Category: World News

Aid flotilla organizers announced Monday that Israeli military personnel had taken control of one of their humanitarian vessels bound for Gaza, while communication was severed with a second ship in the eastern Mediterranean waters.

Israel’s foreign ministry had declared earlier that day on X that the country “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla vessels had launched their journey Thursday from southern Turkey’s coast, marking their third attempt to transport humanitarian supplies to Gaza following previous interceptions by Israeli forces in international waters.

Video footage captured military ships moving toward the aid vessels on Monday.

“Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and (Israeli) forces are boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight,” the Global Sumud Flotilla posted on X.

“We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission.”

Israeli officials also urged “all participants in this provocation to change course and turn back immediately” in their public statement.

A previous aid convoy had launched from Spain on April 12, but Israeli military forces intercepted those vessels as well, transporting over 100 pro-Palestinian activists to Crete while detaining two additional individuals in Israel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confronts increasingly limited options in Ukraine as his military forces struggle to make meaningful progress while Western economic sanctions continue draining his country’s resources, according to Estonia’s intelligence leadership.

Kaupo Rosin, Estonia’s foreign intelligence chief and a senior intelligence official on NATO’s eastern border, informed Reuters that Russia is experiencing higher casualty rates than recruitment numbers in the fifth year of its comprehensive military campaign. He noted that implementing widespread military conscription would likely face strong public opposition and could threaten domestic stability.

“All these factors together are creating a situation where some people in Russia including in the higher levels understand that they have a big problem. Hard to say what Putin thinks about it, but I think all these factors are starting to float into his decision-making,” Rosin stated during an interview conducted in Tallinn.

Recent months have seen Russian military units achieving some of their most limited territorial gains in Ukraine since 2023, occurring one year following their comprehensive invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s $3 trillion economy experienced a 0.3% decline during the initial quarter.

Putin maintains that government initiatives aimed at strengthening the economy are starting to produce favorable outcomes, and he has consistently stated that Russian military forces will continue operations until achieving all their objectives.

Rosin indicated that the primary factor behind Russia’s deteriorating financial circumstances was sanctions targeting the financial sector that were “really, really hurting,” while punitive actions against Russia’s oil export industry were also restricting revenue streams.

“I think it’s very difficult choices for them now. It’s hard to predict what they will decide in this current situation,” he said.

Estonia, which maintains a direct land boundary with Russia, serves as a prominent Ukraine supporter within the NATO military alliance and European Union, consistently urging fellow members to intensify pressure against Moscow.

“So my message is let’s push forward with (sanctions). This is not the time to hesitate, just let’s keep going,” he emphasized.

A separate European intelligence leader, speaking under anonymity conditions, told Reuters in independent comments that while growing pressure indicators on Russia were evident, no signs suggested this was altering Moscow’s strategic approach to the conflict.

“It’s very difficult for me to see that they (Russia) would get rid of their objective to get the whole Donbas area… and Russia is in no hurry, basically,” the official explained.

Russia has maintained during U.S.-facilitated peace negotiations that Ukraine must retreat from the eastern Donbas territory as part of any agreement, a demand that Kyiv has dismissed.

The Donbas territory includes the Russian-controlled province of Luhansk and the Donetsk area, portions of which Ukraine has successfully defended against prolonged Russian military operations.

The intelligence official added that Russia appeared unlikely to moderate its war objectives or that any significant “big breakthrough” was approaching. The official characterized Russian society as demonstrating resilience.

“It is wishful thinking that now Russia’s leadership is in some way eroding, or Putin is somehow challenged (domestically)…” the official stated.

The Estonian intelligence leader forecasted that Russia would maintain its goal of controlling Ukraine while Putin continues in leadership, and would also position substantial military forces along Ukraine’s borders following the conflict’s conclusion.

Additionally, he predicted that after hostilities end, Moscow will attempt to build up its military presence along NATO borders and pursue “military dominance … from the Arctic until the Black Sea.”

“The military ambition is very, very big on the Russian side,” he stated, predicting Moscow would persist in conducting sabotage operations in Western nations despite risks to civilian populations.

Russia has repeatedly denied participation in sabotage planning or attacks, dismissing such claims as Western fear tactics.

“Russia sees this (such attacks) as something which doesn’t ignite a big war,” Rosin concluded.

JAKARTA, May 18 – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto declared his nation will keep expanding its military strength in response to global uncertainties, speaking Monday during a ceremony where he formally delivered six Rafale fighter aircraft and additional defense equipment to the country’s Air Force.

The Southeast Asian nation had already taken delivery of three Rafale fighters in January, with three additional aircraft presented during Monday’s official handover event.

These six jets represent a portion of a larger procurement of 42 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation, finalized through an $8.1 billion agreement in 2022.

“I believe this is a milestone in strengthening our capabilities. We must continue to enhance our defence capabilities as a deterrent. We have no interest other than safeguarding our own territory,” Prabowo stated at the ceremony.

Following Indonesian tradition, Prabowo blessed one of the Rafale aircraft by spraying its nose with flowered water, a customary practice symbolizing good fortune when receiving new items.

The former special forces commander also transferred four Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft, one Airbus A400M MRTT, a Thales’ GM403 GCI Radar system, Meteor BVR missiles and AASM Hammer smart weapons to the military.

These defense acquisitions were originally negotiated while Prabowo held the position of defense minister in the prior administration.

The Dassault Falcon aircraft will serve as official transport for the president, vice president, and visiting heads of state.

Monday’s delivery marked the second Airbus A400M received by Indonesia, following the first unit delivered in November of the previous year.

Prabowo has indicated plans to purchase four additional units of the large transport aircraft, which has the capacity to carry heavy cargo including excavators, food supplies, clothing and medical equipment.

American military officials announced Monday that U.S. forces launched fresh airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in northeastern Nigeria over the weekend, working in partnership with Nigerian authorities.

The U.S. Africa Command reported that no American or Nigerian personnel were injured in Sunday’s military operations.

These latest strikes came just one day after a joint U.S.-Nigerian mission successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who served as the global second-in-command for the Islamic State organization, according to statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In describing the weekend operation, Tinubu praised the close collaboration between Nigerian and American military units, calling it “a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”

President Trump expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s leadership for their cooperation in the mission, despite having previously criticized the country for inadequate protection of Christian communities against militant Islamic groups.

The northeastern Nigerian region of Borno has been plagued by ongoing violence from Boko Haram militants and their offshoot organization, Islamic State West Africa Province, for the past 17 years. This prolonged conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced approximately 2 million residents from their homes.

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine senators opened an impeachment trial Monday targeting Vice President Sara Duterte on criminal allegations, as the nation faces severe political turmoil that resulted in armed confrontation within the legislative building last week.

Last Monday, the House of Representatives voted by a large margin to impeach Duterte on accusations of unexplained wealth, improper use of government money, and making a public statement threatening the president’s assassination if political conflicts led to her own death.

The vice president, who has declared her intention to run for president in 2028, has rejected the accusations but declined to provide detailed responses to the specific allegations.

Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, remains in custody by the International Criminal Court facing crimes against humanity accusations. These charges relate to anti-drug operations he directed during his presidency that resulted in the deaths of thousands of primarily small-time suspects.

Before the impeachment proceedings began, 13 out of 24 senators, primarily supporters of the Duterte family, suddenly seized control of the Senate leadership last Monday, casting doubt on how the trial will conclude.

The vice president has accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was once her political partner and co-candidate in the 2022 election, of “kidnapping” her sick father, referencing his detention and transfer to the international court in The Hague last March.

The growing conflict between the nation’s top two officials demonstrates the profound political splits that have historically troubled this dynamic Asian democracy.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who worked as Rodrigo Duterte’s chief of national police and implemented his violent drug enforcement campaigns, is among the senators. The ICC has identified dela Rosa as a co-conspirator and issued an arrest warrant for him last Monday.

On that same day, Dela Rosa, who had been absent from the Senate for months while avoiding arrest, unexpectedly appeared in the chamber to help Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a major Duterte supporter, secure a narrow majority and claim the Senate leadership position.

Dela Rosa informed reporters he emerged from hiding and traveled to the Senate in Cayetano’s vehicle but nearly faced arrest by National Bureau of Investigation officers. He rushed into a stairwell and ran to the Senate floor, where Cayetano and other supporters placed him under the chamber’s “protective custody.”

A tense confrontation between Senate security staff and government agents stationed in a nearby government facility turned violent Wednesday night, with Senate personnel discharging what their supervisor, Mao Aplasca, described as warning shots. Marcos urged citizens to stay calm during a late-night television address.

Cayetano subsequently reported that dela Rosa had vanished from the Senate. Officials stated they were examining whether the gunfire incident may have been orchestrated to facilitate dela Rosa’s escape.

BEIJING, May 18 – Beijing’s foreign ministry expressed strong opposition Monday to nations offering venues for what it termed “Taiwan independence separatist” actions, following the arrival of Taiwan’s foreign minister in Switzerland for activities connected to a World Health Organization gathering.

Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun delivered harsh criticism during a routine press conference, stating: “The Taiwan authorities’ practice of sending people around the world to wedge into conferences to grab attention is nothing more than the behaviour of petty clowns; it will only bring humiliation on themselves and is doomed to fail.”

Beijing announced last week it would again block Taiwan from participating in the WHO’s annual World Health Assembly occurring this week, maintaining its position that Taiwan belongs to Chinese territory.

Belarus announced on Monday that it is conducting military training exercises involving nuclear weapons, according to the country’s defense ministry.

The defense ministry released a statement explaining the purpose of the exercises: “The aim of the exercise is to improve the personnel’s level of training, to test the Airborne Forces’ readiness to carry out their tasks, and to organise combat operations from unplanned areas.”

Officials emphasized that the military training exercises are not targeting any particular nation and do not create security risks for the surrounding region.

The nuclear weapons being used in these drills belong to Russia, which has deployed them in Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that Moscow maintains control over the nuclear weapons positioned in Belarus.

Spain’s conservative People’s Party claimed victory in Sunday’s regional election in Andalusia but will need to form a coalition with the far-right Vox party to maintain control after losing their outright majority.

The election in Spain’s most populated region served as a political preview for next year’s anticipated national contest, where the same conservative alliance aims to remove Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez after nearly a decade of left-wing leadership.

Campaign issues centered heavily around healthcare system failures, drug trafficking problems, and joblessness throughout the region.

The People’s Party secured 53 legislative seats, dropping from their previous 58 in 2022 and falling short of the 55-seat threshold needed for complete control in the 109-member regional assembly.

The Socialist Party lost two positions, ending with 28 seats in what represents their poorest performance ever in what was once considered their electoral fortress. Meanwhile, Vox gained one seat for a total of 15, improving from their previous 14.

The left-wing regional party Adelante Andalucia experienced significant growth, jumping from two seats four years ago to eight, while the leftist Por Andalucia coalition maintained their existing five seats.

“We said it would be complicated. We have fallen short,” regional leader Juanma Moreno of the PP stated, having campaigned on promises of moderate governance without Vox involvement.

The People’s Party has previously established coalition agreements with Vox in the Extremadura and Aragon regions and appears positioned to create a similar arrangement in Castile and Leon in the coming weeks.

Socialist candidate Maria Jesus Montero, who previously held positions as the nation’s Budget Minister and Sanchez’s first deputy, accepted responsibility for the disappointing outcome and promised her party would address its shortcomings.

Andalusia remained solidly Socialist territory until 2018, when anti-establishment sentiment fueled Vox’s rise. This marked the first occasion in Spain’s democratic era that the People’s Party struck a deal with far-right forces for support, though that arrangement dissolved in 2022 when the PP achieved absolute majority control.

PARIS, May 18 (Reuters) – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday his intention to urge fellow G7 finance ministers to implement a comprehensive sanctions framework designed to prevent financial resources from reaching what he characterized as Iran’s “war machine.”

The Treasury Secretary also characterized the recent diplomatic mission to China, which included a U.S. delegation headed by President Donald Trump, as “very successful.”

The White House announced Sunday that China has agreed to address American concerns regarding critical mineral shortages, following agreements reached during last week’s leadership summit. However, the announcement stops short of demanding the elimination of export restrictions that have caused significant disruptions to US aerospace and semiconductor production.

Beijing implemented these controls in April 2025 as a response to US President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs. The restrictions continue to severely limit exports of specific rare earth materials, despite an agreement reached at October’s Busan summit where the White House stated China had pledged to “effectively eliminate” all existing and planned critical mineral export controls.

Six months later, the White House’s most recent statement appears to quietly accept that China’s export control system will remain operational. The announcement also failed to address whether a temporary one-year suspension of broader Chinese rare earth restrictions, set to end in November, would be renewed.

According to Sunday’s fact sheet outlining major outcomes from the Beijing summit, China committed to addressing American concerns about shortages of essential minerals and rare earths, specifically yttrium, scandium and indium.

The document also indicated China would tackle US worries regarding export limitations on rare earth processing technology, which Beijing strictly protects to safeguard domestic manufacturers who handle nearly all global production.

In contrast to the White House announcement, China’s Ministry of Commerce did not reference rare earths in its own summary released Saturday.

“The gap in this case is not ideal, but fine,” stated Cory Combs, associate director at macro research firm Trivium China.

“What’s most important is that both sides have clearly, credibly indicated interest in stability and they are able to effectively market that message to their own domestic audiences.”

While export permits for rare earths are being processed for industries such as automotive and consumer electronics, companies operating in sensitive sectors where these materials have potential military uses continue facing significant delays.

Previous reporting revealed that persistent shortages of yttrium — a component in heat-resistant coatings for aircraft engines — and scandium utilized in semiconductor production have seriously affected American industry. Businesses have pressured Washington to negotiate with Beijing on their behalf.

Among the critical minerals the White House mentioned for the first time is indium, which serves an essential function in both upstream and downstream semiconductor supply chains and has appeared on China’s export control list since February 2025.

The compound indium phosphide is vital for producing advanced photonic chips that utilize light rather than electricity for data processing, along with high-speed optical lasers employed in fiber optic networks and 6G systems. Another compound, indium tin oxide, is necessary for manufacturing LED displays in consumer electronics.

Companies like Coherent are increasing production of photonic chips that are being rapidly incorporated into AI data center development worldwide.

Chinese indium exports have dropped substantially in the 14 months following February 2025 compared to the equivalent period previously, according to customs data. Global shipments have decreased by approximately two-thirds, with US shipments falling by 77%.

Coherent’s CEO joined the executive delegation that accompanied Trump during his visit, with all participating companies confronting regulatory or political challenges in China. Coherent controls a 40% global market share in indium phosphide optical components.

“If Chinese licensing remains slow or politically contingent, Coherent could face higher input costs, allocation problems, delayed capacity expansion, and difficulty meeting hyperscaler demand,” explained Paul Triolo, partner and China technology policy lead at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced Monday that he engaged in productive weekend discussions with Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orban regarding minority rights concerns.

The officials have scheduled expert-level discussions between their nations for this week focused on addressing issues affecting the Hungarian minority population living in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region, according to Sybiha’s announcement.

“We are prepared to work with the new Hungarian government on all issues of our bilateral agenda, including the national minority topic, with the aim of restoring trust and good-neighbourly relations between our countries,” Sybiha wrote on X.

The Ukrainian foreign minister characterized his weekend conversation with Orban as “constructive and substantive” and said the upcoming consultations would seek “practical and robust solutions for the Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia region.”

A Hong Kong courtroom concluded closing arguments Monday in a national security case targeting two former leaders who organized large-scale memorial events for the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

For many years, Hong Kong remained the sole location within China where citizens could publicly gather to remember the 1989 crackdown. These memorial gatherings were prohibited starting in 2020, and the two former coordinators faced charges in 2021 for allegedly encouraging subversion under national security legislation imposed by Beijing that has effectively silenced the city’s democracy advocacy movement.

The defendants, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, previously led the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and have entered not guilty pleas. A conviction could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years.

Legal experts view this prosecution as evidence of diminishing Western-style freedoms in the city, which Beijing had committed to preserving for five decades following Hong Kong’s 1997 transfer from British control. Both Beijing and Hong Kong officials maintain the security legislation is essential for maintaining civic order.

Throughout the proceedings, prosecutors emphasized the alliance’s central goal of “ending one-party rule,” claiming the defendants encouraged others to pursue illegal methods to topple China’s Communist Party leadership. The prosecution maintained the accused were not seeking constitutional reforms.

During Monday’s session, prosecutor Ned Lai stated that speech, assembly and association rights have limitations, claiming Lee and Chow were trying to obscure the case’s focus through human rights defenses.

“The freedoms of speech, association and assembly mentioned by D2 and D4 are not ‘trump cards’ that can override the law,” Lai stated, using the defendants’ court identification numbers.

In earlier court sessions, Lee rejected the notion that “ending one-party rule” meant dismantling Communist Party authority. He contended it represented progress toward democratic governance, allowing citizens to choose their leaders, and that the Communist Party should abandon “dictatorship.”

Chow, a legal professional representing herself, maintained her previous writings were not meant to provoke action or animosity but rather to help Hong Kong residents better understand mainland China, where many citizens also aspire to democratic reforms.

A third co-defendant, Albert Ho, admitted guilt when proceedings started in January. Guilty pleas often lead to reduced sentencing.

The proceedings, originally planned for 75 days, are anticipated to conclude ahead of schedule. However, the presiding judges have not announced when they will issue their decision.

Massive crowds participated in Hong Kong’s yearly Tiananmen memorial events until officials prohibited them in 2020 citing COVID-19 health concerns.

Following the lifting of pandemic restrictions, pro-Beijing organizations held a festival at the former vigil location. Individuals who attempted to honor the event near the site on June 4, the anniversary date, were arrested.

SYDNEY, May 18 – Australia’s center-left administration is confronting significant public opposition following the implementation of sweeping investment tax reforms in their recent budget, marking a departure from campaign commitments, two major polling surveys reveal.

The administration announced last week plans to restrict capital gains tax benefits and negative gearing policies on investment properties as part of efforts to tackle generational inequality in wealth distribution.

Critics have argued these policies have historically favored older, more affluent property investors in the housing market.

A Newspoll survey taken following the budget announcement showed 47% of respondents viewed the measures as harmful to economic growth.

Additionally, 60% of those polled described the housing policy changes as either a “step in the wrong direction” or said they would “make no difference.”

The budget received a negative 25-point net approval score, marking it as the least popular in recent decades according to the poll of 1,252 respondents.

Despite the budget’s poor reception, the Labor government’s primary support level held steady at 31%. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese maintained his position as voters’ preferred leader, though his approval rating remained at negative 17%.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor saw his approval rating climb one point to negative 12%, while support for the conservative-coalition opposition fell one point to 20%. The far-right One Nation party gained 3 points, reaching 27% support.

A second Resolve poll surveying 1,800 voters showed the budget had a negative impact on Labor’s primary support, which dropped 3 points to 29%.

One Nation benefited from this shift, gaining 2 points to reach 24%, while the coalition remained at 23%.

In the Resolve survey, Taylor emerged as voters’ preferred prime minister choice, leading Anthony Albanese 33% to 30%.

The budget proved particularly unpopular among older demographics, property investors, and homeowners, with roughly 40% in each group stating that Labor’s broken campaign pledges negatively affected their opinion of the party.

Younger Australian citizens and renters showed less opposition to the proposed changes, according to polling data.

Property investment tax reform represents a politically challenging issue in Australia. Labor had promised during their 2025 election campaign not to alter housing-related taxes before winning a decisive second term.

Beneath bright stage lighting, hundreds of transgender women prepared their traditional sarees, placed fresh flowers in their hair, and awaited their turn to appear before enthusiastic audiences at one of India’s most significant transgender community events.

Taking place annually in the village of Koovagam in Tamil Nadu, southern India, this festival combines religious devotion with celebration of beauty. During daytime hours, transgender women visit a temple to pay tribute to a Hindu god through ceremonies based in ancient stories and mourning. When evening arrives, they honor glamour, personal identity, and happiness while participating in a colorful beauty competition.

The event revolves around the Hindu story of Aravan, a fighter from the religious text Mahabharata who volunteered to die before combat but wanted to wed beforehand. The tale tells how the Hindu god Krishna changed into female form to marry Aravan. Numerous transgender women throughout India view this story as an uncommon holy acknowledgment of changing gender identity, and annually recreate this wedding during the festival.

This gathering, which attracted hundreds of transgender women last month, has evolved into both a religious journey and a strong statement of identity in a nation where many transgender individuals continue experiencing prejudice, attacks and rejection.

The event also occurred during a period of worry for the transgender community. Many participants came while growing increasingly concerned about a disputed national proposal that advocates fear might weaken previously secured rights for India’s transgender population by demanding medical committee permission for official gender recognition.

For numerous participants, the festival held deep spiritual meaning.

Shanshi, who uses only one name, has attended the festival for five years and called Aravan “God for all transgender people.”

“When we gather here, it is for one reason — to worship Lord Aravan by getting married to him,” she said, after a Hindu priest tied a sacred thread around her neck, symbolically marrying her to the deity.

Other attendees discussed violence and difficulties outside the festival location.

Nazariya Kutty, 28, said she was forced out of her family home as a teenager and later survived domestic abuse and sexual assault in a marriage she hoped would bring stability. She rebuilt her life through delivery jobs before reopening her travel business.

Now back at Koovagam with friends, she said the rituals give her strength.

“I am waiting to be the bride of Lord Aravan,” Kutty said. “I have faith he will restore whatever I have lost.”

Despite the festival’s spiritual intensity, the mood stayed festive. The village of Koovagam also became a lively beauty competition, where style and community became the main focus.

Behind the scenes at this year’s beauty contest, participants wearing sparkling sarees shared mirrors and cosmetics before walking onto the platform as music rang throughout the village.

For 24-year-old Surya Kutty, earning the Miss Koovagam title represented a life-changing moment after years of attending the festival with close companions.

“This win has given me the confidence to participate in national and international events,” she said.

Beyond the competition and ceremonies, many visitors called the event an unusual place of acceptance for a community that still encounters obstacles to employment, shelter and medical care throughout India.

Surya said the festival creates a rare sense of belonging.

“Here we meet other transgender people and feel loved and cared by everyone,” she said. “These are special days meant exclusively for us.”

MANILA, May 18 – The Philippine Senate was scheduled to assemble on Monday as an impeachment tribunal that may determine Vice President Sara Duterte’s political future, with an intense confrontation between competing political factions expected to dominate the proceedings.

The impeachment proceedings represent a crucial moment that could either destroy Duterte’s aspirations for the 2028 presidency or bolster her standing as the primary candidate to replace her political adversary, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who cannot seek reelection under constitutional restrictions.

The trial unfolds during a period of significant political upheaval, occurring just days following disorder and gunfire in the upper chamber and a potentially game-changing shift in Senate leadership, both connected to the return from concealment of a pro-Duterte senator sought by the International Criminal Court.

As legislators prepared to vote on Duterte’s impeachment in the lower chamber on May 11, politician Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa emerged from hiding to deliver a pivotal Senate vote installing Duterte supporter Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, making Cayetano the officer who will oversee the impeachment proceedings.

Duterte faces her most significant political challenge and could be prohibited from holding public office if found guilty in the trial, while her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, awaits his own ICC trial regarding his lethal “war on drugs” campaign.

Sara Duterte, 47, stands accused of improperly using government funds, accumulating unexplained assets and making death threats against Marcos, the first lady and a former House speaker. She maintains her innocence.

The trial’s start date remains uncertain. Marcos has kept his distance from her impeachment proceedings, describing it as a matter for the legislature to handle.

Both Marcos and Duterte come from influential political dynasties and campaigned as allies in the 2022 election. However, their partnership quickly deteriorated, resulting in a bitter split and Marcos turning her father over to the ICC.

Political experts suggest the Senate leadership transformation sparked by dela Rosa’s comeback may have altered the power dynamics in a chamber that includes Duterte supporters and allied politicians among its 24 members, who will act as jurors.

A guilty verdict requires support from two-thirds of the Senate.

“Given that we now have a new majority, thanks to the efforts of Senator Bato, it would make prosecuting Vice President Sara in the impeachment court a little more difficult,” said Ederson Tapia, public administration professor at the University of Makati.

Dela Rosa’s emergence after six months underground generated dramatic events that captivated the Philippines, with the former police commander sheltering for days in the heavily protected Senate before warnings of his pending arrest caused chaos, shooting and his departure hours afterward.

As the primary enforcer of the former president’s anti-drug campaign, dela Rosa, 64, faces accusations of crimes against humanity. The Marcos government confirmed Friday it will pursue his arrest.

Dela Rosa, whose location remains unknown, rejects the charges and has requested a Supreme Court order to prevent his detention, claiming no legal foundation exists to execute a warrant from an international tribunal. The solicitor-general disputes this argument.

Ukrainian officials reported Monday that Russian forces conducted overnight drone and missile strikes on May 18, targeting the southern city of Odesa and the southeastern city of Dnipro, leaving 11 people wounded, including two children.

Drone strikes hit residential areas, a school and a kindergarten in Odesa, the major Black Sea export port, according to Serhiy Lysak, who heads the local military administration and posted the information on the Telegram messaging platform.

“An 11-year-old boy and a 59-year-old man were injured in the attack,” he added.

In a separate assault, Russian missiles struck the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, wounding nine individuals including a 10-year-old boy, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported via Telegram.

Meanwhile, Russian officials said drones were intercepted overnight in the southern Rostov region, including strikes near the port city of Taganrog along the Sea of Azov, according to regional governor Yuri Slyusar’s Telegram post.

Previous reports from Sunday indicated that at least four people died, three in the Moscow region, following what officials described as Ukraine’s largest overnight drone assault on the Russian capital in over a year.

Reuters noted it could not independently confirm battlefield accounts. Both nations deny intentionally striking civilian targets.

Economic momentum in China weakened significantly during April, with manufacturing production and consumer spending figures falling well below analyst expectations, according to new government data released Monday.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported that manufacturing output increased by 4.1% compared to the same period last year, a notable decline from March’s 5.7% growth rate. This figure also missed the anticipated 5.9% growth that economists had predicted and represents the weakest performance since July 2023.

Consumer spending patterns showed even more concerning trends, with retail sales climbing only 0.2% in April, a sharp drop from the 1.7% increase recorded in March. This marked the smallest gain since December 2022 and fell significantly short of the 2% growth economists had forecasted.

The weakness in consumer behavior was particularly evident in the automotive sector, where domestic vehicle sales plummeted 21.6% year-over-year in April. This decline represents the seventh consecutive month of falling car sales, despite automakers increasing their focus on international markets to compensate for domestic weakness.

Investment activity also showed troubling signs, with fixed-asset investment declining 1.6% during the first four months of 2026, a reversal from the 1.7% growth seen in the January through March period.

Economic analysts attributed some of the investment slowdown to decreased activity in the construction sector, as measured by purchasing managers’ surveys, along with severe rainfall affecting southern regions of the country.

These April statistics suggest that the strong performance China demonstrated in the first quarter may already be losing momentum. The economy had grown 5.0% in the opening three months of the year, reaching the higher end of the government’s annual target range of 4.5% to 5.0%.

However, experts have cautioned that the recovery appears unbalanced, with industrial production continuing to outpace domestic consumer demand.

The ongoing decline in the real estate sector continues to weigh on overall economic growth, while conflicts in the Middle East have created additional external pressures at a time when domestic consumption remains weak.

Property investment showed further deterioration in April compared to the previous year, adding to economic headwinds.

While stronger-than-expected export performance and government controls on domestic fuel pricing have helped cushion the impact of energy market volatility, sustained higher input costs could pressure manufacturer profit margins and further dampen household spending if international conflicts continue.

Senior government officials have committed to bolstering the nation’s energy security, speeding up technological independence, and gaining greater supply chain control in response to external economic shocks.

The Politburo reaffirmed its “proactive” fiscal approach and “appropriately loose” monetary policy stance, using terminology consistent with previous official statements and indicating no immediate plans for additional economic stimulus measures.

A powerful 5.2 magnitude tremor struck China’s southwestern Guangxi region during the early morning hours on Monday, claiming two lives and prompting the evacuation of more than 7,000 residents from Liuzhou city as rescue teams continue their search operations.

According to reports from CCTV and state news agency Xinhua, authorities have confirmed two fatalities with one person still unaccounted for. Four individuals were transported to medical facilities, though officials report none sustained life-threatening injuries.

The seismic event caused significant structural damage, with state broadcaster CCTV confirming that thirteen buildings crumbled during the early morning quake.

Railway officials have issued warnings about potential transportation delays as crews conduct safety inspections of track infrastructure throughout the affected region.

Despite the destruction, state media indicates that essential services including communications, electrical power, water distribution, gas supply, and traffic flow continue to function normally in the earthquake zone.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Following her release from a three-year imprisonment in Beijing, Cheng Lei has dedicated herself to reconstructing her existence. The journalist has authored a book and theatrical work, experimented with comedic performance, and resumed her media profession.

Her experience has provided unusual insight into the brutal realities of China’s secretive detention facilities. Additionally, she has offered a deeply personal account of perseverance, demonstrating how purpose can emerge from adversity.

“I think when your life gets shattered and you lose so many things that used to define you, you do have a kind of freedom to reorganize your atoms and create a new you,” Cheng told The Associated Press during rehearsals for a play about her incarceration, “1154 Days.”

“For me, it’s a fuller appreciation of life and much more adventurousness and also a serene sort of quiet fearlessness,” she added.

Theatrical work represents one of several new pursuits that have characterized the China-born Australian’s existence since her deportation from Beijing in October 2023.

After immigrating from China at age 10 with her family, she obtained Australian citizenship. She characterized herself as an unfulfilled accountant when she departed Australia at 25 seeking opportunities in media.

Cheng had risen to become a presenter for the “Global Business” program on China state broadcaster CCTV English, following two decades of developing her bilingual journalism career across Asia. This chapter concluded suddenly in August 2020, when a Beijing State Security Bureau official informed her at CCTV headquarters that she faced investigation for providing state secrets to foreign organizations. She was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed facility.

In October 2023, a Beijing court found her guilty of illegally providing state secrets abroad and imposed a sentence of two years and 11 months in prison. By the time of sentencing, she had nearly completed that duration in custody.

Her violation consisted of breaking by seven minutes an embargo in May 2020 on the then-Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s annual report that revealed, unusually, no economic growth target would be set for China that year due to pandemic uncertainty, Cheng wrote in her memoir published last year. She said she hadn’t been aware of an embargo.

Cheng believes she was a victim of hostage diplomacy, punished as an Australian citizen because her government had demanded an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. On April 19, 2020, Australia’s then-Foreign Minister Marise Payne called for an inquiry into the pandemic. China’s Ministry of State Security began investigating Cheng four days later on “suspicion of endangering state security.”

“Why me? Why that time? All these questions I’m still asking,” Cheng said.

One month prior to Cheng’s detention, Australia cautioned its citizens they faced potential “arbitrary detention” in China. All Australian journalists employed by Australian media organizations subsequently departed. The final two, the Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith and Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s Bill Birtles, left in September 2020, following diplomatic confrontations. They were individually questioned by police regarding Cheng before receiving permission to exit China.

COVID drove an already strained relationship between Australia and China to unprecedented lows. An enraged Beijing ceased accepting calls from Australian government ministers. Formal and informal restrictions were imposed on Australian exports including wine, coal, barley and lobsters.

The conservative Australian government that provoked China’s anger was succeeded by the current center-left Labor Party government in May 2022 elections, prior to the gradual removal of trade barriers.

Australian officials had addressed Cheng’s detention during high-level bilateral discussions, just as they continue to pressure Beijing to release another Australian, Yang Hengjun.

The Chinese-born democracy blogger received a suspended death sentence in 2024, after a Beijing court convicted him of espionage.

The 60-year-old has remained in custody since arriving in China on a flight from the United States in 2019. He is expected to learn within weeks whether his penalty will be changed to life in prison.

His supporters fear he wouldn’t survive a long prison sentence due to his deteriorating health.

Cheng expressed feeling obligated to those like Yang, who have become victims of the Chinese justice system, to speak out against it.

The most difficult phase of her imprisonment occurred initially: six months under Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location, or RSDL.

Cheng explained that authorities concentrate immediately on breaking prisoners to secure guilty pleas through isolation, continuous monitoring, enforced silence and severe limitations on physical movement. Despite enduring what she termed the “stultifying monotony,” Cheng received credit for only three of her six months in RSDL toward her sentence.

“I know people who are still going through RSDL, or unfair, unjust, arbitrary detention in China. Or being sentenced to ludicrous, harsh sentences for standing up for other people, for standing up for human rights,” Cheng said.

“They would want this story to be told because they don’t have a voice. And for the people who are too scared to talk because their families are hostages in China, this is for them too,” she added.

The theatrical production debuts May 28 in Melbourne, where Cheng, 50, currently resides with her daughter Ava, 17, and son Alex, 15. Both children had been visiting family in Melbourne when China closed its borders due to the pandemic in early 2020, months before Cheng’s arrest.

The play’s publicist says the work reveals how the mind adapts, resists and even creates under pressure.

“In isolation, she built television programs in her head, devised memory games and found unexpected ways to connect with herself, others and even with her captors,” a press release says.

Cheng describes it more directly: her work focuses on emotions.

“It’s about how it feels to have everything taken away from you. How it feels to be with three other people all the time in the same little cell for three years, how it feels to be watched every minute of the day and how it feels to finally regain your freedom.”

Cheng hopes audiences will see past China’s assertions of being a just and orderly society that follows the rule of law, as Beijing positions itself as a more dependable international partner than the United States under President Donald Trump.

Stand-up comedy represents another new venture in Cheng’s post-imprisonment life. She initially performed on a Melbourne stage in June 2024 — eight months following her release — alongside China-born Australian activist and writer Vicky Xu.

“If you can’t joke about incarceration, then you have no sense of humor,” Cheng told the Australian Financial Review at the time. “Humor got me through much of it and brightened the cell for me and my cellmates.”

Cheng delivered a five-minute performance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s RAW Competition for newcomers in February and eagerly anticipates additional opportunities. She joked with her audience that she’d need a longer slot to cover her story of imprisonment in China for so-called espionage.

“Life is a tragic comedy and we should mine it,” Cheng quipped. “I just have a bit more material than others.”

Three white rats jumped from small containers into a large enclosure on Sunday while other rodents explored temporary tunnels and ate applesauce provided by their caretaker at an indoor venue in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The scene was part of Ratapalooza, a yearly event in the Argentine capital that encourages people to adopt laboratory rodents that are no longer needed for research or have become excess inventory at animal facilities.

Team Ratas, which means rats in Spanish, hosts events like Ratapalooza to connect these animals with adoptive families. Argentine law permits keeping rats or mice as companions, provided they are not wild animals.

The event resembles a community fair, featuring booths that sell keychains, cups, stickers and hair accessories shaped like rats and mice. Proceeds support veterinary care and food costs for the rodents, which volunteers care for in their homes before finding permanent placements.

María Gabriela Aponte worked at one booth, holding Camamberto, one of three rats she has taken in, while selling plant-based food, mouse-shaped pins and stickers.

She explained that all the animals came from laboratories, specifically from vivariums where research animals live under carefully regulated conditions.

“People don’t really know, or they have a very specific perception of, what a pet is,” Aponte told The Associated Press. “Rats are very intelligent and sweet.”

Dominique Verdier, a Team Ratas representative, explains that potential adopters must have access to a veterinarian who specializes in exotic animals, provide a large cage with plenty of enrichment items, and commit to spending at least one hour daily with their new pets.

Team Ratas leads efforts in Argentina and Latin America to relocate laboratory rats and mice that would face euthanasia without foster placement.

The program began in 2016 when Verdier took in two rats after learning from a friend that the university where they had been used for studies no longer required them.

She established a rescue network with 90 foster families in Buenos Aires and surrounding communities, caring for hundreds of animals from 11 research facilities and laboratories. Over the past decade, she has saved more than 8,000 animals and successfully placed approximately 3,000 in homes.

Her organization has gained more than 60,000 Instagram followers.

Contact with rats and mice may raise health concerns given the current fatal hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius after it docked in Argentina this month.

Hantavirus typically spreads through inhaling particles from infected wild rodent waste, with these animals commonly found in Patagonia in southern Argentina.

Verdier, who cares for most of the 37 rodents in her own home, emphasizes that laboratory rats pose no health risks.

“They do not transmit diseases because they have not had contact with the street nor are they inoculated with viruses and bacteria,” she said.

The laboratories that have worked with Team Ratas for years only provide animals that have never been exposed to viruses or bacteria.

“Several laboratories prefer to euthanize the animals, while others tell me, ‘Take them away, we don’t want to sacrifice them’,” she added.

Veterinarian Silvina Diaz from the University of Buenos Aires conducts research on rat and mouse nervous systems in an experimental laboratory.

She endorses finding new homes for the rodents after their research work concludes.

“It is great that they’re doing this work of rehoming animals in families that can give them a good life,” said Diaz, who serves as a contact between veterinary technicians and Team Ratas.

Verdier, who remains committed to placing these small animals in loving homes, says she has grown accustomed to social media criticism.

“If people see a dog shelter, they might admire it, but when I mention Ratapalooza they say, ‘What you’re doing is silly’,” she said. “And I say that I’ve been doing this for 10 years and it keeps growing.”

Finance ministers from the world’s leading economies are meeting in Paris this week to address mounting global economic tensions and work toward better coordination on essential raw material supplies, though political disagreements may challenge the group’s ability to reach consensus.

The gathering spans two days and comes on the heels of a recent summit between the U.S. President and Chinese President that produced limited economic progress, while underlying tensions over Taiwan and trade remained despite outward diplomatic politeness.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, who is hosting the discussions, has identified fundamental global economic imbalances as a central focus of the Paris meetings. These imbalances are creating trade disputes and could potentially lead to volatile unwinding in financial markets.

“The way the global economy has been developing for the past 10 years or so is clearly unsustainable,” he said, pointing to a pattern in which China under-consumes, the United States over-consumes and Europe under-invests.

Lescure emphasized that the G7 provides a venue for honest conversations among allies during a period of growing tensions with Washington.

“These discussions are not easy. I’m not going to tell you that we agree on everything, including, of course, first and foremost with our American friends,” he told journalists ahead of the meeting.

The finance ministers will seek updates on relations between the U.S. and China following the recent leadership summit, as well as the latest American initiatives to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, particularly after the administration ended a sanctions waiver on Russian seaborne oil over the weekend.

French officials involved in planning the meeting indicated that simply getting all parties to acknowledge their role in trade and capital flow imbalances would represent progress, though American representatives may resist such acknowledgment.

Philip Luck, director of the economics program at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed skepticism about U.S. cooperation on this front.

“I’d be shocked if they’re going to sign on to the idea this is the U.S.’s fault in some way,” said Luck.

The agenda also includes examining economic consequences from the Middle East conflict and instability in global bond markets, which particularly concerns Japan.

Britain’s finance ministry announced that Rachel Reeves would “press for coordinated action to limit inflation and supply chain pressures, and restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz” during the meetings, while also reinforcing the government’s goal to reduce trade barriers between Britain and the European Union.

Internal disagreements within the G7 are making it more difficult to present a united front as ministers prepare for a leaders summit scheduled for June 15-17 in the spa town of Evian.

A major secondary focus involves critical minerals and rare earth elements, where G7 governments are working to coordinate efforts aimed at reducing dependence on China, which controls supply chains essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and defense technologies.

Lescure stated the G7 would advocate for enhanced coordination to monitor markets, predict disruptions, and develop alternative supply sources through joint projects across allied nations. The objective is ensuring that “no country can ever again have a monopoly” over such materials, according to his remarks.

G7 nations are attempting to establish a shared set of tools to stabilize markets and promote domestic investment, potentially including price floors for producers, collective purchasing arrangements, and tariffs.

However, Luck, who previously worked on this issue in the Biden administration, cautioned that the initiative represents a long-term effort unlikely to produce immediate results from the finance ministers’ gathering.

“We are in the very early innings of figuring this out,” he said. “I don’t think there’s agreement on a strategy even within the U.S. government, let alone being able to articulate that in a convincing way to our partners in order to get them to sign on.”

Russian officials claim their forces shot down more than 3,100 Ukrainian drones during the previous seven days, according to state media reports citing military data.

The RIA news agency compiled figures showing the highest number of drone interceptions occurred on two specific dates – May 13 and May 17 – when Russian forces allegedly destroyed 572 and 1,054 aircraft respectively. Most of the reported shootdowns took place over areas within European Russia, according to the compiled information.

The claims follow Ukraine’s most significant nighttime drone assault on Moscow in more than 12 months, which resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, local authorities reported Sunday. Three of those fatalities occurred in the Moscow region during the large-scale attack.

Crude oil markets saw significant increases Monday following a drone strike on a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, while diplomatic efforts to resolve U.S.-Israeli tensions with Iran have reached an impasse.

By 2202 GMT, Brent crude futures had jumped $1.36 to reach $110.62 per barrel, marking a 1.24% increase. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.84 to $107.26 per barrel, representing a 1.75% gain.

The price surge comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated to review potential military responses regarding Iran, adding to market uncertainty in the region.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has directed military officials to bolster border forces and other key military divisions as part of efforts to “more thoroughly deter war,” according to state media reports from Monday.

The North Korean leader delivered these instructions during a Sunday gathering with army division and brigade commanders, state media KCNA reported.

Kim urged military leaders to revamp training programs and increase hands-on exercises to address evolving modern combat tactics and North Korea’s advancing military capabilities, KCNA stated.

The leader also emphasized that upcoming initiatives should reshape operational strategies to align with the rapid advancement of military technology and equipment, implementing these changes in unit combat preparation.

According to KCNA, Kim highlighted the importance of ideological commitment and remaining alert against the “arch enemy,” language North Korea commonly uses when referring to South Korea.

Saudi Arabia’s military forces stopped three unmanned aircraft on Sunday after the drones crossed into the kingdom’s territory from Iraq, according to officials.

The country’s defense ministry stated it will implement appropriate operational responses to counter any efforts to breach the nation’s sovereignty and security.

Although tensions related to the Iran conflict have mostly decreased following a ceasefire that began in April, unmanned aircraft have continued to be sent from Iraq toward Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Moldovan government officials are strongly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent decision to provide expedited citizenship pathways for residents living in the breakaway region of Transdniestria, viewing the action as a direct threat to their sovereignty.

The separatist territory split from Moldova back in 1990 while the country remained part of the Soviet Union, and following a short-lived armed conflict in 1992, both sides have coexisted in relative stability.

Approximately 1,500 Russian military personnel, whom Russia often characterizes as peacekeeping forces, maintain positions between the two territories, while the breakaway region continues to receive significant financial support from Moscow.

Moldova’s administration, which has set a goal of European Union membership by 2030, views both the separatist territory and the Russian military deployment as tools for Moscow to influence their domestic policies. Last month, military leaders from the Russian contingent were prohibited from entering Moldovan territory.

Putin’s Friday directive allows the 350,000 people living in Transdniestria to obtain Russian passports while bypassing standard residency and other typical requirements. Roughly half of the population already possesses Russian citizenship.

“Probably, they want more people to send to the war in Ukraine,” President Maia Sandu, a frequent critic of Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, told a conference in Estonia on Saturday.

“It’s probably one way to threaten us again, because Russia does not like the actions we have been taking on reintegration on the economic and financial (sectors). The people in the Transdniestria region have to think twice.”

She noted that numerous residents from the territory had already obtained Moldovan passports to “feel safer” following the start of the conflict.

Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu stated Saturday evening that his administration was weighing concrete responses, noting that diplomatic protests to the Russian ambassador regarding Russian drone incursions into Moldovan airspace had failed to influence Moscow’s behavior.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy characterized Putin’s citizenship offer as equivalent to “Russia designating the territory of Transdniestria as supposedly its own.” He announced that Ukraine and Moldova would develop “a joint assessment and joint action.”

Russia’s ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Ozerov, defended the policy to the state TASS news agency, claiming it was motivated by humanitarian concerns due to Moldova’s “increasing pressure on Transdniestria.”

He dismissed Moldovan objections to the decree as “hypocrisy,” pointing out that many Moldovans were securing passports from Romania, Moldova’s western neighbor.

Lithuanian officials announced Sunday that they discovered a crashed Ukrainian military drone within their borders, according to the country’s National Crisis Management Centre.

The unmanned aircraft went undetected as it crossed into Lithuanian territory and was not carrying any explosive devices, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, who leads the crisis management center.

Officials found the wreckage in the village of Samane, located approximately 40 kilometers from Latvia’s border and 55 kilometers from Belarus, the center reported.

Ukrainian officials have not yet responded to the incident.

In a related development, Latvia’s military issued a drone warning Sunday morning near its Russian border, prompting NATO fighter jets on Baltic Air Police duty to respond to the area.

According to the Latvian army, one drone briefly crossed into Latvian territory during the alert period.

Beginning in March, multiple Ukrainian drones have strayed into the airspace of NATO countries Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, all of which share borders with Russia and its partner Belarus.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated that these wayward drones were intended to target Russian military installations but became misdirected due to Russian electronic interference.

Several of these aircraft have crashed and detonated upon impact, including two drones that struck a Latvian oil storage facility on May 7, causing fires.

Following that incident, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina dismissed her defense minister, which ultimately resulted in her government’s collapse on May 14.

In April, the three Baltic nations declared they have never permitted their land or airspace to be used for drone strikes against Russian targets.

Jeff Landry, the United States special representative tasked by President Donald Trump with advancing American territorial interests in Greenland, touched down in the capital city of Nuuk on Sunday, according to local news outlets.

The Louisiana governor has supported Trump’s vision of bringing the expansive Arctic region under U.S. control. However, this objective faces firm resistance from leadership in both Greenland and Denmark, who have consistently stated the territory cannot be purchased.

Video footage broadcast by public media outlet DR captured Landry stepping off an aircraft in Nuuk.

His itinerary includes participation in the ‘Future Greenland’ business conference scheduled for May 19-20, where he will be joined by U.S. ambassador to Denmark Kenneth Howery.

While Business Greenland, which organized the conference, did not extend a direct invitation to Landry, officials noted the event maintains open registration for interested participants.

The U.S. embassy in Copenhagen announced earlier this week that Landry and Howery would “meet with a wide range of Greenlanders to listen and learn with a goal of expanding economic opportunities, building people-to-people ties, and increasing understanding between the United States and Greenland.”

In an effort to reduce diplomatic friction, Greenland, Denmark and the United States reached an agreement earlier this year to conduct high-level diplomatic discussions aimed at addressing the dispute, though results from these continuing conversations have not been disclosed.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen indicated earlier this week that expanding U.S. military presence remains a topic in current discussions with Washington.

No formal meetings between Landry and Greenlandic government officials have been announced for his current visit.

ABUJA, Nigeria — More than 80 students have been kidnapped from Nigerian schools during a series of militant raids over the past week, according to local authorities and human rights organizations who reported the incidents on Sunday. The attacks represent the most recent wave of school abductions plaguing the West African nation as officials continue fighting various extremist and armed factions.

Armed groups struck an elementary school located in Borno state, situated in Nigeria’s northeastern region, during the timeframe spanning Wednesday through Thursday. During this assault, militants seized 42 students from the Askira Uba and Chibok regions.

According to Amnesty International, this raid occurred in Mussa village, positioned near Sambisa Forest — a known base for Boko Haram militants and their breakaway faction, which operates as an Islamic State affiliate called the Islamic State West Africa Province.

In Nigeria’s southwestern territory, armed groups struck two high schools in Oyo state within hours of each other on Friday, resulting in the kidnapping of at least 40 students, Amnesty’s Nigeria division reported. These types of abductions occur infrequently in this specific region.

The human rights organization issued a warning Sunday that abduction fears are driving numerous children away from educational institutions, while families are removing young girls from schools and forcing them into marriages as a protective measure against these attacks.

Peter Wabba, a government representative from Mussa, stated Sunday that he received information indicating the “exact number” of children taken from Oyo was 48.

“The government is assuring us that they are doing their possible best to see that these children are rescued but up till now, we are still waiting,” he told The Associated Press.

Amnesty also stated that officials “never fulfill promises to investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

“Victims and their families continue to be denied access to justice,” it said.

On Saturday, police spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka informed the AP that authorities had detained three armed suspects related to the Oyo assault, which occurred in the Oriire region, approximately 220 kilometers (135 miles) from Lagos city.

Community members identified the suspects, leading to their arrests, Olayinka explained. Authorities did not indicate whether they were pursuing additional suspects.

Student kidnappings occur frequently throughout Nigeria, Africa’s most densely populated country, particularly in northern territories. During the previous year, two large-scale school abductions shocked the nation, with over 300 children taken from northern area institutions.

Educational facility kidnappings have become synonymous with Nigeria’s security crisis, and experts suggest this occurs because criminal organizations view schools as valuable targets they can use to generate greater public attention.

Crowds of enthusiastic supporters carrying Bulgarian flags gathered to celebrate Eurovision champion Dara as she touched down in her homeland Sunday.

Looking exhausted yet joyful, the 27-year-old performer stepped off the plane at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport holding her Eurovision trophy high. The country’s leading TV networks interrupted their scheduled programming to broadcast the airport celebration live.

“This award marks the beginning of my future international career,” Dara said.

The artist claimed Bulgaria’s historic first Eurovision victory Saturday night in Vienna with her upbeat dance track “Bangaranga,” marking a milestone for the southeastern European nation in the annual competition.

“We have done something great for Bulgarian music, and I hope this sends a message that Bulgaria’s performers and artists deserve stronger support,” Dara said.

She described Bulgaria as “an exceptionally talented nation that will continue to receive more and more attention.”

The performer, born Darina Yotova, triumphed over 24 rival acts in Saturday evening’s championship round of the continental music showcase. Her song’s catchy rhythms and precisely coordinated dance performance resonated with both professional judges from participating nations and television audiences worldwide, whose combined voting determines the champion.

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev joined other dignitaries welcoming the star at the airport. Terziev announced the capital stands prepared to stage the competition’s next installment in 2027, coinciding with Bulgaria’s 20th anniversary of European Union membership.

Government officials across the Balkan nation expressed collective national celebration.

Parliamentary speaker Mihaela Dotsova described Dara’s achievement as an “inspiration for the nation,” while President Iliana Yotova characterized it as a “triumph for Bulgaria” and Prime Minister Rumen Radev declared it “a victory with global resonance.”

MEXICO CITY, May 17 – A deadly assault in Mexico’s Puebla state has resulted in ten fatalities, including one minor, according to the state’s public security ministry. The attack occurred Sunday in the municipality of Tehuitzingo, where gunmen targeted the victims – six men, three women, and a child.

Authorities from both state and federal levels have initiated a collaborative investigation and operational response to track down those responsible for the violence.

The state’s public security ministry has committed to “zero impunity” regarding these killings and confirmed that intelligence operations are currently in progress to determine what motivated the deadly assault.

Taiwan’s leader emphasized on Sunday that military equipment acquired from America serves as “the most important deterrent” against regional tensions and unrest, responding to President Trump’s recent questioning of ongoing U.S. backing for Taiwan after his China visit.

Military sales from America to Taiwan and defense collaboration between both nations are legally mandated and serve as a foundation for regional peace and stability, President Lai Ching-te stated.

“We thank President Trump for his continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan,” he said.

These remarks followed Trump’s recent expressions of uncertainty about his commitment to ongoing weapons sales to Taiwan, the democratic island that China considers its own rebellious territory, potentially to be reclaimed through military action if needed.

America, similar to other nations maintaining official diplomatic relations with China, does not acknowledge Taiwan as an independent nation but remains the island’s primary supporter and weapons provider. U.S. law requires Washington to supply Taiwan with defensive capabilities and considers any threats against the island as seriously concerning.

Trump had already authorized a historic $11 billion military package for Taiwan in December, featuring missiles, drones, artillery equipment and defense software.

During a Fox News interview broadcast Friday, following Trump’s completion of a significant China visit, he revealed he has not yet approved a proposed $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan, stating it “depends on China.”

“It’s a very good negotiating chip for us frankly,” he said.

These remarks sparked worry on the island, which Taiwan’s administration has attempted to address by emphasizing that America’s official Taiwan policy remains unchanged.

“Taiwan will not provoke or escalate conflict, but it will also not relinquish its national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life, under pressure,” Lai declared, identifying China as “the root cause of undermining regional peace and stability and attempting to change the status quo.”

China has characterized Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent discussions with Trump.

In one of his most forceful declarations yet, Xi warned Trump on Thursday of “clashes and even conflicts” if Taiwan matters were mishandled.

China and Taiwan have operated under separate governments since 1949, when the Communist Party gained control in Beijing after a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party members escaped to Taiwan, which eventually evolved from military rule to democratic governance.

Peru’s highest election authority announced Sunday it will address voting problems that caused a month-long delay in releasing April’s first-round presidential election results before the June 7 runoff.

The National Elections Board (JNE) formally declared right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and leftist Roberto Sanchez as the final two contenders for president. Officials also revealed plans to establish an expert committee with national and international members to provide supervision during the second voting round.

“We cannot deny that there were many difficulties and flaws in the logistical deployment by the organizing entity, ONPE,” JNE President Roberto Burneo told a press conference.

The April 12 voting faced significant problems including delayed polling station openings, forcing election officials to extend voting by an additional day, especially in the capital Lima. These issues led ultraconservative candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who came in third by a narrow margin, to claim fraud had occurred.

Burneo explained that the new oversight committee will have five members, including scholars from Peru, Chile, Uruguay, and Puerto Rico who specialize in cybersecurity and election procedures.

“We have incorporated all the lessons learned from the first round and are strengthening oversight,” Burneo said.

After officials announced the final candidates, Lopez Aliaga’s party indicated it would seek to have the first-round outcomes invalidated. The JNE declared the results “final and unappealable.”

“The electoral fraud in Peru has just been consummated,” Lopez Aliaga said in a post on X. “We will not accept results that are the product of fraud and corruption.”

LIMA, Peru — Peru’s election officials have officially validated the results from April’s initial presidential voting round on Sunday, establishing a June 7 runoff between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez.

While the complete vote tally was announced Friday, Peru’s National Elections Board needed to formally approve the outcome to establish the second voting round, as no candidate secured more than half of all valid ballots cast.

Fujimori, a 50-year-old congresswoman and daughter of late President Alberto Fujimori running for Fuerza Popular, secured 2.8 million ballots representing 17.19% of the total count. This marks her fourth time reaching a presidential runoff.

Sánchez, representing the Juntos por el Perú party and previously serving as foreign trade minister under former President Pedro Castillo, earned 2.015 million votes for 12.03% of the total.

The two candidates defeated 33 other contenders by pledging to address escalating crime rates, which ranks as the primary concern for Peruvians living in a nation whose mining-based economy has remained stable despite ongoing political turmoil.

Since more than 70% of voters selected neither Fujimori nor Sánchez during the initial voting, both candidates must build alliances with other parties to secure victory in the upcoming runoff.

The South American nation continues struggling through an extended political crisis that has witnessed eight presidents take office and leave within nearly ten years of conflicts between Parliament and executive leadership, plus demonstrations that resulted in 50 protester deaths from 2022 through 2023.

SEOUL, May 17 – The presidents of South Korea and the United States conducted a telephone conversation on Sunday to review the results from the recent U.S.-China summit, according to an announcement from South Korea’s Blue House presidential office.

During the call, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump also addressed the successful execution of a trade agreement between their nations that was finalized the previous year, the presidential office reported in their Sunday statement.

The conversation additionally covered matters related to maintaining peace across the Korean Peninsula, though the Blue House did not provide additional details about the specific topics discussed during the call.

Officials in Abu Dhabi confirmed Sunday that an unmanned aircraft attack triggered a blaze at a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, occurring during a period when diplomatic efforts to resolve the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran have reached a standstill.

Authorities in the Emirates have not assigned responsibility for the assault, and no groups have stepped forward to claim involvement. Previously, the UAE has pointed fingers at Iran for targeting its energy infrastructure, describing such actions as an expansion of regional hostilities.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the unmanned aircraft struck an electrical generator positioned beyond the inner security boundary of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. Officials emphasized that radiation safety measures and facility operations remained uncompromised, with no personnel harmed in the incident.

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced it was monitoring the developments with close attention.

Since hostilities commenced with American and Israeli military actions against Iran on February 28, Iranian forces have consistently struck the UAE and additional Gulf nations that provide bases for U.S. military operations, targeting both civilian and energy-related facilities.

Iranian attacks on the UAE intensified earlier this month following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump called off after two days.

Despite more than five weeks passing since a fragile ceasefire became effective, American and Iranian positions remain significantly divided, even as diplomatic initiatives continue seeking to terminate the conflict and restore access to the strait, which serves as the globe’s most crucial shipping pathway for oil and gas.

The United States has insisted that Tehran abandon its nuclear program and release its grip on the strait. Iran has countered by demanding war reparations, termination of American port blockades, and cessation of combat across all theaters, including Lebanon, where Israeli forces are engaging Iran-supported Hezbollah.

Trump, who conducted discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week without obtaining Chinese commitment to assist in conflict resolution, has warned of renewed military action should Iran reject a settlement.

Abolfazl Shekarchi, a senior spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, declared Sunday that implementing Trump’s warnings would result in the U.S. facing “new, aggressive, and surprise scenarios, and sink into a self-made quagmire.”

Esmaeil Baqaei, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, accused the U.S. and Israel of attempting to transfer responsibility for energy market instability following their “unprovoked military aggression against Iran.”

The shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have created the most severe oil supply shortage in recorded history, driving up costs. America has established its own embargo of Iranian ports.

Ebrahim Azizi, who leads the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, announced Saturday that Tehran had developed a system for managing strait traffic along a specific corridor that would be revealed shortly.

The initial U.S. and Israeli airstrikes resulted in thousands of Iranian casualties. Additional thousands have perished in Lebanon during combat between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed organization Hezbollah.

On Friday, Israel and Lebanon reached agreement on a 45-day ceasefire extension, although the agreement has not prevented continued fighting.

According to a weekend report from Axios citing classified intelligence sources, Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and is now exploring plans to target American military installations, including the US base at Guantanamo Bay, American naval vessels, and potentially Key West, Florida, located 90 miles from Havana.

A senior US official explained to the publication that this intelligence demonstrates how the current administration views Cuba as an escalating security concern, particularly due to advances in unmanned aircraft technology and the presence of Iranian military advisers operating in Havana. The official noted that such intelligence could potentially justify US military intervention.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the details of this report.

BANGKOK, May 17 (Reuters) — Authorities in Thailand have filed criminal charges against a train operator following a fatal collision that occurred Saturday in central Bangkok, where a freight train struck a public bus at a railway crossing, resulting in eight fatalities and 32 injuries.

“The train driver has been charged with negligence causing death, as evidence clearly indicates reckless conduct leading to fatalities,” Urumporn Koondejsumrit, head of the Makkasan Police Station, told Reuters.

According to police officials, the bus operator will face similar charges but remains hospitalized and unable to be questioned, delaying the filing of those charges.

Law enforcement officials indicated they are reviewing whether to pursue additional criminal charges in the case.

The Saturday incident occurred when the freight train collided with a bus that had stopped on the railway tracks during a red traffic signal, igniting a blaze that consumed the bus and pulled several other vehicles down the tracks.

Transportation officials have cleared the accident scene and resumed normal operations, while Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat announced in a statement that authorities plan to strengthen safety protocols and monitoring to avoid future incidents.

Local residents expressed concerns they had harbored for some time about the dangerous intersection, noting that motorists frequently ignored stop signals at the crossing.

“It should not have happened. I want all drivers to understand traffic laws properly,” said Thanphisit Nawatkonoangkoon, a 20-year-old train commuter.

The World Health Organization has identified Thailand’s transportation system as among the most dangerous globally, citing insufficient enforcement of safety regulations.

JERUSALEM, May 17 (Reuters) — Israeli leadership on Sunday gave approval for constructing a military facility where the demolished United Nations Relief and Works Agency building previously operated in East Jerusalem.

Earlier this year in January, Israeli forces tore down buildings within the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency’s East Jerusalem location after taking control of the property in the previous year, prompting the agency to denounce the action as breaking international law.

According to a combined announcement from the Defence Ministry and Jerusalem Municipality, the planned facility will feature a military museum, recruitment center, and an office for the defence minister.

Defence Minister Israel Katz described the move as representing “sovereignty, Zionism, and security.”

The refugee agency, which Israeli officials claim shows bias, had stopped using the facility at the beginning of last year following Israel’s directive to abandon all its locations and halt operations.

When asked about the Israeli proposal, a spokesperson for the refugee agency refused to provide comment.

The organization functions in East Jerusalem, an area that the United Nations and most nations view as Israeli-occupied territory following its capture from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East conflict. Israel maintains that all of Jerusalem represents its unified capital city.

The agency also provides services in Gaza, the West Bank and other Middle Eastern regions, delivering education, medical care, social programs and housing to millions of Palestinians.

Katz stated: “There is nothing more symbolic or justified than establishing the new IDF recruitment office and defence establishment institutions precisely on the ruins of the former UNRWA compound — an organization whose employees took part in the massacres, murders, and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.”

Israeli officials have claimed that certain agency personnel belonged to the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and participated in the October 7, 2023, assault on Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and triggered Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, during which Gaza officials report over 71,000 Palestinian fatalities.

The agency has dismissed multiple employees but stated that Israel failed to supply proof for all accusations against its workers, with its former leader, Philippe Lazzarini, claiming Israel was running “a large-scale disinformation campaign” targeting the organization.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces conducted one of their most extensive drone operations against Russia, resulting in at least four fatalities, including three deaths in the Moscow area, and injuring twelve others, according to Russian regional officials who reported the casualties Sunday. Aircraft debris scattered across Russia’s busiest airport but caused no structural harm.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the aerial assault, declaring the operations “entirely justified.” Russia has consistently conducted comparable strikes against Ukraine’s capital and additional urban centers throughout the conflict, and a military analyst indicated the Ukrainian attacks seemed to be payback for recent Russian bombardments of Kyiv.

Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine during the night injured eight individuals, Ukrainian officials reported.

During Ukraine’s operations against Russia, a female civilian died when a drone struck her residence in Khimki, a Russian municipality located northwest of Moscow, while two males perished in Pogorelki village, situated 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of the capital, local Gov. Andrei Vorobyev confirmed.

Ukrainian aerial vehicles had also struck unspecified “infrastructure” and multiple residential towers, Vorobyev announced via social media platforms.

Another male fatality occurred when a drone impacted a truck in the Belgorod region, which shares a border with Ukraine, regional officials stated.

Within Moscow’s boundaries, no fewer than 12 individuals sustained injuries during the nocturnal assault, primarily around the entrance to the city’s petroleum refinery, mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced. Sobyanin confirmed that the refinery’s “technology” remained undamaged.

Russia’s busiest airport — Moscow’s Sheremetyevo — confirmed that aerial debris had landed within its perimeter without creating damage or disrupting flight operations.

Russian defensive systems intercepted 81 drones targeting Moscow during the overnight hours, state agency Tass reported, quoting Sobyanin, representing one of the most significant strikes against the city since Russia initiated a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Russian air defense forces eliminated 556 drones across Russia overnight, the nation’s defense ministry announced Sunday morning. Shortly past noon local time, officials reported that over 1,000 drones had been intercepted or disrupted within the preceding 24-hour period.

Zelenskyy stated that the drones had traveled more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Ukrainian soil, and that Ukraine was “overcoming” Russian air defense networks positioned in and surrounding the capital.

“Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukrainian long-distance sanctions have reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war,” Zelenskyy said.

Nigel Gould Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, stated that Ukraine’s massive strike seemed to be “the retaliation or revenge that President Zelenskyy promised after the fierce attacks that Russia carried out on Kyiv.”

Those bombardments occurred directly following the conclusion of a temporary ceasefire that permitted Russia to conduct its annual Victory Day parade on May 9 commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.

“It brings home the fact Ukraine has the capacity to strike at very significant scale at or around the Russian capital,” bringing the conflict to Russians in a manner that would be “most unwelcome” to the Kremlin, Gould Davies told The Associated Press.

“There is no ongoing peace process to disrupt. What (the attack) is more likely to do is add to the darkening cloud of anxiety over Russia which has developed palpably over the last three or four months,” he said.

He referenced multiple contributing elements, including Russia’s recent battlefield setbacks, a worsening economic situation domestically, and the Kremlin’s escalating restrictions on the internet, including in Moscow and Russia’s second-largest city, St. Petersburg.

“The fact that Ukraine is reminding the Moscow population that it is vulnerable to these attacks is likely to intensify the mix of concerns now,” Gould Davies said. “I see no prospect though, in the shorter term, that even these factors together will induce Russia to consider the compromises that will be necessary for peace negotiations.”

Ukrainian aerial vehicles are also penetrating deeply into Russia to target petroleum facilities, creating smoke plumes visible from space and producing toxic precipitation at tourist locations along the Black Sea. The operations aim to reduce Moscow’s oil exports, a crucial funding source for Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Although their economic consequences remain uncertain — as rising oil prices from the Iran war, and related relaxation of U.S. sanctions, have helped refill the Kremlin’s treasury — the scope of the strikes and their environmental effects are bringing the conflict to ordinary Russians distant from the battle zones.

Russia launched strikes against Ukraine using 287 drones overnight into Sunday, with 279 intercepted or disrupted, the Ukrainian air force confirmed.

The bombardments injured 8 individuals in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region: three in the regional capital of Dnipro, four in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, and one in the district of Synelkove, Ukraine’s state emergency service reported.

Housing structures sustained damage in all three areas, the service confirmed.

CAIRO, May 17 (Reuters) — Israeli military operations resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to health authorities in the region.

Medical personnel reported that an Israeli strike resulted in the death of one Palestinian individual near a law enforcement facility in Khan Younes, located in the southern portion of the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli military stated it had eliminated a fighter who posed an immediate threat to its forces conducting operations in Gaza’s southern region.

A separate attack resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals at a communal food preparation facility near Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al Balah in the territory’s central area, according to Gaza medical personnel.

The Israeli military has not provided commentary regarding this second incident.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas following the ceasefire have reached an impasse, and Donald Trump’s proposal for rebuilding the Palestinian territory has struggled to gain momentum.

Israel has escalated its military operations in the Gaza Strip following the suspension in early April of its bombing campaign against Iran conducted alongside the United States.

On Saturday, Israel eliminated Izz al Din al Haddad, who led Hamas’s military wing in Gaza.

THE HAGUE, May 17 – The International Criminal Court has rejected claims published in Israeli media suggesting the court had issued fresh arrest warrants targeting five Israeli political and military officials over alleged crimes committed against Palestinians.

Court spokesperson Oriane Maillet released a statement to reporters refuting the accuracy of the story that appeared in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper. The court “denies the issuance of new arrest warrants in the situation in the state of Palestine,” Maillet stated.

Health officials in Gaza reported that four Palestinians died in separate Israeli military operations on Sunday, according to medical personnel in the region.

Medical sources confirmed that one Palestinian was killed during an Israeli operation near a police facility in Khan Younis, located in Gaza’s southern region. Israeli military officials stated they eliminated a militant who presented an immediate danger to their forces conducting operations in the southern part of the territory.

In a separate incident, Gaza medical personnel reported that an Israeli air operation resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals at a community food facility located near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza.

Israeli military representatives have not yet provided a statement regarding this second incident.

The violence continues as Israel and Hamas remain at an impasse in indirect negotiations aimed at advancing U.S. President Donald Trump’s post-conflict proposal for Gaza, which seeks to bring an end to more than two years of warfare.

Israeli military operations in Gaza have intensified in recent weeks following the cessation of joint military actions with the U.S. in Iran, with forces now concentrating efforts back on the devastated Palestinian region, where military officials say Hamas fighters are consolidating their control.

On Saturday, Israeli military representatives announced that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who led Hamas’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, was eliminated in what they characterized as a targeted operation in Gaza City on Friday.

Hamas acknowledged Haddad’s death but did not issue threats of retaliation.

Israeli military operations in Gaza have continued regularly since the ceasefire began.

Approximately 870 Palestinians have died in Israeli operations since the October ceasefire, based on statistics that do not differentiate between military personnel and civilians. Four Israeli soldiers lost their lives to militant actions during this same timeframe.

Hamas does not release casualty numbers for its military personnel.

The businessman son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has secured a leadership position within his father’s political organization, according to a party official who spoke Sunday, raising questions about future control of the Palestinian Authority as succession discussions intensify.

Yasser Abbas obtained a position on Fatah’s Central Committee, which serves as the organization’s top decision-making entity, during elections held at the party’s first general conference in nearly a decade. The 90-year-old Mahmoud Abbas will continue serving as chairman, the conference determined.

The Palestinian Authority emerged as a temporary governing body through the 1990s Oslo agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, an umbrella organization that maintains international recognition as the voice of the Palestinian people. Fatah holds dominant influence over both the PA and the PLO.

The political entry of the president’s son has sparked discussion that Mahmoud Abbas might be working to establish Yasser, who is 64, as his eventual replacement to lead Fatah.

This development has prompted pushback from certain Fatah members, who argue that Yasser lacks the ability to bring Palestinians together or guide them toward a fresh political direction following years without nationwide elections or meaningful progress toward establishing a state.

During the more than twenty years since Mahmoud Abbas was chosen to follow Fatah founder Yasser Arafat, Palestinians have increasingly regarded the PA as both ineffective and corrupt, claims that Abbas disputes, though he has governed through executive orders since his term ended in 2009.

In 2007, Hamas militants defeated Abbas’ Fatah fighters in the Gaza Strip and took control of the territory, occurring one year after Hamas achieved victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections.

Diplomatic negotiations with Israel designed to establish a Palestinian state encompassing the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem ended in 2014, with continued Israeli settlement expansion fragmenting territories designated for Palestinian sovereignty. The PA also faces significant financial difficulties.

Yasser Abbas, who has not previously served in any official capacity within Fatah or the PA, operates tobacco and construction companies in sections of the Israeli-occupied West Bank where the PA maintains limited governing authority. Critics have repeatedly claimed that he and his brother Tarek have utilized public resources to benefit their business interests, accusations both brothers deny.

Other individuals elected to Central Committee positions include Majed Faraj, who leads the General Intelligence Agency, and former militant group leader Zakaria Zubeidi, who gained freedom through a Hamas-Israel prisoner-hostage swap during a 2025 Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Bulgarian citizens erupted in celebration Sunday following their nation’s unexpected inaugural Eurovision Song Contest victory, as they awaited the homecoming of performer Dara, whose uplifting dance anthem “Bangaranga” captured the competition.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev posted congratulations to Dara on Facebook, with the artist scheduled to return to Bulgaria Sunday evening.

Radev noted that Bulgaria will welcome Europe and the world when Sofia hosts the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in the coming year.

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova wrote on X that the 27-year-old performer serves as Bulgaria’s finest young representative, with her win demonstrating that “talent, courage and hard work” can achieve any objective.

Eurovision enthusiasts in Sofia gathered Saturday evening to view the competition broadcast from Vienna, an event marked by boycotts from five nations due to the Gaza conflict.

“Bulgaria was excited last night and literally all night after her win,” finance specialist Petar Stefanov shared with Reuters.

“We are all extremely proud. She won for all of us, for the whole country.”

Amid global challenges including conflict, uncertainty and economic pressures, Dara described “Bangaranga” as “a quiet belief that everything’s going to be all right.”

“Nobody believed that we can win and that Bangaranga can win, and having this love from all the juries and all the audience tonight. It feels like a dream. I don’t know if I am sleeping or is it reality?” she shared during a press conference.

Bulgaria, a member of the European Union, has been recovering from extended political turmoil and reached another significant achievement earlier this year by joining the euro zone.

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Specialized diving experts from Finland reached the Maldives on Sunday to develop a new strategy for locating the remains of four Italian divers thought to be trapped deep within an underwater cave system. Recovery operations had been temporarily halted following the death of a local military diver during the dangerous rescue attempt.

According to Italy’s Foreign Ministry, the group of five Italian divers is thought to have perished while exploring an underwater cave approximately 50 meters (160 feet) below the surface in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. This depth significantly exceeds the Maldives’ recreational diving restriction of 30 meters (98 feet).

Presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef announced that recovery efforts were paused after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, succumbed to underwater decompression sickness following his transfer to a hospital in the capital on Saturday.

On Sunday, Shareef confirmed that three Finnish specialists with expertise in deep water and cave diving operations had reached the island nation and met with Maldives coastguard officials to plan a revised search approach.

Mahudhee received a military funeral with full honors on Saturday evening, which President Mohamed Muizzu attended. The deceased diver had been among those who briefed Muizzu about the rescue strategy during his visit to the search location on Friday.

Challenging weather conditions have continuously interfered with recovery operations.

Saturday’s search activities included eight local divers working in rotation shifts to find the victims, according to the Italian Foreign Ministry. Earlier teams had already descended to locate and mark the cave system entrance where the Italians vanished. The circumstances leading to their deaths are still being investigated.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that every effort would be made to return the victims to their homeland. He expressed sympathy for the loss of the Maldivian diver who died during the rescue mission.

The Maldivian government has identified the victims as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.

Benedetti’s remains were found on Thursday close to the cave opening. Officials believe the other four had ventured inside the cave structure.

The University of Genoa stated on Friday that Montefalcone and Oddenino had traveled to the Maldives for an official research mission to observe marine ecosystems and examine climate change impacts on tropical biodiversity. However, the university clarified that the diving activity that resulted in the fatal incident was not connected to their planned research and was conducted for personal reasons.

The university’s statement also noted that the two additional victims — student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri — were not participating in the scientific expedition.

Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, questioned the circumstances of the incident, stating that “something must have happened down there” considering his wife and daughter’s substantial diving experience.

In an interview with Italian television, he characterized Montefalcone as a cautious and highly disciplined diver who would never endanger her daughter or fellow divers.

The Italian tour company responsible for organizing the diving excursion denied giving permission for or having knowledge of the deep dive that broke local regulations, according to its attorney who spoke to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Saturday.

Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Top Boat, stated the company “did not know” the group intended to dive below 30 meters. Such depths require special authorization from Maldivian maritime officials and the tour operator “would have never allowed it,” she explained.

The dive greatly surpassed what had been arranged for a scientific expedition focused on coral collection at normal depths, Stella noted. While the victims were skilled divers, the gear they used seemed to be standard recreational equipment rather than technical apparatus appropriate for deep cave diving, she observed.

Cave diving represents an extremely technical and hazardous pursuit requiring specialized instruction, equipment and rigorous safety measures. Dangers multiply dramatically in settings where divers cannot ascend directly to the surface, especially at significant depths during poor conditions. Specialists warn that becoming confused or lost inside caves is common, particularly when stirred sediment severely limits visibility.

Diving at 50 meters also surpasses the maximum depth suggested for recreational divers by most major established scuba certification organizations, with depths beyond 40 meters (131 feet) classified as technical diving requiring specialized instruction and equipment.

The Italian Foreign Ministry described the cave as containing three large chambers linked by narrow corridors. Recovery teams examined two of the three chambers on Friday, though the search was restricted due to oxygen supply and decompression concerns.

Italian authorities reported that approximately 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” remained safe. Italy’s embassy in Colombo was assisting those on board and had reached out to the Red Crescent, which offered to send volunteers to provide psychological support.

The Maldives Tourism Ministry announced it had suspended the “Duke of York’s” operating license while an investigation proceeds.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An unmanned aircraft attack hit the United Arab Emirates’ Barakah nuclear facility on Sunday, igniting a blaze at an electrical generator located on the facility’s outer edge and adding fresh pressure to the fragile ceasefire in the Iran conflict.

Officials in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, reported that no group has stepped forward to take credit for the assault, which resulted in no radiation leakage or casualties. Iran quickly became the primary suspect, as the nation has grown more hostile toward the UAE in recent days while the country provided shelter to Israeli Iron Dome defense systems and military personnel during the conflict.

This incident occurs while Iran maintains its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route that carried one-fifth of global oil and natural gas before the war began, creating worldwide energy supply disruptions. The United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports in retaliation while efforts to strengthen the ceasefire have stalled.

U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that fighting might restart, while Iranian state broadcasters have repeatedly shown news anchors wielding Kalashnikov-style weapons to mentally prepare citizens for potential warfare. Additionally, combat between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has intensified recently, putting another ceasefire at risk.

The UAE constructed the $20 billion Barakah nuclear facility with South Korean assistance, bringing it online in 2020. This facility stands as the Arabian Peninsula’s first and sole nuclear power installation, capable of supplying one-fourth of the UAE’s total energy requirements across its seven emirates. It also represents the Arab world’s inaugural commercial nuclear power facility.

The UAE’s nuclear oversight body confirmed the blaze did not compromise plant security. “All units are operating as normal,” the organization posted on X.

The UAE’s official statement avoided assigning blame for the assault. The Vienna-headquartered International Atomic Energy Agency, serving as the United Nations’ nuclear oversight body, had not immediately provided comment when contacted.

Sunday’s attack represents the first occasion the four-unit Barakah facility has faced targeting during the Iran conflict. The installation is located in Abu Dhabi’s remote western desert region, close to the Saudi Arabian border. The UAE entered into a comprehensive agreement with the U.S. regarding the power facility, called a “123 agreement,” where it committed to abandoning domestic uranium processing and spent fuel handling to address proliferation concerns. The facility receives its uranium from international sources.

Nuclear facilities have increasingly become targets during recent conflicts, beginning with Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Throughout the Iran war, Tehran has repeatedly alleged attacks on its Bushehr nuclear installation, though no direct harm occurred to its Russian-operated reactor and no radiation escaped.

Multiple attacks have taken place around the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf nations in recent weeks. Discussions between Iran and the U.S. have reached an impasse as the unstable ceasefire risks falling apart and returning the Middle East to active conflict, extending the global energy shortage caused by the fighting.

On Iranian state television, news anchors on no fewer than two networks appeared with weapons during live broadcasts.

During one show, Hossein Hosseini underwent basic weapon instruction from a Revolutionary Guard paramilitary member whose identity was concealed behind a mask. Following demonstrations on weapon preparation, Hosseini pretended to fire at the UAE’s flag.

On a different network, female anchor Mobina Nasiri explained that a weapon had been delivered to her from a rally in Tehran’s Vanak Square so she could broadcast while armed. She stated: “From this platform, I declare that I am ready to sacrifice my life for this country.”

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva believes his personal connection with U.S. President Donald Trump can bring economic benefits to his nation while helping avoid additional trade penalties and protecting Brazil’s democratic institutions.

In a recent interview with the Washington Post published Sunday, Lula acknowledged their policy differences but emphasized the importance of maintaining diplomatic relations.

“Trump knows I oppose war with Iran, disagree with his intervention in Venezuela and condemn the genocide that is happening in Palestine,” Lula stated during the interview.

“But my political disagreements with Trump do not interfere with my relationship with him as a head of state. What I want is for him to treat Brazil with respect, understanding that I am the democratically elected president here,” he added.

The Brazilian leader hopes this diplomatic approach will encourage American business investment in Brazil while preventing further economic sanctions between the two countries.

Emergency rescue teams were deployed to southwestern China’s rural Guangxi area on Sunday following a deadly vehicle accident in flood waters, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

A pickup truck transporting 15 people plunged into a swollen river Saturday evening, resulting in one confirmed fatality and leaving nine passengers still unaccounted for, CCTV reported earlier Sunday.

Weekend storms across southern China created dangerous flood conditions, prompting the ministry of emergency management to hold discussions with regional officials on Sunday regarding the elevated flooding risks.

Authorities from three nations collaborated in an unprecedented international effort that resulted in the detention of 276 individuals suspected of operating telecom scams from Dubai, according to a Sunday report from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The collaborative effort between law enforcement from China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates marked the first operation of this scale involving all three nations and “successfully destroyed nine fraud dens,” according to the broadcast. The criminal organizations targeted victims by deceiving them into fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes, the report stated.

According to China’s public security ministry, as cited in the report, “Chinese police will deepen pragmatic cooperation with more countries” in their efforts to combat wire fraud. The ministry noted that China has previously partnered with Myanmar to bring back large numbers of individuals connected to international cyber fraud operations over recent years.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has altered her schedule to visit Modena on Sunday following a vehicle attack that wounded multiple people in the northern Italian city, according to government sources. The prime minister scrapped a planned meeting with Cyprus’ president in Nicosia to make the trip.

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella is also planning to visit the city, sources confirmed.

On Saturday, a 30-year-old Italian-born man of North African descent plowed his vehicle into pedestrians in Modena’s downtown area, leaving eight people wounded, with four sustaining severe injuries.

After the attack, the suspect tried to escape on foot and used a knife to wound one of three civilians who attempted to apprehend him. Police subsequently took him into custody.

On Sunday, prosecutors in Modena released a statement saying the suspect faces charges of massacre and personal injury, while investigators work to determine what motivated the attack.

Officials described how the man targeted walkers in the busy downtown district of the city, home to more than 180,000 people, “in an indiscriminate, random and deliberate manner.”

“The man had received treatment for mental health issues in 2022 due to schizoid personality disorder, after which he went off the radar,” Modena’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, told broadcaster RaiNews24 late on Saturday.

Prosecutors revealed that among the critically wounded victims, two suffered leg amputations, with one person fighting for their life.

Government attorneys in the Philippines have asked the nation’s highest court to deny a request from a fugitive senator seeking to avoid arrest on war crimes allegations connected to his involvement in a deadly anti-drug campaign.

The senator, Ronald dela Rosa, previously served as the country’s top police official and supervised former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug enforcement operations. He petitioned the Supreme Court to prevent officials from detaining him and turning him over to the International Criminal Court.

Both dela Rosa and Duterte face identical accusations related to crimes against humanity, with Duterte expected to be the first former Asian leader to face trial in The Hague. Both men have rejected the allegations against them.

The senator’s legal argument centers on his claim that the ICC lost authority over the Philippines when the country left the Rome Statute in 2019.

However, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) contended that Philippine officials can execute the ICC warrant through domestic legislation, Republic Act 9851, which permits authorities to hand over individuals accused of serious international crimes to global courts for trial.

The office stated that dela Rosa cannot require a separate Philippine court determination of adequate grounds for his arrest since the ICC has already issued its warrant, emphasizing that the nation “will never become a sanctuary for impunity.”

According to the OSG, dela Rosa lacks standing for relief because his “actions show that he comes to court with unclean hands.”

“His flight, coupled with the fact that he had previously gone into hiding, is not merely incidental but is a deliberate act to avoid accountability. His conduct places him squarely within the definition of a fugitive from justice,” the OSG stated in documents submitted on Saturday and released to media on Sunday.

The senator avoided capture on Monday after receiving protection from the Senate, whose new leader he helped elect by emerging from months of absence to provide a crucial vote for Alan Peter Cayetano, a strong supporter of the Duterte family.

International court officials revealed an arrest warrant for dela Rosa on Monday that was originally dated in November. While the senator had been sheltering in the Senate building, he departed before sunrise on Thursday in what his spouse described as an “escape.” His present location remains unknown.

“To once more extend exceptional privileges to a petitioner who now seeks relief while evading lawful process sends a chilling message — not only to the victims of the drug war, but to all who look to the law for justice: that its protections are strongest for the powerful, and weakest for those who are now dead,” the OSG stated.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 – A pair of former cabinet officials in Malaysia declared Sunday that they plan to step down from their legislative positions and depart from their existing political organization, PKR, as they prepare to join a different party they have assumed control of.

Rafizi Ramli, who previously served as economy minister, along with Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the former minister overseeing natural resources and environmental sustainability, stated they will give up their legislative positions on Monday and plan to send written notification to the House speaker regarding their departures.

Taiwan’s leader offered a detailed explanation Sunday of what his administration means when discussing the island’s independence from mainland China’s control.

President Lai Ching-te clarified that references to “Taiwan independence” indicate the island operates outside Beijing’s authority and that Taiwan’s residents alone should determine their political destiny. His remarks came during a speech in Taipei.

The president’s statements follow recent high-level discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, which sparked uncertainty in Taiwan about continued American support.

Following those talks, Trump commented to Fox News: “We’re not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent because the United States is backing us’.”

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and maintains it could use military action to enforce control, particularly if it believes the island is pursuing formal separation.

During his address, Lai referenced a 1999 resolution from his Democratic Progressive Party that remains current policy, declaring Taiwan already functions as an independent nation known as the Republic of China.

He emphasized that Taiwan’s self-governance cannot be compromised or taken away, and its political direction must be chosen by its citizens.

“Everyone can clearly understand that the meaning of the term ‘Taiwan independence’ actually refers to Taiwan not being part of the People’s Republic of China,” Lai stated at an event commemorating the DPP’s 40th anniversary.

“It refers to the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China not being subordinate to each other,” he continued.

Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office had not issued a response to requests for comment.

The current Republic of China administration relocated to Taiwan in 1949 following defeat in a civil conflict against Mao Zedong’s communist forces, who established the People’s Republic.

Lai noted that Taiwan’s existence is essential to the Republic of China, whose boundaries encompass the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait plus Kinmen and Matsu islands near the Chinese mainland.

“So it is very clear: the Republic of China has been in Taiwan for 70 or 80 years and has already become integrated with Taiwan as one,” he explained.

“Whether we call it the Republic of China, the Republic of China, Taiwan, or Taiwan — basically, no matter what we are called internationally, it refers to us: the 23 million people of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.”

The president did not mention Trump during his remarks and declined to respond to reporters’ questions afterward.

Although the U.S. has historically served as Taiwan’s primary international supporter, Trump indicated during his return flight from Beijing that he hasn’t made decisions regarding additional weapons sales to Taiwan, which are mandated under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.

LONDON (AP) — For those following British politics, Wes Streeting’s desire to lead the nation’s government has been an open secret for quite some time.

However, any remaining doubt was eliminated Saturday when the former health secretary formally declared his campaign to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Streeting becomes the initial member of Parliament to challenge Starmer in what promises to be an intense internal battle for control of the Labour Party, whose political standing has declined significantly in the two years following its overwhelming electoral triumph that ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

Additional challengers are expected to emerge, potentially including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, provided he can secure victory in a special parliamentary election.

Despite widespread unpopularity stemming from multiple setbacks, policy reversals, and criticism over his decision to name a Jeffrey Epstein associate as U.S. ambassador, Starmer has pledged to continue leading. The administration faces potential weeks of turmoil after he refused resignation demands following Labour’s poor showing in the May 7 local and regional elections, where Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party achieved significant victories.

“The voters did more than send Labour a message last week,” Streeting declared Saturday. “They issued a warning: that unless we change course, we risk being the handmaidens of Nigel Farage and the breakup of the United Kingdom.”

At 43, the youthful-appearing Streeting has earned recognition as among the party’s most effective speakers and has been vocal on various matters, including the conflict in Gaza.

His political ascent from humble beginnings in London’s working-class East End, where he was raised in public housing, is documented in his autobiography, “One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up: A Memoir of Growing Up and Getting On.”

The book’s title references his two grandfathers, both named Bill: his maternal grandfather had criminal connections and was imprisoned for armed robbery, while he attributes his educational path to Cambridge University to his paternal grandfather’s influence.

Streeting entered politics early, heading the Cambridge student union before becoming president of the National Union of Students. He subsequently worked for Stonewall, an LGBTQ+ organization, and has discussed his challenges with coming out as gay while maintaining his Anglican beliefs.

After serving as a local councilor and later deputy council leader in east London’s Redbridge borough, he won election to Parliament in 2015.

During Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership—a period marked by two electoral defeats and antisemitism controversies—Streeting served as a backbench MP and was often critical of the veteran socialist leader. His promotion came after Starmer assumed party leadership in 2020.

Streeting’s Cabinet role became deeply personal due to his own kidney cancer diagnosis, making NHS reform a central mission.

“The NHS saved my life,” he stated upon becoming health secretary. “Today, I can begin to repay that debt by saving our NHS.”

While rumors of higher ambitions persisted, Streeting consistently supported Starmer and rejected speculation about leadership aspirations.

However, with Starmer’s position weakening, maintaining this stance became increasingly challenging last week.

Wednesday saw leadership speculation dominate news coverage even as King Charles III presented the government’s legislative agenda during Parliament’s ceremonial opening.

“Streeting to ignite Labour day of anarchy,” declared the Daily Mail in bold headlines. The Daily Express questioned: “Finally, a move to bring down ‘Zombie’ Keir?”

The next day, Streeting became the first Cabinet member to resign, citing lost confidence in Starmer and criticizing his lack of vision and leadership direction. However, he delayed announcing his expected leadership challenge.

His resignation coincided with announcing that medical appointment waiting times—a key policy priority—had decreased for five consecutive months.

Considered part of the party’s moderate faction, Streeting had connections to Peter Mandelson, the formerly influential Labour figure now controversial due to his Epstein ties. Starmer’s appointment and subsequent dismissal of Mandelson as U.S. ambassador continues to create political problems.

When the appointment controversy resurfaced recently, Streeting proactively published email correspondence with Mandelson to demonstrate they weren’t close associates.

“Contrary to what has been widely reported, I was not a close friend of Peter Mandelson, but I am not going to wash my hands of my actual association with him either,” he explained in The Guardian.

One email showed his criticism of Starmer’s leadership, noting “there isn’t a clear answer to the question: why Labour?”

Streeting plans to present his response to that question in upcoming weeks.

KYIV, Ukraine — A young Ukrainian woman who had returned home to build a life with the man she loved became one of 24 victims in what Ukrainian military officials are calling the war’s most devastating Russian bombardment.

Maryna Homeniuk, 24, had escaped Ukraine when Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago. While studying in the Czech Republic, she expanded her already remarkable language skills by learning Vietnamese. After completing her education, she came back to Ukraine in 2023, where she would eventually meet Yurii Orlov through a dating application.

The couple perished Thursday when a cruise missile destroyed their apartment building during what Ukrainian officials described as the most intense Russian assault of the conflict. Orlov, who was 30, served as captain of the Kyiv Floorball Club and had previously played hockey for teams in Ukraine’s capital city.

Friends and relatives gathered Saturday for Homeniuk’s funeral service. Orlov’s burial was postponed as his remains were not yet prepared for the ceremony.

“She was a very caring person. I feel very sorry, because she had so many dreams. She worked with children and wanted to have children herself someday, when times were safer,” her friend Olesia Yukhnovych told The Associated Press.

Those who knew Homeniuk described her as exceptionally gifted with languages, speaking approximately 10 different tongues with fluency in Korean and Chinese. As an English instructor, she worked with young students while harboring hopes of becoming a mother herself when circumstances improved.

Her compassionate nature extended to rescuing stray animals, and she had a passion for international travel, carefully saving money to explore different countries.

“This is a young person. This is a girl who had absolutely the whole future ahead of her,” said Anastasiia Petrushyna, a friend and colleague. “This future will no longer exist — our youth basically can’t have it. You never know what trouble awaits you.”

Despite their contrasting interests — his focus on athletics and hers on creative pursuits — friends observed the deep affection between the pair. Homeniuk attended all of Orlov’s Sunday matches as their weekly ritual. While he introduced her to floorball, a variant of floor hockey, she helped him learn English.

“It’s a shame. I should have been helping prepare for the wedding and I ended up helping prepare for the funeral,” said Yukhnovych. “It’s horrible.”

The tragedy occurred after a particularly harsh winter of continuous Russian bombardments targeting Kyiv. Yukhnovych revealed that the couple frequently discussed moving away from their Darnytsia neighborhood on Kyiv’s left bank, where electricity was restored more slowly than other areas, but lacked the financial means to relocate.

After Thursday’s attack, Yukhnovych attempted to reach Homeniuk through text messages but received no response.

“You never think something could happen to someone close to you, and you just message them as a precaution,” she said. “I never thought this would be one of those times when the message would remain unread.”

A veteran Nepali mountain guide has shattered his own world record by conquering Mount Everest for the 32nd time, officials announced Sunday.

Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, successfully reached the world’s tallest peak at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) on Sunday morning, breaking the record he established just last year. The experienced guide was leading clients from the 14 Peaks Expedition company during his historic climb.

Nepal’s Department of Tourism praised the Sherpa for reaching this “historic milestone” and recognized his significant role in advancing mountain tourism in the region.

According to an official statement, he arrived at the summit at 10:12 a.m. (0427 GMT) on Sunday. The same statement noted that a Sherpa woman named Lakhpa, 52, completed her 11th successful ascent to the peak, establishing the record for most climbs by a woman. Additional details about the expeditions were not provided.

Kami Rita hails from Thame village in Solukhumbu district, the same birthplace as Tenzing Norgay. Norgay, alongside New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, became the first climbers to successfully reach Everest’s summit in 1953.

The record-holder first conquered the mountain in 1994 and has continued climbing annually, with exceptions only in 2014, 2015, and 2020 when expeditions were suspended for various reasons. During some years, he managed to reach the summit multiple times.

Since Norgay and Hillary’s pioneering achievement, more than 8,000 climbers have successfully scaled Mount Everest, with many completing multiple ascents.

Among climbers who are not Sherpas, British guide Kenton Cool holds the record with 19 successful climbs, followed by American mountaineers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison, each with 15 ascents. Both Cool and Madison are currently on Everest attempting to break their own records.

For many Sherpas native to the Solukhumbu district where Everest stands, serving as guides for international climbers on Everest and neighboring peaks represents an essential source of family income.

Officials have granted 492 climbing permits for Everest during this March-May climbing season, though three Nepali climbers have lost their lives on the mountain this month.

MOSCOW, May 17 – Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow region during nighttime hours, resulting in three fatalities and leaving 12 people wounded, Russian officials reported Sunday.

The majority of those injured were hurt in the vicinity of a Moscow oil refinery entrance during the drone assault, according to authorities.

Moscow city Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that the refinery’s “technology” remained undamaged in the attack.

Officials from South Korea announced Sunday that the nation’s president, Lee Jae Myung, will host Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for a diplomatic summit this Tuesday.

According to Lee’s office, the gathering represents an important chance to strengthen diplomatic ties and build greater cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting will take place in Andong, Lee’s birthplace, following their initial summit held in Takaichi’s home city this past January. Officials plan to conduct the visit with full state honors, including a formal dinner and performances showcasing traditional culture.

Two campaign staff members working for Colombian right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella were fatally shot just two weeks ahead of the nation’s presidential election, according to his political party Defenders of the Homeland on Saturday.

The victims, Rogers Mauricio Devia and Fabian Cardona, were gunned down Friday evening in a countryside location in Cubarral, Meta province. According to the party, four masked individuals riding motorcycles stopped the men and began shooting.

Devia, who previously served as mayor of Cubarral, was responsible for managing De La Espriella’s regional campaign efforts, while Cardona handled logistical support. The pair had been traveling back from Villavicencio on a motorcycle carrying campaign supplies when the attack occurred.

“They were cowardly murdered in cold blood,” De La Espriella stated in a recorded message. While officials have not attributed the killings to any specific armed organization, De La Espriella pointed fingers at a breakaway group from the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, though he offered no supporting evidence.

In polling data, De La Espriella holds the second position behind leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda before the May 31 initial voting round. His campaign platform emphasizes aggressive tactics against guerrilla fighters, criminal organizations and narcotics operations, including bombing rebel locations and restarting airplane spraying of coca plantations.

De La Espriella has previously claimed there was a sniper plot targeting his life that involved members of government intelligence services.

Colombian voters will choose the replacement for President Gustavo Petro. Should no candidate secure over 50% of the vote, a second round of voting is scheduled for June 21.

VIENNA, May 16 (Reuters) – Bulgaria secured its first-ever Eurovision Song Contest victory Saturday during a competition that saw five nations boycott the event due to the Gaza conflict.

The winning entry “Bangaranga,” performed by artist Dara, topped the scoreboard when public voting and national jury points were combined, placing Bulgaria ahead of Israel which finished in second place.

Venezuelan authorities announced Saturday they have sent a key associate of Nicolás Maduro to the United States to face criminal charges, marking a dramatic shift for Alex Saab, who was freed less than three years ago through a prisoner exchange involving President Joe Biden.

This represents a complete turnaround for Saab, whom Maduro had previously fought vigorously to protect following his international detention in 2020. The Colombian-born entrepreneur, whom U.S. authorities have characterized as Maduro’s “bag man,” could now potentially provide testimony against his former ally, who faces drug trafficking charges in Manhattan following his capture during a surprise U.S. military operation in January.

Venezuelan immigration officials released a brief statement Saturday without specifying Saab’s exact destination, noting the action was taken due to multiple active criminal cases in the United States. The statement’s description of Saab solely as a “Colombian citizen” appears to reference Venezuelan legal restrictions against extraditing Venezuelan nationals. During his previous detention, Maduro and acting President Delcy Rodríguez had argued that Saab held Venezuelan diplomatic status and was unlawfully seized during a fuel stop while traveling to Iran on humanitarian business.

The Associated Press previously reported that federal investigators have spent months examining Saab’s involvement in an alleged corruption scheme related to Venezuelan government food import contracts.

This probe connects to a 2021 Justice Department case targeting Saab’s business partner, Alvaro Pulido, according to a former law enforcement source. That Miami-based prosecution focuses on the CLAP program established by Maduro to distribute basic goods including rice, corn flour, and cooking oil to impoverished Venezuelans during a period of severe inflation and economic collapse.

The 54-year-old Saab built substantial wealth through Venezuelan government deals. However, he lost standing with the new administration that assumed control after Maduro’s removal. Since Rodríguez took leadership on January 3, she has reduced Saab’s influence, removing him from her Cabinet and ending his position as the primary liaison for foreign investors seeking Venezuelan opportunities. Reports have circulated for months suggesting he was either jailed or confined to his residence.

The Justice Department has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

Venezuela’s government will maintain authority to determine royalty and tax rates for international and private investors in petroleum and natural gas ventures on an individual project basis, according to draft regulations for new hydrocarbons legislation reviewed by Reuters on Saturday.

The legislation, which became law in January, established a royalty ceiling of 30% and introduced a maximum integrated hydrocarbons tax of 15%. Industry analysts had expected the accompanying regulations would outline the precise rates below those limits that international and private partners would be required to pay.

However, the draft document indicates that the Ministry of Hydrocarbons will examine each operating company’s business plan to establish the particular tax and royalty rates.

Venezuela is working to draw foreign investment and reconstruct its economy after the U.S. removed President Nicolas Maduro at the beginning of the year. Under acting President Delcy Rodriguez, the draft framework formally concludes decades of state control by permitting private companies to secure licenses for heavy crude oil processing, refining and international trading — operations that previously only state-owned PDVSA could conduct.

The 63-page regulation still requires publication in the Official Gazette before becoming effective.

Under the new legal structure, the National Assembly no longer approves energy joint ventures.

Rather, the Ministry of Hydrocarbons possesses nearly complete power to execute contracts and alter their conditions, including taxes and royalties. Oil analysts and economists have condemned the ministry’s extensive discretion as a possible obstacle to foreign investors who fear the government could make one-sided modifications to negotiated terms.

The establishment of the integrated tax generated doubt about whether Caracas planned to substantially lower the state’s share, which has traditionally been among the highest in Latin America.

A Venezuelan government official with close ties to former President Nicolas Maduro has been returned to the United States, according to an announcement Saturday from Venezuela’s immigration authority SAIME.

The official, Alex Saab, is a Colombian-Venezuelan businessman who was taken into custody in Caracas in February during a coordinated effort between American and Venezuelan law enforcement, a U.S. law enforcement official reported at the time.

Born in Colombia, Saab had previously been held in Cape Verde starting in 2020 before being brought to the United States to face bribery charges. In 2023, he received clemency as part of an agreement that secured the freedom of Americans who had been held in Venezuela.

A large-scale humanitarian mission carrying emergency supplies and volunteers has left the Libyan city of Zawiya, making its way toward Egypt’s Rafah crossing to bring assistance to Gaza.

The mission, called “Sumud 2” or “Resilience 2,” brings together more than 350 volunteers from 30 nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Algeria, and Spain.

The volunteers include medical professionals, engineers, aid workers, and representatives from civil society groups who are traveling in buses and trucks filled with emergency supplies and temporary housing structures.

According to organizers, the mission includes 50 containers total – 30 loaded with emergency relief materials, 20 portable housing units, and five completely equipped ambulances.

The mission started its route in Algeria about one week ago, gathered additional resources in Libya, and has been moving eastward. Organizers report the convoy cleared security and immigration checkpoints successfully before advancing past Zliten.

The goal is to reach Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah crossing within the next few days.

Mission coordinator Ahmed Ghniya stated that organizers have been collaborating with humanitarian organizations as the convoy moves toward the Egyptian border.

“We’re now setting off in coordination with them to deliver the relief aid, as well as to deploy the medical specialties, in coordination with the Red Crescent,” Ghniya stated, according to Africa News. He noted that the convoy was in the “advanced stages” of coordination efforts with the Red Crescent.

VIENNA (AP) — Saturday evening’s 2026 Eurovision Song Contest finale showcased performers from 25 nations competing at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle arena in an energetic competition for Europe’s most coveted pop music title. While talent was abundant throughout the evening, the quality of musical entries varied significantly.

For Eurovision enthusiasts and newcomers alike seeking to discover the competition’s standout musical moments, here are the evening’s top 10 performances, listed without ranking.

Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu delivered “Choke Me,” a track that channels what a Lady Gaga nu-metal fusion might sound like. Beyond her spoken segments and her delivery of “All I need is your love” that echoes Gaga’s “I Want Your Love,” the song’s intense sound and undeniable stage presence set it apart.

Italy’s “Per Sempre Sì” started with piano accompaniment before evolving into surprisingly rhythmic production, featuring classical vocalist Sal Da Vinci pouring emotion into lyrics about newfound romance. This entertaining throwback appeals to fans of Eurovision’s traditional style, with Da Vinci displaying natural Italian charisma during Saturday’s performance.

Cyprus representative Antigoni may seem recognizable to viewers familiar with “Love Island UK,” where she previously appeared as a contestant on the popular reality dating program. While her television appearance was brief, her uplifting “Jalla” promises lasting impact in 2026. The summery pop track incorporates traditional Cypriot instruments like çifteli and lute, creating ideal mental vacation soundtrack material.

Finland met expectations with their electrifying performance, having been early competition favorites. Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen’s “Liekinheitin” (“Flamethrower”) combines Parkkonen’s emotional vocals with Lampenius’ passionate violin work. The collaboration pairs an “Idol” finalist with an internationally acclaimed classical musician in a successful partnership.

Moldova’s Eurovision contribution featured rapper Satoshi delivering the playfully patriotic “Viva, Moldova!” with complete dedication, performing in multiple languages with an irresistibly catchy chorus reminiscent of Irish hip-hop group Kneecap’s anthemic style. Built on persistent flute melodies, breakbeats, and continuous electronic elements, the performance was impossible to ignore, guaranteed to leave “Welcome to Moldova!” echoing in listeners’ minds.

Bulgaria’s Dara, an experienced pop artist with appearances on “The Voice,” “The X Factor,” and “Dancing with the Stars,” deserves broader international recognition. Her energetic pop anthem “Bangaranga,” featuring Nicki Minaj-inspired elements, ranked among the year’s most spirited tracks and provided an uplifting stage experience.

Every Eurovision contest traditionally includes a pop metal entry, and Serbia fulfilled this expectation with Lavina’s atmospheric “Kraj Mene.” The performance balanced heavy guitar work with gospel harmonies, featuring restrained screaming and minimal breakdowns while delivering welcome intensity worth acknowledging.

Australia’s Delta Goodrem brought significant international recognition to the 2026 Eurovision lineup. Her credentials include judging Australia’s “The Voice,” starring in Australian soap “Neighbours,” and receiving mentorship from Olivia Newton-John, even writing “Eyes on Me” for Celine Dion. (Dion famously won Eurovision for Switzerland in 1988.) Goodrem’s powerful vocal approach peaks on her power ballad “Eclipse,” featuring layered harmonies, skilled piano work, and a strong synthesized conclusion with an extended note, embodying classic Eurovision style. This strategic selection from the Australian performer clearly connected with Saturday’s audience.

The performance opened with cinematic chanting and church-like choir vocals enhancing the dramatic presentation. Alis, performing “Nân,” delivered what resembled a blockbuster film’s emotional transitional music. The stage presentation maintained this impact: he appeared in sequined chainmail before a screen while a woman representing a mother moved around him.

Belgium’s Essyla presented “Dancing on the Ice,” featuring cool vocal delivery and Billie Eilish-influenced production that succeeds both within and beyond Eurovision context. (Consider her similar to Ava Max’s style.) Her runner-up finish on “The Voice Belgique” rather than winning seems unjust given this quality. Her final performance appeared designed to demand justice and recognition.

Israeli military officials confirmed Saturday the death of Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, a 24-year-old officer who served as a platoon commander with the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion from Itamar, following a drone attack that targeted military personnel in southern Lebanon.

The captain’s death brings to 20 the total number of Israeli soldiers who have died in Lebanon during Operation Roaring Lion, and marks the seventh military death recorded since the ceasefire went into effect.

This latest fatality follows the previous day’s loss of Staff Sgt. Negev Dagan, 20, from Dekel, who died in southern Lebanon when Hezbollah forces launched mortar attacks.

According to the Samaria Regional Council, Recanati leaves behind his parents and six siblings. The council revealed that he was set to wed his fiancée Rani, whom he met during their studies at a local seminary, with their wedding planned for approximately one month from now.

Following word of the officer’s death, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan issued a tribute to Recanati.

“Maoz was among the best of our sons, a brave officer and devoted fighter who dedicated his life to the security of the people of Israel,” Dagan said.

Dagan further described Recanati as “the son of a pioneering family deeply rooted in Itamar, raised on the values of love of the land and devotion to the state.”

Israeli military forces announced Saturday they had eliminated Izz al-Din al-Haddad, described as the commander of Hamas’ armed wing, during a precision operation in Gaza City targeting a high-ranking official involved in overseeing military operations and reconstructing Hamas’ fighting capacity. Al-Haddad represents the highest-ranking Hamas official eliminated since the ceasefire took effect last October.

Military officials stated the operation focused on al-Haddad’s location in Gaza City. Reports from Reuters indicated his spouse and child also perished during the strike.

The IDF released a statement Saturday explaining that despite ceasefire terms requiring Hamas to surrender weapons, al-Haddad had recently “acted to rebuild the capabilities of the terrorist organization’s military wing and to plan numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.”

Images from AFP captured mourners transporting al-Haddad’s remains on a stretcher covered with a Hamas banner through the debris of a destroyed structure.

Military sources revealed that within the previous two weeks, they had also eliminated two Hamas operatives connected to the October 7 invasion. These individuals were named as Iyad Muhammad Al-Matouq and Khaled Muhammad Salem Jouda.

In related developments, Hamas leadership voting concluded without a decisive outcome, leading to arrangements for additional balloting, according to Ynet’s reporting. Neither candidate achieved success in the initial voting round between Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashal, the primary rivals for organizational leadership.

A 42-year-old government worker named Saeed in Sanaa hasn’t received steady pay in years. Every morning, he looks at his cell phone not hoping for work or wages, but to check what little money he has left. What he usually finds is a text from his phone company asking him to donate 100 rials “to support the Missile and Drone Force” by texting code 180.

Throughout regions under Houthi control, millions of Yemenis face what opponents call an organized digital fundraising operation. While many families from the middle class can’t afford basic groceries, the phone industry has turned into a key funding source for military activities.

Though 100 rials might seem like a small amount, when collected from millions of phone users, it creates significant revenue that helps pay for weapons manufacturing and combat operations. For Saeed, that money could buy another loaf of bread for his family. The Houthis frame it as a “popular contribution” for missiles and drones used in battles and regional conflicts.

What officials call a “voluntary donation” appears to be much more extensive. It shows a planned approach to managing resources in Houthi-controlled areas, taking money from financially struggling Yemenis to fund military expenses while increasing the divide between humanitarian requirements and defense spending.

The problem goes beyond the text messages on Saeed’s phone. Behind the 100-rial donation request linked to code “180” and similar numbers is a daily fight for survival.

“When I receive a message asking me to support the ‘missile force,’ I feel like my phone is no longer a communication tool—it has become a mandatory piggy bank for the Houthis,” Saeed said bitterly. “They do not ask whether I can afford food for my children. Instead, they force me into a war I have nothing to do with. How can I donate to missile production when I cannot even buy a sack of flour?”

A United Nations Panel of Experts report, S/2023/833, shows these collections aren’t random but part of what the document calls a “resource extraction system” that brings in hundreds of millions of dollars each year without financial oversight or transparent government budgeting.

The document details how money from this essential industry gets redirected to weapons production, essentially making regular phone customers unwilling funders of military actions that reach beyond Yemen’s borders into the Red Sea and other areas.

Abdulwasea, a technical engineer at a mobile phone company, explained how this “money printer” works in the industry: “We are not running marketing campaigns—we are implementing technical military orders.”

“As soon as a military operation against targets in Saudi Arabia or Israel is announced, we receive instructions to send the messages. These codes are linked to a direct deduction system, and the money is transferred at the end of each day to designated accounts.”

This system targets millions of customers with relatively small amounts—about 100 rials each—which can create billions in available cash within hours. The engineer said this quick money flow helps fund drone programs and missile development by taking advantage of complete control over phone infrastructure and turning technology meant to connect people into a financing tool for extended conflicts.

Street conditions reflect what’s happening to mobile phone accounts.

In his retail store on a busy Sanaa street, Abdulwahid observes not only his customers but also the changes forced on his business with each new event introduced by the Houthis.

“My shop has shifted from being a source of income into a channel for funneling money to supervisors,” Abdulwahid said. “We do not pay zakat and taxes just once—we pay them repeatedly, under labels such as ‘supporting the frontlines’ or ‘Martyr’s Week.’ Even cleaning fees, municipal charges, and business licensing costs have multiplied several times over, without any improvement in services.”

These actions aren’t isolated incidents by individual people, but part of a planned strategy designed to drain the private sector and reshape the economy to benefit the war authority. A report by the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies indicates the Houthis gathered nearly $1.8 billion annually in taxes and fees from areas under their control.

This alternative system doesn’t stop at current taxation; it also goes after companies and banks retroactively, demanding financial records going back to when they were established to collect taxes supposedly unpaid for decades, with the money directed toward funding the “war effort” rather than paying government worker salaries.

The reports also show that these practices have damaged the regular business sector in favor of a new group of “war profiteers” connected to the Houthis, who use the system to expand their power. Meanwhile, independent small business owners like Abdulwahid face two harsh choices: accepting the collection system or risking financial ruin and leaving the market.

A field study conducted for this report included a random group of 50 people, including phone users and wholesale and retail merchants in markets throughout the capital.

The results showed the severity of the crisis. About 98% of participants—48 people—said the ongoing collections directly contributed to higher prices for essential goods and declining buying power, claiming that war effort fees consume money that would otherwise be spent on food and medicine for their families.

Fear also influenced the responses. Two participants refused to talk or share any views, worried that the survey team could be connected with the Houthis and assigned to watch for opposing voices. Their refusal showed widespread distrust and fear of punishment.

In the end, Saeed’s battle to get bread and Abdulwahid’s fear of losing his business meet at the same place.

After more than ten years of war that destroyed Yemen and made the “government sector salary” a distant memory from a more stable time, Yemenis now find themselves caught in a new pattern of collections that goes beyond funding domestic battle lines to supporting broader regional conflicts.

Yemen, once a nation seeking a political answer to its crisis, has increasingly become, critics say, a testing site for a “trench economy”—a financial system that thrives on crises and uses religious and nationalist feelings to justify taking citizens’ savings.

While missiles fired across the region send political and military messages, the clearest message for people like Saeed and Abdulwahid shows up on a phone screen or payment receipt: Even the fight for daily bread has become fuel for wars that ordinary Yemenis neither chose nor expect to benefit from and may lead to more poverty.

President Trump has labeled Iran’s most recent nuclear proposal as “garbage,” rejecting what sources describe as an offer containing some nuclear concessions. The President maintains his position that highly enriched uranium must be removed from Iran and that the nation must be prevented from developing nuclear weapons. Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes only.

Diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran have reached an impasse amid a fragile ceasefire, with escalating tensions threatening to plunge the Middle East back into active conflict and extend the global energy crisis that emerged from the ongoing dispute.

In related developments, President Trump announced that the United States maintains close surveillance of Iran’s nuclear materials through Space Force technology capable of tracking individual movements near storage facilities in real-time. He emphasized that securing these materials represents a top priority and issued warnings of decisive military intervention should Iranian forces attempt to access them, calling on Tehran to honor existing nuclear agreements.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of failed negotiations, continued Iranian provocations, and American efforts to counter Iran’s aggressive maritime operations.

The situation comes as President Trump has recently returned to Washington following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China has announced its active involvement in mediating the Iranian conflict, working with Pakistan to develop a peace proposal designed to establish a ceasefire and reopen crucial waterways, especially the Strait of Hormuz. This effort demonstrates China’s ambition to expand its influence in Middle Eastern diplomatic affairs.

Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that previously handled one-fifth of global oil transport before the conflict began, while the United States continues blocking Iranian ports.

A 91-year-old man facing charges related to the 1994 Rwandan genocide has died at a hospital while being held in custody in The Hague, Netherlands, according to a U.N. court announcement made Saturday. This comes three years after judicial officials determined he was mentally incompetent to proceed with his trial.

Félicien Kabuga faced allegations of funding and promoting the systematic slaughter of Rwanda’s Tutsi population. Legal proceedings against him commenced in 2022, almost thirty years following the 100-day period of violence that claimed 800,000 lives.

Court officials ruled in 2023 that he could not continue facing trial due to his dementia diagnosis, announcing they would create a framework to proceed with evidence collection while removing any possibility of a conviction.

The U.N. International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals announced Saturday that Kabuga passed away during his hospital stay in The Hague, with the medical officer at the U.N. Detention Unit receiving immediate notification.

Officials have launched an inquiry to determine the specific circumstances surrounding his death, according to the court’s statement.

Authorities issued a warrant for Kabuga’s arrest in 2013 and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. French authorities apprehended him in 2020, leading to the start of his trial two years later.

The charges against Kabuga included genocide, promoting genocide, plotting genocide, along with persecution, extermination and murder. He entered a plea of not guilty. A conviction would have resulted in a potential life sentence.

Following the court’s determination of his mental incompetence, he continued to be detained while officials worked to resolve questions about his potential release to any nation willing to accept him.

His legal representative stated that he would not agree to return to Rwanda, despite that country’s willingness to receive him, citing concerns about potential mistreatment.

The court’s ruling declaring him unfit for prosecution frustrated numerous genocide survivors in Rwanda, who believed his alleged crimes warranted the harshest possible punishment.

The mass killings began on April 6, 1994, following the downing of an aircraft carrying President Juvénal Habyarimana, which crashed in Kigali, the capital city, killing the leader who belonged to the ethnic Hutu majority like most Rwandans. Kabuga’s daughter had married the president’s son.

Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest finale kicked off in Vienna despite heightened security measures and wet weather that couldn’t dampen spectator excitement — though controversy continued to swirl around Israel’s participation in the competition.

Following days of anticipation, performers representing 25 nations appeared on stage at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle arena, vying for Europe’s most prestigious pop music title. Global audiences tuned in to witness the 70th anniversary celebration featuring diverse acts including a Finnish violinist with fiery performances, a folk rapper from Moldova, and a metal group from Serbia, among others.

Political tensions overshadowed the milestone event for the third consecutive year, with activists demanding Israel’s removal due to ongoing Gaza conflicts and other military actions. Five nations with long Eurovision histories — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — chose to skip this year’s competition as a form of protest.

The evening began with a cinematic opening sequence highlighting Austria’s stunning landscapes, featuring a paper boat journeying toward Vienna — a nod to 2025 Eurovision champion JJ’s tempestuous rendition of “Wasted Love.”

Last year’s victor, Austrian vocalist JJ who received operatic training, launched the live show, followed by an Olympic-style procession displaying flags of all 25 competing nations. The musical performances then commenced, with each artist having a brief 3-minute window to captivate millions of global viewers who join professional music industry juries in selecting the champion.

Saturday’s spectacular event featured hosts Michael Ostrowski, an Austrian performer recognized for his work in German-language comedic cinema, alongside Victoria Swarovski, who works as a model, vocalist, television personality, and represents the Swarovski crystal and luxury brand dynasty.

Eurovision’s leadership encouraged audiences to set aside political concerns and focus on enjoying what the director called the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show” that defines the competition’s championship round.

While the contest marked its 70th year amid demands to remove Israel over its Gaza war conduct and the five-nation boycott, Eurovision director Martin Green described the event as an opportunity to “close the curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is possible” for several hours.

During a press briefing, he emphasized that Eurovision has spent seven decades providing “voice to the voiceless” and honoring marginalized groups.

“Here’s to the next 70 years,” he said.

A 93-year-old man suspected of playing a role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide has died while in custody at a United Nations detention facility, according to a UN court announcement on Saturday.

Lucien Kabuga had been captured in France during 2020 following more than 20 years as a fugitive before being transferred to The Hague. Court officials later determined he was mentally unfit for trial due to dementia and too sick to be sent back to Rwanda.

Since no nation agreed to take him in, Kabuga continued to be held at the UN detention facility in The Hague. Court officials have announced they will investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

The deceased man, who previously operated businesses and owned a radio station, was considered one of the final wanted fugitives connected to the genocide. During that period, Hutu extremists murdered over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus within a span of 100 days.

Legal authorities had charged Kabuga with spreading hate speech via his radio station Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines and providing weapons to ethnic Hutu militias.

The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, which announced his death, handles ongoing cases from previous UN tribunals dealing with Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

A French court will move forward with examining allegations against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman concerning his involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to France’s national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office announced Saturday.

The prosecutor’s office, referred to as the PNAT, stated that an investigating judge from the crimes against humanity unit will now handle the matter following a May 11 decision by the Paris Court of Appeal.

Trial International and Reporters Without Borders submitted the legal filing. These organizations allege the Saudi crown prince participated in torture and enforced disappearance related to Khashoggi’s death, a Saudi opposition journalist and Washington Post writer who was violently murdered at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul during October 2018.

Khashoggi’s remains were cut apart and have never been recovered.

The PNAT explained that the Paris Court of Appeal determined the allegations were acceptable because the potential for classifying the matter as a crime against humanity — which could encompass the related offenses of torture and enforced disappearance — could not be dismissed at this point.

The prosecutor’s office acknowledged the court’s determination while noting that the decision did not contradict its own understanding of French criminal procedure laws regarding whether the organizations had standing to submit the complaint as civil parties.

The French legal action was originally submitted in 2022, while Prince Mohammed was visiting France. The crown prince had experienced international ostracism following Khashoggi’s murder but has subsequently been welcomed again by Western officials and leaders.

The initiation of a French judicial investigation does not indicate Prince Mohammed has been formally accused or that French courts have determined his guilt. It signifies an investigating judge will review whether the allegations can proceed to additional legal action.

Prince Mohammed has rejected claims that he ordered Khashoggi’s murder but has acknowledged it occurred during his leadership as Saudi Arabia’s effective head of state.

U.S. intelligence services had previously determined that he authorized the mission that resulted in the killing.

Saudi Arabia conducted a private trial regarding the murder and claimed it penalized those accountable, but human rights organizations condemned the legal process as secretive and inadequate.

ROME (AP) — Eight people sustained injuries when a vehicle struck pedestrians on a sidewalk in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, with four victims in critical condition, local officials reported.

Mayor Massimo Mezzetti confirmed that while no fatalities occurred in the incident, four individuals suffered severe injuries. One woman became trapped against a storefront window and required both legs to be amputated, he stated.

According to Mezzetti, the operator of the vehicle is a 31-year-old man who was born in Bergamo and grew up in Modena’s province. Authorities have taken him into custody and are conducting interviews at police facilities while working to establish if he was impaired by substances or if his actions were intentional.

The mayor described how the vehicle moved onto one of the city’s primary roadways and “mounted the sidewalk, launching multiple individuals into the air,” before colliding with the store window.

A minimum of eight individuals sustained injuries, with four experiencing very severe trauma, the mayor confirmed. Medical facilities in both Modena and Bologna received the victims, with helicopter transport used for the most critical patients.

The operator tried to escape but was first restrained by some of the people affected by the incident, then by law enforcement officers who transported him to headquarters for interviews.

People at the scene reported that the man was carrying a knife, though he did not succeed in stabbing anyone, the mayor noted, explaining that investigators continue working to establish if the incident was intentional or connected to other factors.

“Regardless of the motivation, this represents a very grave incident,” Mezzetti stated. “Should this prove to be an attack, it would be even more severe.”

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni described the occurrence as “extremely serious” in a social media statement and voiced support for the victims and their loved ones.

Meloni expressed appreciation to citizens who stepped in to help apprehend the suspect and commended law enforcement officials, noting she was communicating with local authorities and anticipated the suspect would face complete accountability.

Emergency responders, including police, carabinieri and financial police, arrived at the location, which was sealed off while ambulances provided care to victims on the street.

A Palestinian advocate claims French officials are working to remove him from the country, alleging he represents a security risk and targeting him because of his pro-Palestinian organizing efforts.

Ramy Shaath, age 54, released an online video statement on May 14 claiming the deportation attempt represents part of what he called a wider effort to suppress Palestinians and those supporting Palestinian causes within France.

Following the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Shaath co-founded the pro-Palestinian group Urgence Palestine. He claims French officials are pursuing him after previous legal actions were unsuccessful.

The French Interior Ministry has not yet provided a response to requests seeking comment.

In his video statement, Shaath indicated the deportation effort came after previous challenges in renewing his French residency documentation, despite having family connections in France. He further claimed his banking account was terminated without notice and his health insurance coverage was canceled, stating these actions impacted his capacity to work, travel and obtain medical treatment.

Shaath indicated he and his family plan to fight the legal proceedings in both French and European judicial systems.

Born in Egypt and Palestine, Shaath previously led the Egyptian division of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. He has consistently connected his Palestinian advocacy with resistance to authoritarian governments throughout the Arab region.

During a 2022 Associated Press interview following his freedom from Egyptian imprisonment, he characterized his advocacy work — spanning Egypt’s 2011 democracy movement to his involvement with the Palestinian-led boycott campaign against Israel — as “civil, nonviolent action against injustice, against inhumane treatment and against occupation as well as dictatorship.”

In 2014, Shaath established the Egyptian division of the BDS movement. Egyptian authorities detained him in 2019 and freed him in January 2022, following more than two and a half years in custody.

He stated at that time that Egyptian officials never officially filed charges against him and that he had been confined in an overcrowded, insect-infested cell before subsequently being placed alone in a room without windows.

French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated Shaath’s freedom from Egyptian imprisonment in 2022.

Shaath’s wife holds French citizenship and he has a daughter who is both French and Palestinian.

Thousands of educators flooded the streets of Portugal’s capital on Saturday, voicing their frustration with the centre-right government over inadequate compensation, slow career advancement, and poor working conditions.

The demonstration was coordinated by the FENPROF teachers’ union, which criticized government officials for failing to address concerns about insufficient wages, career stagnation, and excessive workloads. Union representatives reported thousands of participants, though law enforcement has not yet provided crowd estimates.

Last May, government officials reached an agreement with union representatives to incrementally restore over six years and six months of career progression that had been suspended following Portugal’s 2011 financial rescue package. This arrangement enabled more than 100,000 educators in public schools to advance on the salary scale, increasing their monthly earnings by several hundred euros, though no retroactive compensation was included.

Numerous educators believe these steps are insufficient. Entry-level public school teachers receive approximately 1,714 euros monthly before taxes, positioning Portugal among the lower-compensated OECD nations for beginning educators.

“I lost 60,000 euros that I will never recover. They are giving us back just a few crumbs, and we’re supposed to be happy with that? No. We need to be properly valued,” said geology teacher Catarina Pinheiro, 47, during the demonstration.

Throughout an entire career, educators’ compensation can fall 15% to 25% beneath the OECD average. Although maximum earnings reach approximately 3,700 euros monthly before taxes, achieving this level can require nearly four decades. Public sector compensation also establishes standards for private educational institutions.

Educators participating in the rally expressed that inadequate pay and sluggish advancement opportunities were creating widespread discontent throughout the profession, especially among newer staff members, and cautioned that public education systems were facing significant pressure.

Hundreds of citizens gathered in Tunisia’s capital city on Saturday to voice their opposition to President Kais Saied, charging him with eroding civil liberties while overseeing a deepening economic and social crisis.

The demonstration took place under the rallying cry: “The people are hungry and prisons are full”.

Those who gathered demanded an end to authoritarian leadership and displayed signs condemning the detention of political figures, media workers and community activists, as worries grow about an expanding campaign against opposition voices.

Rally participants also condemned what they characterized as Saied’s inability to address the nation’s economic troubles, while employing courts and law enforcement to suppress opposition.

The North African nation is experiencing severe economic difficulties, including stagnant economic expansion, rising costs, medical and food supply shortages, budget constraints, and declining government services.

Saied, who disbanded the legislative body and started governing through executive orders in 2022, has encountered increasing condemnation from human rights organizations regarding what they describe as the destruction of the democratic framework established after 2011.

Saied dismisses these charges, stating his actions are essential to rescue the nation from disorder and corruption.

The legal profession has announced work stoppages in upcoming days over the weakening of court independence, while the media workers’ organization is planning demonstrations against the imprisonment of reporters and limits on news media freedoms.

Government officials maintain they are upholding legal standards and deny claims of political persecution.

SAO PAULO, May 16 – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro would finish in a statistical dead heat if they faced each other in an October runoff election, new polling data from Datafolha revealed Saturday.

The survey shows both candidates would capture exactly 45% of voter support in a head-to-head matchup. Flavio is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

This represents a slight shift from April’s polling, which had given Flavio a narrow 46% to 45% edge over Lula – though that difference fell within the survey’s two percentage point margin of error, making it essentially tied.

In first-round voting scenarios, the poll of 2,004 voters found Lula would capture 38% support, with Flavio finishing second at 35%.

Most interviews for this latest survey were completed before Intercept Brasil broke a story detailing Flavio’s connections to former banker Daniel Vorcaro.

The report alleges Flavio worked to secure 134 million reais ($26.5 million) from Vorcaro, who previously owned Banco Master, to fund a biographical film about his father.

Vorcaro remains behind bars as authorities investigate the scandal surrounding Banco Master’s financial collapse.

Flavio has rejected any claims of impropriety regarding his dealings with Vorcaro. Legal representatives for Vorcaro have previously refused to provide statements about the Intercept Brasil investigation.

Romanian defense officials announced Saturday that they discovered an unexploded device containing explosives in a village located in the southeastern part of the country, close to its border with Ukraine.

The NATO and European Union member nation has a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine. Unmanned aircraft from Russia targeting Ukrainian ports along the Danube river have repeatedly entered Romanian airspace, with debris occasionally landing on Romanian soil when Ukrainian defenders intercept them.

Defense ministry officials identified the device as an unguided reactive projectile, which was located in the yard of an empty residence in Pardina village within Tulcea county, according to their official statement. Authorities did not specify where they believe the projectile originated.

“Technical verifications confirmed the presence of 2 kg worth of explosives in the projectile’s body,” the statement said, adding that the area’s perimeter had been secured.

In the previous month, an explosive unmanned aircraft crashed into a residential backyard in the city of Galati, representing the initial occurrence since Ukraine’s conflict began where such an event caused property damage within Romania.

Leaders from NATO’s 14 eastern member countries stated this week that Russia’s continued airspace violations demonstrate the critical importance of strengthening the alliance’s defensive capabilities against missiles and unmanned aircraft.

GAZA CITY (AP) — New photographs from Gaza City reveal the devastating aftermath of an Israeli military strike that resulted in the death of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, a high-ranking Hamas military official whom Israel has identified as a key planner behind the October 7, 2023 attacks. The images show fire and widespread damage at the location of the strike, with local residents responding to the scene and mourners assembling for funeral services.

This collection of photographs was assembled by AP photo editors.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale shook the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The seismic event was recorded by federal monitoring systems in the region.

An Austrian filmmaker opened up Saturday about the challenges she faced while creating her latest movie, which explores the devastating impact of child sexual abuse allegations on a family.

Director Marie Kreutzer discussed her Cannes Film Festival submission “Gentle Monster” with reporters following the movie’s debut, describing how difficult it was to find support for the sensitive project.

“I could feel that everywhere, when I went somewhere with the project, people were like, shying away,” Kreutzer explained to journalists. “I knew this was not the easy path.”

According to Kreutzer, the movie intentionally avoids providing simple solutions and instead aims to challenge viewers. “The idea of the film is to ask you questions, to ask us as a society questions,” she stated.

The drama features French actress Lea Seydoux as Lucy, a musician who relocates her family to rural surroundings before law enforcement officers arrive to detain her spouse Philip, portrayed by Laurence Rupp, for allegedly possessing and distributing illegal images involving children.

Following the shocking detention, Lucy begins questioning everything she thought she knew about her partner while worrying whether their child might have suffered harm. Cinema legend Catherine Deneuve appears as Lucy’s strong-willed mother, providing crucial emotional support during the crisis.

Kreutzer revealed that her inspiration came from news coverage of a criminal network in Germany involving similar crimes.

“I just felt helpless after reading it. And I felt that the only thing that I could do as a filmmaker, as a storyteller, is make a film about it,” the director explained.

Instead of concentrating on the accused individual, Kreutzer deliberately focused her narrative on the people surrounding him.

“This was a story about how society, how people who love someone who did this deal with it,” she noted.

Kreutzer previously brought her Austrian period piece “Corsage” to Cannes in 2022, where it screened in the Un Certain Regard section.

“Gentle Monster” now vies alongside 21 other productions for the prestigious Palme d’Or award, with winners to be announced on May 23.

TULA, Mexico (AP) — Explosive devices dropped from above and gunfire echoing through her concrete home forced 74-year-old María Cabrera and her relatives to escape into the dark mountainous terrain of central Mexico carrying nothing but what they wore.

Seven days after fleeing, Cabrera sifts through the burnt remains of her belongings, recovering cookware, fabric pieces and a small wooden cross. She understands this marks her final visit to the residence where she lived for six decades.

“Oh God, why have you abandoned me,” she expressed while crying inconsolably, walking among the burned remnants of her former mattress in a tiny room with a caved-in ceiling and a damaged refrigerator nearby. “How are we going to rebuild? We don’t have money, we don’t have anything.”

She became part of an expanding population of displaced individuals in violence-plagued areas of Mexico who must abandon their residences. Researchers characterize this situation as a hidden crisis with lasting humanitarian impacts — official statistics on displaced populations remain limited, and these individuals have minimal support systems available after violence drives them away.

Cabrera escaped her small community on Friday following years of escalating criminal organization violence in Tula. This settlement of approximately 200 indigenous Náhuatl residents represents one of numerous communities in the central state of Guerrero devastated by decades of splintering competing criminal organizations fighting for territorial dominance.

During the previous week, an organization called Los Ardillos launched an assault on her community and several neighboring ones using explosive devices fired from drones, engaged in combat with local community police units, slaughtered farm animals and incinerated residences like Cabrera’s beyond recognition.

Cabrera cautiously passed bags of personal items to military personnel accompanying a small number of families returning to collect their possessions. She offered prayers while armed uniformed men loaded her belongings into a vehicle’s cargo area. During her final walk through her garden, she asked for forgiveness from the dogs and chickens she had to abandon.

“We don’t want to abandon them,” she expressed. “But we suffered through everything. We can’t live here anymore.”

A regional human rights organization, Indigenous and People’s Council of Guerrero-Emiliano Zapata, or CIPOG-EZ, calculated that no fewer than 800 individuals, including minors and elderly residents, were forcibly relocated alongside Cabrera, and three community police members — units frequently established for self-protection due to government absence — who resisted the criminal organization were killed.

The government statistics show much smaller numbers: Mexico’s administration announced on Tuesday that just 120 individuals were compelled to relocate and verified zero fatalities. One community representative staying at the basketball facility on Friday informed a local government representative that in their settlement alone they calculated approximately 280 residents had been compelled to flee.

Some households escaped into the hills without looking behind them. Hundreds found refuge beneath a neighborhood basketball facility, hoping conditions might become safe enough to eventually return to their homes. Additional families — some injured by bullets — entered automobiles, buses and trucks, dispersing to various areas of Mexico.

Footage shared on social platforms this week display groups of weeping women and children asking for assistance.

These scenes prompted the administration to send 1,200 military and police personnel to the area. Authorities report they have mostly controlled the violence, created a “safe corridor” for humanitarian assistance to arrive, and established the foundation to resolve the area’s complex conflict.

“What we do not want is a confrontation that would affect the civilian population. Above all, we must preserve people’s lives,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated during a press briefing last week.

Opponents argue this represented another instance of government inaction and attempts to minimize the severity of the displacement crisis in Mexico. Unlike Colombia, Mexico lacks a comprehensive database of displaced individuals. Government statistics are frequently described as inadequate by organizations like the U.N. refugee agency, human rights organizations and researchers studying the crisis.

A 2025 government National Survey of Victimization and Public Security Perception calculated that almost 250,000 households were compelled to abandon their residences in 2024 alone to protect themselves from criminal activity.

From 2024 to 2025, the Ibero-American University recorded no fewer than 44,695 individuals who had escaped their homes to different regions of Mexico. Many additional people migrate to the U.S.

In a May analysis, the university observed that forced relocations are increasing in Mexico during a period when the administration has attempted to emphasize security improvements — such as significant decreases in murders — to counter threats by the administration to conduct military operations against Mexican cartels.

“There’s no more life in these communities,” stated Prisco Rodríguez, a local representative for CIPOG-EZ. “The government says people have already returned to their houses, but there’s no one here. People don’t say where they’re going out of fear … and the majority never appear.”

Cabrera and her spouse, 75-year-old Alejandro Venancio Bruno, were struggling to determine their destination. Cabrera mentioned that her children urge her to relocate with them in Mexico City, roughly 350 kilometers (220 miles) from their residence, or the state of Queretaro, and restart their lives in a different location.

However, Venancio explained that he has dedicated his life to cultivating his property, and without funds, a residence or his most precious assets — his goats — any alternative existence beyond Tula appears impossible.

“It’s like starting from zero,” he stated.

A former British health minister announced Saturday his plans to mount a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer, making the declaration just days after resigning from his government role and calling on Starmer to establish a timeline for stepping down.

Wes Streeting addressed supporters at a Progress group gathering for Labour Party members, stating his commitment to enter the race. “We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I will be standing,” Streeting declared during his remarks to the conference.

The announcement comes as political tensions continue within the Labour Party leadership structure in London.

Chinese commerce officials on Saturday labeled trade agreements reached during President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing as “preliminary” arrangements still requiring finalization.

The U.S. President concluded his two-day stay in China on Friday following discussions with President Xi Jinping that emphasized ceremony and diplomatic language but offered limited concrete details regarding trade and investment outcomes.

According to a commerce ministry website statement, both nations agreed to create an investment board and trade board for negotiating mutual tariff reductions on specific products, along with broader cuts affecting various goods including agricultural items.

Regarding agricultural trade, Beijing indicated both countries would address non-tariff obstacles and market access challenges.

“The U.S. side will actively promote the resolution of China’s long-standing concerns regarding the automatic detention of dairy products and aquatic products, exports of bonsai in growing media to the United States, and recognizing Shandong province as an area free of avian influenza,” the ministry stated.

“The Chinese side will also actively promote the resolution of U.S. concerns regarding registration of beef facilities and exports of poultry meat from some U.S. states to China,” officials added.

The ministry statement lacked specific company names, transaction volumes, monetary values, or completion schedules.

Saturday’s announcement represented China’s initial public assessment of trade discussions conducted this week in Beijing and Seoul, emerging as observers question the concrete achievements of Trump’s first state visit to China in almost ten years.

While Trump announced China’s commitment to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft, analysts have raised concerns about the absence of specific timelines.

The commerce ministry acknowledged arrangements regarding “Chinese purchases of U.S. aircraft and U.S. assurances on the supply of aircraft engines and parts to China” without providing additional specifics.

Officials indicated that detailed discussions continue and stated the agreements would be “finalised as soon as possible.”

Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics announced Saturday his choice of opposition lawmaker Andris Kulbergs to serve as the nation’s next prime minister, following the resignation of Evika Silina.

Silina announced her departure on Thursday, leading to the breakdown of her governing coalition just months ahead of elections scheduled for October.

Kulbergs represents the United List of smaller parties, which serves as the biggest opposition group in the country’s parliament. His appointment to the top government post depends on legislative approval of both him and his cabinet members.

“Considering recent events, I think the new prime minister should come from opposition parties,” Rinkevics stated during a news conference.

The political crisis began when Silina removed Defence Minister Andris Spruds from his position last weekend following an incident where two Ukrainian drones wandered into Latvian territory from Russia and detonated at an oil storage site. Similar drone incidents have occurred recently in other NATO member countries Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

Latvia’s military forces acknowledged they were unable to track the drones as they entered from Russian airspace. Silina held Spruds responsible for insufficient progress in creating anti-drone defense capabilities.

Following his dismissal, Spruds’ Progressives party pulled their backing from Silina’s administration on Wednesday, eliminating her parliamentary majority and making her vulnerable to a confidence vote.

President Donald Trump’s latest statements characterizing weapons sales to Taiwan as a bargaining tool with China have sparked growing concern on the self-governing island that Beijing views as its territory.

During a Fox News interview with Bret Baier broadcast following Trump’s recent high-profile trip to China on Friday, the president made these troubling remarks.

Beijing considers Taiwan a rogue territory that must be brought back under Chinese control, using military force if needed. While the United States maintains no official diplomatic recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation—like other countries with formal Beijing relationships—America has served as the island’s primary supporter and weapons provider.

Trump now indicates this support could become part of broader negotiations.

When questioned about approving a stalled $14 billion weapons deal for Taiwan, Trump indicated the decision rests with China.

“I’m holding that in abeyance and it depends on China,” he stated. “It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It’s a lot of weapons.”

American law requires the U.S. to supply Taiwan with defensive capabilities, and Washington considers any threats against the island as serious concerns.

William Yang, who analyzes Northeast Asia for International Crisis Group, warned that Trump’s approach of linking Taiwan arms sales to Chinese negotiations could trigger one of the island’s worst fears: becoming a bargaining item rather than a participant in discussions.

While Trump hasn’t specified what he would seek from China in exchange for blocking Taiwan’s weapons access, he has pushed Beijing to increase American product purchases and assist with Iran pressure campaigns.

Trump and Congress had previously authorized an $11 billion Taiwan arms deal in December. China responded with aggressive military exercises around the island.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent meeting with Trump, China characterized Taiwan as the most critical issue between the two nations. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Beijing next week.

Xi delivered one of his most forceful warnings Thursday, cautioning Trump about potential “clashes and even conflicts” if Taiwan issues aren’t managed carefully.

Taiwan’s presidential office responded Saturday by emphasizing “that the consistent U.S. policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged.”

“The Republic of China is a sovereign, independent, democratic country; this is self-evident, and Beijing’s claims are therefore without merit,” stated Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo, using Taiwan’s formal designation. She expressed continued appreciation for Trump’s backing and noted that U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan are legally mandated.

Island officials also expressed unease about Trump’s demand that Taiwan’s semiconductor industry—the world’s most extensive and sophisticated—relocate to America.

“I’d like to see everybody making chips over in Taiwan come into America,” Trump told Fox News, calling such relocation “the greatest thing you can do.”

Trump has consistently urged Taiwanese semiconductor companies, which manufacture over 90% of the globe’s most sophisticated chips used in artificial intelligence, mobile devices, and defense systems, to establish American manufacturing operations.

TSMC, Taiwan’s premier chipmaker, has pledged $165 billion for an Arizona facility. Through a comprehensive trade deal with America this year, Taiwan’s administration committed $250 billion toward U.S. semiconductor investments, incorporating TSMC’s earlier pledge.

Trump also repeated previous claims that Taiwan “stole” America’s chipmaking capabilities years ago.

Although Trump didn’t modify official U.S. Taiwan policy language during his Xi summit—something many experts had worried about—he appeared to embrace some of the Chinese leader’s rhetoric about Taiwan’s leadership.

Beijing has labeled Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te a “Taiwan independence diehard” and claimed he would bring conflict and devastation to the island.

Trump and senior American officials typically avoid direct contact with Taiwanese leaders but have demonstrated support previously, such as permitting former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to stop on American territory while traveling to Latin America. Lai, approaching his presidency’s second anniversary, hasn’t visited the U.S. mainland, which some analysts view as reduced Trump administration support.

In his Fox News discussion, Trump emphasized his preference for maintaining current Taiwan-Beijing arrangements. “But they have somebody there now that wants to go independent,” he remarked, apparently referencing Lai.

“They’re going independent because they want to get into a war and they figure they have the United States behind them.” He added his reluctance to engage in distant military conflicts.

Wen-Ti Sung, an Atlantic Council fellow, suggested Trump’s concerning Taiwan statements might represent “his transactional rhetoric being turned up to the max.” “What matters more is the substance, which Taiwan is holding its collective breath for.”

Forty-two students remain unaccounted for following an assault on a Nigerian school by suspected militant fighters, according to a regional senator who spoke out Saturday.

The attack took place Friday at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area while students were attending classes, according to local residents who witnessed armed individuals taking an undetermined number of pupils.

Ali Ndume, who represents the Borno South district where the educational facility is situated, released a statement explaining that school officials told him 32 students were taken from the campus while an additional 10 were captured from nearby residences.

Military and police authorities have not yet provided responses to requests for information about the incident.

The region of Borno, which spans an area comparable to Ireland and shares borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger, continues to serve as the central battleground for a militant insurgency led by the Boko Haram group that has persisted for more than a decade and a half.

While no organization has taken credit for Friday’s assault, Boko Haram has previously conducted comparable student kidnappings.

The Borno South senatorial district was the location where Boko Haram seized more than 270 female students in Chibok during 2014, sparking international condemnation. No other school abductions had occurred in the state since that time.

The majority of student kidnappings have occurred in Nigeria’s northwestern regions, where criminal organizations conduct abductions seeking ransom payments.

In a separate development, the presidents of the United States and Nigeria announced that a joint military operation successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who served as the global second-in-command for ISIS in Borno during the early morning hours Saturday.

LONDON — Massive crowds flooded London’s streets Saturday as two distinct demonstrations unfolded simultaneously, drawing tens of thousands of participants to rallies addressing immigration policies and Palestinian support.

Law enforcement mobilized 4,000 officers, bringing in additional personnel from beyond the capital city, promising “the most assertive possible use of our powers” for what officials described as their largest public order operation in recent years.

Authorities reported 11 arrests by 1200 GMT, shortly after both demonstrations commenced, for various violations. Officials had anticipated attendance of no fewer than 80,000 people.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized organizers of the Unite the Kingdom demonstration on Friday, stating they were “peddling hate and division, plain and simple.”

Anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who goes by Tommy Robinson, organized the immigration-focused march. Officials prevented 11 individuals they labeled “foreign far-right agitators” from entering Britain to speak at the demonstration.

A similar Robinson-led demonstration in September attracted approximately 150,000 attendees, according to police, and included a video message from U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk. That event resulted in over 20 arrests, with authorities still pursuing more than 50 additional suspects.

Saturday’s Robinson supporters assembled in central London, displaying primarily British and English flags.

“I think that too much migration – not migration, but too much migration – is causing a lot of problems, upsetting a delicate balance here,” said Allison Parr, who also criticized net-zero environmental policies.

Official statistics show annual net migration reached nearly 900,000 in 2022 and 2023, before declining to approximately 200,000 last year following stricter work visa regulations.

Immigration concerns, particularly regarding asylum seekers arriving by small boats, have damaged Starmer’s approval ratings and strengthened the right-wing Reform UK party, whose leader Nigel Farage has distanced himself from Robinson.

Several protesters directed hostile chants toward Starmer.

Robinson, whose criminal record includes convictions for assault, stalking and other charges, encouraged supporters this week to demonstrate peacefully in what he promoted as “the greatest patriotic display the world has ever seen.”

Earlier this year, he visited the U.S., meeting with a State Department official and speaking to supporters about what he termed “the dangers of Islam” and “the Islamification of Great Britain.”

Census information revealed 6.5% of England and Wales residents identified as Muslim in 2021, increasing from 4.9% in 2011.

In a nearby area, pro-Palestinian demonstrators conducted their own march observing Nakba Day, which commemorates Palestinians’ territorial losses during the 1948 conflict following Israel’s establishment. “Nakba” translates to catastrophe in Arabic.

This demonstration also attracted opponents of the Unite the Kingdom rally, with participants carrying mainly Palestinian flags.

London has recently experienced several arson attacks targeting Jewish locations, and two Jewish men suffered stab wounds last month in an incident authorities are investigating as terrorism.

Police noted that ongoing large pro-Palestinian demonstrations — 33 since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 — have made many Jewish residents feel too threatened to visit central London.

Though protesters expressed diverse viewpoints, police regularly arrest individuals for racially and religiously motivated public order violations, inciting racial hatred or supporting banned organizations.

Government officials stated police would detain protesters chanting “globalise the intifada,” referencing Palestinian uprisings against Israel that many British Jews consider antisemitic incitement.

Some Saturday protesters shouted “Death to the IDF,” targeting the Israeli army — rhetoric police indicated had previously justified arrests when directed at Jewish individuals.

A devastating collision between a container freight train and a public bus in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday claimed eight lives and left 32 people wounded, according to rescue officials and a deputy transport minister.

The deadly crash occurred near the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station when the bus became trapped on railway tracks while stopped at a red traffic signal. Emergency responders and firefighters rushed to the scene as flames consumed the bus and surrounding vehicles, including cars and motorcycles caught in the collision.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat explained to media that the bus had stopped on the railroad tracks due to the red light, which prevented the crossing barriers from properly closing. The freight train, carrying containers, could not brake in sufficient time to prevent the impact.

“Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals. All eight dead were on the bus,” the deputy transport minister stated.

Social media footage captured the moment of impact, showing the train striking the bus and pulling several other vehicles down the tracks with it.

Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver who saw the accident happen, described the scene to Reuters: “The bus was stuck at a red light, so it couldn’t move. Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward.”

“The fire broke out immediately … If this had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse,” Kokpho added.

Emergency crews worked to extract injured passengers from the wreckage while firefighters used water hoses to combat the flames. Officials reported that the fire was eventually controlled, and teams continued cooling the area, venting gas, and searching for additional victims.

Authorities have launched an investigation into what caused the tragic incident. According to the World Health Organization, Thailand’s roadways are among the most dangerous globally due to insufficient enforcement of safety regulations.

A collaborative military mission between American and Nigerian forces has eliminated a high-ranking commander of the Islamic State organization operating in Nigeria, according to President Donald Trump.

In a social media statement, Trump announced that the early Saturday morning operation successfully targeted Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, who held a leadership position within the regional Islamic State branch in West Africa.

Nigerian officials and military leaders confirmed the mission took place in the Lake Chad Basin area, known as a operational base for Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). They described the operation as a product of a newly established collaborative agreement with the United States government.

Al-Mainuki, born in 1982 in the northeastern Nigerian village of Mainok or Mainuki in Borno state, emerged as a prominent figure during the insurgency that began with Boko Haram’s establishment around 2009. Following ISWAP’s separation from Boko Haram, he rose to become a principal commander and served under Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the ISWAP leader reportedly killed in 2021.

According to a Nigerian military spokesperson, he functioned as a “key ISIS operational and strategic figure” with central responsibilities for the organization’s media campaigns, financial operations, and arms development.

Military officials also indicated that recent intelligence suggested his possible appointment as “Head of the General Directorate of States,” potentially placing him as the second-highest ranking official in the worldwide IS structure. Trump echoed this assertion, though some analysts have questioned this characterization.

The U.S. Department of State designated him as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2023.

Nigerian leadership credited American intelligence and partnership as essential elements of the successful operation. This represents a notable shift in relations between the two nations, which deteriorated significantly last year when Trump alleged the West African country was committing “Christian genocide.”

Nigerian authorities consistently rejected accusations of Christian persecution and pursued diplomatic engagement with the United States, eventually leading to military collaboration. Following a December airstrike against IS targets, the U.S. deployed troops to Nigeria in February.

While government officials previously indicated American forces would be limited to advisory and training functions, this weekend’s mission signals an evolved approach, according to expert analysis.

“It would demonstrate to them (militants) that the American-Nigerian operation has really picked up,” said Bulama Burkati, a security analyst specializing in sub-Saharan Africa. “We know the Nigerian forces lack the basic capacity to fight violent extremist groups, especially in places like the Lake Chad region, which is densely forested.”

Multiple armed organizations maintain operations throughout the resource-abundant Lake Chad region spanning four countries, generating revenue by imposing taxes on local populations. The area’s terrain offers effective concealment from military operations.

Expert analysis indicates Al-Mainuki represents the highest-ranking militant eliminated by security forces in the West African nation. Previous militant leader deaths typically resulted from internal conflicts between rival organizations or factions.

His elimination is expected to temporarily disrupt ISWAP operations, though analysts emphasize the need for continued targeted strikes against the group.

“This kind of counterterrorism operation can disrupt the group’s finance, recruitment, and planning at the provincial level,” Burkati explained.

Nigeria confronts a multifaceted security challenge involving various organizations. Jihadi groups including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Lakurawa operate alongside criminal networks specializing in kidnapping for financial gain. United Nations data shows tens of thousands have died in attacks since 2009, with millions more displaced throughout the nation.

Fatal violence has erupted on the Comorian island of Anjouan, where confrontations between demonstrators and police have resulted in one death and five people wounded as nationwide protests over dramatic fuel cost increases continue to spread.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mutsamudu released a statement Saturday confirming the tragic incident. “The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mutsamudu informs the public that a tragic event occurred today in Anjouan, in the Mpage area, resulting in the death of one person and five injuries,” the prosecutor announced.

The violent confrontations erupted Friday following discussions between the mayor of Mirontsy and representatives from the fishermen’s association, a group that has refused to work since Wednesday in opposition to escalating fuel costs.

Demonstrators used stones to barricade streets in Mutsamudu, Anjouan’s main city, while authorities have launched a judicial inquiry to establish how the fatality occurred.

The violence stems from a widespread work stoppage that started Monday when officials implemented a 46% increase in diesel costs and boosted gasoline prices by 35%, attributing the hikes to the Middle East conflict. Transportation employees and merchants have brought public transit to a standstill in the capital Moroni, with the National Human Rights Commission reporting that 39 individuals have been arrested since the labor action began.

In response to mounting tensions, officials have announced reductions in government travel expenses and a 40% decrease in customs fees.

President Trump’s recent diplomatic trip to Beijing this week delivered limited achievements by typical standards for U.S.-China meetings, but analysts say it demonstrated a clear advantage for China: following last year’s intense trade conflict, both nations have returned to their customary economic and strategic deadlock.

The two-day discussions between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized that even following Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and the subsequent trade détente reached in late 2024, Washington and Beijing remain engaged in the same competitive struggle that Trump faced when beginning his second presidential term.

From America’s perspective, this means the most concerning elements of the bilateral relationship — including what Washington views as Beijing’s mercantilist trade practices and China’s efforts to expand military influence in the Indo-Pacific region — continue without significant resolution.

However, for Xi, the situation provides some relief and a return to more manageable challenges. He seemed to characterize this shift during the week by introducing a new framework for bilateral relations that he termed “constructive strategic stability.”

China emerged with advantages, considering the step back from the Trump administration’s aggressive trade stance from early 2025, according to Scott Kennedy, a China expert at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“Compared to where we were a year ago, with 145% tariffs and the U.S. really trying to push China and the rest of the world to fundamentally change, we’ve had a counterrevolution and we’re back at stability,” Kennedy said.

Trump brought some of America’s most influential business leaders to the Thursday-Friday summit, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, though most had limited concrete results to demonstrate beyond attending an elaborate state dinner.

The discussions also failed to obtain any public pledge from China to assist the U.S. in ending the conflict in Iran that has disrupted international markets and affected Trump’s public approval numbers.

“The summit projected stability but it left the stalemate intact,” said Craig Singleton, a China expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. It “produced modest, marketable and managed outcomes, which is about all the U.S.-China relationship can bear right now.”

When asked for response, a White House official said, “President Trump leveraged his positive relationship with President Xi of China in order to bring home deliverables for the American people,” pointing to Boeing aircraft sales and agricultural deals designed to boost American exports.

A spokesperson with the Chinese embassy in Washington described the meetings between Xi and Trump as “candid, in-depth, constructive and strategic,” noting they “explored the right way for two major countries to get along with each other.”

Through last year’s trade conflict, Trump seems to have overestimated tariffs’ ability to force China into one-sided compromises, according to policy experts. Beijing responded with retaliatory tariff increases and threatened to restrict supplies of essential minerals required by U.S. industries, creating an uncomfortable standoff.

Following that period, the White House has demonstrated reluctance to accept the economic costs that would accompany using other forms of U.S. financial and technological pressure, including sanctions targeting China’s major banking institutions.

Demonstrating the shift in approach, this week’s meetings included no public discussion of many persistent U.S. demands, including calls for China to address industrial overcapacity that trading partners claim unfairly saturates their markets with inexpensive products.

China seems satisfied with the delicate ceasefire as it manages a struggling domestic economy while working to strengthen technologies it believes will provide advantages in long-term rivalry with the U.S.

Top Trump administration officials had minimized expectations for major breakthroughs even before the meeting began, indicating no urgency to extend a trade ceasefire set to expire in five months, which the leaders negotiated following discussions in South Korea in October.

A person with knowledge of the trade discussions said China sought a longer extension of the ceasefire than the Trump administration was prepared to offer, along with guarantees regarding pending U.S. investigations likely to restore some tariffs on imports that were eliminated by the Supreme Court this year.

In general, neither country offered substantial proposals for the summit, the source informed Reuters, noting that some business agreements might be reserved for autumn, when Xi is anticipated to make a return visit to the White House.

The source asked for anonymity to discuss the negotiations openly.

The summit’s limited commercial achievements stand in contrast to Trump’s 2017 China visit, when accompanying businesses signed agreements and memorandums valued at $250 billion.

This week’s meetings produced no progress on selling Nvidia’s advanced H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, likely satisfying Republican and Democratic China critics in Washington who had cautioned the administration against supporting China’s AI advancement.

While not yet confirmed, Trump announced that Boeing had completed an agreement for China to buy 200 aircraft, significantly less than the 500 that were expected and the 300 Beijing committed to purchase during the 2017 visit.

The White House official mentioned that the U.S. had created a new Board of Trade that U.S. officials had referenced as a joint mechanism to reduce tariffs on non-sensitive products, but provided limited specifics.

Wendy Cutler, a former acting deputy U.S. Trade Representative, described the economic outcomes as “way below expectations.”

For China, though, the meetings represented positive progress toward realistic competition, according to Cui Shoujun, a professor of international affairs at Renmin University in Beijing.

The summit demonstrated that Washington and Beijing are “no longer aspiring to pull China-U.S. relations back to a cooperative golden age, but instead acknowledging the long-term nature of competition and disagreement,” he said.

PARIS, May 16 – France’s national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office announced Saturday that a magistrate has been designated to investigate the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, following a court decision to accept the case for review.

The investigation will examine allegations of torture and enforced disappearance, according to the prosecutor’s office, known as PNAT. This comes after the Paris Court of Appeal determined on May 11 that complaints submitted by human rights organizations TRIAL International and Reporters Without Borders could proceed, PNAT stated.

However, a separate complaint brought by DAWN, which employed Khashoggi, was rejected by the court, PNAT noted.

Khashoggi was murdered and his body dismembered by Saudi operatives at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul during October 2018, in what U.S. intelligence agencies concluded was an operation directed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While the crown prince has rejected claims he ordered the assassination, he has admitted it occurred “under my watch.”

This French investigation opens another legal avenue in a case that has experienced minimal judicial progress elsewhere.

Turkey’s court system suspended its prosecution of 26 Saudi defendants in 2022 and sent the matter to Saudi Arabia, a decision that sparked criticism from human rights advocates.

In America, the Biden administration provided bin Salman with immunity following his designation as prime minister, prompting a federal court to reject a civil case filed by Khashoggi’s fiancée.

French legal statutes permit judges to investigate certain grave crimes that occur in other countries, though criminal prosecutions typically require defendants to be physically located within French borders.

The Saudi government’s media representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.

The Israeli military announced it has eliminated a senior Hamas military commander who played a key role in planning the October 7, 2023 attacks that sparked the current Gaza conflict.

Israeli forces killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad during an operation in Gaza City on Friday, according to military officials. Haddad was described as among the remaining high-ranking Hamas military leaders who helped orchestrate the October 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel.

According to Israeli officials, Haddad had taken over leadership duties following the death of his predecessor, Mohammed Sinwar. The Associated Press confirmed Haddad’s death through his family members on Saturday.

The strike occurred while the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas continues to face challenges, with unresolved matters such as Hamas disarmament creating obstacles to the deal’s implementation.

BANGKOK, May 16 – Emergency responders in Thailand’s capital report that eight people lost their lives and 25 others sustained injuries following a devastating multi-vehicle crash involving a train that ignited a deadly blaze on Saturday.

The collision involved a passenger train, a public transit bus, several automobiles, and motorcycles, according to rescue officials and police. The impact caused flames to spread rapidly through the bus and surrounding vehicles.

Emergency response teams rushed to the scene as the fire consumed the bus and spread to other vehicles in the area. Rescue workers scrambled to extract injured passengers from the twisted wreckage while firefighters deployed water hoses in an urgent effort to stop the flames from spreading further.

Authorities report that fire crews have successfully extinguished the blaze and are now working to cool down the affected area while venting dangerous gases. Search and rescue operations continue as teams look for additional victims. Officials have launched an investigation to determine what caused the tragic accident.

Following President Donald Trump’s recent threats to take control of Greenland, officials on the Arctic island have turned to Canada for assistance in strengthening their defenses.

The Canadian armed forces operate a reserve unit known as the Rangers, which has maintained a continuous presence in remote Arctic settlements for years. Officials from Greenland and Denmark have spent three years consulting with Canadian representatives about creating their own version of this force — discussions that became more pressing after Trump’s statements and increasing concerns about Russian aggression in the Arctic region.

“The rhetoric coming out of the White House has sped up efforts to rebuff the idea that Arctic communities need the U.S. to come in and save them,” said Whitney Lackenbauer, an honorary lieutenant-colonel Canadian Ranger involved in the talks, who spoke with Reuters during a recent 5,000-kilometer Arctic snowmobile trek by the Rangers. “The Nordic countries and Canada, we’re increasingly realizing we can come together in military and diplomatic ways to send a message that carries moral weight.”

As Canada works to reduce its dependence on U.S. protection for its extensive Arctic territory, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been building stronger relationships and sharing defense strategies with Nordic nations, which he considers reliable allies. This enhanced military cooperation represents part of Carney’s broader strategy to forge stronger bonds between what he terms “middle powers” in an era where America is viewed as a less dependable partner.

The White House responded that Trump’s leadership has encouraged allies “to recognize the need to meaningfully contribute to their own defense” and emphasized the Arctic’s importance for U.S. national security and economic interests.

“The administration is participating in diplomatic high-level technical talks with the governments of Greenland and Denmark to address the United States’ national security interests in Greenland,” a White House spokesperson said in an email.

Arctic partnerships are evolving as climate change increases accessibility to the region. Russia maintains significantly more military installations there than any other country, while China has recently expanded its presence in the resource-rich area, primarily through Russian partnerships. Although Carney states Canada will no longer depend on other nations to defend its territory, he identifies Russia as the primary Arctic threat — with Nordic countries enhancing their own defenses since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In March, Canada joined the five Nordic nations — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — in an agreement to enhance cooperation in military purchasing and increase defense manufacturing to address security challenges, including cyber threats. Government policy documents indicate a strategy for Greenland’s adaptation of the Canadian Rangers model should be completed by year’s end.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told Reuters she maintains regular contact with Nordic officials regarding collective defense and Arctic security matters. While Canada’s NORAD partnership with the United States remains vital, she emphasized Canada’s focus on developing new alliances. This includes opening a Canadian consulate in Nuuk in February and inviting Nordic counterparts to visit Canada’s Arctic this year.

“We have to build something new, and it has to be a world order that is built on the values that we represent,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Carney during the Nordic-Canadian summit in Oslo in March.

In April, Alexander Stubb became the first Finnish president to visit Canada in twelve years, signing multiple Arctic cooperation agreements. Stubb and Carney participated in a hockey practice on Ottawa ice, after which Stubb revealed he and Carney exchange messages nearly daily.

The two leaders sometimes discuss hockey or baseball, Stubb told reporters, but “most of the time it’s about NATO or Ukraine or Iran.”

Lackenbauer, who serves as an Arctic specialist at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, believes Canada should restructure its Arctic security approach similar to how Nordic countries responded after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022.

“The more we can go and help Canada’s allies in northern Europe, the more hostile nations will get the message that they do not get a free pass in the Arctic,” he said.

Among the eight Arctic nations, Canada’s defense spending for the region has consistently ranked near the lowest, behind Russia, the U.S., Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, according to the Arctic Business Index. Alongside Greenland, Canada has historically invested the least. Last year, Canada achieved the NATO benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defense, approximately CA$63 billion, following repeated criticism from Trump. This marked a significant increase from a low of just 1% in 2014.

Neil O’Rourke, Director General at Canada’s Coast Guard for Fleet and Maritime Services, explained that he and a Danish defense colleague recognized years ago that during any serious Arctic incident, their first contact should be with each other.

“Up north, we’re just across the water and it makes much more sense to share resources than to get help from down south,” O’Rourke said in an interview. He noted Canada is also studying Norway’s maritime emergency vessel towing procedures.

Rob Huebert, an Arctic specialist at the University of Calgary, stressed that U.S. cooperation remains essential, highlighting America’s advanced military technology and Canada’s continued reliance on U.S. forces for northern region protection.

“If we are talking about war-fighting capability, that means working with the U.S. military,” he said.

Huebert suggested Carney’s March visit to observe a Norwegian-led NATO exercise in Bardufoss might signal a shift in Canada’s approach.

“Until very recently, Canada’s participation in NATO’s Arctic exercises in the Nordics has been very token,” he said. “But then all of a sudden because of Trump, we decide we’d better do something with the Nordics.”

LONDON (AP) — Law enforcement officials in London are mobilizing for an intense Saturday as massive crowds converge on the British capital for competing political demonstrations while thousands more gather for England’s premier domestic soccer championship at Wembley Stadium.

The Metropolitan Police will deploy armored vehicles, mounted officers, canine units, aerial drones and helicopters alongside a minimum of 4,000 personnel in an effort to prevent confrontations.

Authorities have established separate pathways to maintain distance between participants in a demonstration led by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who goes by the alias Tommy Robinson, and the yearly march recognizing Nakba, the Arabic word meaning “catastrophe” that refers to the displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians from present-day Israel in 1948.

Nevertheless, law enforcement remains concerned about potential contact between breakaway factions from the primary demonstrations.

Legal officials have been instructed to evaluate whether signs, displays and verbal expressions documented on social platforms could constitute crimes of inciting hatred during the gatherings.

“This is not about restricting free speech,” said the Crown Prosecution Service’s director, Stephen Parkinson. “It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.”

British officials have also prevented 11 international individuals from entering the nation for the “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration.

Conservative political figures reportedly denied entry include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.

“We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.”

On Friday, Starmer toured the Met’s operations center to review security preparations for the demonstrations with Met Commissioner Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Live facial recognition technology will be implemented for the first time during protest security operations, with surveillance equipment positioned in the north London area of Camden, which lies outside the “Unite the Kingdom” march path but is anticipated to be used by many event participants.

At Wembley in the northern part of the city, authorities hope the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., will proceed without problems.