conflict, which started with combined U.S.-Israeli operations and has become unpopular with American voters.

A high-ranking Israeli official explained to Reuters that Netanyahu had emphasized to Trump that any suspension of Israeli military plans against Beirut would only be viable if Hezbollah ceased its attacks on northern Israel. The official noted that Trump was open to this perspective.

After their conversation, Trump announced that Israel and Hezbollah had reached an agreement to halt hostilities, leading to criticism from Netanyahu’s political adversaries and some members of his own administration who accused him of surrendering Israeli independence to American pressure.

“A total protectorate,” said opposition leader Yair Lapid, suggesting Netanyahu had put Israel in the position of an American client state.

While Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has frequently disagreed with both Republican and Democratic U.S. administrations, Israel has maintained its position as Washington’s primary Middle Eastern partner.

Nimrod Goren, the president of Mitvim, an Israeli think tank, said “the differences are now very public”, unlike in the past when they were usually quietly managed behind closed doors.

Speaking to the New York Post on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged he was “a little bit perturbed” by Netanyahu’s continued attacks on Lebanon, while adding: “We’ve worked very well together.”

Trump’s choice to participate with Israel in military strikes against Iran on two separate occasions within a year seemed to represent a significant achievement for Netanyahu, who had spent years encouraging Washington to employ military force to stop Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

However, Trump has also implemented several policies that many Israelis view as contrary to their country’s interests, including terminating U.S. military operations against Yemen’s Iran-supported Houthis, removing sanctions from Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and directing a cessation of Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran in June 2025.

While the United States and Israel jointly initiated the military campaign against Iran in February, Israel has not participated directly in U.S.-Iran negotiations to end the conflict. These discussions have been facilitated through Pakistan, an unusual mediator that maintains no official diplomatic relations with Israel.

The conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah have received broad support in Israel, including from supporters of Netanyahu’s political opponents, with much of the population favoring continued military action.

This contrasts sharply with American sentiment, where many voters—including members of Trump’s conservative constituency—oppose the war.

Trump has consistently stated that the U.S. is approaching an agreement with Iran to end the hostilities. Tehran maintains that any settlement must include Israel stopping attacks on its partner Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“We are basically being forced to stop,” said Israeli pollster Mitchell Barak. “We don’t have a say in this anymore.”

At the beginning of this year’s conflict with Iran, Netanyahu declared that the Iranian government would be overthrown and its nuclear and missile capabilities eliminated. He has also stated that Hezbollah, which launched attacks against Israel in March supporting Iran, must be disarmed in southern Lebanon. None of these objectives have been accomplished.

Current domestic polling consistently indicates that Netanyahu’s coalition government, described as the most right-wing in the nation’s history, would be unable to secure a majority in the next election.

According to Goren, Netanyahu is attempting to satisfy Trump’s requirements because the Israeli leader will require the president’s backing as elections approach, including a potential visit by the American leader to Israel. Prior to the Iranian conflict, Trump was widely anticipated in Israel to visit in April to receive the country’s highest civilian award. His most recent visit occurred in October.

Some Israelis expressed discomfort with the degree to which Trump appears capable of influencing Israeli military choices, Goren noted. Conversely, in the U.S., some Trump critics argue that Netanyahu wields excessive influence over American foreign policy.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Netanyahu’s national security minister said on Thursday that there are times when an Israeli leader must know how to say “no” even to the U.S. president.

Nadav Shtrauchler, a former Netanyahu adviser, said the Israeli premier was counting on Trump’s support in the election.

“The way the war (with Iran and Hezbollah) will end will affect, more than anything, the result of the election.”

Trump has frequently offered public praise for Netanyahu and has openly urged Israel’s president to grant clemency to the prime minister, who faces corruption-related charges in Israeli courts.

Yet Trump has also publicly stressed how much Israel depends on Washington, according to his view, and has used profanity previously when discussing Israel, including publicly stating last year that Israel and Iran “don’t know what the ​fuck they are doing.”

Netanyahu, for his part, characterizes Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House”, providing the type of public recognition that appeals to the Republican president, who is recognized for valuing personal devotion and approval.

Since the U.S. and Israel began their war with Iran, Netanyahu has occasionally mentioned that he communicates with Trump nearly every day, often describing their relationship to the Israeli public as a partnership between equals who collaborate on decisions.

When questioned about the call during a CNBC interview on Wednesday, Netanyahu compared the situation to the “best of families” where there have occasionally been “tactical disagreements” with the U.S. president.

A U.S. official informed Reuters that the phone conversation was among several in which the president has been very straightforward with Netanyahu, but emphasized that the two remain friends and close partners.

“Their conversations are pretty direct,” the official said.

Both the official and another Israeli source familiar with the U.S.-Israel relationship rejected any indication of a substantial shift in the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump.

Nevertheless, the Israeli source admitted that the disclosure of the call—and Trump’s later confirmation of it—was unhelpful to Netanyahu before an election he is projected to lose.

Shtrauchler, the former adviser to Netanyahu, argued that the perception of a disagreement with Trump was exaggerated and that the two leaders still seem to agree on most significant matters.

However, a sudden conclusion to the conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah would create a “huge problem” for Netanyahu, he noted, as many Israelis would view it as Trump having pressured him into submission.

“No one wants here to feel like we are another star on the (U.S.) flag. We want to feel independence,” Shtrauchler said.

The ongoing Middle East conflict is driving millions of people toward severe hunger as escalating fuel and transportation expenses cause food costs to soar, according to the U.N. World Food Programme’s Friday announcement. The crisis is further complicated by funding shortages that are forcing humanitarian organizations to reduce their operations.

Regional warfare erupted following joint U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran in February, creating widespread disruption from the Gulf region extending into Lebanon. Critical maritime passages, including the Strait of Hormuz, have been affected, compelling ships to find alternate routes and severely limiting worldwide energy distribution and supply networks.

The WFP projected in March that up to 45 million individuals could experience acute food insecurity should oil prices stay near $100 per barrel through June. This prediction is becoming reality, the organization reported, as benchmark crude oil has remained above that threshold since early March began.

Communities in Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka are experiencing the most severe impacts, confronting increased challenges from elevated fuel expenses, food cost increases, reduced incomes and interrupted commerce.

Somalia is projected to have 6.5 million residents – approximately one-third of its total population – experiencing severe hunger by 2026, while Afghanistan may see 17.4 million people impacted, according to WFP data. The crisis is expected to intensify, with another 2.5 million Somalis and 2.3 million Afghans potentially facing food insecurity if current disruptions continue. Both nations depend heavily on energy and food imports.

This Middle East emergency occurs during a significant funding crisis for humanitarian organizations. The WFP anticipates serving 1.5 million fewer individuals worldwide in 2026, with an additional 9 million people losing assistance if conditions persist for six months.

Afghanistan has seen fuel price increases drive aid transportation expenses up by as much as five times normal costs, while delivery timeframes have extended from 10 days to as long as 75 days as vehicles must utilize alternative routes, the WFP reported.

Somalia faces rising jet fuel costs that are increasing operational expenses for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service – the sole safe method for reaching remote locations, according to the WFP.

BUCHAREST, June 5 – A naval drone similar to those deployed in the ongoing Ukraine conflict exploded Friday at Romania’s Constanta port on the Black Sea, causing no injuries but prompting immediate safety measures, according to the country’s defense ministry.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of the port facility and issued warnings for residents along Romania’s Black Sea coastline to seek shelter. Two helicopters conducted aerial surveillance of the surrounding area to search for any additional drones, deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat reported.

“We now know there is the risk of self-detonation, we have … evacuated in case there are more drones,” Arafat stated.

“We are not panicking, the measures are purely preventative.”

This detonation occurred one week following an incident where a Russian drone struck an apartment complex in Galati, a southeastern Romanian city located near Ukraine’s border, wounding two individuals. That event marked the first instance during the Russia-Ukraine conflict where a drone impacted a heavily populated area within a NATO member nation.

As both a NATO and European Union member nation, Romania maintains a 650-kilometer (400-mile) boundary with Ukraine. The defense ministry reports that 28 violations of Romanian airspace by Russian drones have occurred since Moscow initiated attacks on Ukrainian Danube River ports.

Debris from Ukrainian drones has also fallen within Romanian borders.

The United Nations announced Friday it will double its financial assistance request for Lebanon as humanitarian crises worsen during the ongoing regional conflict now in its fourth month.

The conflict expanded to include Lebanon in early March after the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia launched rocket attacks against Israel in support of Iran, which was facing U.S.-Israeli strikes. This action triggered a significant Israeli military response involving both air strikes and ground operations.

Lebanese officials report that Israeli attacks have resulted in more than 3,500 deaths since March 2, though their figures do not separate military personnel from civilian casualties.

Israeli authorities state that Hezbollah attacks have claimed the lives of 26 soldiers and four civilians on their side since the March escalation began.

The U.N. will work with Lebanon’s government Friday to launch an updated aid request seeking an extra $331.5 million to assist 1.4 million affected individuals, raising the complete appeal to $639.9 million.

As of May 31, the organization had collected $185.9 million toward its goals.

“In the past three months, communities across Lebanon have faced an appalling situation due to the escalation of hostilities,” stated U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza, highlighting significant casualties, mass population displacement and severe infrastructure destruction.

“The toll on civilians is alarming and worsening by the day,” Riza added.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A defense attorney told an Australian court Friday that her client charged with enslaving a Yazidi teenager in Syria would accept electronic ankle monitoring and religious counseling as conditions of bail.

Zeinab Ahmad, 31, pursued her bail request in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on charges of slavery. The proceedings took place Thursday and Friday, with continuation scheduled for June 15 when defense lawyer Grace Morgan plans to call a police witness.

The mother of three would reside with her daughter at her uncle Abraham Abbas’s Melbourne residence. The mechanic expressed his contempt for the Islamic State group during court testimony.

“They’re evil and they don’t represent anything to do with Islam at all,” Abbas said.

Ahmad and her 53-year-old mother Kawsar Ahmad, also identified as Kawsar Abbas, have remained in custody on slavery charges since arriving back in Australia last month from a Syrian refugee camp alongside other Australian women and children connected to IS.

A Yazidi woman claims she was held in slavery at the Ahmad family residence during 2017 and 2018 in Raqqa, Syria, which was then an IS stronghold. The alleged victim also claims she suffered rape and beatings from the defendants’ husband and father Mohammed Ahmad, who remains imprisoned in Iraq.

Morgan informed the court her client would accept religious counseling if released through a police-administered program involving a council of imams designed to combat violent extremism.

Ahmad would also submit to what’s known as a control order featuring requirements such as electronic ankle monitoring and phone surveillance.

Courts typically impose these orders on convicted terrorists nearing the completion of prison sentences who still present an unacceptable public threat. The orders limit an individual’s behavior, travel and communications for a designated timeframe.

Two police officers testified Friday that such orders cannot legally substitute for or supplement bail conditions.

Detective Senior Constable Marc Clendenning, who leads the investigation, stated that electronic monitoring of Ahmad’s location and communications would not reduce the risk to acceptable levels.

“There’s a lot of unknown information about the accused’s ideology,” Clendenning said.

“The fact of being under Islamic State for over a decade, no conditions of that nature would ameliorate the risk,” he added.

Three generations of Ahmad family members relocated from Melbourne to Syria through Turkey between 2013 and 2014.

Morgan contended that since Victoria state has never previously prosecuted such slavery charges, the trial would require more time than typical criminal cases.

Detective Sgt. Matt Archer, who supervises the Joint Counter Terrorism Team, disagreed that it would necessarily extend beyond other prosecutions but acknowledged that first-time offenses create certain legal complications.

Australian authorities located the woman who claims she was enslaved in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq in 2019. Officials were unable to electronically record her interview regarding her accusations against the Ahmad family, but she submitted a written statement, according to prosecution materials.

Morgan questioned how defense attorneys could obtain all necessary evidence and documentation through the Kurdistan Regional Government, which governs Iraq’s semi-autonomous region.

Ahmad faces two crimes against humanity charges: enslavement and use of a slave. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years imprisonment.

The Norwegian royal family announced Friday that Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been added to the nation’s lung transplant waiting list due to worsening health conditions.

The 52-year-old royal, married to Crown Prince Haakon who is next in line for Norway’s throne, received a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis six years ago in 2018. This chronic condition creates scar tissue in the lungs, which reduces the body’s ability to absorb oxygen effectively.

Medical officials at Oslo University Hospital indicated in December that the timing for a transplant procedure was drawing near, though at that point the crown princess had not yet been added to Norway’s recipient waiting list.

Massive crowds filled the streets of Albania’s capital city Thursday evening in the week’s largest demonstration against a proposed $1.6 billion luxury development connected to Jared Kushner’s investment company near an ecologically important section of the Adriatic coastline.

Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners is spearheading the massive project, which would span an Albanian island and an undeveloped coastal area adjacent to the Vjosa-Narta protected region. This southern wetland serves as crucial habitat for flamingos, seals and nesting sea turtles.

Environmental advocates are fighting the development, arguing it would impact several hundred hectares of unspoiled beaches and disrupt thousands of flamingos that breed and migrate through the region annually.

Construction preparation and heavy equipment arriving at the Vjosa-Narta location sparked local demonstrations last week, which escalated into major street rallies in the capital city.

Demonstrators assembled once more outside Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office Thursday evening, carrying pink inflatable flamingos while shouting “revolution” and “stop the project.” One sign demanded: “Edi Rama, resign.”

“Albania is not for sale. Albania belongs to the Albanian people and we decide what we want to do here. It’s not that some corrupt politicians who run Albania can decide what they can do with our property, with the Albanian heritage, the natural heritage, a cultural heritage,” said Lindita Komani, a writer who joined the protests.

Prime Minister Rama has supported the development. Project developers have stated their commitment to “responsible stewardship and environmental enhancement.”

Albania’s Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj announced Thursday that environmental impact studies are currently being prepared for the proposed development, which must fully meet environmental regulations and protect local ecosystems.

She noted that European environmental standards and Albanian legislation offer legal protections against developments that could damage the protected lagoon and surrounding wildlife areas, according to Albania’s state news agency ATA.

Kushner revealed plans for the resort development in 2024 as part of a broader investment portfolio that also involved a former military facility in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital. He abandoned the Serbian project last year after facing public demonstrations.

A Chinese state media company plans to spend more than $162 million developing an artificial intelligence system designed to promote President Xi Jinping’s political ideology, according to stock exchange documents filed this week.

Xinhuanet, which operates under China’s official Xinhua news agency, described the initiative as an ‘authoritative’ AI platform called ‘Xinhua Yudian,’ or Xinhua lexicon. The system will function as ‘an intelligent agent for learning, researching, and disseminating Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,’ company officials stated.

The AI platform will be guided by mainstream values and focused on ‘spreading the positive voice,’ while delivering current events and political news to users struggling with information overload and ‘a dilemma of trust in distinguishing truth from falsehood,’ according to the filing.

This technology initiative aligns with China’s comprehensive ‘AI+’ strategy introduced in March, which aims to integrate artificial intelligence throughout the nation’s economy. The project also builds on earlier digital campaigns to expand official state ideology’s influence among tech-savvy young people.

Chinese authorities previously launched a successful propaganda application called ‘Xuexi Qiangguo’ in 2019, which translates to ‘Study to make China strong.’ The app became so popular after its debut that it temporarily surpassed WeChat and the Chinese version of TikTok as the top download on Apple’s China app store.

The planned AI system will present key elements of Xi’s speeches to users, functioning as a politically sensitive reference tool to ensure that citations of Xi’s statements ‘in official document writing and policy interpretation are accurate and error-free.’

Built using the state news agency’s ‘pure and clean’ information database, the artificial intelligence platform will help broadcast the party’s message across all areas of Chinese society, providing additional support for ‘consolidating the ideological and public opinion foundation,’ company representatives explained.

PARIS, June 5 – France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called an urgent meeting Friday with the interior minister, justice minister and other officials following intense public criticism over a missing child case that has exposed serious flaws in the judicial system, according to government officials.

An 11-year-old girl named Lyhanna disappeared from the small southern French community of Fleurance on May 29 after leaving her middle school that afternoon.

The man arrested in connection with her disappearance – who is the father of one of Lyhanna’s classmates – had previously been the target of multiple sexual assault complaints involving children.

Politicians across the political spectrum, from far-right leader Jordan Bardella to Green party leader Marine Tondelier, have pointed to this case as evidence of serious problems in France’s justice system and its failure to shield women and children from sexual violence.

“We have a family who is mourning. We cannot forget that,” said Gregory Bobbato, the mayor of Fleurance, during a television interview with BFM. “It’s a real dysfunction of the state, of France.”

Community members organized massive search efforts involving hundreds of volunteers after Lyhanna’s disappearance. On Thursday, officials announced they had discovered a body that is currently being identified.

“As a minister, I am terrified, and as a father, even more so, by this despicable tragedy that is unfolding,” French justice minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters Thursday evening.

Darmanin announced that both the justice ministry and interior ministry will launch a combined investigation into the system failures that allowed the complaints against the suspect to go unaddressed, including a local prosecutor’s request for an investigation that was never carried out.

The minister promised that investigation results will be released publicly and appropriate measures will be implemented.

Citizens of Peru will head to polling stations Sunday to select their nation’s ninth leader in a single decade, choosing between a conservative candidate whose father previously held the presidency and a nationalist lawmaker.

In April’s initial voting round, Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez emerged victorious over 33 competing candidates by pledging to address escalating criminal activity, which has become the primary concern for citizens witnessing murder rates climb twofold and extortion incidents skyrocket throughout this decade. However, neither candidate secured even 20% of voter support.

Sunday’s final results are anticipated to show a close race, with the ultimate winner potentially remaining unknown for several days. Election officials required over a month to formally announce that Fujimori — whose late father Alberto Fujimori was a former president later convicted of crimes — and Sánchez — who supports imprisoned former President Pedro Castillo — had won the April 12 primary.

Peruvian law requires citizens between 18 and 70 years old to participate in elections. Registration records show more than 27 million eligible voters, with approximately 1.2 million expected to submit ballots from overseas locations, primarily from the United States and Argentina.

A significant portion of these voters has indicated uncertainty about their choice.

“There is a large group of undecided voters … I think that’s where the emotionally driven anti-votes will play out the final battle,” political analyst Iván García said.

The primary worry among Peruvians centers on increasing criminal activity, especially extortion schemes, which have sparked numerous public demonstrations. Research conducted in 2025 by the state’s National Institute of Statistics and Informatics revealed that 84% of urban respondents expressed fear of becoming crime victims within the next year.

Specialists link the growing influence of criminal organizations in Peru to revenue generated by long-established gangs involved in unauthorized gold extraction operations in the Andes and Amazon regions. During 2025, Peru shipped 100 tons of illegally extracted gold, nearly matching the volume of legitimately mined gold exports.

Over the past five years, extortion reports nationwide have increased five times, totaling 28,948 incidents last year, while murders have doubled to reach 2,226 in 2025, based on government statistics.

The Ministry of Economy calculated in July that criminal activity costs Peruvians approximately $5 billion each year. This amount encompasses government investment in law enforcement operations as well as private expenditures on security cameras and protection services.

Despite crime issues and political turmoil caused by frequent presidential changes — with three leaders since October alone — Peru’s economy has remained resilient. Benefiting from its position as the globe’s second-largest copper producer, the nation achieved over 3% economic expansion in both 2024 and 2025.

At age 51, Fujimori is making her fourth bid for the presidency.

During her campaign, she has vowed to address crime with strict enforcement measures. Her platform includes deploying technology to monitor extortion activities, militarizing national borders, and expanding police and military presence in dangerous zones. She has also stated that incarcerated individuals will be mandated to work and “repay society.”

During the sole pre-runoff debate, Fujimori supported her father’s administration and vowed to eliminate crime similar to his victory over the Shining Path terrorist organization.

She told voters that should she win, they will see “cheaper chicken, affordable gas cylinders, reasonably priced fertilizers for your crops” and will “return home safe and sound.”

Recently, Fujimori has also worked to moderate her hard-line crime stance through friendly outreach to past political opponents, including former President Pedro Kuczynski, who beat her in 2016.

Kuczynski stepped down in 2018 following removal demands led by Fujimori’s political party, to whom she later offered an apology for creating instability.

“I know that throughout my political life I have made mistakes, and I have learned from them,” Fujimori said during the debate.

Sánchez, a former government minister, has worked to calm investor worries about his candidacy by stating he will not seize assets belonging to international companies extracting minerals or gas from Peru.

He has also committed to fighting police corruption and advancing reforms allowing military involvement in security operations.

During the debate, Sánchez, who enjoys strong support among rural communities, indicated openness to “all options to generate jobs and progress” while highlighting his backing of Chinese investment.

He told The Associated Press that he will seek to renegotiate mining contracts, including the one for Las Bambas, one of the world’s largest copper mines, controlled by the Chinese state-owned company Minmetals.

The 57-year-old candidate, who wears a wide-brimmed peasant hat given to him by Castillo, has also separated himself from ultranationalist ally Antauro Humala — a former military officer and brother of the imprisoned former President Ollanta Humala — who proposes applying the death penalty in corruption cases.

Registration numbers for China’s demanding national university entrance examination have plummeted this year, with 450,000 fewer students signing up compared to last year, bringing the total to 12.9 million test-takers.

The Ministry of Education released these statistics on Wednesday, showing the second straight year of declining participation in the exam scheduled to start Sunday. This follows a decrease of 70,000 registrations in the previous year from 2024.

The drop reflects both a shrinking population of college-aged youth and deteriorating employment conditions, with joblessness among 16 to 24-year-olds surpassing 16%. Economic experts anticipate unemployment rates will climb further when a record 12.7 million college graduates flood the job market this summer.

Education officials did not address the falling registration numbers but stated they would “resolutely crack down on illegal and irregular activities such as false publicity, high fees, organising fraud or cheating.”

The trend shows growing student preference for vocational training programs that typically lead directly to employment. Local news outlets reported hundreds of parents lined up at a Beijing trade school in May competing for only 30 openings. Shanghai’s vocational institutions have experienced a 15% jump in enrollment over the past three years.

The challenging job climate became evident when over 700 people applied for just two shepherd positions in remote grasslands south of Mongolia. Chinese farm owner Zuo Xiaoyong’s online job posting attracted 59 million views on Weibo, China’s version of X, within hours and drew applications from urban professionals in major cities like Shanghai and Chongqing, factory employees nationwide, and college graduates.

This massive response underscores the mounting pressure in the nation’s employment sector.

For students taking this year’s examination, education authorities have implemented enhanced security protocols, including “intelligent screening systems to prevent high-tech cheating involving devices such as mobile phones and smart glasses.”

TIVAT, Montenegro (AP) — Top officials from the European Union and Balkan nations convened Friday in Montenegro to explore expanding the EU to encompass regional countries, viewed as crucial territory for addressing security and economic challenges from Russia and China.

The EU-Western Balkans conference, taking place in the coastal Adriatic town of Tivat, brings together European officials including France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, alongside leaders from other Balkan EU hopefuls and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Central to discussions will be Montenegro’s EU membership bid. This small, mountainous former Yugoslav republic celebrated the 20th anniversary last month of declaring independence from its union with neighboring Serbia.

Following its 2017 NATO membership, the nation of 623,000 residents has set an ambitious goal of becoming the EU’s 28th member state by 2028. The slogan “28 by 28” appears on aircraft belonging to Montenegro’s national carrier.

Brussels has established a working group to prepare Montenegro’s membership agreement — indicating that joining the bloc is achievable. The country leads other regional candidates including Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia.

These nations are progressing through various phases of the membership process, with the EU recently pushing for reforms among candidate countries due to concerns over expanding Russian and Chinese influence.

Prospective members must align their legislation across 35 policy sectors or “chapters,” covering everything from judicial standards to agricultural and fisheries regulations. All 27 current EU nations must approve opening each chapter and closing it afterward.

Ukraine and Moldova also rank among roughly ten nations seeking to join the organization. Iceland plans an August referendum on whether to submit an application.

European Council President Antonio Costa will lead the summit. During his Western Balkans tour this week, he has stressed the bloc’s commitment to expansion.

With conflicts ongoing in Ukraine, Iran and the Middle East, and questions surrounding Europe’s security as the United States appears less dedicated to NATO partnerships, EU nations have prioritized strengthening military capacity and defending against an increasingly hostile Russia.

Following his Thursday meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Costa stated that amid “global geopolitical uncertainty and economic instability,” EU expansion is “not just an opportunity. It is a geostrategic necessity for Europe.”

Faruk Bašić, who researches at the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, predicted the summit will accelerate Montenegro’s 2028 membership timeline while establishing new measures to prevent member states from violating EU principles.

This marks the first EU leaders’ gathering since Viktor Orbán’s surprising April defeat. Hungary’s former Russia-aligned prime minister spent 16 years undermining EU democratic and rule-of-law standards while building relationships with other authoritarian leaders.

Learning from Orbán’s democratic deterioration and his frequent use of European Council vetoes, the EU is developing alternative approaches using financial sanctions or limited single market access to pressure new members toward reform and compliance with bloc standards, Bašić explained.

“The EU is trying to find a way how to admit a country that isn’t fully ready to be admitted without losing the ability to hold it accountable after the fact,” he said, referencing Ukraine’s membership application as well as Western Balkan nations like Serbia and Kosovo.

Australian environmental officials announced Friday they had confiscated more than 100,000 prohibited live cockroaches from a commercial breeder in what authorities describe as the nation’s biggest seizure of exotic invertebrates ever recorded.

The massive collection of Madagascar hissing cockroaches and dubia cockroaches, valued at 200,000 Australian dollars ($142,000), was taken from a breeder operating in Bathurst, New South Wales state, during a May operation, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water reported.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches rank among the planet’s largest cockroach species, growing to lengths of 2 to 3 inches. Department photographs revealed glossy, brown creatures exceeding the size of human fingers.

These exotic insects dwarf Australia’s native cockroach species, which typically measure just 0.9 to 1.4 inches long. The continent’s subtropical climate conditions support cockroach populations, with hundreds of different species calling Australia home.

Local snake catcher Stefanie Lesser explained to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that these oversized exotic varieties were probably marketed as economical food for reptiles since their substantial size reduced the quantity needed per feeding. Department officials recommended pet owners choose crickets or wood roaches as alternative food sources for their lizards.

Australian law prohibits importing both Madagascar hissing and dubia cockroaches. The insects cannot be legally possessed, bred, or sold regardless of how someone acquired them, according to departmental statements.

The country maintains rigorous border security measures designed to safeguard its farming industries and indigenous wildlife from invasive pest problems. Individuals caught smuggling undeclared or prohibited animals, insects, or plant materials face substantial monetary penalties.

These foreign cockroach species “have not been subject to an environmental risk assessment” and could potentially transmit diseases or threaten local wildlife populations, officials explained. Authorities warned they would pursue legal action against anyone found possessing these invertebrates.

A department spokesperson confirmed no criminal charges were filed against the Bathurst breeder. Officials stated the confiscated cockroaches would be destroyed.

A top Japanese technology official issued a stark warning Friday that the nation faces the risk of becoming an “AI colony” unless it accelerates its artificial intelligence development efforts.

Digital Minister Hisashi Matsumoto delivered the cautionary message while supporting proposed legislation that would modify Japan’s data privacy regulations. The changes would permit artificial intelligence companies to use personal information, including medical and criminal records, for training their systems without obtaining consent from individuals.

“I hope many Japanese people understand that we need to press ahead with AI development, or we’ll end up becoming an ‘AI colony’,” Matsumoto stated.

The minister emphasized the urgency behind the proposed legal changes during a news conference. “The point of this change is that, with AI development moving so fast, Japan can’t afford to fall behind,” he explained to reporters.

Opposition political groups have raised objections to the government-sponsored legislation, expressing worries about potential data security breaches. The measure successfully cleared the lower chamber of parliament last week and is currently under consideration in the upper house.

Japanese leadership has intensified initiatives to bolster domestic artificial intelligence capabilities through various means including financial subsidies, strategic purchasing programs, and regulatory adjustments. These efforts come as the nation navigates an increasingly competitive global technology landscape dominated by the United States and China.

The country has pursued partnerships with American technology firms including Microsoft and OpenAI while simultaneously supporting domestic companies such as SoftBank, Sakura Internet, and semiconductor manufacturers to expand locally-developed AI systems and computing infrastructure.

Japan’s determination to maintain competitiveness in artificial intelligence development mirrors similar concerns among governments globally, as nations worry about technological dependence on foreign entities. This week, the European Union announced a comprehensive technology independence initiative aimed at strengthening domestic cloud computing, AI, and semiconductor sectors while reducing reliance on American technology companies.

May 29 – June 5, 2026

A new photo gallery captures a week of significant events across Latin America and the Caribbean, showcasing demonstrations and political developments throughout the region.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, thousands of people took to the streets in demonstrations against femicide. Meanwhile, elderly citizens gathered in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, demanding improved healthcare and retirement benefits. In Mexico City, educators held rallies seeking increased wages, and Chilean students engaged in confrontations with law enforcement while opposing proposed reductions to education funding.

Political activity was also prominent during this period. Citizens in Colombia participated in the initial round of presidential voting, while Peru made preparations for an upcoming runoff election. Mexico continued its preparations to serve as host nation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The photo collection was assembled by photojournalist Marco Ugarte, who is based in Mexico City.

China’s top leader will make a state visit to North Korea early next week, marking his first journey to the neighboring nation in almost seven years, officials from both countries confirmed Friday.

The diplomatic trip comes just one day after North Korea revealed a new nuclear facility designed to produce bomb-making materials. Analysts believe the timing of the facility’s disclosure suggests North Korea’s leader is working to strengthen his nation’s nuclear credentials before the Chinese leader’s arrival.

State media from both nations reported the visit will span Monday through Tuesday. The Chinese leader’s previous trip to North Korea occurred in June 2019.

This visit follows recent separate meetings the Chinese leader held with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing just weeks ago.

North Korea’s leader has recently focused on strengthening ties with Russia, providing military personnel and weapons to assist in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. However, he has also been working to improve relations with China, which serves as North Korea’s primary trading partner and source of aid.

The two leaders met in Beijing during September, where they committed to mutual support and increased cooperation. The North Korean leader was visiting China’s capital to participate in a military parade alongside other international figures, including Putin.

Military officials in South Korea have identified the newly revealed nuclear facility as a uranium enrichment plant. During his tour of the facility, the North Korean leader announced intentions to strengthen his country’s nuclear capabilities “at an exponential rate.”

According to experts, the North Korean leader seeks global acknowledgment of his country’s nuclear status to pressure for the removal of U.N. economic sanctions. Analysts suggest he ultimately aims to engage in arms reduction negotiations with the U.S. to secure benefits in exchange for partially reducing his nuclear arsenal.

Trump has consistently indicated interest in restarting diplomatic talks with the North Korean leader, but North Korea has responded that the U.S. must first abandon its requirement for North Korea to eliminate its nuclear weapons before negotiations can begin.

Both Russia and China, which hold veto power on the U.N. Security Council, have previously blocked efforts by the U.S. and other nations to strengthen international sanctions against North Korea, despite its prohibited weapons testing.

During their Beijing meeting last month, Putin and the Chinese leader voiced their opposition to “foreign policy isolation, economic sanctions, military pressure and other methods of creating threats to the security” of North Korea, according to a Kremlin statement.

Adopting concepts of a “new Cold War” and a multipolar world order, the North Korean leader has pursued a more aggressive foreign policy approach by strengthening relationships with nations that are in conflict with the United States.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s governing alliance confronts a critical examination of public confidence following announcements this week that two states will hold unexpected elections, raising questions about potential early national voting.

Coalition partners of Anwar control the state governments in Negeri Sembilan and Johor, where legislative bodies were disbanded on Friday and Monday respectively, triggering elections that must occur within two months.

Although these regional contests won’t directly affect Anwar’s parliamentary majority at the national level, substantial defeats could damage his coalition’s standing before the next general election scheduled for early 2028. Last month, Anwar indicated he might call an early national vote if disagreements within his government continue expanding.

Officials from Anwar’s office had not responded to requests for comment by Friday.

Anwar’s governing partnership, comprising his Pakatan Harapan group, former opponent Barisan Nasional, and several smaller parties, has experienced disagreements over approaches to ethnic and religious matters in the diverse, predominantly Muslim nation. Progressive coalition members have expressed dissatisfaction with the gradual implementation of reform measures.

The prime minister has also faced demands from the previously powerful United Malays National Organisation, a Barisan component, regarding its campaign for royal clemency for former prime minister and UMNO chief Najib Razak, who received a prison sentence in 2022 for his involvement in the massive 1MDB financial scandal.

Pakatan currently controls Negeri Sembilan state, where voting wasn’t scheduled until late 2028, while Barisan oversees Johor, where elections weren’t expected until next year.

Highlighting coalition strains, Barisan announced it will compete in Johor’s state elections alone, without Pakatan backing. In Negeri Sembilan, Pakatan plans to field candidates for all 36 available positions, having secured 17 seats in the previous state contest.

Two additional states, Malacca and Sarawak, must also conduct elections in upcoming months. The Election Commission, responsible for scheduling state voting, has noted that an early general election would enable simultaneous state contests, reducing expenses.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea from June 8 to 9, according to state news agency Xinhua’s announcement Friday, marking his first visit in nearly seven years as China works to strengthen relationships with Pyongyang.

The trip comes after Xi recently hosted separate summits in Beijing with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Trump, who held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his first term, has previously indicated willingness to meet with the North Korean leader again.

Kim attended a large-scale military parade in Beijing last September, making the journey to China’s capital aboard his distinctive green armored train.

China has been working to bring Pyongyang — its sole formal treaty ally — back into closer alignment after COVID-19 restrictions halted diplomatic exchanges and the North Korean leader strengthened ties with Moscow through military support, including troops and weapons for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.