Author: Admin

The European Union is developing new regulations that could prevent major American technology companies from securing critical government cloud computing contracts, according to internal documents obtained by Reuters.

The restrictions would target Amazon, Microsoft and Google through stringent requirements for highly sensitive state procurement projects. These proposed rules form part of the European Commission’s Cloud and AI Development Act, which the EU’s technology leader Henna Virkkunen plans to unveil on Wednesday.

The announcement will be included in a broader set of initiatives designed to decrease Europe’s reliance on American technology firms. The draft proposal, which has not been previously disclosed and may still undergo modifications, would establish mandatory evaluation standards beyond pricing considerations.

These new standards would include stipulations that software and hardware be created within EU borders, a requirement that would put American technology giants at a significant disadvantage in the bidding process.

When asked for comment, the European Commission refused to discuss specific details of the upcoming proposal. However, officials stated that the technology independence package represents something that is “crucial for strengthening Europe’s own technological capacities, for Europe’s competitiveness and security.”

NAIROBI, Kenya — Large crowds of young demonstrators gathered Monday in the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki to voice opposition to plans for establishing an Ebola quarantine facility for American citizens at the Laikipia Air Base.

The demonstrations occurred just two days following a Kenya High Court decision to temporarily halt the facility’s creation and block any incoming foreign patients while reviewing a legal challenge brought by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog organization.

Both groups pointed to Kenya’s vulnerable healthcare infrastructure as justification for why foreign Ebola patients should not receive quarantine treatment within the country’s borders.

American officials announced Thursday their intention to transport Americans who have been exposed to Ebola overseas to this new Kenyan facility rather than bringing them back to the United States. Speaking anonymously about the administration’s strategy, these officials indicated the Laikipia Air Base location would become operational by Friday with capacity for 50 quarantine patients.

During Monday’s demonstration, large numbers of young people gathered at the air base entrance, shouting slogans opposing Ebola-related activities.

Health Minister Aden Duale stated Sunday that the quarantine facility was designed for “everyone” rather than being limited to U.S. citizens exclusively.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a statement that the U.S. government plans to provide $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness initiatives.

Regional officials, including Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, have expressed their opposition to creating an Ebola quarantine center to media representatives.

“This will expose our people to Ebola,” he stated, noting that numerous local residents are employed at the air base and face potential exposure risks.

While Kenya has recorded no Ebola infections, nearby Uganda has documented nine cases and shut down its border with Congo.

Congo has reported a minimum of 282 confirmed infections along with more than 1,000 suspected instances of the Bundibugyo virus, the current Ebola strain, for which no authorized treatment or vaccination exists.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — International arbitrators have dismissed Rwanda’s $134 million legal challenge against the United Kingdom over a terminated refugee resettlement program that Prime Minister Keir Starmer cancelled upon assuming office in 2024.

The agreement, established in 2022 under Starmer’s predecessor, Rishi Sunak, called for relocating asylum seekers who reached the U.K. by boat or as stowaways to the East African nation. The arrangement included financial provisions to Rwanda for associated expenses. When Starmer terminated the program, his home secretary at the time, Yvette Cooper, described it as “the most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen.”

The Permanent Court of Arbitration dismissed two separate Rwandan demands, each worth 50 million pounds ($67 million), related to financing for the cancelled program. While the ruling was dated May 15, the Hague-based tribunal officially released it on Monday. The panel also turned down two additional Rwandan complaints concerning alleged U.K. violations of the agreement.

In their 76-page decision, arbitrators determined that formal diplomatic correspondence between both nations following Starmer’s cancellation constituted a mutual understanding that the U.K. would not provide the two 50 million-pound installments scheduled for April 2025 and 2026 to fund migrant relocations.

The original plan called for transferring migrants to Rwanda, where asylum applications would be reviewed and approved applicants would remain permanently. Britain’s Supreme Court declared the policy illegal, ruling that Rwanda could not be considered a safe destination for relocated migrants.

The British government issued a statement saying: “The U.K. robustly defended its position, and the tribunal has now ruled in favor of the U.K. on all grounds.”

The statement continued that Starmer’s government is “now focused on delivering vital reforms to restore order and control to our borders, including removing the incentives drawing illegal migrants to Britain and scaling up removals of those with no right to be here.”

Rwanda has not yet provided a response to the ruling.

BEDZIN, Poland — Researchers have made extraordinary discoveries in a southern Polish house that once sheltered Jewish resistance fighters during World War II, uncovering hidden bunkers, underground passages, and artifacts that tell a powerful story of survival and defiance.

Among the most moving finds was an armband displaying the Star of David, discovered by the Cukerman’s Gate Foundation during their methodical search of the property.

“This armband is a witness, it’s like directly touching that evil which people created for other people,” Karolina Jakoweńko from the Cukerman’s Gate Foundation, which organized the search, told The Associated Press. Seeing it felt like a “jolt,” she said.

The two-story red brick structure sits in what was once the Jewish ghetto during the war. Young people from left-wing Zionist groups established a “kibbutz” there — essentially a support network designed to help members survive and fight back against Nazi forces.

During recent preparation work for renovations, Jakoweńko and her team methodically searched the attic, removing floorboards piece by piece and sifting through debris collected in buckets. Their careful examination revealed items from multiple time periods, including a Jewish prayer book from 1934 and the significant armband.

The foundation made even more dramatic discoveries last year when they found a bunker and underground passage on the property, guided by survivor accounts and oral histories they had gathered. Research indicates three separate bunkers existed around the building.

“The entry to the bunker was through the kitchen oven,” Piotr Jakoweńko said, pointing to a second bunker located under the kitchen, where bricks were arranged differently. “We are not aware any of the people here survived when the Nazis discovered this place. Perhaps as many as 60 were hiding here.”

Finding these hiding places required painstaking examination of every section of the property, with archaeological experts providing guidance throughout the process.

Wojciech Mazan, one of the volunteers who helped with the search, said their work was grueling but it mirrored what the Jewish youth was doing to dig out the tunnel and bunkers. “We feel some closeness to them in this energy. The house is speaking to us.”

Before the war began, approximately 27,000 Jewish residents called Bedzin home, making up half the town’s population. Additional Jewish families lived in surrounding communities in this coal-mining region near Germany, creating one of Poland’s most diverse and economically thriving Jewish populations. Nazi authorities officially established ghettos for Jewish residents in 1942.

The building now being preserved represents a crucial location in the history of Jewish resistance throughout Nazi-occupied Poland. While the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943 remains the most widely known example of Jewish resistance, numerous other resistance efforts occurred throughout the country.

According to Joanna Król-Komła from the POLIN Museum of the History of the Polish Jews in Warsaw, this site could become an important destination for Holocaust education across Europe.

“There are only a few authentic places in Europe where Jews hid that have been preserved,” she said. “But in those cases, the story is usually told from the perspective of the righteous — those who saved Jews.” In Bedzin, by contrast, the preserved hiding place was organized by Jews themselves.

When Nazi forces began dismantling the Bedzin ghetto during summer 1943, Jewish residents had successfully obtained approximately 20 firearms from outside the ghetto walls. They understood that the Warsaw Ghetto, which had a larger and better-equipped resistance movement, had been destroyed in May.

The Jews in Bedzin knew well they stood no chance to survive and some chose to die weapons in hand, shooting at the Nazis who found them, Król-Komła said.

Frumka Płotnicka, a female fighter and courier from the Warsaw resistance movement who was sent to Bedzin to help organize local Jews, died in a third bunker that hasn’t been found yet, according to Karolina Jakoweńko.

She said the acts of resistance in the community went beyond shooting back at the Nazis. “Whether building bunkers or trying to hide a child or an aging parent, this is all resistance. It doesn’t always have to be a fight with weapons in hand. The fact that they wanted to survive was a form of resistance.”

Prior to World War II, Poland housed Europe’s largest Jewish community, with approximately 3.3 million residents. Although Nazi Germany, which controlled Poland during the conflict, bears responsibility for the Holocaust, Poland continues to grapple with historical instances where Polish neighbors participated in local attacks against Jewish communities.

In Bedzin, however, the local community is actively working to revive its Jewish history. Karolina Jakoweńko, who is originally from Bedzin, said “this Jewish history, for me, gave meaning to this town.”

She also recognized the Polish family who constructed the red brick house between the wars, Maria and Józef Polak, who lived alongside Jewish residents throughout the conflict, with children playing together, as allowed under Bedzin ghetto regulations. Family accounts shared with Jakoweńko describe how the woman saw the courtyard filled with bodies after Nazi forces killed the Jewish people who had been hiding.

Following the war’s end, the Polish family and their descendants decided against fencing the property, welcoming Jewish visitors and others. Recently, they agreed to transfer ownership to the Cukerman’s Gate Foundation, which intends to establish a museum called “the Bedzin Ghetto Fighters’ House.”

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confronts another political crisis Monday as hundreds of pages of government documents about former U.K. ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson are set to become public, highlighting the diplomat’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The government plans to meet parliamentary demands to disclose records concerning Mandelson’s selection for and performance in Britain’s top diplomatic position.

After serving just nine months, Mandelson was dismissed, and the controversy surrounding his problematic appointment has put Starmer’s leadership in jeopardy.

An initial batch of documents released in March showed that government officials had been cautioned that Mandelson’s association with Epstein could create “reputational risk” for the administration.

Subsequently, it emerged that Mandelson received approval for the ambassadorial position despite not passing security clearance requirements, leading to heated finger-pointing between Starmer and top civil service officials responsible for security screening.

Monday’s document release may contain over 1,000 pages, including correspondence such as emails and text messages exchanged between Mandelson and government officials and advisers.

Law enforcement has requested that certain documents remain confidential as they are part of an ongoing criminal probe into Mandelson for suspected misconduct in public office. The 72-year-old Mandelson was temporarily detained in February by investigators looking into claims he shared classified government intelligence with Epstein during his ministerial tenure fifteen years earlier.

He remains free with no bail restrictions while the police inquiry proceeds.

Health Secretary James Murray stated Monday that the document disclosure represents an “unprecedented” degree of government openness.

“It’s right we do that. We have been very clear that the appointment of Mandelson was wrong,” he told Sky News.

Conservative lawmaker Alex Burghart warned that any effort to suppress or heavily edit documents beyond those requested by police “will be viewed by the House as a contempt of Parliament, and as a cover-up by the British public.”

Starmer terminated Mandelson’s position in September 2025 following an earlier document release that demonstrated he had continued communication with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sexual crimes involving a minor.

Opposition figures argue that Starmer’s choice to name Mandelson demonstrates poor decision-making by a prime minister who has committed numerous errors since leading the center-left Labour Party to an overwhelming electoral win in July 2024.

Information about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, exposed in extensive files released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January, generated fresh concerns about Starmer’s leadership abilities, prompting adversaries and some Labour members of parliament to demand the prime minister step down.

These demands grew stronger after Labour experienced significant defeats in local elections in May. A senior Cabinet minister, Wes Streeting, stepped down with plans to contest Starmer for Labour leadership. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is seeking a parliamentary seat in a June 18 special election and is also anticipated to challenge Starmer if successful.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — The Hungarian government plans to modify the nation’s constitution in order to oust the current president, as part of new Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s campaign to eliminate officials installed during former populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s tenure.

Magyar’s Tizsa party secured a decisive electoral win in April, gaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority that enables them to implement major reforms to the authoritarian system Orbán established during his 16-year leadership.

Following his electoral success, Magyar has consistently demanded that President Tamás Sulyok, who was selected by Orbán’s party, step down or face constitutional removal. Magyar had set a May 31 deadline for Sulyok’s departure, frequently describing him as “Orbán’s puppet.”

Although the presidency is largely ceremonial, Hungary’s president holds responsibility for approving legislation and possesses authority to refer parliamentary bills to the constitutional court for examination, creating worries among the new administration’s allies that he might use this power to block their agenda.

Magyar met with Sulyok at the presidential Sándor Palace on Monday morning. During a subsequent press briefing, Magyar announced that the president had declined to step down. He stated he would direct his party’s legislators to immediately initiate the “necessary procedures” for presidential removal, estimating the process would require approximately one month.

“Hungary does not belong to Tamás Sulyok, nor to Viktor Orbán. It doesn’t belong to a single party or political system,” Magyar said. “The constitution states quite clearly that the president showcases the unity of the nation and guards the democratic functioning of the state.”

The prime minister did not provide details about which type of constitutional modification would be employed to remove Sulyok.

Magyar also criticized Sulyok for neglecting his responsibilities on various matters, including remaining silent when Orbán made dehumanizing remarks about political adversaries and critics, and when the former government enacted laws prohibiting the LGBTQ+ Pride event.

“It is in Hungary’s interest that this institution — the office of the president — regain the prestige that has been eroded by its silence and inaction,” Magyar said.

Last Friday, Sulyok’s office issued a statement declaring that Magyar’s resignation demands “adversely affect both the constitutional functioning and the authority of the institution of the President of the Republic.”

The statement also noted that Sulyok had sought a legal evaluation of the dispute from the Venice Commission, a panel of legal experts affiliated with Europe’s leading human rights organization, the Council of Europe.

Manufacturing facilities worldwide are experiencing major economic impacts from the Middle East conflict, with European producers reporting decreased demand and the steepest increase in raw material expenses in four years, while their Asian counterparts have expanded operations through stockpiling efforts, according to recent industry surveys released Monday.

The conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran that started in late February has disrupted global commerce, created instability in financial markets and sparked worries about worldwide energy availability, especially regarding shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical pathway for oil and natural gas transport.

The survey results were released following warnings from leadership at the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organization about the conflict’s impact on global energy availability.

The S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI dropped to 51.6 in May, down from April’s nearly four-year peak of 52.2, though it exceeded the preliminary projection of 51.4. Any measurement over 50.0 signals expansion.

“Although euro area manufacturers reported an expansion for a fourth successive month in May, the sector is showing signs of struggling under the weight of rising prices and supply disruptions emanating from the war in the Middle East,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Manufacturing in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, came to a standstill while French production facilities experienced their first decline since November.

A majority of economists surveyed by Reuters in May expect the European Central Bank to raise its deposit rate this month and at least one additional time this year to prevent higher energy costs from affecting core inflation.

Government data expected Tuesday is projected to reveal that inflation climbed further beyond the ECB’s 2% goal last month.

Manufacturing facilities in Britain increased their prices at the quickest pace since June 2022 last month in reaction to substantial cost increases.

Despite these challenges, production activity grew across most Asian markets.

China’s private sector measurement expanded for six consecutive months while South Korea reached its fastest growth in five years, demonstrating a regional effort to create reserves against possible conflict-related disruptions.

The RatingDog China General Manufacturing PMI, produced by S&P Global, declined to 51.8 in May from April’s 52.2, but performed slightly better than analysts’ prediction of 51.6.

This result differed from an official survey indicating that factory activity in the world’s second-largest economy stagnated last month as new orders declined and input expenses continued rising.

Japan’s manufacturing activity also grew with the PMI reaching 54.5 in May, down from April’s more than four-year peak of 55.1, though companies there experienced the steepest increase in input costs since September 2022 due to higher raw material prices.

South Korea’s PMI climbed to its highest level since March 2021 at 54.8 in May, up from 53.6, again demonstrating companies’ efforts to secure supplies.

In Vietnam, the factory PMI measurement increased to 52.8 from 50.5, while Taiwan’s rose to 56.1 from 55.3, surveys indicated. The Philippines’ index jumped to 50.8 from 48.3.

Emergency teams in northwestern Italy successfully rescued a cave explorer Monday after his leg became pinned beneath a rock approximately 120 meters (394 feet) below ground, according to emergency services officials who reported the operation required 53 rescue personnel.

The nighttime rescue unfolded at the Grotta dei Cinghiali Volanti (Cave of the Flying Wild Boars), located in Cuneo province roughly 120 kilometers south of Turin, an area known as one of Italy’s premier caving destinations.

Rescue teams initially provided medical care to the trapped explorer at a temporary treatment station established within the cave before moving him to the surface for ambulance transport to a medical facility, according to a statement from the Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service.

Officials determined the man’s condition was stable enough that he did not need to be carried out on a stretcher, the rescue service noted, while emphasizing that response teams traveled from multiple regions across Italy to assist.

Authorities identified the rescued individual as an Italian citizen. News outlets reported his age as 20.

Following a Monday meeting with President Tamas Sulyok, Hungary’s Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced his government would pursue legal action to force the president from office if he refuses to step down voluntarily.

Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party scored a decisive electoral win in April, defeating Prime Minister Viktor Orban and vowing to oust numerous officials that Orban had placed in important government roles during his 16-year tenure.

The new prime minister has demanded Sulyok’s resignation, claiming the president has failed to promote national unity on critical matters and has instead worked to advance Orban’s interests and those of his former administration. Sulyok has declined to step down from his position.

“I have told the President that if he maintains his stance and does not resign, I will inform …the lawmakers of Tisza about our legislative proposals today and we will immediately start the necessary procedures,” Magyar stated.

According to Magyar, the legislative effort would span approximately one month and would focus on “removing all the puppets” who participated in “dismantling the rule of law and democracy.”

Orban’s Fidesz party responded by characterizing Magyar’s demands as an “unlawful ultimatum,” asserting that Sulyok is properly executing his legitimate mandate, which extends through 2029, and cannot be forced from his position.

Before becoming president, Sulyok led Hungary’s highest court, a role he obtained through Fidesz selection in 2016. Lawmakers from Orban’s party chose him for the presidency in early 2024.

While Hungary’s presidential role is primarily symbolic, Sulyok retains authority to send legislation back to parliament for additional review or refer measures to the Constitutional Court, actions that could delay or obstruct Magyar’s planned reforms.

Magyar has indicated he plans to leverage his party’s two-thirds legislative majority to modify constitutional provisions and other laws as necessary to compel Sulyok’s departure from office.

MANILA, June 1 – A Filipino lawmaker whose father once held the country’s highest office voluntarily turned himself in to authorities Monday after a judicial order for his detention on corruption allegations tied to an infrastructure controversy that triggered citizen demonstrations last year.

The corruption court issued an arrest warrant for Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on plunder charges, which carry no bail option under the country’s legal system. Anti-corruption officials filed charges last week against Estrada for breaking graft laws by accepting “kickbacks” totaling 573 million pesos ($9.3 million).

“I will not seek Senate custody,” Estrada stated to media at the Senate building, addressing the possibility of seeking protection within the legislative chamber rather than surrendering to law enforcement.

“I am ready to defend myself before the court and I will not hide behind the institution to evade the process,” he continued.

Estrada has maintained his innocence and claimed the accusations are motivated by politics. He secured bail last week for a different charge.

The graft controversy, which has focused on dangerously defective flood-prevention infrastructure throughout the Philippines, has disturbed the corruption-weary country and hampered economic expansion in recent months.

($1 = 61.7010 Philippine pesos)

Israeli forces launched military strikes against Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday, marking a significant escalation one day after ground troops penetrated deeper into Lebanon than they have in over two decades, while Hezbollah militants launched rockets targeting northern Israeli territory, including areas near the coastal city of Haifa.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz released a joint statement explaining their decision to authorize military action against targets in the southern Beirut area known as Dahiyeh. They cited what they described as ongoing ceasefire violations by Hezbollah and “attacks against our cities and citizens” as justification for the strikes.

The militant group had committed to ending attacks against Israel when both sides agreed to a ceasefire in mid-April, but fighting resumed after Israeli military operations in Lebanon that Israel described as defensive measures.

Following Monday’s strike warning, residents of Dahiyeh began evacuating in large numbers, creating traffic congestion on roads leading away from the area where Hezbollah maintains strong community backing.

Overnight Israeli air operations in southern Lebanon resulted in six fatalities, including one Syrian national in a community near Nabatiyeh, according to the state-run National News Agency.

Israeli military officials reported that their Air Force successfully intercepted two projectiles fired from Lebanese territory toward Israel, along with a suspicious aircraft in the region where Israeli troops are conducting operations in southern Lebanon. Military sources indicated no casualties occurred from these incidents.

Hezbollah confirmed conducting rocket and missile operations against northern Israeli targets on Sunday.

This recent violence occurred despite an existing ceasefire arrangement that has been active since April 17, and just before Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to participate in another round of direct negotiations in Washington beginning Tuesday. Hezbollah has declined to participate in direct discussions, relying instead on pressure from Iran, which has called for an end to the Lebanese conflict in its own discussions with Washington.

The Washington negotiations between high-ranking Israeli and Lebanese officials, which started in April, represent the first such direct discussions between the nations in more than thirty years, as they maintain no official diplomatic ties.

The Lebanese capital has largely avoided airstrikes since the ceasefire took effect, with the exception of two specific attacks on the city’s southern areas in May.

A U.S. official revealed late Sunday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had contacted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suggest a new approach for continuing current negotiations, while President Donald Trump considers a potential ceasefire extension involving Iran.

The proposal calls for Hezbollah to cease all attacks on Israel while Israel would avoid escalating military actions in Beirut, according to the official who requested anonymity when discussing confidential diplomatic communications.

The official indicated that Aoun showed interest in the proposal, but Lebanese parliament chief Nabih Berri responded by insisting that Israel must first cease all military activities.

The official noted that the Trump administration does not anticipate Israel abandoning its right to respond to Hezbollah attacks on its territory.

Berri, who maintains close ties with Hezbollah, issued a statement Sunday saying he could ensure the militant organization’s “full, comprehensive and immediate commitment to a ceasefire.” Berri questioned “but who will force Israel to stop its aggression?”

Aoun stated Monday in remarks issued by his office that “Lebanon is facing a fierce and condemned Israeli aggression.” He added that his administration continues working to end “the suffering of the Lebanese in general and the southerners in particular.”

The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in 3,412 deaths in Lebanon and forced more than 1 million people from their homes.

Israeli military sources confirmed that one soldier died in southern Lebanon overnight during a drone attack conducted by Hezbollah. The militant group’s deployment of difficult-to-detect fiber optic drones has proven particularly lethal for Israeli forces, who are having difficulty countering these weapons.

Netanyahu’s office reports that at least 26 Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have died in or around southern Lebanon. Additionally, two civilians have been killed in northern Israel.

Malaysia has implemented new restrictions preventing children under 16 from creating accounts on social media platforms, according to an announcement Monday from the country’s communications regulator. The policy represents part of broader efforts to shield young people from dangerous online material.

This Southeast Asian country becomes part of a growing international movement to control access to digital platforms, as worries increase about social media’s effects on young people’s wellbeing and security.

Starting Monday, major social media companies like Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Alphabet’s YouTube must verify users’ ages using official government documentation, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Platforms that don’t follow these new requirements could face penalties reaching 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million).

“The measure is not intended to prohibit child users from the internet or to deny them access to technology,” the commission stated, explaining that the goal is to increase accountability among social media companies, parents and guardians when it comes to safeguarding minors on the internet.

Social media companies have six months to implement age verification processes for users who already have accounts.

Malaysia has increased oversight of social media corporations following discoveries of significantly more harmful digital content in recent years, and is taking action against material designed to inflame racial or religious conflicts, or attack the monarchy.

The International Labour Organization kicked off its concluding discussions Monday in Geneva regarding the first binding employment standards for digital platforms that provide ride-sharing, food delivery, and online commerce services.

The primary disagreement revolves around whether benefits like minimum wage and protections including healthcare, sick leave, and social security should extend to every platform worker, or if coverage should depend on their classification as employees versus independent contractors.

The discussions will also tackle transparency in automated management systems, including how algorithmic technology determines compensation, distributes work assignments, and evaluates worker performance.

ILO members, who initiated preliminary discussions about platform worker employment last year, aim to finalize binding regulations and recommendations before next week concludes.

Any agreement from the U.N. agency, which advocates for international labor rights, requires consensus among governments, employers, and workers within the ILO framework.

The negotiations are anticipated to be challenging, with some members potentially seeking to dilute the language.

The U.S., China, Argentina and India prefer a more flexible approach, while the European Union, Brazil and Mexico advocate for enhanced protections, according to Lena Simet, senior advisor on economic justice at Human Rights Watch.

Labor advocacy groups and trade unions argue that the common practice of classifying workers as independent contractors enables companies to avoid minimum wage obligations and responsibilities like healthcare, sick leave and social security contributions.

“There is a serious problem with transparency and accountability around how algorithms are used to determine pay and performance,” said Simet.

The International Organisation of Employers, representing approximately 50 million companies globally, has stated that any framework should maintain flexibility, permitting countries to modify regulations according to their national situations.

Ride-hailing company Uber supported this position.

“It should enable countries to provide meaningful protections while preserving the flexibility, choice, and independence that many workers value,” an Uber spokesperson said.

The International Trade Union Confederation, the primary global organization representing workers, is advocating for a robust, binding convention. “Technological innovation cannot be used as an excuse to weaken democratic labour rights,” its General Secretary Luc Triangle told Reuters.

Chinese authorities announced Monday they will deploy medical experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help combat the current Ebola outbreak affecting the region.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed the decision during Monday’s briefing, stating that China has committed to providing humanitarian aid to Congo and will continue offering support “to the best of its ability.”

For nearly three decades, Venezuela’s socialist government has rallied behind a simple battle cry that symbolized Hugo Chávez’s nationalist movement: “United, we will win!”

This rallying call has echoed through government gatherings, street protests, and state media broadcasts, with supporters of all ages raising their fists to demonstrate allegiance to the anti-American socialist administration. The diverse alliance of military officials, ideological believers, and political opportunists has traditionally presented a unified front, even when facing overwhelming challenges.

However, that solidarity is showing signs of strain following the dramatic U.S. military action that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro this past January. Devoted supporters are now openly challenging acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s administration and publicly speculating that internal betrayal enabled the American operation against Maduro.

Rodríguez has abandoned several of Chávez’s signature policies, accommodated American requests, and restructured the government according to her preferences, dismissing cabinet members, advancing National Assembly legislation to transform the country’s petroleum sector, and freeing imprisoned opposition figures.

Chavismo adherents are expressing their dissatisfaction openly. Numerous supporters condemn the improved relations between Rodríguez’s administration and Washington, which the movement has traditionally viewed as its primary enemy regardless of which political party controls the White House.

The May deportation of a former cabinet official to face U.S. criminal charges and Rodríguez’s recent permission for American forces to conduct military training in Venezuela’s capital have exposed deep internal rifts.

Mario Silva, who spent years promoting government messaging as host of a state television program before being taken off air after Maduro’s detention, challenged the constitutional validity of deporting Alex Saab, a close Maduro associate, claiming it violated constitutional prohibitions.

Silva argued that Rodríguez lacks true governing independence, suggesting certain choices “are being made in the U.S. Embassy.”

“The imperialists don’t negotiate. They conquer, test and probe — until our country shatters,” Silva said in a livestream. “Nobody is safe right now. And that is a concrete, terribly dangerous fact.”

On May 23, several dozen demonstrators in Caracas protested the military training that brought two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft to the U.S. Embassy grounds. Protesters displayed a Venezuelan flag bearing the words “No to the Yankee drill.” The small turnout was notable in a capital accustomed to mass demonstrations involving thousands of participants.

Elías Jaua, who served as Chávez’s vice president and in Maduro’s cabinet in his first years in office, repudiated the exercise on social media. He later told The Associated Press he was speaking up to raise awareness among Venezuelans of the “humiliating” situation facing the country.

“At this stage, the most important thing is to prevent this occupation and this colonial administration to which a nation like Venezuela is being subjected from becoming normalized,” Jaua said.

Chávez and Maduro — as well as Rodríguez, in her previous roles as vice president and communications and foreign affairs minister — had long prophesied that the U.S. would use force to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry, which has opened up to private capital after Maduro’s capture. The Trump administration oversees oil sales and administers revenues as part of its phased plan to turn the troubled South American country around.

The social, political and economic crisis that took hold when Maduro became president in 2013 drove more than 7.7 million people to leave Venezuela and pushed millions of others into poverty. It also led to rounds of anti-government protests and U.S. economic sanctions, both of which the ruling party survived.

Party stalwarts celebrated a Maduro victory in a 2024 election despite overwhelming evidence showing he had lost. They also echoed the party leadership’s denial of a surge of migration. Their loyalty was often rewarded, be it with food and basic goods for the poor or multimillion-dollar contracts and bodyguards for the better-off.

Andrés Izarra, a communications minister under Chávez and tourism minister under Maduro, said the fractures are not based in ideology or a defense of Chavismo, which he believes ended when its founder died in 2013. Maduro’s interest, he said, was in enriching himself and remaining in power at all costs.

Self-interest, he said, is creating division.

“Since there is no ideological foundation, it is simply a struggle for power, money, positions, and survival. Do you think (he) would be protesting if he’d kept his bodyguards, or if they’d kept his little salary, or his share of power?” Izarra, who lives in exile since becoming a government target last decade, said of one critic of change under Delcy. “If they had an ideological interest, they would have spoken much earlier.”

Criticism even aired on state television last month, when a Colombian leftist leader sitting in the audience of Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello’s show stood up and questioned Venezuela’s efforts to free Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores from U.S. custody.

“We’ve seen a very weak campaign for Cilia and Nicolás’s freedom,” Manuel Caicedo said before a visibly stunned Cabello.

Another devout Chavista, lawmaker Iris Varela, told a podcaster she believed a government insider had helped the U.S. oust Maduro. The idea has widely rumored since President Donald Trump announced that the authoritarian leader had been captured on Jan. 3, but no evidence has emerged.

“Of course there’s a betrayal,” Varela said. “I say that every Christ has a Judas. If our Lord Jesus Christ knew he was going to be betrayed and yet he let Judas kiss him on the cheek, … won’t a traitor emerge for Maduro?”

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino lawmaker announced Monday he plans to turn himself in to authorities following a court-issued arrest warrant on plunder charges connected to alleged kickbacks from a major flood control project.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had already been arrested Friday on an initial graft charge that allowed for bail by the specialized Sandiganbayan anti-corruption court. After posting bail and securing his release, he once more proclaimed his innocence of any criminal conduct.

The 63-year-old Estrada has vehemently rejected accusations primarily brought forward by a former government public works engineer claiming he accepted over 570 million pesos ($9.3 million) in illegal payments connected to flood control construction projects.

BRUSSELS, June 1 – A coalition of 13 European cloud computing companies has joined with EU legislators and advocacy organizations to support the European Commission’s initiative to reduce Europe’s dependence on American technology while strengthening domestic businesses.

The Commission plans to unveil new measures Wednesday designed to prioritize European companies over American competitors for cloud streaming services in sensitive government contracts, while simultaneously increasing production of European-manufactured semiconductors.

This initiative stems partially from strained relations with both the United States and China, along with broader efforts to compete with these nations in critical technologies.

“Technological sovereignty means that Europe has the capacity to freely design, understand, choose from different home-grown sources, build, operate and effectively regulate the digital systems on which its society and economy rely,” the coalition stated in a joint open letter obtained by Reuters.

Companies signing the letter include French cloud vendor OVHcloud, Germany’s Nextcloud, social networks Mastodon and Monnett Social, Swiss privacy software company Proton, browser company Ecosia and Dutch quantum chip maker QuantWare.

European Parliament members from the Greens group and six advocacy organizations including Defend Democracy and Save Social also endorsed the letter.

“Our message is simple: Build European, buy European, protect European,” stated lawmaker Alexandra Geese.

A prominent Taiwanese opposition figure has expressed strong interest in meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during her planned visit to America this month.

Cheng Li-wun, who leads the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s primary opposition party, announced her openness to such a meeting while speaking with media representatives in Taipei on Monday. She departed later that day for a two-week journey across the United States, which follows her April trip to China where she held discussions with President Xi Jinping.

During her press conference in Taipei, Cheng noted that no Taiwanese leader has held a meeting with a serving U.S. president since diplomatic ties between Taipei and Washington ended in 1979, though she emphasized her role is specifically as KMT chairwoman.

When reporters questioned whether she would be open to meeting Trump, Cheng responded: “I am of course very willing.”

She explained her readiness to engage with any individual who promotes peace and holds significant leadership authority, similar to her approach with Xi.

“The same applies to President Trump. Anything that is helpful to peace, I am willing to do; anyone who is helpful to peace, I am willing to meet – let alone the most critical decision-maker and leader, which is the president of the United States,” Cheng stated.

The White House has not yet provided a response to requests for comment made after regular business hours.

Beijing, which maintains territorial claims over Taiwan, has refused diplomatic engagement with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, labeling him a “separatist” and dismissing his multiple overtures for dialogue. Lai has consistently rejected Beijing’s territorial assertions, maintaining that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their island’s destiny.

Cheng expressed satisfaction with the improving trajectory of China-U.S. relations following Trump and Xi’s meeting in Beijing last month.

She confirmed plans to meet with congressional members and U.S. government officials during her trip, which includes a stop in Washington, though she declined to specify participants due to confidentiality considerations.

Despite Cheng’s KMT and its coalition partner, the Taiwan People’s Party, holding parliamentary control and supporting defense expenditures, they recently reduced government proposals for an additional $40 billion in military spending by one-third last month.

The United States has endorsed Taiwan’s increased defense budget, particularly the portions that the opposition reduced, which included funding for drones and other domestically-produced military equipment.

According to Cheng, Taiwan’s defensive capabilities depend not solely on enhanced military equipment, but also require diplomatic engagement with China to “thoroughly eliminate any possibility of military conflict or war.”

Emergency teams in Laos continued their efforts Monday to locate a different way into a water-filled cave system where two individuals have been missing for almost two weeks following severe storms that flooded the primary entrance and blocked access.

The pair has been unaccounted for since rescue efforts started last month in the mountainous terrain of Xaisomboun province, located roughly 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Vientiane, the nation’s capital. Emergency workers have successfully brought out five of the original seven people who became stuck in the underground chamber.

Lee Kian Lie, a Malaysian diver participating in the rescue mission, explained that crews are working to remove water from the cave system.

“We will go into the suspected area to continue the search if the water level is lowered,” he told The Associated Press.

A separate rescue group is examining the opposite side of the cave structure, hoping to discover a dry pathway that might allow entry to where the missing individuals are thought to be located, he explained.

Emergency response teams from Laos and nearby Thailand have been collaborating for over a week. International divers from Finland, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, France and Australia have joined the effort.

Multiple members of the rescue operation previously participated in the complex 2018 cave emergency in northern Thailand that successfully freed 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach from a water-filled cave.

The Laos Rescue Volunteer for People group announced on its Facebook page that intense rainfall brought “massive amounts of water” flowing into the region, forcing teams to halt their work Sunday evening.

Kengkaj Bongkawong, who leads the Thai group Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin, explained that crews are also searching for air shafts from the surface that could offer another way into the cave.

Emergency workers suspect the two missing individuals are stuck in a deeper section of the cave than where the five survivors were initially located on Wednesday. However, the route to that location is described as extremely narrow and severely flooded.

The local residents reportedly went into the cave almost two weeks ago searching for precious minerals including gold when they became trapped by sudden flooding that cut off their exit route. Another villager managed to escape and notified authorities.

The first person was safely brought out on Friday, led through a tight flooded tunnel by a skilled diver. The other four emerged from the cave on Saturday after water levels dropped sufficiently for them to exit without assistance, rescue officials reported.

SEOUL, South Korea — A fatal blast rocked a defense contractor’s facility in South Korea on Monday, claiming five lives and leaving two people wounded, according to authorities.

The tragic incident took place at a Hanwha Aerospace worksite located in the South Korean city of Daejeon.

Authorities have not yet released additional information, including what triggered the blast.

Emergency official Yoon Seong-su noted that the location is classified as a government-designated security facility.

Local medical official Kim Ju-yeon reported that one of the two wounded individuals remains in critical condition. She added that authorities have not yet determined the identities of those who died.

According to Yonhap news agency, the facility serves as one of Hanwha Aerospace’s primary locations for developing large-sized propellants and surface-to-surface weapons systems.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed his nation’s military forces on Monday to strike targets located in the southern suburban areas of Beirut, Lebanon, specifically targeting a region known as a Hezbollah stronghold called Dahiyeh.

A statement released by Netanyahu’s office explained the reasoning behind the military action: “Following repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by the terrorist group Hezbollah and the attacks against our cities and citizens, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to attack terrorist targets in the Dahiyeh district in Beirut.”

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in mid-April, Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have maintained ongoing exchanges of fire. Hezbollah has increasingly deployed inexpensive, easily-constructed kamikaze drones that present significant challenges for air defense systems to intercept, resulting in the deaths of multiple Israeli soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon.

The conflict in Lebanon represents the most significant expansion of the Iran war, forcing over 1.2 million Lebanese residents from their homes due to Israeli military strikes and evacuation directives since March 2, when Hezbollah initiated rocket and drone attacks against Israel in support of its Iranian ally.

According to Lebanese government figures, the military operations have resulted in more than 3,370 fatalities. Israeli officials report that 24 soldiers and four civilians have lost their lives during the same timeframe. Additionally, tens of thousands of Israeli residents in northern regions have been forced to evacuate due to Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks.

The Dutch carrier KLM announced Friday evening it has suspended service to Uganda’s Entebbe airport, located near Kampala, because of restrictions related to an Ebola outbreak affecting Central Africa.

According to the airline, although the region is not presently considered an active danger zone, operations to the planned destinations are no longer feasible due to travel and entry protocols that various nations have implemented for individuals who have recently visited Entebbe, affecting both passengers and airline personnel.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicates that two scheduled routes connecting Amsterdam and Entebbe, with a stop in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, set for Saturday and Monday have been scrapped.

“We’re continuing to monitor the situation and looking into what’s possible,” KLM stated in a travel advisory.

The World Health Organization has classified the Ebola outbreak, caused by the uncommon Bundibugyo strain of the virus affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, as a public health emergency of international concern, though it falls short of pandemic emergency status.

In May, the United States implemented heightened travel screening, entry limitations and public health protocols to help prevent the disease’s transmission.

Multiple news sources reported that on May 20, an Air France aircraft traveling from Paris to Detroit was rerouted to Montreal after a traveler from the Democratic Republic of Congo boarded “in error.”

Emirates advised Thursday that passengers should verify destination entry requirements prior to travel, referencing Ebola-related restrictions in multiple countries.

An accidental blast involving explosives stockpiled by Myanmar’s rebel forces has claimed no fewer than 55 lives, with rescue teams still searching through the wreckage for survivors, according to eyewitness accounts released Monday.

The devastating incident occurred at approximately midday Sunday (0530 GMT) in Kaung Tat village, according to a statement from the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which acknowledged multiple fatalities but did not specify an exact number.

Local residents and news outlets have confirmed the death toll at a minimum of 55 people, while search and rescue efforts continue at the explosion site. The TNLA has not responded to requests for additional information on Monday.

“Everything was completely destroyed beyond recognition,” resident Moe Z told Reuters. He was traveling on a roadway approximately 1-1/2 miles (2.4 km) from the scene when the blast occurred, describing how a mushroom cloud of smoke rose into the air.

The TNLA, which maintains control over the border village near China and operates under a ceasefire agreement with Myanmar’s military forces, stated that the detonated materials had been stockpiled “for use in mining operations.”

The nation’s mineral wealth, including rare earth elements, has emerged as a crucial funding source for both the military government and opposition forces engaged in the country’s ongoing civil conflict.

The current warfare started in 2021 following a military takeover that removed the democratically chosen civilian administration headed by Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Moe Z explained that initially his group suspected the explosion might have been an aerial attack, but the lack of subsequent blasts led them to consider whether a large unexploded ordnance had gone off.

“Based on the explosive force and the sound we witnessed, this was no small explosion, it wasn’t the scale of a drone-drop bomb,” he said, referencing a strategy commonly employed in Myanmar’s civil war.

Moe Z reported that his team reached the location roughly one hour following the blast, finding human casualties scattered throughout the area while people concentrated on locating any survivors. He described finding body parts and victims spread across the zone, with an enormous crater marking where the explosives had been kept.

“It’s as if the entire village has just vanished,” he said.

A regional reporter informed Reuters that the blast was so powerful that some casualties were trapped beneath massive amounts of rubble and wreckage, requiring heavy machinery for the search operation.

“Over half of the village’s houses have been destroyed. The houses near the centre of the blast were blown completely to pieces, to the point where not even the house posts remain,” the journalist said.

In Sunday’s official statement, the TNLA pledged to conduct a full investigation into the incident and ensure accountability for those at fault. The organization also committed to providing emergency assistance, medical care, and reconstruction support for affected residents.

“The explosion caused the loss of life and injury to many people in Kaung Tat village, and the destruction of many homes,” the TNLA said.

French naval forces intercepted a Russian-connected oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, according to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement on social media.

The vessel, identified as the Tagor, was operating under international sanctions when French forces boarded it on the open ocean.

“This operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean, on the high seas, with the support of several partners, including the United Kingdom, in strict compliance with the law of the sea,” Macron stated.

The French leader condemned vessels that attempt to evade international restrictions, saying: “It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years.”

The boarding operation was carried out with assistance from multiple allied nations, including British forces, according to the president’s statement.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — American military forces conducted airstrikes against Iranian radar installations and drone command centers following Tehran’s destruction of a US MQ-1 Predator drone over the weekend, military officials announced Monday. Iranian forces confirmed they launched counter-attacks, while Kuwait reported defending against incoming drone and missile strikes.

These competing military actions highlight how tenuous the multi-week ceasefire remains in the Iran conflict, with continued hostilities occurring despite ongoing diplomatic efforts between American and Iranian representatives to extend the truce. Tehran continues controlling the Strait of Hormuz during this period, creating disruptions to worldwide energy markets since one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments previously traveled through this critical Persian Gulf passage.

At the same time, combat operations are intensifying as Israel expands its military presence in Lebanon past the Litani River while Hezbollah militants persist in sending drones toward Israeli territory.

Central Command announced its military operations took place Saturday and Sunday in areas surrounding Geruk city and on Qeshm Island.

“The measured and deliberate strikes occurred … in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters,” Central Command said.

“U.S. fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters.”

While the Air Force has discontinued Predator operations in favor of the MQ-9 Reaper, the Army continues operating Predator aircraft. Military officials reported no American personnel sustained injuries during these operations.

Kuwait’s defense systems engaged early Monday to counter approaching drone and missile attacks. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces issued a statement through the state-controlled IRNA news agency claiming American forces had struck a communications tower on an island location.

The Guard confirmed conducting a retaliatory operation without specifying the target location, presumably referencing the Kuwait incident. Kuwait hosts U.S. Army Central, serving as the regional Army command headquarters for Middle East operations.

These military exchanges mark the most recent escalation between Washington and Tehran, even as both nations claim ongoing diplomatic discussions, particularly regarding Iran’s highly enriched uranium reserves. During the weekend, American forces fired a missile into a Gambia-flagged cargo vessel’s engine compartment as it attempted to breach the Iranian port blockade.

Limited shipping traffic has managed to exit the strait, though global energy markets remain under strain, along with chemical fertilizer supplies that have raised concerns about potential food shortages. The Gulf area accounts for 30% of international chemical fertilizer trade.

U.S. President Donald Trump conducted meetings with advisers Friday but has not yet determined whether to proceed with an agreement extending the ceasefire and reopening the strait. Iranian officials have stated no final deal has been reached.

Trump shared optimistic views about negotiations in an early Monday post on his Truth Social platform, dismissing critics while avoiding discussion of the current military exchanges.

“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us,” he wrote. “Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end — It always does!”

A devastating industrial accident at a South Korean aerospace manufacturing facility has resulted in five fatalities and two injuries, officials confirmed Monday.

The deadly incident occurred at a Hanwha Aerospace plant located in Daejeon, where workers produce large rocket propulsion systems and work with explosive rocket fuel materials.

Two workers managed to flee the facility on their own, with one suffering severe burns, according to fire department officials who spoke at a news conference.

“Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged,” a health official told the same briefing.

Fire department representatives revealed that the deadly blaze began after an explosion, though investigators are still working to determine what caused the initial blast.

The aerospace company specializes in defense and space technology, with the Daejeon facility specifically focused on manufacturing rocket propulsion systems and handling volatile rocket fuels.

Emergency responders faced additional challenges because they could not access building blueprints, as the facility’s layout information is classified under the country’s national security regulations, officials explained during the briefing.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the deployment of all available emergency resources to handle the situation and has demanded a thorough investigation into the tragedy, according to a statement from his office sent to news media.

A company representative from Hanwha Aerospace confirmed that the organization is conducting its own internal investigation into the incident.

Voting commenced Monday morning in Ethiopia’s national election, with widespread expectations that the current governing party will maintain its hold on power.

Military forces were prominently stationed throughout the capital city of Addis Ababa, while international observers urged calm during the electoral process in Africa’s second-largest nation by population, which serves as home to the African Union’s main offices.

Citizens formed lengthy lines ahead of the 6 a.m. start time, demonstrating enthusiasm to participate in the democratic process and express their political preferences.

The election will determine more than 500 representatives for the House of Representatives, who will then cast votes to choose the nation’s prime minister.

The Prosperity Party, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is anticipated to win a majority of legislative seats, which would allow him to continue serving in his current role for an additional term.

Registration records show approximately 50 million citizens are eligible to participate in the voting process, representing roughly 38% of Ethiopia’s total population of 130 million. Citizens are simultaneously selecting representatives for regional government bodies. Election outcomes are anticipated to be announced later Monday.

Political opposition groups have expressed worries about what they characterize as diminishing opportunities for political participation, claiming they faced obstacles in conducting campaign activities and reaching potential supporters. The nation has also encountered international scrutiny regarding alleged violations of human rights against government opponents and members of the media.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A 34-year-old Australian woman facing terrorism charges appeared in court Monday as prosecutors detailed allegations that she supported violent extremism, tried to radicalize her children, and encouraged others to join her in Syria.

Defense attorney Peter Morrissey told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that his client, Rayann El Houli, has completely changed her stance on terrorism.

“She renounces ISIS and violent jihad,” Morrissey said, using an acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. “She wants nothing to do with it: not now directly or indirectly. Not in the future. Not for herself. Not for the people she loves and specifically not for the children.”

El Houli is seeking bail while facing charges for allegedly joining a terrorist organization and traveling to Raqqa, Syria, which served as the Islamic State’s headquarters more than ten years ago.

Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan described the prosecution’s allegations during the hearing, stating that El Houli journeyed to Syria sometime between 2013 and 2014 with plans to join IS militants.

“The accused expressed radicalized views while in Syria, including support for terrorist acts. She supported acts of martyrdom whilst in Syria. She repeatedly expressed views that supported the killing or serious injury of non-believers,” Hannan said.

According to the magistrate, El Houli attempted to radicalize her children and encouraged Australians to travel to Syria to embrace extremist beliefs and lifestyle choices.

The magistrate noted that El Houli departed Raqqa in 2019 “when the caliphate was defeated and not as a result of her changing views.”

The court postponed the bail hearing to a future date yet to be determined.

Both charges carry maximum penalties of ten years imprisonment. Australian law requires exceptional circumstances for individuals facing terrorism allegations to receive bail.

Hannan indicated she wants more information about how El Houli fled from the al-Hol displacement camp in eastern Syria and was transported illegally to Lebanon.

El Houli returned to Australia from Lebanon in the previous year and was taken into custody in Melbourne last week.

Three additional women connected to IS who recently returned to Australia have been charged with slavery and terrorism violations upon arrival and are currently detained, while others remain under police investigation.

Malaysia launched new restrictions Monday that block millions of children under 16 from having social media accounts, becoming part of a worldwide movement to strengthen digital safety measures for young internet users.

The new regulations mandate that social media companies install age-verification technology and prevent users younger than 16 from setting up accounts. The restrictions target platforms with a minimum of 8 million users, covering Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Social media companies that don’t follow the new rules face financial penalties reaching 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million). However, parents won’t face punishment if their children find ways around the restrictions.

Officials stated the new policies aim to shield children from dangerous content, cyberbullying and platform designs that promote addictive usage patterns.

Several nations including Australia, Brazil and Indonesia have either launched or announced age-related limitations for children’s social media access. Additional countries such as Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are researching or creating comparable strategies.

Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission explained the regulations don’t seek to block children’s internet or digital technology access. The agency instead established standards for service providers to tackle online dangers and implement appropriate safety measures for different age groups.

“These measures help strengthen the protection of children in the online environment, while providing added reassurance to parents in navigating increasingly complex digital risks,” the regulator said in a statement last month.

Social media companies must introduce safety-focused design elements, including safeguards against manipulative features that promote compulsive behavior, and take steps to remove underage accounts and harmful material.

Technology firms haven’t yet explained their plans for meeting Malaysia’s new standards.

The regulatory agency announced it will provide a transition period for platforms to finish installing age-verification technology.

Clara Koh, Meta’s director of public policy for Southeast Asia, had cautioned in April that Malaysia’s blanket under-16 ban could backfire by driving teenagers away from protected apps and into unregulated corners of the internet.

She said Meta has launched “teen accounts” for those under 18 that limits contact, screen time and exposure to inappropriate content.

Malaysia’s new restrictions emerge as governments worldwide face mounting pressure to tackle worries about social media’s effects on children’s mental health and digital safety.

In March, a U.S. jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay millions of dollars in damages in a case alleging that platform design features contributed to harm suffered by a young user.

While many parents support the move, Malaysia’s decision has sparked concerns about data privacy protection.

“It is very much following the trend but in a way that is raising alarms due to requiring a government ID for age verification,” said Benjamin Loh, social science lecturer at Monash University in Malaysia.

Loh said experiences elsewhere suggest age-based restrictions have yet to prove consistently effective. Without parent penalties, he said families can easily bypass the law by creating accounts for their children.

“This is a major gap that unless regulators are willing to fix, will result in the law having little effect in stopping children from using social media,” he added.

American military forces launched what they described as defensive strikes against Iranian radar and unmanned aircraft facilities over the weekend, according to officials who characterized the action as a response to hostile Iranian behavior.

Military commanders announced on social media Sunday that Iran had destroyed an American MQ-1 unmanned aircraft that was flying over international waters.

According to CENTCOM, American fighter jets retaliated by destroying Iranian air defense systems, a ground control facility, and two one-way attack drones.

Officials confirmed that no American service members were injured in the operations.

The military action represents the latest exchange between the two nations, following similar confrontations the previous week when Iran attacked an American air installation after U.S. forces conducted operations against what a Washington official described as Iranian drone activities near the Strait of Hormuz.

For the first time since its founding, Australia’s populist One Nation party has claimed the top position in national polling, surpassing the current Labor government amid widespread public dissatisfaction with recent fiscal policy changes.

The Redbridge Group and Accent Research polling data shows One Nation’s primary support climbing four percentage points to reach 31% compared to the previous month’s results. Meanwhile, the governing center-left Labor party saw its support decline by three points to 28%.

The conservative coalition opposition also experienced losses, dropping two percentage points to 20% support.

These polling shifts follow the government’s May 12 budget announcement, which introduced sweeping property tax reforms described as the most significant changes to property taxation in decades. The measures were designed to address intergenerational inequity issues.

However, the proposed changes appear to have failed in winning public approval, particularly among Gen X and Baby Boomer demographics who showed strong opposition to the reforms.

Surprisingly, even younger demographics that the budget aimed to help expressed skepticism about the measures. Only 26% of Millennials and a mere 13% of Gen-Z respondents indicated they believed the budget would benefit them personally.

When factoring in Australia’s ranked-choice voting preferences, Labor maintains a narrow advantage over One Nation with 51% compared to 49% in a two-party scenario.

The survey included 1,005 participants and was conducted between May 25 and May 28, carrying a margin of error of 3.4%.

One Nation, established in 1997 under Pauline Hanson’s leadership, has historically maintained limited representation in Australia’s federal parliament. However, the party’s current surge reflects its successful appeal to voters concerned about rising living expenses, economic instability, and immigration policies.

Half a dozen workers sustained injuries when dangerous hydrogen fluoride gas escaped at an SK Hynix semiconductor manufacturing plant located in Cheongju, South Korea, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency citing local fire department officials.

The hazardous chemical release occurred after flames erupted at the facility, fire department officials stated, noting that emergency crews have successfully extinguished the blaze.

Attempts to reach an SK Hynix company representative for additional details were unsuccessful at the time of this report.

Chinese maritime authorities deployed patrol vessels in waters east of Taiwan on Monday, responding to recent announcements that Japan and the Philippines would initiate formal discussions about their maritime boundaries.

The two nations announced last week their intention to begin official negotiations regarding the maritime boundary of their exclusive economic zone and continental shelf areas, stating they would proceed “in accordance with international law.”

Beijing’s foreign ministry criticized the planned discussions on Friday, stating the area includes waters east of Taiwan, which China considers its own territory. Officials declared such negotiations “completely illegal, null and void.”

Maritime patrol vessels carried out operations east of Taiwan following legal protocols, according to a statement from China’s Coast Guard, though specific locations were not disclosed.

“This is a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines unilaterally announcing the initiation of maritime boundary delimitation negotiations in the waters east of China’s Taiwan island,” the statement read.

“We urge Japan and the Philippines to immediately cease all illegal actions that infringe upon China’s sovereign rights and interests.”

Taiwan’s coast guard officials had no immediate response to the patrol activities. Representatives from Philippine and Japanese diplomatic missions in Beijing did not respond to requests for comment.

On Sunday evening, Taiwan’s foreign ministry criticized Beijing’s position on the matter.

“China has no right to interfere in Taiwan’s territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights over its relevant maritime areas,” officials stated.

Chinese military vessels and aircraft operate near Taiwan on an almost daily basis, with coast guard ships sometimes accompanying these activities.

Last month, a Chinese coast guard vessel moved close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea before departing following a confrontation with Taiwan’s coast guard.

Beijing asserts territorial claims over Taiwan and nearly all of the South China Sea through a “nine-dash line” marked on official maps, which extends into exclusive economic zones belonging to the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Taiwan’s government disputes Beijing’s territorial assertions.

Emergency crews responded Monday to reports of a blast at a South Korean aerospace manufacturing facility, according to fire department officials.

The incident occurred at a Hanwha Aerospace plant located in Daejeon, with fire department personnel sent to the scene to address the situation.

Company representatives confirmed they are currently looking into the circumstances surrounding the reported explosion at their facility.

The United States has introduced a new diplomatic initiative designed to reduce escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon, according to a government official who spoke on Sunday.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio held discussions with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding ongoing diplomatic talks between the two nations, presenting a framework for “gradual de-escalation,” the official revealed.

Under the American proposal, the initial phase would require the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant organization to cease all attacks against Israel, while Israel would commit to avoiding escalatory actions in Beirut, the official explained.

“This would create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities,” the official stated.

The official noted that Aoun worked to promote the proposal and achieve an agreement. Nevertheless, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who asserted he could “guarantee” Hezbollah’s adherence to a ceasefire, insisted that Israel must stop “shooting first.”

On Sunday, Netanyahu announced he had directed military forces to advance deeper into Lebanon in operations against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire that was declared more than six weeks earlier.

In their most recent military action, Israeli forces captured the historic 900-year-old Beaufort Castle along with a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, military officials reported Sunday. This came after one of the most intense periods of Hezbollah attacks targeting northern Israel since the April ceasefire, leading to school shutdowns and movement restrictions.

The American official emphasized that the United States does not anticipate Israel will continue tolerating persistent attacks against its citizens from Hezbollah.

BEIJING, June 1 – Chinese authorities unveiled comprehensive new regulations on Monday that significantly expand government oversight of foreign investment activities by Chinese companies, particularly those involving technology transfers, data sharing, and matters of national security importance.

The new framework, announced by the State Council, China’s primary governing body, becomes effective July 1. A key provision mandates that companies must obtain government approval before exporting any restricted Chinese goods, technologies, services, or associated data to foreign entities.

The regulations also prohibit indirect technology transfers accomplished through sending technical personnel across borders, as well as blocking transfers through training programs, advisory services, or similar arrangements.

The announcement comes one month after Chinese regulators forced the cancellation of Meta’s planned acquisition of artificial intelligence company Manus.

The Philippines and Vietnam have strengthened their diplomatic relationship to an enhanced strategic partnership, announced President Ferdinand Marcos during a state visit by Vietnam’s top leader To Lam to Manila on Monday.

According to Marcos, both nations share common goals in preserving peace, stability and a rules-based order throughout their region. He emphasized that this partnership has grown in significance as the area faces a changing and unpredictable global landscape.

The enhanced relationship will be “defined by wider pathways for cooperation, stronger political and defence cooperation, and closer linkages between the Filipino and Vietnamese people,” Marcos stated.

Within the ASEAN region, Vietnam stands as the Philippines’ only strategic partner, having upgraded their relationship a decade ago in a demonstration of solidarity against China.

To Lam described the Philippines as an “important regional partner of Vietnam,” pointing to shared vision and strategic interests, along with strong commitments for peace and stability. “We always want to bring the strategic partnership with the Philippines to a new high,” he said.

Earlier this year, the coast guards of both countries conducted their inaugural joint exercises, even though both nations have competing territorial claims to certain South China Sea areas.