Category: World News

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz confronts his most serious challenge since taking office six months ago, as nationwide demonstrations and road blockades have effectively placed the political capital under siege.

For two weeks, road closures organized by the Bolivian Workers’ Central, COB, along with peasant unions and miners, have resulted in bare store shelves throughout La Paz and critically low oxygen supplies at hospitals. Government officials report at least three fatalities occurred when emergency responders couldn’t reach medical facilities due to the blockades.

Monday witnessed clashes between police and supporters of Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales in the capital, as they joined various groups calling for the current president’s removal. Paz operates without a legislative majority or strong party support to stabilize his administration.

This crisis represents the most significant test for Paz, a centrist leader with pro-business leanings who assumed power six months ago during a period of conservative electoral victories across the region.

“Those seeking to destroy democracy will go to jail,” Paz declared on Friday, as the blockades spread throughout nearly all of Bolivia.

The COB initially focused on wage increase demands, while peasant unions called for reliable gasoline supplies. Mining groups are conducting separate negotiations for expanded mining territory access. Public school educators are also in independent discussions about pay raises.

“These demands have been largely addressed in a manner consistent with current realities; however, there are dark forces seeking to destabilize our democracy,” said presidential spokesperson José Luis Gálvez, in an allusion to influential former President Evo Morales.

While Paz maintains he took over a “bankrupt state,” critics fault his slow response to what they call the nation’s worst crisis in four decades, characterized by fuel scarcity and inflation that reached nearly 20% in the previous year.

Business groups report the continuing demonstrations and highway blockades are costing Bolivia’s economy more than $50 million daily and have left approximately 5,000 vehicles stuck on roadways.

Morales organized the recent march from his hiding place in Bolivia’s isolated tropical regions. He has remained in the remote highlands for eighteen months, avoiding arrest on charges related to alleged sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. He maintains the accusations are politically driven.

The Movement Toward Socialism, MAS, which controlled Bolivia for twenty years under Morales and subsequently Luis Arce, experienced a devastating electoral loss last year after a public dispute between the two former leaders.

“The government and the right wing claim that I am a political corpse and that I lack the ability to mobilize anyone, yet they continue to blame me,” Morales said recently on the social media platform X. “As long as structural demands — such as those concerning fuel, food and inflation — remain unaddressed, the uprising will not be quelled.”

Despite his aggressive statements, political observers doubt Morales retains significant mobilization capabilities, suggesting he’s amplifying the unrest solely to avoid prosecution.

The end of the MAS period has left Bolivia’s political scene severely divided, with no party establishing clear dominance.

Paz achieved an unexpected election win, but the Christian Democratic Party — his path to the presidency — soon split within the legislature. The president also maintains a public conflict with his vice president, former police officer Edman Lara.

Paz launched his presidency energetically, engaging with international partners to end the isolation that marked the MAS years. Though his diplomatic efforts resulted in various investment and loan commitments, much of this funding remains unrealized.

His initial action eliminated fuel subsidies, raising gasoline and diesel costs without immediate public backlash from citizens tired of previous shortages. However, the administration imported poor-quality gasoline, prompting transportation worker protests over vehicle damage.

The “junk gasoline” controversy sparked strikes and demonstrations among transport workers and led to two senior resignations at the state oil company.

The current unrest in Bolivia concerns neighboring countries. Eight allied Latin American nations, spanning from Chile to Costa Rica, issued a joint declaration condemning “any action aimed at destabilizing the democratic order.” Argentina announced plans for a week-long humanitarian airlift to address supply shortages.

The United States, currently rebuilding diplomatic ties with Bolivia after years when Morales positioned the country against Washington, expressed support for Paz’s efforts “to restore order for the peace, security and stability of the Bolivian people.” The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory this week warning American citizens visiting Bolivia to remain alert.

GENEVA (AP) — An international oversight committee monitoring the Gaza ceasefire will urge the United Nations Security Council to demand that Hamas surrender its weapons, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The document from the Board of Peace, an international committee established by U.S. President Donald Trump to monitor the delicate truce between Hamas and Israel, is scheduled for Security Council discussion on Thursday during their Middle East session.

“At this stage, the principal obstacle to full implementation (of the ceasefire) remains Hamas’ refusal to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control, and permit a genuine civilian transition in Gaza,” the report said.

Hamas issued a statement dismissing the document and claiming it contains “fallacies.”

A diplomatic source familiar with the document verified its legitimacy, speaking anonymously since it remains unpublished.

The president’s 20-point truce agreement demands Hamas give up its weaponry and dismantle its extensive tunnel system. The plan also includes Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, installation of a new technocratic Palestinian administration, deployment of international security personnel, and reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian territory following more than two years of conflict.

Last week, the Board of Peace leader, former U.N. Mideast envoy Nickolay Mladenov, admitted the ceasefire had stagnated since beginning in October, noting that the weapons dispute had frozen all advancement.

“Reconstruction cannot commence where weapons have not been laid down,” the board’s report to the Security Council says. “The critical variable — the single factor that unlocks every other element of the plan — is the conclusion of an agreement on the Roadmap for the full implementation of the plan that includes full decommissioning by Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza.”

The Palestinian militant organization, which orchestrated the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel that triggered the Gaza conflict, has blamed Israel for not fulfilling its ceasefire duties and has attempted to tie any weapons surrender to Israeli military withdrawal. Israel’s forces have extended their Gaza presence since the ceasefire began and now occupy approximately 60% of the region.

The latest document urges the Security Council to “reiterate publicly, clearly and consistently that the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza is not merely a requirement (of the UN’s resolution to end the war) but critical for reconstruction to begin, for a timebound Israeli forces withdrawal, and for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood to be pursued.”

The Security Council approved the Board of Peace through a resolution in November.

Hamas stated the document “contains a number of fallacies that absolve the occupying government of its responsibilities for the daily violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”

The organization claimed the document overlooked Israel’s “failure to uphold the majority of its commitments” in the ceasefire agreement, including ongoing border crossing limitations and blocking entry of materials and equipment necessary for basic infrastructure repairs and housing for the mostly displaced residents.

“The report’s adoption of the occupation’s conditions regarding disarmament is a dubious attempt to muddy the waters and derail the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement.

The group urged the Security Council and Mladenov to force Israel to meet its first-phase ceasefire obligations, “foremost among them the cessation of the daily aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza.”

The document highlighted almost daily ceasefire breaches, “some of which are serious, and their human consequences — civilians killed, families living in fear, and continued impediments to humanitarian access — cannot be minimized.”

Israel’s military continues conducting airstrikes in Gaza throughout the ceasefire and has advanced further into the territory, where it now holds more area than the ceasefire agreement permitted. Living situations remain desperate, with most of the territory’s 2 million residents housed in tent settlements without essential services.

Mladenov stated last week that his office addresses violations from both parties daily. However, he consistently highlighted the disarmament matter as a key obstacle, declaring Hamas’ duty to surrender its weapons is “not negotiable” and that advancement on all other matters was stalled.

DAMASCUS, Syria — An explosion near a Syrian Defense Ministry facility in Damascus on Tuesday resulted in one soldier’s death and injuries to approximately 12 individuals, according to military officials and government media sources.

Military authorities released a brief statement explaining that troops had located an explosive device prepared for detonation in Damascus’s central Bab Sharqi neighborhood. While the soldiers worked to defuse the device, a vehicle detonated in the vicinity, resulting in one military death and multiple injuries to others.

According to the Defense Ministry, the explosion took place outside a facility connected to the Defense Ministry, though officials provided no additional information.

Government television coverage indicated that one person died in the incident while 12 others sustained injuries, including non-military personnel.

No organization immediately took credit for the attack, though similar incidents in previous instances have been attributed to the Islamic State group.

The Islamic State has taken responsibility for comparable attacks following the overthrow of the Assad family’s government after five decades in power by rebel forces that entered Damascus in December 2024.

LONDON (AP) — British law enforcement officials have announced they are examining two separate claims of historical child sexual abuse that surfaced following this year’s disclosure of documents related to the Epstein case.

Authorities in Surrey, located southwest of London, confirmed Tuesday they are pursuing investigations into two distinct allegations. The first involves alleged incidents in Surrey and Berkshire counties spanning from the mid-1990s through 2000. The second centers on claims from the mid-to-late 1980s in West Surrey.

Officials have not made any arrests in connection with either case.

“We take all reports of sexual offending seriously and will work to identify any reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence,” authorities stated.

These investigations follow law enforcement’s public appeal for witnesses after a partially redacted document from the U.S. Department of Justice was made public in December. That report detailed accusations of human trafficking and sexual assault allegedly occurring in Virginia Water from 1994 to 1996.

The United Arab Emirates announced Tuesday that unmanned aircraft which struck the nation’s Barakah nuclear facility all originated from Iraqi territory, according to the country’s Defense Ministry. This development suggests Iranian-backed Shiite militias were behind the assault.

These militant groups have conducted numerous unmanned aircraft strikes against Gulf Arab nations since Israel and the United States started their conflict with Iran on Feb. 28. Such militias have historically given Iran a way to avoid responsibility for these types of attacks.

Officials reported no casualties or radiation leaks at Barakah following the strike, which Emirati authorities said struck a power generator located on the facility’s outer boundary.

The UAE, which houses air defense systems and personnel from Israel, has recently blamed Iran for conducting unmanned aircraft and missile strikes even following the April 8 start of its ceasefire with the U.S.

Strain has increased around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy shipping route controlled by Iran while its harbors face a U.S. naval blockade. A maritime tracking company announced Tuesday that vessel movement through the waterway more than doubled last week, though it remains well below pre-conflict numbers.

No organization has taken credit for the nuclear facility attack, although Iran and its allied groups were under suspicion.

Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi, while not directly responding to the Emirati Defense Ministry’s findings, released a statement declaring that Baghdad “expresses its strong condemnation of the recent drone attacks targeting the UAE.”

“We also emphasize the importance of effective regional and international cooperation to prevent any escalation or harm to the stability of the region, or any targeting of the security and sovereignty of sisterly and friendly nations,” al-Awadi added.

The Emirati Defense Ministry reported three additional unmanned aircraft targeted the nation in the past two days, though they did not specify what these aircraft aimed for. Saudi Arabia, which had also denounced the nuclear plant strike, subsequently announced it had stopped three unmanned aircraft that came from Iraqi airspace.

The $20 billion Barakah nuclear facility was constructed by the UAE with South Korean assistance and became operational in 2020. It stands as the Arab world’s sole nuclear power facility and can supply one-fourth of the energy requirements in the UAE, a union of seven sheikhdoms that includes Dubai.

Earlier Tuesday, a senior Emirati diplomat indirectly criticized regional nations regarding the attacks his country has endured.

“The confusion of roles during this treacherous Iranian aggression is baffling, encompassing the Gulf Arab region’s surrounding states,” Anwer Gargash wrote on X. “The victim’s role has merged with that of the mediator, and vice versa, while the friend has turned into a mediator instead of being a steadfast ally and supporter.”

Lloyd’s List Intelligence maritime tracking company reported 54 vessels passed through the strait during the week of May 11, more than twice the 25 ships recorded the previous week.

Movement through the waterway remains minimal compared to pre-war levels, when 130 or more ships passed through daily.

The previous week’s traffic included 10 China-owned vessels after Tehran announced it would allow certain Chinese ships to pass, Lloyd’s reported Tuesday on X. Two carried cooking gas bound for India.

Iran has established an unclear approval process for ships attempting to exit the Persian Gulf, which sometimes requires payment and bars U.S. and Israeli vessels.

The Chinese ships’ departure occurred as U.S. President Donald Trump visited China last week trying to pressure Beijing regarding Iran. Iran relies on China as its only remaining major buyer for its heavily sanctioned oil.

India, which faces a politically sensitive cooking gas shortage from the Gulf, has obtained passage for some of its ships through diplomatic talks with Iran.

At the historic St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Ukraine’s capital, where the city traditionally honors fallen soldiers and distinguished citizens lost in the conflict that began over four years ago, two small white caskets sat together on Tuesday, containing the remains of two young girls.

The sisters, 12-year-old Liubava Yakovlieva and 17-year-old Vira, died when a Russian missile destroyed their residential building in Kyiv on May 14, trapping them beneath the debris. The attack claimed 24 lives total.

Their mother, Tetiana, sat next to the caskets as the family’s only remaining member. Their father, Yevhen, had been killed while serving as a soldier on the front lines three years prior.

Scores of young people attended the service to pay their respects. The sisters’ classmates, wearing black clothing, consoled one another. Containers at the base of the coffins were filled to capacity with flowers, while additional bouquets covered the floor.

Images displayed on the caskets revealed blonde-haired Liubava and Vira, who wore eyeglasses.

Both grown-ups and children shed tears. Several military comrades of Yevhen Yakovliev were present among those gathered.

Prior to the conflict, he had been recognized as a skilled chef, angler, and craftsman. Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion in 2022, he joined the military. He died in battle on April 7, 2023, close to the settlement of Dibrova in the Luhansk area.

The conflict has now claimed his family as well.

Following the Russian missile impact, video footage obtained by Current Time, a Radio Liberty initiative, showed the girls’ mother speaking while rescue workers searched the wreckage.

“I lost their father, my husband, a defender of Ukraine. I don’t know if they are alive or if they have already gone to be with their father,” Tetiana said. “That it is very painful — those words will tell you nothing until you feel it yourself.”

Dmytro Koval, who instructed Vira in painting and drawing at a Kyiv arts institution, was among the mourners. He characterized her as an exceptional pupil who was determined, confident in expressing her opinions, yet also compassionate and considerate toward others.

He said the news of her death created deep shock at the school.

“When death is sown among those you saw and knew just yesterday, it is always very hard, unspeakably hard,” Koval said. “We must not live on illusions, on empty dreams, on hopes for some negotiations, because our neighbors are not oriented toward peace.”

The younger sister Liubava appeared delicate and small but possessed inner strength, according to Tetiana Osipova, a family friend who had served with the girls’ father. She had escorted his remains home and developed friendships with Tetiana and her daughters.

“The children had a very hard time coping with the loss of their father,” Osipova said.

During the day when rescue teams searched the debris for Liubava and Vira, she remained with their mother.

Osipova explained that Tetiana now confronts a different type of sorrow — having lost both her role as a spouse and as a parent. She noted her friend was committed to finding resilience by preserving the legacy of her family members and continuing their work.

“This is an unnatural order of things, when parents bury their children,” Efrem Khomiak, the priest presiding over the service, told the audience. “This funeral, this grief, this tragedy, it is not only your family’s. It belongs to all of Ukraine. Because we are all bound together in this war.”

LONDON (AP) — Authorities in Britain announced Tuesday their intention to recommend criminal charges against 57 individuals and 20 organizations in connection with the Grenfell Tower fire, nearly ten years after the catastrophic blaze became the nation’s deadliest fire in modern times, claiming dozens of lives.

The Metropolitan Police announced that evidence files will be forwarded to prosecutors before the end of September, with decisions on charges expected by June 14, 2027 — marking the tenth anniversary of the London disaster that resulted in 72 fatalities.

Families who lost loved ones and those who survived expressed that any additional delays in seeking justice would be intolerable. A comprehensive public investigation concluded the deaths could have been prevented, citing a deadly combination of deceptive corporations, inadequate oversight by regulators, and governmental failures that allowed the structure to be wrapped in flammable exterior panels.

“We have waited almost a decade for accountability,” said Grenfell United, a group representing some bereaved families. “No family should have to wait over 10 years for justice for their loved ones, if it comes at all.”

Authorities indicated the potential charges under consideration include corporate gross negligence manslaughter, fraud and health and safety breaches.

Investigators reported collecting 165 million digital documents and examining the involvement of 15,000 people and 700 organizations connected to the case, making it the most extensive and complicated investigation the department has ever undertaken.

The blaze at Grenfell Tower ignited during the early morning hours of June 14, 2017, starting in a fourth-floor unit and spreading rapidly through the 25-story residential building like a burning fuse, accelerated by inflammable exterior cladding. The tragedy marked Britain’s most devastating fire since World War II, with casualties including elderly residents and 18 children.

The 2024 public investigation determined that manufacturers of the building’s exterior panels utilized inexpensive and dangerous materials while engaging in “systematic dishonesty,” with these problems worsened by negligent officials who failed to properly enforce safety regulations.

TALLINN, Estonia — Estonian officials report that a Romanian F-16 fighter jet operating as part of NATO’s Baltic air patrol mission intercepted and destroyed what authorities believe was a Ukrainian drone flying over southern Estonia on Tuesday.

Ukrainian officials issued an apology for what they called an “unintended incident,” while Russia issued threats of retaliation should Ukrainian drones be launched from Baltic nations.

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur explained that based on the aircraft’s flight path, “we decided that we need to take it down.”

“Most probably, today we can say that it was (a) drone which was, let’s say, meant to hit some Russian targets,” Pevkur told The Associated Press.

This marks another occurrence in a series of similar events over recent months where Ukrainian drones targeting Russia have wandered into or crashed within NATO member territories. Western officials attribute these incidents to what they believe is Russian electronic interference with the drone systems.

These episodes have occurred as Kyiv has intensified its unmanned aerial vehicle campaigns, targeting energy infrastructure and weapons manufacturing facilities deep within Russian territory as Ukraine’s technological capabilities and production capacity have expanded.

Russian authorities reported on Sunday that one of Ukraine’s largest drone operations against the country resulted in at least four deaths, including three casualties near Moscow, with twelve additional people injured.

Extended-range drone operations have become a defining characteristic of the conflict, which started more than four years ago with Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi stated that specialists from Ukraine and Estonia are collaborating on preventive measures for future incidents.

Ukraine extends its apologies “to Estonia and all of our Baltic friends for such unintended incidents,” Tykhyi wrote on X.

Estonia’s defense minister indicated that Ukraine has received warnings to exercise greater caution.

“Our messages have not changed,” Pevkur stated. “We’ve said to the Ukrainians all the time that if you’re attacking Russian positions or Russian targets, then these trajectories have to be as far from the NATO territory as possible.”

These operations have created friction within Baltic nations, which back Ukraine’s military efforts, and between those countries and Russia.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, known by its acronym SVR, issued a statement Tuesday claiming Ukraine is preparing to launch drone strikes against Russia from Baltic territory and issued warnings of retaliation.

The agency stated that Ukrainian military personnel had already been deployed to Latvia and cautioned that the nation’s NATO membership would not shield it from “just retribution.”

“Modern surveillance systems allow precise determination of the coordinates of the drone launch site,” the SVR stated.

Latvia’s government fell last week, with the prime minister stepping down after the defense minister was compelled to resign over management of multiple incidents involving wayward drones suspected of Ukrainian origin, leading his party to withdraw support.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs wrote on X that “Russia is lying about Latvia allowing any country to use Latvian airspace and territory to launch attacks against Russia or any other country.”

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna released a statement after Tuesday’s incident affirming Ukraine’s right to target Russian military installations.

“Estonia has not permitted its airspace to be used for attacks against Russia,” he stated. “Incidents such as this are linked to Russian jamming activities.”

A worker who was hurt during a major blast and fire at a gas processing plant in Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo has succumbed to their injuries, five sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed Tuesday.

The worker passed away Tuesday morning while being treated at a medical facility in Maracaibo, which serves as the capital city of Zulia, an oil-rich state, according to the sources.

Friday’s blast left six workers with injuries and resulted in significant damage to the processing plant. Officials with state-operated oil company PDVSA and the Ministry of Information have not yet provided a response to requests for comment about the worker’s death.

The United Nations is weighing its legal options following Israel’s decision to construct a defense ministry facility at the former site of a UN Palestinian relief organization’s headquarters in east Jerusalem, officials announced Tuesday.

The Israeli government gave approval over the weekend for the defense ministry project at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency location in Sheikh Jarrah, which will feature a museum and recruitment center.

“The matter is currently under consideration at the level of the legal council, the highest legal authority of the United Nations in New York,” UNRWA Deputy Commissioner General Natalie Boucly told The Associated Press during a visit to Syria.

“These are U.N. premises and, at a minimum, this is a breach of the 1946 UN Convention on privileges and immunities,” she said.

Israeli forces demolished portions of the UNRWA facility in January, marking the culmination of a long-standing opposition campaign against the organization that intensified after the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israeli officials have claimed the U.N. organization employed individuals with Hamas connections, alleging some participated in the attacks. UNRWA leadership maintains they acted quickly against accused employees and reject claims the agency supports or works with Hamas.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz described the defense complex proposal as “a decision of sovereignty, Zionism and security.”

“In a place where an organization that became part of the terror and incitement mechanism against Israel operated, institutions will be established that will strengthen Jerusalem, the (Israeli army), and the State of Israel,” Katz said in a statement on Sunday.

The announcement coincided with Jerusalem Day, commemorating Israel’s seizure of east Jerusalem, including the Old City and religious sites important to Jews, Christians and Muslims, during the 1967 Mideast war. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians want east Jerusalem as their future state’s capital.

The UNRWA facility closed in May 2025 when far-right demonstrators, including at least one parliament member, breached its entrance while police watched.

UNRWA serves approximately 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, plus 3 million refugees across Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. The agency’s work was restricted after Israel’s Knesset enacted laws cutting ties and prohibiting operations in areas Israel defines as its territory — including east Jerusalem.

Boucly described Gaza’s humanitarian conditions as “absolutely dire.” Though Israel has blocked UNRWA international personnel from Gaza, roughly 10,000 local employees continue working there as educators, medical staff and sanitation workers, she noted.

Even with a fragile ceasefire in place, “there are issues with insufficient aid coming in,” she explained. “It is not coming in at scale and reconstruction is not starting fast enough for the people to see a real change on the ground.”

Boucly spoke with the AP from Syria’s Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, where conditions appear more promising as former residents who departed during the nation’s 14-year civil conflict have slowly returned.

Various militant organizations controlled the camp before government forces under then President Bashar Assad bombarded it, leaving it nearly empty by 2018. Structures surviving the bombing were either torn down by authorities or looted.

Following Assad’s removal in 2024, previous residents started returning and fixing their damaged properties. By April, approximately 60,000 people had come back to the camp, with 80% being Palestinian refugees, Boucly reported.

Aid for returning residents has been restricted, she admitted. UNRWA has obtained donor funding to restore educational facilities and medical centers, but can only offer minimal help to families needing home repairs, she said.

Despite concerns about declining financial support, she stated, “I think there is a situation of hope for Palestine refugees” in Syria.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Veteran politician Janez Jansa is poised to reclaim Slovenia’s top leadership position after parliamentary lawmakers submitted his nomination on Tuesday, clearing a path for establishing a new administration nearly two months following national elections.

The former prime minister, who previously held the office during three separate terms, received formal backing from members of his Slovenian Democratic Party. His anticipated coalition administration will incorporate additional right-leaning political groups and gain support from an anti-establishment party making its debut in politics.

Parliamentary officials have not yet announced when the new administration will receive official legislative approval. According to Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV Slovenia, Jansa has secured support from 48 members within the 90-seat legislative body.

Should lawmakers confirm his appointment, Jansa’s selection would represent a conservative shift for the European Union member nation, which had been governed by a liberal administration.

The experienced political figure, age 67, has expressed admiration for U.S. President Donald Trump and maintained strong ties with former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who suffered a decisive electoral defeat last month.

Jansa’s most recent tenure as prime minister lasted from 2020 through 2022, ending when he was defeated by the liberal Freedom Movement led by outgoing Prime Minister Robert Golob.

The returning leader has consistently criticized Golob’s administration, particularly Slovenia’s 2024 decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state.

Following the April 22 parliamentary elections, both the Freedom Movement and Jansa’s SDS achieved virtually identical results. However, Golob was unable to successfully establish a new liberal coalition partnership, creating an opportunity for Jansa’s political return.

The March 22 voting process faced scrutiny due to claims of external interference and corrupt practices. The Alpine country’s 1.7 million eligible voters remain sharply split along liberal and conservative lines.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An enigmatic strike against an Iranian petroleum facility amid the ongoing Iran conflict has resulted in an oil spill that has impacted a protected Persian Gulf island serving as a crucial wildlife sanctuary, according to video evidence and satellite imagery.

The petroleum-contaminated waters washing ashore on Shidvar Island, an unpopulated landmass, mark another indication of the environmental destruction caused by the conflict. Contaminated precipitation has also descended upon Iran’s capital city, Tehran, following air raids on petroleum installations. Iranian strikes against vessels navigating the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman have likewise resulted in ecological harm.

Cell phone video recorded on April 9 by an Iranian citizen named Ehsan Jalali captures dense black smoke billowing following the attack on a petroleum refinery located on Lavan, an island positioned near mainland Iran close to Shidvar. The recording matches recognized characteristics of both islands and was only uploaded by Jalali to Instagram recently, as Iran’s religious government has blocked broader internet access for several weeks.

Additional video captured by Jalali depicts a deceased bird and crab coated in petroleum, while a person displays a dead swordfish.

“Poor birds, look how they are stuck in oil. Look at the herd of dolphins. Poor things come to the surface to breathe, but they swallow oil,” Jalali describes in the recording. “Look what they did to this island. Look what they have done. The corpses of fish are coming to the surface one by one.”

Images captured on April 10 from an Airbus DS Pléiades Neo high-resolution optical satellite and examined by The Associated Press on Tuesday reveal the blaze continuing to burn at the refinery 48 hours following the strike. A petroleum slick contaminates the surrounding Persian Gulf waters, encircling Shidvar Island, which locals also call Maroo Island.

“Oh my God, the sea is full of oil, oh my God, Maroo Island,” Jalali states in the footage. “The sea is full of oil, the beautiful Maroo Island is ruined now.”

Shidvar Island, measuring approximately 870 hectares (3.3 square miles), holds designation as a wetland of international significance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The location has been recognized as among Iran’s most vital nesting areas for terns, a type of seabird. Iranian authorities have classified the island as a wildlife sanctuary since 1972.

Iranian authorities have not confirmed any ecological harm resulting from the strike at the Lavan petroleum refinery, which occurred hours following an agreement between the United States and Israel for a ceasefire in their conflict with Iran. The U.S. had also requested Israel cease attacks on oil infrastructure after previously targeting facilities connected to Iran’s offshore South Pars natural gas field. That assault triggered major Iranian counterattacks against oil and gas installations throughout Gulf Arab nations, with Qatar suffering particularly severe damage.

Iranian news organizations have accused the United Arab Emirates of conducting the attack, claims not confirmed by Emirati authorities. Nevertheless, the UAE has endured more missile and drone strikes than any other nation in the conflict and has intensified its criticism of Iran as Tehran continues controlling the Strait of Hormuz.

The Emirates’ Barakah nuclear facility also suffered an attack on Sunday in a drone strike similar to others conducted by Iran and Iranian-supported groups in Iraq during the war.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Three elephants at a South African zoo have become the center of an extraordinary legal battle, with wildlife advocates claiming the animals are suffering from depression and must be relocated to a conservation facility for their psychological well-being.

This week’s court proceedings will determine whether government officials are fulfilling their constitutional duty regarding animal care and housing conditions, explained David Bilchitz, who serves on the board of Animal Law Reform South Africa, one of the organizations pursuing the lawsuit.

According to Bilchitz, expert testimony will demonstrate the elephants’ distressed state. The advocacy groups argue that South Africa’s Constitution requires government authorities to ensure proper animal care.

The Johannesburg facility, which operates under public ownership, has pushed back against the allegations, insisting their elephant care meets appropriate standards.

Bilchitz explained that elephants require intricate social environments and have specialized physical and psychological requirements, typically living in groups of 20-50 individuals across vast territories in their natural habitat.

The three elephants in question — Lammie, Ramadiba and Mopane — are confined to a space roughly equivalent to a soccer field’s size, lacking essential environmental enrichment such as foraging trees and bathing mud pools, according to Bilchitz.

“They are sad, depressed and frustrated,” Bilchitz explained to The Associated Press. “They are listless and stand around.” He noted the animals display psychological trauma symptoms, including persistent swaying motions and other “repetitive compulsive behavior.”

In response, Johannesburg Zoo issued a statement criticizing what it called a “media scourge” surrounding the elephants’ situation, asserting the animals remain healthy and beloved by both staff and visitors. The facility also cautioned that transferring zoo elephants to semi-wild facilities doesn’t guarantee success.

A similar case provides some legal foundation for the current lawsuit. In 2024, an elderly male elephant named Charley was transferred from a different South African zoo to a wildlife reserve after losing his elephant companions and showing signs of isolation.

Zoo officials agreed to Charley’s relocation to the reserve for retirement following his lengthy captivity, which included approximately 16 years performing in a circus.

Transportation workers across Kenya called off their nationwide work stoppage on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-week pause to negotiate with government officials following two days of violent demonstrations that claimed four lives and injured more than 30 people.

The strike began after discussions broke down on Monday, with transport workers calling for lower fuel costs to help ease the financial burden on both operators and passengers facing higher travel expenses.

For two straight days, passengers found themselves without transportation options as public transit operators refused to operate their vehicles.

Demonstrators filled the streets, clashing with law enforcement officers and igniting tires along main roadways, blocking traffic completely.

Fuel costs in Kenya reached unprecedented levels on Friday, with diesel jumping 23.5% and gasoline rising 8%. Government officials cited the Iran war and resulting disruptions to energy markets as the cause of the price surge.

Opposition leaders, however, pointed to dishonest business practices and companies seeking higher profits as the real reason behind the dramatic cost increases.

During a broadcast news conference, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen announced that discussions with all fuel industry participants would occur within the next seven days to resolve the pricing concerns.

Kennedy Kaunda, speaking for the transporters’ association, confirmed that members agreed to permit the consultation process to move forward, warning that if no deal emerges, the public will receive further instructions within a week.

Monday’s violence resulted in four fatalities and left more than 30 people with injuries. Police also detained 348 individuals who face charges for participating in unauthorized demonstrations.

Russia launched an extensive three-day military exercise Tuesday focusing on its nuclear capabilities, deploying thousands of personnel and weapons systems as tensions escalate over increased Ukrainian drone operations.

The large-scale training operation includes 64,000 military personnel, more than 200 missile launching systems, over 140 military aircraft, 73 naval vessels, and 13 submarines, with eight of those submarines equipped with nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, according to the Defense Ministry.

Military officials described the exercise as focusing on the “preparation and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression,” the ministry stated.

The training operation will also include coordination activities with Belarus, a neighboring ally that provides hosting facilities for Russian nuclear weaponry. Among the Russian military assets stationed in Belarus is the newest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system.

These military exercises are occurring during a period when Ukraine has significantly escalated its drone operations targeting Russia, including a recent weekend assault on Moscow’s surrounding areas that resulted in three fatalities and caused damage to multiple buildings and industrial sites.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently highlighted Moscow’s nuclear capabilities since deploying military forces into Ukraine in February 2022, attempting to discourage Western nations from increasing their assistance to Kyiv.

The escalating attacks have created challenges for Kremlin officials trying to portray the Ukrainian conflict — now entering its fifth year — as a distant situation that doesn’t impact Russian citizens’ everyday lives.

The military training coincides with Putin beginning a two-day diplomatic visit to China on Tuesday.

Putin recently commended the successful testing of the new Sarmat ICBM last week, which is designed to replace older Soviet-era nuclear missiles.

Putin implemented an updated nuclear policy in 2024, stating that any conventional military strike against Russia backed by a nuclear-armed nation would be viewed as a coordinated assault on his country. This warning was clearly designed to discourage Western nations from permitting Ukraine to use longer-range weaponry against Russia and seems to substantially reduce the conditions for potential nuclear weapon deployment.

Russian military hardliners have consistently pressured the Kremlin to retaliate against increasing Ukrainian strikes by targeting Kyiv’s European allies with conventional weaponry, claiming that European NATO countries would not risk retaliation and direct military confrontation with the world’s largest nuclear-armed nation.

The Defense Ministry released a catalog last month identifying European manufacturing facilities it claims are producing drones and related components for Ukraine. Officials cautioned that strikes against Russia using European-manufactured drones could result in “unpredictable consequences.”

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — International prosecutors revealed Tuesday that a Libyan prison commander earned the nickname “Angel of Death” from inmates he allegedly tortured, killed and sexually assaulted at a notorious detention center.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague conducted preliminary hearings for its first-ever defendant from the North African nation, who stands accused of 17 charges involving crimes against humanity and war crimes committed at the notorious Mitiga detention center in Tripoli from 2015 through 2020, during the chaotic years after longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi’s death.

Prisoners at the compound called Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri the “Angel of Death,” deputy prosecutor Nazhat Khan informed the court during opening remarks, citing testimony from one among nearly 1,000 victims involved in the proceedings.

The 47-year-old defendant, dressed in a blue suit and matching tie, showed no emotion while listening to the accusations against him.

The charges allege that El Hishri served as a high-ranking official at the compound and supervised the women’s wing, where sexual assault was routine. Prosecutors stated that El Hishri habitually carried a firearm and would shoot detainees in their legs or knees.

“These were not the acts of rogue Mitiga prison guards,” Khan stated.

The proceedings represent a preliminary hearing rather than a full trial, providing prosecutors an opportunity to present their evidence before the court. Judges will have 60 days to review the evidence and determine if it warrants proceeding to trial against El Hishri.

Germany transferred El Hishri to the Netherlands in December following his arrest there in July based on a sealed ICC arrest warrant.

This case marks the first time a Libyan defendant will face trial at the international tribunal, whose investigators received authorization from the United Nations Security Council in 2011 to examine alleged crimes in the north African country as it fell into chaos after the uprising that removed Gadhafi from power.

The tribunal quickly issued an arrest warrant for Gadhafi himself, but opposition forces killed him before authorities could apprehend and transfer him to The Hague.

Nine additional Libyan defendants remain subject to outstanding arrest warrants from the court, including one of Gadhafi’s sons.

Italian authorities detained but subsequently freed another suspect, Ossama Anjiem, also called Ossama al-Masri, in January due to a legal technicality, generating criticism from human rights organizations. He also faced accusations related to crimes at the Mitiga detention facility.

British authorities announced Tuesday they expect to reveal criminal charges by next June related to the devastating 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 72 lives in London.

The tragic blaze stands as Britain’s most fatal residential building fire since World War Two, sparking nationwide discussions about construction standards and housing safety for low-income residents.

A 2024 public inquiry final report attributed the catastrophe to failures across multiple sectors – government oversight, construction practices, and particularly companies that installed dangerous exterior cladding that had been promoted as fire-safe.

During a Tuesday media briefing, Garry Moncrieff, who leads the police investigation, revealed that 57 individuals and 20 businesses or organizations “remain as suspects” facing potential charges including corporate and gross negligence manslaughter, fraud and health and safety violations.

Moncrieff stated that investigators plan to transfer evidence files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) by September’s end for charging decisions.

“When something that’s this complex and so hugely significant, it’s really important that we get this investigation right … to enable the CPS to take those charging decisions,” Moncrieff explained.

He recognized the lengthy timeline, acknowledging investigators “could not begin to understand the impact it had had on the bereaved, the survivors, and all those affected.”

Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, had previously hoped for charging decisions by year’s end but now says “it is not possible to be definitive about timescales.” However, he expressed confidence decisions would come before the disaster’s 10th anniversary.

The fire began from a refrigerator’s electrical malfunction and swept through the 23-story public housing tower during early morning hours on June 14, 2017.

Police launched what they describe as the most extensive and complicated investigation in London force history, though detectives postponed any criminal charges until the public inquiry concluded.

Grenfell United, representing affected families and survivors, expressed frustration with the extended timeline.

“For our community, this is not news we meet with celebration,” the group stated. “We have waited almost a decade for accountability. No family should have to wait over 10 years for justice for their loved ones, if it comes at all.”

Following the disaster, Britain announced plans to review companies involved in the tower’s renovation to potentially bar certain firms from receiving government contracts, though most companies have escaped financial responsibility.

The government initiated demolition of building sections last year, with memorial plans also expected to be revealed this year.

VENTANILLA, Peru, May 19 – As she prepares for her fourth consecutive Peruvian presidential runoff election, Keiko Fujimori is wagering that public anxiety about escalating violence will restore faith in the authoritarian style of governance her father practiced during Peru’s tumultuous 1990s.

During earlier campaigns, Keiko had kept her distance from Alberto Fujimori, her deceased father who spent time behind bars for human rights violations and remains a polarizing figure in Peruvian society.

However, the 50-year-old conservative politician has now restructured her campaign to champion his political approach, promising hard-line security policies, stringent counter-terrorism legislation, and greater military involvement in law enforcement.

Prior to voting in the April 12 first round, Fujimori made a pilgrimage to her father’s burial site. She has drawn parallels between contemporary criminal organizations and the leftist Maoist rebels he crushed during his decade in power from 1990 to 2000, promising to deploy Peru’s intelligence apparatus and elite military units in what she calls a “frontal war” against crime and extortion.

“There is a deep collective memory of Fujimorismo,” said Luis Galarreta, Keiko Fujimori’s running mate and one of her closest allies, in an interview with Reuters. “What was done in the 1990s — the rescue of Peru — still matters.”

Alberto Fujimori’s supporters praise him for bringing economic stability and crushing Shining Path guerrillas during the 1990s, though his detractors condemn him as a dictator. He was found guilty in 2009 of authorizing a massacre and spent 16 years imprisoned before dying in 2024.

EXTORTION A DAILY PROBLEM

Public safety issues have taken center stage in this year’s Peruvian election, reflecting a wider pattern throughout Latin America where increasing violence tied to criminal organizations has boosted support for tough-stance politicians, including El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and Chile’s Jose Antonio Kast.

In Ventanilla, an extensive northern Lima suburb close to Callao port, local residents interviewed by Reuters described widespread theft and constant extortion demands.

People living in a low-income housing development in Ventanilla that was officially established during Alberto Fujimori’s administration reported that criminal organizations demand daily tribute from even the tiniest enterprises.

“Extortion is being carried out against everyone,” said Rosa Rengifo Zegarra, 39. “There’s a man with a ceviche (fish dish) place, they ask him for 10 soles ($3) a day,” she said.

Across the country, extortion incidents reported to law enforcement increased by approximately 20% last year according to government statistics, while murders in the Lima area more than doubled from 9 per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 23.1 per 100,000 in 2025.

“You can no longer even think about having a business that operates,” said Pilar Cardenas Lopez, 49, who runs a community food kitchen. “Once they see that you have something, that’s it.”

Criminal activity in Peru has surged due to growing organized crime networks and deteriorating government institutions, according to Martin Cassinelli of the Atlantic Council. International gangs like Tren de Aragua have expanded their presence, while the explosive growth of unlawful gold extraction has become a primary source of criminal enterprise.

The government’s capacity to respond has been compromised by years of political chaos and corruption, along with legislation that has reduced prosecutors’ power to investigate and pursue organized crime cases, Cassinelli noted.

Ventanilla locals described broad-daylight shootings, vanishings and mobile phone theft in conversations with Reuters.

“On that corner, at the store, they killed someone,” said Teresa Cardenas, 48, signaling beyond the food kitchen entrance. “In the other block, a young man also disappeared,” she said.

Multiple administrations have relied on temporary emergency declarations and enforcement sweeps to combat rising crime, but these measures have not tackled the root problems, experts say.

For households, danger now influences everyday choices. Zegarra mentioned her 17-year-old daughter frequently comes home late following dance rehearsal.

“You worry,” she said. “One thing is that they snatch the phone — another is that they take her.”

ROOTED IN FUJIMORI’S NAME

The Ventanilla settlement carries the presidential candidate’s name – Keiko Sofia Fujimori. During the 1990s, homeless families were relocated to empty sandy hills north of Lima, and this location was named after Alberto Fujimori’s daughter, whom he designated as his first lady following a dispute with his first wife.

“There was no electricity, no water — just sand,” Cardenas said, remembering her arrival in 1995. She lives in a section called Keiko 1.

Long-time residents remembered Alberto Fujimori’s visits and social assistance programs during his administration. However, they noted his daughter had never personally visited the community bearing her name.

“I’ve been here 27 years, and she has not come personally — not at all,” said Cardenas Lopez.

Keiko Fujimori still maintains backing in the neighborhood, motivated partly by pledges of economic aid, including direct cash payments, should she win office, some residents explained. In April’s first round she captured approximately 22% of votes in Ventanilla, the largest percentage of any candidate in the district.

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

Following the completion of first-round counting after weeks of postponements and fraud accusations, Fujimori obtained roughly 17% of the national vote in a divided field, qualifying for a second round against leftist congressman Roberto Sanchez.

An April 26 Ipsos opinion poll showed Fujimori and Sanchez tied for the June 7 runoff at 38% each.

As she intensifies her campaign before the second round, relying too heavily on the Fujimori political brand could present dangers for Keiko, political observers warned.

“Anti-Fujimorismo is the reason Keiko Fujimori has fallen just short of the presidency three times,” said historian and political analyst Daniel Parodi. “That rejection may be weakening, but by how much?”

Eileen Gavin, of consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, described Fujimori’s focus on security as a “double-edged sword.”

Some voters may be receptive to her tough-on-crime message, Gavin said. “But many also expect commitments to the rule of law and democratic institutional rebuilding to be part of any solution.” Commitments to those areas have been “sorely lacking in Fujimorismo,” she added.

Alfaro Rojas Carla, a 48-year old mother of five in Ventanilla, looked back on the time of the elder Fujimori era as one of greater security, when she received financial support for her first child.

“There are many who say (Keiko Fujimori) is like her father, which is why they vote for her,” said Rojas Carla.

“We hope she’ll work in the same way her father did.”

LONDON (AP) — A British television network has removed every episode of the UK version of a popular reality dating program from all its platforms following sexual assault allegations made by three female participants against their matched partners.

The network described the accusations as “very serious,” while British government officials stated Tuesday that there must be “consequences for criminality or wrongdoing.”

The reality program is part of a global television franchise that originated in Denmark, with versions airing in numerous countries including the United States, Australia and South Africa. The show pairs strangers through expert matchmaking, with participants moving in together following staged wedding ceremonies.

According to the allegations, two female participants from the British version say they were raped by their television husbands, while a third woman claims she experienced a nonconsensual sexual encounter.

These accusations emerged during an investigation conducted by a BBC investigative news program called “Panorama.” The BBC reported that none of the accusers have filed police reports, and the accused men deny all allegations.

A Conservative lawmaker who chairs the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee told the BBC that the program clearly contains “an element of risk.”

“It’s a TV show that almost expects and anticipates people that have only just met will have to become really quite intimate with each other,” she told the BBC. “They’re expected to share a bed and a life together within minutes of meeting. It almost feels like an accident waiting to happen.”

An independent production company creates the British version of the show. The program has aired for 10 seasons, with an 11th season planned for broadcast this year. The production company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The broadcaster stated that the show operates under “some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry,” which include background screenings, behavioral conduct standards and “daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team.”

Network officials have initiated a comprehensive review of their welfare standards and procedures.

“I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in ‘Married at First Sight UK,’” the network’s chief executive said. “The well-being of our contributors is always of paramount importance.”

These allegations represent the most recent incident fueling ongoing discussions in Britain regarding reality television ethics and the psychological pressures faced by show participants. Previous controversies include the deaths by suicide of two former contestants from another reality dating show in 2018 and 2019, as well as the suicide of that program’s former host in 2020.

MADRID — A Madrid court has launched an investigation into former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero over allegations of influence peddling and other potential crimes connected to a government airline rescue package.

The National Court in Madrid is examining potential financial misconduct related to the Spanish government’s bailout of Plus Ultra airline, which obtained 53 million euros (currently $62 million) in taxpayer funds during 2021 as part of COVID-19 recovery assistance.

Court officials announced in a statement that the probe has been expanded to encompass Zapatero, who was called to respond to judicial questioning on June 2. On Tuesday, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Zapatero’s office under orders from the investigating judge.

The 65-year-old Zapatero served as prime minister between 2004 and 2011. He belongs to the Socialist party currently led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

During a Senate hearing in March, he rejected any misconduct allegations regarding the bailout, stating he “never received any commissions from Plus Ultra.”

Plus Ultra operates as a Spanish-owned carrier with Venezuelan investors. The airline focused on routes connecting Spain with Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador.

After departing from office, Zapatero has dedicated much of his efforts to fostering communication with Venezuela’s far-left government, which faced isolation from Western nations following its suppression of democratic opposition groups.

When Plus Ultra obtained the bailout funding, Zapatero had been away from public office for ten years.

The former leader maintains political ties with Sánchez, whose party has faced multiple corruption controversies during the past two years.

The United Nations has begun its search process to select a new secretary general, with the decision expected to be finalized before the end of this year.

Among the top contenders for the position is Michele Bachelet, who previously served as Chile’s president and currently holds the role of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. Bachelet has drawn attention for her strong advocacy positions on reproductive rights, supporting abortion access through all stages of pregnancy and advocating for government funding of such procedures globally.

Additionally, Bachelet has expressed support for transgender rights initiatives, including medical transition procedures for minors. The selection process for the UN’s top leadership position will continue throughout the coming months.

Leaders from South Korea and Japan announced Tuesday they will enhance collaboration on natural gas and oil supplies, establishing new stockpiling arrangements and petroleum exchange programs.

During a summit meeting in Andong, South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi outlined plans to strengthen coordination for stable energy distribution and broaden partnerships with other Asian nations. The initiative comes as conflicts in the Gulf region create supply challenges for both import-reliant economies.

“Recent instability in supply chains and energy markets stemming from the situation in the Middle East has further underscored the need for close cooperation between our two countries,” Lee said in a joint press statement.

Takaichi announced the launch of a bilateral program aimed at bolstering energy supply resilience throughout the Indo-Pacific region, “assessing energy security through measures such as mutual swap transactions for crude oil, petroleum products and LNG.”

The meeting also addressed security matters, with both nations committing to enhanced defense coordination alongside the United States as they face mutual threats from North Korea and growing regional tensions.

Lee highlighted that recently enhanced vice ministerial-level security discussions between the countries represented “meaningful progress” in establishing formal defense dialogue structures.

Tuesday’s gathering marked the sixth encounter between the two leaders since Lee assumed office and their second meeting this year under an established “shuttle diplomacy” arrangement.

Both officials emphasized that the frequent meetings, including visits to each leader’s home region, demonstrate growing trust and expanding cooperation beyond traditional diplomatic channels to include regional and economic partnerships.

The two nations continue working to strengthen ties despite ongoing historical disagreements, as both governments prioritize economic security, advanced technology collaboration including artificial intelligence development, and regional stability.

The Andong summit included cultural elements, with leaders attending a dinner featuring dishes from both countries to symbolize bilateral friendship. The program also featured musical performances, including piano music and traditional Korean riverside fireworks and pansori entertainment.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian farmer’s dinner preparations took an unexpected turn when he discovered a living amphibian nestled among the greens in his grocery store lettuce bag.

Rhys Smoker was getting ready to make steak and salad for his three housemates on Saturday at their residence in Esperance, located in Western Australia state, when he made the surprising find inside the sealed plastic packaging he had purchased from a local supermarket, according to housemate Laura Jones, who spoke on Tuesday.

“He’s like, ‘Oh Bro, there’s a frog in the lettuce.’ And we’re like, ‘No, you’re taking the mick, like that’s not real,’” Jones explained to AP. The phrase “taking the mick” refers to trying to trick someone.

Smoker carried the package to the living area to demonstrate the discovery to Jones and her partner Billy Le Pine.

“Obviously there’s a little frog hiding out and, yeah, we all had a little laugh about it,” Jones recalled.

According to Le Pine, the group decided to call their unexpected visitor Greg and later set him free at a nearby pond.

“We thought we’d give him a wee send off tune as we played Crazy Frog for him,” Le Pine shared with Australian Broadcasting Corp. Crazy Frog refers to a Swedish computer-animated character and Eurodance performer.

The lettuce had been purchased by Smoker and his partner Lilli Ashby from a Woolworths store in Esperance on the same day Greg was found.

This isn’t the first time Australian shoppers have encountered wildlife in supermarkets. Five years earlier, a customer came face-to-face with a 3-meter-long (10-foot-long) harmless diamond python on a Woolworths shelf in Sydney. Additionally, in 2021, another shopper found a dangerous pale-headed snake wrapped with lettuce in plastic at an ALDI store in Sydney.

According to Woolworths, the frog incident appears to be a one-off occurrence with no similar reports received. “Our teams are investigating this with our suppliers as a priority,” the company stated.

The supermarket chain offered an apology to the household and supplied them with a new lettuce bag.

A Hong Kong court wrapped up closing arguments Tuesday in a national security case against two former leaders who organized the city’s annual remembrance ceremonies for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Judge Alex Lee, serving on a three-judge panel selected by the government, announced they expect to issue a ruling in July for defendants Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan. Both previously led the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

The disbanded organization ran China’s only major public memorial event for decades, drawing tens of thousands of participants each year before authorities prohibited it in 2020 amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Both defendants were indicted in 2021 on charges of inciting subversion under Beijing’s national security legislation, which carries a potential 10-year prison sentence upon conviction. They entered not guilty pleas in January.

Legal experts view their case and the end of the memorial events as representing the erosion of civil liberties that Beijing had guaranteed when the former British territory was handed back to Chinese control in 1997. Officials in Hong Kong and Beijing maintain the security legislation is essential for maintaining order in the city.

During earlier court sessions, prosecutors emphasized the alliance’s call for “ending one-party rule,” contending the organization encouraged others to pursue illegal methods to topple China’s Communist Party leadership.

Chow, a lawyer representing herself, told the court Tuesday her case was “a very strange case” since the defendants haven’t disputed their actions or claimed their public statements didn’t represent their actual beliefs.

She explained that “ending one-party rule” refers to eliminating unchecked authority, noting a central issue is whether the law truly protects the Chinese Communist Party’s permanent governance while prohibiting citizens from advancing democratic reforms.

Chow contended the case has inverted normal standards of justice.

“Speaking the truth has become inciting hatred, seeking justice has become exploiting suffering, limiting power has become violating the constitution, and returning power to the people has become subverting the state,” she stated.

She warned that if the court doesn’t properly evaluate the reasonable impact of their words, it risks becoming complicit by allowing those in authority to commit wrongdoing.

Prosecutors argued Monday that rights to free speech, assembly and association have limits, claiming the defendants are trying to shift attention using human rights arguments.

Following both sides’ presentations, Lee stated Tuesday the judges cannot set an exact date but anticipate reaching a decision between mid- and late July.

The proceedings, originally planned for 75 days, progressed more quickly than anticipated. Tuesday marked the 24th day of hearings.

Albert Ho, another defendant in the case, admitted guilt when proceedings started in January. Guilty pleas often lead to reduced sentences.

Hong Kong’s yearly Tiananmen commemorations honored those killed during the 1989 suppression of student demonstrations, when military tanks entered central Beijing and troops used live ammunition. The death toll included hundreds or possibly thousands of civilians, plus dozens of military personnel.

Officials prohibited the Hong Kong vigil in 2020, citing COVID-19 health concerns.

However, once pandemic restrictions ended, pro-Beijing organizations held a festival at the former vigil location instead. People attempting to mark the anniversary near the site on June 4, the date of the crackdown, were arrested.

BEIJING, May 19 – Chinese authorities have prohibited the importation of pork, wild boar, and associated products from the Philippines following concerns about swine fever, according to an announcement from the General Administration of Customs.

The trade restriction was implemented as a preventative measure against the spread of the animal disease.

Authorities in Spain’s Catalonia region have taken Jonathan Andic into custody on Tuesday as part of their ongoing probe into the death of his father, Isak Andic, who established the Mango clothing empire, according to the Mossos police force.

A representative speaking for the family confirmed that Jonathan Andic was undergoing questioning by authorities but declined to provide additional information.

The family previously expressed confidence in his innocence last year following reports from multiple regional news outlets that he was under official investigation for potential homicide charges.

Isak Andic lost his life after plunging more than 100 metres (328 ft) from a cliff during a hiking excursion with family members at the Montserrat caves near Barcelona in December 2024.

Financial leaders from the world’s most advanced economies convened in Paris this week to address economic disruptions caused by escalating Middle East tensions, with France’s top finance official calling for enhanced international assistance.

During their two-day gathering in the French capital, finance ministers and central bank governors from G7 nations discussed how the regional conflict has affected global markets and created economic instability worldwide.

The Tuesday session expanded to include representatives from Gulf nations, Brazil, and Kenya as the group of seven wealthy countries seeks to strengthen international partnerships while managing multiple global crises including ongoing pressure on Russia regarding Ukraine.

“We agree on the fact that the IMF and the World Bank have to step up their game for those countries (most vulnerable to the impact of the Middle East conflict) and make sure we help them,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told reporters, adding that a shortage of fertiliser would have a particular impact.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack against Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal limiting Iran’s nuclear programme.

However, several G7 nations have voiced concerns that Washington and Israel proceeded with military action against Iran without fully considering economic ramifications, including the potential shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for global energy supplies.

According to Lescure, officials from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates joined the Paris discussions to address the Gulf region crisis.

Representatives from Syria and Ukraine took part in portions of the talks, reflecting the G7’s focus on supporting nations considered essential to regional and worldwide stability.

Delegates from Brazil, India and South Korea also participated, representing efforts to expand international cooperation during a period when established alliances face challenges.

The gathering also addressed strategies for diversifying sources of rare earth elements and essential minerals, along with tackling global economic imbalances – key priorities during France’s G7 leadership.

Lescure has emphasized that worldwide economic disparities are creating trade tensions and could lead to dangerous market disruptions, pointing to patterns where China under-consumes, the United States over-consumes and Europe under-invests.

“We see how others are changing the rules, and I have no desire for us to end up being the fools,” German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told reporters on Monday, calling for Europe to set local content requirements and assert its interests.

Regarding essential minerals and rare earth elements, G7 governments are working together to decrease dependence on China, which controls supply networks crucial for electric vehicle technology, clean energy systems, and defense equipment.

European Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the G7 is making progress in raw materials partnerships, but he added it is not something that would happen overnight. “That requires time and adequate preparation.”

He also emphasized maintaining pressure on Russia following the United States’ announcement of another 30-day extension for a sanctions waiver permitting purchases of Russian seaborne oil to assist “energy-vulnerable” countries.

“From the EU point of view, we do not think that this is the time to ease pressure on Russia,” Dombrovskis told reporters on Tuesday, adding that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had been “reassuring” that it would only be temporary, but also noting it was the second extension of this measure.

Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary election on June 7 represents a crucial crossroads for the nation’s foreign policy direction, as voters will choose between the current government’s Western-leaning approach and opposition parties that favor stronger Russian connections.

Polling data and political experts anticipate that the Civil Contract party, under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership, will secure the most seats but probably won’t achieve the two-thirds parliamentary control required for constitutional amendments.

Peace Agreement Focus

The ruling Civil Contract party, which has governed since 2018, has campaigned heavily on its diplomatic efforts toward establishing peace with Azerbaijan, highlighting an initial accord that Pashinyan signed with Baku during a White House ceremony last August.

The mountainous nation of approximately 3 million people has experienced intermittent conflict with Azerbaijan dating back to the late 1980s, primarily centered on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In 2023, Baku launched a rapid military campaign that restored complete control over Karabakh, forcing nearly all 100,000 ethnic Armenians living there to relocate to Armenia.

Russian-Aligned Opposition Forces

Opposition political movements in Armenia are primarily composed of pro-Russian factions, many connected to former presidents who lack popular support.

The most significant opposition challenger is the Strong Armenia party, headed by an Armenian-Russian billionaire currently facing legal proceedings for allegedly inciting government overthrow.

Strong Armenia has built its campaign around pro-business policies while criticizing Pashinyan for supposedly provoking tensions with Moscow.

Evolving Russian Relations

Armenian-Russian diplomatic ties have deteriorated since 2023, particularly after Azerbaijan’s successful Karabakh operation occurred while Russian peacekeeping forces were stationed in the territory.

Armenia maintains membership in a Russian-dominated economic alliance, making complete separation from Moscow challenging given their significant trade relationship. The country relies heavily on both Russia and neighboring Iran for energy resources and accommodates a substantial Russian military installation.

Russian officials have voiced concerns about Armenia’s Western orientation, warning of potential “negative political and economic consequences” for Yerevan.

Armenian civic organizations have expressed concerns about alleged Russian state-backed misinformation campaigns targeting the election period. Moscow consistently denies interference in foreign nations’ domestic politics.

Western Partnership Development

Armenia enacted legislation last year to begin the European Union membership application process, with Pashinyan positioning his nation as Europe’s primary regional ally in the South Caucasus.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace framework includes plans for a transit route through Armenian territory that would enhance Asia-Europe connectivity while reducing dependence on Russian pathways.

A recent agreement with U.S. Vice President JD Vance during his Yerevan visit this year could enable an American corporation to construct a nuclear reactor facility in Armenia.

Regional Diplomatic Progress

Yerevan and Baku established a U.S.-mediated peace framework in August but haven’t finalized a comprehensive treaty. Azerbaijan insists Armenia must first modify certain constitutional language, which Yerevan has indicated willingness to address. A constitutional referendum may follow the election.

Armenia’s frontiers with both Azerbaijan and Turkey have remained sealed for decades, with Turkey closing its border in 1993 to support its strategic partner Baku regarding the Karabakh dispute.

Recent diplomatic advances with Ankara have occurred, particularly in commercial relations, though overall progress remains gradual.

The executive leading Starbucks Korea operations has been terminated following intense public backlash over a marketing initiative that inadvertently referenced a tragic military assault on democracy advocates in 1980.

Shinsegae Group, the retail company that operates the American coffee brand’s South Korean locations, announced the dismissal of Sohn Jeong-hyun, who oversaw Starbucks Korea, citing “inappropriate marketing” as the reason for his termination.

The controversy erupted when Starbucks introduced its “Tank Day” promotional event on Monday, advertising its “Tank” tumbler collection with the slogan “put it on the table with a sound of ‘Tak!’”

The timing proved particularly problematic as Monday coincided with Democratisation Movement Day, an annual observance honoring the student-led Gwangju Uprising from May 1980. The marketing campaign triggered widespread condemnation throughout South Korea.

During that uprising, military forces under dictator Chun Doo-hwan’s regime used troops and armored vehicles to suppress demonstrators, resulting in hundreds of deaths and disappearances. Many aspects of the incident remain unclear, including who authorized soldiers to fire upon protesters. Chun eventually resigned in 1988 as democratic movements gained momentum.

The promotional phrase “tak” also drew criticism for resembling official explanations given by South Korean authorities in 1987 regarding a student activist’s death, who was later determined to have been tortured. Officials at that time claimed the student died after investigators hit a desk producing a “tak” noise, according to media accounts.

Attempts to contact Sohn were unsuccessful, and Starbucks Korea refused to provide access to him, stating he had departed the organization. The company has discontinued the campaign.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his fury over the promotion on social media Monday, demanding an apology to families of those killed during the uprising.

“I deeply bow in apology as the representative of the group,” Chung said. The marketing “deeply hurt the public, the bereaved families, and the victims of the May 18 demonstration.”

The campaign “tarnished the bloody protests of Gwangju citizens and the victims of the protests,” Lee stated, describing it as the work of a “degenerate peddler.”

Both Starbucks Korea and Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued public apologies on the company website.

Despite the apologies, Starbucks Korea’s statement received over 2,800 mostly negative social media responses, with users sharing images of themselves obtaining refunds on prepaid cards and terminating their mobile app accounts with the coffee retailer.

Additional users posted videos showing themselves destroying Starbucks merchandise including tumblers and mugs.

Stock prices for Shinsegae’s E-Mart retail division, which holds a 67.5% ownership in Starbucks Korea (now called SCK Company), dropped 5.5% at Seoul’s market close.

Starbucks Global released its own statement Tuesday, expressing regret about the incident and announcing an internal investigation.

“We sincerely apologize to the people of Gwangju, to those impacted by this tragedy, and to our customers and communities,” a spokesperson at Starbucks Global said in an email to Reuters.

“Leadership accountability actions have been taken, and a thorough investigation is underway,” the spokesperson said. “We are implementing stronger internal controls, review standards, and company-wide training to ensure this does not happen again.”

Emergency crews in eastern Germany continued their search Tuesday morning for three individuals trapped beneath debris after a structure collapsed Monday evening in Görlitz, a city located near the Polish border.

Authorities believe a gas explosion may have triggered the building’s collapse, which occurred Monday night.

Rescue workers approached the site with extreme care due to potential gas leak hazards, according to German news agency dpa.

Following failed efforts to find the missing individuals using search dogs, rescue teams started removing debris with excavation equipment and manual labor at approximately 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Earlier fears that as many as five individuals could be buried beneath the wreckage proved to be incorrect, authorities confirmed.

A man concerned that his wife and cousin might be trapped beneath the debris explained Monday that they had come that day for a holiday stay at the rented property. While purchasing items at a local supermarket, he heard an explosion and returned to discover only a massive pile of rubble where the house had stood, dpa reported.

The destroyed structure featured historic Wilhelminian architecture and housed rental and vacation units, authorities said.

Görlitz serves as Germany’s easternmost municipality, home to 57,000 residents. Its well-preserved historic center frequently serves as a backdrop for international movie productions.

Malaysia’s defense minister announced Tuesday that officials have formally notified Norway of their intent to pursue compensation exceeding 1 billion ringgit ($251.76 million) following Oslo’s unexpected cancellation of export permits for naval strike missile systems designated for Malaysian warships.

Norwegian officials stated that specific export licenses for certain defense technology to Malaysia were withdrawn due to changes in Oslo’s export control policies. The unexpected decision surprised Malaysian officials and ignited a diplomatic dispute, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim describing the action as “unilateral and unacceptable.”

Defense Minister Mohamad Khaled Nordin explained that the government plans to pursue reimbursement for both direct and indirect expenses, noting that Malaysia had already remitted approximately 126 million euros ($146.66 million), representing 95% of the contract’s total value, for the missile systems.

Malaysia will also pursue additional compensation to address costs associated with removing and replacing equipment on vessels designed to house the Norwegian-manufactured missiles, along with expenses for retraining military personnel, he informed reporters.

Mohamed Khaled stated that Norway’s action creates concerns about the reliability of international defense partnerships, especially those involving Western or NATO member nations.

“What has happened to us was not just a defence procurement issue. It reflects a larger problem, namely, the erosion of trust among countries in international relations,” he said.

The Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Malaysia’s compensation demand.

The defense division of Norwegian company Kongsberg announced in 2018 that it had secured a 124 million euro agreement with the Royal Malaysian Navy to provide NSM missiles for six littoral combat ships. Mohamed Khaled revealed last week that a second contract existed to deliver the system to two additional naval vessels.

BRUSSELS – European Union officials were set to reach an agreement Tuesday on eliminating import tariffs on American products, working to honor a trade agreement made with the United States last year while avoiding threatened tariff increases from former President Trump.

The agreement, negotiated at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland last July, requires the EU to eliminate import tariffs on American industrial products and provide better access for US agricultural and seafood items. The United States would maintain 15% tariffs on most European Union goods in return.

Despite the deal being nearly 10 months old, both the European Parliament and the Council representing EU member nations must still approve legislative language before the tariff reductions can take effect. The primary disagreements center on protective measures in case Trump abandons the agreement.

Parliamentary and council negotiators were scheduled to convene for what sources expected to be final discussions beginning at 9 p.m. local time. EU legislators participating in the negotiations expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.

Trump has established a July 4th deadline for the European Union to fulfill its trade commitments, warning he would impose substantially higher tariffs on EU products including automobiles if the bloc fails to act. He previously threatened to increase tariffs on European car imports from the current 15% to 25%.

European lawmakers have twice delayed the necessary legislation following Trump’s threats to impose additional tariffs on European partners who didn’t support his proposed Greenland acquisition and after the Supreme Court overturned his global tariffs.

If negotiators reach an agreement, the bloc should satisfy Trump’s July 4th timeline, with the European Parliament expected to hold a final approval vote in mid-June.

Parliamentary representatives are pushing for stronger protective measures, including a provision requiring the United States to fulfill its obligations before the EU reduces duties, the ability to halt the agreement if America violates the terms, and an expiration date of March 31, 2028 for EU tariff concessions.

EU member governments have shown less enthusiasm for including such provisions, worried they might anger the Trump administration and create business uncertainty for European companies.

MALE, Maldives — Specialized diving experts from Finland began efforts Tuesday to retrieve the remains of four Italian divers who perished in a deep underwater cave system in the Maldives, nearly a week after they disappeared during an exploration dive.

The victims’ bodies were discovered Monday when search operations resumed following a tragic setback — a local military diver lost his life during the dangerous rescue attempt. The Italian diving group was first reported missing Thursday.

According to Maldives government spokesman Ahmed Shaam, the three-person Finnish team will work to bring up the remains from approximately 60 meters (200 feet) below the surface, at which point they’ll transfer responsibility to coast guard personnel who will transport the bodies closer to shore for police custody.

Recreational diving regulations in the Maldives limit depths to 30 meters (nearly 100 feet).

Officials from the Indian Ocean nation announced Monday that the Finnish diving specialists, working alongside local police and military personnel, located the bodies in the deepest section of the cave system.

“As was previously thought, the four bodies were found inside the cave, not only inside the cave, but well inside the cave into the third segment of the cave, which is the largest part,” Shaam said.

He described finding the four victims “pretty much together,” with plans to recover two bodies Tuesday and the remaining two Wednesday.

The Divers’ Alert Network Europe, which sent the Finnish team, described them on its website as technical and cave diving specialists with international expertise in search and recovery operations, including work in “deep overhead environments, confined spaces and high-risk scenarios.”

The recovery team utilized sophisticated technical equipment, including closed-circuit rebreathers — systems that recycle exhaled air and eliminate carbon dioxide through chemical scrubbing, enabling “significantly longer dives,” according to the organization.

A fifth Italian diver — identified as a diving instructor — was recovered outside the cave entrance on the same day the group was reported missing. According to Italy’s Foreign Ministry, the five-person team had been exploring a cave system approximately 50 meters (160 feet) down in Vaavu Atoll Thursday.

Earlier search teams had already descended to locate and mark the entrance to the cave system where the Italian divers vanished.

New Zealand’s Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced Tuesday that the government will eliminate approximately 9,000 public sector positions by mid-2029, representing 14% of all government jobs, as part of an effort to reduce spending by billions of dollars.

Speaking to a business gathering in Auckland, the country’s largest city, Willis outlined plans that include three straight years of budget reductions for most government agencies, a substantial decrease in the number of departments, and accelerated implementation of artificial intelligence technology throughout the public sector. These changes are projected to save 2.4 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.4 billion) over the specified timeframe.

The workforce reductions will primarily affect Wellington, the capital city where most government employees are based. Public servant numbers would drop to 55,000, down 8,700 positions from December 2025 levels, according to Willis.

This reduction would bring public servants to 1% of New Zealand’s 5.3 million residents, compared to the current 1.2%.

“That’s unsustainable, it’s unaffordable and it’s out of step with international trends,” Willis stated during her Tuesday address. Military personnel, educators, and medical professionals would be protected from the job eliminations, she noted.

The reforms would also consolidate the current 39 government departments and agencies into a smaller, unspecified number.

The job cuts won’t begin immediately, and Willis provided no specifics about how decisions would be made regarding which positions to eliminate. Her center-right administration, in office since 2023 after campaigning on reducing government size, must face voters again in November.

Labor organizations and opposition politicians strongly criticized Tuesday’s announcement.

“There is no way you can reduce that many people working for our public service without reducing front-line services,” said Labour Party and opposition leader Chris Hipkins. Duane Leo, spokesperson for the union representing thousands of public servants, said the measures were “an act of willful destruction.”

The National Party-led government attributes what it characterizes as financial irresponsibility by the previous center-left Labour administration for expanding public servant employment from 48,000 to 63,000 during Labour’s tenure. In 2018, Labour had eliminated a public sector hiring cap established by the previous National government, arguing that restriction had led to increased spending on contractors and consultants as agencies avoided hiring permanent staff.

Most government departments will see their funding reduced by 2% in the budget scheduled for late May, Willis explained. Additional 5% annual cuts would follow for the subsequent two years if the government wins reelection.

The public sector “hasn’t been keeping pace” with developments in AI and digital technology and must adopt these innovations, Willis emphasized.

These public sector reduction promises come as New Zealand’s economic growth remains weak and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who positioned himself as a superior fiscal steward compared to his political rivals, attempts to demonstrate economic improvement before November’s election. Luxon described Tuesday the possibility of a more streamlined public sector as “exciting.”

“The public service is not a make-work function,” he stated.

Ukrainian military forces are dealing significant setbacks to Russia’s war operations through an expanded strategy of medium-range drone strikes that target enemy positions dozens of kilometers from the front lines.

Military commanders and defense experts report that Ukraine has dramatically increased its “middle strikes” capability in recent months, focusing on targets positioned 30 to 180 kilometers behind enemy lines. These operations are disrupting Russian battlefield progress and creating openings for extended-range attacks on oil and military installations.

The enhanced drone operations have allowed Ukrainian forces to hit Russian radar systems, air defense networks, communication infrastructure, supply chains, and heavy military equipment at what military experts call “operational depth,” according to two Ukrainian commanders, drone specialists, and military analysts.

Robert Brovdi, who leads Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, explained that long-range attack drones can now penetrate Russian defenses more effectively to strike oil installations far from the fighting zones.

“The role of middle strikes is currently decisive,” Brovdi stated in a voice message to Reuters, discussing operations reaching up to 2,000 kilometers.

Defense experts acknowledge that while these attacks cannot single-handedly reverse the war’s trajectory, they are creating substantial impact and potentially altering the conflict’s momentum.

Over recent months, Ukrainian long-distance drone operations have inflicted the most severe damage to Russian oil infrastructure since Moscow launched its 2022 invasion. Last month, Russia decreased oil production due to drone strikes on ports and refineries, and crude oil deliveries through Russia’s sole remaining European pipeline were stopped.

These attacks have boosted Ukrainian morale following a winter of Russian strikes on power infrastructure, while Russia’s territorial advancement rate has dropped to its lowest level since 2023.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced this month that Ukrainian “middle strikes” had doubled compared to March and increased fourfold since February.

A field commander identified as “Kusto” from the 7th battalion of Brovdi’s 414th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade reported significant growth in Ukraine’s medium-strike capabilities since autumn.

“We have scaled up, increased the number of crews, and expanded the number of systems in use. There is also greater diversity in the available platforms,” he explained in written statements.

Kusto’s unit primarily focuses on objectives within 100 kilometers of the contact line, with Russian radar installations and air-defense systems including Buk, Tor and Pantsir representing the most valuable targets. Additional priority targets include large vehicles and logistics operations.

“The aircraft (drone) itself typically flies about 150 kilometres from the launch point and then begins searching for targets in the designated area,” he described.

The unit most frequently employs domestically manufactured Chaklun V drones for middle-strike operations, followed by the B-2 model.

Brovdi noted that manual control provides superior precision compared to coordinate-based guidance, with typically no more than three drones required to confirm target destruction.

His forces have eliminated at least 129 air-defense systems this year in Russian-controlled territories, though Reuters could not independently confirm this number.

Ukraine has conducted multiple attacks on oil facilities in the Russian Black Sea port city of Tuapse, and Brovdi announced Friday that his forces had struck the Ryazan oil refinery, among Russia’s largest. Ukrainian operations have also forced operational suspensions at NORSI, Russia’s fourth-largest refinery, and facilities in Perm, approximately 1,500 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border.

The extended-range strikes have facilitated more medium-range attacks by compelling Russia to spread air defenses away from front-line positions, explained Justin Bronk, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

This allows Ukrainian forces to target assets beyond artillery or remotely operated First-Person View drone range, including ammunition and fuel storage, command centers, supply vehicles and other medium-range drone teams.

In April, Ukrainian forces executed over 160 middle strikes at distances of 120-150 kilometers, according to the Defence Ministry.

Such operations hinder Russian battlefield activities by extending the gap between front-line troops and their support forces, said Illia Mashyna, commander of Ukraine’s 431st Separate Unmanned Aircraft Systems Battalion “Brodiahy.”

“The farther you pull back, the more you complicate logistics,” Mashyna emphasized, highlighting the importance of thorough planning and consistent coordination for operational effectiveness.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia’s battlefield progress has decelerated since October, partially due to medium-range strikes but also because of local fortifications and terrain challenges, particularly in the Donbas region.

Russian forces have also encountered communication difficulties since tech billionaire Elon Musk restricted their access to the Starlink satellite internet service.

RUSI’s Bronk explained that Kyiv’s rapid medium-range capability development addressed a critical gap, as Russia pressured Ukraine’s outnumbered and outgunned forces while also effectively employing middle strikes.

Continuous battlefield deployment has accelerated innovation as Ukraine works to strengthen domestic defense production and reduce dependence on foreign supplies.

Direct communication between manufacturers and front-line operators means user feedback gets incorporated into drone systems within days, Kusto reported.

A technical engineer in Kusto’s unit, using the call sign “Symbol,” said some manufacturers now provide platforms that arrive nearly combat-ready, requiring minimal additional programming.

“Previously, middle strike was more of a one-off capability,” he noted in written comments. “Now it’s a systematic part of operations.”

Emil Kastehelmi from the Finland-based Black Bird conflict analysis group said medium-range attacks may not reverse the tide against Russia but present a challenge requiring Russian force adaptation.

“And I don’t think we’ve seen the pinnacle of it yet,” he concluded.

Devastating floods swept through multiple provinces in southern and central China on Tuesday, claiming at least 10 lives as intense rainfall caused widespread disruption to daily life, according to authorities.

Weather officials warned that provinces including Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan were experiencing elevated risks for weather-related catastrophes, such as mudslides, sudden flooding, and severe urban water accumulation.

Emergency response protocols have been activated across multiple impacted regions, officials confirmed.

Residents in Jingzhou, located in central Hubei province, found themselves wading through knee-high floodwaters where fish could be seen swimming through city streets, based on footage shared on the Chinese social media platform Douyin. Vehicles became almost entirely submerged on roadways flanked by homes and businesses.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that six fatalities occurred when a pickup truck transporting 15 people plunged into a flood-swollen river in the southwestern Guangxi region during the heavy downpour on Tuesday.

Additional casualties included three deaths from flash flooding in a low-elevation Hubei village, while one more person perished in southern Hunan province, CCTV stated.

Educational institutions, commercial establishments and transportation networks have been shut down, with officials evacuating residents from certain areas of Hubei and Hunan provinces, state media outlets reported.

The exceptionally broad zone of intense precipitation – covering more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) – resulted from moisture streams converging from the Bay of Bengal, South China Sea and Pacific Ocean. Chinese weather experts noted that the weather pattern’s slow movement contributed to the substantial rainfall accumulation.

The National Meteorological Centre indicated that harsh weather conditions would progressively shift eastward and southward over the coming 48 hours. Beginning Wednesday, the most severe rainfall is anticipated along the middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River.

Hainan island in southern China issued geological hazard alerts on Tuesday following a mountainside collapse that blocked a highway in Lingshui, leading authorities to shut down multiple main roads in that section of the island.

Meanwhile, Guangxi officials established temporary housing at 99 locations for over 4,000 residents and moved 7,000 people following a 5.2 magnitude earthquake on Monday that caused tremors throughout several cities in the area.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For generations, the United Arab Emirates has promoted itself as a secure destination for global commerce amid the turbulent Middle East. Now, conflict has reached this nation’s doorstep, challenging its business-friendly reputation in unprecedented ways.

The UAE, which maintains strong ties with both the United States and Israel, has endured more missile and drone strikes from Iran throughout this conflict than any other nation. These assaults — combined with Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz — have slashed the Emirates’ oil and natural gas exports by more than half. The nation’s tourism and convention industries have also taken significant hits.

Located directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran, the country has projected an image of resilience while implementing major strategic shifts. Officials recently unveiled plans for a new pipeline to decrease dependence on the strait, and the nation withdrew from the OPEC oil cartel to enable long-term increases in energy production — a move that had been considered before the war began.

Though the U.S. and Israel initiated the conflict, the UAE finds itself deeply involved. A drone strike on Sunday targeting its Barakah nuclear power plant highlights ongoing dangers — even with a fragile ceasefire in place.

Thanks to the Emirates’ substantial cash reserves, the war’s economic impact has not yet triggered widespread unemployment or a mass departure of international businesses. However, the longer this standoff continues and disrupts normal operations, the greater the threat to the reputation that has been crucial for attracting global business and investment.

Emirati leadership increasingly labels Iran’s actions as piracy and terrorism, while issuing warnings of potential military response.

The UAE “will not tolerate any threat to its security and sovereignty under any circumstances,” its Foreign Ministry declared Sunday evening. “It reserves its full, sovereign, legitimate, diplomatic, and military rights to respond to any threats, allegations or hostilities.”

The Emirates’ response to the Barakah incident remains unclear. The attack produced no radioactive contamination and has not interrupted operations at the nuclear facility located in Abu Dhabi’s remote western desert.

The UAE consists of seven autocratic sheikhdoms, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. While the Federal Supreme Council, made up of hereditary leaders from all seven emirates, serves as the top governing body, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his family control most major decisions.

According to analysts, the ruling family has pursued increasingly assertive foreign policies in recent decades, including military involvement in Yemen’s conflict against Iranian-supported Houthi rebels. The UAE supported Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s rise to power in 2013, and faces allegations of arms shipments to factions in Sudan and Libya’s civil conflicts, which it disputes.

Sheikh Mohammed, who seldom makes public statements, offered his only brief comments about the war to state media during a March hospital visit with Iranian attack victims.

“The UAE is attractive, the UAE is beautiful, the UAE is a model. But I say to them: do not be misled by the UAE’s appearance,” the sheikh cautioned then. “The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh; we are no easy prey.”

However, the nation has certainly experienced significant hardship.

The Strait of Hormuz blockade has severely limited the UAE’s crude oil and natural gas sales, though some tankers have successfully departed. The country can ship roughly 1.8 million barrels of crude daily via a pipeline to Fujairah, a coastal city with an oil terminal on the Gulf of Oman beyond the strait. The Emirates is accelerating construction of a second pipeline to double this capacity.

The UAE’s tourism and conference sector — representing over 12% of economic output — has suffered severe damage.

Since hostilities began February 28, more than 70 planned events in the UAE have been delayed, cancelled, or otherwise impacted, according to Northbourne Advisory, a Qatar-based communications company monitoring war effects. While the Emirati government imposed no blanket event prohibition, organizers likely altered plans due to “insurance withdrawal and liability exposure,” the firm noted.

On May 4, the national carrier Emirates announced it had restored nearly its complete flight schedule from Dubai International Airport, which has ranked as the world’s busiest for international travel for years. That same day, however, Iran launched multiple drone and missile attacks, triggering mobile phone alerts and frustrating the Emirates’ business community, which seeks a return to normalcy.

The airport appears to be constructing protective barriers around its jet fuel storage, though officials there refused to comment.

Hotels, including Dubai’s distinctive sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, have shut down for renovations as occupancy has dropped to approximately 20%. Moody’s Analytics projects that figure will decline to 10% in the June quarter, compared to 80% before the conflict.

Moody’s cautioned that occupancy levels will likely remain depressed through 2026, as travelers may stay away even after fighting ends.

In a Monday analysis, the Institute of International Finance observed: “Dubai’s openness makes it vulnerable to shocks in travel, logistics, and confidence, while Abu Dhabi’s balance sheet and energy assets give the federation the capacity to absorb the blow.”

Dubai has made particular efforts to demonstrate continued accessibility.

Over the weekend, Dubai held a condensed version of its yearly Art Dubai exhibition. The war’s proximity was evident not only because the show’s preview coincided with Iran’s seizure of a vessel near Fujairah.

One artwork featured a coin-operated black fighter aircraft decorated with pairs of black Nike sneakers.

Spanish artist Solimán López presented a piece exploring his claimed ownership of a metal-rich asteroid targeted by a NASA mission. The work examines how nations and corporations extract oil and other resources.

The conflict complicated his attendance with the artwork, he explained. “But I said I have to do my best, because I do believe that it’s the perfect context to talk about this in the region,” he stated.

Beirut artist Alfred Tarazi mentioned his grandparents survived two world wars.

“Life doesn’t stop in a world war,” he observed. “We can only counter a narrative of violence with culture.”

A violent shooting incident in El Ejido, a city in southern Spain, claimed two lives and left four people wounded during overnight hours, according to police reports released Tuesday.

Authorities have apprehended a suspect in connection with the deadly attack. A Civil Guard police spokesperson confirmed that the two fatalities were family members of the individual believed to be responsible for the shooting, though officials declined to provide additional details about the relationship.

Among those wounded in the incident, two victims are minors under the age of 18, according to El Pais newspaper.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Peter Magyar launched his first international diplomatic mission Tuesday with a two-day journey to Poland, marking a significant step in his campaign to restore his country’s standing within European circles.

The Hungarian leader is scheduled to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday. Tusk successfully guided a Europe-friendly coalition into power in Poland during 2023, repairing damaged relationships with Brussels and releasing billions in previously withheld funding that had been suspended due to rule of law issues.

Magyar hopes to achieve similar success following his decisive electoral triumph over nationalist Viktor Orban in April. Tusk characterized Magyar’s victory as a defeat for authoritarian governance and evidence of Central European politics moving away from anti-European nationalism.

The relationship between Warsaw and Budapest had soured significantly as Tusk and Orban feuded over Hungary’s confrontational stance regarding Ukraine and its friendly ties with Russia.

According to a Polish government official, this visit serves primarily as a symbolic fresh start following a period of essentially halted communication, designed to restart conversations about European matters and Ukraine.

“It is very clear that they want to restore relations with Poland to a very good level,” the official added. “These are, I would say, gestures showing a return to the best traditions of strong bilateral ties.”

Magyar’s itinerary will span Poland from Krakow in the southern region to the capital Warsaw, concluding in the Baltic coastal city of Gdansk.

On Monday, Magyar announced his intention to travel by rail to Warsaw Tuesday evening using “a high-speed rail line built with EU funding – by the ‘evil Brussels’,” referencing Orban’s anti-EU rhetoric.

He explained that his choice to experience Poland’s railway system reflects his goal of eventually establishing a high-speed connection between Warsaw and Budapest.

Magyar’s delegation includes several key ministers: Foreign Minister Anita Orban, Economy and Energy Minister Istvan Kapitany, Transport and Investment Minister David Vitezy, and Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi.

“The areas of responsibility of the participating ministers naturally shape the direction of the talks,” Magyar said.

Energy cooperation will feature prominently in the discussions, as Magyar has committed to eliminating Hungary’s reliance on Russian energy sources by 2035.

“This is a priority issue for both countries, with the oil crisis being a major challenge,” Magyar said.

Warsaw intends to propose that Budapest gain access to American LNG through a new Gdansk facility scheduled to begin operations in 2028, according to a knowledgeable source. Orlen has previously supplied American LNG to Ukraine.

Polish officials indicated that discussions will also cover Ukraine support and the future structure of cooperation within the Visegrad group of central European countries.

Hungary’s administration seeks Poland’s support in negotiations to release frozen EU funding, given both nations faced comparable rule-of-law disagreements.

“The decision has not yet been taken and will clearly be political as well as procedural, which is why this backing is crucial for Budapest,” said Wojciech Przybylski of the Visegrad Insight think-tank.

Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar embarked Tuesday on his inaugural international journey to Poland, seeking insights from a longtime partner nation whose recent democratic transition offers valuable guidance for reversing years of authoritarian governance.

Magyar, leading the center-right Tisza party that toppled far-right leader Viktor Orbán and his nationalist-populist Fidesz movement in last month’s stunning electoral upset, has promised to tear down the autocratic framework his predecessor constructed over 16 years in office.

This development has sparked optimism throughout Europe and invited parallels to Poland’s 2023 electoral outcome, where Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s center-right alliance ousted the national-conservative Law and Justice party following eight years of rule.

Similar to Magyar’s approach, Tusk acted swiftly to rebuild democratic structures weakened under the former administration, focusing on judicial reform and public broadcasting while pursuing accountability for officials accused of power misuse.

Magyar’s itinerary includes a flight to Krakow in southern Poland on Tuesday, followed by rail travel to Warsaw and then to the Baltic coastal city of Gdansk.

Following his May 9 inauguration, Magyar publicly demanded the resignation or removal of numerous Orbán appointees through constitutional amendment — authority he possesses after Tisza secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Magyar has specifically challenged Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok, despite the position being largely ceremonial with limited constitutional authority, along with the nation’s attorney general and leaders of both constitutional and supreme courts — officials he has condemned as “Orbán’s puppets.”

Andrzej Sadecki, a researcher with the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw, explained to The Associated Press that Magyar’s primary obstacle remains that “some key state institutions are still in the hands of people nominated by Fidesz.”

However, unlike Poland’s situation, “the situation is much easier for Magyar because he has a constitutional majority. This makes it much easier for him to introduce deep changes,” Sadecki noted.

While Tusk assumed leadership through coalition-building in Poland’s 2023 contest, Magyar’s Tisza captured 53% of votes, achieving greater electoral support and parliamentary representation than any party in Hungary’s post-Communist era.

“It’s not just a change of government, it’s a watershed moment,” Sadecki observed.

Orbán’s administration featured an extensive media network that functioned as a devoted propaganda arm for Fidesz while attacking, undermining and harassing political adversaries.

Following his electoral triumph, Magyar condemned public broadcasting under Orbán as “a factory of lies,” announcing his administration would halt their news operations until “the conditions for objectivity are restored.”

This strategy echoes actions by Tusk’s administration, which overhauled state television’s evening programming within a month of assuming power. Poland’s new leadership justified replacing state media executives based on government ownership of public broadcasting.

The process attracted criticism from some liberal organizations, with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in Warsaw stating that “the manner of initiating changes in public media raises serious legal doubts.”

Nevertheless, József Péter Martin, executive director of Transparency International Hungary, argued that the extent of Hungary’s public media failures means “it should be rebuilt, and it can be done within the framework of the rule of law.”

Throughout its tenure, Poland’s Law and Justice party strengthened judicial control by placing loyalist judges in senior positions and disciplining critics through punitive measures.

The party also positioned enough sympathetic justices on the Constitutional Tribunal to obstruct unfavorable legislation through constitutional challenges. Tusk administration attempts to reverse these changes have faced repeated opposition from two consecutive Law and Justice-aligned Polish presidents.

While some progress occurred in certain areas, Poland has not fully restored judicial independence, and Magyar’s government may encounter similar obstacles.

Despite Magyar’s resignation demands, President Tamás Sulyok — an Orbán supporter whose term continues until 2029 — has signaled no intention to leave office.

Additionally, Hungary’s Constitutional Court chief, Péter Polt, widely considered a Fidesz loyalist, will serve until 2037.

Although many Hungarian judges and prosecutors perform their responsibilities properly, judicial leadership — including constitutional and supreme court heads — requires replacement to restore public confidence and neutrality, Martin of Transparency International Hungary stated.

And “not with (Magyar’s) Tisza loyalists, because then we would go from one problem to the other, but with someone who has full integrity and devotion to the Hungarian constitution and to the public interest, and not to the interest of the former autocratic regime,” Martin emphasized.

Even without completely restoring judicial independence, Polish prosecutors have launched investigations and pursued cases against former Law and Justice officials accused of exploiting their positions for political advantage.

In October, Polish prosecutors announced intentions to charge former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro with redirecting funds from a Justice Ministry program for violence victims toward personal and political purposes.

Ziobro’s prosecution stalled when he declared in January that Orbán’s Hungary had granted him asylum. Since Magyar’s electoral victory, Ziobro has relocated to the United States, with Polish officials working to secure his return.

Many of the nearly 3.4 million Hungarians who supported Tisza anticipate the new administration will pursue accountability for Orbán and his political and business associates.

Magyar has committed to establishing the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an agency responsible for investigating and recovering public funds allegedly misappropriated during Orbán’s leadership.

According to Martin, rebuilding rule of law and judicial independence would represent “the initial and most essential step” toward ensuring prosecution of past misconduct.

Hungary’s participation in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which Magyar has pledged to pursue, would advance this goal, he added.

“If all this is done, then I think there is a good chance that the corrupt perpetrators of the former regime, under an independent judiciary, can be held accountable,” he concluded.

SEOUL, South Korea — Two Asian leaders are making history Tuesday as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to his hometown for an unprecedented diplomatic gathering between the neighboring nations.

The meeting in Andong, a city in southeastern South Korea known for its ancient folk village recognized by UNESCO, represents the fourth encounter between Lee and Takaichi in approximately half a year. This follows their January meeting in Takaichi’s home city of Nara, marking the first occasions where sitting leaders from both countries have conducted official visits to each other’s birthplaces.

Officials from South Korea’s presidential office have indicated their hopes that Tuesday’s discussions will build stronger mutual confidence between the two leaders. Speaking to media Tuesday morning, Takaichi expressed her desire for the conversations to enhance collaboration “under the severe geopolitical conditions such as situations in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.”

The formal discussion topics will cover economic partnerships, energy collaboration, the Iran war, and advancing their bilateral relationship, which currently faces no major obstacles. Political analysts predict the session will proceed without significant friction and that positive momentum between the nations will continue.

“The two countries put more emphasis on agenda for cooperation than contentious issues,” explained Choi Eunmi, a Japan expert at the Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies. “They would now think scenes of constantly fluctuating relationship or eventually negative bilateral ties won’t be helpful to anyone now.”

While both South Korea and Japan serve as important U.S. partners with strong democratic systems, their diplomatic history has been marked by significant tensions rooted in Japan’s 35-year occupation of the Korean Peninsula that ended with World War II.

A turning point came in 2023 when the previous leaders from both nations decided to move past historical disagreements and focus on shared concerns including U.S.-China tensions, supply chain issues, and North Korea’s growing nuclear capabilities.

When Lee and Takaichi assumed their leadership roles last year, some experts expressed concern about Takaichi’s conservative security stance and expectations that Lee, known for his liberal politics, might favor closer ties with North Korea and China over relationships with the U.S. and Japan. However, both leaders have sustained their cooperative approach in remarkable ways.

In August, before Takaichi officially took office, Lee made Japan his first choice for a bilateral summit destination, becoming the first South Korean leader to do so. Their January meeting concluded with an unusual moment where both leaders played drums to popular Korean music including BTS’ “Dynamite,” an activity suggested by Takaichi, who played drums during her university years and enjoys heavy metal music.

Lee has stated that he and Takaichi both believe national leaders should conduct themselves differently than typical politicians. Many observers suggest the leaders also recognize the importance of closer cooperation given more serious global challenges than their predecessors faced, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s America-first policies and worldwide economic impacts from the Iran war.

Both countries have committed substantial investments in U.S. business ventures totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. Trump’s trade policies and his business-focused approach to security arrangements have created uncertainty about American reliability among citizens in both South Korea and Japan.

The Seoul-Tokyo relationship remains fragile and could face unexpected difficulties if leaders fail to develop strategies for sensitive historical matters including Japan’s wartime use of Koreans as forced workers and sex slaves, according to experts who note that disputes over these topics have diminished as both governments avoid public debates.

“Both countries aren’t talking about how to resolve and prevent recurrences of conflicts over those issues and we don’t know when they could occur again,” Choi said.

WASHINGTON — Following military operations in Venezuela earlier this year that resulted in President Nicolás Maduro’s detention, the United States has intensified its pressure campaign against Cuba’s communist government.

Federal prosecutors are moving forward with plans to pursue criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro. Such an indictment would require grand jury approval and could significantly worsen relations with Havana.

This development occurs during a period of escalating friction between President Donald Trump’s administration and Cuban officials this year. Simultaneously, the United States maintains an unstable ceasefire in its conflict with Iran.

The following details chronicle the year’s key events between the two nations:

Following the Venezuelan operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Cuba’s government was “in a lot of trouble,” while the president renewed his push for American control of Greenland, the Danish territory.

Trump issued a stern warning to Cuban leadership as Venezuela’s close partner prepared for possible domestic upheaval following Maduro’s removal. Trump urged the Cuban government “to make a deal BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel fired back, stating, “Those who turn everything into a business, even human lives, have no moral authority to point the finger at Cuba in any way, absolutely in any way.”

Trump enacted an executive order establishing tariffs on goods from nations that sell or supply oil to Cuba, a measure that could further devastate the island’s economy.

One day prior to the Iranian conflict’s start, Trump revealed the United States was engaged in discussions with Havana and mentioned the potential for a “friendly takeover of Cuba,” without providing specifics.

Trump indicated Rubio was conducting negotiations with Cuban officials “at a very high level.”

While Trump did not elaborate on his statements, he appeared to suggest that relations with Cuba, one of Washington’s most enduring foes for generations, had reached a pivotal moment.

Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Castro’s grandson nicknamed “Raúlito,” conducted a private meeting with Rubio during a Caribbean Community summit in St. Kitts in February.

Díaz-Canel acknowledged that Cuba and the United States conducted negotiations, representing the first official confirmation from the Caribbean nation regarding widely reported discussions with the Trump administration during an energy shortage.

He explained the negotiations “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated these exchanges.”

A sanctioned Russian petroleum vessel reached Cuba, marking the first fuel delivery to the island in three months.

Díaz-Canel declared he would not resign from office.

During an interview, Díaz-Canel stated he would not step down and argued the United States lacks justification for military action against the island or attempts to remove him from power.

In his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the president warned that a Cuban invasion would be expensive and threaten regional stability.

Díaz-Canel addressed a gathering of hundreds during a commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist declaration.

“The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it,” Díaz-Canel declared.

Reports surfaced that an American delegation recently conducted meetings with Cuban government representatives, signaling renewed diplomatic efforts. This represented at least the third encounter with Rodríguez Castro.

A high-ranking State Department representative met with Rodríguez Castro earlier that month, according to a department official who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The official declined to identify which American representatives met with Rodríguez Castro, whose grandfather reportedly maintains significant influence in Cuban governance despite lacking an official position. A second U.S. official confirmed Rubio was not among the delegation that traveled to Havana.

A Cuban representative speaking at the United Nations declared Havana would not comply with American “ultimatums” to free political prisoners during new negotiations.

In an Associated Press interview, Cuban U.N. Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán stated that domestic matters concerning detainees “are not on the negotiating table.” Prisoner releases represented a primary U.S. condition as the long-standing rivals conducted their first discussions in Cuba in ten years.

Senate Republicans blocked Democratic legislation that would have mandated Trump end the U.S. energy embargo on Cuba without Congressional authorization.

The war powers resolution vote demonstrated continued Republican support for Trump as he unilaterally exercises American military power across multiple global conflicts, including Venezuela, Iran and Cuba — among America’s nearest neighbors.

U.S. officials indicate the United States was not considering immediate military intervention against Havana despite Trump’s repeated warnings that “Cuba is next” and suggestions that American naval forces deployed in the Middle East for the Iranian conflict might return via the island.

Officials participating in initial discussions with Cuban authorities also informed the AP they remain pessimistic about the communist government accepting an offer including tens of millions in humanitarian assistance, two years of complimentary Starlink internet service for all Cubans, agricultural aid and infrastructure support.

However, they note Cuba has not definitively rejected the proposal, which includes conditions the government has historically opposed, even after the Trump administration implemented additional sanctions on Havana.

Both U.S. and Cuban officials confirmed CIA Director John Ratcliffe conducted meetings with Cuban representatives including Raúl Castro’s grandson during a significant visit to the island.

Ratcliffe met with Rodríguez Castro, Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas and Cuba’s intelligence chief, discussing intelligence collaboration, economic stability and security matters. A CIA official verified the meetings to the AP.

The Justice Department is moving to pursue an indictment against Castro, three sources familiar with the situation informed the AP.

One source indicated the potential charges relate to Castro’s suspected involvement in the 1996 downing of four aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile organization Brothers to the Rescue. Castro served as defense minister during that period.

All three sources requested anonymity because they lacked authorization to discuss an active investigation. Cuban government officials did not respond to requests for comment regarding the potential indictment, which CBS previously reported.

Taiwan’s top government official has accused China of destabilizing the region through its continuous military operations, as Beijing announced the deployment of naval forces to the Western Pacific for training exercises.

Premier Cho Jung-tai made the remarks Tuesday during a media briefing in Taipei, pointing to China’s persistent military activities as a major threat to regional stability. China considers the democratically-run island nation to be part of its territory and has increased both military and diplomatic pressure while refusing dialogue requests from President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing calls a “separatist.”

The Premier’s comments came one day before the second anniversary of Lai’s inauguration. Cho highlighted his concerns about Beijing’s military posture in the region.

“The People’s Republic of China continues to conduct military exercises of various scales and types in the Taiwan Strait region, the Indo-Pacific region, the South China Sea, and even around Japan, affecting navigational safety,” he said.

“This is the greatest source of regional unease and instability.”

Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office had not provided a response to requests for comment regarding Cho’s statements.

On the same day, China’s military announced that a naval carrier group headed by the Liaoning had been dispatched to unspecified “relevant waters” in the Western Pacific region. Chinese forces conduct operations near Taiwan on an almost daily basis.

According to a military statement, the vessels will conduct live ammunition exercises and additional training maneuvers designed to “test and enhance the realistic combat training capabilities of the forces.”

“This is a routine training organised in accordance with the annual plan, which aims to enhance the military’s capability to fulfil its missions, and is fully in compliance with international law and practice.”

The Premier restated Taiwan’s position as a “sovereign and independent country” using its official designation, the Republic of China, while renewing appeals for diplomatic engagement.

“We still hope for healthy and orderly exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and for dialogue based on equality and dignity. This has been our consistent principle.”

President Lai is scheduled to conduct a press conference Wednesday morning to commemorate his second year in office. According to his administration, the President will present his “future national vision and policy direction” during the anniversary event.

Domestically, Lai confronts significant obstacles as opposition parties control the majority of parliamentary seats, using their advantage to block government initiatives, particularly defense funding, while advancing their own legislative agenda.

Parliamentary opposition members attempted to impeach Lai on Tuesday, but the effort was unsuccessful. The vote was largely ceremonial since it required support from two-thirds of legislators, and the opposition lacks sufficient numbers to reach that threshold.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will welcome Vladimir Putin for a two-day visit this week, coming just days after Donald Trump’s high-profile trip to Beijing. The timing underscores China’s strategy to present itself as a reliable and steady force on the world stage amid global trade disputes, ongoing conflicts, and energy market disruptions.

Both China and Russia are characterizing Putin’s upcoming visit — marking his 25th trip to the country — as additional proof of their enduring partnership, despite Western nations calling on Beijing to use its influence to pressure Moscow regarding the Ukraine conflict.

China maintains it serves as a neutral mediator in the Ukraine situation, while Putin emphasizes that both nations back each other’s fundamental interests as he seeks new energy agreements with the world’s second-largest economy while facing Western sanctions.

“The Xi-Putin summit will telegraph to the world that the China-Russia strategic partnership remains the cornerstone of both countries’ foreign policies and that any attempt by the U.S. to drive a wedge between them is destined to fail,” said Ian Storey, principal fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Putin’s arrival follows Trump’s recent visit, which produced positive imagery but yielded limited major commercial deals. Xi characterized U.S.-China relations as having “strategic stability,” contrasting with the “strategic competition” approach linked to former U.S. President Joe Biden.

Through these diplomatic meetings, China aims to bolster its reputation as a source of global stability, particularly as the U.S. faces challenges in resolving the Ukraine war and managing a separate conflict involving Iran that has affected worldwide energy supplies.

During such official visits, Beijing works to calm concerns among Western trade partners, including the U.S., regarding its growing economic and technological influence while minimizing perceived risks in these relationships.

The White House reported after Trump’s China visit that both sides reached agreement on matters that would improve “stability” for international businesses and consumers.

Meanwhile, China’s continued engagement with nations like Russia reinforces Beijing’s position that its foreign policy remains steady and uninfluenced by partner actions, regardless of Western pressure.

“It’s unrealistic to expect Xi to put pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Xi doesn’t wield that kind of influence over Putin and in any case the Chinese understand how a defeat for Russia in Ukraine would weaken Putin’s political standing,” said Storey.

“As such, Beijing will continue to provide Moscow with diplomatic cover at the U.N., economic assistance and dual-use technologies for Russia’s armed forces,” he said.

China maintains it has never supplied lethal weapons to either side in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and strictly regulates exports of dual-use materials.

“During the visit, the two heads of state will exchange views on cooperation across all areas of bilateral relations, as well as on international and regional issues of mutual concern,” Guo Jiakun, spokesperson at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a regular news conference on Monday.

Energy cooperation remains a key focus, particularly regarding the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline that both countries agreed to develop during Putin’s September 2025 visit, though pricing terms remain unresolved.

Current energy supply disruptions related to the Iran conflict may strengthen Russia’s argument for the pipeline as a reliable long-term gas source. However, Beijing is expected to maintain its supply diversification approach by pursuing agreements with both Turkmenistan and Russia, according to a Beijing-based industry expert.

China might reach a general agreement with Russia covering annual supply amounts and terms like delivery flexibility and seasonal variations, while keeping pricing negotiations open-ended, said the source, who requested anonymity due to the topic’s sensitivity.

Pricing discussions could extend for years.

Xi announced plans in 2014 for a fourth pipeline connecting Turkmenistan’s massive Galkynysh gas field to northwest China, but the project remains incomplete due to pricing disagreements and complications involving Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, through which the pipeline would pass.

China continues as Russia’s top oil purchaser, buying both pipeline deliveries and seaborne shipments.

Despite Western sanctions targeting Russian oil exports, Chinese independent refiners maintain regular purchases, with payments processed primarily in Chinese yuan. State-owned oil refiners also recently restarted buying following a temporary U.S. sanction waiver.

Russia committed in 2025 to provide China with an extra 2.5 million metric tons of oil annually through Kazakhstan.

“In principle, we have reached a high degree of consensus regarding the taking of a serious — indeed, very substantial — step forward in our cooperation within the oil and gas sectors,” Putin told reporters on May 9.

“If we succeed in finalising them and bringing them to a conclusion during the visit, I will be very pleased.”

Early Tuesday morning brought fresh exchanges of aerial attacks between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow’s forces targeting a crucial Ukrainian port while Kyiv launched drone strikes toward the Russian capital.

Russian air strikes hit Izmail, Ukraine’s most significant port city along the Danube River, causing damage to harbor facilities in the predawn hours. This strategic location has been repeatedly targeted throughout the conflict.

Local Ukrainian authorities reported on Telegram that harbor infrastructure sustained damage during the assault. “Port infrastructure facilities in the city of Izmail were damaged,” officials stated, while noting that defense systems successfully intercepted nearly all incoming weapons. “Fortunately, there were no casualties or significant destruction.”

Images shared on social media platforms showed firefighters working to extinguish blazes at a structure with shattered windows from the attack’s impact.

In northeastern Ukraine, rescue operations continued in Kharkiv following a separate Russian drone strike. Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed via Telegram that emergency teams had pulled two individuals from debris, though one person remained potentially trapped beneath the rubble.

The conflict, which started with Russia’s 2022 invasion, continues with both nations trading accusations of strikes against military installations, civilian areas, and power facilities. Each country maintains it does not intentionally target non-combatants.

On the Russian side, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that air defense systems had intercepted four Ukrainian drones approaching the capital. He confirmed emergency response teams were deployed but offered no additional information about potential damage.

This latest drone activity follows intensive Ukrainian aerial operations against Moscow over the weekend, which prompted Russian retaliation strikes on the Ukrainian cities of Odesa and Dnipro using both missiles and drones. Those attacks damaged apartment buildings and wounded numerous civilians.

Violence also erupted in Russia’s Kursk region, which shares a border with Ukraine. Regional emergency coordination centers reported that a woman died and two others suffered injuries during a Ukrainian attack Monday evening.

Additional Russian territories faced drone threats, including the southern Rostov region and Yaroslavl, located northeast of Moscow. In Yaroslavl, where significant oil processing facilities operate, Governor Mikhail Yevrayev issued warnings to motorists traveling toward Moscow about ongoing drone attack risks.

Ukraine’s strategy appears focused on disrupting Russian energy income streams. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted on X during overnight hours that Russian oil processing capabilities had declined by 10% in recent months, with multiple drilling operations forced to cease production.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has, of course, built a war chest – but certainly not enough to fight indefinitely,” Zelenskiy stated.

A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6 hit the Vanuatu islands on Tuesday, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).

The tremor occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ reported.

A powerful earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked southern China’s Guangxi region in the early hours of Monday morning, claiming two lives and forcing mass evacuations, according to government media outlets.

The tremor left four additional people with injuries and prompted officials to evacuate more than 7,000 people from Liuzhou city as a safety precaution.

Rescue operations to locate missing residents concluded by noon on Monday when crews successfully recovered the final trapped individual, a 91-year-old man who was discovered in stable health, local officials reported.

Footage broadcast by the government television network CCTV depicted heavy machinery working to remove rubble from the disaster zone. The earthquake brought down no fewer than 13 structures and caused hillside collapses that cut off road access to the affected region, CCTV documented.

Railway operations in the Liuzhou area faced cancellations and scheduling disruptions due to the seismic activity.

While southern China experiences periodic seismic events, the most powerful tremors typically occur in the western mountain regions or eastern areas near Taiwan. The region’s most catastrophic recent earthquake registered 7.9 magnitude and devastated southwestern Sichuan province in 2008, resulting in over 87,000 casualties and disappearances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country and China stand ready to provide mutual support across numerous issues, particularly regarding sovereignty protection and national unity, during a video message delivered before his scheduled visit to China beginning Tuesday.

Putin described the relationship between the two nations as having achieved an ‘unprecedented level’ of trust and mutual understanding as he prepares for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Wednesday.

The two nations are prepared to work together based on principles of mutual benefit and equality and “to support each other on issues affecting the core interests of the two countries, including the protection of sovereignty and national unity,” Putin stated. He offered no additional specifics about these arrangements.

According to Putin, both countries are actively broadening their cooperation across economic, political and defense sectors, noting that the “close” and “strategic” partnership between Moscow and Beijing serves “a stabilizing role” in international affairs.

“We are not aligning against anyone, but working for the cause of peace and universal prosperity,” Putin declared.

Australia’s central bank officials are expressing concern that escalating energy expenses could rapidly drive consumer prices higher, given the current strained condition of the nation’s economy, potentially triggering a major change in how people view future inflation.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s assistant governor, Sarah Hunter, explained during prepared remarks on Tuesday that this concern contributed to the central bank’s decision to increase interest rates for the third time this year to 4.35% this month, completely undoing the policy easing implemented in 2025.

“The recent rise in oil prices is particularly challenging to navigate. Higher oil prices mean higher costs and higher consumer prices in the near term – that is a given,” Hunter stated during her address to the Bloomberg Forum for Investment Managers.

“But this shock has come against a backdrop of elevated capacity constraints and domestic cost pressures… our research suggests pass-through will be faster and more extensive, and the risk of inflation expectations drifting higher is elevated,” she continued.

Hunter observed that several companies have already implemented higher fuel surcharges while some construction firms are reconsidering pricing for upcoming contracts.

Major uncertainties persist, she noted. Oil prices might remain high for an extended period and the Iran war could result in broader and more lasting supply chain disruptions that would contribute to inflation. Brent crude futures reached two-week peaks on Monday, trading beyond $110 per barrel, while the Strait of Hormuz stayed closed.

Nevertheless, inflation could be reduced if consumers decrease spending and companies pull back on investments more dramatically than anticipated, she indicated.

CARACAS, Venezuela — College students and other protesters took to the streets of Venezuela’s capital Monday, mourning an elderly woman who passed away over the weekend shortly after discovering her son had died while in government detention nine months prior.

The group of several dozen demonstrators, primarily university students, temporarily shut down a major roadway in Caracas while holding Venezuela’s administration responsible for the deaths of both Víctor Hugo Quero, a detainee whose imprisonment was viewed as politically driven, and his mother Carmen Navas, age 82. The protesters displayed a large photograph of Navas while voicing their demands.

“What it stirs up in Venezuelans, in the Venezuelan youth, is rage, man,” student leader Miguel Ángel Suárez said of the deaths.

Navas passed away just 10 days after the country’s prison authorities released a public announcement revealing that Quero had died in July following hospitalization during his incarceration. Officials had concealed this information while Navas spent months searching detention facilities, legal offices and government buildings demanding evidence her son was alive, after his arrest in January 2025.

According to the official government report, the 51-year-old salesperson died from “acute respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary thromboembolism” 10 days following his hospital admission for digestive problems. Authorities claimed they never contacted his family members because he had not supplied emergency contact details.

Human rights advocates, opposition political figures and families of other political detainees immediately condemned the circumstances surrounding both deaths.

“They didn’t die; they were killed!” demonstrators chanted Monday. “Justice for Carmen!”

According to the Venezuelan prisoners’ rights organization Foro Penal, more than 400 individuals remain imprisoned throughout the nation on political grounds.

President Trump announced Monday that he has called off a scheduled military strike against Iran following appeals from Gulf region leaders who believe diplomatic negotiations can still succeed.

In a post on Truth Social, the president revealed that a military operation set for Tuesday has been postponed after leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE asked him to give talks more time.

“I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned Military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond,” the president wrote.

“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” he added.

The president said he has directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and military leadership to cancel the strike while keeping forces ready if diplomatic efforts collapse.

“We will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached,” President Trump wrote.

Earlier Monday, Reuters reported that Pakistan delivered a new Iranian proposal to Washington. According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the proposal centered on ending the conflict and included American “confidence-building measures,” though it reportedly did not address US concerns about uranium enrichment and Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

A senior US official speaking to Israel’s Channel 12 News indicated that diplomatic progress has been minimal.

“We have not achieved much progress,” the official said, describing the situation as “very serious.”

“If that does not happen, we will conduct this discussion through bombs,” the official added.

Tehran has delivered an updated 14-point peace proposal to Washington through Pakistani intermediaries, according to reports from Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency on Monday. The development comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations as both the United States and Israel make preparations for potential renewed military action.

According to the news agency, Iranian officials modified their original proposal following receipt of a recent American counterproposal. The updated framework emphasizes negotiations to halt the conflict and includes measures aimed at building trust between Washington and Tehran.

A source with knowledge of Iran’s negotiating team told Tasnim that Washington’s most recent proposal includes an agreement to suspend oil sanctions against Iran during the negotiation phase. This represents a change from previous American proposals, though Tehran continues to demand the complete elimination of all sanctions as part of any final agreement.

President Trump issued a stern warning on Sunday, stating that time is running out for Tehran to reach an accord. “The clock is ticking,” he declared, adding “there won’t be anything left of them” if negotiations fail.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed Monday that the United States had transmitted updated terms and considerations to Tehran via Pakistan, despite publicly dismissing Iran’s initial proposal.

“After Iran sent its 14-point (proposed) plan (to the United States through Pakistan), the US side conveyed its considerations. We also presented our considerations in return,” Baghaei explained.

Speaking at his weekly news briefing, Baghaei noted the apparent contradiction in American diplomacy. “Although the American side publicly announced that this plan was rejected, we received from the Pakistani mediator a set of revised points and considerations from their (the Americans’) point of view,” he stated.

Baghaei emphasized that diplomatic talks continue while reaffirming Iran’s unwillingness to abandon what it characterizes as its sovereign right to enrich uranium.

President Trump has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment activities and has stated that any final agreement must block Tehran’s path to nuclear weapons development.

Earlier draft agreements that President Trump reportedly declined would have permitted Iran to maintain its current stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium and continue enrichment operations. While Iran maintains it is not pursuing nuclear weapons, it continues enriching uranium to levels that serve no civilian purpose.

Baghaei also addressed maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that Iran and Oman view themselves as responsible for maintaining safe passage through the strategic waterway. He further suggested that Iran would seek war damages from the United States, characterizing the conflict as “illegal and baseless.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed Mohamed Hagi as Somaliland’s inaugural ambassador to Israel during a diplomatic ceremony held at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on May 18, 2026.

The historic credential presentation coincided with the 35th anniversary of Somaliland’s declaration of independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991. Israel became the first nation to officially recognize Somaliland on December 26, 2025.

During the same ceremony, Herzog also accepted credentials from new ambassadors representing the Republic of Korea (Park Inho), the Holy See (Apostolic Nuncio Monsignor Giorgio Lingua), Australia (Neil Hawkins), and Vietnam (Nguyen Ky Son).

Herzog characterized Hagi’s appointment as part of Israel’s broader initiative to enhance relationships with African countries and referenced his previous encounter with Somaliland’s president in Davos.

“It’s a great honor to receive the first ambassador of the Republic of Somaliland in Israel as we further pursue our warm and good relations with the nations of Africa. I especially want to welcome you after I met your President in Davos, where we had a wonderful meeting,” Herzog stated.

The Israeli president characterized Somaliland’s response to Israel’s recognition as emotionally powerful.

“The incredible joy of the people of Somaliland shown upon Israel’s recognition of your nation warmed our hearts. I think this is a unique opportunity to develop dialogue with … Muslim countries who are so important in the region.”

Herzog indicated Israel plans to provide support in areas including food security, energy, and science, stating: “Hopefully, we will go from strength to strength together.”

Hagi characterized the Israel-Somaliland partnership as extending beyond standard diplomatic relations, calling it strategic cooperation.

“It’s an honor to be here today. We have built a great relationship, which is a strategic one that will pave the way forward on many things in all domains, whether that is development, political cooperation, security cooperation, and, of course, the people-to-people relationship,” Hagi stated.

“The people of Somaliland very much appreciate that Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland,” he concluded.

Israeli military authorities have implemented a controversial law that establishes capital punishment as the standard sentence for Palestinians found guilty of terror-related murders targeting Israelis. The measure became official Sunday evening when Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, who leads the Israel Defense Forces Central Command, signed the necessary military directive.

The Knesset approved this legislation on March 30, 2026, establishing death sentences as the presumed punishment for Palestinians convicted of terrorism-motivated killings of Israelis. Judges may only substitute life imprisonment when they find exceptional circumstances warrant an alternative sentence.

The new rules allow military tribunals to order executions with just a simple majority rather than requiring complete agreement among judges. Additionally, the law eliminates any power to grant pardons or reduce sentences handed down by military courts.

Israeli citizens are exempt from this legislation’s provisions.

Since the Knesset’s approval, the law has faced substantial legal and global criticism. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel joined with additional human rights groups in filing Supreme Court petitions challenging the measure, contending it creates discriminatory practices.

Israel’s Supreme Court has directed government officials to provide responses to these legal challenges by May 24.

Those filing petitions highlighted specific language in the law requiring that attackers must have acted to “negate the existence of the State of Israel or the authority of the military commander in the area.” Opposition voices maintain this criterion would disproportionately target Palestinian perpetrators.

Some observers suggest that proving intent to “negate the existence of the State of Israel” or undermine military authority may prove challenging, potentially resulting in life sentences rather than executions for many accused individuals.

International bodies have also voiced strong opposition. The United Nations Human Rights Office along with multiple independent UN specialists have denounced the measure, stating it creates discriminatory death penalty practices and breaches international standards for fair legal proceedings.

National Security Minister Ben Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the law’s implementation.

“This is a clear and sharp change of policy after the October 7 [2023] massacre: A terrorist who murders Jews can no longer rely on [prisoner exchange] deals, [good prison] conditions, or the hope to be released in the future,” Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said in a joint statement.

“Whoever chooses murderous terrorism against Jews needs to know that the State of Israel will bring him to justice all the way.”

Katz added: “Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in pleasant conditions, will not wait for [prisoner exchange deals] and will not dream of release — they will pay the heaviest price.”

Peru’s progressive presidential hopeful Roberto Sanchez has named a former economy minister to spearhead his economic policy team as he prepares for a June runoff election against conservative rival Keiko Fujimori.

Sanchez announced Monday that Pedro Francke, viewed as a moderate economist, will lead the technical committee responsible for developing key policy proposals including a review of resource extraction agreements, a 33% boost to minimum wage levels, and constitutional reforms.

The left-wing candidate barely qualified for the June 7 runoff after a prolonged month-long vote counting process from the initial election round, which faced delays due to logistical challenges and fraud allegations.

Financial markets have grown nervous about Sanchez’s increasing poll numbers, particularly given his proposals to examine mining agreements in Peru, one of the globe’s top copper-producing nations.

Francke previously held the economy minister position for half a year during 2021 and 2022 under leftist leader Pedro Castillo, playing a crucial role in reassuring financial markets during Castillo’s own electoral battle against Fujimori.

Castillo currently remains imprisoned on charges of rebellion and conspiracy following his brief presidency, which concluded with an unsuccessful attempt to disband Congress in 2022. He has publicly backed Sanchez’s campaign from behind bars.

During remarks at a Swiss embassy-hosted forum on informal mining in Lima, Sanchez indicated he would soon reveal his complete technical team roster along with a detailed agenda for his administration’s initial 100 days.

“We need a strong, social, market-based economy, not one of oligopolies and monopolies,” Sanchez said. “We are a truly popular government that wants to democratize rights, the economy, resources, and justice.”

When asked directly, Sanchez avoided confirming whether Francke might serve as economy minister if elected to office.

The progressive candidate also revealed that economist Oscar Dancourt, who previously directed Peru’s central bank between 2001 and 2005, has joined his economic advisory team.

A Palestinian worker has died from injuries sustained when Israeli forces opened fire as he attempted to enter Israel in search of employment, according to Palestinian medical authorities who confirmed his death on Monday.

This represents the second fatal incident within a week involving a Palestinian worker being shot while attempting to cross the border for employment purposes.

Palestinian health officials in Ramallah named the victim as 32-year-old Mahmoud Al-Amleh. Medical authorities reported he sustained gunshot wounds on Sunday morning from Israeli forces in Beit Ula village, located in the southern territory close to Hebron. Emergency responders transported Al-Amleh to a Hebron medical facility where he underwent emergency surgery.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Hamdan Al-Amleh explained that his cousin had joined other workers attempting to enter Israel for employment.

Israeli military officials acknowledged opening fire on Palestinians and wounding an individual. Military representatives stated that soldiers discharged their weapons because the Palestinians were believed to be damaging border infrastructure during their crossing attempt. The military’s official statement indicated that firing at suspects represents standard protocol during detention operations.

This incident follows another Palestinian fatality under comparable circumstances less than seven days earlier.

Prior to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israeli authorities permitted tens of thousands of Palestinians to work within Israel’s borders. However, Israel revoked the majority of these work permits following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that occurred on Oct. 7, 2023. As the West Bank’s economy continues to deteriorate and joblessness increases, growing numbers of Palestinians from the occupied territory have tried to enter Israel without authorization to find basic employment opportunities.

Data from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that Israeli military personnel or settlers have fatally shot no fewer than 47 Palestinians in the West Bank during this year through May 11.

OCHA reports that 17 Palestinians have lost their lives and more than 290 others have sustained injuries while attempting to cross the barrier since Oct. 7, 2023.

Supporters of Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales joined massive demonstrations Monday as the South American nation grapples with its most severe economic crisis in decades.

The protests and highway blockades, which began more than two weeks ago, represent the most significant threat yet to President Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia’s first conservative president following almost 20 years of socialist leadership.

Following a six-day trek across the Andes mountains, thousands of Morales backers carrying dynamite sticks and slingshots arrived in the capital, where riot police awaited them. Explosions echoed through downtown La Paz as security forces responded with tear gas against demonstrators demanding the president step down just six months after taking office. “Homeland or death, we will win!” protesters shouted.

Paz assumed the presidency last year during a period when conservative leaders aligned with the Trump administration gained power across Latin America. Facing the country’s worst economic downturn in four decades, he has worked to address Bolivia’s fuel shortages, control its enormous budget deficit, and tackle the lack of U.S. dollars while managing powerful factions connected to Morales that threaten his administration.

Recently, his administration has negotiated agreements with protesting miners and educators who have agreed to halt their demonstrations.

Highway blockades have traditionally served as the primary tactic for social movements supporting Morales that say they speak for Bolivia’s predominantly rural Indigenous population. During the past 16 days, these roadblocks have trapped thousands of trucks on major routes, creating shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies in La Paz and other urban areas.

The administration sent police and military personnel throughout the nation over the weekend attempting to clear the blockades, resulting in an undetermined number of injuries and at least 90 arrests by Monday, the public prosecutor reported.

“They can march if it’s peaceful, but we will take action if they commit crimes,” Deputy Interior Minister Hernán Paredes stated Monday.

Paz claims Morales is directing the civil unrest to weaken his government.

Eight allied Latin American nations, spanning from Argentina to Panama, issued a collective statement last week condemning “any action aimed at destabilizing the democratic order.” The U.S. State Department joined the criticism Sunday, expressing support for Paz’s efforts “to restore order for the peace, security, and stability of the Bolivian people.”

Following Paz’s appeal, neighboring Argentina announced it would begin a week-long humanitarian airlift to help address shortages in the country.

Morales coordinated the recent march from his refuge in Bolivia’s isolated tropical region. He has remained hidden in the highlands for the past year and a half, avoiding an arrest warrant related to charges concerning his sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

Morales maintains the allegations are politically motivated.

A controversial gold mining operation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest faces a crucial legal decision Wednesday, as a court in the nation’s capital determines which level of government holds authority over the project’s environmental approval process.

The judicial panel in Brasilia must decide whether Brazil’s federal government or the northern state of Para holds jurisdiction to issue environmental permits for the mining venture operated by Canadian firm Belo Sun.

Since 2012, Belo Sun has worked to develop the Volta Grande gold extraction facility along the Xingu River in Para state. The proposed location sits approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from Belo Monte, ranked as the planet’s third-largest hydroelectric facility, whose operations have diminished river flow and significantly impacted nearby communities.

The Volta Grande operation would become the Brazilian Amazon’s largest gold mining facility.

Based on a 2015 feasibility analysis submitted by Belo Sun, the company plans to extract 3.52 million ounces of gold across 17 years, removing over 600 million tons of material. The mining site would span 24 square kilometers (9.2 square miles) and impact 125 hectares (309 acres) of Amazon rainforest.

A 2021 independent evaluation by researchers from the University of Sao Paulo and University of Amazonas determined the operation posed excessive risks and recommended rejection.

The assessment’s primary concern focused on the planned tailings dam, engineered to hold mining debris directly above a water channel near the Xingu River. Researchers warned that dam failure could rapidly release toxic materials into the river, endangering Indigenous and riverine populations along with the ecosystem.

The operation would also force relocation of 813 families, according to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, or Apib. These communities, already severely impacted by droughts following the Belo Monte development, could experience additional hardship. The Belo Monte facility has decreased water flow in the Xingu River section where the Belo Sun operation is planned.

Using analysis from nonprofit Amazon Watch, prosecutors calculated the Volta Grande facility would generate approximately 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. The calculation assumes one ton of carbon dioxide emissions per 28 grams of extracted gold.

The Volta Grande licensing process has encountered resistance from its inception.

In 2013, prosecutors moved to stop the process, pointing to inadequate consultation with affected Indigenous communities. In 2017, a complete federal court panel supported this position, mandating federal government approval and formal Indigenous community consultation before project advancement.

Nevertheless, in 2025, justices reversed that ruling and transferred licensing authority back to Para state. Prosecutors filed an appeal, contending the recent decision constituted a separate, new proceeding. The court will address the appeal Wednesday.

Last December, the Juruna and Arara Indigenous communities of the Xingu issued an open letter declaring they have never consented to the project, as mandated by the 2017 ruling. In a statement provided to The Associated Press, Belo Sun maintained it has conducted proper Indigenous consultation, following protocols established by affected communities and monitored by authorities.

Federal prosecutors contended that Brazil’s national government — rather than Para’s local government — should authorize the project given its nationwide implications. The operation would impact Indigenous territories, which falls under federal oversight, affect the Xingu River — a federal waterway — and further influence the Belo Monte hydropower facility, constructed by the federal government.

“From the start, as we did in Belo Monte, we have argued that the licensing falls under federal jurisdiction because it affects Indigenous lands and a federal river,” federal prosecutor Felício Pontes Jr., who is working on the case, said.

He noted that combined impacts with the hydroelectric facility represent a central concern. Brazilian courts have already established that Belo Monte’s effects exceeded initial projections.

In recent decisions, courts have mandated compensation for affected communities and required Norte Energia, the dam operating company, to supply clean water to families whose natural sources disappeared, as well as reassess water diversion from the Xingu River for turbine operations.

“This could create a major conflict if there isn’t a single authority licensing both projects, given the impacts one project has on the other,” the prosecutor said.

Should the court choose to transfer the case to federal oversight, the decision could nullify environmental permits issued in 2025 to Belo Sun by Para state. Regardless, parties may still pursue challenges. Additional lawsuits questioning the operation remain pending in courts.

Before the vote, Belo Sun announced initiation of new technical research for the Volta Grande operation. On May 12, the company reported hiring a mining consultancy to examine and update technical studies for the Installation License. The objective includes identifying enhancements, outlining updates to a definitive feasibility study and creating a phased project plan. Belo Sun anticipates completing this phase by the third quarter of 2026.

Belo Sun stated the Volta Grande facility remains subject to environmental licensing by appropriate regulatory and judicial authorities in Brazil.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has postponed a military operation against Iran that was set to take place Tuesday, citing ongoing diplomatic efforts.

The president made the announcement through a social media post, explaining that serious negotiations are currently happening. This comes after Trump had warned that time was running out for Iran to reach an agreement or face renewed military action following a delicate ceasefire.

While Trump did not provide specifics about the military operation that was planned, he stated that he directed U.S. armed forces to remain ready for a comprehensive, major attack on Iran at any moment if diplomatic efforts fail to produce a satisfactory agreement.

For several weeks, Trump has warned that the ceasefire established in mid-April might collapse without a deal between the nations, though the requirements for such an agreement have varied over time.

MIAMI — A former business associate of Venezuelan leadership faced federal charges in Miami court Monday, accused of laundering money through an alleged bribery operation involving government officials.

Alex Saab appeared before a federal judge following his weekend deportation by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has been removing insider businesspeople suspected of corrupt activities with the previous administration.

Wearing shackles and prison clothing, the defendant responded “Yes, ma’am,” in English when informed of the single money laundering charge connected to an undisclosed bribery operation. Court documents were unsealed during the proceeding but remain unavailable to the public.

The 54-year-old Saab faced previous federal charges in 2019 under the first Trump presidency and was detained in Cape Verde during a fuel stop while on what Venezuelan officials called an important humanitarian trip to Iran.

President Joe Biden granted him a pardon in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange that freed multiple detained Americans in Venezuela and returned a fleeing foreign defense contractor. The agreement, which was part of an unsuccessful Biden administration attempt to encourage free elections, drew sharp criticism from Republicans and federal investigators, who continued pursuing Saab for additional alleged crimes outside the limited pardon scope.

Federal authorities have historically characterized Saab as the former leader’s “bag man” and may seek his testimony against his previous associate, who faces drug trafficking charges in Manhattan following his January capture during a U.S. military operation.

This latest prosecution unfolds as the Trump administration works to reshape Venezuelan relations.

Trump and top officials have praised Rodríguez, who has opened Venezuela’s petroleum sector to American investment during rising oil costs linked to Iranian conflict. In return, the White House has reduced election pressure, despite constitutional requirements for voting within 30 days of a president becoming “permanently unavailable.”

However, Rodríguez confronts significant internal opposition from the ruling socialist party’s more radical elements, including figures like Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who maintains substantial security force influence and faces his own U.S. criminal charges.

Mario Silva, who previously hosted pro-government programming on state television before his removal following the former president’s capture, challenged Saab’s deportation legality, citing constitutional extradition prohibitions.

“The imperialists don’t negotiate. They conquer, test and probe — until our country shatters,” Silva stated during a Sunday social media livestream. “Nobody is safe right now.”

Silva noted that Venezuela’s previous efforts to secure Saab’s freedom exceeded actions taken for the former president and former First Lady Cilia Flores.

Possibly expecting criticism, Venezuela’s immigration department Saturday described Saab only as a “Colombian citizen who is implicated in committing several crimes in the United States of America, a fact that is widely known, notorious, and heavily documented in the media.”

Rodríguez’s current silence contrasts sharply with her previous support during Venezuela’s international campaign for his release from U.S. custody. She previously called him an “innocent Venezuelan diplomat” who was illegally “kidnapped” during a humanitarian mission to Iran to bypass the “immoral, imperial blockade” imposed by the United States.

While consolidating power, Rodríguez has separated herself from Saab, removing him from her Cabinet and eliminating his position as primary liaison for foreign companies seeking Venezuelan investments.

Saab built wealth through Venezuelan government deals. His 2019 charges involved a low-income housing contract that was never completed.

The Associated Press previously reported his investigation connection to another Justice Department case against Saab’s business partner, Alvaro Pulido, regarding the CLAP program established to provide basic foods — rice, corn flour, cooking oil — to impoverished Venezuelans during severe hyperinflation and currency collapse.

The 2021 indictment identified Saab as “Co-Conspirator 1” and alleged he helped create shell companies to bribe a pro-government governor who granted the partners an overpriced Mexican food box import contract.

Saab previously met secretly with the Drug Enforcement Administration before his initial arrest and, during a private 2022 court session, his attorneys disclosed his years-long cooperation helping the DEA investigate corruption within the former administration’s inner circle. Through this cooperation, he surrendered over $12 million in illegal profits from corrupt business activities.

Officials in the Maldives are examining several potential causes behind the tragic deaths of five Italian researchers during a cave diving expedition last week, with authorities questioning whether the team went far deeper underwater than originally intended.

The diving team entered the underwater cave on Thursday under the leadership of Monica Montefalcone, a 51-year-old marine ecology professor from the University of Genoa who frequently conducted research dives in Maldivian waters. Among those who perished were her daughter and four other researchers, including a diving instructor whose remains were retrieved from 60 meters below the surface.

This incident represents the most fatal single diving accident in the nation’s recorded history.

Mohamed Hussain Shareef, the chief spokesperson for the Maldives president’s office, confirmed that officials had authorized the research team to study soft corals at the Devana Kandu location.

“What we didn’t know was that it was cave diving,” Shareef explained. “Because, as divers will tell you and appreciate, it’s a very different discipline with its own sets of challenges and risks involved, and particularly at that depth, there are any number of things that could have gone wrong.”

Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband, defended his wife’s expertise in statements to Italian news outlets, emphasizing she would never have endangered her daughter or team members. He characterized her as “one of the best divers in the world” with approximately 5,000 dives to her credit, describing her as “always conscientious” and “never reckless.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t there and I’m no expert, and from what I’m seeing and reading, even the experts don’t have definite answers but are merely making hypotheses – lots of them,” he communicated to Reuters through WhatsApp.

Finnish diving specialists located the remaining four victims on Monday within the cave’s deepest third chamber, where they were found “pretty much together,” according to Shareef. Recovery operations are scheduled to retrieve two bodies on Tuesday and the remaining two on Wednesday.

The dangerous nature of these depths became tragically apparent when a Maldivian rescue diver also lost his life during body recovery attempts last week. The non-profit Divers Alert Network Europe, which is coordinating the recovery mission, reported that their expert divers required sophisticated technical equipment, including closed-circuit rebreathers that recycle exhaled air, to locate the victims on Monday.

Shafraz Naeem, a veteran Maldivian diver who has navigated the Devana Kandu cave system more than 30 times under deep-exploration permits and currently advises the nation’s defense forces and police, explained that the cave opening sits approximately 55 meters down, with sunlight penetrating only the initial chamber before complete darkness takes over.

Diving specialists explain that increasing depth creates higher pressure around divers, causing each breath to deliver greater oxygen quantities to the lungs and bloodstream, even when breathing standard air. When this oxygen exposure becomes excessive or prolonged, it can overstimulate the central nervous system and cause tissue damage.

“It is incredibly dangerous to conduct dives at these depths on compressed air,” Naeem warned. “Theoretically oxygen toxicity starts to occur on compressed air at about 55 meters. That is very risky and very dangerous. You never know when oxygen toxicity will hit you.”

However, Riccardo Gambacorta, who previously served as diving instructor for victim Muriel Oddenino, disputed the oxygen poisoning theory.

“My personal opinion is that an unexpected incident may have occurred underwater. They essentially did not anticipate a certain situation,” he stated.

The Italian research team that entered the caves Thursday consisted of Montefalcone’s daughter Giorgia Sommacal, biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Oddenino, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, whose body was recovered that same evening. Benedetti had resided in the Maldives for seven years.

Shareef announced the suspension of the vessel used by the diving team “because the regulations here say that if you want to take divers on expeditions, you need a dive school permit, which they didn’t have, sadly.”

Abdul Muhsin Moosa, operator of the MV Duke of York, stated his vessel held authorization for recreational diving to depths of 30 meters maximum.

“We are sharing these details with the government, as well,” he noted, explaining that arriving divers received briefings about Maldivian recreational diving restrictions prohibiting descents beyond 30 meters.

For recreational dives within 30 meters, standard compressed air contains 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen, but deeper expeditions require oxygen concentrations above 32%, according to diving experts. For depths approaching 50 meters, specialists recommend divers carry at least two cylinders of specialized breathing gas each.

Investigators have not yet determined whether strong underwater currents may have forced the divers below their intended depths.

Thousands of demonstrators backing Bolivia’s former leftist leader Evo Morales took to the streets of La Paz on Monday, escalating civil unrest that has paralyzed the nation for almost two weeks and created critical shortages of essential goods including food, fuel and medical supplies.

The widespread disruptions have left commercial vehicles stranded on major highways and prevented patients from accessing medical care, according to government officials. Bolivia has requested assistance from Argentina, which responded by dispatching a military transport plane loaded with food aid.

ORIGINS OF THE CIVIL UNREST

What started as labor strikes in early May has transformed into a countrywide movement encompassing trade unions, mining workers, transportation employees and agricultural communities. Demonstrators are demanding that President Rodrigo Paz’s administration reverse budget-cutting policies and tackle escalating costs of living, with some groups demanding his removal from office.

Political experts indicate the civil disorder has expanded beyond local complaints to encompass broader opposition to the government’s economic policies.

PRIMARY CONCERNS OF PROTESTERS

The demonstrations focus on mounting financial hardships. Educational workers are seeking increased salaries and additional funding, while transportation unions have initiated indefinite work stoppages due to fuel scarcities and supply chain issues. Native and farming communities are resisting land reform policies they claim benefit wealthy property owners.

Even after the administration withdrew a disputed land reform law earlier this month, demonstrations have persisted.

GOVERNMENT’S REACTION

Paz, who assumed the presidency in November and inherited a struggling economy, has justified budget reductions and cuts to fuel subsidies as essential for restoring fiscal stability.

He is developing a legislative reform proposal for Congress that involves progressively removing fuel price regulations and implementing strategies to increase domestic energy output and investment.

The administration has attempted to reduce tensions through dialogue and salary improvements while sending approximately 3,500 security personnel to remove highway blockades. Officials report that roughly 57 individuals have been detained.

Government representatives have accused opposition figures and Morales supporters of promoting the roadblocks, which they claim have led to at least three fatalities, including patients who could not reach medical facilities.

EVO MORALES’ INVOLVEMENT

Morales, who led Bolivia from 2006 to 2019, has endorsed the demonstrations, characterizing them as a reaction to economic difficulties and political targeting.

Thousands of his followers have gathered after a judge found him in contempt earlier this month for not appearing in court regarding a trafficking case. Morales maintains his innocence.

“As long as the structural demands such as fuel, food, and inflation are not addressed, the uprising will not be halted,” he wrote on X.

INVESTOR SENTIMENT

Market responses have remained subdued so far, partly because Bolivian government bonds typically see limited trading activity. The additional yield that investors require for holding Bolivian debt compared to similar U.S. Treasury securities decreased in May to its lowest level since at least 2020, according to LSEG data.

Nevertheless, analysts caution about increasing risks.

“Bolivia is in a period of social and political stress, as an escalating national strike converges with mass protests and widespread roadblocks,” JPMorgan said in a client note.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR BOLIVIA

Highway blockades have traditionally been a standard strategy employed by protesters. During the tenure of former left-wing president Luis Arce, comparable disruptions organized by groups supporting Morales along with mining and agricultural communities sometimes brought major transportation corridors to a standstill and resulted in billions in economic damage.

Political analysts note that Paz confronts the difficult task of stabilizing the economy while forming new political and social partnerships in a deeply divided political landscape.

“There are no easy or quick solutions in sight,” said economist Gonzalo Chavez.

The European Union decided Monday to continue sanctions against people and organizations connected to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s administration for an additional year, but simultaneously removed seven government bodies from its restricted list as part of broader policy changes toward Damascus.

The restrictive measures will now remain in effect until June 1, 2027, according to an announcement from the European Council following the organization’s yearly assessment of its Syria sanctions policy.

Individuals and entities still on the list face frozen assets and restrictions on travel, while European Union citizens and businesses cannot provide financial resources to them.

The European Union stated that removing the seven entities from sanctions was designed to help “the strengthening of the EU’s engagement with Syria” after Assad’s government fell in late 2024 and a new administration under President Ahmed al-Sharaa took power.

Syria’s foreign ministry responded with a statement saying the sanctions relief for the seven entities would aid the nation’s recovery and rebuilding work, bolster government institutions, and help maintain stability.

The ministry also expressed approval for continuing sanctions against former Assad government figures accused of participating in violations against Syrian citizens.

In May 2025, the European Union removed all economic restrictions on Syria while maintaining measures targeting former Assad administration members and security-related sanctions.

The organization explained that networks connected to the previous government still maintain power and could interfere with Syria’s democratic transition and peace-building processes.

Earlier this month, the European Union also reinstated its full cooperation agreement with Syria, stating that the circumstances that caused its suspension during Assad’s violent response to demonstrators in 2011 no longer existed.

A high-ranking Sudanese paramilitary officer who was jailed following international condemnation over footage showing him killing defenseless civilians has been freed from custody and sent back to active combat, according to nine sources who spoke with Reuters.

Two sources – including a Sudanese intelligence official and a commander from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces – reported personally witnessing RSF Brigadier General al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, nicknamed Abu Lulu, fighting in Kordofan during March. A Chadian military officer informed Reuters that RSF officers had requested Abu Lulu’s return to combat to improve troop morale amid intense fighting.

Reuters interviewed 13 total sources claiming knowledge of Abu Lulu’s release, including three RSF commanders, one RSF officer, a family member of Abu Lulu, a Chadian military officer with RSF command connections, and seven additional sources with RSF leadership contacts or intelligence access regarding RSF field activities.

When questioned by Reuters, the RSF-led coalition government issued a Monday statement rejecting claims that Abu Lulu had been released. Ahmed Tugud Lisan, spokesman for the RSF-led Tasis government, said a special court would prosecute him and others charged with violations during the al-Fashir offensive.

“The talk about Abu Lulu being released is untrue, malicious, and completely false,” the statement said. “Abu Lulu and the others accused of violations during the liberation of al-Fashir have been in detention since their arrest and have never left prison.”

Reuters could not contact Abu Lulu directly.

SANCTIONS CITE WAR CRIMES

The RSF detained Abu Lulu in late October 2025, days following its violent capture of al-Fashir, a major North Darfur city. Several videos had emerged showing him killing defenseless individuals during the assault. His conduct led to the nickname “the butcher of al-Fashir,” which the U.N. Security Council referenced when imposing sanctions on him February 24 for human rights violations.

The three-year civil conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF represents a vicious power battle for national control and financial resources. Aid organizations describe it as creating the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency. An independent U.N. investigation determined earlier this year that the mass murders in al-Fashir showed characteristics of genocide. Another U.N. investigation documented over 6,000 deaths by RSF fighters between October 25-27.

Four videos authenticated by Reuters demonstrate Abu Lulu shooting no fewer than 15 defenseless captives in al-Fashir on October 27, following the RSF’s city takeover. All victims wore civilian clothes. International law considers killing any unarmed, non-threatening person – including former combatants – a war crime.

Following international condemnation from U.N. officials, U.S. politicians and others, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, called Hemedti, publicly admitted his fighters committed violations in al-Fashir and promised to establish an accountability committee for investigating abuses. On October 30, the RSF published video of Abu Lulu being transported to Shala prison in southwestern al-Fashir. The footage shows a handcuffed Abu Lulu being removed from a vehicle by armed personnel and placed in a cell. An unnamed RSF spokesperson at the prison states Abu Lulu “will be presented to a just trial in accordance with the law.”

In November, Al Jazeera reported Abu Lulu’s release, referencing unspecified online videos. However, on December 2, the leader of the RSF-appointed accountability committee informed Reuters they held Abu Lulu in custody while investigating him and other RSF soldiers for al-Fashir violations. Al Jazeera did not respond to Reuters’ questions about their November coverage.

Four sources informed Reuters that Abu Lulu was freed in December. Reuters could not verify his exact release date.

The family member stated that before Abu Lulu received authorization to resume Kordofan duties, he appeared before a November disciplinary panel of six senior officers. The hearing addressed videos featuring him that harmed the RSF’s image. Reuters could not confirm the hearing occurred or its results.

Abu Lulu belongs to the same clan as Hemedti, the RSF leader. Three sources – an RSF commander and RSF officer both connected to RSF leadership, plus a researcher with committee contacts investigating Abu Lulu – said Hemedti’s brother, Abdelrahim Dagalo, the RSF deputy commander, personally authorized Abu Lulu’s prison release.

The RSF officer explained that while the disciplinary committee had not formally released Abu Lulu, the deputy commander ordered his freedom through radio communication.

COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY

The Abu Lulu videos represent part of nearly 300 online videos from the offensive period analyzed by Reuters and the Sudan Witness project at the Centre for Information Resilience.

Abu Lulu was the sole commander Reuters identified in video footage shooting unarmed individuals. However, the Reuters-Sudan Witness investigation discovered three additional senior RSF commanders were present in the same location during the mass killings.

One Reuters-verified video shows Gedo Hamdan Abu Nashuk, the top RSF commander for North Darfur, walking beside Abu Lulu on October 27 morning. Reuters geolocated videos from this location and found Nashuk was recorded within 40 meters of two other videos showing Abu Lulu executing defenseless men. By analyzing shadows in the three videos, Reuters determined they were filmed within a two-hour timeframe.

Under international law, these leaders could face criminal liability for crimes their fighters committed during the conflict, according to Jehanne Henry, a human rights attorney and Sudan director at The Reckoning Project, a U.S. non-profit documenting war crimes.

The RSF did not address questions regarding specific commander actions during the al-Fashir offensive. On October 29, Hemedti stated that any soldier or officer committing crimes would face arrest and investigation, with results made public.

The RSF government has been delayed in prosecuting those accused of violations, spokesman Lisan explained, because it is “establishing state structures under difficult circumstances.”

“We are committed to achieving justice and holding all those who commit violations accountable,” Lisan said. “Any talk to the contrary is deliberate misinformation.”

WITNESS ACCOUNTS

Reuters interviewed six survivors in Chadian refugee camps who reported witnessing Abu Lulu killing civilians in al-Fashir before fleeing in October 2025.

Manazil Mousa, 25, identified Abu Lulu from videos a Reuters reporter showed her and said she encountered him while her family was escaping al-Fashir. She said he confiscated their phones and possessions, severely beat them, and shot and killed her brother, Mubarak.

“Abu Lulu is the one who abused us,” she said. “He was the one who killed Mubarak. He is the one who killed our families and killed our husbands.”

Madina Adam, 38, reported that Abu Lulu entered Al-Fashir University on October 27, where she was taking shelter with other civilians, and began killing women and children.

She recounted one incident where Abu Lulu asked a pregnant woman about her pregnancy stage, and when she answered “seven months,” he shot her seven times in the stomach. Two witnesses described the identical scene in a February U.N. report.

Adam said Abu Lulu then ordered 10 children to sit down and made them chant RSF slogans while recording. The children begged not to be killed, she said, but he shot all 10.

SECRECY ORDERED

An RSF commander reported that leadership instructed other officers to remain silent about Abu Lulu’s combat return. A different RSF commander and the relative said Abu Lulu was freed under conditions prohibiting him from filming or being filmed during battle. Reuters has found no images of him in action since his release.

“He has been free for about three or four months and is on the battlefield with his troops,” said one RSF commander, who declined to be named.

Abu Lulu’s relative explained the RSF required the commander’s expertise because its forces are encountering difficulties. After securing al-Fashir control, the RSF moved its offensive eastward into Kordofan region, between its territory and army-controlled areas. It has experienced fierce combat there.

“He is very popular with the troops and that’s good for their morale,” the relative said.

In multiple videos verified by Reuters and Sudan Witness, other RSF fighters celebrate Abu Lulu and his killings. In one filmed and posted online November 1, 2025, by Salah Abdeen Mohamed Azala, an RSF fighter, Azala states many fighters are prepared to replace Abu Lulu.

“If Abu Lulu disappeared, or you arrested him or tried him, we are all 1,000 Abu Lulus,” he says, speaking to the camera. “I too am Abu Lulu.”

Three months following joint military action by the United States and Israel against Iran, an escalating standoff has developed with neither Washington nor Tehran showing signs of backing down, creating mounting economic hardship and increasing the likelihood of renewed warfare.

Policy experts are expressing growing alarm not about the possibility of reaching an agreement, but rather how much longer this volatile situation can continue before a strategic error by either the United States or Iran sparks another round of conflict.

Voices within the U.S. and Israel are increasingly advocating for additional military action, with certain officials believing that heightened pressure might diminish Tehran’s bargaining position and compel Iran to return to diplomatic discussions.

“There is one major problem with this theory: We have already tested it, repeatedly, and Iran did not capitulate,” said Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher on Iran at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies and former head of the Iran branch in Israeli Defense Intelligence.

“We’re in a war of attrition with the prospect of a new U.S.-Israeli attack growing by the day,” said one regional official.

Iranian officials told Reuters concessions on their missile programme, nuclear capabilities or control of the Strait are not policy tools but ideological pillars of the Islamic Republic’s survival — giving them up is not compromise, it is surrender.

This perspective, according to Citrinowicz, explains why extended military confrontation has been unable to force Tehran away from its fundamental positions, and why additional escalation is unlikely to achieve success.

Multiple rounds of indirect diplomatic discussions facilitated by Pakistan have failed to yield any significant progress. The differences between the two sides remain enormous.

The United States is demanding that Iran cease uranium enrichment activities for two decades and transfer its existing stockpiles to American custody.

Iran is seeking an end to military strikes, security assurances, compensation for war damages, and acknowledgment of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz — conditions that Washington has dismissed.

Iran’s foreign ministry did not reply to a request for comment. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the issues raised in this article.

President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that the “clock is ticking,” saying they “better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.” He threatened that if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington, it will face “a very bad time.”

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group said neither side has shown willingness to make “the painful concessions” needed for a deal. “Both believe time is on their side and they have the upper hand, and that perception is precisely what is making a deal impossible.”

The outcome is a prolonged struggle focused on one of the globe’s most vital shipping routes. Prior to the conflict, the Strait handled approximately 25% of worldwide oil commerce and 20% of liquefied natural gas shipments. Currently, with the waterway nearly sealed off, economic consequences are expanding and disrupting supply chains.

Former State Department Iran official Alan Eyre, who took part in past U.S.-Iran talks, said an agreement may be out of reach. “These two sides will never reach a deal. Trump doesn’t want to just win, he wants to humiliate Iran and be seen as having crushed Iran.”

Tehran views its enriched uranium reserves and dominance over the Strait of Hormuz as fundamental strategic resources vital to its survival. “Iran is therefore determined to use these assets to guarantee its interests,” a senior Iranian official said, adding capitulation is not an option.

“We fight, we die, but we don’t accept humiliation. Surrender is fundamentally incompatible with Iran’s identity.”

A second Iranian official contended that Tehran has already achieved victory — not through military defeat of Washington, but by maintaining its resistance. Extended periods of U.S. and Israeli attacks have been unable to break Iran’s resolve, strengthening its belief that its nuclear reserves and Strait control remain central to its defensive strategy.

Giving up these advantages would destroy that equilibrium. “Trump wants to declare victory but Iran won’t give it to him. Can the world economy withstand the pressure? That’s the question Trump owes the world an answer to,” he added.

Additional strikes would not alter Iran’s strategic thinking, only speed up escalation, he stated, emphasizing that Iran will not abandon enrichment activities or yield to ultimatums without reciprocal concessions from Washington.

However, beneath the defiant public stance, Iranian sources close to the establishment describe a more conflicted reality: Tehran does not want a prolonged “no war, no peace” scenario as inflation rises, unemployment worsens and strikes on key industries bleed an already battered economy.

Instead, they said, Iran is seeking a preliminary deal to end the war — reopening the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian oversight in exchange for lifting the U.S. blockade, before tackling harder issues such as sanctions relief and nuclear restrictions. The U.S. says ending the war must be deferred to later talks.

Regarding nuclear matters, Iranian sources indicate Tehran might dilute its 440 kilogram stockpile of highly enriched uranium or transfer portions overseas, preferably to Russia, maintaining it could retrieve the material if Washington breaches any future agreement. Washington has declined this proposal.

Iran is also advocating for a shorter suspension of enrichment than Washington’s 20-year requirement and complete access to $30 billion in frozen funds, but Washington has only agreed to release a quarter of those assets under a timetable, the sources added.

Tehran is pursuing a new management structure for the Strait of Hormuz, refusing to return to pre-conflict conditions, while the U.S. demands unconditional reopening — no fees, no restrictions — a division that may prove more difficult to resolve than the nuclear dispute itself.

Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. official and Middle East negotiator, says control of the Strait of Hormuz will be the key measure of success or failure for Washington. How this ends could define Trump’s foreign policy, he added, with the U.S. leader acutely sensitive to the risk of being seen as having lost.

Reopening the waterway without a political settlement, Miller added, would require “a prolonged American occupation with ground forces of Iranian territory”.

There is no military solution to the Strait of Hormuz other than the costly one that Trump may be unwilling to undertake, argued Vaez, leaving negotiations as the only viable path.

Despite operational gains of the U.S.-Israeli campaign, the strikes have failed to deliver a strategic knockout, Citrinowicz said.

“We didn’t topple the regime — we have a more radicalised one. We didn’t end Iran’s missile capacity. And they still have the uranium.”

Citrinowicz said overestimating pressure and underestimating Tehran’s resilience carries its own danger.

“It raises the risk that Washington once again enters a confrontation expecting coercion to produce capitulation, and discovers, too late, that the regime was prepared to absorb far more pain than anticipated,” he said.

Kremlin leaders are finding it increasingly difficult to portray the ongoing Ukraine conflict — now entering its fifth year — as a far-off battle that doesn’t impact ordinary Russian citizens’ everyday lives.

Between frustrating online service outages and this month’s reduced Victory Day celebration, plus a major weekend drone strike in the Moscow area that left three dead, Russia’s comprehensive military campaign no longer appears to be a remote confrontation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the Moscow-area assault as rightful payback for the continuous and lethal Russian rocket and drone bombardments targeting Kyiv and other Ukrainian urban centers in recent days.

These escalating attacks occurred just days following statements from President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump indicating the Ukrainian conflict might be approaching its conclusion.

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Sunday that its defensive systems intercepted 1,054 Ukrainian drones within a 24-hour period, marking one of the highest numbers the military has disclosed. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that 81 drones were shot down by the capital’s defense systems between late Saturday and early Sunday morning.

The bombardment resulted in three fatalities near Russia’s capital, wounded 12 additional people, caused damage to numerous residential buildings and completely destroyed several private residences.

One drone struck within a Moscow refinery’s boundaries but failed to halt operations, Sobyanin reported. A separate drone impacted an oil storage tank at a facility, sparking a fire that covered the surrounding area with dark smoke.

Multiple Moscow aviation hubs halted activities, causing dozens of flights to face delays or rerouting. One Ukrainian drone crashed within the capital’s Sheremetyevo airport property but caused no structural damage, officials reported.

Ukraine’s success in breaking through Moscow’s extensive air defense network demonstrated both the expansion of its drone fleet and improved operational strategies. Kyiv has consistently increased its drone operations, targeting power infrastructure and weapons manufacturing sites, though the capital has proven more challenging to reach.

“The Moscow region is the most heavily saturated with Russian air defense systems,” Zelenskyy stated during a national address, adding that “our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation — and, more broadly, the world’s perception of Russia’s war.”

The weekend Moscow strike represented a warranted reaction to “Russia’s prolongation of the war and attacks on our cities and communities,” Zelenskyy declared.

“We are clearly telling the Russians: Their state must end its war,” he stated in a social media message.

Last week’s most devastating attack in Ukraine claimed 24 lives when a Russian missile destroyed a nine-story residential building in Kyiv.

These strikes followed a short U.S.-mediated three-day truce that failed to stop the combat but created a break in long-distance attacks, permitting Moscow to conduct its yearly May 9 military demonstration honoring Nazi Germany’s World War II defeat.

Worries about Ukraine’s extended-range drone strikes prompted Russian officials to reduce the parade’s scale. Unlike previous years, no tanks, missiles or other military equipment rolled through Red Square.

Following the parade, Putin declared the Ukraine war was approaching its conclusion, though he provided no explanation or timeline. He has maintained his extensive conditions for ending the conflict, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from four regions Moscow has claimed but never completely controlled. Kyiv has refused this demand.

Trump also stated last week that the war’s end was “getting very close,” despite U.S. mediation efforts showing little meaningful advancement and being essentially paused since starting its conflict with Iran.

The Moscow attacks occur as tensions increase within Russia regarding the war’s mounting expenses and increasingly restrictive government measures that have reduced Putin’s historically strong approval ratings.

Certain military bloggers and social media personalities previously supportive of the Kremlin have begun openly challenging some governmental policies.

Government restrictions on mobile internet access and blocking widely-used messaging applications have created substantial business losses and daily disruptions for millions of Russians, generating public anger.

Officials justified these measures by citing the necessity to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, some of which use mobile internet for navigation. Critics condemn the shutdowns as authorities’ latest effort to increase internet control.

Rising frustration over these limitations led citizens to submit petitions to presidential offices and attempt organizing demonstrations that were promptly prevented.

As tensions escalate, Putin begins a two-day China visit on Tuesday.

State television networks attempted to minimize the Moscow attacks, giving them only brief coverage on some broadcasts. They instead highlighted last week’s successful test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile designed as a crucial component of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

Multiple war bloggers claimed the weekend attack revealed air defense weaknesses requiring immediate fixes. Some called for the Kremlin to intensify Ukrainian attacks and target its leadership.

“The time has come to hit the decision-making centers,” Alexander Kots of the daily Komsomolskaya Pravda wrote.

Pro-Kremlin political commentator Sergei Markov wrote about awakening to explosion sounds over the weekend as defense systems engaged the attacking drones. He accused Kyiv’s allies of assisting Ukraine’s drone production increase, claiming “it was Europe that tried to hit Moscow.”

“As long as Europe believes it’s safe, such attempts will continue,” Markov stated.

Russian hardliners have long pressed the Kremlin to retaliate against increasing Ukrainian attacks by targeting Kyiv’s European allies.

Last month, the Defense Ministry released a European factory list allegedly involved in producing drones and components for Ukraine. It cautioned that Russian attacks using European-manufactured drones carry “unpredictable consequences.”

When asked Sunday by a state TV commentator why Moscow accepts being “bitten” in this manner, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that its nuclear deterrent aims to counter threats to Russia’s survival.

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer worked to solidify his position in office Monday, declaring he was focused on governing after accepting responsibility for Labour Party’s poor showing in elections that have threatened his leadership role.

Speaking to staff at Labour Party headquarters rather than the general public, Starmer acknowledged their dedication despite the party’s disappointing performance in May 7 local and regional contests.

“The election results were not the ones that we wanted, they were really tough. But you worked your socks off,” Starmer told the workers. “It’s not been easy circumstances in the last 10 days.”

The past two weeks have proven challenging for Starmer, who guided Labour to an overwhelming win just two years earlier. Multiple party officials have demanded his resignation while previous supporters are organizing efforts to remove him from leadership.

Wes Streeting, a prominent Labour legislator, stepped down from his health secretary position last week and declared his intention to compete in any Labour leadership contest against Starmer.

Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor and another potential challenger, has received approval to compete in an upcoming special parliamentary election anticipated in the coming weeks. Should Burnham succeed, he could enter the leadership competition and present a significant challenge to Starmer.

On Monday, Starmer promised his complete backing for “whoever” seeks the available Labour seat, while stating he would not step down if Burnham prevails.

The identity of Britain’s next prime minister could be determined by approximately 76,000 voters in a small northwestern England election.

Focus centers on Makerfield, located near Manchester, where Burnham is anticipated to campaign.

Before this week, the well-regarded mayor could not challenge Starmer due to his absence from the House of Commons.

This situation shifted when Josh Simons, the Labour representative for that district, resigned to create an opening for Burnham.

Burnham has confirmed his intention to seek the Makerfield parliamentary seat. He stated that winning would allow him to bring his advocacy for northern England voters to the national stage and improve Labour’s prospects.

“If I get to stand, a vote for me will be a vote to change Labour, because Labour needs to change if we are to regain people’s trust,” he declared Monday. “I know what my party has offered in the past has simply not been good enough.”

British news outlets indicate the Makerfield election may occur on June 18.

Candidate applications for Labour’s nomination end Monday, with the party leadership endorsing their choice Thursday.

Despite his popularity and extensive Labour experience, the 56-year-old Burnham faces uncertainty in securing the seat.

Though historically a reliable Labour district, Makerfield has witnessed increasing support for Reform UK party, which opposes immigration and European Union ties.

Numerous local voters supported Brexit in the referendum ten years ago. Recent local contests saw Reform capture all constituency areas with approximately half the total votes.

Burnham’s campaign became more difficult after Streeting, his main leadership rival, called Brexit a “catastrophic mistake” Saturday and suggested Britain should eventually return to EU membership.

Political observers interpreted Streeting’s remarks as a direct confrontation with Burnham, who has previously indicated support for eventual EU rejoining but must navigate carefully to succeed in Makerfield.

Reform UK will likely emphasize immigration during the special election, with party leader Nigel Farage, a prominent Brexit advocate, quickly criticizing Burnham. In Monday’s Daily Express, Farage claimed Burnham “wants to drag you closer to the EU.”

Burnham attempted to dismiss such criticism, stating: “The last thing we should do right now is rerun those arguments.”

Coverage of Starmer’s difficulties overshadowed problems facing his political opponents across the spectrum.

A parliamentary oversight body launched an investigation last week into whether Farage failed to disclose a 5 million pound ($6.7 million) contribution from a supporter.

Farage explained the funds from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne preceded his parliamentary campaign, were unrelated to politics, and covered personal security costs. He subsequently told the Sun newspaper the donation supported Brexit advocacy.

Sky News revealed Farage purchased a 1.4 million pound ($1.9 million) residence after receiving the money. However, Farage claimed he bought the property using earnings from appearing on reality television show “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!”

Additionally, the Green Party leader, whose organization has also drawn votes from Labour, acknowledged missing the recent local elections.

Zack Polanski was relocating during the voting period and failed to complete voter registration at his new residence, according to a party representative.

Polanski also faces questions regarding unpaid taxes on an east London houseboat where he previously resided.

He has acknowledged incorrectly claiming British Red Cross spokesperson status during his 2022 campaign for deputy party leadership.

A vessel carrying emergency humanitarian supplies from the Mexican and Uruguayan governments reached Havana on Monday, bringing relief to Cuba as the island nation faces mounting economic difficulties.

The vessel, which set sail from Mexico, transported food supplies and personal hygiene products, officials announced.

Alberto López Díaz, Cuba’s food industry minister, noted the supplies come “at a time of great economic hardship, exacerbated by the tightening of the blockade imposed on our country by the United States government.”

In his statement, he explained the assistance would be handed out “with the utmost responsibility and respect,” with children, the elderly and vulnerable families receiving priority.

The island’s economic troubles and power grid failures have worsened throughout this year following the U.S. invasion of Venezuela in early January, which stopped vital oil deliveries from the South American nation.

Later in January, U.S. President Donald Trump warned he would impose tariffs on any nation that sells or supplies oil to the island.

An acute fuel shortage has continued, while power outages remain widespread throughout the island.

The opposition party in Cape Verde has successfully defeated the current ruling government in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, setting the stage for a return to power following a decade outside of government, according to preliminary vote tallies and party announcements released Monday.

The island nation in the Atlantic, consisting of 10 islands, has historically seen control shift back and forth between its two dominant political organizations: the Movement for Democracy (MpD), which has held power since 2016, and the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).

Preliminary vote counts from the National Election Commission, covering 98.2% of voting locations, revealed PAICV captured 46.7% of votes, translating to 37 out of 72 parliamentary seats, while MpD secured 43.6%.

Francisco Carvalho, who leads PAICV, appears positioned to assume the role of prime minister following the current leader Ulisses Correia e Silva’s acknowledgment of electoral defeat in his initial post-election comments.

However, Correia e Silva noted uncertainty remained about whether PAICV had achieved a complete majority since ballot counting continued.

“The results, obviously, did not reach the level of our objectives, which were to win the elections, continue governing Cape Verde and move the country forward,” he said.

Carvalho celebrated the results as a mandate for transformation and stated voters had strongly endorsed his political agenda.

Carvalho, currently serving his second term as mayor of the capital, Praia, will now collaborate with President Jose Maria Neves, who also belongs to PAICV.

The nation functions under a combined presidential-parliamentary system, where the prime minister, chosen by the National Assembly, leads the government while the president maintains substantial authority including veto powers and serves as a mediator.

Officials in Greenland announced Monday that diplomatic discussions with the United States have shown positive developments, while firmly rejecting any possibility of selling the Arctic territory to America.

Jeff Landry, the U.S. special envoy designated by President Donald Trump last year to pursue American control of Greenland, touched down in Nuuk on Sunday and conducted meetings Monday with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Mute Egede.

“We believe there is progress, and from Greenland’s side we are focused on finding a solution that is good for us all, and most importantly that threats of annexation, takeover or a purchase of Greenland and the Greenlandic people does not occur,” Nielsen stated to the press following his session with Landry.

Landry did not issue an immediate response, though he had previously informed local news outlets on Sunday that his mission was to “listen and learn”.

President Donald Trump’s demands that America must obtain or control Greenland, which operates as a semi-autonomous Danish territory, have created diplomatic friction between Washington and Copenhagen, despite both nations being founding NATO allies, and have generated broader concerns throughout Europe.

“They asked for a meeting, and we’ve explained our situation and standpoint, and that we have some red lines — we will not sell Greenland, we will own Greenland for all time,” Egede declared.

In an effort to reduce diplomatic strain, Greenland, Denmark and the United States reached an agreement earlier this year to conduct high-level diplomatic negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute, though results from these continuing discussions have not yet been announced.

America seeks to expand its military footprint in Greenland and incorporate it into President Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” defensive network designed to protect against nuclear threats.

The United States maintains one operational base in Greenland currently, the Pituffik Space Base located in the northwest region, a significant reduction from approximately 17 installations in 1945 when thousands of American military personnel operated facilities across the island.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel issued a stark warning Monday, stating that any American military intervention against his nation would result in a “bloodbath” with devastating effects on regional peace and stability.

“Cuba does not represent a threat,” Diaz-Canel wrote in a message posted to X.

His remarks came in response to a Sunday Axios report that referenced classified intelligence sources. The report claimed Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and has considered using them against the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, American military ships, and Key West, Florida. Cuban officials dismissed the report as American fabrication designed to justify possible military intervention.

In Havana’s streets, residents expressed willingness to fight back against any attack, despite facing severe economic difficulties.

“I know Cuba is a strong country. Cubans are very brave and they are not going to find us unprepared,” said Sandra Roseaux, 57. “If they come, they will have to fight, because Cuba will respond. My country, hungry or however it may be, will respond. It is better that they do not come because there will be a fight.”

The communist nation, which has been at odds with Washington for decades, faces mounting pressure after the United States severed energy supplies following the arrest of the president of its former ally Venezuela in January. Recent weeks have brought fuel shortages and electricity blackouts lasting all but one or two hours daily.

Relations between the nations have deteriorated rapidly in recent days. Reuters previously reported that U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors are preparing to charge former Cuban leader Raul Castro in connection with Cuba’s 1996 downing of two aircraft operated by a humanitarian organization, according to a Justice Department source.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez posted on social media that Cuba, “like every nation in the world,” possesses the right to defend itself against external threats under the U.N. Charter and international law.

Havana resident Ulises Medina, 58, called for diplomatic solutions. “It would not be right for the United States to invade Cuba, nor for Cuba to invade the United States,” he said. “They must reach an agreement and talk and negotiate. Cuba, in any case, will defend itself because the country will not be surrendered.”

Charging Castro, 94 — the brother of late former leader Fidel Castro and a hero of the 1959 Cuban Revolution — would represent a significant escalation in pressure on Cuba by the Trump administration.

“The Cuban people do not let anyone interfere with their land,” said Jorge Villalobos, 87. “Cubans know how to defend themselves, even with sticks and stones.”

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s health ministry announced Monday that fatalities from the current conflict between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah have now exceeded 3,000 people.

Officials report the death count has reached 3,020, with casualties including 292 women and 211 children, as violence persists despite an unstable ceasefire agreement. The conflict initiated on March 2 when the Hezbollah militant organization launched attacks against Israel, occurring two days following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Israeli forces have subsequently launched ground operations in southern Lebanon while conducting bombing campaigns in Beirut and surrounding regions, stating their objective is to prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts. The organization, which holds significant political influence within Lebanon, has rejected demands from various sources, including Lebanon’s own government, to surrender its weapons.

The conflict has forced more than one million Lebanese citizens from their homes, with many seeking refuge in makeshift tent camps along roadways and coastal areas near Beirut. Israeli forces continue facing challenges from persistent Hezbollah drone strikes.

Historic face-to-face negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, with American mediation, resulted in a ceasefire that took effect April 17 and has been prolonged through June. The two nations have remained technically at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948.

Hezbollah, however, is not part of the talks.

Israeli representatives have emphasized dismantling Hezbollah’s military capabilities and view the current discussions as potentially leading to normalized diplomatic ties. Lebanese negotiators indicate they are pursuing a security arrangement or armistice that would fall short of full diplomatic normalization.

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly called for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Aoun has declined to meet or speak directly with Netanyahu at this stage — a move that would likely generate blowback in Lebanon, where talks with Israel were met with protests.

Israeli casualties include twenty military personnel, two civilians within Israeli territory, and one defense contractor operating in southern Lebanon.

U.N. peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon have also been caught in the crossfire and six have been killed.

A top German diplomat suggested Monday that Turkey holds substantial power to affect the ongoing conflicts involving Ukraine and Iran, calling for enhanced cooperation between Ankara and the European Union.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized Turkey’s strategic importance during a Berlin press conference alongside his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. “Turkey has the potential to exert considerable influence on these trouble spots, not only because of its geographical proximity, but also because of its enormous political and economic significance,” Wadephul stated.

The German minister expressed support for deepening strategic partnerships between Turkey and the EU, noting that Germany backs including Turkey in discussions about the European Union’s defense and industrial policy development.

Regarding Turkey’s aspirations for EU membership, Wadephul offered encouragement while noting requirements must be fulfilled. “If Turkey wishes to join the European Union, it will find a friendly and reliable partner in Germany,” he said, though he emphasized that Turkey would need to satisfy all membership requirements.

Belarus announced Monday that it has begun military exercises with Russia designed to rehearse nuclear weapon deployment and operational procedures using atomic weapons that Moscow has stationed within Belarusian territory.

The authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko has permitted Russia to position tactical nuclear weapons within his nation’s borders. Last December, Russia declared that its newest intermediate-range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system had been deployed to Belarus, a country that shares borders with Ukraine and the NATO nations of Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the military exercises will include missile forces and aircraft operations.

“During the exercise, in cooperation with the Russian side, it is planned to practice the delivery of nuclear weapons and preparations for their use,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry noted that the exercises will concentrate on instructing military personnel in stealthy movement over extensive distances.

Officials stated that these military operations were scheduled beforehand and were not directed toward any specific third-party nations.

Lukashenko has maintained authoritarian control over the country of 9.5 million people for over thirty years. Western nations have imposed multiple sanctions on his administration due to human rights violations and for permitting Moscow to utilize Belarusian territory during the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During 2024, the Kremlin unveiled an updated nuclear policy that brought Belarus within Russia’s nuclear protection framework. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Moscow will maintain authority over its nuclear arsenal positioned in Belarus, while permitting its partner nation to choose targets during potential conflicts.

Russia has employed conventional versions of the Oreshnik weapon — named after the Russian term for hazelnut tree — against Ukrainian targets twice: once in November 2024 and again in January.

Putin has declared that Oreshnik’s multiple warheads descend at velocities reaching Mach 10 and cannot be stopped by defensive systems, claiming that multiple conventional strikes from such weapons could match the destruction of nuclear attacks.

Intermediate-range weapons have flight capabilities between 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,400 miles). These weapon systems were prohibited under a Soviet-era agreement that both Washington and Moscow withdrew from in 2019.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the military exercises, stating that Russian nuclear weapon placement has “turned Belarus into a target.”

“Lukashenko has turned Belarus into a platform for Russian threats, but Belarusians don’t need these weapons,” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. “Only a free Belarus will become a source of security, not nuclear blackmail, in Europe.”

LONDON (AP) — The estate that generates income for Prince William’s family is preparing to divest approximately one-fifth of its property holdings, valued at 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion), during the next ten years. The funds will support housing construction, renewable energy expansion, and wildlife conservation initiatives.

The chief executive of the duchy, Will Bax, outlined these plans during a conversation with the Times of London, which the publication released on Monday. The strategy aligns with the estate’s goal of streamlining its widespread property interests and channeling profits into environmental and community-focused initiatives, as detailed in their latest yearly financial report.

According to Bax’s comments to the Times, William believes the duchy “shouldn’t just exist to own land.” He added, “It should first and foremost exist to have a positive impact on the world.”

This development occurs amid growing demands for Britain’s royal family and the Duchy of Cornwall to operate with greater financial transparency and demonstrate their worth to taxpaying citizens.

Established during the 14th century to generate revenue for the Prince of Wales, the duchy controls 52,173 hectares (131,393 acres) spread across 19 English counties.

According to Bax, the estate will concentrate its efforts on five core regions: the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Dartmoor, the Bath vicinity in southwestern England, and London’s Kennington district.

Property sales will enable the duchy to channel approximately 500 million pounds toward housing, renewable energy, and environmental initiatives, Bax explained.

The estate’s earnings fund both official duties and personal expenses for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children. Financial records show a profit of 22.9 million pounds for the fiscal year concluded March 31, 2025.

Although the current Prince of Wales receives the duchy’s operational earnings, he lacks authority to sell properties for personal gain. A board of directors supervises the duchy’s operations with the responsibility of preserving assets for future heirs. Government approval is required for significant property transactions to safeguard the long-term worth of these holdings.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen announced Monday that he held a cordial and constructive discussion with President Donald Trump’s special Arctic representative, while firmly emphasizing that Greenlandic independence remains non-negotiable.

The Arctic territory operates as a semiautonomous region under NATO member Denmark, while Trump has repeatedly expressed desires for American control over the island citing security concerns, sparking resistance from both Greenlandic and Danish officials.

“The Greenlandic people are not for sale. Greenlandic self-determination is not something that can be negotiated,” Nielsen stated to Danish TV 2 following his discussion on the island with the special representative, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.

Nielsen emphasized that Greenlandic residents “seek good cooperation” with America, describing his “courtesy meeting” with Landry as conducted with “mutual respect and in a positive atmosphere.”

Upon arriving in Greenland Sunday, Landry reportedly indicated that Trump instructed him to “go over there and make as many friends as we can get,” according to public Danish broadcaster DR.

Greenland’s Foreign Minister Múte B. Egede informed media Monday that a collaborative team including America, Greenland, and Denmark remains active in addressing ongoing American requests for territorial control. Trump has claimed Russia or China might attempt to seize Greenland, though regional specialists have rejected this possibility.

“We haven’t been the ones creating obstacles to cooperation between the United States and Greenland,” the Greenlandic foreign minister stated, having also joined the discussion with Landry and his team in Greenland’s capital Nuuk.

“So if we are to continue down this positive and constructive path, we must await the working group’s report,” he explained to TV 2, noting the group’s efforts seem “more promising” than previously.

U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery, accompanying the American delegation in Greenland, will officially open the U.S. Consulate’s updated Nuuk facilities, with both he and Landry scheduled to participate in a commercial event Tuesday and Wednesday, local outlets reported.

Following President Trump’s return to Washington after his Beijing visit, focus has shifted to rising tensions with Iran and potential U.S. response options.

During a conversation with Axios, the president delivered a stern message to Tehran, stating that “the clock is ticking.” Trump further indicated that without Iran offering an improved deal proposal, “they are going to get hit much harder.”

According to insider sources, the president plans to convene with his senior national security team in the Situation Room on Tuesday to examine potential military responses. U.S. officials report this meeting comes after multiple high-level weekend consultations.

Trump held discussions Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the Iranian situation. The previous day, he gathered with key advisors at his Virginia golf facility, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Diplomatic channels remain active as Pakistan’s interior minister made a weekend trip to Tehran for discussions with Iranian officials. Pakistan currently functions as the designated intermediary between Washington and Tehran.

Separately, the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear facility suffered a drone attack. Officials report no significant damage or radiation release occurred, and no organization has claimed responsibility, though Iran remains under suspicion.

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Recent deadly disease outbreaks across Africa are spurring continental leaders to pursue greater independence from international health donors as global assistance has been cut in half during the past five years.

Declining aid exacerbated by policy changes is clashing with Africa’s rapidly expanding population exceeding 1.5 billion people. The latest Ebola outbreak involving a strain without approved treatments or vaccines follows closely after an unusual hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise vessel that heightened continental health alerts.

Africa confronts “an equally dangerous threat” from funding shortfalls, according to Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who spoke while introducing an African health financing self-reliance program earlier this year.

“Every time we have an outbreak, many countries start to ask for partners because they don’t have in their budgets funding to respond, even to prepare for these outbreaks,” he stated during a briefing about the recent Ebola outbreak.

However, African nations recognize this dependency must end.

The Africa CDC describes the continent as currently experiencing “an unprecedented financing crisis.”

The organization reports that official development assistance has plummeted dramatically, declining from approximately $26 billion in 2021 to roughly $13 billion in 2025, as wealthy nations redirect focus toward broader geopolitical concerns like the Iran war and internal pressures.

For years, African leaders had promised to improve funding for their own healthcare systems, but these commitments stayed largely theoretical. A 2001 agreement called for countries to dedicate at least 15% of national budgets to health, yet among Africa’s 54 nations, only Rwanda, Botswana and Cape Verde remain on target.

“The conversation was somehow theoretical because the donor system was still functioning,” explained Dr. Alex Ajangba, a health financing expert and co-editor of the new African Journal of Health Economics, Systems and Policy. “But now that cushion is gone.”

He continued: “What we are seeing here is not a temporary dip of donor funding that we will recover from.”

Nations are speeding up efforts toward “health sovereignty,” with goals to fund and operate systems with significantly reduced dependence on external assistance.

Programs such as Ghana’s “Accra Reset” introduced in September, and the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda, endorsed by African leaders in February, seek to build long-term stability.

Health ministers are suggesting domestic approaches, including increased taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary beverages, combined procurement of medications to reduce expenses, expanding regional pharmaceutical and vaccine production and addressing system inefficiencies.

The urgency is clear. Africa purchases over 90% of its health supplies including vaccines and medications, while health crises — from mpox to cholera to Ebola — jumped from 153 outbreaks to 242 between 2022 and 2024, the Africa CDC reports. The organization aims for the continent to manufacture 60% of its vaccines by 2040.

“The word ‘health sovereignty’ has become a phrase that is used in almost every continental policy meeting right now,” Ajangba noted, cautioning it risks becoming merely a “slogan.”

Specialists say the continent possesses substantial wealth. Africa contains roughly 30% of global mineral reserves, including materials crucial to technology and renewable energy, yet much of this value disappears through unclear or weak agreements, illegal financial transfers, debt obligations and limited local mineral processing, with resources mainly exported unprocessed, Ajangba explained.

The continent loses approximately $40 billion yearly to illegal financial transfers in an extractive industry encompassing mining, gas and oil, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa states.

Beyond addressing these challenges, another central element of African nations’ move away from aid dependence involves co-financing, demanding countries contribute more alongside donors.

Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, reports that lower-income countries provided a record $302 million toward vaccines in 2025, and roughly $1 billion during the past five years.

“This creates predictability,” Gavi chief executive Sania Nishtar told The Associated Press. “Reliance on aid for basic services does not.”

Yet the transition can generate controversy. The Trump administration has promoted co-financing as a central requirement of the “America First” health agreements it has established with nearly two dozen African nations. These arrangements reshape aid to Africa by demanding countries increase domestic spending within specified timeframes or risk losing support.

Some countries have refused the proposed agreements, angered by U.S. requests for health data sharing without guarantees that nations will gain any benefits from it. Others condemn suggested exchanges of health support for natural resources.

While most governments agree Africa needs to advance toward self-sufficiency, critics argue some of the U.S. conditions impose unrealistic demands on already stretched economies.

“They are being set up to fail,” said Asia Russell, executive director of Health GAP, an international advocacy group. “When an administration says, ‘If you don’t hit these numbers, you’re not going to get resources anymore,’ that is extremely serious.”

Many African countries face increasing debt pressures. Currently, about 40% spend more on debt than health.

“Many of these countries have huge debt service and other challenges,” said Jen Kates, a senior vice president at the nonprofit KFF, which focuses on health policy. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be people who live in those countries who will feel the effects.”

Africa’s debt has climbed to approximately $1.2 trillion, the African Export-Import Bank reports, creating harsh choices. Debt payments consume roughly 19% of government income in sub-Saharan African countries, United Nations data shows.

Israeli military forces report they have successfully eliminated a major Hamas figure responsible for planning the October seventh attacks. The Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency announced that Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed during a targeted operation in Gaza City on Friday.

Military officials say al-Haddad led Hamas’s armed forces and was among the primary architects of the October seventh offensive. He had assumed control of military activities after the elimination of senior Hamas commanders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar.

Israeli authorities indicate al-Haddad was instrumental in overseeing Hamas’s captive operations, frequently positioning himself near hostages to avoid being targeted. Officials characterized him as among the organization’s most experienced leaders, having been involved with Hamas command for many years.

Regional diplomatic initiatives continue to face challenges. A high-ranking international official informed The Wall Street Journal that Hamas’s unwillingness to surrender weapons and its authority over Gaza’s civilian areas are blocking advancement toward comprehensive peace negotiations. Hamas has rejected these claims.

In another operation, American officials announce the elimination of a senior global ISIS commander in Africa.

U.S. authorities verified that American military personnel, collaborating with Nigerian forces, conducted what they termed a precisely coordinated mission in northeastern Nigeria. The objective, Abu Bilal al-Minuki, was considered the second-highest ranking ISIS leader internationally.

President Trump released a statement describing the operation as “flawlessly executed,” noting that al-Minuki had been among the most active terrorist commanders worldwide, participating in attack planning and directing kidnapping operations.

U.S. Africa Command reports the operation also eliminated other significant ISIS targets and represents part of ongoing efforts to sustain pressure on remaining terrorist organizations.

Additionally, a suspected international terror coordinator is now facing federal charges in the United States.

The FBI reports that an Iraqi individual, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, has been transported to New York to answer charges connected to approximately twenty planned attacks throughout Europe.

Law enforcement officials claim al-Saadi organized activities for a pro-Iranian extremist organization, focusing on Jewish educational institutions, synagogues, and charitable organizations, along with American and Israeli targets.

FBI Director Kash Patel described the apprehension as a significant international achievement, stating it demonstrates continued efforts to prosecute high-level terror suspects.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened security discussions on Sunday as a Turkish-led convoy of vessels carrying pro-Palestinian activists approaches Gaza waters, seeking to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade.

The convoy includes 53 ships transporting approximately 400 activists and is anticipated to reach Israeli territorial waters in under 48 hours. The fleet launched from Turkey as the second mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla’s efforts to breach the Gaza blockade.

Weather conditions forced the convoy to make a temporary stop at a Greek island before continuing its journey. According to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu convened Israel’s security cabinet in preparation for the flotilla’s expected arrival.

This mission represents the second attempt by the Global Sumud flotilla, following an earlier effort in April when Israeli naval forces intercepted 20 vessels.

Israeli authorities have expressed particular concern about the participation of the Turkish IHH organization, which describes itself as providing humanitarian aid but has been classified by Israel as a terrorist entity due to its connections with Hamas. Participants in the current flotilla have links to IHH and associated organizations.

The IHH organization previously helped coordinate the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla, during which pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to break through Gaza’s naval blockade. When Israeli naval forces boarded the vessel, Shayetet 13 special forces faced armed resistance, with Israeli personnel sustaining injuries from attacks involving metal bars, knives, and other weapons.

The flotilla’s arrival coincides with ongoing delays in implementing the October 2025 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which has stalled before entering its second phase. The primary obstacle involves Hamas’s required disarmament under the agreement, which the organization has refused to accept.

The American-supported 20-point Gaza proposal outlined terms for an immediate ceasefire, the return of all Israeli hostages, expanded humanitarian assistance, and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal tied to security guarantees and Hamas disarmament.

The plan also established provisions for internationally monitored reconstruction and governance structures for Gaza, specifically excluding Hamas from future leadership roles and establishing long-term discussions focused on regional stability and eventual Palestinian self-rule.

The United Nations Security Council convened a recent meeting to examine developments in Syria, with UN representatives and member nations describing what they characterized as “real but fragile progress” while advocating for enhanced support regarding recovery, stability, and transitional justice initiatives. Meeting participants also issued warnings about the effects of decreasing humanitarian funding and continuing security concerns.

The gathering occurred while Syria experiences ongoing political and security transformations, attracting heightened international focus on initiatives to stabilize the nation, reconstruct government institutions, fight terrorism, tackle missing persons issues, and promote transitional justice programs.

Throughout the proceedings, UN representatives assessed the political, humanitarian, and security conditions in the country, highlighting that Syria is navigating a delicate period that demands continuous international backing, especially as indicators of relative progress appear in certain regions while major economic, humanitarian, and security obstacles remain.

Conversations also covered the homecoming of refugees and internally displaced individuals, methods to encourage early recovery, and the significance of maintaining international initiatives to prosecute violators, determine the status of missing individuals, enhance stability, and stop extremist groups from reemerging.

The US delegation to the United Nations presented an extensive statement containing distinct political and security messages about Washington’s strategy toward Syria’s current situation.

Tammy Bruce, deputy US representative to the United Nations, stated during comments made at the Security Council meeting in New York on May 15, 2026, that President Donald Trump and the United States “stand with the Syrian people in supporting genuine transitional justice and the rule of law in Syria.”

Bruce opened by expressing gratitude to the session chair, along with Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi Cordone and Undersecretary-General Tom Fletcher for their presentations to the Council.

The US representative declared that recent detentions conducted by Syrian authorities targeting members of former President Bashar Assad’s administration, who faced accusations of crimes against Syrian citizens, constitute “a strong step away from impunity and toward accountability.”

She continued that the United States “stands in solidarity with the millions of survivors of Assad’s brutality,” encouraging the Syrian government to utilize resources and knowledge provided by international partners to advance transitional justice and accountability initiatives.

Bruce emphasized the significance of collaboration with the UN’s International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, characterizing such organizations as fundamental to the justice process.

The US representative also discussed missing persons, observing that “hundreds of thousands of Syrian families, along with many American families, are still waiting for answers regarding their missing loved ones.”

She explained that Syria’s healing process demands advancement on this complicated humanitarian matter, noting that the Independent Institution on Missing Persons holds important knowledge that could assist these initiatives.

Bruce promoted close collaboration between the Syrian government and international partners to deliver answers for families of the disappeared, while encouraging UN member nations to maintain support for international organizations and the Syrian government in promoting transitional justice and accountability.

In a different portion of her speech, the US representative commended the initiative started by Syrian authorities targeting terrorist networks and criminal organizations.

She stated the Assad regime “allowed Hezbollah and Captagon trafficking networks to operate or turned a blind eye to them,” contributing to destruction across Syria and the wider region.

In contrast, she noted, the new Syrian government has dismantled Hezbollah-linked plots, seized drug shipments, and coordinated with Jordan and Lebanon to combat cross-border crime.

The United States also welcomed cooperation with Syria as a full member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS [The Islamic State].

Bruce explained that the Syrian government is collaborating with the United Nations and other organizations to rehabilitate, repatriate, and reintegrate populations affiliated with ISIS from northeastern Syria into their original communities.

She urged countries whose nationals remain in those areas to engage with Syrian authorities regarding their citizens.

While welcoming recent developments, the US diplomat emphasized that “much remains to be done,” referencing the assassination of a Shiite cleric near Damascus on May 1.

She said the incident reflects the persistence of serious security challenges and called on member states to support Syrian law enforcement agencies through information-sharing and capacity-building.

Bruce also expressed Washington’s anticipation for an upcoming side event during the UN High-Level Week on Counter-Terrorism, organized by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism in cooperation with the European Union and Syria, focusing on Damascus’ approach to confronting ISIS.

Wrapping up her comments, the US representative mentioned Cordone’s recent visit to Syria, commending what she termed the “constructive engagement” between his team and Syrian officials.

Washington also expressed support for relocating the office of the UN special envoy to Damascus “as soon as possible,” contending that the office’s presence in Syria would enable it to better support both the Syrian government and the Syrian people.

The viewpoints shared during the Security Council meeting reflected a growing international movement toward backing Syria’s journey to stability and recovery, amid rising acknowledgment that persistent economic and humanitarian decline could jeopardize any political or security achievements made in recent months.

The meeting also showed increased international attention on transitional justice, accountability, missing persons, and counterterrorism as vital elements of any lasting transition or stabilization effort.

Simultaneously, multiple participants emphasized that current advancement remains delicate and demands sustained international backing, coordination with UN organizations, and sufficient funding for humanitarian and early recovery programs.

The approach taken by the United States during the meeting seemed to indicate a significant change in Washington’s strategy toward Syria’s changing situation, especially through repeated mentions of the “new Syrian government” in favorable terms and the focus on security cooperation, transitional justice, and counterterrorism.

Similarly, requests to move the UN envoy’s office to Damascus and strengthen cooperation with Syrian institutions reflected a wider movement toward direct international involvement inside Syria in an attempt to strengthen stability and prevent extremist groups and chaos from returning.

With ongoing economic, security, and humanitarian difficulties, the upcoming period appears crucial for Syria’s future, as observers wait to see whether continuing international efforts can transform what UN officials termed “real progress” into a lasting pathway toward recovery and stability.

Following the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024, over 1.2 million Syrians have chosen to return home voluntarily from surrounding nations, data from Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs shows. Yet for countless others still living in exile, the choice to go back involves weighing damaged infrastructure, unreliable services, limited employment opportunities, and established lives created during years away from their homeland.

Standing at a border checkpoint, Samer gripped his child’s hand as his wife observed their travel bags stacked near a waiting bus. His possessions were few: clothing, important papers, and cherished photos kept safe throughout years of displacement. The 35-year-old had chosen to leave Turkey after more than ten years to return to his northern Syrian hometown, understanding that his former home had changed and the life he once knew might be gone forever.

Speaking with The Media Line, he explained the choice wasn’t simple but followed years of feeling disconnected and emotionally unsettled. “Living in his homeland, even with hardship, seemed more bearable than remaining abroad indefinitely,” he said. However, he acknowledged concerns about Syria’s struggling economy, inadequate services, and challenges in providing for his children’s future.

Samer’s situation mirrors the complex decision confronting thousands of Syrians living in Turkey, Germany, Lebanon, the Netherlands, and other countries: determining whether returning home is truly feasible, or if years spent in exile have established lives that are either too secure or too intricate to abandon.

Mushir Al-Rimah, who leads the media department at Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs, informed The Media Line that voluntary returns from nearby countries between the Assad regime’s fall in December 2024 and April 2026 totaled approximately 1.211 million individuals, with over 715,000 coming from Turkey.

Al-Rimah explained that the authority has streamlined border crossing processes by reducing bureaucratic hurdles at checkpoints, accelerating documentation procedures, and offering traveler assistance. Around 120,000 individuals have voluntarily returned from Lebanon to Syria since the start of this year, he noted.

“The services provided include buses inside border crossings, medical points, ambulances when needed, and arrangements for transporting furniture and luggage, along with full customs exemptions, as part of efforts to encourage voluntary return and ease the burden on returnees,” Al-Rimah stated.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) calculated that 1,630,874 Syrian refugees had returned to Syria since December 8, 2024, through April 30, 2026, with numbers climbing to 1,645,180 by May 14. UNHCR explains their figure comes from cross-referencing various data sources, accounting for differences with the Syrian border authority’s administrative records.

Despite this wave of homecomings, millions of Syrians remain outside their country. UNHCR’s regional refugee data indicates approximately 4.7 million registered Syrian refugees in the area, including 2.87 million Syrians registered by Turkey’s government and 1.79 million registered with UNHCR across Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon, plus over 43,000 registered in North Africa. Lebanon presents a unique situation: UNHCR records about 490,000 registered Syrian refugees there, while Lebanese officials estimate the country houses roughly 1.12 million displaced Syrians. Germany and other European nations also shelter large Syrian populations, many having secured protection status, citizenship, employment, housing, and school enrollment for their children, creating vastly different considerations than refugees in neighboring countries face.

While the statistics are substantial, they don’t reveal the complete picture. International assessments have cautioned that returning individuals encounter damaged infrastructure, unreliable basic services, limited employment, and massive reconstruction costs. International refugee policy guidelines mandate that returns must be voluntary, safe, and dignified.

For numerous Syrians, the decision varies dramatically based on their exile location. Those in Turkey and Lebanon often encounter different pressures and motivations compared to Syrians who established lives in Europe, where citizenship, property ownership, healthcare access, education, and children’s integration can strongly outweigh emotional connections to Syria.

Hikmat Al-Hassan, 32, shared with The Media Line that his asylum years in Germany gradually transformed into a stable, integrated existence. He mastered German, finished vocational training, joined the workforce, purchased a home, and gained citizenship. His children attended German schools. Returning now, he explained, would mean abandoning stability constructed over many years, particularly when Germany’s healthcare and educational systems are challenging to compare with Syria’s present circumstances.

Souma Taha, 37, a Syrian journalist residing in Germany, expressed a comparable struggle. She informed The Media Line that her family has become completely established after years of employment and education, securing citizenship, and homeownership. She views leaving that stability as a significant risk, especially since healthcare and educational needs cannot easily be assured at equivalent levels within Syria.

“She said that the decision to return remains a complex mixture of emotion and belonging on one hand, and logic and stability on the other,” she noted.

For Syrians in Turkey, the attraction of home may be more powerful, but practical obstacles remain substantial. Ibrahim Badanjki, 29, who resides in Turkey, explained to The Media Line that while the desire to return persists, it encounters one significant barrier: housing. Numerous Syrian homes are destroyed or require extensive renovation, while property costs have increased beyond what many expatriates earning limited incomes can afford. Returning without secured housing, he said, is practically unfeasible, despite the psychological strain of exile.

Sobhi Al-Bassas, 36, who lives in the Netherlands, informed The Media Line that return is presently impossible because his home has been destroyed. He also mentioned security challenges, lack of employment opportunities, and absence of a stable environment. For the time being, he said, staying abroad represents the most practical choice.

Abdul Hay Al-Ahmad expressed that he has long been prepared to return but is awaiting improvements in services and education, particularly for children, to prevent the shock of an abrupt transition. His perspective demonstrates how return involves not just individual decisions but family considerations.

Raghad Suleiman, a Syrian woman who gained Turkish citizenship and married a Turkish citizen, outlined another complicated aspect: social integration and education. She told The Media Line that children raised in Turkey or Europe encounter difficulties with Arabic and adjusting to different educational systems, along with limited job opportunities and hiring favoritism within Syria.

Medical requirements can also complicate return decisions. Abdullah Janniyat, a Syrian living in Turkey, highlighted declining free support for prosthetics and increasing reliance on private facilities, making treatment a significant financial burden for many affected Syrians.

Some returnees have made the opposite decision despite these challenges. Malath Assaf, a young Syrian woman who returned from Turkey to Syria, said that years of displacement strengthened rather than diminished her connection to Syria, despite recognizing the country’s economic and living hardships. She told The Media Line that hope for a dignified return continues to exist, regardless of time passed.

Yasser Al-Hammadi, a Syrian who returned to northern Syria from Turkey following the Assad regime’s fall, shared a similar perspective focused on personal connection. He said he returned to Syria without regret, describing the decision as deeply personal and dependent on each person’s circumstances and sense of stability.

Collectively, these accounts demonstrate that returning to Syria is no longer simply an emotional decision. It involves balancing housing, employment, education, healthcare, security, social identity, and the stability many refugees established abroad during over a decade of conflict.

The Assad regime’s fall opened a door many refugees believed was permanently closed, but walking through it requires more than governmental change. For some, Syria remains home regardless of life’s difficulties. For others, return remains a delayed plan, awaiting a roof, a school, employment, dependable electricity, medical care, or sufficient confidence that going back won’t mean starting over completely.

A delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faces mounting pressure after Israeli forces eliminated Hamas’s chief military commander on Friday.

Both Hamas and Israeli security officials verified the death of Izz al-Din al-Haddad in the targeted operation.

Israeli authorities consider al-Haddad a key planner behind Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which sparked a broader Middle Eastern conflict.

Ido Zelkovitz, who leads the Middle Eastern Studies program at Yezreel Valley College and serves as a research fellow at the University of Haifa, spoke to The Media Line about the significance of the operation. “This is a significant move,” Zelkovitz explained. “This is not only the elimination of the person in charge of Hamas’ military operations, but he also had the knowledge about Hamas’ deployment from the bottom up and was at the heart of Hamas’ organizational memory.”

Zelkovitz further noted the pressure on Hamas leadership: “What we are seeing is Hamas more and more preoccupied with its survival, alongside its natural efforts to keep and develop its strength. Israel is gradually eliminating all of its leadership, and they are busy running from one hiding place to another.”

Israeli defense minister Israel Katz stated that Israel viewed al-Haddad as blocking progress on the US-mediated agreement’s next phases.

A statement issued Friday night after confirming al-Haddad’s death declared: “He held our hostages captive under extreme cruelty, launched terrorist attacks against our forces, and refused to implement the agreement led by US President Trump to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.”

The assassination occurs during an impasse between the parties regarding the ceasefire’s continuation. The central dispute centers on Israel’s insistence that Hamas surrender its weapons, which the militant organization rejects while Israel maintains its non-negotiable stance. Israel pledged to oust Hamas from authority when launching its counteroffensive in October 2023.

The truce took hold two years afterward, in October 2025. Hamas freed all remaining Israeli captives, while Israeli troops pulled back from certain Gaza areas, maintaining positions along the “Yellow Line” – zones where Israeli forces may continue operating under the ceasefire terms.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced last week that Israel maintains authority over 60% of the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to an audience, he stated: “Today its 60%, tomorrow we shall see,” hinting at Israel’s future plans.

The existing arrangement, where Israel controls significant portions of Gaza while Hamas retains authority, creates conditions for inevitable future hostilities between the adversaries.

UN statistics indicate that humanitarian assistance entering Gaza has grown consistently since the ceasefire began. The region and its residents, who endured intensive Israeli military operations, sustained devastating damage, with recovery projected to require years.

Sharona Shir Zablodovsky, a public policy and national security specialist at the Dvorah Forum, told The Media Line: “The confrontation is inevitable. The humanitarian aid, which is aimed at helping the civilian population, is still being taken over by Hamas, which is trading with it, raising funds for its own rehabilitation.”

UN data reveals a substantial decrease in humanitarian supplies seized by Hamas or civilians before reaching designated recipients.

Gaza’s humanitarian conditions remain critical. Residents continue experiencing severe shortages of basic necessities, including food, potable water, and healthcare. Recent UN assessments indicate more than two million inhabitants require urgent aid, worsened by continuing hostilities and restrictions that impede relief distribution.

Although humanitarian supply flows have improved markedly since the ceasefire, delivery remains uneven, keeping many civilians reliant on international assistance. Ongoing military operations and political deadlock intensify the crisis, maintaining Gaza’s population in persistent vulnerability and uncertainty.

Each side blames the other for ceasefire violations, endangering President Trump’s comprehensive Gaza peace initiative. The plan faces obstacles from Hamas’s weapon retention and Israel’s continued military presence and attacks in Gaza.

The American strategy, developed by President Trump’s advisors Jared Kushner and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, envisions Gaza’s demilitarization and replacement of Hamas with a technocratic administration. These phases should have commenced according to the timeline.

Zelkovitz observed the lack of progress: “In reality, we have not seen any steps taken in this direction. Hamas has not accepted the basic conditions, and what we are seeing is a gradual intensification of the fighting between the sides.”

Zablodovsky shared similar concerns about deteriorating conditions, contending that Gaza’s fundamental dynamics remain essentially unchanged, forecasting additional violence for both parties.

“We are reaching a boiling point; the question is when the confrontation will come and what the intensity will be,” Zablodovsky stated. “As long as Hamas controls territory, with popular support, we are back at square one, and things haven’t changed.”

She added: “Israel’s policy needs to be to use more force and further promote voluntary immigration of Palestinians from Gaza.”

Shortly after taking office last year, President Trump suggested Gaza’s complete population relocate to neighboring nations during reconstruction. The proposal generated widespread international condemnation and rejection, with critics arguing it constituted forced displacement violating Palestinians’ homeland rights. Advocates presented the concept as addressing Gaza’s destruction and humanitarian emergency. Netanyahu’s senior coalition members welcomed the idea, viewing it as advancing their Gaza reoccupation aspirations.

Limited numbers of Gazans have departed through evacuation, medical transfer, and emigration programs since hostilities began. Complete permanent resettlement data remains unavailable, but available figures suggest minimal trends.

Meanwhile, Israel continues expanding its territorial control in Gaza.

While Hamas and international observers consider this Israeli ceasefire violations, Israel frames it as punishment for Hamas violations – specifically weapon retention and blocking technocratic governance in Gaza.

Zelkovitz explained Israel’s position: “It is also an Israeli statement about its operational intentions, giving it more control over territory that is needed in order to guarantee the safety of its forces in Gaza. Hamas has shown no interest in changing the reality on the ground the way the US and Israel want it to change.”

Following the ceasefire, Israel has expanded its Gaza presence and continued targeting Hamas positions. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reports over 850 Palestinian deaths since the truce began last fall.

Hamas has issued multiple recent declarations refusing disarmament.

Currently, both Hamas and Israel appear managing confrontation levels without major armed conflict escalation.

“We could see a re-run of what we saw before the war,” Zablodovsky warned, referencing nearly two decades when Hamas strengthened while Israel overlooked the buildup.

The ceasefire’s instability may not immediately trigger confrontation, but could create conditions where Israeli forces remain in Gaza alongside Hamas control of territory sections. However, the combination of military actions, humanitarian requirements, and political maneuvering displays characteristics of an unstable situation that could rapidly deteriorate.

International nuclear safety officials are condemning a drone attack that sparked a fire near a nuclear power facility in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday morning.

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced on social media that UAE authorities reported radiation levels at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant remained within normal ranges following the incident. No personnel were injured when the drone strike ignited a fire in an electrical generator positioned beyond the facility’s inner security boundary.

According to the agency’s statement: “The IAEA has been informed by the UAE that radiation levels at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant ( NPP) remain normal and no injuries were reported after a drone strike this morning caused a fire in an electrical generator located outside the inner site perimeter of the NPP.”

Emergency backup diesel generators have taken over electrical supply for the plant’s third unit while officials assess the damage. The IAEA confirmed it maintains ongoing communication with UAE officials and stands ready to offer support if requested.

“Emergency diesel generators are currently providing power to the NPP’s unit 3. The IAEA is following the situation closely and is in constant contact with the UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed,” the agency stated.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi voiced serious alarm about the attack, declaring that any military operations that endanger nuclear facilities are completely unacceptable. The director general renewed his appeal for armed forces to exercise extreme caution around nuclear installations to prevent potential atomic accidents.

This attack occurred following Iran’s massive assault on the United Arab Emirates involving thousands of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones during recent hostilities. The Iranian offensive targeted both the Al Dhafra Air Base and various civilian and energy facilities throughout the UAE.

Political developments are also unfolding as President Donald Trump reportedly weighs additional military responses against Iran after completing diplomatic talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump was scheduled to hold discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

Speaking Sunday morning, Netanyahu stated: “Our eyes are also open regarding Iran. I will speak today, as I do every few days, with our friend President Trump.”

“I will certainly hear impressions from his trip to China, and perhaps other matters as well. There are certainly many possibilities, and we are prepared for every scenario,” Netanyahu added.

Lebanon and Israel have reached an agreement to extend their current ceasefire for an additional 45 days after two days of negotiations mediated by the United States in Washington, officials announced Friday.

The talks aimed to move forward with discussions for a more comprehensive agreement, even as violence persists along the border between the two nations.

Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the US State Department, described Friday’s meetings between Israeli and Lebanese officials on Thursday and Friday as “highly-productive.”

“The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,” Pigott said.

According to Pigott, political talks are set to continue in Washington on June 2 and 3, with military representatives from both nations planning to meet separately at the Pentagon on May 29 for security-focused discussions.

The ceasefire extension occurs amid continued violence between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization. Talks have moved forward even as Hezbollah has launched drone and rocket strikes against Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

On Saturday, the IDF reported that Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion from Itamar, died in southern Lebanon when an explosive drone hit troops in the region.

Recanati became the 20th Israeli soldier to die in Lebanon during Operation Roaring Lion and the seventh fatality since the ceasefire began.

His death came one day after Staff Sgt. Negev Dagan, 20, from Dekel, was killed in southern Lebanon by Hezbollah mortar attacks.

Israeli forces have maintained their military operations against what they identify as Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

Despite ongoing US-mediated negotiations, Hezbollah has refused direct dialogue and remains opposed to any broad peace deal with Israel. The organization has called diplomatic efforts with Israel pointless and labeled the negotiations as a “grave sin” and a “gratuitous and humiliating concession.”

In contrast, the Lebanese government officially advocates for dismantling Hezbollah’s weapons and ensuring the state maintains exclusive control over arms within the country. The government in Beirut also supports strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces’ authority and eliminating Hezbollah’s separate military operations.

Bulgaria celebrated its maiden Eurovision triumph Saturday evening as singer Dara’s performance of “Bangaranga” topped the international song contest, while Israel’s contestant Noam Bettan claimed second place with “Michelle” for the nation’s back-to-back runner-up finish.

Dara accumulated 516 total points to secure Bulgaria’s historic first Eurovision championship, combining 312 votes from television audiences with 204 points from professional juries. Bettan’s total reached 342 points through 220 public votes and 123 jury selections. Though Israel ranked third among television viewers and eighth with jury panels, Bettan’s combined score earned the overall second-place finish.

The Israeli contestant’s performance drew mixed reactions from the arena crowd, with both cheers and jeers from protesters who opposed Israel’s contest participation. Following his song, Bettan called out “Am Yisrael Chai!”

Yuval Tzafir, who leads the Israeli delegation and directed “Michelle,” spoke to Israeli media about the achievement. “We brought enormous pride to the country in a difficult time. Second place twice is a huge victory. I’m proud of Noam–a true prince,” Tzafir stated.

This marks Israel’s second consecutive runner-up result, following last year’s second-place showing by Yuval Raphael performing “A New Day Will Rise.” Tzafir characterized Bettan’s Eurovision appearance as among Israel’s most impressive contest performances.

In his post-competition interview with Ynet, Bettan expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “Thank God who blessed us with second place. I feel proud, I feel like we won,” he said.

When questioned about the negative audience reactions during vote announcements, Bettan responded: “I heard them, but like lions we raised the flag and shouted ‘Am Yisrael Chai.’ We’re not ashamed of who we are.”

Bettan also reflected on his Eurovision experience, saying: “I didn’t know what to expect. I came without expectations and without thinking about what tomorrow would bring. I truly enjoyed it – from beginning to end.”

The Young Greens of Austria addressed the controversy surrounding Israel’s contest participation through an Instagram video that condemned antisemitism and criticized negative treatment of the Israeli delegation.

“Boycotting Israel’s participation in Eurovision, booing and harassing the Israeli artists will not free Palestine,” the organization stated. “What it will do is contribute to a hateful environment against Jews that makes Jewish life in Europe more and more unsafe. Which is why we’re giving zero points to antisemitism!”

The Israeli team encountered multiple technical difficulties before the final performance. According to Ynet reports, specialists flew in from Israel to address malfunctions with diamond display equipment used in rehearsals, while a costume specialist arrived to modify outfits for the dance performers.

Additionally, lead dancer Lihi Freud sustained a head injury when struck by a camera operated by an Austrian production cameraman during practice sessions.

“I choose to believe it wasn’t intentional. These things happen in the dance world,” Freud commented, noting she felt “shocked” and “dazed” before medical personnel approved her participation in the final show.

International financial markets experienced widespread declines while crude oil prices surged Monday following President Trump’s stern message to Iran that time is running out on stalled peace talks. Stock futures in the United States dropped as Asian markets retreated from recent record highs.

Additionally, authorities reported that a drone attack ignited a blaze near the United Arab Emirates’ only nuclear facility on Sunday, describing it as an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” While no group claimed responsibility, the incident underscored growing tensions as both the United States and Iran indicated their readiness to resume hostilities.

President Trump announced Monday his decision to drop a $10 billion legal action against the Internal Revenue Service regarding leaked tax documents, following reports suggesting a settlement was imminent.

The announcement came through a court document filed in federal court in Florida, where the legal challenge originated.

ABC News reported last week that Trump was willing to abandon his legal case as part of an agreement establishing a $1.7 billion compensation fund for presidential allies who claim they faced wrongful investigation and prosecution.

The court paperwork did not specify details of any proposed settlement.

More than three weeks have passed since the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner descended into chaos when an armed individual entered the Washington Hilton lobby and began shooting in what prosecutors describe as an assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, yet no new date has been set.

The association “continues to weigh options for rescheduling the event,” stated its president, Weijia Jiang of CBS News, speaking from China last week while covering Trump — she had taken cover alongside him when gunfire erupted that evening.

“We will do this again,” Jiang declared at the time. Trump posted on social media that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days (though that decision isn’t his to make), which would place it later this month.

Such timing appears unlikely, particularly for an event designed to host nearly 3,000 attendees. WHCA board members are exploring smaller venues, according to someone familiar with the planning, recognizing that any rescheduled event would need significant downsizing — addressing both financial and security considerations.

South Carolina lawmakers will begin comprehensive discussions Monday about redrawing the state’s congressional boundaries, launching what could be a contentious debate over whether to satisfy Trump’s push for a U.S. House map that might deliver complete Republican control.

Similar heated discussions have already occurred in Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana as Republicans aggressively pursue opportunities created by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that reduced Voting Rights Act protections for minority-majority districts. This ruling has enabled Republicans to reconfigure districts with significant Black populations that traditionally elect Democrats.

In South Carolina, this strategy targets the seat held by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the sole Democrat among the state’s seven House representatives.

Early voting begins May 26 for South Carolina’s statewide primaries scheduled for June 9. Beyond congressional redistricting, pending state House legislation would shift U.S. House primaries to August. After House passage, the measure would proceed to the Senate.

China has committed to increasing purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including beef and poultry, agreeing to buy at an annual rate of $17 billion starting in 2026 and maintaining that level through 2027 and 2028, the White House announced Sunday.

China will restore access for U.S. beef imports and resume poultry purchases from states that the U.S. Department of Agriculture certifies as bird flu-free, according to the White House. These agreements supplement China’s soybean purchase commitments from last year.

The deals provide some relief for American farmers hurt by trade disputes as they lost a crucial export market for soybeans and other crops. Farmers face additional challenges from Trump administration policies — the conflict launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade route that has limited global fertilizer supplies and driven prices higher.

A drone attack ignited a fire near the United Arab Emirates’ only nuclear power facility on Sunday in what officials termed an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” No organization was identified as responsible, but the incident highlighted escalating war risks as the United States and Iran demonstrated their willingness to resume fighting.

No injuries or radiation releases were reported. The UAE, which houses air defense systems and personnel from Israel, has recently blamed Iran for drone and missile strikes. Tensions have increased around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy shipping lane controlled by Iran, which faces a U.S. naval blockade.

The current ceasefire remains fragile, with diplomatic efforts toward lasting peace having stalled. Fighting has intensified between Israel and the Iran-supported Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon despite an official ceasefire agreement.

Global stock markets primarily declined while oil prices jumped Monday after Trump cautioned Tehran that the “clock is ticking” as U.S.-Iran peace negotiations stall.

U.S. futures dropped while Japanese and South Korean markets retreated from record levels. In early European trading, Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.1% to 10,205.31. France’s CAC 40 declined 0.9% to 7,883.42, and Germany’s DAX fell 0.1% to 23,925.82.

During Asian trading hours, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1% to 60,815.95, with technology stocks leading the decline. The index reached historic intraday peaks above 63,000 last week.

The 10-year Japanese government bond yield jumped to 2.8%, its highest point since the late 1990s. This reflects a broader trend toward higher yields as the Bank of Japan gradually increases interest rates and rising energy costs fuel inflation expectations. The yield stood around 2.55% just one week earlier.

Pakistan has delivered an updated Iranian peace proposal to the United States as diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East conflict remain deadlocked, according to a Pakistani source who spoke to Reuters on Monday.

“We don’t have much time,” the source warned when questioned about closing the negotiation gaps, noting that both nations “keep changing their goalposts”.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei verified that Tehran’s position had been “conveyed to the American side through mediator Pakistan”.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared last week that a ceasefire agreement with Iran, established in early April, was “on life support” following Tehran’s response to an American proposal, which highlighted significant remaining disagreements between both parties on multiple matters.

Key obstacles blocking progress in negotiations include Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its control over the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has halted shipping operations that typically transport one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

Iran has demanded a complete end to warfare across all theaters, including Lebanon, where U.S. ally Israel is engaged in combat with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Tehran has refused to address its nuclear programme until achieving a “permanent end of hostilities”.

Tehran’s additional demands include war damage compensation, termination of the U.S. naval blockade, guarantees against future attacks, and the restoration of Iranian oil sales.

Baghaei stated Tehran was ready for any outcome.

“As for their threats, rest assured that we are fully aware of how to respond appropriately to even the smallest mistake from the opposing side,” Baghaei declared during a televised weekly press conference.

Pakistan has delivered an updated Iranian peace proposal to the United States in an effort to resolve the ongoing Middle East conflict, a Pakistani source revealed to Reuters on Monday. The source cautioned that negotiating parties “don’t have much time” to bridge their remaining disagreements.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei subsequently verified that Tehran’s position had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan,” though he declined to provide specific details about the proposal’s contents.

A tenuous ceasefire remains active following six weeks of conflict that erupted after U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran. However, Pakistan-mediated negotiations have reached an impasse, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to describe the current truce as “on life support.”

The Pakistani source declined to elaborate on the specifics of the updated proposal. When questioned about the timeline for resolving outstanding issues, the source expressed frustration that the parties “keep changing their goalposts” and emphasized: “We don’t have much time.”

The United States has called on Tehran to dismantle its nuclear capabilities and end its effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that typically handles one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Iran has countered by demanding financial compensation for war-related damages, termination of U.S. blockades on Iranian ports, and cessation of hostilities across all theaters, including Lebanon where Israel continues fighting the Iran-supported Hezbollah militia.

In a weekend post on Truth Social, Trump warned that “the Clock is Ticking” for Iran, stating “they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

According to an Axios report, Trump is scheduled to convene with senior national security advisers on Tuesday to evaluate options for potentially resuming military operations.

Nuclear ambitions remain another significant obstacle in the negotiations. The United States and other major powers seek assurances that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons development.

Tehran maintains it has no intention of developing such weapons and continues to seek war damage compensation, guarantees against future attacks, and restoration of Iranian oil export operations.

Baghaei indicated Tehran was ready for any eventuality, telling a televised weekly press briefing: “As for their threats, rest assured that we are fully aware of how to respond appropriately to even the smallest mistake from the opposing side.”

While hostilities have diminished since the April ceasefire implementation, Iran has continued launching drone attacks toward Gulf nations that host U.S. military installations.

A drone strike ignited a fire at a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, officials reported Sunday, while Saudi Arabia announced intercepting three incoming drones.

Iran escalated its UAE attacks this month following Trump’s announcement of a naval operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which he called off after 48 hours.

Global financial markets declined Monday as the recent drone incidents drove up oil prices and bond yields, raising concerns about inflation.

Trump, facing November midterm elections that pose political challenges for his Republican Party, conducted discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week but failed to secure Chinese assistance in resolving the crisis.

The shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have triggered the most severe oil supply shortage in recorded history, driving crude prices up by 50% or more.

Some White House officials express concern that Trump’s foreign policy approach and its impact on domestic gasoline costs could jeopardize Republican congressional control, particularly as war-weary Americans prioritize living expenses over international conflicts.

Transportation workers across Kenya launched a nationwide work stoppage Monday, bringing the capital city of Nairobi to a standstill as they demonstrated against soaring fuel costs.

The strike left travelers without options throughout various neighborhoods while downtown areas sat empty. Those with personal cars chose to remain at home as demonstrators set tire fires across main thoroughfares.

School officials from the Kenya Association of Private Schools recommended that member institutions evaluate student safety for travel to classes, leading most educational facilities to switch to remote learning for the day.

Fuel costs in Kenya reached unprecedented levels last Friday, with diesel jumping 23.5% and gasoline climbing 8%.

President William Ruto, currently traveling outside the country, has not yet addressed the new pricing. During the previous price adjustment in April, he linked increases to the Iran war while cutting taxes to limit price spikes at that time.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry warned Friday that the higher fuel costs would impact all goods and services throughout the nation.

“The April–May comparison shows that while global crude oil prices increased by about 10.7%, Kenya’s diesel price rose by 23.5% over the same period. This points to the continued role of domestic cost buildup,” the chamber of commerce said in a statement.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who switched to the opposition following his impeachment in October 2024 over corruption, pointed to corrupt businesspeople seeking higher profit margins as the cause of the dramatic price surge.

He drew comparisons between Kenya’s fuel costs and those in nearby landlocked nations that depend on Kenyan ports for fuel imports, including Uganda, where prices remain lower.

Kenya functions as a critical transportation center for merchants bringing goods through Mombasa’s port for overland distribution.

Hungary and Ukraine announced plans Monday to start high-level discussions regarding the treatment of ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine, signaling a possible improvement in the strained relationship between the two neighboring nations.

Relations between the countries had deteriorated over several years under Hungary’s previous pro-Russian administration led by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, which declined to offer financial or military support to help Ukraine defend against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Orbán, who lost power in a decisive April election, had defended many of his administration’s anti-Ukraine positions by citing alleged limitations on language and educational opportunities for approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians residing in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region.

Ukraine enacted legislation in 2017 requiring Ukrainian as the primary language of instruction beyond fifth grade, which was designed to counter Russian influence but also impacted other minority languages, creating frustration among Romanian, Bulgarian and Hungarian communities.

Hungary’s new Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced on X Monday that “expert-level consultations aimed at resolving the rights of the Hungarian minority” would commence as early as this week.

These discussions will establish “an important foundation for the prompt and reassuring settlement of minority rights issues,” Orbán posted, noting she has no family connection to the former prime minister.

“I trust that the dialogue will be constructive and productive, and that the negotiations will soon bring tangible progress for the Hungarian community,” she added.

The initiative represents an early indication that bilateral relations, which had reached historic lows under Orbán’s leadership, might be improving. His nationalist-populist administration had obstructed vital European Union assistance to Ukraine, delayed sanctions against Moscow, and threatened to hinder Ukraine’s eventual EU membership aspirations.

Leading up to the April vote, Orbán’s administration conducted an intense anti-Ukraine campaign, portraying the neighboring nation as a fundamental danger to Hungary that could devastate its economy and force involvement in the conflict.

However, the victory of the center-right Tisza party and its leader, Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has raised expectations that Hungary’s new leadership would adopt a more collaborative stance.

Demonstrating the dramatic shift in Moscow relations following Magyar’s election, Hungary’s new foreign minister recently called in the Russian ambassador regarding a major drone attack in Zakarpattia — an action that would have been nearly impossible during Orbán’s 16-year rule.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the diplomatic summons in Budapest as an “important message” and expressed gratitude to the new administration for its response.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X Monday that his government stands “ready to open a new, mutually beneficial chapter in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations without delay,” seeking to “restore trust and good-neighborly relations between our countries.”

Sybiha noted that during a telephone conversation with Anita Orbán, he had expressed appreciation for “the Hungarian government’s principled and swift reaction to the latest Russian strikes against Ukraine.”

ROME (AP) — A violent incident involving a vehicle and knife attack in Modena has sparked a national conversation about immigration integration in Italy, according to the country’s interior minister who spoke publicly Monday.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stated that while terrorism has been ruled out, the weekend attack cannot be viewed as simply an isolated incident, emphasizing it reveals significant issues with social integration and community distress.

The violence occurred Saturday when a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan heritage drove his vehicle into pedestrians before crashing through a store window, injuring eight people with four in critical condition.

Law enforcement identified the suspect as Salim El Koudri, who officials say tried to escape on foot and used a knife to injure another person before being subdued by witnesses and arrested by police. He faces charges including massacre and aggravated injury, with a court decision on his detention expected Monday.

Speaking to Il Giornale newspaper, Piantedosi emphasized that investigators found no evidence of terrorist planning, instead pointing to what he called “a real and serious issue of social distress” combined with mental health problems.

“At this stage, there are no elements that correspond to the classic profile of a terrorist who plans violent actions,” Piantedosi said. “But all this cannot lead us to dismiss the attack as the act of an isolated madman.”

The minister characterized the civilian attack as “of absolute gravity,” stating it brings up “profound questions” regarding integration, identity and social marginalization, especially concerning some second-generation immigrants.

Local officials revealed that the suspect was born in Italy, attended university, had received a personality disorder diagnosis, and expressed dissatisfaction with his employment and social circumstances.

Piantedosi also referenced an email El Koudri had sent to his educational institution containing offensive remarks about Christians, though he later issued an apology, potentially indicating resentment connected to perceived unfair treatment.

“He may have been driven by resentment linked to a sense of having suffered discrimination,” Piantedosi said, while noting that investigators continue working to determine the complete motivation behind the violence.

The incident has intensified political discussions in Italy, where migration control and restrictions represent a central component of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s conservative political platform.

However, Piantedosi attempted to separate the Modena incident from the administration’s immigration policies, emphasizing the perpetrator’s citizenship status.

“We are working on repatriations of foreign nationals who commit crimes, but here we are talking about an Italian citizen,” he said in the interview. “This is something different.”

Nevertheless, the minister connected the event to wider integration difficulties, contending that legal documentation, citizenship or higher education do not automatically ensure successful community integration.

Piantedosi also cautioned against oversimplifying the situation by focusing exclusively on mental health aspects. Officials noted the man received treatment in 2022 for what they described as a schizoid disorder before discontinuing his care.

“It would be superficial to deny psychiatric discomfort, just as it would be to use it to avoid a broader reflection on social and cultural fragilities,” the minister said.

The violence prompted strong political responses throughout Italy. Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, who leads the anti-immigration League party, called the suspect a “second-generation criminal” on social media, reiterating demands for tougher immigration policies.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani disputed that description, emphasizing that the man holds Italian citizenship rather than being a migrant. Tajani planned to visit Modena Monday to see the injured victims.

Opposition politicians also condemned efforts to use the attack for political gain, while local leaders rejected attempts to connect the violence with immigration issues.

The incident has also brought renewed attention to second-generation Italians — individuals born or raised in Italy to immigrant parents — who frequently become focal points in discussions about identity, citizenship and community integration.

Italy’s citizenship laws mean many such individuals do not receive automatic Italian recognition at birth and must pursue citizenship through application processes later. They often encounter integration-related pressures, including difficulties in education, job markets and social acceptance, despite being raised in Italy.

Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti dismissed broad generalizations about foreigners as “nonsense,” highlighting that two Egyptian migrants were among the people who helped restrain the attacker.

Thousands of community members assembled in Modena’s main Piazza Grande during the weekend to demonstrate support for the victims.

One woman continues to face life-threatening injuries from the crash, while other victims also suffered serious harm, according to officials.

A Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights advocate from Iran has been released from hospital care following treatment for a suspected heart attack, according to a family-operated foundation that announced the news Monday.

Narges Mohammadi, age 54, received the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while serving time behind bars for her work promoting women’s rights and fighting against capital punishment in Iran.

The activist received an additional prison sentence earlier this year in February, the foundation reported, during the period leading up to military conflict between the U.S. and Israel against Iran.

Medical emergency struck Mohammadi in late March when she experienced what doctors believed was a heart attack. Hospital treatment began a month afterward, starting at a medical facility in the northwestern city of Zanjan. Following a temporary halt to her prison sentence with significant bail requirements, she was moved to Tehran’s Pars Hospital for continued care.

“Her recovery demands strict medical supervision outside prison walls. Returning her to detention is a death sentence,” Mohammadi’s daughter, Kiana Rahmani, stated according to the foundation.

Officials from the foreign ministry did not provide an immediate response when asked for comment, and state-controlled media outlets have not covered the situation.

Mohammadi’s repeated imprisonments have drawn international concern. Her most recent arrest occurred in December following her public criticism regarding the death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. Legal officials told media representatives that she had made inflammatory statements during Alikordi’s memorial service.

The Nobel committee responded to her detention by demanding Tehran release her without delay.

“Narges Mohammadi was initially hospitalized in the CCU of Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan from May 1st to May 10th,” the foundation reported.

“After 150 days since her brutal arrest in Mashhad… following a temporary suspension of her sentence, she was transferred by an ambulance to the CCU of Pars Hospital in Tehran from May 10th to May 17th,” the foundation continued.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi of Iran has been discharged from a Tehran medical facility following more than two weeks of treatment, according to her supporters who announced the news Monday.

Supporters are urging that the 54-year-old Mohammadi remain at her residence for continued medical care and daily physical therapy sessions.

On May 1, Mohammadi required emergency transport from her prison facility to a medical center in northwestern Iran after losing consciousness. Nearly 10 days following that incident, she was granted bail and moved to the Tehran hospital facility where medical specialists conducted examinations.

The Nobel Prize was awarded to her in 2023 during her incarceration, and she has faced multiple imprisonments during her activism career. Her current detention period started in December following her arrest in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran.

According to her family members, her physical condition had been declining while incarcerated, partially due to severe physical assault during her arrest. She experienced cardiac arrest in March and has been dealing with a lung blood clot that predates her imprisonment, requiring blood-thinning medication and medical supervision.

A court in Spain has cleared the Colombian pop star of tax fraud charges and directed the Spanish government to refund more than 55 million euros ($64 million) in penalties and interest that were improperly assessed, according to court documents reviewed Monday by The Associated Press.

This verdict concludes several years of tax-related legal issues in Spain for the internationally known performer.

The court’s decision centers on a disagreement regarding Shakira’s tax obligations for 2011, where Spanish tax officials failed to establish that the entertainer maintained residency in Spain, according to the Madrid court’s ruling.

Under Spanish law, an individual must remain in the country for more than 183 days annually to qualify as a tax resident. Tax officials could only demonstrate that Shakira was present in Spain for 163 days during that particular year, the court determined.

Over approximately the last ten years, Spain’s tax collection agency has pursued high-profile soccer players including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for allegedly underpaying their tax obligations. While both athletes were convicted of tax evasion, they escaped imprisonment due to Spanish legal provisions that permit judges to suspend sentences of less than two years for individuals with no prior criminal record.

MOSCOW, May 18 – Moscow officials are expressing significant optimism about President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to China this week, stating both nations will use the opportunity to strengthen their strategic alliance.

Putin’s visit is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, occurring just days after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his own talks with President Xi Jinping in China.

“We have very serious expectations for this visit,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday.

The relationship between China and Russia, which possesses the world’s largest natural resource reserves, has grown stronger following Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict. Officials have described their alliance as having “no limits.”

“We and our Chinese friends refer to it as a particularly privileged and strategic partnership,” Peskov explained.

According to Peskov, Putin’s delegation will feature several deputy prime ministers, cabinet officials, and business executives.

When questioned about potential discussions regarding the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline – a project that could eventually transport an additional 50 billion cubic metres annually from Russia’s Arctic gas reserves through Mongolia to China – Peskov indicated broad economic topics would be covered.

“All issues that are on the economic agenda of our bilateral relations will naturally be addressed,” he stated.

Hungary’s President Tamas Sulyok is standing firm against demands from the country’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar that he step down, according to an interview released Monday where Sulyok stated no valid grounds exist for his departure.

Magyar’s TISZA party scored a decisive victory over Viktor Orban’s longtime ruling Fidesz party in April elections, bringing an end to Orban’s 16-year grip on power. The new leadership has vowed to address rule of law concerns and implement other changes that have been central to ongoing tensions between Hungary’s capital and European Union officials.

Describing the April vote as a “vote for a change of regime,” Magyar has been intensifying demands that Sulyok, who was backed by Fidesz, along with other officials step down before May concludes.

“There is currently no legal reason or constitutional justification that could justify my resignation,” Sulyok stated to Index.hu.

“I remain faithful to my oath, and as long as the exercise of my office is not impossible, I intend to fulfil the mandate I have undertaken.”

While Hungary’s presidential position is primarily symbolic, Sulyok retains authority to send legislation back to lawmakers for review or submit laws to the Constitutional Court, actions that could obstruct Magyar’s planned reforms.

Magyar has demanded that Sulyok and other “puppets” installed during Orban’s tenure resign, noting that Orban’s policies frequently created conflicts with EU leadership and resulted in blocked funding from the European bloc.

During his Index.hu interview, Sulyok argued that the presidency should represent national unity and disputed characterizations of the election as a regime shift, describing it instead as simply a governmental transition.

Magyar has warned that should Sulyok refuse to resign, he plans to leverage his party’s strong electoral mandate to modify constitutional and other legal provisions to remove him from office.

Responding to Sulyok’s interview comments, Magyar posted on Facebook Monday that Hungary requires a president who remains independent of political factions and repeated his assertion that the president represents a “puppet of the failed system.”

“You must leave! And you will leave,” he declared.

A high-ranking Taiwanese official stated Monday that Taiwan would be open to direct communication between President Donald Trump and President Lai Ching-te, as the island nation works to address worries stemming from Trump’s comments after his recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

During their Beijing meeting last week, Trump and Xi had discussions about Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. Xi issued warnings about potential conflict if the Taiwan situation isn’t managed appropriately.

Following the summit, Trump offered various statements regarding Taiwan, including expressing uncertainty about future weapons sales, hinting at possible communication with Lai, and noting that the United States was “not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent’”.

No direct communication has taken place between a serving U.S. president and Taiwan’s leader since Washington changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi informed reporters that Trump’s statements had “caused some unnecessary concern” in Taiwan, though the government maintains that “nothing has changed.”

Chen explained that Taiwan would be receptive if Trump genuinely wishes to communicate with Lai.

“Of course, we would also ask: based on what you have said, does that mean you want to speak with our president? If he says yes, then should we make the relevant arrangements? We very much hope to have such an opportunity,” Chen added.

The United States serves as Taiwan’s primary international supporter and weapons provider.

Taiwan’s leadership disputes Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the island, maintaining that only Taiwan’s citizens have the authority to determine their own future.

An 82-year-old Venezuelan woman has passed away just 10 days after learning her son died while in government custody, according to the NGO that represented his case.

Carmen Navas had spent almost a year looking for her detained son and became well-known throughout Venezuela as she publicly asked for details about her 50-year-old son, Victor Quero. Authorities disclosed 10 days ago that Quero had died from respiratory failure at the notorious Rodeo I prison facility last July.

According to Alfredo Romero, who leads Foro Penal, correctional facility staff had continuously informed Navas that they were unaware of her son’s whereabouts.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado expressed condolences for Navas through social media, commending her for standing up to a “terror apparatus” in her quest to locate her son.

“Not just a mother died; a woman who turned pain into courage and despair into denunciation was extinguished,” Machado wrote, adding that Navas’ voice had become that of thousands of mothers seeking disappeared or imprisoned children.

Earlier this year, after the U.S. attacked Caracas and captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Venezuela’s government passed an amnesty law intended to free hundreds of people rights groups consider political prisoners.

Venezuelan authorities have always denied holding political prisoners and said those detained committed legitimate crimes.

Syria will participate in private discussions with G7 finance ministers and central bank governors during a meeting in Paris on Monday, according to a source with knowledge of the arrangements, representing another milestone in the nation’s rising international profile following Bashar al-Assad’s departure from power less than two years ago.

Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh is anticipated to join the gathering, with conversations expected to center on Syria’s long-term economic recovery and efforts to reconnect with international financial networks, the source indicated.

The G7 finance leaders are holding a two-day conference addressing worldwide economic challenges, including trade disputes and consequences from ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Years of warfare and international isolation have left Syria’s economy severely weakened. Although many sanctions have been reduced or eliminated following former president Assad’s departure, economic rebuilding has progressed slowly as investors and financial institutions remain cautious about compliance concerns and the logistical challenges of reestablishing Syria’s connections to worldwide financial networks.

Both Syria and Ukraine are anticipated to participate in portions of the meetings, highlighting the G7’s focus on supporting stability in nations considered crucial for regional and international security.

The informed source noted that Syria’s involvement represents preparation for the G7 leaders’ summit scheduled for June and demonstrates efforts to draw President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration closer to major world economies.

For Damascus, taking part in G7 financial discussions represents another milestone in its campaign to rejoin the international community, secure reconstruction assistance, and demonstrate its emerging role as an important player in regional transformation.