Category: World News

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — A towering dark plume of smoke billowing over St. Petersburg’s horizon from a Ukrainian drone attack cast an ominous shadow as President Vladimir Putin prepared to launch his yearly display of Russia’s economic accomplishments.

As Putin was scheduled to reach his birthplace on Thursday for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Ukrainian assault from the previous day that ignited an oil facility delivered yet another humiliating setback to his attempts to downplay the consequences of the 4-year-old war and portray it as a remote occurrence with no impact on everyday Russian life.

The strike, which simultaneously targeted a naval installation near Russia’s second-most populous city on the Gulf of Finland, highlighted Ukraine’s expanding capacity to reach far into its neighboring country and proved that even the heavily fortified city of Putin’s birth faces increasing danger.

Dozens of airline flights experienced delays or rerouting at St. Petersburg’s airport, while officials disabled mobile internet connectivity in an effort to thwart drone operations.

Putin had reduced the scale of Russia’s yearly Victory Day military parade on May 9, concerned about potential Ukrainian drone attacks. Several days afterward, a large-scale drone assault on Moscow’s outskirts resulted in three deaths and exposed the capital’s susceptibility.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian military forces were advancing within Ukraine “in order to prevent such attacks” similar to the St. Petersburg incident. He observed that “systematic” bombardments of Kyiv that Russia had warned about the previous week were currently taking place.

On Tuesday, Russia launched attacks against Kyiv and additional Ukrainian cities using hundreds of drones and multiple missiles, resulting in 23 fatalities and injuring 151 individuals.

Putin has utilized the forum as a platform to highlight his nation’s economic progress and attract international investment. Frequently described as Russia’s answer to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the event typically brings together tens of thousands of participants from across the globe.

Although Western government representatives and business leaders have avoided the forum since Putin deployed military forces into Ukraine in 2022, Russia has worked to draw more attendees from different regions to emphasize its stated objective of fostering a “multipolar world.”

Saudi Arabia, serving as this year’s special guest nation, has dispatched a substantial delegation. The leaders of Uzbekistan and Tanzania, along with China’s vice president, are also participating. A U.S. official, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., head of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, will attend the event for the first time in years.

Russia’s economic prospects have dimmed as the initial benefits from extensive military expenditures have diminished. The administration has implemented tax increases and expanded domestic borrowing to maintain budget deficit control.

Putin is anticipated to downplay Russia’s economic difficulties during his forum presentation, but the Ukrainian strike on St. Petersburg’s port approximately 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) from the forum’s location has emphasized the mounting obstacles created by the ongoing conflict.

In the hours before the forum commenced on Wednesday, Ukrainian drones also struck the Kronstadt naval facility located on an island in the Gulf of Finland, which has served as the headquarters for Russia’s Baltic Fleet since Peter the Great established St. Petersburg. Although the majority of the fleet has relocated to Russia’s Baltic territory of Kaliningrad, Kronstadt maintains its symbolic significance as the center of the nation’s naval heritage, featuring its historic cathedral and ancient defensive structures.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has virtually guaranteed an interest rate increase this month as he adopts a more aggressive stance against rising inflation driven by Middle East conflict and energy price shocks.

During a Wednesday address, Ueda abandoned his previously cautious approach and emphasized the central bank’s willingness to combat escalating inflation that could damage Japan’s economy if allowed to continue unchecked.

This represents a fundamental change in Japan’s monetary policy direction, placing inflation concerns at the heart of interest rate decisions rather than simply focusing on reaching the stable 2% inflation target.

Most significantly, he dropped previous uncertainty regarding supply disruptions, signaling the BOJ will no longer ignore war-related inflation if it threatens to create broader economic ripple effects.

This messaging signals a new chapter in Ueda’s five-year leadership. After spending his initial period dismantling his predecessor’s aggressive stimulus measures, he’s now guiding the BOJ toward a more traditional function: maintaining stable inflation.

The BOJ ended a decade of massive economic stimulus in 2024 and has increased its benchmark rate multiple times, including in December, based on expectations that Japan was approaching sustainable achievement of its 2% inflation goal.

“Even if the situation surrounding the Middle East remains unclear, we must discuss the pros and cons of raising the policy rate if we judge that upside risks to prices outweigh downside risks to economic activity,” Ueda stated, words that strengthened widespread market expectations for a rate increase at the June 15-16 policy meeting.

His comments mirrored statements he made before December’s rate boost, when he mentioned a similar “pros and cons” evaluation.

However, this time Ueda expanded the circumstances under which rates might increase.

Previously, the BOJ’s tightening approach had been characterized as a careful, gradual withdrawal from stimulus connected to achieving consistent 2% inflation.

Ueda has now introduced an additional catalyst focused solely on inflation dangers. With companies altering their pricing strategies, he cautioned that energy disruptions could intensify price pressures.

“Unless there’s a severe escalation in the conflict, the BOJ will probably hike rates in June,” said a source familiar with its thinking, a view echoed by another source.

Ueda also warned against delaying action too long, pointing out that increasing raw material expenses are already pushing up wholesale prices and could spread more widely throughout the economy.

The shift in messaging demonstrates the BOJ’s increasing worry about building price pressures, according to veteran BOJ watcher Mari Iwashita, who considers a June rate hike certain.

“The war-induced wave of price increases has only just begun and is likely to intensify around summer,” she said. “Ueda’s remarks suggest the BOJ is bracing for the chance of being forced to raise rates in autumn, possibly at a faster pace.”

Meanwhile, Ueda attempted to ease concerns from a dovish government about potential economic harm from rate increases.

He presented policy tightening as protection against declining household buying power. Considering the administration’s resistance to higher government borrowing expenses, Ueda also promoted timely hikes as a method to maintain market confidence and prevent disruptive spikes in bond yields.

Despite the more hawkish direction, the yen kept declining, highlighting ongoing market doubt. The currency stays close to the 160-per-dollar threshold viewed as Tokyo’s intervention trigger, maintaining pressure on import costs and living expenses.

Even a June increase may not reverse the yen’s downward trajectory.

Some experts believe it will require a stronger, sustained tightening message to significantly impact the currency.

“Even if the BOJ raises rates in June, any rebound in the yen will be limited,” said Rinto Maruyama, a strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

Taiwan’s leadership called on China Thursday to acknowledge the violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 37 years ago, marking an anniversary that China continues to treat as forbidden territory.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te used social media to address the sensitive milestone, writing: “I sincerely hope that China can face up to the June 4 incident of 37 years ago, acknowledge the truth, soothe the pain, and open the door to reconciliation and dialogue.”

The June 4, 1989 incident, when Chinese military forces fired on student-led democracy advocates in and around the Beijing square, remains off-limits for public discussion in China with no official recognition of the anniversary.

Memorial events now occur in cities outside China’s borders, including Taipei, where Taiwan’s government officials regularly use the date to criticize China. Beijing considers the democratically-run island nation part of its territory.

In his social media statement, Lai cautioned against “blindly believing” in military force and argued that responsible governments and societies should work to improve future generations’ prospects rather than employ “violence, surveillance, and other means to strangle their dreams and erase their opinions.”

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

Beijing labels Lai a “separatist” and has rejected his repeated attempts at dialogue. Lai maintains that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their nation’s path forward.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also marked the anniversary Wednesday, stating that Beijing’s censorship efforts cannot eliminate recollections of the military attack. This continues the American tradition of the nation’s chief diplomat recognizing the date, which consistently angers Beijing.

“Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday,” Rubio stated.

China’s foreign ministry had not responded to requests for comment on Rubio’s remarks. Last year, Beijing condemned Rubio for his Tiananmen commentary, claiming he was “distorting” historical reality and attacking China’s governing structure.

Chinese military tanks entered Tiananmen Square in the early morning hours of June 4, 1989, ending weeks of democracy demonstrations by students and laborers.

Beijing has never released complete casualty figures, though human rights organizations and eyewitnesses estimate deaths could number in the thousands. China characterized the demonstrations as counter-revolutionary efforts to topple the ruling Communist Party.

In Hong Kong, where annual candlelight ceremonies in Victoria Park once attracted tens of thousands annually, public memorial events ended after Beijing enacted a national security law in 2020.

These vigils previously symbolized the financial center’s greater freedoms compared to mainland China, but the anniversary there now features heavy police deployment with minimal visible remembrance activities.

Multiple memorial events were planned for Thursday in various global cities, including four locations in Germany and one in Australia.

Ukrainian military forces conducted operations against two primary population centers in the Crimean peninsula under Russian control, according to Moscow-appointed regional authorities who reported the incidents early Thursday morning. The attacks occurred following a day of mutual strikes between the two nations targeting urban areas.

The Russia-appointed leader of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, posted on Telegram that Ukrainian military forces had struck a non-residential area of Simferopol, which serves as the peninsula’s primary administrative center. Three people lost their lives in the attack while seven others sustained injuries, according to his statement.

In Sevastopol, a major Crimean port city, the locally-installed Russian governor Mikhail Razvozhayev reported that defense systems had successfully intercepted over 20 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft.

While Razvozhayev did not report any casualties in Sevastopol, he noted that falling drone fragments caused damage to several structures. The city remained under air raid warnings for almost five hours.

Russia took control of and formally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, eight years prior to launching its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This occurred after widespread demonstrations led to the departure of a pro-Moscow Ukrainian leader.

Regional authorities have implemented steps to address fuel supply issues following Ukraine’s intensified campaign targeting petroleum infrastructure, including facilities located far within Russian territory.

Both countries launched strikes against each other’s urban centers on Wednesday.

In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, described as one of the nation’s key “fortress cities” positioned along the 1,200-kilometer front line, Russian bombardment resulted in the deaths of at least three civilians, as reported by Vadym Filashkin, who governs Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

In the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, local governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported that Russian military actions wounded eight individuals in the vicinity of Dnipro, the region’s primary urban center.

Ukraine’s campaign against Moscow’s petroleum sector included an assault on an oil facility in St Petersburg on Wednesday. Zelenskiy stated that these strikes allow Ukraine “to end this war on equal footing.”

In Russia’s Bryansk border region, Acting Regional Governor Yegor Kovalchuk reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed a crane operator employed by the area’s utility company.

Diplomatic efforts mediated by the United States aimed at progressing toward resolution of the conflict, which has lasted more than four years, have reached an impasse as Washington maintains its attention on the situation in Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday that the possibility of conflict escalation was “real,” representing a greater threat than existed two years earlier.

Russia announced last month its intention to conduct “systematic” attacks on targets in Kyiv as retaliation for what it characterized as a drone assault on a dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region. Ukraine has rejected responsibility for that attack.

Russian military actions against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities resulted in 23 deaths early Tuesday morning.

Aviation officials from South Korea and China have finalized their first flight expansion deal in seven years, marking another positive development in the relationship between the neighboring countries, according to Seoul’s transport ministry announced Thursday.

During bilateral aviation discussions held in Seoul from May 27 to 28, both nations agreed to boost passenger flight allowances by 56 weekly flights, bringing the total from 608 to 664. Cargo flight permissions will also grow by 14 weekly flights, increasing from 54 to 68, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reported.

According to ministry officials, the expanded flight rights will facilitate additional service on popular travel corridors like Incheon to Shanghai and Incheon to Guangzhou, where current flight allocations have reached capacity for both countries.

The agreement will also open new pathway options connecting South Korea’s smaller airports, including those in Busan and Cheongju, to 10 destinations across China including Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Xian, ministry representatives stated.

Travel between the two countries has already rebounded strongly, with first-quarter passenger numbers hitting approximately 4.39 million – surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of 4.14 million, the ministry’s data shows.

Lee So-young, who serves as the ministry’s aviation policy chief, expressed optimism about the timing of the flight expansion coinciding with increased bilateral exchanges.

“We expect this agreement to help promote visits to South Korea by Chinese tourists, improve convenience for our citizens travelling to China and for import-export companies, and contribute to revitalising the economy by further boosting Korean airlines’ entry into the Chinese market,” Lee said.

The ministry indicated it will distribute the additional flight rights to South Korean carriers during the latter half of this year.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un revealed a new nuclear fuel production facility on Thursday, declaring his intention to strengthen the nation’s atomic weapons capabilities “at an exponential rate.”

According to the official Korean Central News Agency, the plant employs “more sophisticated technology,” though no additional specifics were shared regarding its location or when operations commenced. Images released by state media displayed what looked like an extensive centrifuge hall, suggesting the facility’s purpose is enriching uranium for weapons use.

This revelation aligns with Kim’s ongoing promises to expand the nuclear weapons program in response to what he describes as growing military threats led by the United States.

KCNA reported that Kim toured the nuclear installation on Wednesday to examine its operational metrics and future production strategy.

The news agency quoted Kim as stating that the need to strengthen the country’s nuclear war deterrent, in both quality and quantity, has intensified due to confrontations with “the most ferocious enemies,” seemingly referring to the United States and South Korea. Kim pointed to additional unidentified threats and crises as justification for enhancing North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, according to the report.

Kim asserted that North Korea’s production capacity for weapons-grade nuclear materials has more than doubled from five years ago, KCNA stated. Independent verification of this assertion is virtually impossible.

Following a meeting at the site, Kim announced that he and other senior officials “confirmed the order of priority for implementing the ambitious future plan designed to beef up our state’s nuclear forces at an exponential rate,” KCNA reported.

State media photographs depicted Kim moving through narrow pathways surrounded by densely packed rows of metallic tubes and pipes, appearing to be within a centrifuge facility. A separate image captured him discussing matters with high-ranking officials in a conference room, where a blurred diagram showing a cone-shaped item was visible on a table. The nature of the diagram, whether depicting a warhead design, remained unclear.

The facility’s announcement follows less than two years after North Korea revealed another hidden uranium-enrichment plant in September 2024, marking the first public acknowledgment of such a facility since displaying one at the primary Yongbyon nuclear complex to visiting American academics in 2010.

Kim conveyed a comparable message during his 2024 visit to that facility, demanding an increase in centrifuge numbers to “exponentially” grow the country’s nuclear stockpile and pushing for the creation of more advanced centrifuge systems.

Last September, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated that North Korea was running four uranium enrichment facilities in total, including the Yongbyon complex, and that they operated daily.

Nuclear weapons can be constructed using either highly enriched uranium or plutonium, and North Korea maintains facilities to produce both materials at Yongbyon.

North Korea has concentrated on expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Kim has subsequently rejected U.S. and South Korean proposals to resume diplomatic talks.

In April, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi informed reporters that his organization had verified “a rapid increase” in activities at nuclear facilities in North Korea.

MANILA, Philippines — A political standoff that forced the Philippine Senate to close for two straight days came to an end Wednesday when opposition lawmakers secured enough members to reopen the legislative chamber.

The upper house had been paralyzed since Monday when Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and 10 supporting senators refused to attend sessions. Their absence came after two of Cayetano’s allies faced legal troubles, reducing the 24-seat chamber to 22 functioning members.

Cayetano defended his group’s boycott as a form of “protest” designed to block opposing senators from seizing leadership of the chamber. The 11 lawmakers who oppose Cayetano condemned his actions and demanded his resignation.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the missing senators to return immediately to their duties, warning that the legislative gridlock would block critical laws needed to address an energy crisis triggered by Middle Eastern conflicts affecting the impoverished nation.

The stalemate broke when Sen. Francis Escudero, who had previously supported Cayetano, appeared at the Senate to establish the minimum attendance required for official business before lawmakers begin a scheduled multi-week break.

“The current impasse in the Senate is untenable and unacceptable,” Escudero stated, noting that “political divisions” had “become too extreme” for the chamber to operate effectively.

Writing on Facebook, Cayetano insisted he continues to hold the Senate presidency and declared that he and his remaining supporters would reject any committee leadership changes implemented by opposing senators on Wednesday.

The Marcos administration issued a statement backing Sen. Win Gatchalian, whom anti-Cayetano senators named as temporary Senate leader. “What happened in the Senate…was based on the law and the rule of law,” the administration declared.

Cayetano’s opponents accused him of desperately supporting two missing allies — Ronald dela Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada — to preserve his narrow majority leadership.

Dela Rosa, who previously served as national police chief, has gone into hiding following an International Criminal Court arrest warrant naming him as a co-conspirator with former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces trial in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity. Both men deny authorizing extrajudicial executions.

Estrada was taken into custody at the Senate on Monday on corruption allegations connected to a flood control project. He maintains his innocence and remains jailed pending trial.

Cayetano maintains ties to the former president, whose daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, has blamed Marcos and his government for the “kidnapping” of her father by police and his transfer to the international court.

Senate leadership control carries significant weight as the chamber prepares to begin the July trial of Sara Duterte, who was impeached as vice president last month by the House of Representatives, which is controlled by Marcos supporters.

The vice president, who has announced plans to run for president in 2028, faces impeachment on criminal allegations including unexplained wealth and publicly threatening to assassinate the president — charges she denies but has declined to address comprehensively.

Canada’s federal government has ordered its telecommunications regulator to abandon a controversial decision that would have significantly increased financial obligations for American streaming platforms like Netflix to fund Canadian programming, according to an announcement Wednesday from the country’s culture minister.

Culture Minister Marc Miller announced that instead of implementing the fee structure, the government plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the entertainment industry.

The policy reversal follows intense lobbying from the Motion Picture Association, which represents major streaming companies, urging Canadian leadership to reconsider the approach. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra had also pressed for the policy to be withdrawn.

The about-face occurs during ongoing negotiations between Canada and the United States regarding potential renewal of the trilateral trade pact that includes Mexico.

In May, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission — Canada’s counterpart to America’s Federal Communications Commission — announced it would mandate major streaming platforms contribute 15% of their Canadian earnings to domestic content production. The requirement was part of implementing the Online Streaming Act.

When questioned about whether the reversal represented another compromise to American interests, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that officials were considering the financial impact on Canadian consumers.

“It is another step to reinforce affordability for Canadians. This is not the time to raise the costs for Canadians,” he stated.

U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra praised the government’s decision on social media.

“American firms want to invest in Canada’s creative sector, and a fair, nonburdensome framework makes that possible,” Hoekstra wrote online.

Culture Minister Miller told media in Ottawa that American identification of the Online Streaming Act as a trade concern was not the sole factor behind the government’s request for the CRTC to reverse direction.

“We’re impatient to make sure that the (streaming) sector stays vital and stays supported, and that’s why we’re making that investment of $600 million Canadian (US$432 million) into the industry,” Miller explained.

The policy change has drawn criticism from some quarters.

Kyle Irving, chair of the board of the Canadian Media Producers Association, expressed concern in a statement, saying the board was still analyzing the development but “we are concerned that the federal government has sold out Canadian culture in favor of big U.S. tech interests.”

Irving questioned whether American streaming services, which earn “tens of billions” from Canadian subscribers, should be obligated to support Canadian storytellers producing domestic content.

Lebanon and Israel have reached a ceasefire agreement following diplomatic talks in Washington, the State Department announced Wednesday in a joint statement involving the United States.

The breakthrough came after negotiations between the two nations were facilitated by American officials in the nation’s capital.

SANTIAGO, Chile — Violent confrontations erupted between law enforcement and thousands of demonstrators in Chile’s capital city Wednesday as crowds gathered to oppose President José Antonio Kast’s proposed education budget reductions and cost-cutting policies.

The ultraconservative leader, who assumed the presidency on March 11, has committed to slashing approximately $6 billion from government expenditures within an 18-month timeframe to strengthen the nation’s financial position. His administration’s sweeping austerity strategy includes implementing close to a 3% reduction in funding for every government department.

These policies have faced opposition not just from rival political parties, but also from certain groups within Kast’s own governing alliance.

The demonstration was coordinated by the Confederation of Chilean Students with backing from various groups, including the Teachers’ Union, secondary school student associations, and feminist groups.

While the protest started without incident, the situation deteriorated when confrontations erupted between demonstrators and law enforcement. Police deployed water cannons and tear gas to break up the crowds, as some participants hurled stones and other projectiles. Traffic was disrupted on numerous streets and several subway stations shut down operations.

“The government sought to provoke this, to create this situation to justify repression,” Mario Aguilar, president of the Chilean Teachers’ Union, said.

Participants also voiced opposition to the administration’s National Reconstruction bill, an extensive legislative package designed to decrease government expenditures, stimulate investment and strengthen Chile’s economic performance.

The legislation, referred to as the “mega-reform” bill, received approval from the Chamber of Deputies in late May and will now move to Senate consideration.

“They want to silence us, but we are not going to stop,” said Magdalena Correa, a 21-year-old student. “They’re taking away our resources and rights, and we have to fight back.”

Neither police nor government representatives have issued statements regarding the confrontations. Nevertheless, Associated Press reporters witnessed no fewer than twelve arrests and multiple injuries throughout the disturbances.

Canada’s federal government has given the green light to relocate the final group of captive marine mammals from a closed Ontario theme park to facilities in the United States and Spain, potentially preventing the animals from being euthanized.

Thirty-four marine mammals remain at the former Marineland attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario — consisting of 30 beluga whales and four dolphins. The park was listed for sale in early 2023 and shut its doors to visitors during late summer 2024, though no buyer has been announced.

Since closing, the former entertainment venue has been working to relocate its remaining animal population while attempting to sell the extensive grounds located near Horseshoe Falls.

In 2024, Marineland faced conviction under Ontario’s animal cruelty statutes in connection with the treatment of three black bears.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has approved initial permits for the whale transfer and plans to issue additional authorization documents as the relocation approaches in the coming months. Recent permits were granted under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITES permits.

“I think this is a positive step forward,” said Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson. “There’s still more work to be done, but it’s a step forward.”

Since 2019, twenty marine mammals have perished at Marineland — including 19 beluga whales and one killer whale — based on provincial records obtained through freedom-of-information requests and official announcements.

Thompson’s department stated it is working alongside the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada and other government branches to “ensure all requirements are met for a safe and timely transfer.”

The park stated it remains “fully committed to the safe and timely relocation of our beluga whales, and we want to be clear: this is our top priority.”

“Relocating these animals is an extraordinarily complex undertaking,” the facility said in its statement.

Officials have not determined whether taxpayer funding will support the whale relocation effort.

The marine mammals are destined for five different facilities: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia.

Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, which received five beluga whales from Marineland in 2021, will assist with the current transfer, according to the American consortium.

John Holer, who founded Marineland, passed away in 2018. His widow, Marie Holer, assumed control of park operations and listed it for sale in 2023 before her death in 2024.

The estate has been working to dismantle the attraction, which included roller-coasters and various amusement rides.

A toddler has died from wounds suffered when powerful winds launched a bouncy castle into the sky during a church gathering at a Montreal park over the weekend.

The 3-year-old girl was among eleven people hurt when strong gusts sent the inflatable structure and a tent flying through the air on May 31 at Parc Ouellet in LaSalle, a southwestern Montreal borough, according to emergency medical officials. Six of those injured required hospitalization.

Weather officials from Environment Canada reported wind speeds reached 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour) during Sunday afternoon’s church event.

Coroner Martine Lachance will examine what led to the fatal incident.

Cathy Denis, who owns a Quebec-based inflatable rental business, explained she refuses to set up or operate bounce houses when weather forecasts predict winds above 38 kilometers per hour (24 miles per hour).

“That limit is important because inflatables present a large surface area and sudden gusts can move the structures, even when they are properly installed,” she said.

This tragedy follows a pattern of similar fatal incidents worldwide. A fair in Mislata, near Valencia, Spain claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl in 2022 when winds hurled a bouncy castle several meters high, also injuring eight other children who needed medical care.

Tasmania’s Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport witnessed an even deadlier accident in 2021 when wind gusts lifted a jumping castle approximately 10 meters (33 feet) into the air during an end-of-year event, killing six children and seriously injuring three others.

A 2017 incident in Caldes de Malavella, northeastern Spain, resulted in one 6-year-old girl’s death and six other children’s injuries when an inflatable structure broke free from its anchors and became airborne. Authorities investigated whether faulty anchoring or equipment failure caused that accident.

Health Canada recommends that inflatable structure operators properly secure their equipment to prevent movement, tipping, or becoming airborne.

Research from the Public Health Agency of Canada documented 674 inflatable attraction injuries reported through the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program from 1990 to 2009. Children ages 2 through 9 suffered the majority of injuries, with fractures making up more than one-third of all reported cases.

Additional research conducted by Toronto Metropolitan University scholars found that inflatable structures caused 42% of amusement ride injuries recorded in a U.S. injury tracking database during 2010 — exceeding any mechanical ride category.

Study lead researcher Kathryn Woodcock supported Health Canada’s operator guidelines while emphasizing that inflatable structures should remain unused when weather conditions, including strong winds, surpass manufacturer safety standards.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toured a recently opened facility that produces nuclear materials and demanded a dramatic buildup of the nation’s nuclear weapons program, according to state media reports released Thursday.

The leader stated that the facility’s capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear materials has more than doubled during the past five years, and he directed officials to boost production even further to achieve the country’s long-range strategic objectives.

State media KCNA reported that Kim received briefings about new manufacturing methods that use more sophisticated technology and examined current production goals along with upcoming plans during his facility tour.

The leader justified the weapons expansion by pointing to what he described as increasing security dangers and ongoing confrontation with adversarial nations, while restating the country’s commitment to continuously strengthening its nuclear deterrent capabilities.

According to KCNA, officials held an important strategy session the same day focused on strengthening nuclear capabilities, where Kim provided direction for speeding up both the quality and quantity improvements to North Korea’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

Kim announced that the nation had reached “responsible and significant decisions,” which included establishing the timeline and protective measures for implementing what he characterized as an extensive strategy to boost nuclear capabilities “exponentially.”

The leader declared that North Korea had “set a transformative milestone for the advancement of nuclear capabilities.”

WASHINGTON – As the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident approaches, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Wednesday that China’s efforts to suppress information cannot eliminate the historical memory of the 1989 events where peaceful protesters were attacked.

Speaking in advance of the June 4th anniversary, Rubio issued a statement commemorating the date when Chinese Communist Party forces were directed to assault thousands of peaceful demonstrators in the Tiananmen Square area and surrounding locations.

“On June 4, the world marks 37 years since the Chinese Communist Party ordered its troops to attack thousands of peaceful demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square,” Rubio said in a statement.

The Secretary of State emphasized that attempts to silence discussion of the events would ultimately fail. “No amount of censorship can erase the past. Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday,” Rubio said.

A major Spanish hospitality company has become the latest international business to pull back from Cuba’s struggling tourism market, shuttering nearly half of its island operations amid escalating U.S. economic pressure.

Meliá will end operations at 15 of its 34 Cuban properties, according to the state-run website Cubadebate, delivering another significant setback to the Caribbean nation’s critical tourism industry that has been in steep decline since reaching its highest point in 2018.

The hospitality company cited “a sense of corporate responsibility and external factors that have significantly affected the operation, legality and security of these establishments” as reasons for the May 26 decision, according to Wednesday’s report.

The announcement came just weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order broadening economic restrictions against Cuba. The sanctions primarily focused on Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate run by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, which the U.S. characterized as a national security threat.

The presidential directive freezes foreign company assets, seizes their U.S. accounts and bans travel by their shareholders, investors and staff members, effectively cutting off their access to American financial systems.

GAESA, the Cuban business empire established in the 1990s, controls numerous enterprises ranging from vehicle rental services and retail outlets to transportation firms. The conglomerate partners with Meliá in hotel operations through its subsidiary company, Gaviota.

The Spanish firm represents one of Cuba’s most significant tourism industry allies. Before this partial exit, the company managed approximately 14,000 hotel rooms across the island.

Companies from Spain and Canada represent the largest foreign investors in Cuba’s hospitality industry, according to Lee Schlenker, a research associate at the Quincy Institute’s Global South program, a Washington think tank.

“With the lack of international tourism, the fuel shortages, and just the broader decline since COVID…I’m sure that these companies will be rethinking their operations in Cuba with major implications for the people of Cuba, not just GAESA,” he said. “There are thousands of Cubans who work in these hotels.”

Many of the properties Meliá abandoned in scenic locations including Varadero, Cayo Santa María and Jardines del Rey resort areas “were already closed and inactive due to energy problems and the drop in demand in Cuba,” Cubadebate reported.

Cuban officials have attributed prolonged power outages, water shortages, supply chain issues, healthcare system problems and widespread daily life disruptions to the U.S. energy blockade.

Workers in Cuba’s deteriorating tourism industry expressed dismay over Meliá’s decision.

“It’s going to affect us, our families, and everyone involved in tourism. Our pay and income depend on this,” said Erich López, a driver of a green 1950s Dodge who has been driving for two decades to support his family.

For Carlos Luis Carbonel, a 62-year-old parking attendant who works in front of the giant Meliá Cohiba hotel in Havana, the situation “is going to be a blow.”

“This is terrible for everyone: for tour guides, for parking attendants, for hotel workers, for everyone,” he said.

Additional major hospitality brands including Canadian-owned Royalton and Spain’s Iberostar have reduced or halted their Cuban operations within the past week.

Cuban tourism, which peaked at 4.3 million visitors in 2019, experienced a dramatic decline in first-quarter arrivals this year, dropping 48% compared to the same timeframe in 2025.

Just 298,000 tourists visited Cuba during January, February and March, down from 573,300 international visitors in the corresponding period last year, government statistics show.

On Wednesday, workers removed the massive, recognizable signage from the Royalton Paseo del Prado hotel at Old Havana’s entrance, The Associated Press confirmed during a site visit. The 500-room Iberostar Selection — also called Tower K — the most contemporary and upscale hotel scheduled to debut in 2025, towering more than 150 meters (490 feet) high, has remained shuttered for several days.

Air carriers including World2Fly, Air France and Iberia have scrapped flights to and from Cuba.

Cuba’s Central Bank also announced Wednesday that Visa and MasterCard services on the island would be halted after foreign entities ended their relationships with FINCIMEX S.A., a Cuban financial agency connected to GAESA.

Last month, Canadian mining company Sherritt International Corp. signed a preliminary deal with Gillon Capital LLC, a family office tied to a former Trump adviser, to divest its ownership in a Cuban mining operation.

In late January, Trump warned of potential tariffs against any nation that sells or provides oil to Cuba, as his administration pushes for political and governmental changes. This action has intensified a crisis stemming from seven decades of U.S. economic restrictions.

Despite earlier talks between U.S. and Cuban representatives this year, relations have deteriorated. In late May, former President Raúl Castro faced charges in a U.S. indictment for his alleged involvement in shooting down two civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles in 1996 over Cuban waters.

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A large-scale beachfront development project connected to Jared Kushner, who is married to U.S. President Donald Trump’s daughter, is encountering mounting opposition from demonstrators in Albania.

Officials say the coastal development would dramatically transform the former communist country as it works to break into luxury tourism markets and pursues membership in the European Union.

However, the project — which covers an uninhabited island and adjacent waterfront property along Albania’s southern shoreline — has sparked backlash from environmental activists and opponents of longtime Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The high-end development consists of two parts: a beachfront project in the Narta Lagoon region, which serves as a protected wildlife area, and a smaller vacation complex on the nearby deserted island of Sazan, formerly a military installation during communist times.

The proposed construction of hotels, residential units, luxury homes and a boat harbor is connected to Kushner and Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump.

During a recent interview with U.S. podcaster David Senra, Ivanka Trump explained they stumbled upon the location unexpectedly.

“We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it,” she said. “We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated.”

An investment company connected to Kushner has received special investor designation from Albanian officials.

Albania possesses 450 kilometers (280 miles) of shoreline that stayed mostly untouched throughout decades of strict communist governance.

Demonstration groups worry that portions of this unspoiled coastline might be acquired by influential investors. Public outrage intensified after footage emerged showing an activist being pulled by private security personnel during a demonstration at the location.

The construction is scheduled within a protected natural area and one of Albania’s most important ecological regions, serving as a crucial rest stop for migrating birds traveling the Adriatic shoreline.

Demonstrators have displayed cardboard replicas of pink flamingos, representing one of the protected migrating bird types, during gatherings in the capital Tirana.

Beginning in late May, bulldozers and additional heavy equipment have moved into the region, creating entry paths, excavating sand, removing vegetation among pine forests and putting up barriers.

Environmental organizations from Albania and other European nations have denounced the activity, with one notable local organization alleging that historically protected ecosystems are being “irreversibly destroyed.”

Albania’s national anti-corruption office has verified it launched an inquiry regarding the project but has not revealed specifics.

Officials state the property designated for the project is under private ownership. However, conflicting claims have surfaced challenging the privatization process — a typical form of legal disagreement.

Rama has endorsed the project, stating it would support Albania’s goal to become a leading international tourism location.

“Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one, where exceptional partners have come together to invest 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion),” Rama said.

He added: “There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here.”

Nevertheless, the collapse of a comparable project in Serbia provides a warning example. In November, Serbia’s Parliament approved special legislation to allow construction of a luxury development in the capital, Belgrade, to be funded by an investment firm connected to Kushner.

The next month, Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime filed charges against four individuals, including a government minister, for misuse of authority and document falsification to help facilitate the development.

Kushner subsequently pulled out of the planned multi-million investment that would have replaced an extensive bombed military facility, a recognized heritage site whose legal protections were removed by the former officials now facing trial.

Intelligence agencies from the Five Eyes alliance, which encompasses the United States and Britain, released an alert Wednesday regarding Chinese intelligence operatives who are actively utilizing internet job sites to enlist individuals who have access to classified materials.

The advisory, titled “Safeguarding Our Secrets,” reveals that China’s military intelligence operations are employing numerous professional networking platforms and online hiring services to focus on government workers, military members, and anyone capable of accessing restricted data.

“Chinese military intelligence services ultimately seek to acquire privileged military, political and economic intelligence that can provide China with a strategic and tactical advantage over the Five Eyes,” stated the domestic security agencies from the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

While individual nations have previously issued comparable alerts, this collaborative advisory was characterized as having no precedent. Beijing has consistently denied such intelligence gathering accusations, labeling them “pure fabrication and malicious slander.”

According to the advisory, Chinese operatives are especially focusing on individuals who work in defense, foreign relations and intelligence sectors, along with military members, particularly those deployed in the Indo-Pacific area.

Additional targets include reporters, think tank staff members, and individuals with indirect access to government information.

The document stated that operatives employed “an aggressive online recruitment strategy” with those successfully recruited then coerced into supplying confidential materials “for unspecified clients who are associated with the Chinese government.”

Recruited individuals could receive compensation ranging from several hundred to multiple thousands of dollars for each report, with higher payments offered for increasingly classified materials, according to the advisory.

The United States has previously issued alerts regarding Chinese intelligence operations using deceptive tactics to target current and former government workers, while Britain’s MI5 security agency warned lawmakers last November about Chinese operatives attempting to conduct surveillance on parliament.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A horrific crime against a teenage girl has once again sparked nationwide outrage in Argentina, reviving debates over gender-based violence that first erupted more than a decade ago.

The brutal murder of 14-year-old Agostina Vega in the central city of Cordoba has triggered protests across the country, echoing the massive demonstrations that began in May 2015 following the death of pregnant 14-year-old Chiara Páez. That earlier case launched the “Ni Una Menos” (Not One Woman Less) movement that spread throughout Latin America, creating widespread awareness about femicide — the murder of women and girls based on their gender.

Agostina went to a family friend’s residence on the evening of May 23, planning to collect a present for her mother. According to preliminary autopsy findings, she was sexually attacked and strangled, with her body later cut apart using a kitchen knife.

Authorities discovered her remains in a drainage canal on Saturday, one week following her disappearance, while memorial gatherings in her home province turned violent with confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.

The public fury has spread nationwide in advance of Wednesday’s yearly Ni Una Menos demonstration in central Buenos Aires, strengthening calls for governmental intervention and escalating criticism of President Javier Milei.

The libertarian leader, who is aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump, has described the feminist movement as “a ridiculous and unnatural fight,” advocated for removing femicide from criminal law, and eliminated funding for gender violence victim support programs as part of his cultural agenda and budget reduction efforts.

Attorneys from the Center for Legal and Social Studies, a prominent Argentine human rights organization, have documented 63 officially recognized femicides this year. However, these advocates and others report facing significant governmental resistance in securing such classifications. Some groups have assembled lists containing over 100 names of women killed this year, contending that many deaths are incorrectly categorized.

According to Supreme Court data, reported femicides in Argentina decreased by 12% to 200 cases last year compared with 2024. Victim advocates argue this reduction doesn’t indicate less gender-based violence but rather inadequate crime classification.

“To stop calling femicides by their name, to deny the existence of gender violence — it’s an attempt to rewind the past 20 years,” said Natalia Gherardi, director of the Latin American Team for Justice and Gender, a Buenos Aires-based rights group. “I hope this reaction generated by Agostina’s case, what we show in the streets, will be enough to counter the desire to move backward.”

Following Agostina’s death, demonstrators targeted local police, igniting tires in Cordoba’s streets. Her relatives filed a missing person report the morning following her disappearance, yet more than 80 hours elapsed before a child abduction alert was sent to phones throughout the province, according to family attorney Gustavo Vaca.

The day following her death, a taxi operator reported transporting Agostina to 33-year-old Claudio Barrelier’s residence, which surveillance video verified.

Agostina’s relatives have criticized security forces for being preoccupied with potential fan violence during a significant soccer match in Cordoba that same day. Police conducted a raid on Barrelier’s home three days afterward. Barrelier, who previously dated Agostina’s mother, is currently detained as the primary suspect and maintains his innocence.

Investigators reveal his criminal background includes an arrest for abducting a young woman one year prior, though he was freed on $3,500 bail after 20 days in custody.

When confronted with allegations of delayed action, chief prosecutor Raúl Garzón stated last week that authorities “are not engaging in any self-criticism.”

Pressure mounted to classify Agostina’s murder as a femicide. Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva has declined to make such a designation.

“A homicide, whatever its nature, is not solely defined by what happens during one hour, two hours, or three hours, where the act itself occurs,” Monteoliva told reporters Monday in her only public comments on the case.

Activists emphasize that employing the femicide classification — which mandates harsher punishments than other homicides, including mandatory life imprisonment in Argentina — is essential for successful prosecution and victim safety.

“If we don’t name the specific form of violence, if we don’t recognize it, then we can’t understand the problem in all its dimensions, and we can’t create policies to prevent and combat it,” said Lucila Galkin, director of the gender and diversity program for the Argentina chapter of Amnesty International.

Milei has conducted a cultural campaign against gender-focused policies — which he views as a harmful result of socialism.

Following Milei’s criticism of femicide laws as “legally making a woman’s life worth more than a man’s” at the Davos summit last year, his justice minister revealed intentions to eliminate the classification from legal statutes.

While that proposal stalled, his administration is currently developing legislation to increase penalties for women who file false gender-based violence reports. The measure awaits congressional consideration.

Over the past two and a half years, Milei has eliminated Argentina’s women’s ministry, closed its anti-discrimination agency, destroyed support programs for gender violence victims, prohibited gender-inclusive language in government documents, and removed funding for gender education in public schools and for government workers.

The terminated programs include Acompañar, which provided assistance equivalent to six months’ minimum wage to 350,000 women before losing funding. A 24-hour victim assistance hotline lost two-thirds of its budget and half its personnel last year. A government-funded program offering free legal aid to domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors has also been eliminated.

On Wednesday, demonstrators plan to assemble at Plaza Congreso, across from the National Congress building, continuing the annual tradition that began after Chiara Páez’s death in 2015.

Agostina’s family announced they will participate in a Cordoba demonstration that day, seeking justice for her murder under the movement that once established Argentina as a regional leader in social and legal progress on gender equality.

“I think this femicide, which caused so much pain, so much shock, also mobilized us, reminded us that this is a problem concerning all of society,” Galkin said of Agostina’s case.

“We are being forced to have conversations about issues we thought we had agreed on, a topic that we thought had been settled.”

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced a comprehensive education reform initiative on Tuesday, outlining his vision for a unified national curriculum that would serve all students across the country.

Bennett introduced his ‘From Tribes to a People’ initiative during remarks at the Israel Democracy Institute’s Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society, stating the plan would take effect if he leads a future administration.

Bennett currently heads Together, a political coalition he formed with Yair Lapid by combining his Bennett 2026 party with Lapid’s Yesh Atid movement in preparation for the upcoming election.

The next parliamentary election in Israel is set for October 27, 2026, though current efforts to dissolve the parliament could advance the voting date by several weeks.

The educational framework Bennett outlined would require all students to take core classes in Hebrew, English, mathematics, civics, Torah, and Jewish and Zionist tradition. Bennett noted that Muslim students would have the choice to study the Quran in place of Torah classes.

‘I am proud to unveil before you the most important plan that we will implement in my government: the ‘From Tribes to a People’ plan, to establish one state (public) education system for all the children of Israel,’ Bennett declared.

‘This will work according to a 60–40 method: 60 percent will be the shared subjects that everyone studies, and 40 percent — each community will be able to expand according to its wishes,’ Bennett explained.

Bennett outlined that individual schools and local governments would gain increased control over the curriculum portion not covered by the common core requirements, while the Education Ministry would shift its focus to policy development and supervision.

The former prime minister emphasized that his proposal extends beyond conventional debates about basic educational standards.

‘For all these years we said, ‘Let them study mathematics and English.’ No—that is not enough. They need to receive both the tools and the values to be part of a Jewish and democratic state,’ he stated.

Bennett described the plan as an effort to establish shared civic and cultural foundations throughout Israeli society.

‘The children of Israel will study both Einstein and Maimonides. All Israeli children and all Israeli citizens will have a shared story,’ Bennett said.

‘This will turn us from tribes into a people: one people, diverse, colorful, and wonderful, very opinionated, but a people that has a shared story. And this is how Israel will develop resilience for generations to come.’

A commercial flight operated by an Israeli airline was redirected to Croatia on Wednesday after Slovenian officials denied the aircraft permission to land, sparking a diplomatic controversy over alleged political interference with European Union aviation protocols.

The airline reported that flight 6H755 was mid-journey to Slovenia when officials forced the plane to alter its course. Travelers aboard the aircraft were notified while in flight that they would be landing in Croatia rather than their intended destination.

Uri Sirkis, the airline’s CEO, claimed Slovenian officials blocked the landing due to political reasons. “The Israir flight scheduled for Ljubljana had to land in Zagreb because the authorities in Ljubljana are refusing Israeli carriers to land, due to their firm political opposition to the route operated by the Israeli government. This is a blatant violation of EU air agreements,” he said.

Israeli government representatives viewed the situation as a significant violation of standard aviation protocols. Multiple Israeli agencies, including the Foreign Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority, worked to obtain clearance for the flight to proceed to its original destination, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The controversy occurs amid a governmental transition in Slovenia. The departing administration had been highly critical of Israel, while the new government is anticipated to adopt a more cooperative stance. Officials have not indicated whether regular flights to the Slovenian capital will restart or when normal service might be restored.

This event further complicates Israeli-European aviation relationships during a period when political disagreements regarding Israel’s actions have increasingly affected sectors beyond traditional diplomacy. Slovenia acknowledged a Palestinian state in 2024 under Prime Minister Robert Golob’s government and, the following year, declared Israeli Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich personae non gratae.

For Israeli authorities, the implications extend beyond a single redirected flight. Government representatives worry that allowing political motivations to supersede aviation treaties could encourage other European nations to adopt similar policies, potentially creating widespread disruption for Israeli airlines and travelers throughout Europe.

Kuwaiti officials are promising a strong response following a deadly drone and missile assault on the nation’s main airport that left one person dead, multiple people wounded, and caused widespread destruction to airport infrastructure, according to government statements released Wednesday.

The country’s Foreign Ministry denounced what it characterized as attacks by Iran, stating that Kuwait “categorically rejects” these strikes and pointing to Tehran as a source of regional turmoil.

Ministry officials declared the strikes constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026.

The ministry emphasized that Kuwait’s security, sovereignty and the safety of its citizens and residents remain a “red line that cannot be crossed,” stating that the ongoing attacks demonstrate a “systematic aggressive approach” that the nation “will neither accept nor tolerate.”

Defense Ministry officials reported that multiple drones hit Terminal 1 at Kuwait International Airport during what they termed Iranian aggression. The ministry confirmed the assault inflicted substantial structural damage to the terminal, left several people injured and claimed one life.

In response to the attack, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation implemented emergency protocols and shut down all airport operations. According to a statement distributed by the state Kuwait News Agency, officials grounded all incoming and outgoing flights while emergency protocols were put in place.

Air traffic was diverted to backup airports while officials evaluated the destruction and examined facility conditions. Officials announced that operations would stay suspended until all required protocols are finished and the airport is confirmed safe for reopening.

Airport personnel reported that Terminal 1, a major passenger facility, suffered extensive structural damage.

The assault occurred after reports of emergency warning sirens during overnight hours in both Bahrain and Kuwait, approximately one hour following a U.S. announcement that it had targeted an unoccupied oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz while the ship was heading to an Iranian port.

The Revolutionary Guards of Iran took responsibility for missile and drone strikes throughout the Gulf region, stating that American military installations were the primary targets. CNN characterized the exchange as the most significant series of attacks in recent weeks while diplomatic talks persist regarding conflict resolution.

Previously, American military officials reported that two Iranian missiles launched toward Kuwait either failed to reach their target or broke apart during flight. They also confirmed that three missiles directed at Bahrain were stopped by combined U.S. and Bahraini defensive forces.

The Revolutionary Guards stated the attacks were in response to an American strike on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. American officials have indicated that operation was a response to an Iranian attack.

Reuters had earlier documented explosions on Qeshm Island, though no subsequent reports verified whether any installations there were damaged.

All air travel at Kuwait International Airport came to a standstill Wednesday after unmanned aircraft and missiles targeted Terminal 1, leaving multiple people injured and causing extensive structural damage, officials reported.

Kuwait’s military released a social media statement explaining that “the Defense Ministry stated that several drones attacked Terminal 1 at Kuwait International Airport as part of the Iranian aggression. The attack caused significant material damage to the terminal and wounded several people, who received the necessary medical treatment.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation immediately put emergency protocols into action and shut down all airport activities. According to a statement distributed by the state Kuwait News Agency, officials suspended both incoming and outgoing flights while implementing crisis response measures.

Planes scheduled to land were rerouted to other airports while officials examined the extent of the destruction and reviewed safety conditions at the facility. Officials indicated that flight operations would stay grounded until all necessary safety protocols are finished and the airport receives clearance to restart regular services.

The assault inflicted major structural harm to Terminal 1, which serves as one of the airport’s main facilities for passenger traffic. Though multiple people sustained injuries, officials have not yet released specific numbers regarding casualties.

The terminal attack occurred following overnight alarm reports in Bahrain and Kuwait, roughly one hour after the United States disclosed it had targeted an unoccupied oil vessel in the Strait of Hormuz as the ship traveled toward an Iranian port.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards took credit for missile and drone strikes throughout the Gulf region, stating that American military installations were their primary objectives. CNN characterized the incident as the most extensive series of attacks in recent weeks while diplomatic talks continue regarding conflict resolution.

Previously, the US military reported that two Iranian missiles directed at Kuwait either failed to reach their destination or disintegrated mid-flight. Officials also noted that three missiles aimed at Bahrain were successfully stopped by US and Bahraini defense forces.

The Revolutionary Guards stated their attacks were a response to an American strike on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. The United States has indicated that their strike was a reaction to an Iranian attack.

Reuters had earlier documented explosions on Qeshm Island, although no subsequent reports verified whether any specific locations were damaged.

During Tuesday testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that Iran has demonstrated increased willingness to address nuclear program components that were previously considered untouchable in negotiations with Washington.

Speaking to lawmakers, Rubio indicated that recent conversations with Iran have encompassed topics that were once completely off the table.

“They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” Rubio informed the committee, though he did not provide specific details about these discussions.

The secretary of state warned that advances in negotiations do not ensure a successful conclusion and noted that internal uncertainty among Iran’s leadership has made the diplomatic process more challenging.

“This is not a guarantee that ultimately it will lead to a deal that’s acceptable,” Rubio stated.

Rubio suggested that a significant development might occur in the near future, explaining: “There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week.”

The top diplomat emphasized that any easing of sanctions requested by Tehran would continue to be linked to limitations on its nuclear operations.

“Right now, everything that’s been discussed with them is that … any sanctions relief is condition-based, which means it has to be in return for the reason why those sanctions were put in place in the first place, which is their nuclear program,” he informed Congress.

Rubio noted that Iran would also need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles 20% of global oil and gas transportation.

“They have to announce very clearly ‘The straits are now open, we’re not charging a toll.’ We will help remove the mines that they put in there, and they will not fire on ships,” Rubio explained.

“The more they give, the more they would get,” he continued, later adding, “They’re not going to get it as a signing bonus.”

Regarding Lebanon peace negotiations, Rubio identified Hezbollah as the principal barrier to achieving an agreement.

“This is one of the most ironic situations in the world. The government of Lebanon and the government of Israel could sign a peace agreement tomorrow,” he observed.

“The obstacle in Lebanon is the fact that Hezbollah has embedded itself within the state, and it is the reason for all the suffering taking place there now and over the years,” Rubio declared.

He further characterized Hezbollah as “a complete and total proxy of Iran,” maintaining that the organization’s military strength relies on Iranian backing.

Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR has positioned itself as a crucial intermediary in Israel’s natural gas operations, stepping in to provide alternative supplies when Israeli exports to Egypt and Jordan face interruptions, according to a new analysis.

Since October 2023, Israeli gas shipments to Egypt and Jordan have been halted and resumed three separate times. During these disruptions, SOCAR has expanded its presence across multiple layers of Israel’s energy sector simultaneously.

The Azerbaijani firm now operates the largest new exploration area in Israeli waters, owns 10% of the Tamar gas field, delivers approximately three liquefied natural gas shipments to Egypt monthly, and collaborates with a Qatari partner to restore power facilities in Syria using Azerbaijani gas transported through Turkey.

“It is our first East Mediterranean investment, and we are definitely interested in developing it further,” Vitaliy Baylarbayov, SOCAR’s deputy vice president for investments and marketing, told The Media Line at SOCAR headquarters on Monday, discussing the Tamar stake finalized in June 2025 for $510 million.

The strategic importance of these arrangements became evident during the 32-day shutdown of the Leviathan and Karish fields during the Hormuz war, marking the third significant interruption of Israeli gas exports since October 7, 2023.

Israeli energy security analyst Elai Rettig of the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University documented this pattern in research published May 6. Jordan, which relies on natural gas for roughly 68% of its electricity and receives more than half from Israeli pipelines, incurred an estimated $2.5 million daily in additional fuel expenses during the March-April shutdown.

Egypt’s imported LNG costs tripled in the first quarter of 2026, jumping from $560 million to $1.65 billion. While Leviathan resumed exports on April 2 and Karish followed a week later, the shift toward alternative suppliers appears permanent as Egypt and Jordan seek backup options for future disruptions.

SOCAR’s newest acquisition is Cluster I, a 660-square-mile exploration zone in northern Israeli waters, adjacent to the Leviathan gas field. Israel’s petroleum commissioner granted six exploration licenses there in October 2023, weeks after the Hamas attack froze the broader bidding process. SOCAR leads the project alongside BP and NewMed Energy, each holding roughly one-third stakes.

The Tamar field is operated by Chevron, the American oil company that also runs Leviathan. Chevron acquired both fields in 2020 through its purchase of Noble Energy and approved the Leviathan expansion in January. SOCAR’s 10% Tamar stake places the Azerbaijani state company within a Chevron-operated field.

Foreign ownership of Tamar now reaches 46%, divided among Chevron’s 25% operating share, Mubadala Energy of Abu Dhabi’s 11% stake purchased from Delek in 2021, and SOCAR’s 10% position.

Beyond exploration agreements, SOCAR’s trading division had been delivering LNG to Egypt for nine months before the contract with the Egyptian Petroleum Corporation was officially signed in Cairo on March 31. Three SOCAR shipments reached Egypt in March 2026 alone, valued at roughly $146.5 million.

Egyptian lawmaker Mohamed Fouad, who serves on the Economic Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives in Cairo, explained that SOCAR is intended to supplement Israeli pipeline gas, not replace it. Egypt’s December 2025 agreement with Israel for 130 billion cubic meters of pipeline gas over 15 years, worth roughly $35 billion, remains “structurally irreplaceable” in Cairo’s calculations, Fouad said.

What SOCAR provides instead is what Fouad calls “resilience engineering around Leviathan dependence.” SOCAR Trading increases shipments when Israeli production drops or summer demand peaks, and reduces them when Israeli supplies return to normal levels.

Egypt and ExxonMobil formalized a separate long-term arrangement at Egypt’s energy conference earlier this year. John Ardill, ExxonMobil’s vice president for global exploration, told The Media Line at the Baku Convention Center on Tuesday that the company signed a preliminary agreement with Egypt’s petroleum ministry to ship Cypriot gas through Egypt’s existing LNG terminals rather than construct new export facilities.

ExxonMobil has completed evaluation of its Glaucus gas discovery off Cyprus and is finishing assessment of Pegasus. The company recently confirmed that the gas is commercially viable. Ardill noted that moving from discovery to actual production typically requires five to 10 years.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar delivered President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s opening message at the Baku Forum on Monday and outlined what he called “the electricity version of TANAP,” a power line running through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Bulgaria to southeast Europe.

Bayraktar’s proposals include a 60-mile underwater pipeline announced in May between southern Turkey and northern Cyprus, scheduled to begin operation by 2028. The pipeline can transport gas in either direction, though the Republic of Cyprus learned about it through media reports.

The Azerbaijani state oil company serves as Turkey’s largest international investor, with $19.5 billion deployed since 2008 across the STAR refinery at Aliağa, the Petkim petrochemical complex, the SOCAR Terminal container port, and a majority stake in the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP).

In Syria, SOCAR has partnered with Qatari company UCC Holding and Turkey’s BOTAŞ to supply natural gas from the Caspian’s Shah Deniz field across Turkish territory to power plants in Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo, restored under post-Assad reconstruction beginning in August 2025. “We are bringing light, if you wish,” Baylarbayov said.

That same gas corridor could potentially carry Israeli gas in the opposite direction, Rettig told The Media Line. SOCAR’s exploration zone inside Israeli waters creates a buffer that shields Israeli-produced gas from political friction between Jerusalem and Ankara. By marketing the gas as Azerbaijani, SOCAR can help it reach buyers who would refuse direct purchases from Israel.

Asked whether SOCAR’s investments harm Israel, Rettig said no. The East Mediterranean is a gas-hungry region, in his view, and having multiple suppliers benefits Israel as much as it protects against Israeli supply disruptions. “SOCAR is considered a supplement rather than a competitor,” he said.

A Nigerian federal court delivered death sentences Wednesday to four gunmen responsible for a deadly assault on a Catholic church that claimed the lives of at least 50 worshippers in 2022.

The violent attack took place at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, located in Ondo State in the country’s southwestern region, on June 5, 2022. The assault occurred as Sunday mass was concluding, with children numbered among the victims. The attack also left numerous people injured, creating an overwhelming situation for local medical facilities.

All four defendants received convictions on terrorism-related charges, while a fifth individual was cleared due to insufficient evidence.

According to prosecution evidence, the convicted men belonged to the al-Shabab militant organization and operated from a base in Kogi State in north-central Nigeria, located approximately 200 kilometers from the nation’s capital.

This sentencing follows Nigeria’s conviction of over 300 terrorism suspects in a large-scale trial conducted over four days in April.

The West African nation continues to grapple with widespread security challenges, particularly in northern regions where insurgent activity has persisted for more than ten years and where armed organizations regularly conduct kidnapping operations for financial gain.

Several prominent Islamic extremist organizations operate in the region, including Boko Haram and a splinter group connected to the Islamic State organization, known as Islamic State West Africa Province. Additionally, the IS-affiliated Lakurawa organization maintains operations in northwestern communities near the border with Niger Republic.

An Amsterdam judge on Wednesday turned down an emergency request from a Jewish organization seeking to prevent two scheduled performances by rapper Ye, the artist previously known as Kanye West, determining the shows pose no risk to public safety.

The performer has sparked significant backlash in recent years following multiple antisemitic statements, prompting Dutch officials to face increasing demands to shut down the planned June 6 and 8 performances.

The Central Jewish Council submitted the urgent legal petition on Tuesday, contending that Ye should be prohibited from entering the Netherlands due to his expressed praise for Adolf Hitler and his sale of clothing items displaying swastikas.

The Amsterdam District Court found insufficient justification to prevent Ye from taking the stage. “There are no indications that West’s presence in the coming days will lead to concrete public order dangers,” the court said in a statement.

The Central Jewish Council voiced frustration over the decision. “The feeling we are getting is that it is okay if you are antisemitic,” Chanan Hertzberger, the organization’s chair, told The Associated Press.

Dutch legislators backed a proposal to prevent Ye from entering the Netherlands, but the country’s immigration minister indicated there was insufficient legal justification for such action. While describing Ye’s statements as “reprehensible,” Bart van den Brink told journalists last week there was “no reason to bar him.”

The 48-year-old artist was scheduled to perform his first European concerts in over ten years. In April, he was denied entry to the U.K. due to his controversial remarks, triggering multiple event cancellations. Performances in Italy and Poland have also been called off.

Over 100,000 attendees gathered in Istanbul on Saturday night for Ye’s debut performance in Turkey.

Event promoters report that 70,000 tickets have been purchased for the two scheduled concerts at the Gelredome in the eastern Dutch city of Arnhem.

In January, Ye issued an apology through a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, stating that his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”

Two Eastern European allies have acknowledged they are engaged in preliminary talks regarding enhanced participation in NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy, which relies on American nuclear assets stationed across Europe.

These early-stage conversations about broadening America’s nuclear deterrence capabilities in Europe could provide reassurance to continental partners about ongoing U.S. military commitment, particularly as President Donald Trump has pursued efforts to decrease his nation’s traditional defense presence in Europe.

“We are talking, in order to create better conditions for nuclear deterrence and for Poland to play an important role in that,” Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski told Polish Radio on Wednesday.

However, Poland has rejected any intentions to house nuclear weapons directly. Such an arrangement would be “an extremely serious matter, which is serious in terms of political consequences,” he stated.

“Discussions are indeed taking place. I do not want to go into details at this point as they are classified, but discussions are ongoing, and Lithuania is certainly not standing on the sidelines,” Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said Tuesday, according to press agency BNS.

Both defense officials responded after unnamed sources told the Financial Times on Tuesday that America had indicated willingness to position components of its nuclear arsenal in additional European nations, beyond the six currently believed to accommodate nuclear weapons.

The Financial Times reported that Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the NATO members situated nearest to Ukraine, showed interest in possibly accommodating bases for U.S. dual-capable aircraft, which can deploy either conventional or nuclear warheads.

The Pentagon refused to provide comment, though a Defense Department official noted the U.S. and NATO “continuously assess the security environment” and work to maintain effective deterrents. The official lacked authorization for public statements and spoke anonymously.

America has positioned nuclear weapons across multiple European nations for decades as part of its security commitments to NATO partners.

In recent years, Russia’s conflict against Ukraine and the wider threat Moscow presents to NATO have sparked conversations about possibly expanding U.S. nuclear cooperation with Europe.

“Work to assess and potentially adapt NATO’s nuclear deterrence posture has been ongoing for several years and is not linked to any decision taken by the U.S. to adjust its conventional posture in Europe,” an official responsible for NATO communications but not authorized for public identification told the AP.

NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangement encompasses U.S. nuclear weapons positioned in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey and Britain, along with dual-capable aircraft operated by both America and its partners. America retains complete authority over the nuclear weapons.

Poland has demonstrated readiness to join the U.S. nuclear deterrence initiative since Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, with former president Andrzej Duda even endorsing the accommodation of nuclear weapons. The present administration headed by Donald Tusk has shown greater restraint, discussing only expanded involvement in nuclear deterrence.

America, though, has consistently suggested that positioning nuclear weapons in NATO’s eastern member countries would prove overly provocative toward Russia, Artur Kacprzyk, a nuclear deterrence analyst with the Polish Institute of International Affairs in Warsaw, told the AP.

“There might be a middle ground there, which could be called ‘nuclear sharing light’. You would have, for example, Polish planes, certified for carrying U.S. nuclear weapons, but the weapons won’t be deployed in Poland. This aircraft from the east could be a sort of backup if, let’s say, German or Dutch aircraft are destroyed before they can use those nuclear weapons.”

Earlier this year, Poland announced it would join several European countries in supporting France’s initiative of coordinating its nuclear deterrence activities with European allies. France has remained the sole nuclear power within the European Union since Britain’s departure from the organization in 2020.

The French-led cooperation is “complementary” to U.S. deterrence, Kacprzyk noted, but it possesses a different character.

Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and Norway also have expressed interest in the French initiative, which permits temporary deployment of France’s nuclear-armed aircraft to partner countries. It also enables partners to join France’s deterrence exercises and allows allies’ non-nuclear forces to participate in France’s nuclear operations.

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz informed Polish broadcaster TVP on Tuesday that nuclear deterrence would be addressed during a NATO meeting in Brussels on June 18. He indicated both the French initiative and the U.S. program are components of those efforts.

Expanding nuclear cooperation in Europe might assist America in balancing conventional reductions but cannot completely replace the forward deployment of conventional forces, particularly in nations sharing borders with Russia, Kacprzyk stated.

“Communicating ‘I might risk nuclear war to defend an ally but I don’t want to send my soldiers into the fight’ is a conflicting signal,” he explained. “You need coherent signals at all levels of deterrence.”

Lebanon’s Currency Stays Steady While War Devastates Broader Economy

Exchange rate remains near 89,500 to the dollar, though reserves, banking sector, households, and public trust face severe pressure

Lebanon’s currency has maintained stability at approximately 89,500 to the dollar despite ongoing warfare that continues to deplete the nation’s reserves, destroy infrastructure, and drive an already battered economy further into turmoil.

Economic experts operating independently caution that this stability results from artificial management rather than authentic economic improvement. The central bank, Banque du Liban (BDL), has maintained strict control over Lebanese-pound availability, while government officials have implemented emergency budget restrictions. Meanwhile, financial institutions and currency exchange operations face intense regulatory oversight. These combined efforts have temporarily avoided another currency collapse, though they don’t indicate structural economic healing.

Prior to the 2019 financial meltdown, an official exchange rate of 1,507.5 pounds per dollar provided economic stability on paper. That era has ended. The current black market rate of approximately 89,500 pounds per dollar has become the practical exchange rate for everyday transactions, influencing tax calculations, import duties, government and private sector wages, business accounting, and routine cash exchanges. This rate’s consistency shouldn’t be mistaken for systemic improvement; it merely demonstrates that recent wartime fears have been managed while underlying problems persist unresolved.

Government Budget Position and Economic Reality

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber has stated publicly that Lebanon is in a stronger position to protect its currency because the government began this active military engagement with stricter budgetary controls and unprecedented cooperation between the Finance Ministry and central bank.

Based on official Finance Ministry budget records, the 2026 government budget was constructed around income and expenses of approximately $6 billion, up from roughly $5 billion in the 2025 budget legislation. Government data indicate this increase reflects improved tax collection, increased public fees, and higher customs income. This represents part of a governmental effort to restore public finances following years when extreme inflation rendered government accounting practically impossible.

Economic analysts provide an important warning: Much of this budget improvement comes from aggressively revaluing government operations following the collapse of the previous exchange rate system. Since taxes, fees, and duties now operate within a heavily dollarized monetary environment, the budget looks more logical on paper than during the crisis’s worst periods. However, independent economists stress that Lebanon hasn’t recovered genuine fiscal power or income-producing ability.

The extended military engagement threatens to quickly exhaust this limited budget buffer. In a Reuters statement from May, Jaber estimated that the ongoing conflict could reduce Lebanon’s actual gross domestic product (GDP) by 7% to 10% in 2026, creating direct and indirect economic harm reaching $20 billion. This escalating catastrophe occurs while Lebanon continues paying enormous costs from the 2024 hostilities. In a preliminary evaluation, the World Bank determined the 2024 fighting caused $3.4 billion in physical destruction and $5.1 billion in immediate economic losses, subsequently calculating total recovery and rebuilding requirements at $11 billion.

Rapid Reserve Depletion

The expense of sustaining this controlled exchange rate appears directly in the central bank’s financial records. Based on official BDL data reported by Lebanese financial institutions, foreign reserve holdings reached approximately $12.07 billion in mid-February. By that month’s conclusion, BDL records indicated they had decreased to $11.88 billion. By mid-March, official numbers revealed an additional decline to $11.66 billion, representing roughly $408 million lost within a single 30-day period. By April’s end, central bank records showed reserves had fallen further to about $11.43 billion.

While financial specialists note that using reserves during wartime represents standard procedure, Lebanon’s structural crisis makes this pattern extremely hazardous. The remaining buffer is minimal, politically controversial, and overshadowed by the legacy of a financial collapse that eliminated the banking system’s trustworthiness. Domestic banks remain severely damaged, account holders are prevented from accessing their life savings, and public faith in government institutions is virtually absent. Each dollar used to maintain short-term exchange stability today represents one less dollar available for future rebuilding or protection against an even more severe geopolitical crisis.

Harmful Effects of Liquidity Restrictions

The central bank’s primary method for exchange rate protection involves harsh limitations on Lebanese-pound availability. The basic economic principle is straightforward: To attack or short the pound, speculators require substantial amounts of local currency. By restricting local cash supply, BDL makes speculation extremely costly. Bank Audi’s recent Lebanon Economic Report verified that this approach maintained currency stability during 2026’s first quarter despite significant war losses, while cautioning about increasing pressure on available foreign-currency reserves.

Compliance and financial specialists question this policy’s long-term viability, observing that it functions like an economic tourniquet. Restricting local liquidity severely constrains the productive economy. Companies encounter serious credit shortages and payment delays, while regular households cannot access business loans or their own frozen savings.

The human and market impacts are devastating. While exchange rate displays appear stable, store owners must price items aggressively in foreign currency, employees receive payment in weakened pounds, and typical families struggle to afford rising costs for housing, healthcare, fuel, and education. Currency stability differs from economic wellness; the pound isn’t collapsing, but citizens are suffering. Account holders haven’t been compensated, destroyed neighborhoods aren’t being reconstructed, business credit has vanished, and widespread poverty continues worsening. Lebanon has frozen the visible symptoms of its crisis while underlying damage expands.

Ongoing Banking Crisis and Compliance Protections

International financial organizations have repeatedly warned Lebanese officials that temporary exchange rate management cannot replace comprehensive structural reform. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has demanded thorough bank restructuring, a formal medium-term budget framework, a reliable national debt resolution plan, and a solid strategy to safeguard small depositors. In an official briefing, IMF mission chief Ernesto Ramirez Rigo declared that Lebanon’s continuing banking collapse completely blocks economic activity and credit distribution, warning that inadequate reform legislation would permanently trap the country.

The unsettled financial deficit within the banking sector represents the nation’s most serious economic injury. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s administration has tried to advance draft legislation addressing the catastrophic gap created by the 2019 crash. International news reports suggest this financial shortfall was estimated above $70 billion in 2022 and is now believed significantly higher. While Salam has defended the proposed plan as a reasonable attempt to restore confidence and distribute losses fairly, critics from all perspectives have attacked the strategy. Commercial banks oppose the capital requirements they must accept, depositors worry they’re being sacrificed again, and independent economists warn that incomplete measures will fail to restore credit markets.

During this deadlock, a crucial protective layer has developed through a strict transaction framework. The Compliance Shield—the collaboration among BDL, commercial banks, and the Salim Khalil Financial Company—represents a fundamental mechanism. By enforcing strict transparency and compliance requirements for foreign exchange transactions, it prevents illegal or untraceable capital from entering the official system. This compliance shield is credited with dramatically reducing the extreme, chaotic exchange rate variations experienced in earlier years.

International Sanctions Pressure

International sanctions directly connect to Lebanon’s economic survival and its fragile relationship with the global financial system.

Recent actions by the US Treasury Department targeted senior security officials accused of manipulating Lebanese government institutions to protect political and armed-group interests. These targets included Brig. Gen. Khattar Nassereddine, head of security analysis at the General Security Directorate, and Col. Samer Hamadeh of Lebanese Army Intelligence. Washington accused Nassereddine of sharing government intelligence with Hezbollah and blocking international disarmament efforts. In an official statement, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Hezbollah remains a designated terrorist organization that must be completely disarmed.

The political reaction in Beirut was swift and deeply divided. The Lebanese Army Command released a strong public statement emphasizing that its officers remain loyal exclusively to the state, noting that Washington provided no advance notice. Political groups aligned with Hezbollah strongly criticized the designations as obvious political pressure and foreign meddling.

Beyond the political controversy, financial compliance specialists warn that these sanctions’ real threat is systematic. Lebanon already faces increased scrutiny by the Financial Action Task Force, the international anti-money laundering monitor. This official grey-list classification places enormous pressure on the government to address serious structural weaknesses in combating terrorist financing and illegal capital movements.

For a nation heavily dependent on imports, cash transfers from overseas communities, and legitimate dollar transactions, this represents an existential threat. Lebanese commercial banks depend on foreign correspondent banks to process international payments and maintain legitimate trade. If international financial institutions determine that Lebanon’s compliance protections are failing and the jurisdiction poses too much risk, the legal financial system could be isolated. Money transfers would slow dramatically, compliance expenses would increase sharply, domestic companies would struggle to pay international suppliers, and families could be prevented from receiving essential funds from relatives overseas. This would push the government deeper into an unmonitored cash-based economy.

Jaber captured this troubling reality in an unusually frank ministerial statement earlier this year: “Lebanon has become a cash economy, and the real question is whether we want to stay on the grey list, or sleepwalk into a black list.”

This explains why the central bank and cabinet continue emphasizing public compliance messaging. They’re attempting to demonstrate to foreign correspondent banks and international regulators that legal exchange channels are protected against sanctioned actors, anonymous wealth, and illegal flows. The currency protection and the anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing compliance effort are essentially the same battle: an effort to keep Lebanon financially accessible.

Long-term Viability Assessment

For regular citizens, this managed exchange rate provides a false sense of security. The pound isn’t actively spiraling, government pensions are being distributed, and consumer prices aren’t experiencing the violent daily fluctuations witnessed during the economic collapse’s early phases. Nevertheless, the overall situation remains dire. The country is impoverished, heavily reliant on unstable remittances, lacking a functioning banking sector, and dangerously vulnerable to every military escalation.

The current exchange rate protection continues only because the central bank is depleting limited foreign reserves, restricting private-sector liquidity, implementing extremely restrictive compliance measures, and depending on temporary, repriced budget balances. Independent analysts determine that none of these protective tactics can replace comprehensive banking restructuring, actual GDP growth, legal debt resolution, or authentic political stability.

If the current military conflict escalates, if liquid reserves fall below critical levels, or if necessary structural reform legislation remains blocked in a divided parliament, this artificial stability will quickly collapse. Lebanon has succeeded in preventing its currency from becoming the immediate crisis point, but the government is running out of time while its banks, political system, and the war continue dragging the fundamental economy toward structural collapse.

UNITED NATIONS — In a closely watched election Wednesday, Portugal and Austria successfully secured positions on the influential yet fractured UN Security Council, beating out Germany in an intensely competitive campaign.

The council’s 10 non-permanent positions are allocated to different global regions, with the General Assembly selecting five nations annually through confidential voting to serve two-year terms. These countries join the council’s five permanent members who hold veto power: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

In another competitive contest, Kyrgyzstan emerged victorious over the Philippines following four voting rounds in the 193-nation General Assembly, winning 143-49 to earn its first-ever council membership.

Zimbabwe, representing Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean representative, faced no competition and each secured election with over 180 votes.

For the two Western nation slots, Portugal earned 134 votes while Austria captured 131 votes. Germany, Europe’s economic leader with six prior council terms, managed only 104 votes.

Austria’s foreign ministry described the victory as the culmination of a 15-year effort and called it a “strong international sign of confidence” in their nation.

The newly elected members will begin their terms January 1st, taking over from Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia.

While the UN Charter tasks the Security Council with maintaining global peace and security, it has struggled with three major ongoing conflicts due to vetoes — Russia’s regarding Ukraine and the United States, as Israel’s strongest ally, frequently concerning Gaza and Iran.

Reform efforts spanning decades have attempted to update the Security Council to mirror today’s geopolitical landscape rather than the post-World War II structure from 80 years ago when the UN formed. Despite repeated failures, another reform initiative is currently underway.

Acclaimed filmmaker Wim Wenders announced Wednesday that he is removing his 1975 film “The Wrong Move” from circulation due to nude scenes involving actress Nastassja Kinski, who was just 13 years old during production.

The actress, now 65, has requested that Wenders reedit the movie. In an interview last month with German publication Sueddeutsche Zeitung, she stated: “That was my first film, he was my first director and he didn’t protect me.”

The celebrated director, known for creating “Paris, Texas” and “Wings of Desire,” released a public apology directed at Kinski.

“I recognize that Nastassja Kinski should have been better protected back then,” Wenders stated. “For that, I apologize to you, Nastassja, unreservedly, no ifs and buts.”

“The Wrong Move” served as Kinski’s acting debut. The daughter of actor Klaus Kinski, she portrayed a seemingly silent teenage acrobat in the film, which follows Rüdiger Vogler’s character, an aspiring writer traveling across Germany. During one scene, Kinski appears topless.

According to Wenders, he is “withdrawing it from all current forms of distribution and exhibition,” which encompasses streaming platforms and television broadcasts. The Wim Wenders Foundation, his nonprofit organization, holds ownership rights to the film.

The movie will stay unavailable until both parties reach a mutual agreement, Wenders explained. He plans to initiate “a broad dialogue” involving Kinski, the German Film Academy, and additional cinema organizations.

“It is necessary for our society to find appropriate ways of dealing with controversial film works from the 20th Century and to face new learning processes and inclusive perspectives regarding cinema,” Wenders commented.

When contacted by The Associated Press on Wednesday, representatives for Kinski did not provide an immediate response.

During last week’s German Film Awards ceremony, Wenders discussed his dilemma regarding the movie. Addressing the audience at Germany’s version of the Academy Awards, Wenders expressed concern that retroactively modifying the film “sets a precedent that affects you all, and then it becomes possible with all your films later on.”

Kinski later collaborated with Wenders again in his 1984 production “Paris, Texas,” though she has consistently expressed concerns about her early experiences in filmmaking. She also appeared without clothing in “To the Devil a Daughter” and “Stay As You Are” when she was 14 and 17 years old, respectively.

In a 1997 interview with W Magazine, Kinski reflected: “If I had had somebody to protect me or if I had felt more secure about myself, I would not have accepted certain things. Nudity things. And inside it was just tearing me apart.”

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Crowds have gathered at a memorial tent in Damascus to pay respects to a former national chess champion and her family, whose deaths have been confirmed more than a decade after they vanished during Syria’s civil conflict.

Family members of Rania al-Abbasi revealed Sunday that they had obtained proof she and her family were murdered by government-aligned forces soon after being taken into custody in 2013. They established a large memorial tent in the capital on Tuesday and Wednesday for mourners to offer their condolences.

“We had hope. We’ve been looking for them for 13 years in every way possible,” Rana’s brother Wael al-Abbasi said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Then we got the horrible news that they were killed the same day they were arrested.”

The disappearance of Rana al-Abbasi, who worked as a dentist and faced allegations of supporting opposition forces, gained significant attention throughout Syria. This week’s discoveries have dominated local news coverage, with family photographs circulating widely on social platforms. Many citizens are calling for capital punishment for those responsible.

Mohammad Shukri, Syrian minister of religious affairs, paid a visit to the memorial tent in the Rukneddine neighborhood on Tuesday, stating that the nation’s new leadership is ensuring those responsible face justice. “They must get their punishment,” he said.

Over 100,000 individuals disappeared in territories once under the control of forces supporting former President Bashar Assad, who was recently removed from power, with many believed to have perished under torture administered by the nation’s extensive security apparatus. The actual figure may be even greater, as numerous Syrians were too frightened to file complaints during Assad’s rule. Assad is now living in exile in Russia, and some people are finally stepping forward seeking information about their missing relatives.

Throughout the initial phase of Syria’s uprising, which began with democratic demonstrations before evolving into full-scale civil war, countless people lost their lives, with many fates remaining unknown. The prolonged conflict resulted in the deaths of nearly half a million people.

The truth about the al-Abassi family emerged after authorities captured a former intelligence operative allegedly connected to the murders, according to surviving relatives. Amjad Yousef had been featured in footage that surfaced four years earlier, apparently depicting him and associates executing dozens of individuals during the nation’s civil strife.

The al-Abbasi family was presented with additional video evidence, kept from public view, displaying the children’s bodies after what appeared to be strangulation or fatal beatings.

Wael al-Abbasi explained that his brother-in-law, Abdul-Rahman al-Yassin, was taken into custody on March 9, 2013, while his spouse and children were detained four days afterward.

“We were holding on to hope to find one or two of the kids (alive),” he said.

Yousef, the former intelligence operative, was apprehended by Syria’s new government in April in the central province of Hama, where he had been in hiding. He has remained under interrogation since his capture.

Wael al-Abbasi described viewing footage where Yousef was speaking and directing the camera toward the children in a dim space that appeared to be within a detention facility.

“He was filming the kids and naming each one of them. Those were our kids, there was no room for doubt that it’s them, they were even wearing the same clothes,” he said.

The children ranged in age from 1 1/2 to 14 years old. They were identified as Ahmad, Dema, Najah, Intisar, Alaa and Layan. He noted that several of them showed signs of facial injuries.

The brother expressed his desire for Yousef and other participants in the killings to face trial and execution. “They’re criminals and we have proof of that through videos. We want the whole chain, all the way up to Bashar Assad. We want them all to hanged.”

Following Assad’s removal from power, multiple senior officials from his administration and security forces have been arrested, with some facing legal proceedings.

Al-Abbasi’s cousin, Doa’a al-Abbasi, mentioned that the family had feared the children might have been sold into trafficking, but they now understand what truly happened.

“What is this brutality? What is this hatred? They waited for them to come home from school so he can kill them,” she said, referring to the children. “There are many people like Amjad Yousef and we hope they will all be held accountable.”

PODGORICA, Montenegro — Montenegrin officials turned away 87 Serbian nationals at the border Wednesday, determining they presented security risks before a scheduled European Union conference with Western Balkan leadership.

The group touched down in Tivat, a coastal community, aboard a chartered Air Serbia aircraft earlier Wednesday. Law enforcement officials said they targeted the flight as part of heightened security protocols before Friday’s conference bringing together senior EU officials and Balkan leadership.

“As part of the activities aimed at preserving a stable security environment, the security services identified persons of security interest,” Montenegro’s police and its National Security Agency said in a statement.

Security officials had “gathered operational data and intelligence that indicate without a doubt that the presence in Montenegro of the individuals in question would pose a risk for internal and national security,” according to the statement.

Police photographs showed the individuals possessed communications gear and signs displaying ‘Serbia wins,’ a campaign message associated with populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party. Vucic is scheduled to participate in the Tivat conference, taking place in the Adriatic Sea resort community.

News outlets in Montenegro and Serbia reported the group contained recognized pro-government supporters who have faced allegations of assaulting student protesters during more than a year of demonstrations against Vucic.

Montenegrin law enforcement stated several individuals had arrest histories and had participated in “numerous high-risk public gatherings.” Officials in Montenegro also seized two buses.

Serbia provided no immediate response.

Vucic has recently declined to participate in Montenegro events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the nation’s separation from Serbia and has publicly backed pro-Serbian political groups in Montenegro that opposed the country’s NATO membership and favored stronger Russian relationships.

The Tivat conference will examine membership possibilities for six Western Balkan nations seeking EU entry — Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Each country sits at varying points in the EU admission process.

The EU has lately worked to promote reforms among candidate nations amid concerns about expanding Russian and Chinese influence.

AMSTERDAM — An Amsterdam court delivered an initial win for Greenpeace on Wednesday, declining to dismiss the environmental organization’s lawsuit against a US fossil fuel pipeline company.

The environmental group, which operates from the Netherlands, filed the legal action last year seeking to challenge a massive $345 million judgment related to demonstrations against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. A North Dakota jury had previously held Greenpeace responsible for substantial damages to the Texas-based Energy Transfer company.

Greenpeace responded by taking their fight to Amsterdam District Court, claiming the North Dakota legal action was improper and harmed the organization’s standing.

“Energy Transfer has been engaging in blatant attempts to silence free speech, erase Indigenous leadership of the Standing Rock movement, and punish solidarity with the ongoing, peaceful resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline,” stated Greenpeace’s executive director Mads Christensen on Wednesday.

Energy Transfer challenged the Amsterdam court’s authority to handle the matter, but judges determined that since Greenpeace operates its headquarters from the Dutch capital, the case could proceed.

A North Dakota judge announced in February that he would require Greenpeace to pay damages, an amount the environmental organization claims it cannot afford. Greenpeace has indicated it plans to challenge that ruling.

A Colombian attorney running for president has publicly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for backing his campaign as the country prepares for a crucial runoff election that reflects the region’s political shift toward conservative leadership.

Abelardo de la Espriella, who received the highest number of votes in Colombia’s initial election round, responded Wednesday to Trump’s endorsement of his candidacy. The race is being watched closely as a measure of the area’s movement toward right-leaning politics.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump gave his “complete and total endorsement” to de la Espriella, describing him as an “intelligent, strong and tough leader” who faces off against a “radical leftist Marxist” in the June 21 runoff. Trump also posted on social platform X that he expects improved relations between the two nations if the conservative candidate defeats progressive Iván Cepeda.

“With my head held high and a heart full of patriotic gratitude, I receive your words and your steadfast support,” responded de la Espriella, nicknamed “El Tigre” or “The Tiger,” in a post on X. “Thank you, Mr. President!”

This marks another instance of Trump supporting foreign political candidates, a strategy that has faced pushback from critics who argue the United States should avoid interfering in other nations’ internal political processes. Trump previously endorsed Honduras’ National Party presidential candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura, who subsequently won his race. He also supported libertarian President Javier Milei in Argentina during legislative contests that were crucial for that leader’s political goals.

The endorsement highlights current friction between Washington and Bogota, as diplomatic ties have deteriorated during Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s tenure. The nations have clashed over immigration issues, Israel’s military operations in Gaza, and drug enforcement approaches, especially concerning the destruction of narcotics vessels in Caribbean waters.

Petro criticized Trump’s involvement in the Colombian race and called on voters to make independent choices to avoid becoming “anyone’s slaves or colony.”

“When a country intervenes in the decisions of another country, freedom dies,” Petro posted on X.

Despite Colombia remaining America’s top export destination and historically being Washington’s key regional partner, diplomatic relations have significantly deteriorated under the present Colombian leadership.

De la Espriella possesses both Colombian and American citizenship, supports Trump, and belongs to the Republican Party. Though lacking previous electoral experience, he captured 43.74% of votes in the first presidential round, while Sen. Cepeda — a Petro ally — received 40.90%, based on initial tallies.

The candidate states his positions match American policies, especially concerning narcotics enforcement. He has pledged to eliminate thousands of hectares of coca cultivation — cocaine’s primary ingredient — and stop drug trafficking destined for the United States.

NAIVASHA, Kenya — A court in Kenya has authorized law enforcement to detain nine female students for three weeks while investigators continue examining their alleged involvement in a deadly dormitory fire that claimed 16 young lives at a girls’ boarding school.

The judicial ruling in Naivasha determined that the students will remain at a children’s facility during the 21-day period, allowing authorities to finish their investigation before deciding on formal charges in this case that has captured nationwide attention in the East African country.

The deadly blaze occurred on May 28, sweeping through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School that accommodated 202 students. Authorities determined that the school matron did not unlock an emergency exit, compelling all residents to flee through just one doorway.

The nine suspects had been held by police for six days before the court hearing. During questioning, investigators learned the fire began when someone ignited a mattress positioned near the dormitory’s exit using matches and paraffin. Officials have not disclosed any motivation behind the alleged attack.

Law enforcement made the arrests following interviews with students and examination of security camera recordings that allegedly capture some students starting the fire within the dormitory building.

Hezron Mogire, representing the nine accused students, argued before the court that investigators lacked “compelling reasons” to justify the 30-day detention period they had requested.

“Nonetheless, the court has taken a different view. We have already briefed our clients, and they are well informed,” he said.

Mbogo Macharia, the attorney representing families of the 16 victims, urged authorities to conduct a complete investigation during the three-week timeframe.

“During that time, it is expected by the courts, by the nation, and also by us as the victims that the investigations will have concluded, we will have gotten the answers that we very much want to hear, and we will have found a way forward in respect to finding justice for the victims,” he said.

DNA testing results to identify some remains that were severely burned are anticipated later Wednesday.

NATO’s top official issued a dire warning Wednesday to young Russians contemplating military service, telling them they face almost certain death if they enlist in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking from Kyiv during a press conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered his message directly to potential Russian recruits and their loved ones, stating “You are being sold a raw deal.”

Rutte painted a grim picture of what awaits Russian soldiers, explaining “Men like you who join the fight — you won’t be trained. Equipment they’ll provide you with is substandard. There is a very high chance you’ll die or be wounded while you’re out there.”

The NATO leader’s warning grew even more stark as he continued: “And odds are, that if you are wounded, you will be left to suffer in the mud and die.”

According to Rutte, Russia is suffering “absolutely staggering” casualties in the conflict, with over 30,000 Russian military personnel dying each month — statistics he has referenced previously.

To put these losses in perspective, the NATO chief explained “This means losing more men in one month than the Soviet Union did in 10 years in the 1980s in Afghanistan.”

Addressing potential recruits directly, Rutte emphasized the personal nature of these statistics: “That’s not abstract. That will probably be you.”

Russia continues to characterize the conflict as a “special military operation” and offers substantial compensation to those who enlist. Moscow has consistently maintained that NATO’s expansion eastward following the Cold War’s end — along with Ukraine’s potential alliance membership — represents a fundamental threat to Russian national security.

A horrific murder case in southern Italy has claimed the lives of four migrant workers, sparking renewed concerns about the exploitation of immigrant laborers in the country’s agricultural sector.

The victims were discovered Monday inside a charred van at a gas station in Amendolara, located in Italy’s southern Calabria region. Security footage captured two individuals igniting the vehicle before fleeing the scene.

Alessandro D’Alessio, the public prosecutor overseeing the case, described the unprecedented brutality to media on Wednesday. “In 30 years of work, I have never seen such cruelty,” he stated.

The lone survivor, Taj Mohammad Alamyar, recounted how the workers were being transported home by their two Pakistani supervisors following a day of strawberry harvesting. According to Alamyar, the supervisors stopped at the gas station but instead of filling up, they poured gasoline on the vehicle and ignited it after trapping the passengers inside. He managed to escape through the trunk.

“We started screaming, but they opened the back door and threw a lighter inside. In an instant, it was hell,” Alamyar told La Repubblica newspaper.

Roberto Occhiuto, who serves as Calabria’s regional president, emphasized that the incident should prompt serious reflection across Italy. “It is an appalling story, which shakes our consciences and raises profound questions about the tragedy of migration, the value of human dignity, and the responsibilities a civilised society must assume toward the most vulnerable,” he commented.

The exploitation of immigrant workers represents a persistent challenge throughout Italy, sometimes resulting in fatal outcomes. Data from the Placido Rizzotto Observatory think tank indicates that approximately 30% of agricultural workers operated without proper documentation in 2023.

In media appearances, the survivor appeared with bandaged hands and right arm. He identified three of the deceased as fellow Afghans, with the fourth victim being Pakistani.

Authorities from Castrovillari have taken two foreign nationals into custody on charges of multiple and aggravated murder. The suspects’ identities have not been released, and Reuters was unable to secure statements from them.

According to Alamyar, tensions arose between the fruit pickers and their supervisors over compensation disputes. The workers had been promised daily wages of €45 ($52) for eight-hour shifts but claimed they had not received any payment since April 20.

Israeli military forces successfully intercepted rockets launched by Hezbollah into Israeli territory on Wednesday, according to military officials, while Lebanese security sources reported an Israeli strike on a vehicle near Beirut, putting pressure on a U.S.-brokered agreement designed to reduce cross-border attacks.

In a statement, the Iran-backed Hezbollah organization confirmed it had launched multiple rockets targeting an Israeli military position in northern Israel, marking the first announced cross-border missile strike since Monday.

Lebanon has become a central focus of regional tensions this week, as the possibility of increased conflict threatens diplomatic efforts to establish an agreement between Iran and the United States. Tehran maintains that Israel must cease attacks on Lebanon as part of any deal.

Fighting has persisted in southern Lebanon following Monday’s announcement of the U.S.-brokered agreement, when President Donald Trump revealed he had requested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoid conducting a major operation against Beirut, while Hezbollah, through intermediaries, committed to avoiding attacks on Israel.

On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would target Hezbollah-controlled southern areas of Beirut if northern Israel came under attack.

Israeli military officials confirmed they had intercepted two rockets that entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon.

“Only the successful interception by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) prevented what could have been a deadly attack on civilians, including children,” stated Michael Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, in a social media post.

Leiter explained that Israel had agreed to avoid striking Beirut under the condition that Hezbollah cease its attacks on Israel, calling Wednesday’s rocket fire a “blatant violation of that understanding.”

Earlier in the day, Israeli forces reported intercepting a hostile aircraft entering Israeli territory, which a military spokesperson indicated was likely a drone launched by Hezbollah.

Lebanese security sources reported Israeli drone attacks on at least 10 vehicles throughout Wednesday, including one strike on a car traveling on the main coastal highway in the Khalde area, located several kilometers south of Beirut, which injured two individuals.

This represented the nearest attack to Beirut since Trump requested Israel refrain from targeting the Lebanese capital.

A separate Israeli strike on a road near the coastal city of Tyre resulted in six deaths, according to the Lebanese health ministry, which identified the victims as four Syrians and two Palestinians.

The health ministry also reported that an Israeli strike on an ambulance killed two medical workers in the town of Chehour.

The Lebanese army announced that an Israeli airstrike killed one of its soldiers while he was traveling on a road in the southern region.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to Reuters’ inquiries regarding these strikes.

Trump’s diplomatic initiatives on Monday were intended to prevent further escalation of the conflict that has continued since March 2, when Hezbollah began attacking in support of Iran, which was facing U.S.-Israeli military action.

Iran has insisted on a ceasefire in Lebanon as a component of any agreement with the U.S. to end the broader conflict, and has indicated in recent days that it might intervene directly to support Hezbollah if Israel maintains or increases its attacks in Lebanon.

On Monday, Iran’s military warned residents of northern Israel to evacuate if Israel attacked Beirut.

Israel conducted heavy bombardments of Beirut’s southern suburbs, called Dahiyeh, early in the conflict but has executed only two strikes there since Trump announced a Lebanon ceasefire in April.

Hezbollah reported conducting 13 operations against Israeli forces on Tuesday in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops maintain a self-declared security zone.

Israeli military officials issued fresh evacuation warnings to residents of six villages and towns in southern Lebanon, instructing them to leave their homes due to planned operations against Hezbollah.

More than 3,500 people have died in Lebanon from Israeli attacks since March 2, including 711 women, children and medical personnel, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The ministry’s statistics do not distinguish how many fighters are included in the death toll.

Israel reports that 26 of its soldiers and four civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks since March.

Representatives from the Lebanese and Israeli governments were scheduled to meet in Washington on Wednesday for a second straight day of discussions, marking their fourth direct meeting arranged by the U.S. since the conflict began.

The Lebanese government is participating despite opposition from Hezbollah.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Concerned about excessive dependence on American technology companies for artificial intelligence and cloud services, along with Asian nations for semiconductor production, European Union officials are taking action to reduce these dependencies.

On Wednesday, the 27-member union announced a comprehensive “tech sovereignty” initiative designed to cultivate domestic European alternatives to major technology corporations and their hardware.

These initiatives from Brussels have become increasingly urgent as officials express concern about reliance on foreign technology providers, warning such dependencies could be used as weapons against European interests. These concerns became more concrete when the Trump administration imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, resulting in Microsoft terminating his email access and raising alarm about potential “kill switches” embedded in American technology services.

“Europe wants to be in the position to make its own choices, avoiding risky dependencies on single dominant suppliers, one company or one third country,” European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, told reporters in Brussels.

“Because we live in a world where geopolitics and technology go hand in hand. Those who champion technological innovation will shape the future, and we must ensure that Europe plays a leading role in this.”

Central to this initiative is an extension of the EU’s 2023 Chips Act, designed to further enhance domestic semiconductor manufacturing by reducing bureaucratic barriers for chip manufacturing facilities and developing a comprehensive European semiconductor industry.

Europe’s susceptibility to the global semiconductor supply chain concentrated in East Asia became apparent last year during a corporate dispute at Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker based in the Netherlands.

The initiative also emphasizes supporting domestic cloud computing and artificial intelligence development, including plans to increase Europe’s data center capacity threefold within the next five to seven years. The EU aims to expand these facilities to meet growing demands from the artificial intelligence surge, which is increasing the need for cloud computing infrastructure.

The executive branch’s proposals must still undergo review and approval by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

LONDON, June 3 – The United Kingdom’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday that it has called in Russia’s ambassador following a Russian drone attack that struck a residential building in Romania, a NATO member nation, last week.

Foreign minister Yvette Cooper has denounced the incident, which took place during Russia’s assault on Ukraine and left two people wounded in the Romanian city of Galati. Cooper stated that Britain remains united with its allies in protecting NATO territory.

“Russia’s later brutal bombardment of civilians in Ukraine comes afters its violation of NATO airspace last week, hitting a residential building in Romania,” Britain’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Injuring innocent civilians on NATO territory is unacceptable and a stark reminder of the threat that Ukrainian civilians are having to endure on a daily basis.”

A major international economic organization released findings Wednesday showing that extended interruptions to Middle East energy flows caused by the Iran conflict could devastate economies worldwide, triggering recessions in multiple nations while fueling rising prices and job losses.

Asian nations relying heavily on oil, fuel, and natural gas from the Persian Gulf would face the most severe impacts, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study. Energy shipments have been drastically reduced due to the Strait of Hormuz closure amid threats of Iranian attacks. Developing nations where citizens dedicate larger portions of their earnings to energy and food costs would also experience major hardships, the OECD reported.

However, the effects of dramatically increased energy costs and inflation would reach every corner of the globe. Worldwide economic expansion would fall to depths typically seen only during major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial collapse of the late 2000s. The OECD’s extended disruption projection shows global growth declining from 3.4% in the previous year to 2.1% this year and 1.8% in 2027, potentially driving various economies into recession territory or close to it.

An alternative OECD projection examining a shorter-term disruption, where Gulf energy production and transportation resume pre-conflict levels by mid-year, would see growth decrease to 2.8% this year before recovering to 3.1% the following year.

“The global economy entered 2026 with robust momentum, but the outlook has weakened significantly since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, with effects likely to be felt for some time,” OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said. “The longer the disruptions last, the larger the economic and social costs become.”

Cormann cautioned that government expenditures designed to offset energy expenses should target those with the greatest need and remain temporary, preventing excessive government borrowing while maintaining incentives for energy conservation.

Although violence has erupted repeatedly, an announced ceasefire between the US and Iran technically remains active. However, continued shipping dangers mean that Strait of Hormuz traffic has dropped to minimal levels, declining over 90% from pre-war volumes. This has interrupted approximately one-fifth of global crude oil and fuel product supplies, along with natural gas shipments.

The OECD findings follow a UN analysis cautioning that elevated energy costs will affect nearly a billion people in developing countries and small island nations dependent on fuel imports, creating difficult choices between paying energy expenses and funding crucial public services. Over 30% of residents in these regions already survive below the extreme poverty threshold, defined as living on $3 or less daily.

The OECD operates as an international governmental organization and policy forum comprising 38 democratic nations with market-driven economies, based in Paris.

Romania’s foreign minister announced Wednesday that multiple NATO allies are working to strengthen air defense systems along the alliance’s eastern border following a drone strike on Romanian territory last week.

During a visit to Paris, Oana Toiu explained that the incident involving a Russian-identified drone that struck a residential building would speed up ongoing NATO efforts to enhance surveillance and response capabilities. The focus includes improving radars, fighter aircraft, and anti-drone technology.

“Our top priority is to increase capabilities,” Toiu stated, noting that Romania had already provided NATO with a comprehensive list of defense needs prior to the drone incident.

NATO allies are now evaluating ways to supplement Romania’s current air monitoring and defense infrastructure, particularly along its 650-kilometer border with Ukraine. The proposed reinforcements may include additional military assets from partner nations, such as aircraft participating in NATO’s air policing operations, along with enhanced radar systems designed to detect low-altitude drones.

France, which commands NATO’s battlegroup in Romania with approximately 1,400 personnel, is in discussions about providing additional radar and air monitoring support. Other nations including Britain, Italy and Spain have indicated their readiness to increase their contributions to air defense missions, according to Toiu.

The United States may contribute specialized radar and surveillance technology rather than deploying large numbers of troops.

“There is a common understanding that we need to strengthen the eastern flank, not just in Romania. This is a conversation we’re having with the Baltics and all countries on the eastern flank,” Toiu explained.

Romania described these measures as temporary solutions while the country pursues comprehensive defense modernization. Bucharest has designated approximately 2 billion euros for upgrading air defense and monitoring capabilities over the coming years, but will “need to rely on allied support to cover the gaps” in the interim, Toiu said.

The Russian-manufactured drone breached Romanian airspace last week and crashed into a structure in Galati, a city near the Ukrainian border, injuring two civilians.

While Toiu said Romania has no evidence the incident was deliberate, she emphasized that Russia bears full responsibility for the violation.

Romania is also developing private sector anti-drone initiatives and collaborating with Ukraine on a 200 million euro project to construct a facility that will manufacture systems to counter low-cost aerial threats commonly used in the ongoing conflict.

Maritime industry executives are warning that even if the U.S. and Iran reach an agreement to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vessels currently trapped in the Gulf cannot safely depart without concrete safety guarantees.

The ongoing three-month conflict has left hundreds of ships and approximately 20,000 seafarers stranded in the region, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining mostly inaccessible. Recent fighting has put additional pressure on an already fragile ceasefire agreement.

Rene Kofod-Olsen, group CEO of V.Group, a major international ship management company overseeing roughly 800 vessels, revealed that his company has 13 ships currently stuck in the Gulf, with half being tankers. Speaking at the Posidonia shipping conference in Athens, he described the challenging situation facing the industry.

“You are in a situation where you supposedly have a ceasefire,” Kofod-Olsen explained during the maritime event. “But you still have kinetic activity,” he added, referencing ongoing drone and missile attacks.

According to Kofod-Olsen, restoring shipping traffic to normal levels—which previously saw an average of 125 vessels transiting through Hormuz each day—will require firm guarantees of safe passage backed by international involvement.

“I don’t believe that global shipping by definition will go through in a material way the Strait of Hormuz before those things are actually guaranteed,” Kofod-Olsen stated.

Industry leaders attending the Athens conference reported that while supply deliveries to crews in the Gulf continue and crew rotations within the region remain possible, the ongoing conflict is creating mounting challenges.

Alex Gregg-Smith, president for marine and offshore operations at Bureau Veritas, a leading ship safety certification company, explained the broader impact on the industry. “Ship owners are having to operate in irregular frameworks, which can be difficult or challenging for the industry, difficult and challenging for insurers as well,” Gregg-Smith told reporters.

“It’s putting pressure on the owners’ operations,” he added.

Dwain Hutchinson, managing director of the Bahamas maritime registry, reported that 14 vessels flying Bahamas flags, carrying more than 900 seafarers, remain in the Gulf. This count includes smaller offshore vessels that typically operate in the area under normal circumstances.

While prioritizing crew safety and welfare, the flag registry has not imposed restrictions on ships entering the region. “We think that’s an owner’s decision and we hope that they will review the risk and take a balanced decision for operation in the region,” Hutchinson explained.

Evangelos Marinakis, founder and chairman of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, a major global tanker operator, shared his company’s experience during the TradeWinds ship owners’ forum in Athens. His organization “were lucky enough” to avoid having any vessels in the Gulf when the conflict began on February 28.

“In case something happens, a casualty, we wouldn’t be able to take such a risk,” Marinakis told the forum attendees.

HONG KONG — Police in Hong Kong detained a performance artist Wednesday as he attempted to create a memorial display for those killed in Beijing’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, marking another instance of the territory’s diminishing freedom of expression.

Sanmu Chen was stopped while attempting to attach a thin red thread to a street sign in Causeway Bay, a bustling commercial area near a park that previously hosted annual candlelight ceremonies on June 4 to honor those who died when the government ended student demonstrations in Beijing in 1989.

For many years, Hong Kong remained the sole location within China where large public remembrance events for the crackdown could take place. However, these once-enormous yearly gatherings were prohibited in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and public demonstrations marking the Tiananmen Square deaths have grown increasingly restricted in the territory recently.

Chen revealed his thread measured 6.4 meters in length, seemingly referencing the June 4 anniversary date.

Officers detained and searched Chen’s belongings before releasing him. When a journalist questioned him about his red thread demonstration following his release, Chen explained it was intended to honor the deceased.

“It’s abnormal when people monitor you when you are saying or doing something,” he told reporters.

Chen has faced detention at least twice on June 3 in previous years. In 2024, authorities briefly held him after he appeared to trace the Chinese characters for “eight nine six four” — numbers representing the crackdown date — in the air with his hand.

Law enforcement also detained Chen on the same date in 2023 in the same vicinity, where he called out “Hong Kongers, do not be afraid. Don’t forget tomorrow is June 4.”

As evening approached, another artist, Chan Mei-tung, positioned herself outside a nearby retail store displaying a balloon shaped like a question mark. Officers swiftly intervened and accompanied her to the subway station.

Under the leadership of then-leader Deng Xiaoping, Chinese forces were deployed to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to suppress weeks of student demonstrations during the night of June 3-4, 1989. Military personnel used live ammunition, resulting in hundreds and potentially thousands of deaths, including several dozen soldiers.

Yearly memorial services in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park previously drew tens of thousands of participants annually until authorities banned the gathering in 2020 during the initial year of the coronavirus outbreak.

This occurred during the same year Beijing implemented a national security law in the territory following extensive anti-government demonstrations in 2019. Since that time, officials have progressively suppressed opposition voices. Numerous prominent activists faced arrest while several outspoken media organizations ceased operations. Dozens of civil society organizations dissolved, including the group responsible for organizing the vigils.

Three former vigil coordinators faced charges in 2021 for inciting subversion under the national security law. Two of the former organizers proceeded to trial and await a verdict, potentially in July. Upon conviction, they could face up to 10 years imprisonment. Their co-defendant pleaded guilty, which typically leads to reduced sentencing.

Both Hong Kong and Beijing officials stated the security law is essential for the city’s stability. Hong Kong authorities emphasized the law explicitly requires that human rights be respected and protected while maintaining national security.

Following the end of COVID-19 restrictions, pro-China organizations established a carnival at the former vigil location. Some individuals who attempted to honor the event near the site on June 4, the crackdown’s anniversary date, faced detention.

The five-day carnival commenced Wednesday. The subdued commemorations in Hong Kong highlighted the erosion of civil freedoms promised by Beijing when the former British territory returned to Chinese control in 1997.

While public remembrance diminished in Hong Kong, international communities have assumed responsibility for preserving these memories through vigils and demonstrations in cities including London and Canada.

BERLIN (AP) — Officials in Germany announced Wednesday that they discovered more than 8 metric tons of cocaine hidden inside a shipping container labeled as carrying cocoa beans, leading to the arrest of two suspects in Spain.

Customs officials in Germany valued the confiscated cocaine at approximately 500 million euros ($582 million) on the street market after the seizure at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven.

The narcotics were confiscated on Feb. 9, while the suspects were taken into custody in El Ejido, located in Spain’s Almería province, on May 14.

According to investigators’ statement, the container originated from West Africa and was headed to Spain. Rather than finding cocoa beans, authorities discovered more than 400 packages covered in black foil, with each package holding approximately 20 compressed cocaine blocks.

German authorities destroyed the illegal cargo before allowing the container to continue to Barcelona. Law enforcement tracked down two individuals believed to be the operation’s organizers and apprehended them when the container was being transferred.

According to the statement, one suspect managed an import business and had previously been connected to another cocaine smuggling case by Spanish customs officials. Both individuals may face imprisonment in Spain if prosecuted and found guilty.

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A unique albino buffalo weighing 1,500 pounds and sporting a distinctive tuft of golden hair has become an unlikely celebrity at Bangladesh’s national zoo after being named for its resemblance to the U.S. president.

The unusual pale-colored animal first gained attention when a farmer observed similarities between its blonde hair and the distinctive appearance of Donald Trump. After footage of the horned mammal spread rapidly across social media platforms, visitors began traveling from throughout Bangladesh to the farm near Dhaka to witness the spectacle firsthand.

Originally destined for slaughter during the Muslim festival of sacrifice, the buffalo was relocated to the capital city’s zoo by government order due to security considerations. Now, despite scorching temperatures, large groups of spectators are making the journey to observe the animal.

On Tuesday, onlookers crowded against the barriers surrounding the buffalo’s habitat, capturing video with mobile devices while parents lifted young children onto their shoulders for improved visibility.

Zoo staff provided special care for the creature, styling its hair to one side and spraying it with water for cooling while fans provided additional relief from the heat.

“There is a resemblance to Donald Trump in its eyes, hairstyle, and skin color,” said Mohammed Nasim, a student in Dhaka. “And just as Donald Trump has a distinctive personality and lifestyle, this buffalo, after going viral, is now living a similar kind of life, enjoying a lot of attention and special treatment.”

According to local news outlets, the display originally featured signage reading “Donald Trump,” which has subsequently been taken down. The zoo curator lost his position on Saturday, although no official explanation was provided for the termination.

The naming choice clearly upset some observers.

“Giving a farm animal the name of one of the world’s most influential leaders was certainly the wrong thing to do,” said Dhaka resident Mohammad Joynal Adedin, who visited the zoo to see the buffalo anyway. “It seems disrespectful. I think the farmer who did this made a poor decision.”

The buffalo had been purchased in preparation for Eid al-Adha, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice.” When Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed directed police to take custody of the animal, officials provided a refund to the purchaser.

“Since before Eid, I had been seeing posts on Facebook saying that ‘Donald Trump’ would be sacrificed. Later, I heard that instead of being sacrificed, it had been placed in a zoo,” said Mohammad Habibur Rahman, a visitor to the zoo from the southwestern Bangladeshi city of Jashore.

“So, I thought I would come to the zoo and see ‘Donald Trump’ for myself,” he said.

BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli forces conducted a drone attack Wednesday on a vehicle traveling along a major roadway south of Beirut, occurring just hours before the continuation of ceasefire negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Washington.

The attack in Khaldeh occurred without advance notice, and officials could not immediately confirm whether the targeted individual was killed. Israeli forces typically state they are targeting Hezbollah militant group members in such drone operations.

Lebanon and Israel established a U.S.-mediated deal on Monday in which Israeli forces agreed to halt strikes on Beirut’s southern neighborhoods while Hezbollah committed to stopping attacks on northern Israeli territory. This arrangement came just hours after Israeli officials announced plans to conduct strikes throughout the densely populated urban areas near Lebanon’s capital, which would have represented the heaviest bombardment since a temporary ceasefire took effect on April 17.

The State Department reported that meaningful progress occurred during Tuesday’s initial round of discussions. Lebanese officials are seeking to expand the ceasefire agreement to encompass the entire nation. Israeli leadership demands the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah before ending military operations in Lebanon and removing forces from numerous villages and towns.

Shortly following the Khaldeh attack, Israeli military officials announced they had intercepted what they described as a hostile aircraft approaching from southern Lebanon, though they did not immediately attribute it to Hezbollah. Hezbollah has not taken responsibility for any cross-border attacks since the agreement was reached.

Israeli military operations continued across southern Lebanon, particularly in and surrounding the damaged cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. During overnight strikes, two attacks near Tyre resulted in the deaths of four Syrians and two Palestinians.

Israeli forces issued overnight warnings to Christian communities in the coastal city of Tyre that Hezbollah operatives were present among them. Numerous Lebanese Shiite Muslims had relocated to these areas recently because they had been protected from aerial attacks along the Mediterranean coastline.

Following the warning, Lebanese military forces moved into Tyre’s Christian district to prevent potential Israeli attacks and demonstrate that Hezbollah maintains no armed presence in the region.

Israeli ground forces began an invasion of southern Lebanon following the outbreak of the current conflict on March 2, when Iran-supported Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israeli territory in solidarity with Iran. Israeli military units have advanced further into Lebanese territory over recent days, while Hezbollah continues to claim responsibility for rocket and drone strikes.

The current fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has resulted in 3,468 deaths in Lebanon and forced 1.2 million people from their homes. According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have died in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

Among the 27 casualties was a soldier in southern Lebanon, whose death was reported late Monday by Israeli military officials. They noted that seven additional soldiers were wounded in the same incident, with three suffering severe injuries.

Hezbollah’s deployment of difficult-to-detect fiber-optic drones has proven lethal against Israeli military forces, who are finding it challenging to counter these weapons.

Kuwait temporarily closed its primary airport Wednesday following Iranian drone strikes that severely damaged the facility and left one person dead — marking the most recent escalation in ongoing military exchanges between Tehran and Washington that continue to challenge a delicate ceasefire agreement.

The attacks occurred as semi-official Iranian news outlets reported that the nation had ceased communication with mediators regarding ceasefire extension talks in the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel. A regional official indicated Tehran demanded enforcement of the Lebanon truce before resuming negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump disputed claims that talks had stopped.

These negotiations have continued for weeks, while repeated military exchanges in the Gulf area and Israel’s expanding Lebanese conflict continue to complicate diplomatic efforts.

Meanwhile, Iran continues controlling the Strait of Hormuz — a vital pathway for global oil and natural gas transportation — while the U.S. maintains its blockade of Iranian ports, keeping worldwide fuel costs elevated and extending the conflict’s impact beyond the immediate region.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi reported that “a number of hostile drones” struck Kuwait International Airport’s passenger terminal, causing extensive damage and wounding “a number of individuals.”

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed at least one fatality.

Government media announced Kuwait Airways halted operations. Aviation officials reported the airport partially resumed service later Wednesday, with Kuwait Airways flights restarting from an undamaged terminal. Other airline operations remained suspended.

The facility had only resumed operations Monday after shuttering early in the conflict.

The U.S. military reported Iran launched two missiles toward Kuwait that broke apart during flight, and confirmed it had “downed multiple drones” targeting American personnel in the nation.

Military officials also stated U.S. and Bahraini forces stopped missiles directed at the Gulf kingdom, which houses the U.S Navy’s 5th fleet. Bahrain’s Defense Ministry confirmed its forces intercepted and eliminated three missiles and several drones launched by Iran.

The U.S. military announced it conducted strikes against an Iranian military ground control facility on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, responding to the attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard confirmed targeting the 5th Fleet headquarters and U.S. military installations in another nation, though it didn’t specifically mention Kuwait. The organization stated these strikes retaliated for attacks on Qeshm Island.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denounced the U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island, reporting a telecommunications tower was hit, along with other previous attacks. Officials labeled them “acts of aggression” that violated the ceasefire terms.

A senior Emirati diplomat urged Wednesday for “a firm, unified, and cohesive Gulf position” against Iran following the attacks.

“This aggression does not target a specific state, but rather all of us,” Anwar Gargash posted on the X platform.

Iran’s Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both considered close to the Guard, stated that Iran’s negotiators ceased communicating with ceasefire mediators as tensions escalated in Israel’s separate but connected battle against the Iranian-supported Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon.

A regional official participating in mediation efforts, speaking anonymously to discuss the negotiations, informed The Associated Press that Iran had not communicated Tuesday after stating that Lebanon ceasefire enforcement was necessary for continued negotiations.

Trump described reports of halted talks as “false and erroneous.”

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump stated in a social media message. “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal.”

Israeli forces have advanced deeper into Lebanon than at any point in over twenty-five years — despite a nominal ceasefire existing between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon has become a critical obstacle in Trump’s efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement with Iran.

Tehran demands that any broader potential truce in the conflict must also end the Lebanese fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prefers keeping the issues separate and faces significant domestic pressure to attack Hezbollah while preparing for upcoming fall elections.

The conflict has revealed tensions between close allies Israel and the U.S., with the U.S. advocating for restraint while Israel seeks to increase military pressure on Hezbollah.

A person knowledgeable about the situation described a “tense” conversation between Netanyahu and Trump earlier this week. The individual spoke anonymously because they lacked authorization to speak publicly. The person provided no additional details about the call.

Conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori is making her fourth attempt to win Peru’s presidency in a runoff election taking place this Sunday, banking on her law-and-order platform during a period of increasing violence to overcome a divisive family political history.

The 51-year-old politician earned the largest portion of votes during April’s initial election round with 17.17% of the vote. Her opponent will be leftist congressman Roberto Sanchez, who barely claimed the second position with 12.03% support.

This marks Fujimori’s fourth presidential campaign. During her previous attempt in 2021, she lost to leftist Pedro Castillo, who was subsequently ousted from office following his attempt to disband Congress. Castillo has given his backing to her current opponent while imprisoned.

The weight of her family name presents a significant obstacle for Fujimori. Her deceased father, Alberto Fujimori, led Peru from 1990 through 2000. While supporters praised him for establishing national stability, critics condemned his authoritarian approach. He served 16 years behind bars for human rights violations during his time in office.

Following years of separating herself from her father’s political record, Fujimori has begun embracing it more openly, now accepting his reputation as an authoritative leader. She presents herself as the candidate most capable of restoring peace and order while Peru faces increasing murder and extortion rates, which rank among voters’ primary worries.

“We will work with financial institutions … to identify, track and block money from extortion,” she stated during a runoff debate.

However, her political party seeks to highlight differences between Fujimori and her father. Luis Galarreta, her vice-presidential running mate, explained that the elder Fujimori deeply distrusted political parties, frequently forming new organizations for each campaign instead of establishing permanent institutions.

“Keiko is different,” Galarreta told Reuters during an interview. “She believes in having a strong, formal party organization — building institutional political structures.”

Keiko Fujimori endured years of investigation regarding campaign funding accusations, which were dismissed last year. She was detained awaiting trial on two occasions between 2018 and 2020, spending approximately 18 months incarcerated.

Galarreta explained that this experience transformed her perspective, making her more thoughtful, mature and concentrated on family matters.

“We talk a lot about a ‘new Keiko,’” Galarreta explained. “She is more open, more herself, as a person, as a friend.”

Galarreta characterized Fujimori as “chancona” — a Peruvian word meaning studious and diligent — explaining he has witnessed her assisting her two daughters with homework and preparing their meals, even during an intensive campaign period.

Her imprisonment also created surprising personal changes. “She really loves cats now,” Galarreta noted. Fujimori developed an affection for them during her jail time because they helped control rodents.

“She didn’t like cats before, and now she has four.”

Fujimori began her public career as a young person, functioning as unofficial first lady starting at age 19 throughout her father’s administration after her parents divorced.

She subsequently pursued business administration studies in the United States and built her own political foundation. In 2006, she won election to Congress with the largest vote count ever achieved by a Peruvian legislator. She suffered defeats in three presidential runoffs by small margins to various opponents in 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Although experienced, one of Fujimori’s greatest obstacles continues to be her high disapproval rating, though recent polling indicates it has improved in recent months. Data from pollster Ipsos Peru shows 40% of voters in May indicated they would absolutely not vote for her in a runoff, declining from approximately 59% before the initial round.

Beyond her family history and continuing resentment over the corruption charges, critics claim her right-wing Popular Force party — a powerful presence in Congress — has consistently prevented reforms. Hundreds of left-wing supporters and civil society organizations demonstrated in Lima on Saturday opposing Fujimori.

“The anti-Fujimori vote is the factor that explains why Keiko Fujimori has fallen short of the presidential palace in three consecutive elections,” stated historian and analyst Daniel Parodi.

“I sense that this anti-vote has declined — the question is by how much.”

Israeli military forces stopped what they called a hostile aircraft that entered northern Israel from Lebanon on Wednesday.

Military officials did not connect the drone to Hezbollah, and the Iran-backed organization has not taken responsibility for what happened.

Lebanon had announced a limited ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel that would require Israel to stop strikes on Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled neighborhoods and Hezbollah to end attacks on Israel, though the deal does not bring the conflict to a close, according to Lebanon’s embassy in Washington.

British authorities confirmed Wednesday that an aircraft went down in a field located in Devon, in the southwestern region of England, with emergency responders currently at the location of the ongoing incident.

News outlets in Britain, referencing police sources, indicated that the downed aircraft was operated by the Royal Navy.

Officials from the Ministry of Defence have not yet provided a response when contacted for additional information about the incident.

British officials have strongly criticized violent outbreaks that occurred during a demonstration in Southampton over the December murder of teenager Henry Nowak, who was restrained with handcuffs as he died while his attacker remained at the scene.

Demonstrators threw chairs, beverage cans, stones and flares at law enforcement officers during Tuesday evening’s protest in the southern English coastal city, where hundreds had gathered following Nowak’s killing in December.

The teenager’s death has sparked discussions about law enforcement practices and blade-related violence, while generating allegations from far-right groups and political figures claiming the justice system shows prejudice against white individuals.

Britain’s interior minister Shabana Mahmood declared Tuesday evening’s violent incidents “completely unacceptable.”

“The Nowak family made a powerful call to us all yesterday to not let Henry’s death be used to create further division, hatred or tension,” she said. “There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder. Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law.”

The perpetrator, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, who is Sikh, made false accusations that he had been racially attacked by Nowak, an 18-year-old white male. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they initially considered the wounded teenager a suspect before discovering his injuries and attempting life-saving measures.

Digwa received a murder conviction and was sentenced Monday to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of 21 years. The presiding judge stated he found no evidence that Nowak had made racist remarks toward his attacker.

Following the court proceedings, authorities released footage showing officers disregarding Nowak’s pleas for help when he reported being stabbed and repeatedly stated he was unable to breathe.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed being disturbed by the video evidence and said there are questions requiring answers about how “accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which examines allegations of law enforcement misconduct, is investigating the actions of officers from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. The National Police Chiefs’ Council announced it would examine its anti-racism policies following this incident.

Following the court hearing, the victim’s father, Mark Nowak, emphasized the case was not about racism or religion, stating he hoped his son’s death would contribute to improved public safety rather than being exploited to generate “further division, hatred or tension.”

However, Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party, characterized the incident Tuesday as evidence of alleged two-tier policing — a common far-right argument suggesting ethnic minorities receive preferential treatment over white individuals.

Farage encouraged people to respond to the situation with “pure cold rage,” and declared “white lives matter just as much as Black lives.” X owner Elon Musk and British far-right activist Tommy Robinson have also voiced anger about the crime.

Some political figures have proposed prohibiting Sikhs from carrying ceremonial blades, called kirpans. The judge noted that Digwa possessed a small kirpan but also carried an 8-inch (21-centimeter) sheathed Sikh dagger that served as the murder weapon against Nowak.

Ukrainian forces conducted a drone assault on an oil facility in St. Petersburg, causing fires to break out, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Wednesday, coinciding with President Vladimir Putin hosting a major international economic summit in the Russian city.

According to Zelenskyy’s social media posts, the unmanned aircraft traveled over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to reach their target. Dark smoke clouds billowed above the city’s port area following the strike.

Russian officials confirmed that Ukrainian drones targeted the city’s infrastructure but declined to offer additional specifics. St. Petersburg’s airport temporarily halted flights during the night due to the assault. Officials also disrupted mobile internet access.

Putin is scheduled to address attendees Friday at the St. Petersburg economic summit, which the Kremlin considers a high-profile gathering, though major Western business leaders and government officials have avoided the event since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. This year features Saudi Arabia as the special guest nation, with plans to send a substantial business contingent.

The attacks present an embarrassing situation for Putin, coming weeks after he was forced to scale back Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade over concerns about potential Ukrainian drone strikes.

These strikes occurred one day following a large-scale Russian drone and missile bombardment of Kyiv and other Ukrainian locations, resulting in at least 22 civilian deaths and 138 injuries, as Moscow carried out its promises to intensify regular attacks.

As the battlefield remains relatively static due to drone activity hampering troop movements, both nations have increasingly turned to long-range strikes for tactical advantage. The conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of its neighbor has now entered its fifth year with no resolution apparent.

Ukraine’s strategy focuses on reducing Russia’s petroleum output, which provides crucial financing for Moscow, while also disrupting weapons manufacturing.

Ukraine has consistently attacked oil installations at St. Petersburg’s port and surrounding harbor facilities.

Overnight Ukrainian drone operations also struck the Kronstadt naval facility, a historic base for Russia’s Baltic Fleet, plus a weapons manufacturing facility in Russia’s Tambov region, located 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine, Zelenskyy reported.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that air defense systems destroyed 354 Ukrainian drones during the night.

In the Russian-occupied section of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, a Ukrainian attack struck a bus traveling from Moscow to Crimea, causing seven deaths and 11 injuries, according to Kremlin-appointed Donetsk leader Denis Pushilin.

In the Smolensk region, two firefighters died in a Ukrainian drone strike, regional governor Vasily Anokhin reported. He stated that two additional firefighters and one local resident sustained injuries.

Russia launched 198 long-range drones against Ukraine during the night, Ukraine’s air force reported, with defensive systems neutralizing 189.

Officials in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region reported that during the past 24 hours, one civilian died and 15 others were wounded, including three children, from Russian attacks.

In southern Kherson, Russian nighttime bombardment and drone attacks killed an 86-year-old woman and injured five others, regional authorities stated.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Three judges on an Australian appeals court have delayed their ruling on whether an Indigenous activist can move forward with genocide charges against Britain’s King Charles III related to the treatment of Australia’s native peoples.

Uncle Robbie Thorpe, age 68, brought his case to Victoria state’s Supreme Court of Appeal after two lower courts denied his attempt to file a private prosecution against the monarch through Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The title “uncle” serves as a respectful designation for Indigenous community elders in Australia.

Thorpe’s legal challenge claims the king, who serves as Australia’s head of state, along with the Australian government and its institutions, continue perpetrating genocide against Indigenous populations by preserving systematic disadvantages across various socioeconomic areas, leaving them as the nation’s most marginalized minority group.

Indigenous Australians represent 4% of the nation’s population. Government data shows they experience shorter lifespans compared to other Australians, face more severe health challenges, and encounter higher rates of incarceration and unemployment than other demographic groups.

Speaking with The Associated Press, Thorpe indicated that if his legal remedies in Australia are exhausted, he plans to bring the matter under the Genocide Convention before the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.

“It’s clear that they’re unwilling, unable, reluctant to deal with these international legal issues like genocide,” Thorpe told the AP prior to the court session, speaking about Australia’s judicial system.

During the proceedings, he informed the judges that Indigenous people continue dying because their disadvantaged status in Australia keeps worsening.

“The Crown is responsible for all this mess,” Thorpe stated. “Australia’s got away with genocide of Aboriginal people since they arrived here.”

British colonization of Australia began in 1788, with violent seizure of Indigenous territories occurring without any treaty agreements.

“They totally failed to prevent (genocide). That’s the crime here. They failed to prevent genocide knowingly and they failed to punish anyone for it,” he continued.

Colonial authorities penalized Indigenous people for using their native languages and following their cultural practices in efforts to convert them to Christianity and Western ways. Multiple generations of Indigenous children were removed from their families under assimilation policies that have since been discredited.

For his court appearance, Thorpe donned a traditional possum-skin coat and brought a feather from an Australian wedge-tailed eagle, which holds significance as an Indigenous totem.

He asked the court to address him as Uncle Robbie or by his tribal designation Djuran Bunjileenee.

Justice Karin Emerton, who presides over the court, honored his request by calling him Uncle Robbie.

Court documents listed the king’s full name as Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor.

According to court filings, Thorpe seeks to bring charges against the king using Indigenous law that dates back over 65,000 years, state common law, and federal criminal statutes.

When dismissing Thorpe’s appeal last year, a judge determined that a magistrate lacked authority to consider Indigenous law and that genocide did not constitute an offense under common law.

The judge also ruled that any genocide prosecution under federal law would require approval from the federal attorney-general.

After Wednesday’s two-hour court session, Emerton announced that the three-judge panel would announce their decision at a future date.

Should Thorpe’s case fail, his remaining legal avenue would be Australia’s High Court before potentially seeking prosecution of the king in The Hague.

BERLIN – A German government representative announced Wednesday that possibilities for diplomatic communication between Russia and European nations concerning Ukraine are beginning to emerge, emphasizing the importance of creating an effective dialogue framework that Europeans view as credible.

The representative noted there are clear signs that the E3 Group – consisting of Germany, France and Britain – will maintain a significant position in these potential discussions.

Russian military progress has decelerated throughout this year, while Ukrainian forces have stepped up battlefield pressure and expanded their campaign of extended-range attacks within Russian territory, including strikes in St Petersburg on Wednesday before President Vladimir Putin’s yearly economic forum.

The chief of staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has described reaching an agreement to conclude the conflict by winter as a “realistic” possibility.

The German representative stated that current military developments suggest any dialogue efforts will require months rather than weeks to develop, stressing the importance of ensuring such talks proceed with Ukraine’s complete consent.

Working together – rather than competing – with the United States, whose mediated discussions have stagnated as Washington concentrates on Iran, must also serve as a fundamental principle, the official noted.

Germany and other European nations have dismissed a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting that former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could serve as their representative in potential future negotiations with Moscow.

Wednesday marked the 95th birthday of a revolutionary leader who continues to wield influence in one of the world’s remaining communist nations.

The younger brother of Fidel Castro became a household name through his participation in the 1959 uprising that transformed Cuba. Following his brother’s eventual departure from power, he took the helm as the island nation’s president, serving in that capacity for over a decade.

While he officially stepped back from political life in April 2021, he maintains his position as general of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces, holds a National Assembly seat, and reportedly plays a key role in the deteriorating relationship with the United States, which has recently brought criminal charges against him.

The man dubbed the “hero of the Republic of Cuba” entered the world on June 3, 1931, in the small eastern Cuban community of Birán. Born as the fourth among seven siblings to a Cuban mother and Spanish father.

His early education took place in Santiago de Cuba before relocating to Havana for university law studies. During this period, he became heavily engaged in student activism, working against the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship.

In 1953, he participated in an assault on military installations in Santiago de Cuba as part of an unsuccessful attempt to topple Batista’s government. Following his arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent release, he escaped to Mexico and joined the rebel movement that would eventually succeed in removing Batista from power.

Following the successful 1959 uprising, he was named minister of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and supervised military operations across Africa and Latin America that drew criticism from some Republican politicians in the United States.

Numerous Cubans, including María Cristina Barrio Ramos, a 62-year-old educator from Havana, expressed appreciation for his contributions.

“He gave us everything so that we could be free,” she said. “We owe our freedom and dignity to him.”

October 1965 saw his appointment as second secretary of the Central Committee of Cuba’s Communist Party. During the announcement, Fidel Castro expressed pride in the appointment.

“It is a privilege for me that, in addition to being an extraordinary revolutionary figure, he is a brother,” Castro said as his sibling stood up and smiled as the crowd around him applauded.

Fidel Castro frequently spoke highly of his younger brother: “Everyone who gets to know him and become close to him realizes his humanism, his great character, and his feelings; they are surprised by the image of Raúl as belligerent, aggressive and harsh, when they see the feelings of friendship, affection, and love he is capable of having for people. And he has been a great mentor and a great educator.”

When Fidel Castro’s health deteriorated in 2006, his brother assumed temporary leadership in late July before being formally elected president by Cuba’s National Assembly in February 2008.

During his presidency, he demonstrated more progressive policies than his older brother, permitting private business operations while former U.S. President Barack Obama eased restrictions on money transfers and family visits, plus authorized American travel to Cuba under specific circumstances.

By 2015, diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba were reestablished with embassy reopenings. Obama visited Cuba to meet with Castro the following year, which also saw the resumption of commercial air service between the nations.

A memorable moment from a 2016 press conference in Havana showed Castro attempting to lift Obama’s left arm, which remained limp in a widely circulated photograph.

His administration also negotiated with Russia’s leadership in June 2014, resulting in the elimination of 90% of a massive debt inherited from the Soviet era.

In 2018, he transferred presidential duties to Miguel Díaz-Canel, ending decades of Castro family control over the government.

His announcement in April 2021 that he would not pursue additional political positions marked his formal retirement, after which his public appearances became infrequent.

Since leaving active politics, he has maintained a low profile while reportedly continuing to exercise influence from behind the scenes.

His grandson and security detail member, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, had discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Caribbean summit this year. Both Cuban and American officials have acknowledged ongoing talks, though relations remain strained.

His most recent public appearance occurred at a May 1 demonstration attended by thousands of Cubans. Wearing his characteristic olive green military uniform, he stood alongside Díaz-Canel with his grandson positioned behind him.

Nearly three weeks later, American authorities filed criminal charges against him related to the 1996 destruction of civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles over Cuban territorial waters. The charges include murder and aircraft destruction.

While government officials and supporters have criticized the indictment, he has not publicly responded.

Leading up to his birthday, social media featured the hashtag #RaúlesRaúl, referencing a leader who, like his brother, has traditionally avoided birthday celebrations, monuments, and statues.

The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. noted on X: “Not many people have the privilege, the health, the stoicism — and if you like, you can also add: that quintessentially Cuban stubbornness — to reach the age of 95.”

Meanwhile, Cuba’s Communist Party shared multiple videos Tuesday on X featuring Cubans expressing admiration for Castro.

“To talk about Cuba, you have to talk about Raúl,” said Digna Guerra, director of the island’s national choir. “He represents Cuban identity, he represents the Cuban people, he represents the revolution, which for us has immense significance. … Thank you for existing.”

Police in Delhi, India report that a devastating hotel fire claimed the lives of at least 21 people on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest blazes in the nation’s capital in recent years.

The deadly incident occurred at a hotel situated in the Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi, according to authorities. This neighborhood is known as a residential district that attracts many students and young working professionals.

Emergency responders have successfully rescued at least 40 individuals from the burning structure, police confirmed.

News footage captured the building engulfed in flames with thick smoke pouring from the structure and blackened walls visible as local residents gathered in the narrow street to watch the emergency unfold.

The video also documented two individuals leaping from upper floors of the burning building.

Local administration official Jitendra Kumar explained to the media that investigators believe the fire originated from a restaurant operating on the building’s first floor. “There was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building … it is most likely that the fire was connected to that restaurant,” Kumar told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the tragedy, calling the deaths heartbreaking while offering his sincere sympathies to families who lost loved ones and hoping for quick healing for those injured in the incident.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 3 – Ukrainian forces launched a drone assault on an oil export facility in St Petersburg just hours before President Vladimir Putin’s major economic forum commenced in what appears to be an effort to humiliate the Russian leader and demonstrate the reach of Ukraine’s military capabilities into Russia’s major urban centers.

The assault targeted Putin’s birthplace and the site of his signature economic conference – a high-profile event meant to draw international investment and present Russia in a favorable light – as the conflict between the two nations continues to intensify with no clear resolution on the horizon after more than four years of fighting.

Smoke could be seen rising from the historic downtown area where the oil export facility was damaged, and Reuters journalists on the ground reported hearing powerful explosions throughout Wednesday morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged that his forces had carried out the attack on the fuel facility and revealed they had also hit a military installation near Russia’s second-largest city.

Alexander Beglov, the governor of St Petersburg, reported that unidentified “infrastructure objects” were damaged across three separate areas of the city. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the broader Leningrad region, stated that defensive systems had intercepted 59 drones during the overnight assault.

Pulkovo airport in the city was forced to briefly halt flight operations according to Russia’s aviation authority, while local media reported that over 30 flights faced delays or cancellations.

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Law enforcement officials conducted a search of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency headquarters on Wednesday, just one day after the country’s president dismissed the agency director overseeing a massive free meals initiative.

Officials from the Attorney General’s Office did not specify whether their search was connected to any criminal probe.

The nutrition initiative fulfilled a campaign pledge by President Prabowo Subianto and was designed to combat malnutrition by providing meals to approximately 90 million children and expectant mothers. However, the program has faced significant backlash over expensive costs and incidents where students became ill after consuming the provided food.

On Tuesday evening, Prabowo dismissed agency director Dadan Hindayana and appointed Nanik S. Deyang, previously the deputy director, as his replacement.

“Some issues relate to discipline in following standard operating procedures, while others relate to discipline in implementing governance, including discipline in maintaining food quality as stipulated by the National Nutrition Agency,” Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi said.

Despite the leadership change, Hadi stressed the administration remained dedicated to continuing the nutrition program. “Services to the public must not be disrupted in any way,” Hadi told reporters Tuesday after the firing.

Throughout Wednesday, Attorney General’s Office investigators conducted their search of the agency headquarters, preventing staff members from entering the building.

“We are still in the process of searching at the National Nutrition Agency,” said Mochamad Jeffry, the office’s acting spokesperson. He did not disclose what case was being investigated in connection with the search.

The nutrition initiative carries an estimated price tag of $28 billion extending through 2029. While Prabowo intended to address malnutrition and support agricultural producers by buying their crops, skeptics have raised concerns about the program’s financial sustainability and practical implementation across a sprawling nation of over 282 million residents.

A deadly blaze tore through a mixed-use building in New Delhi on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least four people and leaving several others injured, according to local authorities.

The structure, located in the Malviya Nagar area on the city’s south side, contained a restaurant at street level with apartment units on the upper floors. Fire official Abhilash Malik reported that emergency responders successfully evacuated 37 individuals from the burning building.

Emergency crews have since brought the blaze under control, though the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Rescue teams recovered four bodies from the scene, according to Jitendra Kumar, a senior administrative official. At least seven injured victims were transported to area hospitals for medical care.

Such incidents occur frequently throughout India, where construction regulations and safety standards are routinely ignored by both developers and occupants.

A royal pardon has officially freed Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from all remaining legal obligations, cutting short his four-month probation period that began in May.

The 76-year-old billionaire, who wielded significant influence in Thai politics for over twenty years, had been released from a Bangkok detention facility last month amid enthusiastic crowds. Questions remain about whether he will continue influencing the Pheu Thai Party, a member of the current governing coalition, although his relatives have indicated he may withdraw from political activities.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s pardon order appeared in the Royal Gazette late Tuesday night and took effect Wednesday. Under Thailand’s constitutional monarchy system, the monarch holds ultimate authority over criminal pardons.

The royal decision coincided with Queen Suthida’s birthday celebration and extended to qualifying inmates who satisfied certain criteria. Thaksin met the requirements for complete release since he was already on probation with less than twelve months left to serve.

The former telecommunications executive established his political party in 1998 and led the country from 2001 until military forces removed him from power in 2006 during his overseas travel.

His removal sparked almost twenty years of political division, even as parties supporting him consistently regained control during his voluntary exile. His populist agenda gained strong backing from lower-income citizens, especially in northern and northeastern rural areas, but his appeal and occasionally authoritarian approach created significant rifts with urban elites, monarchy supporters, and military leadership.

Thaksin walked free on May 11 after completing eight months of a twelve-month term for corruption-related offenses. His parole terms included wearing an electronic monitoring device and an original four-month probation schedule.

Attorney Winyat Chatmontree verified to The Associated Press that Thaksin has been completely discharged from legal requirements, though noted that removing his monitoring bracelet involves additional procedures requiring several days.

His imprisonment followed convictions on charges related to exploiting his official position for personal business advantage and unlawfully authorizing a state lottery program that resulted in government financial losses.

He initially received an eight-year prison term in 2023, but the king reduced this to one year, and he received medical permission to serve his time in a suite at Bangkok’s Police Hospital.

Following public complaints about preferential treatment, the Supreme Court ordered in September 2025 that Thaksin must complete his sentence in regular prison facilities.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a new boiling point Wednesday when Iranian forces launched missile and drone attacks that damaged Kuwait’s main airport, prompting flight cancellations and diversions across the region.

The assault on Kuwait International Airport’s T1 terminal resulted in injuries and significant infrastructure damage, according to the state news agency, which cited aviation officials. Kuwait Airways halted all operations following the strike.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s military successfully shot down three incoming missiles and multiple drones targeting the kingdom.

U.S. Central Command reported that several Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait either fell short of their targets or disintegrated during flight. American forces also intercepted three missiles directed at Bahrain and destroyed Iranian drones threatening commercial vessels and U.S. personnel in Kuwait.

In response to Iran’s attempted attacks, U.S. military units conducted retaliatory strikes on Qeshm Island, located close to the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s state-controlled media claimed the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, along with an airbase and helicopters in an undisclosed regional nation.

The IRGC justified its missile and drone launches as retaliation for what it characterized as an American assault on a communications facility south of Qeshm.

However, Central Command dismissed these claims, stating that all Iranian attacks were unsuccessful and that U.S. forces remained prepared to counter “unwarranted Iranian aggression.”

The violence comes as peace negotiations between the two nations have hit an impasse. While both countries announced a preliminary agreement to cease hostilities last week, no formal accord has been finalized.

Iranian outlets reported that Tehran has suspended communication with Washington for several days, but U.S. President Donald Trump contradicted this claim on social media.

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today,” Trump posted.

Since mid-March, Trump has consistently indicated he is nearing a comprehensive agreement to end the warfare and enable discussions on complex matters, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump has identified preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons as his administration’s primary objective. Iran maintains it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and insists its atomic activities serve civilian purposes.

Iran is demanding access to billions in frozen oil revenues, exemptions for crude oil sales, removal of U.S. port blockades, and continued control over the strait, which previously handled one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments before the conflict began.

Iranian media reported that the IRGC’s naval forces struck a ship called the Panaya with missiles, claiming this was payback for an alleged U.S. attack on an Iranian oil tanker near Hormuz.

“Disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the U.S. military,” the IRGC warned through state media.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed congressional lawmakers Tuesday that America would only consider lifting sanctions if Iran completely abandons its nuclear program.

“The war is over,” Rubio stated during a heated discussion with Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, who expressed disagreement.

The broader conflict has also intensified fighting between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israeli forces conducting their most extensive Lebanese operation in a quarter-century.

Despite a U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire announced Monday, Israel continued bombing southern Lebanese communities Tuesday, according to Lebanese security officials.

The ongoing violence has failed to comfort many Lebanese civilians, with 1.2 million people forced from their homes. An Israeli surveillance drone hovering over Beirut Tuesday kept residents anxious.

“Every time we return to our homes, there is a warning for us to be displaced again,” said Faten Al Chehime, who fled to a refugee camp Monday from Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, just two weeks after returning home.

The conflict, which began February 28, has claimed thousands of lives, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, while causing worldwide economic disruption through rising energy costs.

On Tuesday, MSC, the world’s largest shipping company, reported that two projectiles hit one of its vessels while docked at Iraq’s Umm Qasr port the day before.

The IRGC claimed responsibility for this attack, calling it revenge for a U.S. strike against an Iranian ship in the Gulf of Oman.

The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF warned of an expanding humanitarian emergency as rising transportation costs and supply chain breakdowns are blocking critical aid deliveries to regions from Gaza to Nigeria.

Kuwait’s international airport was targeted by Iranian drones and missiles during the early morning hours on Wednesday, resulting in casualties and prompting officials to redirect air traffic, according to Kuwait’s state news agency.

The assault inflicted “severe damage” on the airport’s T1 building, the news agency reported, quoting the General Civil Aviation Authority.

Earlier, the U.S. military reported that two Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait either fell short of their target or disintegrated during flight, while three missiles directed at Bahrain were stopped by American and Bahraini defense forces.

According to U.S. Central Command, Iran fired ballistic missiles at neighboring countries in the region, but none successfully reached their intended targets.

American forces retaliated by launching strikes against Qeshm Island following Iran’s attempted attacks and successfully neutralized several Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

MOSCOW, June 3 (Reuters) — Russian leader Vladimir Putin has delivered a stark ultimatum to longtime partner Armenia: continue pursuing European Union membership and lose access to discounted Russian energy supplies.

Putin delivered this warning ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Armenia, where polling indicates the party of Western-oriented Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to secure victory.

This threat carries real weight. The landlocked nation of 3 million people maintains deep historical connections with Russia spanning centuries and relies heavily on Moscow economically. Russia has already implemented temporary restrictions on key Armenian exports leading up to the election.

However, Putin’s ultimatum also reveals Moscow’s growing challenges. As Russia continues its prolonged conflict in Ukraine after more than four years of warfare, the country is engaged in an escalating global effort to preserve its international influence.

With Moscow’s attention concentrated on Ukraine, both the European Union and United States have been actively pursuing traditional Russian partners and challenging Moscow’s interests across multiple regions.

Russian influence faces challenges from Cuba and Venezuela to Serbia and Central Asian nations, and even extends to west Africa where Moscow’s military assists in fighting Islamic militants.

Armenia has historically benefited from Russian financial support and hosts a Russian military installation. Last month, the country signed a partnership deal with the United States, and Pashinyan received strong backing from President Donald Trump.

The former Soviet republic also enacted legislation last year establishing a framework for potential EU membership.

“Of course we are deeply concerned about the Armenian authorities’ policy of rapprochement with the Euro-Atlantic community whose core policy is directed against Moscow,” Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, told reporters.

“The Anglo-Saxons are openly boasting about ‘detaching’ Armenia, as they say, from the bear hug of ‘authoritarian Russia’.”

Russian military commentators and experts describe a coordinated Western campaign to diminish Russian presence throughout the South Caucasus region, which includes Armenia.

“In such conditions, the question of adapting Russian strategy (to embrace soft power and economic levers) becomes key,” said Russian analytical Telegram channel “The Secret Chancery”, which has over 400,000 followers.

A government source indicated Moscow recognizes that nations like Armenia are “all waiting to see how the war (in Ukraine) ends” while some are establishing alternative relationships as Moscow remains focused elsewhere.

Armenia’s decision to host European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, last month proved to be Moscow’s breaking point.

Subsequently, Russia imposed temporary import restrictions on numerous Armenian products, threatened to eliminate subsidized oil, gas and diamond exports, suggested Armenia’s potential removal from the Eurasian Economic Union trade organization, and withdrew its ambassador for discussions.

Dmitry Medvedev, the outspoken deputy chairman of Russia’s powerful Security Council, also hinted that Armenia’s prime minister could, if not careful, suffer the fate of Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky whom Josef Stalin had killed with an ice pick.

Meanwhile, Trump, whom Moscow anticipated would pressure Ukraine toward peace negotiations, has instead focused on three traditionally Russia-friendly nations — Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

While Trump’s policies have increased oil prices, providing some economic relief for war-strained Russia, they have also highlighted Moscow’s limited ability to assist longtime allies. Cuba has received just one Russian oil delivery thus far.

Across Europe, Moscow faces what it describes as an increasingly antagonistic continent that is rearming while offering EU membership prospects to countries previously under Russian influence.

Putin ally Viktor Orban lost power in Hungary in April, leading to the unlocking of billions of euros in EU funding for Budapest. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, another Russian ally, is under pressure, with moves under way to abolish visa-free entry for Russians as Belgrade seeks EU membership.

Moscow also confronts pressure in Transdniestria, a Russian-controlled separatist territory internationally recognized as part of Moldova, whose leadership seeks EU membership.

Russia expresses concern about expanding Western influence in Central Asia, while in the South Caucasus Putin attempts to repair strained relations with oil-rich Azerbaijan, which has developed stronger Western connections recently.

The United States has recommended implementing a 12.5% additional tariff on goods imported from India, citing concerns that the country has not adequately prevented imports produced through forced labor.

This recommendation emerged during the second day of a three-day trade negotiation session in New Delhi, where Indian trade officials are meeting with a U.S. delegation headed by Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch.

According to a 92-page report released Monday by the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, India “has failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced labour import prohibition.” The report characterized the South Asian country’s policies as unreasonable and detrimental to U.S. commerce.

“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated.

“This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” Greer added.

India’s commerce ministry has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the proposal.

The recommendation stems from a Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation, as the Trump administration works to reconstruct emergency tariffs that were overturned by the Supreme Court in February.

The proposal groups India with 54 other countries that do not have forced-labor import restrictions and would therefore be subject to the higher proposed duty.

Six additional countries, including Canada, Ecuador and the European Union to Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan, maintain such restrictions but would face a reduced 10% tariff for inadequate enforcement.

Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative, suggested the determination could face challenges, noting that the USTR investigation focused on whether India prevented imports connected to forced labor from other regions, rather than examining forced labor in Indian exports.

“The proposed tariffs are viewed as part of broader U.S. pressure tactics, and India should treat Section 301 actions and the India–U.S. bilateral trade agreement negotiations separately,” he stated.

A government source from India had previously indicated to Reuters that New Delhi intended to discuss the Section 301 investigation with Lynch’s delegation and pursue tariff relief within the framework of broader bilateral trade negotiations.

The USTR report additionally highlighted India’s role as an intermediary in cotton supply chains connected to Chinese forced-labor inputs.

Seven people died and eleven others sustained injuries when a drone struck a passenger bus in Russian-occupied territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Wednesday, according to officials installed by the Kremlin.

Denis Pushilin announced on the Telegram messaging platform that the attack targeted a bus traveling from Moscow to Simferopol in Russian-controlled Crimea.

Russian authorities have launched a criminal probe into the incident, with the State Investigative Committee classifying it as “a terrorist attack,” according to TASS news agency reporting from the Committee’s spokeswoman, Svetlana Petrenko.

The bus attack follows a major aerial assault by Russia on Kyiv Tuesday, which Moscow claimed was retaliation for a fatal strike on a dormitory in Russian-held Luhansk territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that additional Russian attacks could be approaching.

The Solomon Islands’ newly appointed Prime Minister Matthew Wale announced Wednesday that his government will examine the controversial security agreement his country signed with China.

The agreement, finalized in 2022 during former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s administration, has sparked concern among U.S. officials and allies like Australia over the possibility of Chinese naval forces establishing a military installation in the South Pacific region.

Prior to his parliamentary election victory on May 15, Wale had advocated for making the agreement’s terms publicly available.

Speaking Wednesday, Wale revealed he had only recently received a copy of the document after he had “removed certain people from key positions.” He declined to name the individuals involved.

“I haven’t had a good look at it. I’ve had a look at it,” Wale told journalists in Australia’s capital city Canberra.

“I’ve been praying and fasting about it. … There is a nondisclosure clause in it, so I couldn’t show it to you right away. But we are going to be reviewing (the treaty), as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries,” he continued.

Wale made these comments during his inaugural international visit since assuming leadership of the 700,000-person nation located 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia.

During the visit, Wale and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed plans for their nations to develop a comprehensive strategic agreement that would strengthen bilateral relations across security and economic matters.

Unlike his predecessor Jeremiah Manele, who had opposed Australia’s attempts to strengthen ties, Wale indicated both governments had agreed to “reset” their relationship.

“We acknowledge that there’s been some problems in the past few years,” Wale stated.

Albanese expressed his view that Australia, not China, should serve as the Solomon Islands’ main security ally.

“We have said very clearly we want Australia to be the security partner of choice in our region and we want the Pacific family to look after our security in this region,” Albanese declared.

Wale agreed that regional self-reliance for security was “the direction we want to take.”

Under the bilateral arrangement, China has supplied police training personnel to the Solomon Islands. Since the nation lacks military forces, its police force handles expanded security responsibilities typically managed by defense organizations in other countries.

The Solomon Islands delivered a significant diplomatic victory to China in 2019 when Sogavare’s administration shifted official diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, acknowledging the self-governing island that China considers part of its territory.

Citizens of Switzerland appear poised to vote down a referendum measure that would establish a population ceiling of 10 million residents, a new opinion survey indicates.

Worries about Switzerland’s rapidly expanding population, which rose from 7.3 million in 2002 to 9.1 million last year, and the strain on public services have driven backing for the measure.

The referendum, scheduled for June 14, would require that the permanent resident population stay below 10 million through 2050 and would terminate Switzerland’s freedom of movement agreement with the European Union.

The survey, conducted by GFS Bern for public broadcaster SRG between May 19 and May 27, found approximately 52% of 19,400 participants opposing the measure, while 45% expressed support. The remaining respondents were undecided.

An earlier survey from late April revealed Swiss voters were evenly divided, with 47% supporting and 47% opposing the proposal.

The Swiss government opposes the measure, which was introduced by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), arguing it would harm relations with the EU, Switzerland’s primary trading partner, and damage the economy.

Those backing the proposal have expressed worries about infrastructure strain, especially regarding housing, transportation, schools and hospitals, due to increased immigration.

Additional arguments from supporters include using immigration restrictions to safeguard the environment from population growth and to reduce crime and violence.

Those opposing the measure worry about potential conflicts with the EU that immigration limits would create, while others argue Switzerland requires foreign skilled workers.

Cambodia is turning to an infrequently utilized United Nations arbitration method called “compulsory conciliation” to address a decades-long maritime boundary disagreement with Thailand and access what officials believe are billions of dollars worth of oil and natural gas deposits.

THE NATURE OF THE CAMBODIA-THAILAND DISAGREEMENT

Both Cambodia and Thailand have claimed ownership of approximately 26,000 square kilometers of ocean territory in the Gulf of Thailand for over 25 years.

The contested maritime region is believed to contain nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and substantial oil deposits valued at roughly $300 billion.

In 2001, the neighboring Southeast Asian nations entered into an agreement aimed at creating a framework for joint development of energy resources in what was termed the “overlapping claims area.”

However, Thailand’s government last month ended the agreement unilaterally with Cambodia, fulfilling a campaign promise made by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul after two periods of fatal conflict occurred along a disputed land border in the previous year.

UNDERSTANDING COMPULSORY CONCILIATION

Cambodia revealed on Tuesday that it had initiated a compulsory conciliation procedure under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

This compulsory conciliation serves as a dispute resolution tool that any nation that has signed the convention may use against another signatory.

Both nations select two conciliators for a panel called the Conciliation Commission, which subsequently chooses a fifth member to serve as chairperson.

The commission examines the facts and legal standing of each nation to provide a series of non-binding suggestions, which are also forwarded in a report to the UN secretary general.

PREVIOUS USAGE

To date, the UN-supported mechanism has been employed only by East Timor, also called Timor Leste, to successfully settle a long-standing maritime disagreement with Australia.

East Timor officially began the procedure on April 11, 2016 by providing notice to Australia, which agreed to participate in the process just weeks afterward.

In early March 2018, after less than two years of discussions, both countries executed a maritime boundary agreement at UN headquarters, with the UN chief present.

UPCOMING STEPS IN THE PROCEDURE

Cambodia has assigned its foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn, to serve as its representative for the proceedings, while also naming Danish diplomat Peter Taksøe-Jensen and French academic Jean-Marc Thouvenin to the Conciliation Commission.

Taksøe-Jensen led the commission that conducted the discussions between East Timor and Australia.

Thailand has 21 days after receiving the notification to name its conciliators, or Cambodia may ask the UN Secretary General to select them on Bangkok’s behalf, according to a statement from the Cambodian government.

Thailand’s Anutin stated on Tuesday he was unaware that Cambodia had started the compulsory conciliation procedure, noting that his government would apply UNCLOS principles in its future actions.

Thailand has not yet decided when it will move forward, he informed reporters.

Once four commission members are selected, they must choose a chairperson within 30 days before beginning additional proceedings.

KHARTOUM, Sudan — Three survivors of Sudan’s brutal civil war have shared their harrowing experiences of captivity, sexual assault, and extortion at the hands of armed fighters who demanded thousands of dollars for their release.

A 38-year-old survivor, now living safely in the capital city, described two days of torture before her captors forced her to contact family members by phone. “I thought about seeking justice one day,” she told reporters, showing photographs of her injuries sustained during her September ordeal. The Associated Press does not identify individuals who report sexual assault.

According to the United Nations, sexual violence represents one of the “most defining features” of Sudan’s conflict, which has entered its fourth year. International officials report that sexual assaults have dramatically increased since fighting began, with many victims subjected to sexual slavery and ransom demands reaching $10,000.

Three survivors spoke with reporters after being connected through aid workers familiar with their situations. All three identified members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces as their attackers, though verification of their accounts proves difficult in a nation where discussing sexual assault remains heavily stigmatized.

While the U.N. and human rights organizations have documented sexual assault by all warring factions and their allied groups, they report that the RSF has committed the majority of such crimes, particularly around Khartoum, in Darfur, and throughout Gezira state. South Kordofan has emerged as another area of concern as fighting spreads. The RSF has not responded to inquiries about abductions or assaults.

The 38-year-old woman recounted fleeing her home in el-Fasher in September, just weeks before RSF forces captured the besieged Darfur city in what the UN characterized as bearing “hallmarks of genocide.” After losing her soldier husband and caring for her wounded brother, RSF fighters ambushed their group during evacuation.

She described how fighters separated women and children from men, searching males for shoulder marks indicating military service before forcing everyone to undress. When RSF members attempted to execute her brother, she offered herself as a substitute.

Bound and beaten, she was transported with four other women and teenage girls to a deserted village. For two days, she said multiple men repeatedly assaulted her and the other captives, who remained tied up, naked, and without food or sanitation.

“I was thinking about ending my life,” the woman said through tears.

On the second day, her captors demanded approximately $1,500 for her release. After she transferred her entire bank balance of about $200, they forced her to contact relatives through Facebook. When her cousin sent money, the fighters tortured her during phone calls to extort additional payments, pressing metal objects against her fingernails while she screamed.

The torture and sexual assault continued for hours during these calls until her captors finally accepted roughly $700 for her freedom. She continues to worry about other women unable to pay ransoms.

According to Hala Alkarib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, women who cannot secure ransom payments remain in captivity and eventually vanish.

Sudan experts note that while the RSF has historically used kidnapping for ransom, the practice has expanded significantly during the current war. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a U.S.-based research organization, reports that ransom incidents, including those involving sexual assault, have surged nearly 195% from the war’s beginning through May, with RSF fighters responsible for most cases.

Mohamed Younis, a conflict analyst specializing in Sudan, predicts ransom demands will increase as the paramilitary organization splinters following high-level defections.

A second survivor, age 30, described continued captivity even after ransom payment. Despite a relative in the United States transferring about $1,250, her captors refused her release until one fighter secretly helped her escape at night.

Abducted from a Khartoum market in 2024 during RSF control of the city, she spent two weeks confined with other women, forced to perform domestic labor, tend livestock, and sometimes bathe the fighters. “They never missed a day… I have nightmares,” she said of nightly sexual assaults.

The third woman reported being taken near Dilling in South Kordofan, held for nine days, sexually assaulted once, and beaten before her family secured her September release through payment.

Mental health professionals note that ransom demands create both financial and psychological trauma for families, forcing them into debt as they sell jewelry, vehicles, and homes to raise funds.

“The situation of these families is fragile,” explained Thuria Komi, director of Bait Al Mohaba, a local organization supporting women including sexual assault survivors. Her group lacks sufficient funding to provide necessary services, including medical treatment assistance.

Recent policy changes have affected international support. The current U.S. administration halted funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which provides support for sexual and gender-based violence victims, eliminating over $370 million in grants across more than 25 countries including Sudan. Officials cited allegations about past coercive abortions in China that UNFPA has called baseless.

Sudan continues receiving more than $220 million this year from the U.S. for other humanitarian assistance, according to U.N. data.

Now reunited with her brother in a displaced persons camp, the 38-year-old survivor struggles with ongoing health issues. Medical professionals diagnosed internal bleeding and fluid accumulation from her trauma, but she cannot afford necessary surgery.

While she finds purpose mentoring other women and girls in the camp, the debts owed to those who helped secure her freedom weigh heavily on her mind. Some of her rescuers have since died in the continuing conflict.

“Even those who died, I want to return it to their children or give it as charity on their behalf,” she said. “So I can feel at peace.”

An Israeli official is disputing claims that President Donald Trump hurled profanity and personal insults at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call Monday regarding Lebanon military operations, contradicting a published media account.

“Trump did not get into personal insults with Netanyahu,” said the Israeli source with knowledge of the conversation, explaining that any tension in the discussion centered on “the statements by each side” following their talk.

The disputed account, published Monday by Axios, described a phone call between the two leaders that reportedly grew heated over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon and ceasefire discussions.

According to the Axios story, which cited two administration officials and another source, President Trump expressed opposition to Israeli plans to destroy buildings in Beirut while targeting Hezbollah commanders, allegedly asking Netanyahu: “What the f*ck are you doing?”

The media report also claimed President Trump referenced his past support for Netanyahu regarding the prime minister’s legal issues in Israel. Axios reported that President Trump told Netanyahu: “You’re f*cking crazy. You’d be in jail if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everyone hates you now, and everyone hates Israel because of this.”

The news outlet said White House tensions escalated after Iran threatened to withdraw from talks with Washington due to Israeli military actions in Lebanon. The story indicated that US and Iranian representatives are in discussions about a comprehensive agreement that would include measures to stop the Lebanon fighting.

While the report stated US officials support Israel’s right to defend against Hezbollah attacks, they expressed worry about the extent of Israeli operations in Lebanon. Axios quoted a senior US official saying Netanyahu responded to President Trump: “Okay, okay, just make sure everything is handled.”

The Prime Minister’s Office refused to provide comment on the details contained in the Axios story.

Netanyahu subsequently offered a different characterization of the discussion, stating he had informed President Trump that Israel would conduct strikes in Beirut if Hezbollah maintained its attacks on Israeli territory. He also indicated that military actions in southern Lebanon would continue and that Israel’s stance remained unchanged.

The choice to cancel the planned Beirut strikes prompted backlash from multiple Israeli political leaders. Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff and Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot characterized President Trump’s involvement as “a humiliating demand, one that is blatantly unreasonable.” Eisenkot also stated Netanyahu “is the man who preached morals to everyone about the basic need to be a prime minister and know how to say ‘no’ to the President of the United States.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned Netanyahu for what he viewed as treating Israel like a US protectorate. Lapid also demanded a “powerful response” to rocket attacks from Lebanon, stating that “the responsibility for the security of Israeli citizens lies solely with the Israeli government.”

The Israel Defense Forces reports eliminating a Hamas leader who allegedly played a role in the October 7 kidnapping of an American-Israeli hostage and three others from a roadside bomb shelter.

Military officials identified the target as Yousef Ayesh Awad Ramadan, a leader within Hamas’s Nukhba force. The IDF states that Ramadan was involved in capturing American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, along with Eliya Cohen, Alon Ohel and Or Levy, after the four individuals had taken shelter during the Hamas-led assault near Re’im Junction.

Video evidence that spread across social media platforms captured Goldberg-Polin being transported in a vehicle following a grenade blast that had injured his arm while he remained in the protective shelter.

Military sources indicate that Ramadan had been developing “advanced attack plans against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians” throughout the conflict and in recent periods. The IDF characterized him as a continuing danger to military personnel conducting operations in Gaza.

The operation was launched after intelligence reports suggested immediate risk from Hamas fighters in the region, according to military officials.

The IDF reports that two Hamas militants who were targeted during the mission had tried to assault Israeli troops before the strike was executed. Military leaders described the response as targeted strikes against the threat.

“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF said.

The announcement of Ramadan’s elimination prompted a public statement from Alon Ohel, one of the individuals taken hostage from the Re’im Junction shelter.

Ohel, who gained freedom in October 2025 through the Gaza ceasefire agreement, responded to the military action through an Instagram message.

He encouraged the military to maintain its operations against Hamas and called on the IDF to persist in fighting “until the last terrorist.”

WASHINGTON — Despite skepticism from Congress and growing tensions in the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope Tuesday for renewed nuclear negotiations with Iran.

Speaking to lawmakers, Rubio indicated that Iranian officials have shown willingness to discuss nuclear issues they previously refused to consider. However, he cautioned that this development doesn’t guarantee successful outcomes or an acceptable agreement.

The Secretary’s positive assessment stands in stark contrast to recent reports from two semiofficial Iranian news outlets suggesting Iran has ceased all communication with mediators. These reports emerge as Israel has issued threats to bomb Beirut during its ongoing conflict with the Hezbollah militant group, casting uncertainty over the already fragile ceasefire.

While Rubio declined to speculate on potential results from any future negotiations, his remarks signal a diplomatic opening despite the volatile regional situation that continues to complicate international efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program.

PAJU, South Korea (AP) — In a rain-soaked ceremony at a former military installation, dozens of Korean adoptees from across North America and Europe attached ceramic name plates to a memorial wall, holding onto hope that their birth mothers might discover them after years of separation.

The adoptees secured their personalized ceramic markers to wire mesh covering a stone wall at Omma Poom Park — which translates to “mother’s embrace” — located in Paju, South Korea, under misty conditions.

Over 900 markers, hanging like undelivered correspondence, create a silent tribute to decades of widespread family separations that produced what may be the globe’s most extensive adoptee diaspora.

“There are so many tiles that hang, and yet that is merely a small fraction of us that exist,” said Nicole Rieth, adopted to Michigan when she was 4 months old, in January 1989.

“As far as connecting with my birth mother, it’s not about gleaning specific information from her or even necessarily seeking a relationship. I’ve just always wanted to know who I looked like, because I’ve never had that before.”

Every marker, created by hand through an artist’s work, displays the adoptee’s name, year of birth and place of birth. Different colors represent adoption decades, with most showing red and sky blue for the 1970s and 1980s, when international adoptions reached their highest numbers. White markers represent adoptees who passed away before achieving reunions.

A single plastic-covered message hung among the markers, placed by unnamed parents seeking a child called “Bora.”

“You are not alone. You have a mother and a father,” it said. “I’m so sorry and I love you.”

Paju, positioned close to the North Korean border and formerly home to American military installations, holds extensive memories of international adoptions, which started following the 1950-53 Korean War with biracial children born to Korean women and American soldiers, who faced social rejection domestically.

Adoption numbers increased dramatically during the 1970s, when attention turned to fully Korean children, usually born to single mothers or families facing poverty. Thousands were transported yearly to Western nations for decades through the mid-2000s, including over 6,600 annually during the 1980s, when Seoul’s previous military government actively worked to decrease population burdens.

Omma Poom opened in June 2025 following a multi-year effort by Paju-based photographer Lee Yong-nam and Me & Korea, an adoptee support group.

Lee, 72, said his interest in adoption issues grew from searching for a Black-Korean childhood friend likely adopted to America.

“Adoptions continued unchecked and now the pain is surfacing,” he said of the visitors, who are mostly younger than the war generation.

On elevated ground above Omma Poom, a former American army structure functions as a museum, housing approximately 1,000 personal pages — each containing an adoptee’s photograph, birth date and letter to a birth mother.

One of the profiles belongs to Angela Lee-Pack, adopted to Canada in 1971 at age 2.

“I think about you every day and only wish the best for you,” she wrote to her Korean mother. “I hope one day I will be able to know who I am.”

Growing up in Ontario, Lee-Pack says she endured severe abuse from her adoptive mother, including being locked in a closet without food. She says she was later abused in another home, left at 15, and struggled for years before finding stability as an adult.

Lee-Pack has visited South Korea twice while searching for her birth mother, putting flyers across Seoul and Jeonju.

During her first trip in 2019, a man reached out, believing Lee-Pack was the daughter of a late uncle. The lead unraveled slowly and painfully. The man later found a woman in her 70s whose background appeared to match. But she denied giving up a child and refused contact. Lee-Pack collapsed in her hotel room and cried.

“Every time I look in the mirror I wonder who she is and what she looks like,” she said of her birth mother. “The thoughts never end.”

Rieth says that becoming a mother to two sons led her to begin looking for her birth mother.

According to her adoption file, Rieth was the third child of a couple who relinquished her shortly after her birth in 1988, citing financial hardship during a time when Seoul was actively pressuring families to have fewer children.

Rieth began searching for her biological family in 2024, but letters her adoption agency sent to her birth mother’s last known address went unanswered.

She is now pursuing another search through the National Center for the Rights of the Child, a government office. She wants her sons to know the heritage she grew up without.

“I kind of don’t want to allow myself to hope because the whole journey has been a roller coaster of hoping, finding something out, and diving down into hopelessness, getting a glimmer of a maybe,” she said. “And yet I want to exhaust every effort … so that there are no regrets.”

During the peak of adoptions, authorities largely ignored rampant fraud, including illegal child procurements from hospitals and orphanages and manipulation of children’s origins. Many were falsely labeled as abandoned orphans to ease placements with Western families.

The deception left generations of Korean adoptees not knowing who they were, where they came from, whether they had been loved, abandoned or stolen.

On the other side were birth mothers pressured to surrender children born out of wedlock, separated from them without consent, or left searching for decades before learning they had been sent overseas under falsified records.

The gathering at Omma Poom came shortly after a group of birth mothers asked South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the alleged illegal adoptions of their children, adding to hundreds of fraud and abuse claims filed by adoptees.

Adopted in 1993 to Michigan, Jalyn Smith’s agency in in 2021 located her birth mother, who, according to the file, had relinquished Smith after separating from her biological father. The woman declined contact.

Five years later, Smith is pursuing the search again.

“Hanging it up, I felt proud,” Smith said about her name on Omma Poom’s wall. “I feel proud to be part of this community, though it comes with a lot of conflicting feelings of sadness and anger and grief.”

Israeli and Lebanese representatives have commenced their fifth series of diplomatic discussions since April at the U.S. State Department in Washington, while combat between Israeli forces and Hezbollah persists despite a ceasefire declaration made Monday evening.

The diplomatic sessions are occurring while military exchanges continue and following statements from a high-ranking Hezbollah leader on Tuesday declaring the organization’s refusal to accept any limited ceasefire arrangement with Israel.

An unnamed Lebanese diplomatic source, speaking to The Associated Press under anonymity protocols, indicated that Beirut maintains its dedication to the diplomatic process regardless of current tensions and active conflict.

Lebanese officials are demanding Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanese soil and cease military strikes. Israeli authorities maintain their military actions are essential because Hezbollah has failed to disarm according to commitments made in a 2024 ceasefire accord.

The current disagreement centers on a reported American-supported framework requiring Hezbollah to stop attacks against northern Israel while Israel would avoid targeting Beirut’s southern neighborhoods.

Mahmoud Qomati, who serves as deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, stated the organization would decline such a proposal.

Based on reporting from Lebanon’s National News Agency, which referenced a written declaration from Qomati obtained by AFP, the Hezbollah representative indicated the group would reject the proposed framework and cautioned that Israeli operations against Beirut’s southern areas would prompt a more forceful retaliation.

Qomati warned that any Israeli “aggression against” Beirut’s southern suburbs could lead to “a deeper and stronger response” from Hezbollah.

These statements emerged while diplomatic initiatives in Washington continued seeking solutions to end the hostilities.

Qomati’s declaration also seemed to contradict earlier reports suggesting Hezbollah had agreed to a restricted arrangement specifically addressing attacks on northern Israel and the situation in Beirut’s southern districts.

Even as negotiations proceed, military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah persist, with both parties disagreeing over necessary conditions for establishing a comprehensive ceasefire.

Former President Donald Trump announced his support Tuesday for Abelardo De La Espriella, a right-wing lawyer seeking Colombia’s presidency in an upcoming runoff election against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda this month.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the significance of the electoral outcome. “The results of this Election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States,” Trump stated in his post.

The endorsement comes as Colombia prepares for its presidential runoff election featuring the two candidates with opposing political ideologies.

Marcelo Salinas, who served as Bolivia’s defense minister, stepped down from his position on Tuesday according to local news outlets, after prolonged civil demonstrations and widespread protests that have disrupted traffic in the nation’s principal cities throughout the past month.

An official from the ministry verified Salinas’ departure to Reuters.

Citizens across South Korea headed to polling stations Wednesday for mayoral and local elections that political observers are watching as a key indicator of how much backing President Lee Jae Myung has after completing his first year leading the nation’s liberal administration.

Polling data indicates Lee’s Democratic Party is positioned to capture more victories than the conservative opposition People Power Party, which continues to struggle with internal divisions roughly 18 months following former conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration.

Political analysts say that with such favorable conditions, the DP needs to achieve an overwhelming win and secure critical contests like the Seoul mayoral race to provide Lee with significant momentum.

“The conservatives’ support base has been fractured and weakened in the wake of Yoon’s impeachment, while the liberals’ support base has grown stronger. Considering that, results of the elections will determine whether their dominance would prolong for a considerable time,” said Jeong Han-Wool, director of the Korean People Research Institute.

Voters are selecting candidates for 16 mayoral and provincial gubernatorial positions on Wednesday, with the PPP currently holding 12 of those seats. Additionally, 14 new lawmakers will be elected to the 300-seat National Assembly through special elections.

Voting began at 6 a.m. local time at approximately 14,300 locations nationwide and will conclude at 6 p.m. The election commission reports that roughly 44.6 million people are eligible to participate.

Initial polling suggested the DP could secure as many as 15 of the 16 available positions. However, more recent surveys indicate that opposition or independent contenders have narrowed the margin with their DP opponents or even moved ahead in five to seven contests.

The DP benefits from continuing public anger over Yoon’s December 2024 martial law decision that triggered a major political upheaval. Additionally, the relatively new Lee administration may still enjoy voter goodwill rather than facing attempts to limit its authority, according to Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership.

Choi explained that a decisive DP triumph would mean capturing at least 12 races. He emphasized that the party must also secure the highly competitive Seoul mayoral contest or the Lee administration would face “a tremendous blow.”

The Seoul competition features the DP’s Chong Won-o, a former Seoul district head whose political profile grew after Lee commended his leadership last October, running against incumbent mayor and prominent political figure Oh Se-hoon from the PPP.

“A Seoul mayor isn’t a post that someone whose campaign solely relies on the president’s coattails can afford,” Oh told reporters Tuesday. “Our country would be safer when the rival forces keep each other in check than one side controlling every things. Please, leave Seoul, the last stronghold, in our hands.”

During a Tuesday press briefing, Chong stated he anticipated Seoul residents would issue “a stern verdict” on Oh regarding what he characterized as the mayor’s incompetent and irresponsible leadership approach.

Lee will mark his first anniversary in office Thursday, maintaining approval ratings above 60%. He secured victory in a special election held after the Constitutional Court decided to remove Yoon from office due to his martial law implementation. A Seoul district court found Yoon guilty of rebellion in February and imposed a life sentence.

Yoon’s removal created significant internal conflict within the PPP between reform-minded members who supported the DP-led impeachment effort and Yoon supporters who tried to defend the former leader.

Han Dong-hoon, who leads the reform faction and was ultimately kicked out of the PPP, is among those seeking one of the 14 parliamentary seats in the special elections. Polling shows Han with a narrow advantage over the DP’s Ha Jung-woo, a former Lee adviser on AI, in a Busan race in the nation’s second-largest city in the southeast.

Jeong noted that a Han win might enable anti-Yoon reformers to reorganize and become a new conservative movement in South Korea. However, Choi suggested Han’s victory could deepen conservative divisions as Yoon supporters might feel threatened and become more unified in response.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the United Nations has outlined three alternative approaches to continue efforts toward resolving the long-standing conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters once the current 8,100-strong UN peacekeeping operation in southern Lebanon concludes on December 31.

Each proposal submitted to the UN Security Council by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would maintain UN military oversight of the Israel-Lebanon border, assist Lebanese military forces in expanding their presence nationwide, and enhance diplomatic initiatives to halt the ongoing violence that continues despite an existing ceasefire agreement.

For many years, UN peacekeeping forces have served a crucial function in overseeing security conditions in southern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah maintains strong influence. In recent months, six peacekeepers have lost their lives.

Following pressure from the United States and its ally Israel, the Security Council unanimously decided in August 2025 to end the peacekeeping operation called UNFIL and directed Guterres to develop alternatives for enforcing a 2006 resolution that concluded a month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

That resolution calls for Hezbollah to give up its weapons, Israeli military withdrawal, and full deployment of Lebanese army forces as the country’s only armed force. These requirements remain unfulfilled.

In his Monday correspondence to the Security Council, Guterres emphasized that the repeated clashes between Israel and Hezbollah demonstrate the urgent need to enforce the 2006 resolution, which serves as the roadmap to peace.

The secretary-general described UN military oversight of the UN-established border between Israel and Lebanon, called the Blue Line, as “paramount.”

Across all alternatives, he explained, “a uniformed United Nations presence working to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, liaison and coordination, and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces would be necessary.” The UN military component would work alongside the enhanced UN special coordinator for Lebanon, who would maintain leadership of efforts to implement the 2006 resolution.

Guterres outlined three alternatives for the UN military presence, with personnel numbers ranging from 5,525 down to 1,980, including some unarmed military observers. He noted the largest deployment would be capable “to most credibly observe developments along the length of the Blue Line.”

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric informed reporters Tuesday that the secretary-general anticipates the Security Council will reach a decision promptly.

WASHINGTON — The United States announced new financial penalties Tuesday against Iran’s top cryptocurrency trading platform and three additional digital asset exchanges, continuing the Trump administration’s strategy to apply economic pressure on Iran amid current military conflicts with the U.S. and Israel.

The penalties target Nobitex, Iran’s biggest digital currency firm, along with its chairman and co-founder, Amir Hossein Rad. According to Treasury officials, Nobitex handled over half of all Iranian cryptocurrency transactions in the previous year and plays a key role in Iran’s extensive network for circumventing sanctions.

These financial restrictions arrive as two semi-official Iranian media outlets reported Tuesday that Iran has ceased discussions with intermediaries regarding extending a ceasefire in the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel.

U.S. President Donald Trump has challenged this assertion and stated that negotiations remain active.

Treasury officials allege that Nobitex has transferred assets and money overseas to protect government resources following the beginning of U.S. military actions in Iran. Attempts to contact Nobitex representatives via email were unsuccessful.

American authorities assert that Iran depends significantly on digital currencies and similar assets to bypass sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated at the Reagan National Economic Forum this month, “We have seized about a billion dollars of their crypto.”

The Trump administration’s newest action represents one of several steps designed to impose economic hardship on Iran. The administration has also established secondary financial penalties against nations conducting business with individuals, companies, and vessels under Iranian influence — including partners like the United Arab Emirates and rivals like China. Financial institutions have been cautioned about processing Iranian funds.

Additionally, last week the U.S. placed sanctions on Iran’s recently established Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an organization designed to oversee maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Treasury officials describe this agency as a “scheme to extort international shipping.”

Simultaneously, U.S. military forces have intercepted commercial ships attempting to breach a U.S.-coordinated blockade of Iranian harbors. The U.S. initiated this blockade on April 17 following Iran’s effective closure of the strait after Middle Eastern hostilities commenced with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28.

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — European Union election monitors have rejected Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s allegations of voting irregularities following Sunday’s heated presidential contest, describing the ballot counting process as conducted in a “transparent, orderly and fluid” manner.

Mission leader Esteban González Pons stated that none of the 12 presidential hopefuls approached his team with concerns about voting problems. A runoff election is set for June 21 between attorney Abelardo de la Espriella and Sen. Iván Cepeda, who received the highest vote totals.

Cepeda, who represents Petro’s Historical Pact party, declined Sunday to accept preliminary vote tallies showing him in second place, stating he would await the comprehensive count supervised by judicial officials and notaries before commenting. Before Cepeda’s remarks, Petro posted on X platform claiming 800,000 people were unlawfully added to voting lists. Over 23 million citizens voted Sunday, with de La Espriella capturing 43.7% and Cepeda earning 40.9%, according to official tallies.

By Monday, Cepeda moderated his position, noting that election watchers from his party had not discovered “irregularities of a sufficient dimension to speak of fraud.” He also predicted victory over de La Espriella in the runoff and proposed a debate.

Petro, who is constitutionally barred from seeking another term, reinforced his fraud allegations Tuesday through another X post, claiming without evidence that 885,000 voters registered past a March 31 cutoff date.

The president additionally alleged that certain polling locations recorded unusually high ballot numbers.

Colombia’s National Registrars Office, responsible for election administration, announced Monday evening that after reviewing 99.98% of polling stations, they found only a tiny 0.06% difference from Sunday’s preliminary count.

The EU monitoring team stated Tuesday they examined randomly chosen vote tallies from across Colombia and compared them with actual ballots, discovering no discrepancies.

“We can discard any manipulation of data in the quick count and in the final count,” González Pons declared.

Colombian election law requires judges, not the president, to verify and certify results, usually within two weeks.

Political watchers have cautioned that Petro’s unsupported fraud claims might deepen political divisions and encourage violence before the June 21 runoff.

Conflicting messages emerged this week regarding U.S.-Iran relations, with a high-ranking Iranian military official declaring that armed conflict with America cannot be avoided while President Donald Trump maintained optimism about reaching a diplomatic solution in the coming days.

Mohammad Jafar Asadi, who serves as deputy head of Iran’s central military command known as Khatam al-Anbiya, dismissed any possibility that his country would comply with American demands, according to reports from Iranian state television.

“The United States demands our total surrender, and the Iranian nation will never surrender,” Asadi stated. “Without surrender, war is inevitable.”

These comments stand in stark contrast to President Trump’s optimistic outlook regarding ongoing diplomatic discussions.

During a Monday telephone conversation with ABC, President Trump predicted that a peace deal with Iran could be finalized “over the next week.” He emphasized that reaching an agreement through negotiations would be more desirable than pursuing military action.

“It’s not an easy thing for them. It’s actually not easy from our standpoint either. But we’re getting what we need to get,” President Trump explained.

The president noted that while he had previously suggested on May 24 that a memorandum of understanding was close to completion, he has not yet signed off on the document because “I still have to get a few more points.”

These divergent positions emerged as hostilities persist between Washington and Tehran in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz region.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced Monday that it had fired a cruise missile at the MSC Sariska V, describing the targeted ship as having connections to both the United States and Israel. The organization claimed this attack served as payback for an American strike against the Iranian commercial vessel Lian Star in the Gulf of Oman. Maritime officials from Britain reported that the MSC Sariska V suffered damage from a major explosion in waters near Iraq.

This latest incident occurred as military confrontations between Iran and the United States have intensified around the crucial shipping corridor. Both nations have conducted military operations in recent days, with disagreements centered on control of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles 20% of global oil and gas transportation.

A deadly stabbing incident involving a British teenager has sparked intense discussions about law enforcement practices and racial dynamics after video emerged showing police restraining the victim while dismissing his pleas for help.

Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old student, was fatally wounded in December, but the case gained widespread attention this week following the sentencing of his attacker and the release of disturbing footage from the scene.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, who is Sikh, received a life sentence with a minimum 21-year term Monday after being convicted of murder. Digwa had falsely told responding officers that Nowak, who was white, had racially attacked him.

Law enforcement personnel responding to the scene in Southampton, a coastal community in southern England, initially accepted Digwa’s account. However, court proceedings revealed that Digwa had fabricated the racism allegations.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his revulsion at the footage and questioned how “accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case.”

Demonstrators assembled outside Southampton’s police headquarters to voice their outrage over Nowak’s death.

Video evidence shows the university student lying on the ground, informing officers of his stab wounds while they restrained his arms and attempted to force him upright. He repeatedly stated he was unable to breathe.

“You’ve been stabbed? Whereabouts?” an officer said in the video. “Don’t think you have, mate.”

Following the court proceedings, the victim’s father, Mark Nowak, emphasized that the tragedy wasn’t centered on racism or religion, expressing hope that his son’s death would contribute to improved street safety rather than fostering “further division, hatred or tension.”

However, Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigrant Reform UK party, characterized the incident Tuesday as evidence of so-called two-tier policing — a far-right assertion that ethnic minorities receive preferential treatment over white individuals.

Farage urged people to respond with “pure cold rage,” demanding an end to “anti-white prejudice” and promoting the concept “that white lives matter just as much as Black lives.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood dismissed claims of differential policing standards across communities and appealed to Parliament members not to “allow this murder to turn communities against one another.”

Mahmood acknowledged public shock over the tragic footage and emphasized the government’s commitment to dramatically reducing knife-related violence.

She appealed for restraint while the Independent Office for Police Conduct examines the actions of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary officers. She noted that online misinformation had resulted in death threats against an uninvolved officer.

“Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse,” she said. “We must all together condemn it.”

Two years prior, a stabbing attack that claimed three young lives and injured 10 others at a dance class in northern England triggered nearly a week of widespread unrest after social media users incorrectly identified the teenage perpetrator as a Muslim asylum-seeker. The violent confrontations with law enforcement primarily targeted migrants and Muslims.

The British-born attacker’s parents were Rwandan Christians, and while investigators couldn’t determine his motivation, they ruled out terrorism. Authorities discovered materials about Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide and car bombs on his electronic devices.

In Nowak’s case, the first-year University of Southampton student had been socializing with friends when officers arrived at what was reported as an assault. Nowak was visible on a driveway, supported by someone who mentioned he had blood in his mouth.

Digwa stood close by and informed officers he had also sustained injuries, indicating his allegedly swollen eyelid. He alleged that Nowak had removed his turban and grabbed his hair.

Following Nowak’s restraint, officers positioned him on his side while searching for stab wounds. He appeared unconscious when an officer announced his arrest for assault and recited his legal rights.

Upon discovering his injuries, officers removed the handcuffs and began CPR, according to police statements.

Digwa faced conviction for murder at Southampton Crown Court.

Judge William Mousley told Digwa he rejected the claim that Nowak made racist remarks toward him.

“You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character,” he said.

In Britain, where firearm possession faces strict regulation, knives frequently serve as weapons in violent incidents and face similar restrictions. Generally, individuals cannot carry bladed implements except pocketknives with cutting edges under 3 inches. However, Sikhs may carry ceremonial knives called kirpans for religious purposes.

Mousley noted that Digwa possessed a small kirpan, which Sikhs are religiously required to carry, but also had an 8-inch sheathed Sikh dagger that served as the murder weapon. He stated that the religious connection of the weapons had put other Sikhs at risk.

“Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their own safety even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong,” the judge said.

Law enforcement officials apologized to Nowak’s family and stated that Digwa’s deception had misled responding officers.

“It is devastating the officers did not believe Henry when he said he’d been stabbed and couldn’t breathe,” Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said. “The details of the police response raises serious concerns about police impartiality, fairness and judgment.”

Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender after attempting to conceal the murder weapon. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 17.

A diplomatic exchange between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn attention after Trump expressed gratitude for Israel’s decision to cancel a planned military strike in Beirut, though private reports suggest their conversation was far more contentious.

Trump posted on Truth Social about his discussion with Netanyahu, stating he had requested the Israeli leader avoid conducting what he characterized as a significant operation in Lebanon’s capital city.

“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi!” Trump wrote.

The president also revealed he had reached out to Hezbollah through intermediaries and stated the organization had committed to ceasing hostilities.

“I also had a conversation with representatives of the leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel, and its soldiers,” Trump posted.

“Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!” he added.

Israeli military sources indicated that no forces were actually en route to Beirut on Monday, despite earlier announcements from Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz that the Israel Defense Forces would strike Hezbollah infrastructure in and near the Lebanese capital.

Even with the ceasefire declaration, Israel noted that Hezbollah deployed drones against forces in southern Lebanon, causing alert sirens to sound in northern Israel. The IDF retaliated with attacks on Hezbollah locations.

According to an Axios report, Trump and Netanyahu had an intense disagreement about Israel’s military tactics and the ceasefire agreement. The report, citing two administration officials and another source, described Trump questioning plans to demolish buildings in Beirut to target Hezbollah commanders, asking Netanyahu: “What the f*ck are you doing?”

The report indicated Trump also mentioned his previous support for Netanyahu regarding legal matters in Israel, telling the prime minister: “You’re f*cking crazy. You’d be in jail if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everyone hates you now, and everyone hates Israel because of this.”

Axios reported that White House frustration grew after Iran threatened to withdraw from negotiations with Washington due to Israeli activities in Lebanon. The United States and Iran are currently in talks about a comprehensive memorandum of understanding that includes provisions to end the fighting in Lebanon.

Sources indicated that US officials back Israel’s right to defend against Hezbollah attacks but have disagreements about the extent of IDF operations in Lebanon. A senior US official quoted by Axios said Netanyahu replied: “Okay, okay, just make sure everything is handled.”

The Prime Minister’s Office refused to provide an official comment on the details reported by Axios.

Netanyahu subsequently offered a different version of their conversation, stating he had told Trump that Israel would conduct strikes in Beirut if Hezbollah continued launching attacks into Israeli territory. He also indicated that operations in southern Lebanon would proceed and that Israel’s stance remained unchanged.

Multiple Israeli political leaders openly condemned the choice to abort the planned Beirut strikes. Former IDF chief of staff and Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot described Trump’s instruction as “a humiliating demand, one that is blatantly unreasonable.” Eisenkot noted that Netanyahu “is the man who preached morals to everyone about the basic need to be a prime minister and know how to say ‘no’ to the President of the United States.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu for behaving as if Israel were a protectorate of the United States. Lapid also demanded a “powerful response” to the rocket fire from Lebanon, stating that “the responsibility for the security of Israeli citizens lies solely with the Israeli government.”

Israeli Parliament members are scheduled to cast secret ballots this week for the nation’s next state comptroller in what has transformed from a routine selection process into a significant challenge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition unity.

The competition features two contenders: former Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron and attorney Michael Rabilo, who maintains strong connections to Netanyahu. The victor will take control of one of Israel’s most crucial watchdog positions, overseeing audits of government departments, public institutions, and state actions during a period when wartime choices, governmental operations, and institutional confidence face intense political examination.

During Monday’s faction gatherings, opposition leaders centered their discussions on the position’s autonomy and whether the incoming comptroller could effectively investigate the very administration currently attempting to influence the selection process.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid stated that Elron could help rebuild the office’s reputation specifically because he isn’t associated with the left. “I believe that not only in the opposition, but also in the coalition, there will be people who say to themselves that our role in this building is to serve the State of Israel and its interests,” Lapid said.

Lapid characterized Elron as “a respected Supreme Court justice” and “someone politically identified with the right,” suggesting he could rebuild “the importance and prestige” of the State Comptroller’s Office. He drew a distinction with Rabilo, whom he labeled “Netanyahu’s personal lawyer,” and maintained that Netanyahu’s favored nominee might protect the prime minister from upcoming oversight.

Yisrael Beitenu party chairman Avigdor Liberman indicated he would honor the custom of a private, confidential vote but clearly stated he would not back Netanyahu’s selection. “We will preserve the Knesset tradition regarding personal votes,” Liberman said. “But I can already reveal one thing: I will not vote for the prime minister’s candidate.”

Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, avoided naming specific candidates but connected the ballot to what he characterized as a broader trend in government selections, declaring that anyone whose “loyalty is to the king and not to the kingdom will have to go home.”

The confidential voting occurs while Netanyahu’s coalition already faces tension over the military draft controversy. Should Rabilo prevail, Netanyahu can demonstrate that his alliance remains unified during crucial moments. A loss would indicate that dissatisfaction within the coalition has progressed beyond public rhetoric into concrete opposition.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has imposed an immediate ban on its citizens traveling to Iraq and Iran, according to an announcement from the country’s Ministry of Interior.

Officials from Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior made the declaration through the state news agency BNA, stating the restriction was put in place to ensure national security and protect the wellbeing of Bahraini nationals.

“Due to the continued tense security situation resulting from the repercussions of the sinful Iranian aggression, and in order to safeguard national security and the safety of all citizens, the Ministry of Interior announces the decision to ban citizens from traveling” to Iraq and Iran, the ministry said.

The travel prohibition will continue “until further notice,” according to ministry officials, who also cautioned that authorities plan to pursue enforcement action against anyone who defies the ban. Bahraini officials stated they will implement appropriate measures against “violators” of the order.

This move comes amid escalating regional instability throughout the Middle East and follows Iranian attacks that hit targets within Bahrain during the latest period of conflict.

Weapons including missiles and drones from Iran hit vital infrastructure throughout the nation, sparking significant blazes at a fuel storage facility in Muharraq Governorate and at the kingdom’s primary oil refinery located on Sitra Island.

Military installations linked to US forces were also hit during the assault. Officials from Bahrain reported that facilities housing American personnel, such as the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters and Sheikh Isa Air Base, were struck in the opening round of attacks.

Residential neighborhoods were also impacted by the strikes, Bahraini authorities confirmed. The bombardment caused deaths and forced thousands of residents from their homes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stern warning Monday following Israel’s decision to expand military operations against Hezbollah, claiming the actions violate existing ceasefire agreements after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz authorized the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to target Hezbollah positions in and around Beirut.

Through a social media post on X, Araghchi stated: “The ceasefire between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” and clarified that breaking the agreement on one front would constitute a violation across all areas.

The Iranian official cautioned, “The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation.”

These threats emerged as Israeli leadership indicated plans for expanded operations against Hezbollah. On Monday morning, Netanyahu and Katz announced that Hezbollah command centers in Beirut’s Dahieh neighborhood would no longer receive protection from Israeli military strikes.

“There will be no situation in which Hezbollah attacks our cities and citizens while the terror headquarters in Dahieh remain off-limits,” Netanyahu declared in a recorded statement.

The Prime Minister also noted that Israeli military units were broadening their activities in southern Lebanon while focusing on Hezbollah facilities.

“We are continuing to deepen our operations on the ground in southern Lebanon, eliminating Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah is on the run. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north, just as we did for the residents of the south,” Netanyahu stated.

Previously, Israel had avoided attacking the Lebanese capital following requests from the Trump administration.

During a separate military event, Katz announced that the IDF was maintaining both aerial and ground campaigns against Hezbollah while making “significant gains” against the organization.

“If there is no quiet in the north, there will be no quiet in Beirut … We will not allow a situation in which our communities and citizens are harmed while calm is maintained in Beirut,” Katz declared.

Katz outlined the military’s goal to “turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists.”

These escalating threats occurred while combat between Israel and Hezbollah persists despite ceasefire arrangements and active negotiations in Washington.

A key disagreement centers on Hezbollah’s unwillingness to surrender weapons, despite ceasefire terms mandating the armed organization relinquish its arsenal.

A member of Israel’s parliament has formed a new legislative group dedicated to exploring the possibility of future peace and diplomatic relations with Lebanon, making the case that Israel should reach out directly to Lebanese communities seeking stability and freedom from armed group control.

Dr. Akram Hasson leads the newly established Caucus for Peace Between Israel and Lebanon, which he chairs. He tells The Media Line that his motivation stems from years of observing what he views as a nation held captive by Hezbollah’s influence.

“Lebanon was taken hostage by Hezbollah,” Hasson told The Media Line. “It does whatever it wants there. It destroyed the Switzerland of the Middle East. It threatens Lebanon’s president, it threatens the government, and of course it harms the residents of northern Israel.”

The parliamentary group has modest structure but broad ambitions, calling for diplomatic, economic, and civilian cooperation, assistance for northern Israeli communities, and a wider regional approach to shared security threats. Hasson notes that his proposal to create the caucus received approval within days of submission, which he interprets as evidence that fellow lawmakers recognize the value of maintaining political dialogue beyond the current reality of rockets, evacuations, and border conflict.

His position centers on viewing Lebanon through the lens of its various communities rather than solely through its armed groups – communities he believes have genuine interests in stability, economic recovery, and reduced Iranian influence in their country.

“The Lebanese people, in the latest survey, the Druze, more than 80%, want peace and relations with the State of Israel,” Hasson said. “Seventy-two percent of the Christians also want peace with the State of Israel, and there are Sunnis there who want it too. So the time has come for us to strengthen this alliance.”

Hasson clarifies that the caucus does not replace official government diplomacy or indicate that formal negotiations are currently happening. Rather, he describes it as a political and public platform designed to provide legitimacy and visibility to Lebanese figures who might support normalization but fear retaliation from Hezbollah. His stated objective is encouraging them to speak more openly, both within Lebanon and among Lebanese communities living abroad.

“I want to encourage every person on the Lebanese side who seeks peace and believes in peace to stand up and say what he thinks, like in the latest survey, and begin to apply pressure,” Hasson said. “Because in the end, if the people want peace and security and freedom, nothing can stand in the way of that will.”

The political complexities are clear. Israel and Lebanon have no peace treaty, and Hezbollah remains the primary armed force along the Lebanese side of their shared border. For Israelis living in the north, this has created concrete challenges. The ongoing conflict has transformed border towns and surrounding communities into an active front line, featuring evacuations, missile and rocket attacks, Israeli military strikes in Lebanon, and persistent concerns about escalation.

Hasson contends that precisely because of this instability, Israel should start preparing for the possibility that border dynamics may not always remain as they are today. He mentions that his first speech in Arabic from the parliament podium was addressed to the Lebanese people and demonstrated respect for a society he characterizes as educated, sophisticated, and unwilling to be defined by terrorism.

“The Lebanese people are a people of books, a people of culture,” he said. “They do not want terrorism, and they do not want Hezbollah there. They are suffering terribly from them.”

The parliament member’s vision remains far from official policy at this point. He speaks openly about a future where embassies might operate in Beirut and Tel Aviv, connecting this concept to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broader rhetoric about a “new Middle East.” Hasson suggests that if regional alignments continue shifting, Lebanon could eventually join a larger group of countries engaging Israel openly.

However, the most significant aspect of his proposal may not be the diplomatic end goal, but rather the comparison he makes with Israel’s existing peace agreements. When asked whether relations with Lebanon might one day mirror Israel’s relationship with Jordan, Hasson offered a more ambitious assessment.

“In my opinion, normalization with Lebanon would be better than with Jordan,” he said.

He contends that the peace with Jordan, while strategically valuable, has remained distant and unbalanced. Israel provides Jordan with water, Israeli business leaders have invested there, and Israeli tourists travel east, Hasson notes, but the relationship has not created the type of mutual public acceptance he would hope to see in a future agreement.

“You do not see one tourist from Jordan in Israel,” Hasson said. “They do not contribute anything to us. On the contrary.”

For Hasson, the key difference lies between Hezbollah and Lebanon as a whole. He highlights particularly Druze and Christian voices, as well as historical memories of contact across the border, including periods when Lebanese workers entered Israel.

“Lebanon is a completely different people,” he said. “They do not have that hatred. They do not teach jihad.”

Yet there exists a significant gap between frustration with Hezbollah and public support for normalization with Israel. In Lebanon, even people who resent Hezbollah’s power may avoid expressing anything that resembles support for peace with Israel. War memories, internal Lebanese politics, the Palestinian issue, and fear of being accused of collaboration all influence the situation.

Hasson does not claim Lebanon is prepared to sign an agreement immediately. His argument is more focused: Israel should not wait for official diplomacy to exist before communicating with Lebanese who may already be thinking differently.

The caucus documentation outlines potential areas of cooperation, including tourism, trade, infrastructure, industry, energy, agriculture, innovation, environmental collaboration, and support for local authorities in northern Israel. Hasson believes both sides could benefit from a practical peace centered on economic recovery and border stability.

“We can contribute to Lebanon’s economy,” he said. “It is win-win. Everyone, in the end, will bless this important step.”

He also frames the issue as one that should not be limited to either the Israeli right or left. Peace, he argues, can gain support across Israel’s political spectrum if presented not as rhetoric, but as a security achievement that protects Israeli citizens and weakens Iranian-backed terrorism.

“The people of Israel know how to unite and rise above themselves when there is real peace, and when they know it will bring security to all the residents of the State of Israel,” Hasson said. “I know many people in Israel, both on the left and on the right, who, when they hear about peace, real peace and not talk and slogans, will support it.”

The initiative emerges at a time when the concept of “peace” has largely vanished from Israel’s wartime political discourse, replaced by terms such as deterrence, victory, pressure, disarmament, and security control. Hasson attempts to reintroduce it, but in a format anchored less in traditional peace advocacy and more in the language of regional power, anti-Iranian alignment, and Israeli security interests.

This may represent the caucus’s political opportunity. It does not ask Israelis to ignore Hezbollah. It begins with Hezbollah as the primary obstacle. It does not present Lebanon as already prepared for peace. It argues that segments of Lebanon may be ready, or could become ready, if they are strengthened and if Hezbollah is forced to retreat from its current position.

“We are stronger,” Hasson said. “We are the only ones standing against Hezbollah. And in the end, we can eliminate this terrorism, because the Lebanese state, as a state, as a government, as a presidency, cannot do much against Hezbollah.”

The caucus remains a parliamentary initiative, not a diplomatic process. Its significance lies elsewhere: an Israeli parliament member is attempting to bring into the legislature a conversation that typically remains in private meetings, research forums, or military assessments. Hasson wants parliament to address directly the possibility that Lebanon’s future may not be permanently connected to Hezbollah’s present.

Whether that message can reach Lebanese audiences, and whether anyone there can safely respond to it, remains unclear. Hasson believes the situation is less rigid than it appears.

“We want a real Middle East,” he said. “A Middle East without terrorists, without people who believe in jihad and brainwashing, and cause enormous damage to the Arab and Muslim population in the world. That is the final goal.”

A parliamentary committee in Israel voted unanimously Monday to move forward with legislation that would dissolve the government and pave the way for early elections.

The House Committee of the Israeli parliament approved the dissolution bill by an 8-0 margin, sending the measure to the full parliament for its initial reading.

Should the full parliament approve the legislation, it would return to committee for additional preparation before undergoing second and third readings. Final passage would establish a timeline for scheduling a national election and officially begin the country’s 2026 election cycle.

Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz outlined a potential voting period spanning from September 8 to October 20. He noted that ongoing talks are focused on identifying a date within this window that all parties can accept.

Monday’s committee action follows the parliament’s initial endorsement of the dissolution measure. Lawmakers supported the bill unanimously with a 110-0 vote before sending it to the House Committee for additional legislative work.

According to the country’s legal framework, national elections must occur within five months after final approval of the dissolution legislation. Using this timeline, voting would need to happen by October 27 at the latest, making mid-to-late October the final practical window for holding elections.

Political negotiations have also addressed when elections might take place. Media reports indicate that ultra-Orthodox political parties prefer scheduling the vote for early September, during the weeks before the High Holidays.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly discouraged the ultra-Orthodox parties from pursuing a September election timeline. According to reports, he has privately cautioned that such timing would “endanger” the right-wing bloc’s prospects for electoral success.

TRUJILLO, Peru — Along Peru’s northwestern Pacific coastline, market vendor Gladys Saavedra watches warily as unfamiliar faces approach the small marketplace where she and other women workers face a grim reality: collectively pay $300 monthly to criminal extortionists or face devastating consequences.

When the women at the Trujillo market refused the demands last June, criminals torched their workplace. The vendors protested and demanded government protection in the following days, but received no help. This lack of response came as no shock to Saavedra, whose home was bombed with explosives during another extortion scheme in August 2024.

As Peruvians prepare to choose their next president in Sunday’s runoff election, this escalating gang violence has become voters’ primary concern. Many citizens will venture to polling locations with deep anxiety about becoming crime targets during their journey.

“You can’t even stick your head out for fear of being shot,” Saavedra, 49, said.

While extortion first appeared in Trujillo over two decades ago, the criminal activity has exploded across Peru during the past five years. Government statistics show extortion reports jumped fivefold to 28,948 cases in the previous year, while homicides doubled to reach 2,226 in 2025.

Law enforcement officials and security analysts link the criminal organizations’ growth in Trujillo to their connection with unlawful gold mining operations. These groups initially earned money by offering protection services to illegal miners in nearby areas, then invested those profits in hiring assassins, purchasing firearms, and expanding their urban influence.

Government figures reveal that illegal mining produces roughly $7 billion each year, significantly exceeding the approximately $1.2 billion generated annually through drug trafficking.

Transportation companies became the initial extortion targets, with drivers facing death if payments weren’t made. These workers remain prime victims, as at least 239 drivers were murdered nationwide last year, according to the independent Observatory of Crime and Violence.

More than half of those killed operated motorcycle taxis, commonly used in city outskirts where paved roads are scarce. However, bus driver murders have sparked transportation strikes and public demonstrations.

Security specialists connect organized crime’s growing influence in Peru to profits that long-established criminal organizations earn from illegal gold extraction in the Andes and Amazon regions. Peru exported 100 tons of illegally extracted gold in 2025, nearly equaling the 109 tons of legally mined gold it exported.

In a Trujillo district that produces one-fourth of the nation’s footwear, union representative Máximo Varas reported that approximately 1,500 small business operators in the shoe industry make payments to extortionists to continue operating.

“Everyone pays — even I get extorted. No one is safe,” he said.

Throughout Trujillo, numerous buses, restaurants, corner shops, nightclubs, and educational institutions display stickers on their building fronts. These markers include puma images, crosses, and Batman symbols. Law enforcement officials explained that these stickers signal businesses have made extortion payments. Authorities sometimes patrol Trujillo removing these markers and replacing them with police stickers.

Business owner Iván Díaz, 58, believes violence has grown “unreasonably” in Trujillo. Criminals disguised as law enforcement officers abducted him from his workplace in 2023, holding him captive for 11 days. To secure a $250,000 ransom, his kidnappers severed portions of two fingers on his right hand and transmitted torture videos to his relatives to “advance the payment.”

“I had to adapt to reality and keep a cool head,” Díaz said.

Courts sentenced four members of the criminal organization Los Pulpos to life imprisonment in May for Díaz’s kidnapping. This group originated in Trujillo during the 1990s and later spread operations into neighboring Chile.

The Ministry of Economy calculated in July that criminal activity costs Peruvians approximately $5 billion annually. This amount encompasses government investment in police operations plus private expenditures on surveillance equipment and security personnel.

Peru’s peripheral neighborhoods lack paved streets, clean water, and electrical service, but most critically, they lack police presence. By comparison, affluent municipalities like the capital’s San Borja, where both presidential candidates — conservative Keiko Fujimori and progressive Roberto Sánchez — reside, maintain large numbers of uniformed officers plus additional private security forces patrolling their areas.

Security professionals argue that fighting crime requires eliminating corruption within the national police force, which employs approximately 130,000 officers, plus substantial funding for investigations.

An investigator working on organized crime cases, who requested anonymity because he lacks authorization to speak with media, told The Associated Press that technology limitations prevent police from tracking phones linked to digital payment systems that criminals use for collecting extortion money.

Congressman-elect and former police officer Harvey Colchado stated that each of the nation’s 70 police investigative divisions received $29,000 monthly budgets five years ago, but currently operate without funding as the government redirected money to other purposes. He noted this problem worsens due to recent legislation supported by both Fujimori’s and Sánchez’s parties that complicates criminal prosecutions.

The legislation Colchado mentioned removed preliminary detention in specific situations and increased requirements for seizing criminal property and conducting searches.

“This is a cancer,” Saavedra said. “(Police) don’t have the resources to trace the calls, to know where the messages are coming from. That’s the only way to stop it.”

The city of Trujillo in Peru is grieving for victims lost to violent criminal activity that has swept through this urban center. Local entrepreneurs face mounting challenges as gang-related extortion spreads throughout numerous communities across this South American nation.

Public safety concerns have become a dominant issue as Peru approaches its presidential runoff election this Sunday, affecting how citizens conduct their everyday activities and view their nation’s prospects.

Statistics reveal a dramatic escalation in criminal activity over recent years. Extortion incidents have multiplied five times in the last half-decade, with nearly 29,000 cases documented in 2025. Homicides have similarly escalated, more than doubling during this timeframe, as officials report 2,226 fatalities occurred in the previous year.

Organized crime syndicates are increasingly focusing on small-scale entrepreneurs, including transportation workers, marketplace sellers, and various business operators, forcing them to make routine payments to continue their operations.

The consequences reach well beyond financial damage. Throughout Peru, citizens report experiencing persistent feelings of insecurity as explosive attacks, abductions, murders, and intimidation tactics have escalated dramatically.

Nearly every Peruvian appears to have personal connections to criminal victimization. Community members and family members have faced extortion demands to maintain their businesses, or have suffered kidnapping or murder.

Discovering bodies in public areas or recovered from remote locations has become a regular occurrence.

Certain districts see businesses posting markers showing they comply with extortion demands, while other establishments spend significant amounts on private protection services due to insufficient police coverage.

Specialists in public safety link the expansion of criminal organizations to revenue from unauthorized mining operations and additional illegal enterprises, combined with persistent underfunding of police investigative departments and obsolete equipment. They additionally cite recent legislative modifications that have complicated authorities’ ability to arrest suspects, confiscate criminal proceeds, and eliminate criminal organizations.

PARIS, June 2 – The French President and Rwanda’s leader joined together on Tuesday to dedicate a new memorial in Paris honoring those killed in the 1994 genocide targeting Tutsis in Rwanda.

The French President stated the memorial positions the Tutsi genocide “at the heart of our capital and our history,” describing it as “the culmination of a long and painstaking quest for the truth.”

During a May 2021 trip to Rwanda, the French President acknowledged his nation’s role in the Rwandan genocide and expressed hope for forgiveness, attempting to repair relations following years of Rwandan claims that France played a role in the 1994 massacre of approximately 800,000 people — primarily ethnic Tutsis. He did not, however, offer a formal apology.

This followed findings from a commission appointed by the French President that determined in March 2021 that France had been blinded by colonial perspectives regarding events preceding the genocide and carried “serious and overwhelming” responsibility for not anticipating the massacre.

The memorial, located along the Seine river in central Paris, is called “L’Archive.” Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba created the design, which features two black monuments and includes an engraved dedication to the hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children killed between April and July 1994.

MOSCOW – Russia’s major economic conference, officially called the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, begins Wednesday with an unusual mix of American attendees drawn to Moscow’s stance against what they call “anti-wokery” and its promotion of “traditional values.”

Several notable U.S. figures are scheduled to participate in the event:

CANDACE OWENS

The conservative social media personality and podcast host, known for her sharp criticism of Israel, U.S. aid to Israel, feminism and other topics, will address a panel about managing parenting responsibilities in large families while maintaining career success. The 37-year-old currently faces a prominent defamation case in the U.S. brought by French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse Brigitte over false statements Owens made claiming Brigitte was born male.

“I have been wanting to go to St Petersburg for a very, very long time just as a Christian in general just to see some of those cathedrals and churches,” Owens stated before her journey.

STEVEN SEAGAL

The former action movie star and martial arts practitioner has maintained a longtime appreciation for President Vladimir Putin, who granted him Russian citizenship in 2016. Seagal currently serves as a special representative for Russia’s Foreign Ministry focusing on humanitarian connections with the United States and Japan.

The frequent Russia visitor endorsed Moscow’s 2014 takeover of Ukraine’s Crimea region as “very reasonable,” became a member of a pro-Kremlin political organization in 2021, and has expressed support for Russia’s military action in Ukraine. He is scheduled to participate in a cultural discussion panel.

RODNEY MIMS COOK JR.

As Chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, Cook is managing U.S. President Donald Trump’s disputed White House ballroom addition project and is leading the official American delegation to the conference.

According to the Kremlin, he represents the first U.S. official to participate since 2017/18, and the first since Russia deployed tens of thousands of soldiers into Ukraine in 2022. Cook will participate in discussions about U.S.-Russian cultural exchange.

Speaking to Russia’s TASS state news service before the conference, Cook explained he was attending as a cultural minister and Christian rather than in a political capacity. He mentioned his previous work helping restore Russian churches and on Tuesday presented a religious icon to a male monastery in St. Petersburg.

ANDREW AND TRISTAN TATE

Andrew Tate shared footage of himself and his brother receiving a musical Russian greeting at Moscow’s airport before the forum. However, the siblings, known for keeping their supporters uncertain about their plans, have not yet confirmed they will attend the conference.

Both have faced criminal investigations in Romania on allegations including human trafficking since December 2022, though neither case has reached trial. They also confront charges in Britain including rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking. Both deny any wrongdoing.

The brothers are former kickboxers holding both U.S. and British citizenship. Andrew Tate, who describes himself as a misogynist, has attracted millions of online followers by advocating an extremely masculine lifestyle that critics argue involves degrading women.

Canada is pushing the United States and Mexico to extend their trilateral trade pact for an additional 16 years, timing the request as U.S. President Donald Trump renews his rhetoric about incorporating Canada as America’s 51st state.

On Tuesday, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister for U.S. trade, dispatched correspondence to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard expressing Canada’s position on the matter.

“The Agreement is highly beneficial to each of our countries and to the integrated North American economy,” LeBlanc wrote.

The correspondence arrives before the planned July assessment of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA, which represents the current version of a North American trade framework that has connected the three nations’ economies since the early 1990s.

Both LeBlanc and Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator, Janice Charette, traveled to Washington on Tuesday for discussions with Greer. LeBlanc has previously cautioned that the trade pact might face yearly assessments and suggested such uncertainty could be an aim of the Trump administration.

Trump shared “51st State!” on social media Monday, linking to coverage about Canada potentially entering a technical recession. U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, subsequently shared the same post.

“I can’t believe I have to say this again, but Canada will never be the 51st state. Canada is not for sale,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted in response on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted to some economic challenges in Canada while entering Cabinet meetings Tuesday. Carney noted that the U.S. maintains roughly 30 trade disputes with Canada versus nearly 60 with Mexico.

The United States has the option to exit the agreement with six months’ notice, implement yearly reviews moving forward, or approve another 16-year extension.

“There is a possibility of a new partnership there,” Carney said.

The USMCA has protected Canada and Mexico from many of Trump’s protectionist policies since numerous goods from both nations fall under the free trade framework. However, certain targeted tariffs on products like aluminum continue to harm the interconnected North American economic system.

Trump’s repeated suggestions about making Canada the 51st state have angered Canadians, leading to significant numbers canceling travel plans to the United States.

IRBIL, Iraq — A major Iran-backed armed faction in Iraq announced Tuesday that it plans to transfer its weaponry to government oversight, representing a significant development in the new administration’s push to bring independent militias under state authority.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq announced the establishment of a committee to manage this transition, which will include cataloging its personnel, armaments and equipment while coordinating with the armed forces’ commander-in-chief. The organization framed this choice as responding to appeals from Iraq’s leading Shiite religious authority and the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework, Parliament’s dominant bloc that controls Iraqi politics.

The Middle Eastern conflict has highlighted the weakness of Iraq’s governmental structures and their insufficient capacity to control these organizations. A separate standoff between Washington and the militias has intensified the situation, with groups functioning as extensions of Iran’s regional efforts and increasing attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq until a fragile ceasefire agreement was established in April.

The initial major development occurred one week prior, when prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced his Saraya al-Salam militia, alternatively called the Peace Brigades, would separate from his political organization and merge with state institutions.

Facing Washington’s pressure, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has been attempting to establish state control over armaments. Al-Zaidi, a 40-year-old banker who took office last month, has positioned a state weapons monopoly as central to his agenda. The Trump administration has cautioned against any government influenced by Iran-linked groups and connected defense cooperation and funding to initiatives aimed at controlling them.

Numerous Iran-backed militias receive funding through Iraq’s state budget and are integrated within the security structure, though they remain outside government authority. This situation has attracted criticism from the United States and other nations that have suffered from their attacks and argue Baghdad has not taken sufficient action.

Multiple armed groups allied with Iraq’s Coordination Framework have adopted different positions regarding efforts to place weapons under state oversight. Two significant organizations, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, have opposed disarmament, connecting the matter to Iraq’s sovereignty and foreign military presence.

Kataib Hezbollah praised other groups’ decisions to place weaponry under state control but stated its own military operations will persist as part of what it calls “resistance work.” In a recent statement from its Abu Mujahid al-Assaf social media channel, the organization indicated it would provide coordination with the Popular Mobilization Forces instead of surrendering weapons.

The PMF, a state-supported coalition of primarily Shiite armed organizations, was established in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group. Many of its constituent groups maintain independent command structures and Iranian connections.

A Bahrain court issued a life imprisonment sentence Tuesday for a National Intelligence Service agent connected to a detainee’s death while in government custody.

According to Bahrain’s state news agency, the verdict followed an investigation that determined the unnamed intelligence officer caused the detainee’s death. Authorities brought charges in April that included “assault resulting in death.”

While the public prosecutor’s special investigative unit withheld the victim’s identity, the timing corresponds with Mohamed al-Mousawi, a 32-year-old Shiite Muslim. Family members received his body showing bruises, burns and cuts, according to witnesses present at the morgue and funeral. An Associated Press interview with a Physicians for Human Rights forensic specialist revealed the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma and torture.

Al-Mousawi was part of a larger group detained or prosecuted for demonstrations backing Iran or espionage-related charges during the conflict’s peak, when Iranian missiles targeted Bahrain. The Sunni-led nation with a Shiite majority hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Officials have characterized the predominantly Shiite demonstrators as Iranian agents.

Human rights organizations criticized the arrest operations and called for a probe into Al-Mousawi’s death.

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy declared Tuesday that the life sentence was insufficient, calling for openness regarding the officer’s identity and the events leading to Al-Mousawi’s death.

Bahrain’s administration has rejected claims of sectarian bias, stating that officials have operated within legal bounds and that independent organizations examine abuse allegations.

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A constitutional amendment proposal was presented to Zimbabwe’s Parliament on Tuesday by the nation’s justice minister, seeking to prolong the presidency of the 83-year-old leader and change the electoral system from direct public voting to legislative appointment.

The legislation would postpone upcoming 2028 elections by two years and keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030. Additionally, it would increase the duration of terms for the president, MPs, councilors and mayors from five years to seven years.

The proposal has intensified political discord in a nation where government opponents frequently face detention or intimidation.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi stated last week that he plans to finish the legislative procedures and secure Parliamentary approval by June’s conclusion, allowing Mnangagwa to enact the law afterward.

Mnangagwa has held office since 2017 after the widely-supported military-assisted removal of his former mentor and long-serving leader, Robert Mugabe, who passed away in 2019.

The governing ZANU-PF party maintains a Parliamentary majority and has developed positive relationships with a segment of the divided opposition.

Opponents maintain that lengthening presidential terms necessitates a public referendum. Advocates respond that Parliament has authority to approve these modifications since the two-term restriction would stay intact, despite each term becoming longer. Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has not yet decided on multiple legal challenges against the proposal.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A political crisis is brewing in Senegal after dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko declared his majority party will refuse to join the newly formed government following months of disputes with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, creating concerns about governmental paralysis in a nation already struggling with overwhelming debt burdens.

Sonko and Faye were once political partners within Pastef, which stands for Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité in French. Under Sonko’s leadership, the party commands a commanding parliamentary presence with 130 seats in the 165-member legislature.

“We are entering a real opposition dynamic,” stated Babacar Ndiaye, a political analyst at the Senegal-based Wathi think tank on Tuesday, noting that Pastef could pursue a no-confidence vote against the newly installed government, potentially triggering a governance crisis.

The cabinet unveiled Monday by newly appointed Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo excludes any prominent members from the majority party or Sonko’s close political allies, who had previously controlled important ministerial positions.

According to Sonko, who stated that Pastef would “not participate in this government due to points of disagreement” with both Faye and Lo, he was dismissed along with all cabinet members in May after prolonged friction with the president.

Despite their previous alliance when they assumed power in April 2024, Faye and Sonko have publicly clashed over crucial policy matters in recent months, particularly regarding negotiations for International Monetary Fund financing.

The West African nation confronts an escalating debt emergency and increasing living costs, ranking among Africa’s most indebted countries by debt-to-GDP ratio. An official government review conducted last year uncovered previously unreported obligations totaling $13 billion left by the former administration.

A Scottish political party executive admitted to stealing more than $540,000 from party funds to finance personal purchases including gaming systems, luxury timepieces, and a recreational vehicle, according to court proceedings Tuesday.

Peter Murrell, 61, who previously served as chief executive of the Scottish National Party and was married to former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, appeared at Edinburgh’s High Court where prosecutors outlined his elaborate theft scheme. Prosecutor Alan Cameron explained how Murrell fabricated invoices and altered financial records to conceal his crimes.

The stolen funds, taken from an account containing membership dues and member contributions, financed an extensive array of purchases. Court documents showed Murrell bought two vehicles, a recreational vehicle, and high-end merchandise including timepieces and crystal glassware. His shopping list also included ordinary household goods such as yard equipment, electric dental care devices, and bathroom cleaning tools.

Cameron explained that Murrell exploited his authority over the party’s financial accounts to conduct his spending scheme. To avoid detection, he mislabeled his purchases in the party’s financial tracking system — including recording a $4,136 robotic grass-cutting machine as “legal fees.”

Last week, Murrell entered a guilty plea to embezzlement charges covering the period from 2010 through 2022. Sturgeon, who headed the SNP for ten years, has firmly denied any involvement in Murrell’s criminal activities, stating she was “deceived, misled and betrayed.” The couple announced their divorce last year.

Authorities arrested Sturgeon in June 2023 during the financial investigation, though police later cleared her of wrongdoing. Murrell awaits sentencing later this month.

Prosecutors detailed Murrell’s purchases by category, revealing the scope of his spending. He acquired a recreational vehicle that was incorrectly invoiced as a “van” and never made available to other party members. His luxury purchases included $57,474 worth of Amazon orders using SNP credit cards, encompassing PlayStation and Nintendo gaming systems, a Super Mario video game, cutlery sets, kitchen equipment, and premium Montblanc writing instruments.

Additional high-end purchases included luxury leather products and office supplies from London’s Smythson store, an ornate silver wine coaster falsely categorized as “leadership expenses,” two premium Bremont timepieces recorded as “event merchandise,” and salt and pepper mills from Lalique.

Murrell’s vehicle purchases involved buying a Volkswagen Golf in 2016 with $22,220 in party money, later trading it for a Jaguar while claiming the expense supported party events. In 2021, he sold the luxury car and kept approximately $63,844 for himself.