Author: Admin

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian defense forces successfully intercepted more than 33,000 Russian drones of different varieties during March, marking the highest monthly total since Moscow began its full-scale invasion over four years ago, according to Ukraine’s defense minister.

Simultaneously, Ukrainian-manufactured long-range attack drones targeted a Russian oil refinery and terminal along the Black Sea coast for the third occasion in under two weeks, leading to precautionary evacuations of area residents.

The nation has created advanced and combat-proven drone technology that has become vital for defending against Russia’s larger military force and has attracted military attention from nations worldwide.

Ukrainian officials report that Middle Eastern and Gulf nations are now seeking interceptor drones as components of comprehensive air defense systems due to ongoing conflicts involving Iran.

Ukraine continues expanding its supply of interceptor drones to counter Russian aerial assaults, with the military establishing a new command structure within the air force to enhance the nation’s defensive abilities, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced in a Monday evening Telegram post.

Ukrainian offensive capabilities have similarly advanced, with the Defense Ministry announcing Tuesday that the country’s forces have more than doubled their deep-strike range since Russia’s February 2022 invasion began.

Initially, Ukrainian forces could engage military targets approximately 630 kilometers (400 miles) away, the ministry stated. Current operations now reach targets roughly 1,750 kilometers (1,100 miles) behind enemy lines, according to the ministry’s statement.

This enhanced capability has enabled Ukraine to target Russian oil facilities that generate essential funding for Moscow’s military operations. Ukrainian forces have also struck manufacturing facilities supplying Russia’s armed forces.

Ukraine hit a Russian oil refinery at the Black Sea port of Tuapse for the third time this month through a coordinated operation involving multiple defense and security service branches, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces announced Tuesday.

The two previous strikes this month eliminated 24 oil storage tanks and damaged four additional tanks, according to the report.

Independent confirmation of these claims was not available.

Residents living near the Tuapse refinery underwent evacuation Tuesday, stated Krasnodar Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev. He provided no specifics regarding evacuation numbers or duration.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Tuesday that its air defenses intercepted 186 Ukrainian drones overnight across Russian regions, annexed Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.

In the border region of Belgorod adjacent to Ukraine, three individuals died and three others sustained injuries in a drone strike, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine resulted in three civilian deaths and five injuries, Ukrainian authorities confirmed.

Two fatalities occurred in Chuhuiv city within the northeastern Kharkiv region, reported regional military administration head Oleh Syniehubov.

A 40-year-old man perished and five other men were injured in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

An additional Russian assault on Konotop in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region disrupted the city’s electrical and water services.

ATHENS, Greece — Greek police launched a manhunt Tuesday after an elderly shooter attacked two government buildings in downtown Athens, injuring multiple victims with a shotgun. Media reports identified the suspect as an 89-year-old man.

The violence began at a social security office in central Athens, where authorities say the armed suspect shot and wounded a worker. Emergency responders provided medical care to the victim before the shooter escaped the scene.

The same individual later targeted a courthouse in a different area of downtown Athens, where additional people were injured, according to police. Officers recovered the shotgun used in both incidents.

Video from Greece’s state television network ERT captured paramedics loading at least three victims from the courthouse into ambulances for transport to area hospitals.

Authorities have not determined what motivated the attacks. ERT reported that the gunman scattered envelopes containing documents across the courthouse floor following the second shooting, suggesting they explained his reasons for the violence.

Alexandros Varveris, who leads the National Social Security Fund (EFKA), described how the attacker entered the Kerameikos district office and climbed to the fourth floor before opening fire. The gunman concealed his weapon beneath a trench coat and warned one worker to take cover before shooting another employee in the leg.

“He went in, went up to the fourth floor, raised his shotgun, told an employee to duck and hit another one,” Varveris explained during an ERT radio interview. The official noted that the shooter did not appear to deliberately target the specific employee he wounded.

Medical personnel transported the injured worker to a hospital after police applied emergency first aid, including a tourniquet, at the scene.

Such violent incidents remain uncommon in Greece, where citizens may own firearms but face strict government regulations.

SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean appeals court has extended the prison term for Kim Keon Hee, spouse of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, increasing her sentence from 20 months to four years on corruption-related charges. This development comes roughly two months following her husband’s life sentence for rebellion.

Kim, the former first lady, initially received a 20-month prison sentence in January from a district court after being found guilty of accepting luxury items, including a diamond necklace from Graff and a Chanel handbag, from the Unification Church in exchange for pledges of political influence. At that time, she was cleared of charges related to stock manipulation that allegedly occurred before her tenure as first lady.

Following appeals from both sides, the Seoul High Court on Tuesday extended her imprisonment to four years after finding her guilty of accepting an additional Chanel bag from the religious organization and the stock manipulation allegations.

The presidential pair experienced a steep decline after Yoon’s December 2024 martial law declaration triggered his impeachment and ultimate removal from the presidency. Yoon now confronts multiple criminal proceedings stemming from his martial law actions and additional controversies. Authorities have stated that Kim played no role in her husband’s martial law implementation.

The Seoul High Court emphasized that as a first lady, being in the closest position to a president, Kim represents the nation alongside her spouse and wields considerable influence over him. The court determined that Kim disappointed public trust expectations and instead leveraged her prominent position to obtain gifts from the Unification Church.

Kim and the independent prosecutor have seven days to file an appeal with the Supreme Court, South Korea’s highest judicial authority. Independent prosecutor Min Joong-ki’s team had previously sought a 15-year sentence, while Kim’s legal representatives have contended that Min’s probe was politically motivated.

Kim has remained in custody since August when the Seoul district court granted an arrest warrant, citing concerns she might tamper with evidence. During Yoon’s presidency, Kim became entangled in multiple controversies that damaged her husband’s public approval and gave his political opponents continuous ammunition.

On December 3, 2024, Yoon, representing the conservative faction, suddenly imposed martial law and deployed military and law enforcement to the National Assembly, claiming his goal was to eliminate “anti-state forces” and “shameless North Korea sympathizers.” He has justified his actions as a last-resort effort to gain public backing in his conflict with the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which blocked his legislative priorities.

In February, the Seoul Central District Court convicted Yoon of rebellion for illegally deploying military and police forces in an attempt to take control of the Assembly, detain political adversaries, and establish unlimited authority for an undetermined duration.

A controversial bill allowing physician-assisted death in England and Wales has been rejected by the United Kingdom’s House of Lords. The proposed legislation would have permitted terminally ill individuals to end their lives with medical assistance.

Advocates for the measure have announced plans to reintroduce the bill during the upcoming summer legislative session, though they acknowledge the procedural challenges ahead will be complex.

The proposal faces considerable resistance from both the general public and pro-life organizations. Critics cite evidence from other European nations where similar laws have been enacted, noting significant increases in suicide rates following legalization of the practice.

Nearly eight weeks have passed, yet Rabih Khreiss struggles to accept his drastically changed circumstances.

The 45-year-old mechanic once supported his nine children through his automotive repair business in southern Lebanon, but now finds himself barely getting by while living in a makeshift tent in Lebanon’s capital city.

The Khreiss family joined countless others who evacuated their home community of Khiyam during the early morning hours of March 2nd, after receiving word that Hezbollah militants had launched attacks against Israel, marking the beginning of renewed warfare.

As a seasoned resident, Khreiss quickly realized that Israeli forces would likely respond with airstrikes against southern Lebanese communities and immediately moved his family to safety, taking only what they wore.

His prediction proved accurate as bombing commenced almost immediately. However, Khreiss never anticipated that nearly eight weeks later, his family would remain on Beirut’s streets as fighting continues, surviving solely through charitable assistance.

“I feel like my children and I are prisoners in a room, sentenced to life imprisonment. But when will relief come so we can get out of this life sentence? No one knows,” said Khreiss.

Each morning, the family awakens inside shelters constructed from wooden supports and plastic sheeting that shake ominously during strong winds. Without access to proper bathing facilities, they wash using plastic containers and clean their clothing by hand.

Adding to their hardships, Khreiss’s elderly sister who lives with the family battles cancer but has difficulty accessing medical treatment.

“We’re living in tents, not knowing where these days will take us. We start thinking, ‘if only we could wake up and win the lottery so we could get out of this mess’,” Khreiss said.

Even with a United States-mediated truce in place, Israeli military operations have continued throughout Lebanon while forces maintain control over portions of the southern region, demolishing structures they claim serve as Hezbollah facilities.

This includes regular controlled explosions in Khiyam, which has been almost completely leveled and abandoned by its previous population of approximately 10,000 residents.

Hezbollah forces have maintained their offensive operations against Israeli soldiers stationed in Lebanon and continue targeting northern Israeli territory.

Both Israeli and Hezbollah representatives claim the opposing side has violated the ceasefire agreement, which received signatures from Israeli and Lebanese government officials but not directly from Hezbollah leadership.

The persistent violence has intensified feelings of hopelessness among many Lebanese citizens, especially the 1.2 million displaced individuals who expected the ceasefire would enable their homecoming but instead remain permanently blocked from southern regions.

“Khiyam is my town, my region, my land, my home, my work, my people, my loved ones, everything. Of course, all my memories are in Khiyam. I miss everything about it,” said Khreiss, describing his community situated among rolling hills and agricultural areas including olive orchards.

During the previous Hezbollah-Israel conflict in 2024, one of Khreiss’s older sons suffered the loss of an eye when an Israeli attack struck their Khiyam residence. Khreiss personally extracted his children from the debris and recalls aging “years” during that single hour.

His repair shop sustained damage during that earlier conflict. Nevertheless, he returned and reconstructed his business, though he remains uncertain whether his workshop or residence survived the current destruction.

Khreiss worries that stress about his children’s prospects might cause him to suffer a stroke. He contemplates selling his vehicle if employment opportunities don’t materialize.

“It’s showing in my children that they’ve never known joy or happiness, never been to an amusement park, never had fun like other children,” he said.

“I brought them into this world, and I have to take responsibility for them and secure their future. But circumstances have forced me to do nothing for them. There’s nothing I can do.”

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government has unveiled new draft legislation targeting major social media platforms with a revenue-based tax designed to support local journalism funding.

Officials released the proposed bill on Tuesday, planning to present it to Parliament before July 2nd. The legislation would establish financial pressure on companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok to negotiate compensation agreements with news publishers for journalistic content.

The social media companies have criticized the initiative, calling it a misguided “digital services tax” that fails to recognize changes in the advertising landscape and won’t create long-term sustainability for news organizations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the importance of compensating journalists for their work during a press conference.

“It shouldn’t just be able to be taken by a large multinational corporation and used to generate profits for that organisation with no compensation appropriate for the people who produce that creative content,” Albanese told reporters.

“We think that investment in journalism is critical to a healthy democracy,” he added.

This represents Australia’s second legislative effort to require these platforms to compensate for Australian news content and imagery consumed by their users.

Previously, the 2021 News Media Bargaining Code had pressured digital companies to establish payment agreements with Australian news publishers rather than face mandatory arbitration proceedings.

Initially, the platforms opted to negotiate commercial agreements with content creators to avoid court-mandated pricing. However, they subsequently discontinued these arrangements by eliminating news content from their platforms entirely.

Under the new News Bargaining Incentive proposal, major platforms that refuse to establish commercial agreements with news publishers would face a 2.25% tax on their Australian earnings.

Companies would receive tax reductions and lower overall expenses if they choose to compensate publishers for journalism, according to government officials.

Australian authorities anticipate the incentive could generate between 200 to 250 million Australian dollars ($144 million-$179 million) annually. This amount roughly matches what platforms previously paid news outlets when the original News Media Bargaining Code was most effective.

Communication Minister Anika Wells explained that the government would allocate these funds to news organizations based on their journalist employment numbers.

The tax would target Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company), Google (owned by Alphabet Inc.), and TikTok (majority-owned by U.S.-backed investors).

Meta strongly opposed the proposed legislation, stating that news organizations “voluntarily post content on our platforms because they receive value from doing so.”

“The idea that we take their news content is simply wrong. This proposed legislation, which would apply to platforms regardless of whether news content even appears on our services, is nothing more than a digital services tax,” Meta said in a statement.

“A government-mandated transfer of wealth from one industry to another, with no connection to the value exchanged, will not deliver a sustainable or innovative news sector. Instead, it will create a news industry dependent on a government-administered subsidy scheme,” Meta added.

Google responded by saying “we reject the need for this tax.”

“It ignores the fact that Google already has commercial agreements with the news industry, misunderstands how the ad market changed and mandates payments from some companies while arbitrarily excluding platforms like Microsoft, Snapchat and OpenAI — despite the major shift in how people consume news,” a Google statement said.

TikTok had not provided an immediate response to requests for comment.

All three targeted platforms are American companies. U.S. critics have previously argued that Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code unfairly burdened American corporations.

Albanese dismissed concerns about potential U.S. government opposition to the measure.

“We’re a sovereign nation and my government will make decisions based upon the Australian national interest,” Albanese said.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 28 – During a diplomatic meeting in Brunei on Tuesday, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas encouraged Southeast Asian nations to avoid purchasing Russian oil as they navigate fuel supply challenges stemming from Middle East conflicts.

Earlier this month, the EU implemented new sanctions targeting Russia, which included stricter limitations on oil commerce, as part of efforts to weaken Moscow’s financial capacity to continue its military operations in Ukraine.

According to Kallas, Russia has gained advantages from the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which has resulted in the practical shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial shipping lane that handles approximately 20 percent of global oil transportation and other essential commodities.

“Just let me remind you that the oil revenues are the revenues that Russia is using to fund this war (in Ukraine). We have an interest that this war stops,” she stated to journalists following her discussions with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“That’s why we are, of course, advocating for diversifying resources and finding them elsewhere, not from Russia,” Kallas added.

The EU diplomat did not clarify whether this topic was specifically discussed during her formal meetings with ASEAN officials.

According to previous Reuters reporting from last month, several Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, have been exploring increased oil purchases from Russia.

ACCRA, April 28 – Armed attackers ambushed a Ghanaian military convoy escorting 140 civilians through the northern town of Binduri on Monday, leaving three civilians dead and one wounded, according to military officials.

The convoy was traveling through Ghana’s Upper East Region from Bawku toward Bolga when unknown gunmen launched multiple attacks on the vehicles, military authorities reported in an official statement.

Binduri sits near the violence-plagued town of Bawku, where ongoing ethnic tensions between the Mamprusi and Kusasi communities have centered around disputes over traditional leadership appointments in the region.

This ethnic conflict has claimed over 300 lives since 2021, with the bloodshed now extending beyond Bawku’s city limits into surrounding areas like Binduri.

Local authorities had previously implemented nighttime curfews in Binduri Township starting in March 2025, which were lifted in February 2026 after security conditions showed signs of improvement.

Military personnel fought back against Monday’s assault, fatally shooting seven of the attackers, according to army officials. Following the confrontation, troops seized a G3 automatic rifle, two loaded magazines containing 20 rounds each, and an additional 176 rounds of ammunition from a suspect who had sought refuge in a local mosque.

Authorities have taken ten additional suspects into custody, who are now cooperating with ongoing investigations into the attack, military sources confirmed.

Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister announced Tuesday that the country stands ready to transfer its defensive military technology to allied nations, particularly those belonging to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, according to reports from Iranian state media.

Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik made the announcement during a defense ministers’ meeting in Kyrgyzstan’s capital city. The statement follows a two-month military confrontation between Iran and both the United States and Israel that stretched from late February through early April.

During that conflict, Iranian forces deployed multiple waves of unmanned drones and missile strikes targeting American military installations throughout the region and Israeli locations. Iran also successfully intercepted various U.S. aircraft, mostly drones, that entered Iranian airspace during the hostilities.

“We are ready to share the experiences of America’s defeat with other members of the organisation,” Talaei-Nik stated during the SCO defense ministers’ gathering.

The Iranian defense official has recently conducted discussions with military leaders from Russia and Belarus, with both Moscow and Minsk expressing their commitment to maintaining collaborative relationships with Tehran.

While a ceasefire declaration earlier this month has temporarily suspended the two-month military confrontation, diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a permanent resolution to the conflict have reached an impasse.

Iran has identified underwater internet cables running through the Strait of Hormuz as potential targets, sparking worries about threats to critical digital infrastructure that keeps the global internet running.

This strategic waterway, already crucial for worldwide oil transport, serves as an equally important pathway for digital communications. Multiple fiber-optic cables run along the ocean floor through the strait, linking nations from India and Southeast Asia to Europe through Gulf nations and Egypt.

These underwater cables carry approximately 99% of global internet traffic, according to the International Telecommunication Union, the UN’s digital technology agency. The cables also transport telecommunications signals and electrical power between nations, making them essential for cloud computing services and online communications worldwide.

“Damaged cables mean the internet slowing down or outages, e-commerce disruptions, delayed financial transactions … and economic fallout from all of these disruptions,” explained geopolitical and energy analyst Masha Kotkin.

Gulf nations, especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have poured billions into artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure as they work to reduce their dependence on oil revenues. Both countries have created national AI companies serving regional customers — all depending on these underwater cables for high-speed data transmission.

Key cable systems passing through the Strait of Hormuz include the Asia-Africa-Europe 1 (AAE-1), which links Southeast Asia to Europe through Egypt with connection points in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The FALCON network connects India and Sri Lanka to Gulf states, Sudan, and Egypt. The Gulf Bridge International Cable System links all Gulf nations, including Iran. Several additional networks are currently being built, including one led by Qatar’s Ooredoo.

While submarine cable length has expanded significantly from 2014 to 2025, cable failures have held steady at approximately 150-200 incidents annually, according to the International Cable Protection Committee. Though state-sponsored sabotage remains a concern, 70-80% of cable damage results from accidental human activities, mainly fishing operations and ship anchors.

Additional threats include ocean currents, seismic activity, underwater volcanic activity, and severe storms, noted Alan Mauldin, research director at telecommunications research company TeleGeography. The industry mitigates these dangers by burying cables, adding protective armor, and choosing safer routes.

The Iran conflict, now approaching its second month, has caused unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies and regional infrastructure, including damage to Amazon Web Services data centers in Bahrain and the UAE. The submarine cables have remained undamaged thus far.

However, an indirect threat exists from damaged ships accidentally striking cables while dragging anchors.

“In a situation of active military operations, the risk of unintentional damage increases, and the longer this conflict lasts, the higher the likelihood of unintentional damage,” Kotkin stated. A comparable incident happened in 2024 when a commercial ship attacked by Iran-backed Houthis drifted in the Red Sea and cut cables with its anchor.

The extent to which cable damage might affect connectivity in Gulf countries depends heavily on individual network operators’ reliance on them and available backup options, according to TeleGeography.

Fixing damaged cables in war zones presents unique challenges beyond simply protecting them. While the actual repair work isn’t extremely complex, repair ship owners and insurance companies may hesitate due to risks from combat or mines, experts explain.

Getting permission to enter territorial waters creates another complication. “Often one of the biggest problems with doing repairs is you have to get permits into the waters where the damage is. That can take a long time sometimes and can be the biggest source (of problems),” Mauldin explained.

After conflicts end, industry operators must also re-examine the sea floor to identify safe cable locations and avoid ships or debris that may have sunk during fighting.

While potential submarine cable damage wouldn’t cause complete connectivity loss due to land-based connections, experts agree that satellite systems cannot serve as adequate replacements since they cannot manage the same traffic volume and cost significantly more.

“It’s not as though you could just switch to satellite. That’s not an alternative,” Mauldin emphasized, explaining that satellites depend on ground-based network connections and work better for mobile applications like aircraft and ships.

Low-Earth-orbit systems like Starlink represent “a boutique solution, which is not scalable to millions of users, at this time,” Kotkin added.

A South Korean appeals court on Tuesday handed down a four-year prison term to Kim Keon Hee, the country’s former First Lady, following her conviction on charges of stock manipulation and accepting bribes.

The Tuesday ruling represented an increase from her previous sentence, as the appeals court decided to impose harsher punishment for the financial crimes.

Kim Keon Hee faced charges related to illegally manipulating stock prices and receiving bribes during her time in the public spotlight.

German military officials have ruled out working with American defense technology firm Palantir, citing national security concerns about data access, according to statements made to a German business publication.

Thomas Daum, who oversees cyber defense operations for Germany’s armed forces, told Handelsblatt newspaper that such partnerships are not being considered currently. “I don’t see that happening at all at the moment,” Daum stated in the publication’s Tuesday edition.

The military official explained that while German forces recognize the potential benefits of the company’s database capabilities, security protocols prevent such collaboration. “As much as we are interested in the functionality for our own database, it is simply inconceivable at the moment to grant industry staff access to the national database,” Daum explained.

This decision comes as Palantir has secured significant contracts with the U.S. military. Last month, reports indicated that the company’s artificial intelligence technology had been formally adopted by the Pentagon for long-term use, particularly for weapons-targeting applications across American military branches.

German military leaders have been exploring artificial intelligence solutions to process battlefield information more quickly than traditional human analysis methods allow.

Rescue operations have concluded following a devastating train accident near Jakarta, Indonesia, with officials confirming 14 fatalities and 84 people wounded in the collision.

The tragic incident occurred Monday evening in Bekasi, located just outside Indonesia’s capital, when a commuter train and a long-distance train crashed into each other.

PT KAI, Indonesia’s state railway company, confirmed through CEO Bobby Rasyidin that the death count had reached 14 people.

Mohammad Syafii, who leads Indonesia’s search and rescue operations, announced Tuesday that all evacuation efforts had wrapped up. He described the complex nature of freeing passengers who were stuck inside the destroyed train cars.

“We needed to involve personnel with certain skills to perform a measured extrication,” Syafii explained, noting that while no additional passengers remain to be found, rescue workers will continue searching the debris for any remaining body parts.

The crash’s most severe damage occurred to a car designated exclusively for female passengers. According to Syafii, every person who died was a woman, with the majority crushed beneath twisted metal.

Emergency responders used specialized cutting equipment, including angle grinders, to slice through the metal compartments and reach those who survived before separating the trains.

Railway executive Bobby explained during a news briefing that the sequence of events began when the commuter train struck a taxi positioned on the railway tracks, followed by the long-distance train hitting the commuter train.

Green SM Indonesia, the taxi company involved, confirmed through social media that one of their vehicles was part of the accident. The company stated it provided information to investigators to help with their inquiry.

The taxi service operates as the Indonesian division of Green and Smart Mobility JSC, a Vietnamese electric vehicle company connected to Vingroup.

Following a visit to a Bekasi medical facility, President Prabowo Subianto announced plans to construct an overpass near the railway to address severe traffic problems in the area. He also promised a thorough investigation into the accident and acknowledged that significant portions of the country’s rail system lack proper maintenance.

The crash is currently under review by Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee.

Family members and concerned individuals gathered at the train station Tuesday, many searching for missing relatives.

Heriyati, who was traveling on the train, shared that she had originally planned to board the women’s car but chose the one directly behind it instead. She was speaking with her husband by phone, arranging for him to collect her from the station, when the collision happened.

“I haven’t even finished with the call and the trains collided,” she recalled.

The commuter rail system serves as one of Jakarta’s busiest transportation networks in what ranks as the world’s most populated urban area. PT KAI announced that several commuter routes were shortened Tuesday due to the crash aftermath.

Adriansyah Yasin Sulaeman, who holds an executive position at the Forum Transport for Jakarta research organization, emphasized the need for government investment in upgrading the deteriorating railway infrastructure. He specifically recommended creating separate tracks for express long-distance services and local commuter trains.

“These commuter trains are a symbol for the working class,” Sulaeman stated. “It’s a big alarm for the government to seriously improve it.”

Transportation accidents involving land vehicles occur frequently throughout Indonesia. A separate train accident in West Java province during 2024 resulted in four deaths and numerous injuries.

War-displaced civilians who sought safety in a remote South Sudan village have been cut off from critical humanitarian assistance by their own government, despite mounting casualties, according to witnesses and relief organizations.

The Associated Press interviewed individuals who recently escaped to Nyatim, a community surrounded by marshland. They reported severe food shortages and contaminated water sources in such an isolated location that satellite internet was their only means of requesting emergency help.

However, when humanitarian workers contacted South Sudan’s leadership requesting permission to provide emergency supplies, officials refused. Even reports indicating dozens had perished, some apparently from hunger, failed to change their decision.

“It was a ‘no’ from local and national authorities and from the military,” said Yashovardhan, the head of mission for Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan, who goes by one name. “Meanwhile, people are eating leaves and roots to survive.”

The U.N. World Food Program, typically cautious about addressing this ongoing issue in South Sudan, confirmed to the AP that authorities had prevented their assistance despite “numerous engagements with both national and local authorities,” according to the agency’s country director, Adham Effendi.

This pattern has repeated throughout South Sudan’s history, where citizens battled for independence from Sudan before civil conflict erupted internally. Whichever faction controls relief supplies stands accused of preventing the opposition from accessing them, leaving ordinary people to bear the consequences.

Current violence has escalated since Riek Machar, President Salva Kiir’s longtime political adversary, was removed from his position as first vice president and placed under house detention for alleged conspiracy last year. These leaders commanded rival armies during a brutal civil conflict that claimed approximately 400,000 lives before a 2018 peace accord established their unstable coalition government.

Last December, opposition troops supporting Machar captured military installations in Jonglei state. Government armies retaliated the next month.

On February 7, government soldiers approached Lankien town’s perimeter, where days before an air assault had targeted a Doctors Without Borders medical facility. Local residents described heavy weapons fire before troops invaded the settlement using armored vehicles.

Thomas Nim was among the evacuees. Accompanied by his expecting wife, three young children, and elderly mother, they navigated through wetlands, praying soldiers wouldn’t pursue them.

They joined many others who eventually reached Nyatim, roughly one day’s journey on foot.

“Some of the most vulnerable, like the elderly and children, ended up in Nyatim because they couldn’t make it any farther,” said Nim, a 43-year-old pharmacist.

As time went on and fatalities began occurring due to hunger and contaminated water, he requested assistance. Yet no help arrived.

Gatkhor Dual, an opposition representative managing relief efforts in Jonglei state, pointed to county commissioner James Bol Makuei for preventing humanitarian access. Makuei refuses aid to reach individuals who “support the opposition,” Dual explained, particularly when they’re located near government-controlled territories.

Makuei confirmed that entry to Nyatim had been limited but argued that population estimates of displaced persons — 30,000 according to Doctors Without Borders — were inflated. He charged South Sudan’s primary opposition movement, identified by its acronym SPLM-IO, with keeping civilians in Nyatim to draw aid and establish a strategic position near the county’s government center.

Nim, the pharmacist, insisted no opposition fighters were present in the region.

Worries about aid misappropriation have historical basis. Armed factions in South Sudan, including government forces, have extensively redirected humanitarian resources for military use. During recent Jonglei fighting, combatants ransacked more than two dozen humanitarian-operated medical centers, the U.N. reported.

Doctors Without Borders indicated it initially contacted authorities about Nyatim on February 22. The organization made another appeal on March 3 after receiving death reports. By March’s end, the medical organization released a public statement highlighting their efforts.

Providing assistance in South Sudan presents constant challenges. Transportation networks are inadequate. Water-based transport, when possible, faces attack risks. Official authorization remains mandatory.

The humanitarian emergency has worsened significantly. In March, more than half of over 1,000 children examined by Doctors Without Borders in Chuil, where South Sudan’s government has permitted humanitarian entry, showed severe malnutrition.

Relief workers face overwhelming demands. During February, Doctors Without Borders expanded a four-bed clinic to 60 beds, then 80. The facility is now expanding to accommodate 100 patients.

Meanwhile, some people are abandoning isolated Nyatim and returning to destroyed homes.

“People are returning to their homes,” said one of them, Koang Pajok. “There was no food and shelter.”

Unable to access the region through ground or water routes, the World Food Program has conducted airdrops of 415 metric tons of food supplies to Chuil since March, country director Effendi reported.

However, as civilians arrive seeking help, armed young men carrying assault rifles also appear. Some residents fear this could make Chuil a military target.

During an April morning, an aircraft circling above created nervous spectators.

“It’s a surveillance plane,” said Gal Wai Tut, who had reached the area days earlier with his wife and infant child. He remembered observing a similar aircraft over Lankien on the day he claimed a December bombing killed at least 11 civilians.

An elderly man warned against clustering together, explaining that groups are more vulnerable to attack.

Security fears are mounting across Colombia as insurgent forces have launched a devastating campaign of violence just weeks before the nation’s May presidential election.

Since Friday, militant groups have carried out more than 24 violent strikes targeting both civilian populations and government military installations throughout Colombia’s southwestern regions.

The escalating attacks have heightened concerns about safety and stability as the country prepares for its upcoming presidential vote.

The violence represents a significant security challenge for Colombian authorities as they work to ensure safe conditions for the democratic process.

BEKASI, Indonesia — Emergency teams have finished retrieving the final casualties from a deadly railway accident that occurred just outside Indonesia’s capital city on Tuesday. The tragic collision took place Monday evening when a passenger train traveling long distances struck the back end of a commuter train that had stopped at the Bekasi station near Jakarta.

Recovery operations continued through Tuesday as rescue workers worked to extract all victims from the wreckage at the station located in the outskirts of the Indonesian capital.

BEIJING (AP) — More than 200 people were forced from their homes after intense rainfall created dangerous flooding conditions in a southern Chinese city, according to state media reports released Tuesday.

Emergency responders used inflatable boats to reach residents who became trapped inside their homes in Qinzhou, located in the Guangxi region, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Video from the scene showed rescue workers moving through water that reached their chests, while firefighters physically carried elderly residents to safety.

Local officials in Qinzhou reported that weather monitoring equipment measured more than 270 millimeters of precipitation — approximately 10 inches — in the 24-hour span that concluded Monday morning at 8 a.m. This rainfall total set a new single-day record for the month of April in the area.

Weather expert Lin Nan explained in a social media post that this type of extreme precipitation normally doesn’t occur in coastal areas of southern China until the summer monsoon season begins in the middle to end of May. “It is rare to see such a heavy downpour in late April,” Lin said.

By Tuesday morning, educational institutions throughout Qinzhou had reopened for regular classes, and vehicle movement had returned to normal conditions in most areas of the city, according to reports from a news organization run by China’s emergency management officials.

The Trump administration showed little enthusiasm Tuesday for Iran’s diplomatic overture to halt current hostilities and restore access to the Strait of Hormuz in return for the United States ending its economic sanctions against the nation.

Iran’s proposal would delay negotiations regarding the country’s nuclear capabilities, an approach that Secretary of State Marco Rubio seemingly rejected during a Monday Fox News appearance.

“We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point,” Rubio stated regarding the proposal, which Pakistan delivered to American officials.

White House officials confirmed that President Donald Trump’s national security advisors reviewed the Iranian offer and indicated Trump would respond to it at a later time.

The diplomatic initiative surfaced Monday while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conducted meetings in Russia, a nation that has historically supported Tehran. Officials have not clarified what support, if any, Moscow might provide in this situation.

Casualty figures from the ongoing conflict show at least 3,375 deaths in Iran and a minimum of 2,521 fatalities in Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah forces restarted just two days following the Iran conflict’s beginning. Additional deaths include 23 Israelis, more than a dozen people in Gulf Arab nations, 16 Israeli military personnel in Lebanon, 13 American service members in the region, and six United Nations peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon.

During his Fox News interview, Rubio addressed Iran’s latest diplomatic effort, which would delay nuclear program discussions while ending Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz if America removes its sanctions and concludes the war.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that at some point in the future if this radical clerical regime remains in charge in Iran, they will decide they want a nuclear weapon,” Rubio explained.

“That fundamental issue still has to be confronted,” he continued. “That still remains the core issue here.”

When questioned about Iranian sincerity regarding potential negotiations, Rubio characterized them as experienced diplomats seeking to gain additional time.

“We can’t let them get away with it,” Rubio emphasized. “We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point.”

NAIROBI/GENEVA – The Middle East conflict involving Iran has created devastating consequences for Somalia’s most vulnerable population: severely malnourished children who were already facing the dual crises of potential famine and significant reductions in international assistance.

Medical facilities across Somalia are being forced to deny treatment to critically undernourished children and limit their supply distributions due to shortages of essential therapeutic nutrition products caused by maritime shipping interruptions, according to recent reporting.

Nearly 500,000 children below the age of 5 are experiencing severe acute malnutrition, also known as wasting – the deadliest category of hunger – and the transportation delays are amplifying the impact of reduced humanitarian funding.

Medical staff in the cities of Baidoa and Mogadishu report they must carefully ration their limited inventory of specialized milk products and nutrient-rich peanut-based therapeutic paste that are essential for saving these young lives.

“Since the needs are large and we don’t have a lot of supplies, we have had to keep reducing the amount we give children,” said nurse Hassan Yahye Kheyre.

Kheyre’s medical facility treats over 1,200 children but has only 225 containers of peanut paste remaining, which the International Rescue Committee estimates will be depleted in approximately two weeks.

“If treatment is on-and-off, the children will become very weak, physically and mentally. And it may not be possible to reverse it,” Kheyre explained.

Three humanitarian organizations, including the IRC, have confirmed that transportation setbacks and increased expenses connected to the Iranian conflict are compounding an already dire situation.

At the medical center in Baidoa’s southwestern region, operated by IRC partner READO, Muumino Adan Aamin, a mother of nine children, has repeatedly attempted to obtain peanut paste for her 11-month-old daughter Ruweido.

Although Ruweido requires three packets daily, Aamin has been denied treatment twice due to supply shortages at the clinic.

Aamin previously almost lost her daughter Anisa during a 2017 drought that brought Somalia close to famine conditions. The child was reduced to “just bone and skin” but survived thanks to peanut paste treatment, Aamin recalled.

Nine years later, another drought has left 6.5 million people – representing one-third of Somalia’s population – facing severe hunger, while aid organizations struggle desperately to address the gaps.

An IRC shipment of peanut paste sufficient to feed more than 1,000 children became stranded two months ago at Mundra port in India, which is now overcrowded with redirected cargo unable to reach Gulf ports, explained Shukri Abdulkadir, IRC’s Somalia coordinator.

When informed that the Indian-manufactured peanut paste would require at least 30 additional days to arrive, IRC canceled the shipment.

The organization then placed an urgent order for 400 containers from Nairobi and is transferring existing supplies from Mogadishu to Baidoa while waiting for the new delivery.

However, increased transportation and production expenses have driven the cost of individual containers from $55 to $200, according to CARE International, whose most recent purchase now provides supplies for only 83 children instead of 300.

During 2024, shipments of therapeutic milk and ready-to-use therapeutic food from Europe to Somalia normally required 30-35 days, extending to 40-45 days in 2025 as vessels rerouted around Africa due to Red Sea security concerns.

Following the February 28 U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Iran’s subsequent closure of Gulf access, vessel shortages have extended delivery times to 55-65 days, said Mohamed Omar, Health and Nutrition director at Action Against Hunger in Mogadishu.

Currently in Somalia, the IPC global hunger monitoring system indicates that over 2 million people have reached the “Emergency” classification, just one step below official famine status.

Between January and March, admissions of severely malnourished children to health centers supported by ACF increased by 35% compared to the previous year.

Personnel at Daynile General Hospital, currently treating 360 children for wasting, reported on April 20 that they possessed barely adequate supplies for one week.

“Some children’s nutritional status has already worsened,” stated health and nutrition supervisor Xafsa Ali Hassan.

Somalia was excluded from the 17 impoverished countries selected to receive portions of this year’s funding allocated to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs by the United States, which has implemented the most severe reductions among international aid contributors.

OCHA reports that more than 200 medical facilities have shut down and mobile treatment teams have been dissolved.

The organization announced in December that over 60,500 severely malnourished children had received no treatment as a consequence, with projections indicating this number could reach 150,000 if funding shortfalls continue.

When the Iranian conflict began, domestic fuel costs increased by 150%.

“Somalia is really hard hit by the Iran war because people are still reeling from the impact of the previous drought,” said IRC’s Abdulkadir. “It’s very difficult for people to absorb these shocks.”

OCHA has requested $852 million from international donors to prevent complete famine conditions.

This represents a significant decrease from last year’s $1.42 billion request, yet only 14% of the reduced amount has been received so far.

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday that her administration has formally complained to the United States through diplomatic channels about the unsanctioned participation of American officials in a counter-narcotics mission in northern Chihuahua state.

Four people died in a vehicle accident on April 19 following the drug operation – two American officials and two Mexican personnel. Sources have identified the U.S. officials as CIA operatives. The incident has reignited diplomatic friction between the neighboring countries regarding security collaboration.

The controversy led to the resignation of Chihuahua’s top prosecutor, Cesar Jauregui, late Monday evening. He stepped down after admitting he had given contradictory statements about what happened.

Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico’s federal authorities had no knowledge that the American officials, reportedly CIA agents, were participating in the mission.

“What we told (the U.S.) was that the federal government didn’t know about the involvement of these people (in the operation) and we hope that it’s an exception,” Sheinbaum stated during her regular morning news briefing.

The Mexican leader said her country demanded that “our constitution and national security law should be followed,” and noted that Washington had expressed its understanding.

The participation of American personnel in anti-cartel missions remains an extremely contentious issue in Mexico. While Sheinbaum supports intelligence coordination and security partnership, she firmly opposes allowing U.S. agents or military forces to conduct operations within Mexican borders.

This stance contrasts sharply with U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach, who has consistently advocated for expanded American military involvement against Mexican drug cartels and has warned that the United States might act unilaterally if Mexico’s efforts prove insufficient.

Mexico’s security leadership revealed Saturday that the American officials lacked proper authorization to engage in security activities within the country, with one having entered Mexico using tourist documentation.

Initially, prosecutor Jauregui claimed the day after the crash that the U.S. officials had not participated in the laboratory raid itself, but were collected by Mexican operatives at a different location afterward. He said they were being transported to the state capital when the fatal accident happened.

However, Jauregui acknowledged Monday that his earlier statements contained inaccuracies, though he did not specify which details were wrong.

“Regarding the events that have come to light around the presence of individuals who identified themselves as alleged foreign officials, the information we initially had – and which I shared with the public – was inconsistent,” he stated in an announcement from the Chihuahua Attorney General’s office, which he also read during a news conference.

“There were omissions both in the information and in the institutional handling of points of contact with those individuals.” He expressed hope that his departure would help authorities “restore public trust.”

North Korea dramatically escalated its use of capital punishment during COVID-19 border restrictions, with the majority of death sentences connected to consuming prohibited foreign entertainment and religious activities, according to a human rights organization based in Seoul.

Research conducted by the Transitional Justice Working Group reveals that 148 individuals were executed in 60 separate incidents from 2020 through 2024, representing a significant jump from 41 death penalty cases during the preceding five-year span.

The organization compiled its findings through conversations with 880 North Korean refugees currently residing in South Korea and utilized satellite imagery to identify locations where executions took place. Researchers emphasized that their data should not be viewed as comprehensive.

Violations involving foreign cultural content and religious practices, such as viewing South Korean television programs and films, represented the highest percentage of execution cases, the study found.

Prior to pandemic restrictions, homicide had been the primary offense leading to death sentences.

Political crimes resulting in executions climbed to 28 cases from just four during the comparable earlier timeframe, as leader Kim Jong Un intensified efforts to suppress opposition during isolation measures.

Cultural offense executions also took place in the nation’s interior regions rather than solely near the Chinese border, indicating South Korean entertainment had penetrated across the entire country, according to Hubert Lee, who serves as the organization’s executive director.

North Korea has gradually begun loosening restrictions and permitted the 2023 return of citizens who had been overseas, while recently restoring passenger rail connections with China.

However, the count of North Korean defectors, which serves as a measure of the country’s external engagement, stayed minimal at 223 in 2025, down from 1,275 recorded in 2015, based on South Korean official statistics.

The expected leadership transition to Kim’s daughter, identified as Ju Ae, might also lead to increased executions, Lee suggested.

“The number of executions may surge when the time for Ju Ae to succeed is imminent, to remove the inner circle of her father and appoint her people,” Lee stated.

North Korean diplomatic missions in Singapore and London, along with Pyongyang’s permanent United Nations office, did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment regarding the report’s conclusions.

CAIRO (AP) — Iran’s renowned carpet manufacturing region has seen production come to a virtual standstill. Dairy companies can’t secure packaging materials for their milk and butter products. Massive steel production facilities that previously powered the nation’s economy have ceased operations. Hundreds of thousands have become unemployed, with millions more facing potential job losses.

Following more than five weeks of sustained attacks, American and Israeli military operations have targeted thousands of manufacturing facilities. The destruction is creating shockwaves throughout Iran’s economic system, threatening successive rounds of unemployment while Iranians confront dramatically rising costs. Chicken prices have surged 75% in the past month, while beef and lamb costs have climbed 68%. Numerous dairy items have seen price increases of 50%.

The situation may deteriorate further as America implements a naval blockade of Iranian harbors, severely restricting imports and petroleum exports worth billions annually. Economic hardships previously triggered widespread demonstrations that were violently suppressed before the current conflict and might once again drive citizens to protest publicly.

However, Iran possesses its own economic leverage against the world through its control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials declare they will only allow the crucial global energy passage to reopen when the blockade ends and hostilities cease. They’re wagering that an economy designed for self-sufficiency through decades of international sanctions can withstand hardship longer than U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to state media reports, Deputy Labor Minister Gholamhossein Mohammadi stated that Iran has lost no fewer than 1 million jobs directly due to the conflict.

However, the cascading consequences threaten between 10 million and 12 million positions — representing half of Iran’s workforce — according to Iranian economist Hadi Kahalzadeh’s warning.

Israel has asserted it targeted the industrial infrastructure of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. However, the attacks extended far beyond this scope, damaging facilities not controlled by the organization.

According to Kahalzadeh, a research fellow at Brandeis University, military strikes damaged 20,000 manufacturing plants, representing approximately 20% of the nation’s production facilities. Among the affected sites was Tofigh Daru, Iran’s largest pharmaceutical company, which produces cancer treatment medications and other medicines. Optical equipment and chemical manufacturing plants, along with aluminum and cement production facilities, also sustained damage.

Most significantly destructive were Israel’s attacks on Iran’s largest steel production and petrochemical manufacturing plants, primarily during a series of strikes just prior to the April 8 ceasefire. The nation’s two largest steel companies, Mobarakeh Steel and Khuzestan Steel, along with smaller operations, suspended production. Over 50 petrochemical facilities have ceased operations, according to Iran’s semiofficial Jamaran news agency.

This has severely damaged Iran’s two largest non-petroleum export sectors, causing price increases for everything from plastic products to piping, textiles and food packaging for items like milk, butter and cheese.

Military attacks aren’t the sole source of economic difficulties. Internet services have been mostly disabled since the protests began, devastating small and medium businesses dependent on online commerce. Even prior to the U.S. blockade, Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates, which supplied roughly one-third of Iran’s imports, prompted that nation to sever trade relations.

Approximately 80% of carpet and rug producers have halted operations in the industrial district of Kashan, the hub of Iran’s rugmaking sector, according to a rugmaker’s son. His family’s factory, which employs 20 to 30 workers and previously manufactured hundreds of rugs monthly using machines, is among those that have closed, though his father continues visiting the facility daily.

“Never have I heard my father so upset,” said the son, who lives in the United States and spoke on condition of anonymity for his family’s security.

Kashan, housing hundreds of carpet producers, “relies on the rug industry and unfortunately it’s been crippled,” he explained. Export sales have plummeted since the conflict started, and domestic purchases are nearly nonexistent. Synthetic fiber costs have jumped 30%-50% — partially resulting from damage to petrochemical plants, he noted.

Mehdi Bostanchi operates a ventilation and air conditioning manufacturing facility, plus a second plant producing household fans, employing more than 1,130 workers total. Both continue functioning. However, the HVAC factory depends heavily on the construction sector, and “construction is facing a massive shock,” he explained.

Most new construction projects are suspended, while iron sheeting prices have more than doubled.

Bostanchi, who serves on a council representing Iranian manufacturers, explained that “all the country’s industries in some way rely on our petrochemical industry.” Even businesses that don’t directly require steel or petrochemical materials have contracts with companies that do.

A chemical engineer employed at one of Iran’s largest private construction companies reported it eliminated half of its 180 headquarters employees and was forced to cancel a project with Mobarakeh Steel, eliminating 1,000 positions.

A Tehran resident resigned from his consulting engineering position just before the conflict began, and the new position he had secured is now uncertain.

“I am at the top 1% (of society), and I am without a job. I am super worried about my future,” he stated, noting that people’s savings will begin running out in coming weeks.

Both he and the chemical engineer requested anonymity due to security concerns.

Millions demonstrated in January’s protests initially sparked by worsening inflation but evolved into demands for ending the Islamic Republic, resulting in violent government suppression.

Government officials are attempting to assure citizens that Iran can endure the economic suffering. The administration has pledged to expand unemployment benefits. However, the strain on Iran’s social security system is increasing while its funding sources are being damaged, since it relies heavily on investments in petrochemical companies and other essential industries, Kahalzadeh explained.

The U.S. blockade threatens to eliminate export income: Iran earned approximately $98 billion from exports in 2025, with just under half coming from oil sales.

However, implementing a complete blockade presents challenges; roughly half of Iran’s non-oil commerce travels overland or through Caspian Sea harbors, according to economic expert Esfandyar Batmanghelidj.

Iran has also developed substantial resilience and “readiness for worst-case scenarios,” Batmanghelidj wrote for the Bourse and Bazaar Foundation, a research organization he leads focusing on economic development in West and Central Asia.

Iran maintains substantial reserves of essential materials. By the end of 2025, Iran had stockpiled enough electrical equipment for nearly eight months, cement supplies lasting nearly six months and sufficient steel and iron for four months, he wrote, noting that supplies could be extended further through rationing.

Bostanchi, the factory owner, expressed belief that Iran’s economy could recover after the conflict ends. However, the extent depends on whether Iran can achieve an end to international sanctions.

“If we cannot lift the sanctions in any agreements, then no, the optimistic forecast … will not happen,” he stated.

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria — Legal proceedings commence Tuesday against a young man charged with swearing loyalty to ISIS and conspiring to launch an attack during Taylor Swift’s Vienna concert performances in August 2024.

While authorities successfully prevented the assault, officials made the decision to call off Swift’s trio of scheduled shows. Disappointed fans, called Swifties, had traveled internationally to witness her phenomenally successful Eras Tour but responded by transforming Vienna into an impromptu community for bracelet exchanges and group singing.

The accused, identified as 21-year-old Beran A. under Austria’s privacy protocols, confronts multiple charges including terrorism violations and terrorist group participation. A conviction could result in a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Defense lawyer Anna Mair informed The Associated Press Monday that her client intends to admit guilt to several charges, though she declined to detail which specific accusations he would acknowledge.

Investigators allege he intended to harm crowds congregating outside Ernst Happel Stadium — potentially 30,000 nightly, plus 65,000 inside — using bladed weapons or improvised bombs. Officials stated in 2024 that the suspect aimed to “kill as many people as possible.” American intelligence contributed to the concert cancellation decision.

Beran A. reportedly communicated with additional ISIS members while preparing the assault. Legal authorities claim conversations included weapon purchases and explosive device construction, with the defendant attempting illegal firearm acquisition before the scheduled performance. He also reportedly declared loyalty to the extremist organization.

Law enforcement raided his residence on August 7, 2024, discovering bomb-creation supplies. The concerts were supposed to commence the following day.

“Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,” Swift wrote in a statement posted to Instagram two weeks later. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.”

Court proceedings are taking place in Wiener Neustadt, approximately one hour from Vienna. The case will resume May 12.

Legal officials have additionally brought terrorism-related accusations against Arda K., whose complete identity remains confidential, in the same trial.

Prosecutors contend that Beran A. and Arda K., alongside another individual called Hasan E., coordinated to execute concurrent strikes in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates during 2024’s Ramadan period for ISIS.

Hasan E. reportedly attacked a security officer with a blade at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2024. He was apprehended and continues in Saudi custody awaiting trial, Austrian prosecutors confirmed.

Beran A. and Arda K. abandoned their Turkey and UAE operations. Beran A. returned to Vienna and subsequently began developing the Swift concert attack plan.

The Vienna conspiracy reminded many of a 2017 suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande performance in Manchester, England, which claimed 22 lives. The explosive detonated as the concert concluded and thousands of young attendees were departing, marking the UK’s most lethal extremist incident in recent memory.

LAS MINAS, Cuba (AP) — In the rural town of Las Minas, 58-year-old farmer Eduardo Obiols Sobredo faces an impossible challenge: feeding his fellow Cubans while battling crippling fuel shortages caused by US energy sanctions that have triggered widespread power outages and water disruptions.

“I feel like crying,” Obiols Sobredo expressed. “It’s so sad to see crops grown with so much effort go to waste, especially when you know there are so many who need them.”

Agricultural machinery sits idle throughout Cuba as fuel supplies dwindle to nothing. Farmers such as Obiols Sobredo have resorted to using oxen and hand labor, though many cannot afford these alternatives and resources remain scarce.

The crisis has worsened poverty and expanded hunger throughout the Caribbean nation, home to almost 10 million residents. Fresh produce quality and availability continue declining while costs climb beyond what most citizens can afford.

Unlike other nations experiencing energy shortages due to global conflicts, Cuba directly attributes its struggles to targeted measures implemented by the Trump administration.

For three months, Cuba received no fuel deliveries after the US targeted Venezuela, a crucial oil partner, and issued threats of tariffs against any nation providing petroleum to the island.

The country was already struggling under intensified US sanctions that have existed for decades, blocking imports of essential items. The Trump administration has demanded Cuba’s socialist leadership free political detainees, enact significant economic changes, and alter its governing structure to eliminate perceived national security risks. Cuban officials consistently deny posing any danger to America.

With diplomatic tensions persisting, high-level government representatives are traveling to farms across Cuba, encouraging producers to increase output for greater national independence.

However, the impact of US energy restrictions is clearly visible in Las Minas, where 65 farmers share just 18 oxen.

Obiols Sobredo rents these animals and their operators when possible, but depends on manual work for smaller farming tasks. His crops include tomatoes, sorghum, cassava and other vegetables. He also maintains goats whose milk feeds local schoolchildren.

He joins other agricultural workers in a system that provides for Cuba’s most needy populations, including orphanages and elder care facilities.

Land preparation that once required 15 minutes using motorized equipment now demands three full days. His last government gasoline allocation arrived in January.

“It has forced us to take other kinds of actions in order to survive,” Obiols Sobredo explained.

Petroleum shortages also mean delivery vehicles don’t always arrive, compelling farmers to use their limited fuel reserves to transport milk to freezing facilities, hoping it won’t spoil before collection.

Electrical outages prevent Obiols Sobredo from processing feed for his goats, which produce less milk due to poor nutrition.

Crop irrigation has also suffered. Though a charitable organization funded solar irrigation equipment for his property last year, he lacks the gasoline needed for installation. He depends on rainfall that hasn’t occurred in almost two months.

Distribution companies increasingly use horse-drawn vehicles to move produce, causing bruising during extended journeys to marketplaces.

At a government market in Havana offering relatively affordable prices, 68-year-old customer Juan Lázaro expressed disappointment with produce quality.

“Look,” he stated, indicating a display of small, unripe tomatoes. “They’re lacking fertilizer, you can tell they’re lacking water. Look at their color.”

Lázaro retired from industrial mechanics but returned to work at a small shop to survive financially. During a recent visit, he purchased six potatoes as an unusual luxury.

“I’ve had to cut back. I either buy bread or I buy potatoes,” he noted.

He emphasized that Cuba’s present difficulties exceed the “Special Period” of the 1990s, when Soviet Union collapse eliminated aid and created widespread hardship. “We’ve been hitting rock bottom for a while.”

Fellow shopper Griselle Guillot, 64, now hesitates before buying rice.

“I need to see how much I can buy, because I also need onions,” she said.

Anthony Batista Guerra, a 47-year-old produce seller, noted customers understand the declining standards without explanation: “They know things are bad right now.”

As the market prepared to close, one vendor discarded a tomato into the street after shoppers rejected it as unsuitable.

On a steamy morning, 82-year-old Argelio González Juvier wielded a hoe against weeds surrounding cassava plants at his workplace.

A former interior ministry official who retired in 1995, he returned to work for additional income and selected agriculture.

“The earth provides everything. That’s what we should focus on,” he stated. “We have no other alternative.”

He condemned US energy restrictions, describing them as criminal.

“Cuba doesn’t deserve what they’re doing to us,” he declared. “The Americans think they’re the owners of the world.”

Working beside González Juvier was 36-year-old Jordanis Ríos, formerly a truck operator transporting construction materials until fuel shortages eliminated his position.

He now uses a machete to clear agricultural land, cutting dried vegetation each morning for $4 daily wages. He hopes to resume truck driving.

“My job is there. Just waiting for the country to improve,” he said.

Ríos avoided discussing recent US-Cuba negotiations, with American representatives visiting the island this month for the first time since 2016. Conversation details remain confidential, though Cuba has stated lifting the blockade remains its top priority.

Ríos indicated the outcome rests with leadership: “My goal is to survive here and see what happens.”

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confronts escalating political turmoil Tuesday as Parliament prepares to vote on launching a formal investigation into his controversial selection of Peter Mandelson for the U.S. ambassador position.

The House of Commons will debate whether to refer Starmer to Parliament’s standards watchdog following the botched diplomatic appointment that has dominated headlines for months. Mandelson, who had ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was ultimately removed from consideration after security vetting failures came to light.

Adding to Starmer’s challenges, his former top aide Morgan McSweeney is scheduled to appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee to answer questions about the flawed appointment process. McSweeney stepped down in February, accepting blame for recommending Mandelson despite the security red flags.

The twin proceedings represent significant political risks for Starmer, who has weathered weeks of resignation calls stemming from the Mandelson controversy. The Prime Minister terminated Mandelson’s appointment in September when additional information surfaced regarding his relationship with Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019.

Authorities launched a criminal probe into Mandelson in February following accusations that he shared classified government intelligence with Epstein during his government service in 2009.

During Tuesday’s hearing, McSweeney — a longtime Mandelson associate who previously served as Starmer’s chief of staff — will likely face tough questions about claims from former Foreign Office permanent secretary Olly Robbins. Robbins alleged that Starmer’s team inappropriately pressured civil servants to expedite Mandelson’s clearance to ensure he could begin work when President Donald Trump’s second term commenced.

Starmer has categorically rejected assertions that his administration applied undue influence on government bureaucrats.

The Prime Minister dismissed Robbins earlier this month following revelations that security officials had recommended against Mandelson’s appointment. Starmer described it as “staggering” that Foreign Office personnel failed to inform him about the vetting concerns.

Political opponents argue Starmer’s initial decision to nominate Mandelson demonstrates poor judgment from a leader who has stumbled repeatedly since guiding the Labour Party to an overwhelming electoral triumph in July 2024.

Starmer previously navigated a potential crisis in February when some Labour members of Parliament called for his resignation over the ambassador selection. He may encounter fresh difficulties if Labour performs poorly in upcoming May 7 local elections, which will serve as a referendum on his government’s performance.

Whether sufficient Labour lawmakers will join opposition members in referring Starmer to the Privileges Committee remains uncertain. The committee possesses authority to suspend parliamentarians, including prime ministers, for rule violations.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of repeatedly “misled the House of Commons” when claiming “full due process” guided Mandelson’s selection.

Starmer’s office dismissed Tuesday’s proceedings as “a desperate political stunt by the Conservative Party the week before the May elections.”

Committee censure also creates substantial moral pressure to step down. The panel’s examination of lockdown violations in government facilities during the COVID-19 crisis contributed to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political downfall.

Johnson resigned from Parliament in 2023 after the committee determined he had consistently misled lawmakers regarding the “Partygate” controversy.

Rescue operations have concluded following a devastating train accident outside Indonesia’s capital that claimed 14 lives and left 84 others wounded, according to railway officials.

The fatal accident occurred Monday evening in Bekasi, located just beyond Jakarta’s borders, when a commuter train and a long-distance passenger train collided.

PT KAI, Indonesia’s government-owned railway company, confirmed through CEO Bobby Rasyidin that fatalities had reached 14 people.

Mohammad Syafii, who leads Indonesia’s search and rescue operations, announced Tuesday that all evacuation work had been finished. He described the rescue mission as requiring extreme care due to passengers being stuck inside severely damaged train cars.

“We needed to involve personnel with certain skills to perform a measured extrication,” Syafii explained, noting that while no additional passengers remain missing, crews will continue searching the debris for any remains.

The crash primarily impacted a car designated exclusively for female passengers. According to Syafii, every victim was a woman, with most having been trapped beneath twisted metal debris.

Before separating the crashed trains, emergency responders used power tools to slice through metal compartment walls to reach those still alive inside.

Railway executive Bobby explained during a media briefing that the commuter train initially struck a taxi on the railway before being hit by the approaching long-distance train.

Green SM Indonesia, the taxi company involved, posted on Instagram acknowledging one of their vehicles was part of the incident. The company stated they provided information to investigators to help with their inquiry.

Green SM Indonesia operates as the local division of Vietnamese electric taxi company Green and Smart Mobility JSC, which is connected to Vingroup.

Following a hospital visit in Bekasi, President Prabowo Subianto announced plans to construct an overpass near the railway to address severe traffic problems in the area. He also ordered a full investigation into the crash and acknowledged that significant portions of the country’s rail system lack proper maintenance.

Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee has launched its own investigation into the accident.

Family members and concerned residents gathered at the train station Tuesday, with some searching for missing relatives.

One passenger, Heriyati, shared that she had originally planned to board the women-only car but chose the one directly behind it instead. She was speaking with her husband by phone, arranging for him to collect her from the station, when the crash happened.

“I haven’t even finished with the call and the trains collided,” she recalled.

Jakarta’s commuter rail system serves one of the world’s most densely populated metropolitan areas. PT KAI announced Tuesday that several commuter routes were shortened due to the accident.

Transportation accidents involving ground vehicles occur frequently throughout Indonesia. A separate train crash in West Java province during 2024 resulted in four deaths and multiple injuries.

Mexican armed forces dealt a devastating blow to one of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations Monday with the arrest of a high-ranking commander from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in northwestern Mexico.

Military personnel apprehended Audias Flores Silva, nicknamed “El Jardinero” or The Gardener, as he attempted to hide in a roadside ditch near El Mirador in Nayarit state, according to Mexican government officials. The operation concluded without casualties or injuries.

The arrest carries significant weight as Flores Silva was considered a likely candidate to lead the criminal organization following the February death of longtime boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” The United States government had placed a $5 million bounty on information leading to Flores Silva’s capture.

Oseguera Cervantes was eliminated during a dramatic military assault in February, triggering widespread retaliation from cartel members. The violent response included attacks on civilian businesses, vehicle arsons, and highway blockades that resulted in over 70 deaths, including 25 National Guard personnel.

Nevertheless, Mexican officials viewed the elimination of “El Mencho” as a major triumph for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, which has adopted more aggressive anti-cartel tactics than previous governments. This tougher stance comes amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened intervention measures.

Trump previously classified the Jalisco New Generation Cartel along with five other Mexican criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations last year.

The detention of Flores Silva represents another serious setback for the criminal empire, which has rapidly expanded to become one of the most influential in the Western Hemisphere. Mexican security sources identified him as Oseguera Cervantes’ former security chief, who also oversaw drug manufacturing and smuggling activities across Nayarit, Jalisco, Mexico State, and Zacatecas.

Following the arrest, local media outlets in Nayarit documented multiple incidents of vehicle and business fires, indicating cartel retaliation.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson commended the operation through social media, describing Flores Silva’s detention as an “important step” in fighting fentanyl trafficking networks.

“Actions like this strengthen security and help dismantle criminal networks that threaten our communities. Together, we achieve results that make our nations safer,” he added.

Flores Silva’s criminal history includes an early arrest in the United States, where he completed a five-year prison term for drug trafficking before returning to Mexico. Mexican authorities detained him in 2016 for allegedly participating in a police ambush in Jalisco, but he was freed three years afterward.

American authorities have sought his extradition since 2021 to face drug conspiracy and weapons charges.

Security expert David Saucedo characterized Flores Silva’s capture as a “significant blow” to the CJNG leadership structure, which was still reorganizing following their founder’s death on February 22.

However, Saucedo cautioned The Associated Press that criminal organizations “can quickly reinvent themselves despite the arrest of their leaders,” noting that even after major disruptions, “they can continue” their illegal operations.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has documented CJNG operations in 21 of Mexico’s 32 states, exceeding the reach of the Sinaloa Cartel, which operates in 19 states.

Some experts estimate the CJNG’s influence spans 25 states, with their primary base in Jalisco. The organization has expanded internationally to approximately 100 countries, including significant operations in the United States.

BEKASI, Indonesia — Emergency teams continued their delicate rescue operation Tuesday to free three individuals still stuck inside a severely damaged commuter train car following a fatal collision near Jakarta that claimed at least seven lives.

The deadly accident occurred Monday when a long-distance train slammed into the back of a stationary commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station, located outside Indonesia’s capital city. The damaged car was part of a women-only section, which Indonesian railways commonly provide to prevent harassment of female passengers.

Hospital officials reported treating 81 people for injuries sustained in the crash. Bobby Rasyidin, who leads the state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, explained the challenging nature of the rescue operation to news media. “The evacuations are taking a long time … and we’re doing it very carefully,” Rasyidin stated.

Railway officials confirmed that all 240 passengers aboard the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train escaped without injury.

Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri announced that investigators are examining what led to the collision.

According to Rasyidin, the incident may be connected to a separate crash involving a commuter train and a stalled taxi at a nearby crossing, which potentially caused disruptions to the rail system.

“As for the chronology of events, we are leaving it to the National Transportation Safety Committee to investigate the cause of tonight’s train accident in greater detail,” Rasyidin explained.

Train accidents occur frequently across Indonesia’s deteriorating railway infrastructure. Earlier this year in January, a collision between two trains in West Java province resulted in at least four fatalities.

WASHINGTON — Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla have launched a significant four-day diplomatic mission to America, marking the monarch’s inaugural state visit since ascending to the throne in 2022.

The royal delegation’s agenda centers on strengthening diplomatic bonds between Britain and America while commemorating the approaching 250th anniversary of American independence.

Monday’s itinerary included an official reception at the White House during the afternoon hours, with the day concluding at an elegant garden reception hosted at the British Embassy.

The visit represents a crucial diplomatic effort to reinforce the historic alliance between the two nations during Charles’s early reign as Britain’s sovereign.

President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s most recent peace offer aimed at ending the two-month-long conflict, according to a U.S. official, reducing prospects for resolving a war that has caused thousands of deaths, disrupted global energy markets, and contributed to rising inflation.

Tehran’s current proposal seeks to postpone negotiations about Iran’s nuclear activities until after the conflict concludes and maritime shipping disagreements in the Gulf region are settled.

Such an approach is expected to be unacceptable to Washington, which insists that nuclear matters must be addressed immediately. A U.S. official who was briefed on Trump’s Monday discussion with his advisers confirmed the president’s dissatisfaction with Iran’s offer, speaking anonymously.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated the U.S. “will not negotiate through the press” and has “been clear about our red lines” as the Trump administration seeks to conclude the war against Iran that began in February with Israeli participation.

In 2015, Iran and several other nations including the United States reached an agreement that significantly limited Iran’s nuclear activities, which Tehran has consistently claimed serve only peaceful, civilian objectives. However, that accord collapsed after Trump withdrew from it unilaterally during his previous presidency.

Expectations for renewed diplomatic efforts have diminished since the president canceled a planned weekend trip by special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made multiple visits over the weekend.

Araqchi also traveled to Oman and on Monday visited Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin and received supportive statements from a long-time Iranian ally.

OIL MARKETS SURGE AGAIN

As the opposing sides remain significantly divided, petroleum prices continued climbing, building on earlier gains during Tuesday’s early Asian trading session.

“For oil traders, it’s not the rhetoric that matters any more, but the actual physical flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and right now, that flow remains constrained,” said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index and FOREX.com.

Ship-tracking information revealed that at least six vessels carrying Iranian oil have been turned back to Iran by the U.S. naval blockade in recent days, highlighting the war’s effect on maritime traffic.

Iran’s foreign ministry criticized U.S. seizures of Iran-connected tankers as “outright legalization of piracy and armed robbery on the high seas” in a social media statement.

Prior to the war, between 125 and 140 vessels typically passed through the strait daily, but only seven have done so in the past day according to Kpler ship-tracking information and satellite data from SynMax, with none transporting oil destined for international markets.

Facing declining approval ratings, Trump confronts domestic pressure to conclude a war for which he has provided the American public with varying justifications.

Speaking to reporters in Russia, Araqchi claimed that Trump had sought negotiations because the U.S. has failed to accomplish any of its goals.

Senior Iranian officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said the proposal Araqchi brought to Islamabad over the weekend outlined a phased negotiation process, with nuclear issues to be deferred initially.

The first phase would require ending the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran and securing guarantees preventing the U.S. from restarting hostilities. Subsequently, negotiators would address the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iranian maritime trade and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran seeks to reopen under its authority.

Only after these steps would discussions turn to other matters, including the ongoing disagreement over Iran’s nuclear program, with Iran continuing to seek some form of U.S. recognition of its uranium enrichment rights.

Emergency responders continue working around the clock to rescue survivors trapped in twisted metal following a devastating train collision near Jakarta, Indonesia that has now claimed seven lives and left 81 people injured.

The tragic accident occurred Monday evening in Bekasi, located on the outskirts of Indonesia’s capital, when a commuter train and long-distance passenger train collided. Mohammad Syafii, who leads Indonesia’s search and rescue operations, explained during a Tuesday morning news briefing that extracting survivors requires extreme precision due to the dangerous conditions.

“We needed to involve personnel with certain skills to perform a measured extrication,” Syafii stated. “There are some victims who are alive to this minute and we’re hoping to extricate them, but they’re still pinned by the train material.”

Emergency teams have been observed using specialized cutting tools, including angle grinders, to slice through the damaged train cars in their efforts to reach those still trapped inside.

Bobby Rasyidin, who serves as chief executive of the government-owned railway company PT KAI, confirmed the updated fatality count of seven during the press briefing. According to Rasyidin’s account, the sequence of events began when the commuter train struck a taxi that had somehow ended up on the railway tracks, followed by the long-distance train slamming into a women-only car of the commuter train.

The taxi company involved, Green SM Indonesia, acknowledged through social media that the vehicle belonged to their fleet. The company, which operates as the Indonesian division of Vietnamese electric vehicle service Green and Smart Mobility JSC under the Vingroup umbrella, announced they have provided information to investigators to help with the ongoing probe.

Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Railway accidents occur with concerning frequency throughout Indonesia. Just last year, another train collision in West Java province resulted in four deaths and dozens of injuries.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A former worker at a nightclub where 236 people died in a roof collapse one year ago told a court Monday that the establishment’s owners had been warned about the building’s dangerous condition.

Gregory Adames gave testimony against brother and sister Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, who face charges of involuntary manslaughter and involuntary assault and battery in connection with the deadly incident at the well-known Jet Set club in Santo Domingo.

“They knew because I sent them photos, I sent them videos of all the problems that were there. That shouldn’t have happened; not a single person should have died there,” Adames said.

Legal representatives for the families of those killed requested that the court upgrade the charges against the siblings to voluntary manslaughter.

“We hope that happens,” Jean Carlos Martínez Segura, who represents nine families, told The Associated Press.

A conviction on voluntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while involuntary manslaughter has a maximum penalty of two years.

The court proceedings that began Monday are scheduled to resume Friday, with a judge ultimately determining whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. Family members of the victims have expressed frustration with procedural delays and the pace of the legal process.

According to prosecutors, hundreds of pieces of evidence point to the siblings’ culpability. The pair were taken into custody last June.

Miguel Valerio, the Espaillats’ attorney, told reporters after their arrests: “Nobody wanted that to happen.”

Authorities have alleged that the Espaillats attempted to pressure or influence their workers. Antonio Espaillat is regarded as an influential business figure who operates high-end entertainment venues and owns numerous local radio stations.

The nightclub was packed with hundreds of patrons, including many prominent Dominican citizens, attending a concert on April 8, 2025, when the ceiling gave way. Among the fatalities were singer Rubby Pérez; Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz; and former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel. The collapse left more than 100 people injured, and emergency responders worked continuously to rescue survivors from the debris.