Category: World News

Parliamentary and regional elections scheduled for Monday in Ethiopia are predicted to deliver an overwhelming victory for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s political party, according to analysts, even as large portions of the nation experience ongoing violence and instability.

Over 50 million Ethiopian citizens have registered to participate in the voting process, though ballots will not be cast in the northern Tigray region. Election officials have pointed to “unfavourable conditions” in that area following a civil conflict that lasted from 2020 to 2022 and persistent political upheaval.

The 49-year-old Abiy seeks to strengthen his control over the country’s political landscape. He assumed power in 2018 after widespread demonstrations against the EPRDF coalition that had governed for years, and his recently established Prosperity Party secured 410 of 484 parliamentary positions during 2021 voting.

Campaign efforts by Prosperity Party representatives have focused on the administration’s economic achievements, highlighting enhanced food security and economic expansion in this African nation with the continent’s second-largest population. Government officials forecast economic growth will exceed 10% by 2026, representing one of Africa’s most rapid growth rates.

The country’s 135 million residents include nearly half who are younger than 18 years old.

However, Abiy confronts armed rebellions in Ethiopia’s two largest regions, stemming from complaints by various ethnic communities about perceived discrimination within the nation’s federal structure.

In Oromiya, the region where Abiy was born in the southern part of the country, clashes between government troops and the separatist Oromo Liberation Army have resulted in hundreds of casualties over recent years.

In the adjacent Amhara region, a militia group called Fano has taken control of large rural areas since 2023. Consequently, voting will be suspended in no fewer than eight of Amhara’s 138 electoral districts.

While a 2022 peace agreement brought an end to the Tigray civil war, which studies indicate led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, recent actions by the region’s primary political organization to regain administrative control have prompted Ethiopian authorities and experts to caution about potential renewed violence.

Despite these challenges, the Prosperity Party is projected to overwhelmingly win against a divided opposition weakened by internal disputes. Election outcomes are anticipated by June 11.

Opposition groups claim the federal administration has undermined their efforts through leader arrests and legal barriers to their political operations, allegations the government rejects.

Reuters has been unable to conduct reporting from within Ethiopia since mid-February, when the Ethiopian Media Authority chose not to extend credentials for its three journalists based in Addis Ababa.

When Abiy took office in 2018, he initiated efforts to open up Ethiopia’s strictly regulated economy and released journalists, activists and other political detainees. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for resolving conflicts with neighboring Eritrea.

Critics and human rights advocates claim his administration has rolled back those improvements in recent years through journalist detentions, civil society organization shutdowns, and military operations characterized by human rights violations.

The government has rejected claims of systematic human rights abuses and stated its measures are required for national security protection.

The improved relationship with Eritrea has deteriorated into renewed tensions over recent years, partly due to Abiy’s repeated statements that landlocked Ethiopia deserves access to the sea.

Eritrea, which gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has interpreted these remarks as an implicit threat of military action. Abiy has stated that while sea access represents an “existential” issue for Ethiopia, he plans to pursue it through negotiations.

Citizens throughout Colombia participated in Sunday’s presidential election to choose who will replace President Gustavo Petro. Among those casting ballots were candidates Iván Cepeda, Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, while security forces and law enforcement maintained vigilant oversight throughout the voting process.

The election drew voters from communities nationwide as the country selected its next leader under heightened security measures.

During Paraguay’s 215th Independence Day celebration at its Jerusalem embassy, Ambassador Alejandro Rubin Cymerman delivered a powerful message about his nation’s unwavering support for Israel. The diplomatic gathering featured Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Knesset members Boaz Toporovsky and Evgeny Sova, along with various diplomats and community leaders.

The ceremony included traditional diplomatic elements – flags, speeches, wine, and formal greetings. However, the most memorable moment came when Rubin explained Paraguay’s decision to locate its embassy in Jerusalem rather than following typical diplomatic protocol.

“Paraguay is in Jerusalem because it believes in Israel,” Rubin declared during his address. “Paraguay is in Jerusalem because it honors its word. Paraguay is in Jerusalem because it understands that true friendship is shown with actions.”

Rubin drew connections between the two nations’ independence stories. Paraguay gained independence on the evening of May 14, 1811, completing the process in the early morning hours of May 15. Similarly, Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, just before the British Mandate ended at midnight. The ambassador noted that this year’s celebration also aligned with Jerusalem Day.

“Some coincidences are not invented. They simply exist,” Rubin observed. “They wait to be seen with attention. And they invite us to think.” He characterized Jerusalem as representing memory, faith, history, identity, and future – not merely a capital city.

The ambassador emphasized that Paraguay’s Jerusalem presence wasn’t directed against any other nation, but rather supported what his government views as historical truth and genuine friendship. “Peace is not built by asking a people to hide its history, to hide its identity, or to put aside what is essential to its national soul,” he stated. “Peace is built when people truly recognize each other.”

In a later interview with The Media Line, Rubin explained that Paraguay’s Israel relationship extends beyond government policy into Paraguayan society itself. He mentioned that President Santiago Peña has shared how ordinary citizens urged him to support Israel during his campaign. According to Rubin, Paraguay’s foreign policy centers on three main pillars: the United States, Taiwan, and Israel.

The ambassador connected Paraguay’s support for Israel to his country’s historical trauma, particularly the devastating War of the Triple Alliance in the 19th century, which claimed a catastrophic portion of Paraguay’s male population. This experience, he suggested, created an emotional bond with Jewish history and Holocaust memory.

“It stayed in the genes of the Paraguayan,” Rubin said, explaining why Israel support resonates widely in Paraguay compared to other Latin American countries. He compared this stance to Paraguay’s continued Taiwan recognition despite potential economic advantages from China relations.

“Paraguay does not move by convenience,” Rubin emphasized. “Paraguay moves by values.” He noted that when he arrived in Israel in January 2024, many Israelis knew little about Paraguay or confused it with Uruguay. Now, he said, the response is markedly different: “Today I say Paraguay, and the Israeli tells me: Thank you.”

Sa’ar praised Paraguay as a “stable friend” of Israel during his remarks, distinguishing it from countries whose friendliness fluctuates with political changes. He highlighted how such stability benefits not only governments but also business investors considering long-term commitments.

“With Paraguay, Ambassador, it’s not only that you really enjoy political stability and economic stability,” Sa’ar noted. “It’s a stable friend of the State of Israel. Its friendship is stable.” He recalled his Paraguay visit approximately six months earlier and joked that the Jerusalem embassy location made his schedule easier by being close to his office. “That’s a hint for other embassies,” he added.

Sa’ar outlined Israel’s straightforward foreign policy approach: investing in friendships with supportive nations. “We want to be friendly with those who are friendly to us,” he said. “It is very simple.” He mentioned that Fiji had also opened a Jerusalem embassy, with Somaliland expected to follow suit.

The economic dimension of the relationship has shown dramatic growth. Rubin reported that Paraguay’s annual beef sales to Israel, previously around $110 million, nearly doubled last year and could exceed $300 million this year if current trends continue, following more than $80 million in first-quarter sales.

However, Rubin stressed that Paraguay seeks recognition beyond meat exports. He described his country as offering food, energy, water, agro-industry, applied technology, logistics, services, maquila, and investment opportunities. As a Mercosur member, Paraguay provides access to both its domestic market of approximately 7.5 million people and a regional market of hundreds of millions.

“Israeli businesspeople are starting to discover that big things can be done from Paraguay,” he said. He also expressed interest in attracting Israeli backpackers, describing Paraguay as beautiful, affordable, fun, and safe for Israeli visitors.

Toporovsky, who attended shortly after resigning from the Knesset, told The Media Line about his close friendship with Rubin and how Israeli officials value Paraguay’s clear support. He identified opportunities for expanded cooperation in business, economics, diplomacy, politics, education, and research.

Sova, deputy speaker of the Knesset from the Yisrael Beitenu party, described visiting Paraguay two years ago as a Knesset member and maintaining regular contact with Paraguayan lawmakers and parliament speaker Raúl Latorre. He called Paraguay’s leaders “true friends” and emphasized the importance of their Latin American support.

“It is important to preserve the relationship, and it is important to support our friends,” Sova stated. “Regardless of the identity of the government in Israel, our relations with Paraguay will only grow stronger.”

The cross-party attendance reinforced Paraguay’s positioning as a long-term partner rather than merely a supporter of the current Israeli administration. During a period when Israel’s international relations often focus on war, diplomatic pressure, and isolation, Paraguay’s Independence Day celebration presented a different narrative: a Latin American embassy in Jerusalem openly celebrating sovereignty while declaring itself among Israel’s most devoted allies.

Rubin concluded by connecting symbols with action, arguing that diplomacy should extend beyond ceremonies and documents to “help bring good closer” and organize realities. His comments underscored that Paraguay’s Jerusalem embassy represents more than symbolic gesture – it constitutes a public alignment statement with Israel and a deliberate effort to make that friendship visible.

Colombia’s presidential election is moving to a runoff after initial voting results showed no candidate achieved the necessary majority to win outright, according to data released Sunday by the nation’s electoral registry.

Conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espreilla and leftist senator Ivan Cepeda are set to face each other in the second round, with vote tallies showing a tight race between the two candidates.

The right wing lawyer secured 44.2% of voter support, while the veteran senator and activist garnered 41% of the vote. Since neither candidate crossed the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff, Colombian voters will return to the polls for a decisive second round.

The results were announced with the majority of ballots counted across the South American nation.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has allegedly delivered a resignation letter to the Office of the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, complaining that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has seized control of government operations while pushing him out of important decision-making, Iran International reports.

According to the outlet, Pezeshkian asked to leave office right away, claiming he can no longer properly run the government or meet his constitutional duties since crucial decisions are happening without his input.

Iranian officials and major global news agencies have not verified these allegations, and there’s no clear sign the resignation has been approved.

Iran International stated that Pezeshkian indicated the IRGC had taken charge of essential government functions while pushing aside civilian leadership. The news source said this power shift has prevented the president’s team from pursuing diplomatic talks or making planned cabinet adjustments.

The same outlet had earlier documented how the IRGC has slowly reduced presidential authority and seized oversight of important government sectors. Sources familiar with the situation described a governmental standstill that has hampered the administration’s ability to execute policy goals.

The reporting also indicated that control over major decisions has moved from civilian officials to top IRGC commanders and the Supreme Leader, creating obstacles for executive actions and sidelining diplomatic initiatives.

The Jerusalem Post states that the IRGC manages between 20% and 40% of Iran’s economic activity. The publication noted that the group evades international penalties using concealed oil tanker operations and illegal trade routes while overseeing most of the nation’s petroleum sales, funneling profits into its defense manufacturing operations.

The Council on Foreign Relations has documented that the IRGC runs a domestic surveillance and intelligence system that incorporates the Basij militia. The organization reports that this force tracks opposition activities and helps guarantee that only IRGC-friendly candidates can obtain major political positions.

Whether Mojtaba Khamenei will approve Pezeshkian’s alleged resignation request remains unknown.

Israeli officials report that a Palestinian assailant drove his vehicle into two teenage girls at the Gush Etzion Junction Sunday evening, sparking a widespread security response throughout the region.

The incident took place in the southern section of the Gush Etzion Junction. Medical personnel treated a 17-year-old who received severe limb injuries and a 15-year-old who sustained facial trauma and was reported in stable condition. A 25-year-old received treatment for anxiety symptoms. Medical teams transported all three individuals to Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

Military personnel from the 90th Battalion of the Kfir Brigade fatally shot the assailant, a 30-year-old man from Hebron.

Law enforcement officials stated that officers from nearby stations responded to the location, securing the perimeter and conducting searches to verify no additional suspects were present. Extensive military and police units initiated area-wide searches, while operations took place in Hebron, the attacker’s home city.

Initial investigations revealed the assailant executed a U-turn at the junction prior to launching the assault. Security personnel maintained their presence in the vicinity after the incident occurred.

Speaking from the location, Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal stated, “This was a severe attack at the Gush Etzion Junction. A terrorist attempted to run over a group of boys and girls, and we have several injured victims. The terrorist was eliminated very quickly by army forces.”

The assault resulted in two teenagers requiring hospitalization and prompted a comprehensive security operation by Israeli forces throughout the Gush Etzion region. Officials maintained search and investigation efforts following the attacker’s death.

A tragic vehicle accident in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of 22 people and left 36 others wounded after a truck transporting Afghan refugees crashed into a ravine on Saturday in the eastern Laghman province.

Abdul Malik Niazi, a Taliban official, spoke with The Media Line about the incident, explaining that “the accident occurred on the main highway linking Kabul with Nangarhar province.”

Officials confirmed that among those who died were 10 children and five women. The 36 people who sustained injuries have been taken to multiple medical facilities for care.

According to the Taliban official, all those involved in the crash were Afghan migrants who had recently come back from Pakistan. The group had been staying temporarily in Kunar province and were traveling to Kabul when their vehicle crashed.

Amanullah Sharif, who leads the provincial health department, verified the casualty numbers and reported that early investigations suggest the crash happened because the driver had fallen asleep.

The victims were part of a larger group of thousands of Afghan refugees who have made their way back to Afghanistan from Pakistan over recent months.

In 2023, Pakistan began a major enforcement operation targeting undocumented migrants, resulting in many Afghan nationals being compelled to leave or facing deportation.

During this same timeframe, Iran also increased its efforts to remove Afghan refugees from its territory.

This tragedy occurs as Afghanistan continues to handle significant numbers of people returning from surrounding nations, especially Pakistan, which has ramped up its deportation activities for undocumented Afghan migrants.

Data from the Taliban commission for refugees shows that during the past week, approximately 4,000 migrants have been sent back from Pakistan each day.

International humanitarian organizations have consistently cautioned that the massive influx of returning migrants is creating additional pressure on transportation systems and government services, particularly in eastern provinces that function as major border crossing areas.

With thousands of returnees entering Afghanistan daily under challenging circumstances and disorganized schedules, local infrastructure and services in already vulnerable areas are facing increasing stress. Transportation pathways are becoming more dangerous, and communities are having difficulty managing the sudden arrival of large numbers of people.

Without improved regional cooperation and better support systems for those returning, the situation threatens to develop into a broader humanitarian crisis characterized by avoidable fatalities, recurring accidents, and serious humanitarian dangers throughout the affected provinces.

The Israel Defense Forces has taken control of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, hoisting Israeli and Golani Brigade flags over the historic fortress following military operations designed to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the region, military officials announced.

The mission brought Israeli soldiers to one of southern Lebanon’s most strategically important locations. Military officials reported that forces moved past the Litani River near Metula to reach the castle, which offers commanding views of northern Israel and the Nabatieh region.

The Israel Defense Forces stated that the territory around Beaufort and Wadi Saluki had functioned as a key Hezbollah command center. Military officials reported that the militant organization had built extensive infrastructure in the location with Iranian support and utilized the site to plan attacks and fire hundreds of rockets toward Israel and Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon.

Military officials indicated that forces continue operations near Nabatieh and stand ready to expand their mission.

“The IDF is operating near Nabatieh, a significant Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon, and is prepared to expand the offensive as required,” the military said, “to destroy [Hezbollah] infrastructure and eliminate terrorists, as part of strengthening operational control in southern Lebanon and removing the direct threat to the Galilee Panhandle and Metula,” as well as to “expand the forward defense line.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that regaining control of Beaufort held special meaning due to the location’s role in Israel’s previous military operations in Lebanon.

“Forty-four years after the heroic Battle of the Beaufort, and on the memorial day for the Peace for the Galilee War, including the Golani soldiers who fell in the Battle of the Beaufort, IDF soldiers, led by the Golani Brigade, returned to the summit of Beaufort and once again raised the Israeli flag and the Golani flag there,” Katz said.

The medieval fortress, originally constructed during the Crusades, was initially taken by Israeli forces during the early phases of the First Lebanon War in 1982. In that conflict, Golani Brigade troops battled Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) forces at the location. Dozens of PLO fighters were killed, while six Israeli soldiers lost their lives. Israeli forces maintained control of the position until withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000.

May 31 – An official appointed by Russia reported that a Ukrainian drone attack targeted a residential building in territory controlled by Russian forces in the southern Kherson region, resulting in the death of one child and wounding eleven others.

Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-appointed governor overseeing Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson region, posted on Telegram that the attack took place in Henichesk, a city located along the Sea of Azov coastline.

PRAGUE, May 31 – Beijing has sharply denounced a visit to Taiwan by Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil this week, declaring on Sunday that the journey ignored his country’s official government stance and meddled in China’s domestic matters.

Vystrcil, who represents the opposition centre-right ODS party, is heading a business delegation during the Taiwan visit. His itinerary includes meetings with President Lai Ching-te and other government officials and business leaders – a move that has angered China.

“The Chinese side urges the Czech side to strictly abide by the one-China principle, immediately take effective measures to eliminate the adverse consequences of this wrongdoing, and safeguard the overall framework for the development of China-Czech relations through its concrete actions,” the Chinese embassy in Prague said on its website.

Beijing has consistently opposed connections between Prague and Taipei. China maintains that the island lacks authority for diplomatic relationships between nations, a position that Taiwan’s government firmly disputes.

While the Czech Republic officially recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei like most nations worldwide, Prague has strengthened ties with Taiwan in recent years. The island nation serves as a major player in semiconductor manufacturing and has increased its investments in the Czech Republic. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung traveled to Prague in early May and participated in a city forum.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, whose ANO party heads a coalition with right-wing and far-right parties, has opposed the trip and declined to provide Vystrcil with government aircraft for the journey.

A prominent Indigenous rights advocate from Nicaragua has died while in government custody, sparking international condemnation from human rights organizations.

Brooklyn Rivera, who had been detained by Nicaraguan authorities since September 2023, passed away under circumstances that have drawn sharp criticism from activists worldwide. Government officials released a statement on Sunday claiming Rivera’s death resulted from bacterial complications connected to COVID-19 that caused both physical and neurological decline.

International human rights advocates have strongly criticized both Rivera’s death and a government statement issued Saturday that referred to the detained leader as “Brother” while claiming officials were offering prayers for him.

“They took him alive, and after refusing to tell his family, his lawyer, the world anything about his fate, then they call him brother,” said Reed Brody, an American human rights lawyer and member of a group of U.N. experts on Nicaragua. “Unconscionable cynicism on the part of the government to make it seem like they were trying to help him.”

Rivera served as a leader for the Miskito people, an Indigenous community residing along Nicaragua’s northeastern coastline that has maintained a long struggle to preserve their ancestral territories.

Throughout his decades of activism, Rivera opposed the ruling Sandinista government while working to secure autonomous status for the northeastern coastal region. This territory contains valuable deposits of gold, silver and other natural resources, making it a priority area for the administration of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo as they seek to draw foreign investment.

Emergency responders report that a devastating explosion at a Myanmar facility housing mining explosives has resulted in the deaths of more than 45 individuals, with dozens more suffering injuries.

The deadly blast occurred around midday Sunday in Kaungtup village, located in Namhkam township, leaving approximately 70 people wounded.

The village sits roughly 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Myanmar’s border with China, in territory controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, an ethnic military organization that has periodically clashed with Myanmar’s national government.

An emergency responder who arrived at the explosion site informed The Associated Press that 46 fatalities, including six children, had been retrieved by Sunday night and prepared for cremation.

Speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, the responder reported that 74 wounded individuals had been transported to the township medical facility, with rescue efforts still ongoing.

A second rescue worker in Namhkam, also requesting anonymity, confirmed approximately 40 deaths and reported that more than 100 residences surrounding the blast location sustained damage.

News organizations in Myanmar, including Shan State’s online Shwe Phee Myay news agency, documented fatality counts between 50 and 55. They released photographs and video footage displaying smoke from the blast and the resulting structural damage and wreckage.

China’s state-run CCTV network confirmed the explosion resulted in multiple casualties and injuries, with numerous homes suffering significant damage, though specific numbers were not provided.

According to initial findings reported by the broadcaster, the explosion happened at a location where substantial amounts of mining explosives were kept in storage.

The report stated that local officials are currently delivering emergency aid, medical treatment, and relocation support to impacted community members.

In a statement posted to its Telegram channel, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, confirmed that gelignite had been kept by the organization’s economic division for mining and quarrying operations, adding that they are investigating what caused the explosion.

While gelignite serves common purposes in mining and rock demolition, it can develop dangerous instability as it ages or when stored improperly.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, belongs to the insurgent Three Brotherhood Alliance and has maintained control over the Namhkam region since the alliance and its partners initiated a significant military campaign against Myanmar’s armed forces in northeastern areas during late 2023. Alliance participants and other ethnic military organizations have historically fought for greater self-governance.

Following China-facilitated negotiations in October of last year, the TNLA agreed to a ceasefire with Myanmar’s military, though tensions continue.

Myanmar has experienced chaos since military forces overthrew the democratically elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021, sparking extensive public resistance. When peaceful protests were violently suppressed, many military opponents armed themselves, and substantial portions of the nation are now experiencing armed conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced during a television interview aired Sunday that he aims to advance peace negotiations with Russia before winter arrives, capitalizing on what he describes as Ukraine’s enhanced strategic standing.

Peace discussions facilitated by the United States have reached an impasse as Washington has shifted attention to the conflict in Iran.

According to Zelenskiy and other Ukrainian leadership, Russian military advancement has decelerated while Ukraine has escalated medium and long-range attacks within Russian territory, primarily focusing on Russia’s petroleum sector.

“It began in December 2025, Russia began to lose the initiative on the battlefield,” Zelenskiy stated during his appearance on CBS Television’s ‘Face the Nation’.

“So now we have this period of time before the winter… before the winter we need to find a way, diplomatic way, to sit and to speak,” Zelenskiy explained, noting that success depends on mounting pressure against Russian President Vladimir Putin, “the pressure in his society, and I think that is increasing, the pressure by sanctions — not to lift them, to put more.”

The Ukrainian leader mentioned potential negotiations facilitated by European nations or direct discussions with Russia, while reiterating his demand for stricter sanctions against Russia.

A high-ranking Ukrainian military official informed Reuters during an interview the previous week that Ukraine possesses a six-month opportunity to capture battlefield momentum and improve its position for future peace negotiations.

Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, leading Ukraine’s Third Army Corps, expressed his assessment that Russia’s military forces are depleted and unable to achieve significant advances.

During his CBS interview, Zelenskiy also emphasized Ukraine’s need for American assistance with air defense missiles while European anti-missile defense systems remain unavailable.

“Until the moment we will produce our European anti-ballistic system, until this moment, we need support from the United States,” he stated.

Ukraine anticipates securing an agreement with the United States regarding collaborative drone technology, with Kyiv offering knowledge gained from five years of intercepting Russian drones and missiles.

“We have already drone deals with some Middle East countries and we have already drone deals with some European countries,” he said. “Now we’re preparing the big drone deal with the European Union and I hope that we will have such decisions with American partners. I count on it.”

Health officials report that two Palestinians were killed and 12 others injured Sunday when an Israeli airstrike hit a Gaza cafe filled with people celebrating public holidays.

Israeli officials have not yet responded to requests for comment about the incident.

A ceasefire agreement negotiated by U.S. President Donald Trump in October has not stopped Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas remain at an impasse in indirect negotiations regarding the implementation of the second phase of the agreement, which would involve the group’s disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Under the current ceasefire terms, Israel maintains control over more than half of Gaza’s territory, while Hamas governs a narrow strip along the coast. Sunday’s targeted cafe was located at Gaza’s emergency seaport, which consists of a temporary floating dock positioned offshore.

Gaza health officials report that approximately 900 Palestinians have died in Israeli military operations since the truce took effect, though these figures do not separate military combatants from civilians.

During this same timeframe, the country’s military reports that four Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants.

A devastating blast in Myanmar has claimed the lives of at least 55 individuals and left dozens injured in a rural village, according to a BBC report released Sunday.

The deadly incident took place in Kaung Tat village, situated in Namkham Township within Shan State, where the explosion resulted in the deaths of 25 women and 30 men.

Reuters has not been able to independently confirm the details of this report at this time.

Israeli forces fatally shot a Palestinian worker at a checkpoint barrier near Jerusalem on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Officials identified the victim as 26-year-old Imad Haroun Ishtayeh, a resident of Salim town located east of Nablus. The ministry reported that Israeli forces wounded him with gunfire to his thigh in al-Ram town, and medical personnel later declared him dead at the Palestinian Medical Complex in Ramallah.

Video footage shared on social media depicted people carrying his body and descending a ladder positioned against the wire-topped checkpoint while vehicles passed nearby and horns sounded.

Israeli police have not yet provided a statement regarding the fatal shooting.

Ishtayeh was reportedly trying to cross illegally from the West Bank into Israel. Multiple individuals have been shot while attempting to breach the checkpoint, including a 44-year-old father who died in a similar incident earlier this month.

Growing numbers of Palestinians from the West Bank have attempted unauthorized entry into Israel for employment opportunities in recent years. While tens of thousands of Palestinians previously held valid Israeli work permits, access became severely limited following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza conflict.

Following that date, joblessness in the West Bank has climbed dramatically during an economic downturn. Approximately 50 workers have died from Israeli gunfire, with more than 38,000 detained although many were subsequently freed, the Palestinian official WAFA news agency reported Sunday, referencing data from the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions.

PARIS – Street violence following Paris Saint-Germain’s back-to-back Champions League championship has left more than 200 people wounded and resulted in one fatality, French interior ministry officials reported Sunday, sparking renewed discussion about France’s ongoing struggles with public disorder.

PSG secured their second straight European football title Saturday after defeating Arsenal in a tense penalty shootout held in Budapest. While fans gathered at the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower Sunday afternoon to celebrate the team’s victory parade, the festivities were marred by significant overnight violence similar to last year’s incidents.

The overnight disturbances resulted in injuries to 57 law enforcement officers throughout Paris, with authorities detaining more than 400 individuals, including some arrests made outside the capital city, officials confirmed.

Rioters caused extensive damage to Paris storefronts and set fire to vehicles and bicycle rental stations, according to police reports.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that vandalism also occurred in smaller cities including Orleans.

While law enforcement wasn’t the primary target in most locations, one central Paris police facility experienced brief confrontations Saturday evening, Paris police stated.

A young man lost his life in a motorcycle crash during the chaos, the Paris public prosecutor’s office confirmed.

Nunez, who previously served as Paris police chief, coordinated a massive security deployment involving more than 20,000 officers. He stated that authorities handled the violence systematically, saying: “The situation was, overall, under control.”

Far-right National Rally politicians, currently polling ahead of next year’s presidential race, used the incident to push for stricter law enforcement measures.

“Only in France does a victory of a football club trigger riots,” stated Marine Le Pen, the movement’s leader.

However, other political figures pointed to underlying social tensions as the root cause of recurring violence and disorder, arguing that the worst troublemakers don’t represent genuine football supporters.

“France is living under strain. Society is becoming increasingly brutal. We are a pressure cooker ready to explode anytime,” commented Raphael Glucksmann, who is considering a centre-left presidential campaign.

Similar chaotic celebrations after PSG’s inaugural Champions League victory last year resulted in two fatalities.

Israeli military forces have captured a strategically important fortress in southern Lebanon, advancing deeper into the country than they have in more than 25 years, even as diplomatic efforts continue to broker peace between the neighboring nations.

The Israeli army took control of Beaufort castle on Sunday, a historic stronghold positioned more than 700 meters above sea level that provides sweeping views of both Lebanon and northern Israel. The fortress has served military purposes for nearly 1,000 years.

Israeli officials state they are conducting operations against Hezbollah, the Iranian-supported militant organization that maintains significant political influence in southern Lebanon and has fired thousands of rockets and drones at Israeli forces and communities in northern Israel.

Israeli authorities have urged Lebanese residents throughout the southern region to leave their homes or face potential danger from military operations. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized Israel on Saturday, claiming the nation is “implementing a policy of total destruction of cities and towns.”

More than 3,300 individuals, including numerous children, have lost their lives in Lebanon since hostilities resumed on March 2, just two days following the start of the Iran conflict. Approximately 1 million people have been forced from their homes. Israeli casualties include at least 25 soldiers and one defense contractor killed in Lebanon or northern Israel, plus two civilians in northern Israel.

The captured fortress, alternatively known as Al-Shaqif, originated as a Crusader stronghold during the 12th century. Throughout history, it has been occupied by Saladin’s forces, Mamluks, Ottomans, French mandate authorities, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and Israeli forces until 2000, when it underwent partial restoration and welcomed tourists.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu observed on Sunday that Beaufort represents “a symbol of a heroic battle for our fighters, but was also a symbol of deep division between us.”

The military’s return to the site creates a sense of repetition, according to Orna Mizrahi, who previously served as deputy director in the government’s National Security Council. “There’s a feeling of, ‘For what?’” she stated.

Mizrahi, currently a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, explained that “Beaufort” evokes both triumph for the Israeli forces who captured it in 1982 and the costly efforts to defend it before its transfer in 2000.

She anticipates Israel will ultimately surrender control of the fortress, despite Defense Minister Israel Katz’s pledge to incorporate it into Israel’s permanent security zone in southern Lebanon.

Maintaining a military presence there will not resolve the Hezbollah situation, Mizrahi noted: “Yes, we are damaging them in the operations, but in parallel we need to pursue a political and diplomatic solution.”

Israel has consistently viewed Hezbollah as a security threat. The Shiite Muslim armed organization formed in 1982 following an Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has attacked northern Israeli communities and entered the Gaza conflict in 2023 to support Palestinians.

Israeli operations significantly weakened Hezbollah during months of warfare. Combat ceased with a U.S.-mediated ceasefire in late 2024 following indirect negotiations, and Israeli troops pulled back except from five strategic elevated positions near the border.

Lebanon’s new administration assumed power promising to disarm organizations like Hezbollah, but the militants refused. Israel subsequently alleged that Hezbollah was rearming and rebuilding its capabilities.

Hezbollah resumed attacks on Israel on March 2, leading Israel to launch an invasion of southern Lebanon. Recently, Israel has reported efforts to prevent Hezbollah from harming its personnel and civilians using an advanced fiber-optic drone technology that has seen extensive use in the Ukraine conflict.

A U.S.-mediated ceasefire took effect in mid-April. However, unlike the agreement in the Iran conflict, this truce has failed to maintain stability.

Hundreds of thousands of residents have evacuated southern Lebanon as Israeli forces conducted aerial bombardments and ground troops advanced into the territory. Many displaced people have sought refuge in Beirut, the capital, where hundreds have died, including during an intensive bombardment lasting several minutes in April.

Israeli forces currently occupy substantial portions of southern Lebanon and have destroyed residential buildings and historical landmarks. Lebanon’s prime minister, Salam, stated Saturday that Israel is attempting to “uproot Lebanon’s memory and erase the people’s history.”

Groundbreaking discussions between high-ranking Israeli and Lebanese officials commenced in April in Washington, representing the first such meetings in over three decades between the nations that lack formal diplomatic ties.

The first direct military discussions in decades took place on Friday.

Outstanding matters include Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, positioning of Lebanese forces in the region, and Hezbollah’s disarmament, which the group has rejected while Israeli forces remain in the country.

Negotiations will resume this week. Hezbollah is not participating and has declared it will not recognize any outcomes. The organization favors discussions that utilize Iran’s influence and considers the Lebanese government ineffective, a view echoed by some others in the country.

Lebanese citizens remain divided regarding the talks, which sparked protests when announced. Many Lebanese express anger toward Hezbollah for the devastation it has brought to their country, while also maintaining suspicion of Israel.

Lebanon’s prime minister described the direct negotiations on Saturday as “currently the least costly option,” emphasizing they do not constitute surrender and acknowledging no guarantee of success.

An indigenous rights advocate from Nicaragua has passed away after spending three years behind bars, according to reports from a Central American news organization.

Brooklyn Rivera, who served as a leader for indigenous communities, died while in custody, as reported by 100% Noticias, a media outlet that covers developments in Nicaragua.

Rivera had been imprisoned for three years prior to his death. The circumstances surrounding both his incarceration and passing were reported from Buenos Aires on May 31.

Taiwan’s presidential office issued strong criticism of China on Sunday following reports that a New York Times journalist was forced out of the country after her publication interviewed Taiwan’s leader.

Beijing considers the democratically-run island nation to be part of its territory and labels President Lai Ching-te a “separatist.” Lai disputes Beijing’s claims of control and maintains that only Taiwan’s citizens should determine the island’s destiny.

The newspaper reported Friday that journalist Vivian Wang was forced to leave China in February.

According to the publication, Chinese authorities explained the action as retaliation for the newspaper’s December video interview with Lai during its DealBook summit, though Wang was not involved in that interview.

Presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo stated that conducting interviews and sharing the administration’s positions globally is routine for Lai.

“China’s use of groundless pretexts and crude methods to threaten the media and interfere with press freedom not only fails to improve its international image, but also highlights that today’s China is indeed a source of instability,” she said in a statement.

Both China’s foreign ministry and the U.S. State Department did not immediately provide responses when contacted for comment.

Wang had been stationed in China, where her reporting covered topics such as censorship and Beijing’s handling of COVID. She also did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Kuo declared that Taiwan “will not be silenced by oppression” and will continue sharing its positions with the global community in a “steady and responsible manner”.

Taiwan has accused China of escalating what the island calls “transnational repression,” including imposing penalties on Taiwanese officials and legislators despite Chinese law having no authority over the island.

International correspondents in China typically receive only one-year visas that require annual renewal and can be canceled without notice.

China forced out more than a dozen international journalists working for U.S. news organizations in 2020, during a period of retaliatory measures between the two nations. Washington also reduced the number of journalists allowed to work in the United States for four major Chinese state-controlled media companies.

Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon firmly denied any responsibility Sunday for her estranged husband’s theft of political party funds, stating she would not offer apologies for his criminal actions.

During a BBC interview, Sturgeon expressed feeling betrayed by Peter Murrell’s conduct after he admitted guilt last week to embezzling more than 400,000 pounds ($540,000) from Scottish National Party coffers while serving as the organization’s chief executive. The stolen money reportedly supported an extravagant lifestyle. Sturgeon maintained she had no awareness of his illegal activities.

“I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed,” she told the BBC. “I’m not going to apologize for somebody else’s crimes.”

The former leader’s remarks addressed mounting skepticism regarding her earlier claims of ignorance about Murrell’s criminal behavior. This situation has amplified worries about political accountability across the United Kingdom following multiple scandals that have damaged public confidence in governmental institutions.

Critics have questioned the decision to keep Murrell in his executive role after Sturgeon assumed party leadership in 2014. She admitted this choice was an error.

“Of course, with hindsight, I wish that I could go back and take a different decision,” she said.

Murrell’s guilty plea concluded a five-year law enforcement investigation into the SNP, the party that has controlled Scotland’s semiautonomous government for nearly twenty years while advocating for independence from the United Kingdom.

Internal party chaos erupted in 2023 amid growing questions about financial management and declining membership rolls.

Sturgeon headed the Scottish government for nearly ten years before suddenly stepping down as first minister in February 2023. Her explanation at the time puzzled political observers when she stated she knew in her “head and in my heart” that departure was appropriate.

The next month, Murrell resigned from his two-decade tenure as SNP chief executive, accepting responsibility for providing false information to media outlets about membership losses. Police took him into custody at the couple’s Glasgow residence in April.

Authorities arrested Sturgeon in June 2023 but later cleared her of wrongdoing.

Five workers died and one was injured when a mine shaft collapsed during unauthorized mining activities in China’s Yunnan province early Sunday morning, according to state media reports.

The deadly incident took place at approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning in Huize County, as reported by state news agency Xinhua, which cited local government officials. The type of mineral being extracted at the site was not disclosed in the report.

Emergency responders pulled six individuals from the collapsed site and transported them to a medical facility, but only one person survived the incident, Xinhua stated. The surviving worker remains in stable condition at the hospital.

Local officials have initiated an investigation to determine what caused the collapse. This latest tragedy follows the devastating May 22 gas explosion at a coal mining facility in northern Shanxi province that resulted in 82 fatalities, left two people unaccounted for, and injured 128 workers.

Government officials have promised a comprehensive investigation into the Shanxi incident after initial findings revealed unauthorized tunnel construction, absent tracking equipment, and fraudulent entrance barriers at the mining location.

War crimes investigators working to document alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine are struggling to continue their work after losing millions in American funding, hampering efforts to seek justice for victims of the conflict.

Roksolana Makar, who investigates war crimes for a Ukrainian nonprofit, recently traveled dangerous roads under threat of drone strikes to interview a 55-year-old woman named Alla in the town of Izium. The woman described being held for 10 days at a battery plant during the 2022 Russian occupation, where she said soldiers beat her, used electrical shocks, suffocated her with a gas mask and sexually assaulted her.

“I asked them to kill me because I couldn’t take it anymore,” Alla told Makar, requesting to be identified only by her first name.

Makar’s organization, Truth Hounds, is among dozens that have lost American financial support after the current administration cut tens of millions of dollars in overseas development aid to advance an “America first” agenda. Ukraine received the largest share of these cuts, according to government officials.

“There’s less hope” for accountability, Makar said following her interview with Alla in January.

The cuts represent a significant shift from America’s historical role in supporting international justice efforts dating back to the Nuremberg trials. Reuters could not independently verify Alla’s account, and Russian officials have repeatedly denied war crime allegations, calling them Western propaganda.

Ukrainian prosecutors have opened more than 230,000 war crimes cases since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including allegations of targeting civilians, abducting children, torture and sexual violence.

Beth Van Schaack, who served as ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice under the previous administration, warned the funding reductions “could lead to a lot of victims being denied justice.”

The State Department said America is shifting financial responsibility to Europe and other “willing partners” while still providing substantial assistance to Ukraine, including programs for “war crimes, justice and accountability for atrocities.”

Reuters interviewed more than 40 people involved in the American-supported network investigating Ukraine war crimes. Nearly all reported their efforts have been curtailed due to funding cuts.

Truth Hounds was forced to lay off staff, suspend an evidence archiving project and postpone international law training for judges and prosecutors. Dozens of foreign experts who helped collect and analyze battlefield evidence can no longer travel to Ukraine after reduced State Department support, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Plans to rebuild a war-damaged courthouse were halted after the administration dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development and terminated a $62-million program to strengthen Ukraine’s justice system.

Even at peak funding levels under the previous administration, Ukrainian prosecutors were overwhelmed by the caseload. They had secured 252 war crimes convictions as of April 1, while identifying 1,175 suspects and indicting 842.

High-ranking suspects could face trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which has sought the arrest of President Vladimir Putin. Cases are also being pursued in American and European courts.

Reuters tracked more than $283 million in American funding earmarked for Ukraine war crimes initiatives since 2022. The news organization found that programs accounting for at least 40% of this spending were terminated or allowed to expire.

A senior Ukrainian source said the cuts affect approximately half the country’s American-funded projects promoting war crimes accountability and rule of law.

The administration has launched one new program, announcing up to $25 million in March to support the return of missing Ukrainian children, a cause championed by first lady Melania Trump. Recipients have not yet been announced.

This new grant followed cuts to other programs serving the same purpose, including a Yale University initiative that has tracked thousands of missing Ukrainian children to sites in Russia and Russian-occupied territory.

The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab will exhaust its funding in August after the State Department withheld about $8 million, executive director Nathaniel Raymond told Reuters.

Truth Hounds has been tracking war crimes suspects since 2014, when Russian forces seized Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. The organization has documented approximately 17,000 war crimes allegations across Ukraine, according to co-executive director Dmytro Koval.

“Some important lines of inquiry will not be opened at all,” Koval said after losing American funding that covered one-third of the organization’s budget since 2023.

The cuts reflect a broader American withdrawal from human rights work. The current administration closed a State Department office that had coordinated global responses to mass atrocities since 1997, disbanded a Justice Department team helping Ukraine prosecute war crimes, and withdrew from a multinational group building cases against Russian leaders.

The administration also imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court officials over attempts to investigate alleged crimes by Israeli leaders in Gaza and American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Other major donors, including the European Union and Britain, say they remain committed to delivering justice for Ukraine. But the lost American aid won’t be easily replaced, said Wayne Jordash, deputy lead of an Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group established by the U.S., EU and Britain to support Ukraine’s prosecutor’s office.

The State Department stopped funding two out of three core organizations in the initiative last year, including Jordash’s international law foundation, Global Rights Compliance, according to a recent department audit.

For Yuliia Usenko, Ukraine’s lead prosecutor for crimes against children, Yale’s digital investigations have been “invaluable.” Most alleged crime scenes are in Russian-occupied territory or Russia, where Ukrainian investigators cannot access.

Yale researchers use satellite imagery, Russian social media posts and other open sources to track children taken to more than 200 sites they say are part of a vast Russian reeducation and militarization network. Some were later placed in Russian foster care or adopted.

“We want to show Russia’s true intent is not just to seize a piece of Ukraine’s territory, but much more: to destroy our nation and assimilate it into Russian society,” Usenko said.

Ukrainian authorities accuse Russia of more than 20,500 child deportations or forced transfers and say just over 2,000 children have been returned. Yale researchers estimate 35,000 may have been taken.

Russia denies abducting Ukrainian children, saying it evacuated them from conflict zones for their safety. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters that in June 2025, Kyiv provided Moscow with a list of 339 children it said ended up in Russia.

Aid groups like the Emile Foundation use Yale’s findings to help reunite children with their families. “Without it, we are talking about many years of setbacks,” said Mariam Lambert, co-founder of the Netherlands-based foundation.

Hanna Zamyshliaieva last saw her son, Anton Volkovych, on January 14, 2022, when she visited him at a boarding school for children with special needs in Oleshky. The 19-year-old required constant care due to a neurological disorder.

When Russian forces occupied the town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region that February, Zamyshliaieva kept in touch with the school by phone. But over the following months, students and some staff were transferred to locations deeper inside Russian-occupied territory, where she could not reach them.

Of the 87 pupils at Oleshky before the occupation, 13 have returned, Lambert said. Her foundation received a tip about Volkovych’s whereabouts in March, but there has been no confirmation from Russia.

“I just want to hold him,” Zamyshliaieva said, grappling with uncertainty over whether her son has survived without the intensive care he received at school.

Tetiana Popovych spent years searching for her son, Vladyslav, who was 29 when he disappeared during Russia’s occupation of Bucha, near Kyiv, early in the war. She retraced his steps with help from neighbors and returning prisoners of war.

Witnesses told her they saw Vladyslav hiding in her walnut orchard during an artillery barrage, and that someone bandaged his gunshot wounds before Russian forces captured and beat them. A released prisoner told her they shared a detention cell in the Russian town of Vyazma, where she believes he remains.

“For me it is important that everyone is punished, that everyone is found, no matter how many years have passed,” Popovych said. “I will fight for this until the end.”

Israeli military forces have seized control of a historic mountaintop fortress in southern Lebanon, representing their most significant penetration into the nation in more than 26 years, according to military officials who announced the development Sunday.

The takeover of Beaufort castle, located close to Nabatiyeh city, followed several days of aerial bombardments and fierce combat in surrounding communities where Israeli forces engaged Hezbollah fighters across the challenging terrain.

This fortress seizure represents a significant milestone in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which started March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel just two days following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, Hezbollah’s primary supporter.

Since then, Israel has initiated ground operations, taking control of numerous Lebanese communities and settlements near the border. Hezbollah has responded by firing thousands of rockets and unmanned aircraft at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

The Israeli advance occurred even with a temporary ceasefire established since April 17 and just before upcoming direct negotiations scheduled for June 2 and 3 at the State Department between Lebanon and Israel.

Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson, shared an image on X displaying Israeli soldiers walking near the fortress, while Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on X that forces had planted an Israeli flag above the castle. Israeli forces previously took the castle in 1982 and maintained control until their Lebanon withdrawal in 2000.

The Beaufort stronghold, positioned high above Lebanon’s verdant hills and commanding views of the Litani River, has served as a crucial military position for numerous forces across nearly 1,000 years.

Constructed as a Crusader fortress around the 12th century atop earlier defensive structures, it has housed the Crusaders, Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamlukes, Ottomans, the French mandate, the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Israeli military until 2000, when it underwent partial restoration and welcomed tourists. The Crusaders called it Beaufort, meaning “beautiful fortress” in Old French.

The 1982 seizure of the castle from the Palestine Liberation Organization represented a significant triumph for the Israeli military under Defense Minister Ariel Sharon’s leadership, who subsequently became the nation’s prime minister. During that period, the Israeli army advanced northward and took control of Beirut.

Throughout the earlier Israel-Hezbollah conflict in 2024, UNESCO provided enhanced protection to 34 cultural locations in Lebanon, including Beaufort Castle, to protect it from harm.

The fortress sits several kilometers north of the Israel border and provides commanding views of extensive areas of southern Lebanon and northern Israel. In Arabic, it’s known as Al-Shaqif castle, derived from an ancient Syriac term describing the imposing rocky terrain.

Israeli military officials stated they began an operation several days earlier in the Beaufort Ridge and Suluki valley areas to the south, aiming to eliminate Hezbollah infrastructure and remove immediate threats to Israeli citizens.

The military announcement indicated forces are prepared “to expand the operation if needed.”

Beaufort holds symbolic significance throughout the region, particularly in Israel, where it became one of the most recognized locations under Israeli control during the 18-year occupation. A prominent Israeli war film titled “Beaufort” examines moral dilemmas and the pointlessness of conflict during the final period before military withdrawal.

Recently, Israel has broadened its Lebanese operations, deploying forces beyond the Litani River, which previously functioned as an unofficial border, while ordering residents to evacuate large portions of southern Lebanon.

Israel has declared the region from the Litani to the Zahrani River a military combat zone. While some inhabitants have departed due to recent intensive strikes, many people continue living in area towns.

Israeli forces have been moving forward for days through villages surrounding Beaufort castle. They now stand approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Nabatiyeh city, a significant southern Lebanon hub, and have ordered all residents to evacuate, along with inhabitants of the coastal city of Tyre, the nation’s fourth-largest city, and nearby areas.

Neither Hezbollah nor the Lebanese government provided immediate responses regarding the Israeli advancement.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for two overnight attacks against Israeli forces and a Merkava tank in Bayada, a southwestern border town. Recently, the organization has reported fighting Israeli troops in multiple towns north of the river near Nabatiyeh and the strategic fortress.

Lebanon’s state-operated National News Agency documented airstrikes across various southern Lebanese villages, reporting casualties without providing detailed numbers. On Saturday, Hezbollah launched multiple rocket volleys into northern Israel, targeting Kiryat Shmona, the region’s largest city.

Hezbollah’s deployment of difficult-to-detect fiber optic drones has proven lethal against Israeli military forces, who face challenges responding effectively. Israeli military data shows nearly 200 civilian alerts across northern Israel warning of drones and missiles within the last 24 hours.

The current fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in 3,350 Lebanese deaths and displaced over 1 million people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reports at least 25 Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have died in or near southern Lebanon, including one fatality on Saturday. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

Ukrainian forces carried out overnight attacks against Russian energy infrastructure into Sunday, according to Russian officials and media outlets, while Ukraine rejected Moscow’s accusations that Ukrainian forces targeted a nuclear facility under Russian control.

Fallen drone wreckage ignited a blaze at a fuel storage site in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, according to Gov. Yuriy Slyusar’s Sunday announcement on Telegram. Local residents living near the facility were moved to safety, he reported.

The aerial attacks also caused harm to civilian infrastructure in Saratov province, located in southwestern Russia, Gov. Roman Busargin stated. An independent Russian media outlet, Astra, reported that an oil refinery was burning in Saratov, the region’s main city.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russia’s petroleum and natural gas infrastructure, contending that the energy industry provides both financial support and literal fuel for Moscow’s invasion that has lasted more than four years.

At the same time, Kyiv rejected Russia’s accusations that Ukrainian forces attacked the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, which stands as the largest nuclear installation in both Ukraine and Europe.

Russian military units seized control of the facility during the conflict’s initial weeks, and it continues to sit near active combat zones in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, one of four territories Russia has officially claimed while lacking complete military dominance or global acceptance of its seizure.

Rosatom, Russia’s government nuclear energy corporation, announced Saturday that the drone detonated after creating an opening in a turbine hall wall. Rosatom’s chief executive Alexei Likhachev blamed Ukraine for an intentional assault.

“This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation,” Likhachev stated. He noted that primary equipment sustained no harm.

Ukraine’s armed forces dismissed Russia’s “yet another propaganda ploy,” declaring they neither attacked nor aimed at the facility. Military officials stated in their response that they follow international humanitarian law and understand the “consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities.”

“Along the relevant section of the front line, there was no active fighting at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used,” the statement read.

Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, expressed “serious concern” about the incident in a social media post on X.

Ukraine’s national nuclear oversight body said the alleged damage reported by Russia requires confirmation by IAEA specialists stationed at the Zaporizhzhia facility as part of an ongoing monitoring operation.

The Zaporizhzhia installation has faced repeated bombardment since Russia’s comprehensive invasion began in February 2022, creating anxiety about potential nuclear disasters. Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of deliberately targeting the plant.

In other developments, Ukraine’s air defense reported Sunday that it intercepted 212 out of 299 drones Russia deployed overnight. Officials said 14 drones successfully hit their intended targets, while drone fragments landed in five separate areas.

Russian drones hit the city of Dnipro and an oil processing facility in Ukraine’s Rivne region, sparking fires, local authorities reported.

Oleksandr Koval, who leads Rivne’s regional government, confirmed no casualties occurred at the refinery and that emergency responders were on scene.

Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela secured an unprecedented fourth consecutive electoral victory for his Labour Party on Sunday, marking a historic achievement in the Mediterranean nation’s political landscape.

Speaking to the media following the results, Abela declared: “This is a victory of all the people based on the programme we presented for all the people.” He emphasized that the outcome demonstrated his party had “won a strong mandate” from voters.

“Let us maintain the spirit of national unity and move the country forward together,” he added.

Media outlets tracking the ballot counting reported that Labour secured a solid parliamentary majority, though the victory margin seemed reduced compared to their 2022 performance when they captured 55% of all votes.

The opposition Nationalist Party’s general secretary, Charles Bonello, acknowledged defeat in statements to TVM, the state broadcaster, while noting his party successfully reduced Labour’s majority.

Saturday’s election drew 87.4% voter participation, representing a slight increase from the 2022 general election turnout.

Labour’s campaign emphasized economic strength, governmental experience, and administrative credibility. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party contended that citizens’ living standards had declined despite economic growth in the European Union’s smallest member state.

Abela, who took over Labour Party leadership from Joseph Muscat in 2020, is scheduled for swearing-in ceremonies Monday morning.

The United States delivered sharp criticism toward European NATO members during a weekend security conference in Singapore, though Western European representatives maintained that the alliance remains strong.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commended Asian allies for increasing their defense budgets and working closely with Washington amid rising tensions with China.

“When our interests align, we act together with focused resolve,” he said. “When our interests diverge, we adjust pragmatically without the drama or the moralising. I think Western Europe might take note.”

“Europe and NATO have some big decisions to make,” he said.

The Trump administration has consistently criticized European nations for insufficient military spending and excessive dependence on American security guarantees, while pushing both European and Asian partners to increase defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP.

In May, Washington revealed intentions to withdraw 5,000 military personnel from Germany, and Trump has made threats about leaving NATO entirely.

A high-ranking NATO representative minimized the significance of the American troop reduction, explaining it had been previously scheduled and would not impact alliance unity.

“In a mature alliance, if one ally which in this case is the principal stakeholder needs to redirect some power somewhere else, he can do so, and the others must be able to step in,” said Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee.

Nils Hilmer, state secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence, indicated Berlin would continue increasing military spending independent of future U.S. force deployments.

“What we know for sure… is that there’s going to be shifts in that field,” he said. “That’s why we are about to take the security in our own hands.”

European officials also utilized the conference to assure Asian counterparts that NATO maintained effectiveness beyond its traditional region.

“Our credibility in Asia also depends on our robustness in Europe, defending Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression,” said French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin in a speech to delegates.

Additional European defense leaders contended that global security regions are becoming more connected.

“The European Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific theatres are becoming inseparable,” said Tore Sandvik, Norway’s minister of defence, noting that North Korean troops were fighting in Ukraine.

“The U.S. will be occupied in more theatres,” he said.

Despite Pentagon criticism, multiple U.S. Senators and House Representatives emphasized their efforts to reassure both European and Asian partners of continued bipartisan Congressional support.

“I’ve heard the same anxiety from everyone, not just in the region,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. “I’ve actually got NATO allies worried about America’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.”

However, doubt persists among conference participants regarding Europe’s progress in improving collective security investments.

“Europe has to learn how to become a player,” said Pavlo Klimkin, non-resident senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and a former Ukrainian minister of foreign affairs. “There is no way around it. But it could be extremely beneficial for their partnership with the United States, because the States would respect such European drive.”

Israeli military forces have taken control of the historic Beaufort Castle and surrounding strategic territory in southern Lebanon, marking a significant advancement in operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah organization, military officials announced Sunday.

The military action took place more than six weeks following the declaration of a ceasefire in April, and came after Saturday witnessed some of the most intense Hezbollah attacks directed at northern Israel since the truce began, leading to school shutdowns and movement limitations.

Military officials stated the mission centered on gaining control over the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki region, while working to weaken Hezbollah forces and the infrastructure they built on the ridge under Iranian guidance.

The military confirmed that one Israeli soldier lost his life during the operation.

Neither Lebanese officials nor Hezbollah representatives provided immediate responses to the developments.

The seizure of the centuries-old fortress and ridge expands Israel’s presence in Lebanese territory as military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite an ongoing ceasefire in the broader conflict with Iran.

Hezbollah joined the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran by launching rocket and drone attacks against Israel on March 2, shortly after the Iran conflict commenced. Israel subsequently began efforts to push the Iran-supported organization away from its northern border.

The takeover of Beaufort Castle provides Israeli forces with a commanding view across much of southern Lebanon and northern Israel, an area from which attacks have been directed toward Israeli communities.

According to military statements, Hezbollah “carried out numerous attacks” from the Ridge location, and Israeli forces are now working against launching facilities in the region, which served as the origin point for “hundreds of projectiles” fired “toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.”

The military also reported that Israeli forces are conducting operations near Nabatieh, described as a significant Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon.

ROME, May 31 – An unauthorized fireworks display by a traffic officer during a nighttime practice session for Italy’s Republic Day parade caused dozens of ceremonial horses to panic and stampede through Rome’s streets, according to police reports.

The sudden explosions occurred just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday, frightening the horses during their rehearsal. Some animals carried mounted riders while others were being guided on foot when the chaos erupted.

Approximately 35 horses escaped onto the heavily traveled Via Cristoforo Colombo, where motorists captured video footage of the animals racing down the roadway. Recovery efforts continued through the night, with the final horse located at sunrise roughly 14 kilometers (9 miles) away from where the incident began.

Multiple riders were thrown from their mounts during the stampede. A 22-year-old soldier sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung but remains in stable condition. About 15 horses suffered injuries, though none required euthanization.

Mario De Sclavis, commander of Rome’s police force, expressed his concerns to Sunday’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, stating that the incident “discredits the image of the Corps and its officers.”

The unauthorized pyrotechnics were ignited close to the historic Baths of Caracalla, where mounted cavalry from the army, Carabinieri paramilitary force and police were practicing for the annual June 2 parade.

Authorities confirmed that a municipal policeman from the traffic emergency unit had detonated a battery of fireworks approximately 200 meters (yards) away from the horses.

Nations throughout the Indo-Pacific are rapidly strengthening their military capabilities and forging new defense partnerships as they navigate between China’s expanding military presence and uncertainties about America’s long-term regional commitment.

During Asia’s leading defense conference held Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged regional allies to take on greater security responsibilities. However, he encountered ongoing worries that American attention might be shifting away from the region due to conflicts in Iran demanding focus.

“We can do two things at one time,” Hegseth stated at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an open forum bringing together defense leaders, military commanders, and intelligence officials from around the globe.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed his belief that America’s dedication remained “unwavering,” though he recognized that certain nations might still question its determination.

During conversations with Reuters conducted alongside the yearly conference, defense ministers and military leaders from the region emphasized their drive to strengthen cooperation beyond America’s traditional security framework.

“All the defence secretaries here present are unanimous in the need to make agile and speedy upscaling of their own individual defence capabilities,” Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro shared with Reuters.

Teodoro characterized this effort as “buttressing” America’s conventional role, with Manila expanding defense relationships with nations including Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

“The commitment of the United States becomes more solid when more actors, at least in the deterrence phase, come in, because there is a common threat,” he explained.

Japan is establishing itself as a central point for this expanding network of partnerships.

Koizumi indicated that Tokyo seeks to serve as a “connecting point” for enhanced regional collaboration beyond China’s influence.

This past April, Japan announced its most significant revision of defense export policies in decades, eliminating barriers to international arms sales and creating opportunities for exporting naval vessels, missiles and additional military equipment.

“Japan will be even more proactive in defence equipment cooperation,” Koizumi announced at the conference. “Our aim is to ensure that each country has the capabilities it needs and to make them available when needed.”

Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan reported that her military forces were increasing their regional involvement, working with Japan and the Philippines on cybersecurity initiatives and naval training while providing English language instruction to Indonesian military personnel.

“There is a lot of work to do in the Indo-Pacific region. And I think this is why we are seeing probably an increase of partnership across the board,” Carignan informed Reuters.

New Zealand is also evaluating stronger relationships and new military equipment. Defence Minister Chris Penk verified that Wellington is seriously examining Japanese and British ships to substitute for its aging ANZAC-class frigates.

Penk met with counterparts from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Britain during the conference to discuss expanding cooperation under their 54-year-old Five-Powered Defence Arrangement.

Penk, who assumed his position in April, noted opportunities for advancing the agreement “at a more intense level.”

“And so if we can find new ways to interact with others as well as maintaining those existing connections, then we’ll look to do that at the same time,” Penk stated during an interview.

While regional countries were strengthening mutual relationships, Asian leaders maintained that American dedication to the Indo-Pacific remains strong despite Middle Eastern conflicts or President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach.

“Our confidence is not swayed by reason of the involvement of the United States in Iran, for example, and in other areas,” the Philippines’ Teodoro remarked.

For Australia, Defence Minister Richard Marles characterized relations with Washington as “absolutely fundamental to our national security.”

“For both of us, the Trump administration and the Albanese government in Australia, we see ourselves as stewards of a relationship which goes well beyond us,” Marles told Reuters.

MOSCOW, May 31 – Ukrainian forces launched a series of overnight drone attacks targeting energy and industrial facilities across multiple Russian regions, according to Russian officials who reported the strikes on Sunday as part of Ukraine’s growing campaign against infrastructure targets.

The governor of Saratov, a Volga River region home to multiple oil refineries that has faced repeated Ukrainian strikes in recent years, Roman Busargin announced on Telegram that “civil infrastructure” sustained damage from the attacks.

Alexander Sokolov, governor of the Kirov region located northeast of Moscow and approximately 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from territory held by Ukraine, confirmed that drones struck a facility within the Urzhumsky district.

Regional leaders from Rostov, Voronezh and Belgorod – all territories sharing borders with Ukraine – also confirmed attacks occurred in their areas, with authorities reporting three civilian injuries in Belgorod.

Meanwhile, on the Russian-controlled Crimean peninsula, Moscow-backed governor Sergei Aksyonov announced new limitations on gasoline sales would be implemented.

While Aksyonov did not provide reasoning for the fuel restrictions, Ukraine has maintained a months-long campaign targeting fuel infrastructure throughout southwestern Russia near the Crimean peninsula.

BANGKOK (AP) — Continuing rainfall may postpone rescue efforts for two individuals still missing in a water-filled cave system in Laos, following the successful evacuation of five others who spent more than seven days trapped below ground.

Finnish rescue diver Mikko Paasi, among the initial international responders at the location, informed The Associated Press that ongoing precipitation has caused water levels to rise to the cave’s second chamber, blocking diver access until pumping equipment can reduce the flooding.

According to reports, the seven local residents went into the cave system last week searching for precious minerals when a sudden flood trapped them inside. An eighth villager managed to get out and notified emergency services.

International rescue operations involving teams from Laos and Thailand have been ongoing for the past week at the remote location in Xaisomboun province, situated approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Vientiane, the nation’s capital. Diving specialists from Finland, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, France and Australia have joined the effort.

Multiple members of the rescue team participated in the challenging 2018 cave emergency in northern Thailand that successfully freed 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach from a flooded underground system.

Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie, participating in the current operation, told the AP on Sunday that the evacuated individuals are receiving medical care at a nearby hospital and recovering well.

“We interviewed them about how the deeper part of the cave looks like. We will continue to search based on the information we have, and perhaps we will be able to get to the other two,” he said.

Rescue personnel report they have explored over 200 meters into the underground system and located five chambers within the cave network. The five individuals brought to safety were discovered in the fifth chamber.

Paasi explained to the AP that the survivors described a small opening in the fifth chamber that might lead to deeper sections of the cave system.

“This was the only place that we haven’t checked in the mine, where the two lost miners could still be,” he said during a video interview.

“Now there’s a theory that, through that small crack, it still continues, and there’s a sixth chamber, which gives us hope now that, if we could penetrate that small restriction, we might be able to reach the sixth chamber and then see what is there.”

The five rescued individuals were initially located on Wednesday and identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen.

The first person was brought to safety on Friday with assistance from an expert diver through a narrow flooded tunnel. The other four exited the cave on Saturday when water levels dropped sufficiently for them to walk out independently, according to rescue officials.

Online footage from Saturday posted by rescue personnel captured emotional scenes as each person emerged from the cave. Some fell to the ground at the cave opening and were embraced by workers who wept with relief. Additional scenes showed them on stretchers, covered with emergency blankets and receiving oxygen before being transported from the site.

Chinese naval forces and coast guard vessels conducted surveillance operations near a disputed South China Sea location on Sunday, following statements from Philippine officials warning that Manila continues to face threats from Beijing despite recent improvements in U.S.-China relations.

The operations took place around Scarborough Shoal, which ranks among Asia’s most disputed maritime territories and has repeatedly sparked tensions between China and the Philippines regarding territorial claims and fishing access.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command announced through a WeChat statement that its maritime and aviation forces executed combat readiness surveillance in what it called the “territorial sea and airspace” of the formation and nearby waters.

“Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights violation and provocative acts,” the command said.

Chinese coast guard officials issued a separate announcement describing law enforcement surveillance activities near Scarborough Shoal, noting they had addressed vessels conducting “illegal rights-violation activities in accordance with laws and regulations” during the current month, though they provided no additional details.

The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The surveillance activities occurred while defense officials, military leaders and policy experts from across the Asia-Pacific region convened in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s leading defense conference.

During an interview with Reuters at the conference, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated that the Philippines continues facing a “severe threat” from China regarding both territorial and political matters, despite recent improvements in U.S.-China relations following a summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping earlier this month.

“We have no choice but really to be resilient and to stand up against Chinese aggression,” he said.

The Philippines and China have experienced numerous maritime confrontations in the South China Sea over recent years, sometimes leading to vessel collisions and crew injuries.

China asserts territorial control over nearly the complete South China Sea through a “nine-dash line” marked on its official maps that extends into the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Conflicts over numerous islands and formations have persisted for decades. Taiwan maintains territorial claims in the South China Sea that largely mirror China’s positions.

During 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague determined that China’s territorial assertions lacked support under international law, though Beijing dismisses this ruling.

Defense officials from South Korea and Japan explored the possibility of establishing a military logistics sharing agreement during talks in Singapore, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency on Sunday.

Following discussions with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi at the Shangri-La Dialogue regional defense summit in Singapore, South Korea’s Ahn Gyu-back addressed reporters about the potential arrangement.

“It requires the understanding and persuasion of the citizens of both nations, and I believe we should still proceed with caution,” Ahn stated when asked about the discussions.

The defense minister was speaking about a possible acquisition and cross-servicing agreement that would enable the two neighboring U.S. allies to exchange and jointly obtain military supplies including fuel, food and ammunition.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hugo Rosas intentionally incorporates Mexico’s most recognizable cultural elements into his soccer jersey creations for the World Cup. His designs merge football culture with Mexican heritage to display his nation’s traditions on an international stage.

Rosas calls his newest line “Calados del Alma” or “Cutouts of the Soul.” The collection takes cues from traditional Mexican spiritual practices and papel picado, the intricate paper decorations featured at community festivals and special occasions.

“We try to create concepts that resonate with us and convey traditions that make Mexicans feel proud,” said Rosas, who has run a workshop with his brother Andrés near Mexico City since 2022. “The country’s best is reflected in papel picado, colors and town celebrations.”

The brothers’ initial jersey design featured Quetzalcoatl, the winged serpent god honored by multiple pre-Hispanic cultures. That piece continues to be Andrés’ top choice among their creations.

“Quetzalcoatl represents a balance that sees the world as a system, not as something extractive that human beings can simply benefit from,” said Andrés, who oversees the brand’s marketing. “I connect with that pre-Hispanic worldview, which is why most of our products are deeply rooted in that vision.”

Hugo’s World Cup series expands upon a previous collection he named “Ofrenda Viva,” or “Live Offering.”

The design philosophy stems from Mexico’s Day of the Dead tradition — where families celebrate and remember deceased loved ones with joy rather than mourning.

“It’s a garment resembling papel picado so that a person can offer their actions, thoughts and passions as an homage to those who are already gone,” Rosas said.

The uniforms use polyester material, allowing the fabric to be carved like papel picado while remaining durable against damage. Rosas and his crew previously tested organic materials, but found they couldn’t support the weight and design needed after manufacturing.

Creating each uniform takes up to three weeks, with the cutting and stitching process requiring eight to 10 hours of labor.

Rosas begins by selecting which cultural symbols to feature. He then calculates the dimensions and form of each element to ensure the needlework matches his creative vision. After finalizing a pattern, the workshop’s seamstresses carefully carve and stitch every garment.

The Rosas brothers maintain a small-scale operation and take pride in this method. They prioritize the attention and effort given to each piece, preserving the handmade nature of their work.

Their Mexclart brand has produced approximately 30 uniforms since the World Cup items became available in April. Hugo Rosas anticipates sales will grow as the tournament’s start date draws closer.

His other lines include one dedicated to pre-Hispanic deities. His preferred design shows Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the underworld, typically shown as a skeleton figure.

“Putting on a garment like this is like wearing a modern armor through which we can carry that pride and passion for our roots and show it to the world,” Rosas said.

He occasionally consults historical texts about Mexico while creating his patterns. But his preferred source of creativity comes from visiting Indigenous settlements where traditional rituals and practices continue today.

“If it were up to me, I’d use gold or another material that could accurately represent our gods the way our ancestors did,” he said. “All the garments we create are meant to give Mexicans the chance to bring those deities into the present.”

The Czech Republic’s Prime Minister has acknowledged his country will likely fall short of NATO’s military spending benchmark this year, according to a weekend interview with a major financial publication.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis stated his nation will “probably” not achieve the alliance’s goal of dedicating 2% of gross domestic product to defense spending in 2024. “We will do our best” to reach the commitment, Babis explained to the Financial Times, while pointing to budget difficulties stemming from excessive spending by the previous pro-European Union administration.

The admission highlights ongoing tensions between Babis and Czech President Petr Pavel regarding military funding. Pavel has criticized the populist leader’s administration for proposing defense spending reductions in the 2026 budget. When Pavel approved the budget in March, he expressed concerns that military expenditures were inadequate given rising security challenges and NATO obligations.

Despite the current shortfall, Babis assured that Prague remains dedicated to achieving NATO’s updated goal of spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035. However, he suggested alliance members should prioritize enhancing military capabilities rather than fixating on spending benchmarks, which he argued could be easily manipulated.

This development comes as the United States signals plans to reduce American military support available to European NATO partners during major crises, according to recent reports. President Donald Trump has consistently urged NATO members to increase their defense investments, a priority that has gained urgency during the ongoing four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

At a recent Asian security summit, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth emphasized this shift in American policy, telling defense officials: “The era of the United States subsidising the defence of wealthy nations is over. We need partners, not protectorates.”

SINGAPORE (AP) — Defense leaders from allied nations emphasized the critical importance of international cooperation during a major security conference on Sunday, warning that growing global threats require unified responses even as tensions rise among traditional partners.

The discussions at the Shangri-La conference occurred one day after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized Western European nations at the same forum for insufficient defense spending commitments.

Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi commended Hegseth’s dedication to the Indo-Pacific region while emphasizing the ongoing necessity for robust international partnerships.

“Division weakens deterrence, unity strengthens deterrence,” he stated during the conference organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“If gaps emerge among the United States, Europe, and allies and like-minded countries, forces which take it as an opportunity will surely come in,” he continued. “We must prevent such as situation. We must keep our cooperation going on. Now is the time to make our cooperation even stronger.”

Japan has been transforming its defense strategy as China continues rapid military expansion and modernization. Last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet eliminated restrictions on lethal weapons exports, marking a significant shift from its postwar pacifist stance.

China condemned this policy change, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stating China would “resolutely resist Japan’s reckless moves toward a new type of militarism.”

Koizumi dismissed that criticism as contradictory, given China’s own military capabilities.

“Think about it, there is a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers,” he remarked in English. “Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labeled new militarism. Isn’t it strange?”

He noted that openness requires “discussion and dialogue” and expressed disappointment that China’s defense minister did not attend the conference.

During Saturday’s address, Hegseth praised several Asian partners for increasing defense expenditures while maintaining his critique of European allies, whom he accused of being “distracted by empty globalist rhetoric about the rules-based international order, while European capitals threw open their borders and hollowed out their militaries.”

“You can have all the rules you want and rules are great,” Hegseth stated. “But if you can’t back them up with hard power, the rules are not worth the paper they are written on.”

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters during the conference that while he supported Hegseth’s view that “the rules based order needs to be underpinned by power,” he also believed strong regulations were “more important today than they have ever been.”

“We are all committed to a rules based system, because that is actually what gives, middle powers like Australia or smaller countries agency,” he explained.

He stressed that partnerships continue to be essential for regional security.

“This is a collective challenge and it demands a collective response, which is actually what the rules based order is all about,” he said.

Netherlands Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius argued that today’s conflicts have worldwide consequences requiring coordinated responses.

“A war in Europe involves drones from Iran, soldiers and ammunition from North Korea and various types of support from China,” she observed. “The lesson is clear: regional tensions are no longer regional. Our security is interconnected.”

She warned that without cooperation, middle powers risk becoming observers or the “subject of conversations,” but through alliances they can help maintain stability.

“The fact that international rules are being violated does not mean we should abandon them,” she stated.

“On the contrary, it means we must defend them more constantly and more courageously. International law may be imperfect, but history teaches us that the alternative is far worse.”

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopian citizens will cast ballots Monday in a national election where the governing party is anticipated to achieve an overwhelming victory amid a divided and weakened opposition landscape.

The Prosperity Party of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed presently controls over 500 positions in the House of Representatives and is projected to secure a majority in Monday’s voting, guaranteeing him an additional five-year tenure.

Approximately 50 million citizens from Ethiopia’s total population of 130 million are anticipated to participate in selecting House of Representatives members, though safety concerns in heavily populated areas like Amhara and Oromia may impact voter participation.

Under Ethiopia’s electoral framework, citizens choose their representatives, who subsequently select the prime minister. Voters will additionally choose members for their regional government councils.

Key campaign issues this year center on national unity following conflicts in areas including Tigray, Oromia, and Amhara, alongside development promises as officials commit to implementing significant infrastructure initiatives.

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who previously mediated Tigray peace negotiations, is directing 73 African Union election monitors.

Upon his Saturday arrival in Ethiopia, Kenyatta stressed the continental significance of Ethiopia’s electoral process, given the nation serves as home to African Union headquarters. “Ours is to call for peaceful situation as Ethiopians are known for,” he said.

Critics have charged Abiy’s government with human rights abuses targeting opposition voices and media professionals, contradicting his 2020 commitments to democratic governance and peace.

His leadership period has included the northern Tigray conflict, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths when federal military forces battled regional troops. Peace accords were finalized in November 2022.

Abiy received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for resolving Ethiopia’s prolonged dispute with neighboring Eritrea, though relations between the nations have deteriorated, with Addis Ababa claiming Asmara backs insurgent organizations seeking to undermine stability.

Concerns exist that tensions could intensify and pull the unstable Tigray area into a surrogate conflict, while humanitarian organizations highlight critical conditions in the region.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front — the leading political organization in Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray territory — has been banned while maintaining regional authority and threatening to abandon the 2022 peace deal, which federal officials view as an effort to restart hostilities.

For a second consecutive election cycle, the territory will remain absent from national voting, eliminating its federal representation in Ethiopia’s 547-member parliament and further marginalizing the region amid worsening hunger and violence, plus alleged resource restrictions by central authorities.

Tigray has lacked federal parliamentary representation for six years running.

Political analyst Bayu Samuel, based in Addis Ababa, believes this election will likely be conducted fairly due to “technological advancements in the electoral process” and heightened public engagement.

Nevertheless, several opposition groups have criticized the governing party’s unfair electoral benefits.

Mistresilasie Tamerat, the youngest candidate and leader of the opposition Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, describes the electoral process as “far from genuine and democratic.”

“The system favors the ruling party, and we can’t even freely operate (or) meet with our constituents,” she said.

Eyoel Solomon, a spokesperson for the main opposition Ezema party, stated his organization aims to eliminate identity-based political divisions.

“We have seen citizens being attacked because of their identity. We have seen them being persecuted simply for living in areas deemed by others not to be ‘theirs’,” he said.

While most campaign activities occurred in Addis Ababa, the capital has experienced significant military deployment in recent days.

Electoral discussions have dominated local discourse throughout the city, despite unusually subdued campaigning featuring fewer public gatherings and minimal community outreach efforts.

Election officials have designated Monday as a national holiday, shutting government facilities to promote voter participation.

More than four years after Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko permitted his longtime partner Russia to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian soil, officials in Kyiv are sounding the alarm that Lukashenko might once again open his country’s borders for additional Kremlin assaults.

Though Belarus hasn’t sent its own soldiers into combat, Lukashenko has supported President Vladimir Putin’s military campaign by allowing Russia to station nuclear weapons and military facilities on his territory, while also manufacturing components for Moscow’s defense industry. This month, both nations conducted joint nuclear exercises featuring Russian weapons positioned in Belarus.

Lukashenko, who has maintained power for more than thirty years, has governed the country of 9.5 million people through authoritarian rule, systematically suppressing opposition while depending on strong Russian relationships and Moscow’s financial support to weather ongoing Western sanctions.

The growing military partnership between Moscow and Minsk is causing alarm among Ukraine’s international supporters.

During Putin’s large-scale assault on Ukraine beginning Feb. 24, 2022, Russian forces assembled in Belarus under the pretense of military exercises before racing toward Kyiv, located just 90 kilometers (56 miles) from the border.

Putin’s strategy to rapidly seize Kyiv was defeated by determined Ukrainian defense, leaving Russian tank columns stretched along narrow roadways vulnerable to attack.

Slightly more than one month into the invasion, Russian forces that experienced significant casualties and supply chain difficulties retreated from Kyiv and other captured areas in northeastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin described as a “goodwill gesture.”

During Moscow’s attempts to negotiate a swift resolution to the fighting in the early weeks, Belarus provided the venue for initial discussions between Russian and Ukrainian representatives. These negotiations later shifted to Istanbul but ultimately failed to reach an agreement.

As the fighting evolved into a prolonged conflict, Belarus has maintained a crucial role in backing Moscow’s military operations. Belarusian factories have manufactured vital components, including microchips and electronics, optical targeting systems, artillery shells, and heavy vehicles that transport Russian ballistic missiles.

Ukraine’s presidential envoy on sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, reported that debris from an Oreshnik ballistic missile that Russia launched at Ukraine on May 24 included microchips manufactured in Belarus. He called on Western partners to strengthen sanctions enforcement against Belarus.

Belarus has also supplied training facilities for Moscow’s forces, conducted joint military exercises, and offered its medical facilities to care for injured Russian personnel.

BELPOL, an organization of former military and law enforcement officials opposing Lukashenko, reported that Belarusian industries have become part of the Kremlin’s military apparatus. The group states that more than 500 Belarusian industrial facilities participate in weapons and ammunition production, military equipment repair, and logistical support.

“Lukashenko’s regime is quite seriously involved in the war,” BELPOL head Uladzimir Zhyhar told The Associated Press. “Lukashenko is helping Russia in every way he can.”

In the Gomel region bordering Ukraine, construction has started on a large firing range and barracks designed for substantial troop numbers, Zhyhar reported. Ukraine has been required to station many forces along the Belarus border, he noted, preventing them from engaging Russian troops along the more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) battle line.

Belarus, which also shares borders with NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, has accommodated some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. In December, Russia announced that its newest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system became operational in Belarus.

Russia has deployed a conventionally armed variant of the Oreshnik to attack Ukrainian targets three times — in November 2024 and again in January and earlier this month.

In 2024, the Kremlin updated its nuclear policy, extending the Russian nuclear shield to cover Belarus. Putin has stated that Moscow will maintain command of its nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus but would permit its partner to choose targets during a conflict.

Earlier this month, Russia and Belarus conducted extensive exercises that included delivering nuclear warheads to missile units and preparing for launches. During the exercise, a Belarusian missile team test-launched a nuclear-capable Iskander missile from a facility in southern Russia.

“Belarus lacks military sovereignty, and as soon as Moscow sees it as necessary for its strategy, Moscow will naturally use Belarus as a launchpad for a new invasion of Ukraine or some kind of armed conflict with NATO countries,” Zhyhar said, noting that Belarus offers a “very convenient springboard” for such an invasion.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that his intelligence agencies had discovered Moscow recently intensified efforts to “draw Belarus much deeper into the war and launch additional aggressive operations precisely from Belarusian territory.” He indicated the target could be along the Chernihiv-Kyiv area or against a NATO country bordering Belarus.

Zelenskyy announced he directed the military and security agencies to prepare a response and reinforce northern defenses.

Lukashenko has rejected any aggressive intentions, stating Belarus will not join the conflict unless attacked.

Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s former defense minister and now secretary of its Security Council, also dismissed Zelenskyy’s assertion, characterizing it as a fear tactic to secure additional Western assistance for Kyiv.

However, indicating growing Western worry, French President Emmanuel Macron contacted Lukashenko on May 24 to highlight the dangers for Belarus of being pulled into the war, their first conversation since the invasion started. Lukashenko announced that next week he will receive a French representative for discussions on European security and possibilities of reducing EU sanctions.

Andrii Demchenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, reported last week that while intelligence information suggests Russia has increasingly pressured Belarus to directly join the war, Ukrainian forces haven’t yet observed any accumulation of troops and weapons near the border.

Belarus’ opposition leader-in-exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, visited Kyiv last week and stressed that “Belarus must never again become a springboard for aggression.”

“Russian tanks must never again march through Belarus to Chernihiv, Zhitomir, Rivne, or Kyiv,” Tsikhanouskaya told AP. “Ukraine is fighting for itself and for all the peoples who have lived in the shadow of empire for too long. It is fighting for the right to live in peace. And the fate of my country, Belarus, also depends on Ukraine’s success.”

According to official information, Belarus’ military forces include 48,600 personnel, a small force compared with Russia’s 1.5 million. During wartime, Belarus is prepared to mobilize 290,000, but they would require weapons and training to become battle-ready.

“The Belarusian army is unfit for offensive action,” said Alexander Alesin, a Minsk-based military analyst. “An attack from Belarus would require … mobilizing up to 500,000 troops.”

That would mean removing all the men from the national economy and then finding arms for them, he said, adding: “I consider this option unlikely.”

Ukraine has constructed heavy fortifications along the border with Belarus and deployed mines that would easily halt any attempted invasion, he said.

“Even with a small force, the Ukrainians can easily defend themselves and inflict heavy losses on the Belarusian army,” Alesin said. “From a military perspective, it’s impossible to launch an attack from Belarusian territory without suffering heavy losses.”

Lukashenko is satisfied with Belarus’ role as a major supplier of military equipment and would strongly resist direct participation in the war, he added.

“The last thing Lukashenko wants is to fight, and he’ll cling to his current position at any cost, so he can avoid fighting while profiting handsomely from the war,” Alesin said.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Citizens across Colombia headed to polling stations Sunday for the opening round of the nation’s presidential race, selecting from candidates offering sharply contrasting approaches to achieving peace in a country scarred by generations of violent conflict.

The election serves as a judgment on the policies of departing President Gustavo Petro, taking place a decade after the country reached a landmark peace agreement with fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC.

The accord had raised expectations of ending the nation’s destructive pattern of warfare between insurgent organizations and government forces, but bloodshed has surged again recently, escalating during the campaign period. Criminal organizations have stepped up drone attacks, violent incidents have disrupted the electoral process, and in June, Miguel Uribe Turbay, a 39-year-old politician seeking the presidency, was killed by gunfire during a campaign event.

In a nation where pursuing peace has traditionally shaped political discourse, strategies for managing the ongoing conflict are again creating deep divisions among voters.

Although 14 names appear on the ballot, the contest has essentially narrowed to three major contenders.

Senator and peace advocate Ivan Cepeda — an ally of Petro — has maintained a polling advantage and pledges to continue Petro’s “total peace” strategy of engaging in talks with surviving insurgent factions and establishing peace deals to address the ongoing crisis.

Despite the peace strategy’s limited success as criminal elements have exploited government ceasefires, Cepeda and Petro retain significant backing from supporters who appreciate progressive measures implemented during Petro’s administration, including increases to the minimum wage.

Challenging Cepeda are Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, both promising more aggressive military action against armed organizations.

De la Espriella — a flamboyant attorney nicknamed “The Tiger” — has gained momentum with voters recently by presenting himself as a political outsider eager to adopt the forceful anti-gang strategies employed in El Salvador, which dramatically decreased gang activity while drawing criticism over human rights violations.

Valencia is viewed as the political successor to Colombia’s former president and authoritarian leader Álvaro Uribe, who led the country from 2002 to 2010 with substantial backing from the United States and whose administration launched a counteroffensive against FARC insurgents that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

Both de la Espriella and Valencia have emphasized their support for U.S. President Donald Trump, despite his increasingly confrontational approach toward Latin America compared to previous U.S. leaders and his demands that countries including Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico intensify their campaigns against criminal organizations.

Should no candidate secure at least 50% of votes — an extremely uncommon occurrence in Colombia — the leading two vote recipients will compete in a runoff election in June.

Maria Eugenia, a 57-year-old seamstress who was working on a pair of jeans Friday in central Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, expressed support for an aggressive campaign against the growing number of criminal organizations, despite potential human consequences.

Though she appreciated Petro’s efforts to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system, she indicated plans to vote for de la Espriella due to escalating violence in the country’s rural regions.

“Of course, whenever you come down with a heavy hand, there’s always going to be debate,” she said. “But some people are going to have to fall to clean up what needs to be cleaned.”

Others, including 26-year-old Cristian Morales, who walked past her business, disagreed with that approach.

Though Petro’s peace initiative has fallen short in numerous areas, he explained, modifying a strategy designed to end the country’s cycles of violence was preferable to adopting another extreme position.

He indicated his intention to support Cepeda, prioritizing the candidate’s commitment to preserving Colombia’s natural environment and expanding educational opportunities over dramatic promises to eliminate the nation’s deeply rooted conflict. Morales described such a goal as something he considers “impossible” to accomplish within a single four-year presidential administration.

“The solution to this conflict isn’t aggressive confrontations. It will only end in more bloodshed,” he said. “It’s so difficult because it’s either dialogue or arms, and an internal conflict isn’t good for anyone.”

Manufacturing activity in China barely expanded during May, with new government statistics highlighting concerns about the world’s second-largest economy’s ability to maintain momentum amid international pressures.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed the official manufacturing purchasing managers index declined to 50 from April’s reading of 50.3. The index operates on a 0-100 scale where numbers above 50 signal growth and figures below 50 indicate shrinkage.

Several key indicators within the report showed weakening trends. New orders fell to 49.9 from the previous month’s 50.6, while production slightly decreased to 51.2 from 51.5 in April. Raw material inventory levels also dropped to 48.6 from April’s 49.3.

Despite global energy market disruptions stemming from the Iran war, China has experienced fewer negative impacts compared to other nations dealing with rising inflation as oil costs have climbed following the Strait of Hormuz closure, a critical shipping route for one-fifth of global oil during normal times.

Economic experts note that China’s substantial oil stockpiles and varied energy supply sources have allowed the nation to largely avoid serious consequences from the conflict.

“Though the energy crisis remains the dominant headwind for Asia, China is relatively more shielded given its robust energy security set-up,” Frederic Neumann, Chief Asia Economist at HSBC bank, wrote in a research note last week.

Export markets continue playing a crucial role in China’s economic performance, according to HSBC analysis.

Although Chinese shipments to America have declined compared to the same periods last year during most recent months, international exports have shown strength, especially to European and Southeast Asian markets.

Optimism for improved U.S. trade relations has grown following President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing during mid-May, when both nations agreed to establish separate trade and investment boards.

Vehicle, technology and artificial intelligence-related exports have supported growth, though some economists express broader economic concerns. Internal consumer demand continues struggling following an extended real estate sector decline that has damaged consumer confidence and investment activity.

“Domestic demand is lagging, but high-end manufacturing and exports are holding the line,” Robin Xing, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a research note last week.

Government officials have established an annual economic growth goal of 4.5% to 5% for this year. This represents the most modest target since 1991, though only marginally below the “around 5%” objective established in 2025.

Morgan Stanley analysts believe China will probably achieve its 2026 target, but oil pricing and reduced uncertainty surrounding global petroleum supplies will be critical factors influencing future economic direction.

BANGKOK (AP) — As the summer travel season approaches, escalating costs and disruptions from the conflict with Iran are putting severe pressure on Southeast Asian nations that depend heavily on tourism revenue, particularly Thailand and Vietnam.

The region’s busiest tourist period faces significant challenges as rising jet fuel expenses and uncertainty about ceasefires lead to flight cancellations and more expensive airfare.

Asian tourism hasn’t completely bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic yet. Currently, numerous nations are dealing with how the conflict affects worldwide energy supplies and pricing, which impacts Asia most severely and earliest. Some households are reducing travel plans as expenses at gas pumps and supermarkets climb globally. Tourist crowds have decreased at destinations once famous for heavy visitation.

“With gasoline prices rising and tourism declining, how can we make money?” asked Siv Pech, a 58-year-old tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap, home to Cambodia’s centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex.

Tourism serves as a crucial economic foundation for numerous developing countries. It represents almost 13% of gross domestic product in Thailand and close to 9% in Vietnam, while supporting millions of jobs in Cambodia. International visitors provide essential foreign currency for import-reliant economies like the Philippines and Nepal.

These tourism revenues are more vital than ever as conflict-related oil price increases raise fuel import expenses, particularly for regions that depended on the Strait of Hormuz near Iran’s coastline as a pathway for much of their oil and gas.

The conflict will decide which tourism enterprises can endure long enough to gain from travelers’ eventual return, said Jitsai Santaputra of The Lantau Group, an energy industry consulting firm. “This, happening within five years of each other, first the pandemic and now the war, is horrible for the tourism industry,” she said.

Jet fuel shortages and climbing costs have caused Vietnam Airlines, the Malaysia-based AirAsia group, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and other carriers to cut flights or re-adjust schedules.

European carriers face a squeeze from similar issues.

Airspace closures across the Persian Gulf early in the war and the intermittent closures of certain Gulf airports cut off key layover locations for Asia-bound flights or forced commercial airplanes to take longer, costlier routes.

Flight prices have increased dramatically, with airlines like Air India and Cathay Pacific implementing sharp increases in fuel surcharges.

Cathay Pacific’s fuel surcharge for medium-haul flights has jumped to 633 Hong Kong dollars ($80) from 264 Hong Kong dollars ($34) before the war. For long-haul flights, it increased to 1,362 Hong Kong dollars ($174) from 569 Hong Kong dollars ($73).

“Jet fuel prices remain at highly elevated levels” and have increased cost pressures, said Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer. Travelers are booking closer to their departure dates, she said, indicating growing unease.

Sandra Awodele, a freelance travel writer in the Washington area, often plans year-round international trips and hoped this summer would finally be the one she crossed Asia off her bucket list.

In March, she began planning a long-awaited vacation to Thailand, envisioning one to two weeks of exploring. Her plans hit a wall when she checked airfares.

“I looked at flight options and that’s where it ended,” Awodele said.

On the ground, rising fuel costs in tourism-dependent Southeast Asia are squeezing taxi and ride-hailing app drivers.

Pech, the Cambodian tuk-tuk driver, said he used to earn up to $20 a day toting tourists around Siem Reap. That’s plummeted to about $5 a day.

His gas bill eats half of that. The rest goes to food. “Some days, I don’t earn even a cent,” he said.

Tourism is vital for many regional economies, accounting for nearly 11% of economic activity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

An analysis by Moody’s Analytics estimated effects from the war would likely reduce economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region by 0.1 to 0.4 percentage points in 2026.

“The conflict will weigh on growth mainly through higher production costs and consumer prices, along with weaker external demand from trade and tourism,” said Albert Park, chief economist at the Asia Development Bank.

Higher airfares and weaker travel confidence can quickly spill over into household livelihoods and public revenues in economies where visitor arrivals are a major source of jobs, income and foreign exchange, according to a recent report by the United Nations Development Program.

Travel is often the first expense people cut when the economy worsens, said Le Tuyet Lan, who runs bed-and-breakfast properties in Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In times of crisis luxury travelers tend to shift toward midrange options, midrange travelers move toward budget hotels, and the cheapest tier of the market becomes the most vulnerable.

“This will disrupt the whole industry,” she said.

Tourism in Thailand is “a big industry and we are feeling it,” said Santaputra with The Lantau Group in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia’s most visited cities.

The number of visitors to Thailand fell 7% year-on-year in April, while European arrivals fell almost 16% and Middle Eastern arrivals sank 57%, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

In neighboring Cambodia, Sokha Sambo, owner of the popular Sambo Khmer & Thai Restaurant in Siem Reap, said the rising price of liquefied petroleum gas used for cooking has strained her budget, hindering her ability to dish out her signature green curries.

“I’m worried about gas and goods inflation. It makes the business less profitable and difficult to cover employees’ salaries,” said Sambo, who has 14 staff members.

In the first four months of 2026, the number of recorded international and domestic visitors to Siem Reap dropped by 37.5% compared to the same period last year, according to the province’s tourism department.

“This has greatly affected all of us,” Sambo said.

Chen Jiao works in an unusual profession: she helps tourists transform themselves into ancient Chinese royalty as part of a growing cultural revival among young people.

She’s among hundreds of styling professionals operating near Beijing’s Forbidden City, the former palace complex that housed rulers from China’s final two imperial dynasties, the Ming and Qing periods.

Daily, customers visit to don elaborate robes featuring phoenix embroidery and accessorize with jade jewelry, pearl ornaments, and golden nail protectors reminiscent of imperial court fashion. Artists carefully apply period makeup while arranging hair with decorative pins and tassels.

Typical sessions cost 300 yuan ($45), while premium packages can reach over 1,000 yuan (exceeding $150).

After their makeovers, clients head to the ancient fortress walls and surrounding waterways for photo shoots, sharing images across social platforms. The experience blends historical elements with contemporary touches, as some participants wear athletic shoes and designer eyewear while sipping modern beverages.

“Peak periods bring tremendous crowds, particularly during national holidays and weekend days,” Chen said.

During a recent busy period, she started her workday at 6 a.m. and completed styling for approximately 24 young women. The industry experiences steady demand year-round, with only brief slowdowns when the historic site closes, she explained.

This immersive historical fashion experience has gained momentum among youth in recent years, with Beijing’s offerings drawing primarily from the nation’s two most recent dynasties.

The Ming period lasted over 270 years before ending in 1644, during which the Forbidden City was constructed and the Great Wall was strengthened. The subsequent Qing dynasty, led by Manchu rulers, fell in 1912, concluding over 2,000 years of imperial governance.

Chen Xiao represents the tourists now flocking to Beijing’s heritage locations for these styling experiences. The university student journeyed overnight from Shandong province in eastern China during the recent Qingming festival period.

“I believe when visiting a particular place, your attire should complement the environment,” Chen said while wearing rose-colored garments typical of a “Gege,” representing a Qing dynasty princess.

The facility housing Chen Jiao’s business demonstrates this industry’s explosive expansion. Approximately four years ago, only several costume studios operated in the building. Current estimates suggest more than 100 now function there, according to regional news sources.

“Young Chinese citizens are recognizing the beauty of ancestral dress while discovering their nation’s deep cultural legacy,” said Cai Zehong, who established Hanfu Beijing, among the first organizations created by enthusiasts to celebrate Han ethnic traditions and customs.

China’s enduring fascination with period television dramas has fueled this movement.

“I’ve viewed numerous historical television series,” Chen Xiao said. “Those programs have certainly shaped my interests. Recently, I’ve become particularly fascinated with Qing dynasty history.

Liu Ruitong, a college student visiting from Hebei province, selected dark-colored Ming-era clothing.

“This style appears very refined and stately, particularly in its color scheme. I selected black because it complements the Forbidden City beautifully and harmonizes with traditional Chinese landscapes overall,” Liu said.

SINGAPORE – Japan’s defense minister Koizumi Shinjirō rejected claims of “new militarism” during remarks at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s top gathering for defense officials and military leaders.

Speaking on Sunday, Koizumi challenged the accusations with pointed comments directed at China. “Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled ‘new militarism’?,” he stated.

The defense minister emphasized Japan’s commitment to international cooperation, saying “Since the end of the Second World war, Japan has consistently respected international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and has made sincere efforts tomaintain and strengthen a free and open international order.”

The comments come after China’s foreign ministry urged Asia-Pacific nations in May to remain alert and “jointly resist the reckless actions of Japan’s neo-militarism.”

Koizumi expressed disappointment about missing opportunities for dialogue, noting he felt “sad” about not being able to meet his Chinese counterparts at the conference.

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has now skipped the Singapore security forum for two consecutive years, avoiding face-to-face meetings with international defense officials.

Manufacturing activity in China remained stagnant during May, according to official data released Sunday, as the sector faced challenges from declining domestic demand and increased production expenses.

The government’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 50 from April’s 50.3, hovering at the threshold that divides expansion from decline, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported. Financial analysts surveyed by Reuters had predicted the reading would hold at 50.

While production capacity increased, orders declined, with manufacturing PMI sub-categories showing production at 51.2 and new orders at 49.9. Raw material inventory levels registered 48.6 in the survey.

These PMI findings contribute to worries about economic deceleration, following information released earlier this month indicating growth pace slowed in April even as exports bounced back.

Ongoing challenges in real estate markets, job creation and household spending continue to hinder expansion, making China dependent on international demand to purchase goods from its manufacturing industries.

The Chinese government has pledged to tackle the supply-demand imbalance and established a more modest GDP growth objective for 2026, providing additional space for policy changes.

Military conflict in the Middle East, which began in late February and resulted in the practical shutdown of the crucial Strait of Hormuz, has driven energy costs higher, posing risks to manufacturer profitability as expenses climb.

A meeting between Chinese and U.S. leaders in Beijing during mid-May failed to produce an extension of the trade agreement the two nations negotiated late last year, though both countries committed to investigating opportunities for duty reductions on approximately $30 billion worth of products from each side.

External influences have affected Chinese manufacturers unevenly. Petrochemical companies and other primary industries have suffered most from rising imported material costs, while inventory building by purchasers worried about additional price increases and worldwide appetite for semiconductors and related artificial intelligence products have supported advanced manufacturing.

Technology and equipment manufacturing exceeded overall sector performance in May, recording PMI scores of 52.9 and 52.1, NBS information indicated. Operations in energy-intensive industries, however, declined.

The non-manufacturing PMI, covering services and construction sectors, increased to 50.1 from April’s 49.4, NBS data revealed.

WASHINGTON — American military forces launched a missile strike against a commercial vessel attempting to violate the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, hitting the ship’s engine room, according to U.S. Central Command officials on Saturday.

The cargo vessel Lian Star, flying under the Gambian flag, disregarded more than 20 warnings from American forces during overnight hours while attempting to reach an Iranian port, military officials reported. The vessel now sits disabled in the Gulf of Oman waters, and American forces have not yet boarded the ship, according to a U.S. official familiar with the operation who spoke anonymously about military activities.

This latest incident brings to six the total number of vessels that U.S. military forces have intercepted while attempting to violate the blockade. Military officials noted that one ship was permitted to continue its journey, while another 116 vessels have been turned away.

The blockade began on April 17 as America’s response to Iran effectively shutting down the strait following the outbreak of Middle Eastern conflict that started with American and Israeli military strikes on February 28. A tenuous ceasefire has remained in place since April 7, with the region now waiting to learn whether an agreement can be struck to extend the truce for 60 days while negotiations proceed regarding Iran’s controversial nuclear program.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial shipping channel between Iran and Oman, has created significant disruptions to the worldwide economy. Large quantities of oil, natural gas, and related products including fertilizer remain stuck in transit, adding pressure on both consumers and agricultural producers.

America’s blockade aims to restrict Iran’s shipping capabilities and further limit the country’s revenue streams, adding additional economic pressure to its already struggling economy.

President Donald Trump held meetings with his advisers on Friday but has not yet made a decision about proceeding with an agreement to extend the ceasefire and reopen the waterway. Iranian officials have stated that no deal has been completed.

Despite Iran’s claims that it must authorize all passage through the strait, commercial shipping has continued moving through the waterway, though at significantly reduced levels compared to pre-conflict volumes.

“Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk,” Iran’s joint military command warned in a Saturday statement broadcast on state television, threatening to target any military ships that attempt to interfere.

Iran has imposed transit fees as high as $2 million, which maritime experts describe as a breach of fundamental international shipping law regarding free peaceful navigation.

Qatar’s deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, stated Saturday that his Gulf nation opposes charging transit fees, “but for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage.”

A U.S. official had previously informed The Associated Press that American forces have not located or eliminated any mines in the strait.

The head of Myanmar’s military-backed administration arrived in India on Saturday for official diplomatic discussions with key regional partners, according to state media reports.

Min Aung Hlaing’s journey marks his inaugural official trip to India since taking the presidential oath in April after elections that opposition voices claim were designed to preserve military control. His previous visit to India occurred in 2019 while serving as military commander.

Despite Western sanctions following the military’s 2021 overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected administration and subsequent nationwide conflict, India has continued diplomatic relations with Myanmar’s military leadership.

According to state-controlled MRTV television, Min Aung Hlaing flew from Naypyitaw on Saturday morning, touching down at Gaya International Airport in Bihar state, close to the Buddhist pilgrimage destination of Bodh Gaya.

The broadcast indicated he would conduct discussions with India’s President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with government ministers and business community leaders, focusing on enhancing partnerships across economic, religious, cultural and social areas.

Cabinet members are traveling with the president, who will also tour significant infrastructure projects during his stay, MRTV reported.

The two nations share a 1,643-kilometer border and maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal. India currently shelters thousands of Myanmar refugees who escaped violence in Chin state and other conflict zones.

Myanmar holds strategic value for India’s security concerns, with both countries collaborating on border protection and intelligence operations against insurgent organizations in frontier areas.

Opposition voices have denounced the visit as providing unwarranted credibility to Myanmar’s military administration.

“We condemn India’s decision to host Min Aung Hlaing, who is a war criminal waging a campaign of terror against the Myanmar people,” said Yadanar Maung, a spokesperson for the Justice For Myanmar activist group, in an emailed statement on Friday.

She said India has long supported Myanmar’s military through military training programs and business ties.

“India must change course, stop awarding false legitimacy to the junta, stop profiting from the military’s campaign of terror against the people, and instead support the Myanmar people who are struggling and sacrificing daily for federal democracy,” said Yadanar Maung.

Northern Israel faced a barrage of rocket fire on Saturday as Hezbollah launched multiple attacks, forcing authorities to implement emergency measures including hospital relocations and educational facility shutdowns.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that rockets launched from Lebanon targeting the Kiryat Shmona region were successfully intercepted. Military officials later announced that another wave of rockets directed at Karmiel was also stopped, with no casualties reported from either incident.

Defense forces intercepted additional projectiles heading toward Safed and surrounding northern towns. Video footage from Nahariya captured rockets splashing into the Mediterranean Sea close to the coastline as people on the beach scrambled for cover.

Following the attacks, the IDF Home Front Command enacted enhanced security protocols throughout northern Israel. Educational institutions near the Lebanon border were shuttered, while schools in other northern areas were limited to operating only where protective shelters could be accessed quickly. Work facilities may remain open under identical shelter accessibility requirements. Outdoor public events are capped at 50 attendees, indoor gatherings at 200, and coastal areas have been shut down.

The Health Ministry declared that the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya would transfer its operations to a fortified underground complex in response to the heightened security guidelines and ongoing rocket and drone strikes from Hezbollah.

Military sources also disclosed that forces targeted a Hezbollah artillery command facility in the Burj al-Shamali region of southern Lebanon on Friday. The IDF stated the location was occupied during the strike, with subsequent secondary explosions suggesting weapons stockpiles were housed within the building.

As Hezbollah intensified its attacks, opposition leaders Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot voiced sharp criticism of the government’s response.

“The government is returning us to the contemptible policy of containment and normalizing an intolerable and unacceptable situation,” Bennett wrote. “Over the weekend, sirens were heard every 20 minutes across the north and people were forced to seek shelter. This is not victory.”

The escalation occurred as Israeli and Lebanese military representatives began Pentagon-facilitated discussions in Washington on Friday, part of a new American-supported security coordination framework designed to prevent further escalation and strengthen the ceasefire established in mid-April.

A State Department official told Fox News Digital: “As we have continuously stated, the only path to lasting peace is through direct negotiations between the two sovereign governments.”

Britain’s foreign minister Yvette Cooper is scheduled to begin a diplomatic mission to Asia on Monday, with stops planned in both China and India to address pressing worldwide concerns ranging from regional conflicts to recent disease outbreaks.

During her visit to China, Cooper is set to hold meetings with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on June 2. Following these discussions, she will head to the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for a science and technology-focused program scheduled for the following day, according to government officials.

The announcement came Sunday, following earlier reports about the planned diplomatic visit that cited multiple sources last month.

The trip builds on recent diplomatic progress between the two nations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese leader Xi Jinping celebrated improved relations during the British leader’s January visit to China, committing to enhanced cooperation in trade, investment and technology sectors for shared benefits.

Cooper’s diplomatic tour to China and India — representing the world’s second-largest and sixth-largest economies respectively — takes place amid rising global tensions, increasing oil costs following the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, and Britain’s ongoing economic challenges with slow growth.

The foreign minister is scheduled to arrive in India on June 4, where meetings are planned with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar along with business leaders, academic figures and government officials working on the UK-India Vision 2035 program.

Both nations established a free trade agreement last year designed to increase bilateral commerce and enhance market opportunities across various industries. However, India’s trade secretary Rajesh Agrawal noted last month that progress has faced obstacles due to London’s recent restrictions on steel imports.

According to British government officials, Cooper’s meetings “with these two major powers are expected to be focused on tackling the most significant global challenges.”

Starmer, who has faced significant approval rating challenges domestically, became the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years. His centre-left Labour government has prioritized rebuilding relationships with China as part of its foreign policy agenda.

Following a lengthy two-hour discussion in the Situation Room, President Donald Trump has not given his approval to a proposed agreement that would extend a ceasefire with Iran and begin fresh nuclear negotiations, keeping the future of any potential deal uncertain.

Despite the president’s earlier statement that he would reach a “final determination” on the proposal, the White House has made no announcement regarding a completed agreement or approved draft after the meeting concluded. Any deal being considered would need sign-off from both the U.S. president and Iran’s top leadership.

On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance announced that Washington and Tehran had developed a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict, awaiting Trump’s approval. The plan includes extending the ceasefire for 60 days and beginning fresh discussions about Iran’s nuclear program.

According to administration officials, President Trump brought together his advisers in the Situation Room to determine the terms he views as crucial for any agreement. Key among these demands are removing Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump posted on Truth Social: “Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions.”

Though administration officials suggest a deal could be possible, multiple matters remain unresolved. Remaining disagreements reportedly involve releasing Iranian assets and questions about managing and transferring nuclear materials.

Tom Barrack is departing his position as US Special Envoy for Syria as the Trump administration transitions toward establishing complete diplomatic ties with Damascus.

The Lebanese-American real estate billionaire received his appointment in May 2025 following Washington’s announcement to remove major sanctions against Damascus, maintaining his dual role as US ambassador to Turkey throughout his envoy tenure.

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that congressional members received notification about the State Department’s plans to “implement a phased approach to potentially resume embassy operations in Syria,” suggesting Barrack’s departure could pave the way for reopening the closed Damascus embassy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that Barrack’s special envoy term was concluding and hinted the position would not continue.

“Ambassador Tom Barrak has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria,” Rubio stated.

“While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the Trump Administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country,” Rubio added.

A close associate of President Trump for many years, Barrack led Trump’s 2017 inauguration committee prior to accepting diplomatic duties.

Throughout his special envoy tenure, Barrack participated in crucial elements of US strategy regarding Syria after Bashar Assad’s removal from power. His responsibilities encompassed managing sanctions relief efforts, reconstruction projects involving Turkey and Gulf nations, and collaboration against the Islamic State terrorist organization. He additionally facilitated negotiations between Syria’s government and Kurdish-led groups while supporting measures to strengthen Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration and expand US diplomatic relations with Damascus.

Following his 17 May meeting with al-Sharaa in Damascus, Barrack characterized Syria as “a laboratory for a new regional alliance based on diplomacy, integration and hope for the entire region”.

His service also faced opposition. In Lebanon, his comments encouraging journalists to conduct themselves in a “civilized” rather than “animalistic” fashion during a press briefing generated controversy. Syrian-Kurdish leadership also criticized him for adopting an overly “pro-Damascus” stance and applying pressure on Kurdish organizations to accept conditions promoted by al-Sharaa.

Barrack represents the fourth US special envoy to Syria over the previous 12 years. The United States has not designated an ambassador to Syria since Stephen Ford, whose service lasted from December 2011 through February 2014.

A judicial ruling in the Turks and Caicos Islands has resulted in a prison term of four years and 26 days for Michael Misick, the territory’s former premier, following his conviction in a major corruption case that spanned several years.

Authorities took Misick into custody in Brazil during December 2012 after Brazilian officials denied his request for political asylum. The charges against him included corruption, misappropriating public funds, and gaining personal profit from selling government property to development companies.

Friday’s sentencing decision imposed the four-year, 26-day prison term on Misick. Earlier in February, a court found him guilty on three bribery charges. Misick has maintained that the accusations were politically motivated.

The same court proceeding on Friday also resulted in prison sentences for former Cabinet minister McAllister Hanchell and attorney Thomas Misick, who is Michael Misick’s brother. Hanchell received a three-year sentence while Thomas Misick was given four years. Authorities placed all three men in custody, and they plan to challenge their sentences through appeals.

Michael Misick resigned from his premier position in 2009, not long after British authorities assumed temporary control of the territory’s administration and halted its constitution due to widespread corruption allegations. Direct British oversight concluded in November 2012 when the territory conducted new elections.

Venezuela’s former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González issued a call Saturday for new presidential elections as interim President Delcy Rodríguez nears the five-month milestone of her administration following a U.S. military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power in early January.

The 76-year-old former diplomat received international recognition as the rightful victor of July 2024’s contested elections during a period marked by post-election turmoil and street demonstrations, with opposition groups claiming electoral fraud had occurred.

International observers validated electoral documentation demonstrating González had defeated Maduro in the voting.

Through a social media post, González declared the time has come to “build the conditions for holding presidential elections that serve as citizen instruments for change” while helping to restore institutional order and establish groundwork for governmental stability.

González’s statement arrives nearly five months after Rodríguez took control on January 5, subsequent to Maduro’s detention along with his spouse, both now facing legal proceedings in the United States.

Rodríguez, previously an associate of Maduro, received official recognition from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, leading to bilateral advancement on multiple agreements encompassing sanction removals, oil and energy sector discussions, and diplomatic relationship restoration.

Both Caracas and Washington have provided no signals that Venezuelan elections are approaching in the near future. U.S. recognition of Rodríguez as Venezuela’s exclusive leader has enabled her to restore connections with Western financial institutions and collaborate more openly with American business interests.

González emphasized that any electoral process must include “independent referees,” domestic and international monitoring, and political diversity among other requirements, while demanding political prisoner releases and “an end to the persecution” as essential conditions.

The opposition figure declared himself the “guardian” of his supporters’ mandate, who selected “freedom” for Venezuela during the 2024 election. González has remained in Spanish exile since September following arrest warrant issuance by Maduro’s government on conspiracy, usurpation and document falsification allegations — accusations he has strongly rejected.

González rose to prominence after being selected as replacement candidate for opposition leader María Corina Machado, who faced electoral participation restrictions.

Corina Machado held recent discussions with opposition figures in Panama, promoting democratic transition in Venezuela. She declared her intention to return by year’s end to seek the presidency.

American forces struck a ship with a missile Friday after the vessel attempted to break through the military blockade surrounding Iran, according to military officials.

U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that it launched a Hellfire missile targeting the engine compartment of the Lian Star, which flies under Gambia’s flag. The ship was traveling through international waters en route to an Iranian port located on the Gulf of Oman when the strike occurred.

Military personnel had previously issued “more than 20 warnings” to the vessel’s crew, alerting them that their journey violated the established U.S. blockade, Centcom officials stated.

Following the missile strike, Centcom confirmed the ship was “no longer transiting to Iran” but offered no additional information about the vessel’s current status.

The military blockade, which began on April 13, has successfully “redirected” a minimum of 115 vessels, according to Friday’s announcement from Centcom.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated Saturday that American military forces remain prepared to launch additional attacks against Iran should diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict between the two nations fail.

The continuing hostilities have driven up energy costs worldwide, particularly as Iran has largely shut down operations through the Strait of Hormuz.

Colombia’s administration on Saturday condemned Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa for what it called intentional meddling in the country’s election after he pledged to remove trade tariffs following discussions with a Colombian presidential hopeful.

On Friday, Noboa announced after meeting with Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella that he planned to work together against narcoterrorism and would drop a security tax beginning June 1.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry fired back Saturday, stating that Ecuador’s decision to lift tariffs on trade between the two nations comes from a mandate by the Andean Community of Nations and dismissed characterizing it as “a goodwill gesture by the Ecuadorian leader.”

The ministry further condemned Noboa’s statements as “deliberate interference in the electoral process” and called it “intrusion by a foreign leader” that represents a “flagrant violation of the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs.”

Colombian voters head to polling stations Sunday to choose who will replace President Gustavo Petro.

De la Espriella, representing the political movement Defenders of the Homeland, ranks among the leading contenders in polling.

Noboa has not specified whether he would stick with his plan if the ruling party candidate, Iván Cepeda, emerges victorious.

The commercial dispute between the two nations started in January when Ecuador’s president implemented what he called a security tax on Colombian goods, citing inadequate border oversight and pointing to a trade imbalance of at least $1 billion.

The levy started at 30%, slowly climbed to 50%, and eventually hit 100%. Only days before his recent statement, Noboa had announced it would drop to 75% beginning June 1st.

The Petro government, which has rejected claims of border neglect, struck back with matching actions: implementing tariffs as high as 75% on Ecuador’s products and banning energy exports to Ecuador.

The escalating conflict resulted in both nations recalling their ambassadors.

Earlier this month, the Andean Community of Nations determined that the mutual tariffs must be removed because they obstruct free commerce and set a deadline for both countries to comply. The organization is currently examining appeals challenging the decision.

American military forces have intercepted and disabled another commercial vessel attempting to violate the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, according to a U.S. official familiar with the operation who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday.

The bulk carrier Lian Star, flying under Gambia’s flag, disregarded repeated warnings from American forces during overnight hours while attempting to access an Iranian port, according to the official, who requested anonymity when discussing military operations. U.S. aircraft rendered the vessel inoperable in the Gulf of Oman, where it continues to drift, though American forces have not boarded the ship, the official stated.

This latest incident brings the total number of vessels stopped by U.S. military forces to six since the blockade’s implementation. One ship was permitted to continue its journey.

The American blockade commenced on April 17 following Iran’s effective closure of the strait after hostilities erupted with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. A tentative ceasefire has remained in place since April 7. The region and international community now wait for developments regarding a potential agreement to extend the ceasefire for 60 days while conducting fresh negotiations on Iran’s contested nuclear program.

Developments in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman have disrupted the global economy, with substantial quantities of oil, natural gas and related products like fertilizer effectively blocked from transport, intensifying pressure on consumers and agricultural producers.

The American blockade aims to restrict Iran’s shipping capabilities and further limit its revenue streams, adding pressure to its already struggling economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump conducted meetings with advisers on Friday but has not yet made a decision regarding proceeding with an agreement to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has indicated the deal remains incomplete.

Maritime commerce has continued moving through the strait at reduced levels compared to pre-conflict volumes, despite Iran’s claims that it must authorize all passages.

“Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk,” Iran’s joint military command stated Saturday in a declaration broadcast on state television, cautioning that military vessels attempting to interfere would face targeting.

Iran has imposed transit fees reaching as high as $2 million, which maritime experts consider a breach of international maritime commerce principles regarding freedom of peaceful navigation.

Qatar’s deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, said Saturday the Gulf nation objects to charging transit fees, “but for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage.”

The U.S. official previously informed the AP that American forces have not located or eliminated any mines in the strait.

The Pentagon is considering speeding up its planned military pullout from European installations and will share its strategy with alliance partners next month, according to a Saturday report from German publication Welt am Sonntag, which cited an unnamed Pentagon source.

The U.S. revealed plans in May to remove 5,000 military personnel from Germany, a decision many viewed as stemming from disagreements between President Donald Trump and European nations regarding the Iran war. Germany currently hosts approximately 35,000 active-duty American military members, representing the largest U.S. military presence in Europe.

When initially announced, Pentagon officials indicated the troop reduction would take between six and 12 months to complete.

The German newspaper’s report did not specify how significantly the timeline would be shortened or identify which military installations could be impacted. According to the publication, American officials plan to outline their strategy during next month’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Force Sourcing Conference.

Pentagon representatives did not immediately provide a response when asked for comment on the report.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — A member of Guyana’s military sustained injuries during an armed confrontation with Venezuelan gunmen near the countries’ shared border, officials reported.

According to a statement from the Guyana Defense Force, their patrol boat operating on the Cuyuni River encountered hostile fire on Friday evening.

This incident represents another violent episode in a series of border confrontations that have occurred in recent years amid ongoing territorial disagreements, with Venezuela asserting claims over two-thirds of Guyana’s land. A prior assault resulted in injuries to eight Guyanese military personnel.

Both nations recently presented their cases before the International Court of Justice in The Hague regarding a disputed 62,000-square-mile (160,000-square-kilometer) area abundant in gold, diamonds, timber and additional natural resources. The contested region sits adjacent to significant offshore petroleum reserves that currently yield approximately 900,000 barrels daily.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez informed the court in The Hague that diplomatic discussions rather than legal decisions should settle this longstanding territorial disagreement.

Venezuela maintains its claim to Essequibo based on historical colonial boundaries that included the area. The country contends that a 1966 Geneva agreement involving Venezuela, Britain and the former British Guiana, which became Guyana, invalidated boundary lines established by international arbitrators in 1899.

Turkey’s former opposition chief Ozgur Ozel proved his political influence remains strong Saturday, attracting tens of thousands of supporters to a demonstration in Ankara following a court decision that stripped him of his leadership position and potentially strengthened President Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power.

Following his speech to the massive crowd – with attendance figures reaching into the tens of thousands according to private Anka news agency and opposition-aligned media – Ozel guided supporters through Turkey’s capital in response to last week’s court decision removing him from his role leading the primary opposition CHP party.

The judicial ruling invalidated the CHP’s 2023 party convention, bringing back previous chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu – a controversial figure among party members who suffered defeat against Erdogan in that year’s presidential race.

This development may strengthen Erdogan’s prospects for continuing his leadership of more than twenty years in the NATO member nation and significant emerging economy.

Saturday saw Kilicdaroglu making his first appearance at CHP party headquarters since the May 21 court decision, where he promised to eliminate party corruption, referencing cases involving CHP-controlled municipal governments.

The removed leadership rejects these accusations, labeling them as having political motivations, which the government disputes.

While Kilicdaroglu addressed party members, Ozel spoke to a larger gathering outside the party’s Ankara regional headquarters.

“This is not an internal matter for the CHP,” Ozel declared. “This is a matter between Erdogan and the nation. On one side are the seized buildings; on the other, millions standing up for their party and their country.”

He argued the court’s decision failed to validate Kilicdaroglu’s authority and demanded an immediate party convention, while supporters shouted “Leader Ozgur!” and “Traitor Kemal!”

Ozel then guided a non-violent march to the memorial site of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who established modern Turkey and founded the CHP.

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, viewed as a potential CHP presidential nominee alongside imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – who remains Erdogan’s most significant political opponent – participated in the demonstration and also demanded a party convention.

Kilicdaroglu indicated such a gathering would occur “as soon as possible,” though he provided no specific timeframe.

Thousands of Austrian residents brought traffic to a halt Saturday on the Brenner motorway, a crucial transportation route linking Germany and Italy through the Alps, demanding relief from constant truck and tourist congestion overwhelming their communities.

Karl Muehlsteiger, mayor of Gries am Brenner, spearheaded the demonstration in one of several towns affected by the major highway that winds through the narrow Wipp Valley on massive concrete supports.

Traffic volume and pollution concerns in the valley leading to the Brenner Pass have created ongoing friction between Austria and Germany for many years. Officials in Austria’s Tyrol region have implemented different strategies to reduce traffic flow, frequently drawing criticism from German authorities.

“You are making history!” Austrian news agency APA reported Muehlsteiger declared to approximately 3,000 demonstrators who assembled on the highway at 1 p.m. for a symbolic blockade, following police closure of both corridor entrances earlier that morning. Motorists encountering the barriers reversed course and departed.

The demonstration lasted eight hours beginning at 11 a.m. but avoided the widespread disruption many anticipated, as drivers mostly followed advisories to avoid the area despite school holidays in several German regions, including nearby Bavaria.

Local media noted that railway service along the parallel route experienced heavy passenger loads.

Officials also restricted the local road connecting communities alongside the motorway to resident and local traffic only.

Meanwhile in Italy, suspected arson targeting electrical infrastructure overnight caused railway disruptions between Peri and Dolce near Verona on the Verona Porta Nuova–Brenner rail line.

Authorities are examining potential connections to radical environmental or anarchist organizations.

Colombia’s foreign ministry has leveled accusations of “deliberate interference” against Ecuador regarding Colombia’s upcoming presidential election on Sunday, following Ecuador’s decision to eliminate tariffs after discussions with a Colombian candidate.

The controversy emerged after Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa announced Friday that his nation would eliminate bilateral tariffs beginning June 1, following an agreement reached with right-wing Colombian presidential hopeful Abelardo De La Espriella.

In a post on X, Noboa explained the tariff removal would occur after “confirming (De La Espreilla’s) willingness to promote a real and joint fight against narcoterrorism.” The Ecuadorean leader also mentioned they had reached an understanding regarding the transfer of Ecuadorean criminals currently in Colombia.

Colombia’s foreign ministry pushed back against what it called “the misleading presentation of the decision to remove the tariffs as a measure of good faith by the Ecuadorean government,” according to their official statement. However, the ministry indicated it would eliminate measures previously implemented to counter Ecuador’s tariffs.

Noboa’s office has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

The neighboring nations have been locked in a trade dispute for several months, with Ecuador imposing tariffs due to Colombia’s alleged inability to address drug trafficking problems along their 586-kilometer (364-mile) shared border. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has disputed these claims.

De La Espriella, running as an independent candidate, will compete against Petro ally Ivan Cepeda and right-wing Senator Paloma Valencia, along with other candidates, in Sunday’s election.

Israeli military forces conducted airstrikes and artillery bombardments near a historic medieval fortress in southern Lebanon on Saturday, as combat continued in communities surrounding the southern city of Nabatieh.

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for more than twelve communities in southern Lebanon, occurring one day after Lebanese and Israeli military representatives conducted their first face-to-face discussions in decades at the Pentagon.

Lebanon’s president and prime minister met Saturday to address the situation in southern Lebanon, later releasing a statement saying they would increase their diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli destruction and bulldozing of residences and historic locations, as well as the evacuation orders.

According to Lebanon’s state-operated National News Agency, Israeli aircraft and artillery targeted areas surrounding the medieval Beaufort fortress, located approximately 15 kilometers from the Israeli border with commanding views over much of southern Lebanon. Israeli forces occupied this strategic fortress for 18 years before withdrawing from Lebanon in May 2000.

For several days, Israeli ground forces have been moving through communities near the fortress, including Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sharqieh close to Nabatieh, after crossing the strategic Litani River, which Israeli military has treated as an informal border.

Extensive territories to the south remain under Israeli military occupation, despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement from April 17.

The National News Agency documented airstrikes across various sections of southern Lebanon, including the village of Ansar where three people were killed. A drone attack on a roadway connecting Ebba village with Nabatieh injured two Lebanese soldiers, according to an army statement.

Hezbollah reported that its fighters launched rockets at Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel’s largest city on the Lebanese border. The organization stated the attack was retaliation for airstrikes that killed civilians in Lebanon. Hezbollah subsequently announced it also fired rockets toward the northern city of Safed.

Among Friday’s casualties in southern Lebanon was a Syrian family — Qais al-Bakir, his pregnant wife and their six children — who perished in an Israeli airstrike on the coastal village of Adloun, north of Tyre.

The family, members of Syria’s minority Alawite sect, had escaped to Lebanon from the central province of Hama following Bashar Assad’s fall in Syria in December 2024. Some Alawite sect members have faced revenge attacks from Islamist groups that ousted the former president.

The family was residing at a sheep farm and received no advance warning of the village strike, according to Ali al-Bakir, brother of the deceased man. He said the family intends to transport the bodies for burial in their Syrian hometown.

“He worked in farming and all he cared about was to feed his children,” his brother said.

The current Israel-Hezbollah conflict began March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel two days following Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran.

The war has resulted in 3,350 deaths in Lebanon and displaced over 1 million people.

In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian nurse died in an Israeli strike Saturday, hospital officials reported, marking the latest death from Israeli fire since an unstable ceasefire stopped major combat in the territory last year.

The late Saturday morning strike targeted a Hamas-operated police checkpoint in the central city of Deir al-Balah. At least three others sustained injuries, according to the city’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which treated the victims.

Israeli military representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The deceased nurse was identified as Jamal Abu Aoun, who was employed at Yafa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His funeral took place at noon in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital courtyard.

He represents the most recent Palestinian fatality in the coastal territory since a fragile October ceasefire agreement sought to end a more than two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Although major fighting has decreased, the unstable ceasefire has witnessed nearly daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes and regularly fire on Palestinians near military-controlled areas, killing at least 929 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The ministry, operating under the Hamas-led government, keeps detailed casualty documentation considered generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. However, it does not provide breakdowns between civilians and militants.

Militants have conducted shooting attacks on troops, and Israel claims its strikes respond to those and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died since the ceasefire.

ISTANBUL (AP) — Massive crowds of demonstrators filled Turkey’s capital city Saturday, rallying behind the ousted chief of the nation’s primary opposition political organization.

A court directive issued May 21 stripped Ozgur Ozel of his leadership position within the Republican People’s Party, known as CHP. Numerous observers view this judicial action as a politically driven effort to weaken opposition forces.

Demonstrators initially assembled at Guven Park in Turkey’s capital center to listen as Ozel delivered remarks criticizing his dismissal. The crowd then accompanied him on an unplanned procession to the memorial site of Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

“They are attempting to replace the CHP’s elected chairman and appoint a trustee,” Ozel told supporters. “Today is the day to restart our march to power. I wish this were an internal party matter. This is not an internal matter for the CHP. This is a matter between (President) Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the nation.”

The appellate court’s decision reversed a 2023 party convention ballot that installed Ozel as CHP chief. The judicial ruling reinstated his former colleague, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, generating anger among party loyalists.

The 51-year-old Ozel took over from the 77-year-old Kilicdaroglu following 13 years of largely unsuccessful resistance to Erdogan.

Ozel has characterized the legal proceedings, which focused on supposed voting violations during the convention, as the most recent judicial assault on the CHP. Legal proceedings nationwide, primarily alleging financial misconduct in CHP-controlled local governments, have resulted in hundreds of elected representatives and party activists being arrested.

Government officials maintain that Turkey’s judicial system operates without bias and functions free from political influence.

While demonstrators assembled at Guven Park, Kilicdaroglu conducted a competing event at CHP offices in Ankara, which law enforcement officers raided the previous Sunday to eject Ozel and his allies.

Speaking to a significantly smaller audience, Kilicdaroglu criticized the former party leadership for allowing extensive financial misconduct.

The CHP currently matches the governing Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in recent polling data, and despite the next scheduled election occurring in 2028, many anticipate Erdogan will seek earlier voting.

Ozel inflicted significant damage on the AKP during 2024 local elections, consolidating the opposition’s control over major urban centers it had captured five years prior, including Istanbul and Ankara.

The CHP mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, has become the most probable opponent to Erdogan, who has governed Turkey since 2003, in the upcoming presidential contest. However, he has been incarcerated since March of last year while confronting multiple criminal proceedings that could result in decades of imprisonment.

Lithuania’s capital city welcomed tens of thousands of visitors over the weekend for an extraordinary celebration dedicated to the nation’s beloved cold beet soup, transforming the entire city into a vibrant pink spectacle.

The three-day Vilnius Pink Soup Fest showcased šaltibarščiai, Lithuania’s traditional cold beet soup, with a massive coordinated “Pink Break” lunch where visitors from around the world gathered at extended tables to share the iconic dish. Event planners projected that attendees would consume over three metric tons (6,614 lbs) of kefir, a fermented milk product essential to the soup, throughout the celebration, with more than 100,000 people expected to participate.

This cooling soup serves as a summer staple for Lithuanians during the Baltic nation’s brief warm season. The traditional recipe combines beets and kefir with boiled potatoes, eggs, cucumbers and dill.

International visitors flocked to the unique celebration, including tourist Connor Holmes from the United Kingdom, who discovered the event online and believed “it was completely ridiculous in the best possible way.”

“Before I knew it, I was building a suit of pink knight armor, carrying a spoon instead of a sword, and decorating my shield with eggs, dill and potatoes,” he said. “At that point, coming to Vilnius and seeing all this craziness myself felt like the next logical step.”

The capital became an enormous pink entertainment zone as both visitors and residents donned pink attire. Additional participants celebrated wearing cucumber, egg and beet costumes while the city organized processions both on streets and along the Neris River.

Jolanta Žukienė, a teacher from Vilnius, attended the festival for the fourth consecutive year, bringing her three children and husband on Saturday.

“I can see how the number of attractions and visitors from abroad is growing, and Vilnius is becoming a real magnet for everyone who loves good food and unique experiences,” she said.

This celebration represents part of the city’s strategy to boost tourism to the Baltic nation.

“Looking at the crowds on the banks and the decorated boats, we joked that cold beet soup already dominates both land and water,” said Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, director of Go Vilnius, the city’s development agency. “Perhaps the air is next.”

Overnight drone operations by Ukrainian forces resulted in blazes at multiple Russian petroleum installations on Saturday, according to regional Russian authorities, marking another chapter in ongoing strikes against Moscow’s crucial energy sector.

Russian officials in the Rostov region reported that debris from downed drones ignited a blaze that harmed an oil storage facility and fuel tanker at Taganrog port, while administrators in the adjacent Krasnodar region documented a fire erupting at a petroleum depot in Armavir from similar causes. “Another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached — Armavir,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X Saturday of the attack in the Krasnodar region, noting that Armavir is “500 kilometers from our state border.” “We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from,” he wrote.

Ukrainian forces have broadened their medium and long-distance attack capabilities, utilizing drone and rocket systems developed within their borders to combat Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Strikes against Russian petroleum infrastructure that serves as a crucial funding source for the invasion have become nearly routine events.

Meanwhile, Russia has employed its extended-range ballistic weapons to target Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure and bombard urban areas. The Ukrainian capital is preparing for additional intense bombardments following what the Russian Foreign Ministry described earlier this week as forthcoming “systemic strikes” on Kyiv. Zelenskyy said Thursday that he’s being “very persistent” in pressing the United States to provide his country with more Patriot air defense missiles that can counter devastating Russian ballistic missile attacks. The strikes on Russian petroleum infrastructure occurred one day after a Russian drone participating in an assault on Ukraine veered off course and hit an apartment complex in eastern Romania, wounding two individuals in the NATO member nation. The border violation heightened worries that the conflict might extend beyond the alliance’s boundaries and prompted widespread criticism throughout Europe.

Officials in the Georgian capital have opened a historic wine vault for the first time this week, revealing approximately 40,000 bottles that once belonged to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

The collection, now owned by the Georgian government, contains French and Georgian wine rarities stored in a repository where cobwebs hang from the ceiling and a sweet, musky aroma fills the dimly lit space.

Government officials intend to sell the collection at auction, with some bottles dating back to the early 1800s, and will direct proceeds toward establishing a wine education school within the country.

Irakli Gilauri, owner of Gilauri Wines who collaborated with the nation’s agriculture ministry on this initiative, stated the auction would help to “put Georgia on the collectors’ map.”

The South Caucasus nation promotes itself as wine’s birthplace, citing archaeological findings that show an unbroken winemaking heritage spanning 8,000 years.

Stalin, a Georgian native who ruled the Soviet Union from 1924 until 1953, had a passion for drinking and collecting wine.

His collection features bottles from Bordeaux’s premier estates that previously belonged to Russian Tsar Alexander III and his son Nicholas II. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Soviet forces confiscated the Imperial Romanov wine collection, with Stalin serving as its custodian while gradually incorporating his preferred Georgian wine varieties.

Wine collector Victor Chen, who made the journey from Dallas, Texas to view the collection, expressed enthusiasm while examining the dust-laden bottles containing amber-colored wine.

“I feel like you’re Indiana Jones opening up a cave: it could be nothing, it could be something,” Chen commented, making reference to the adventurous movie character.

“There’s not many things that are still historical moments at this point. And this could be one of them.”

ANHOLT, Denmark — Officials in Denmark have pulled the remains of a humpback whale onto shore after the animal’s body spent two weeks floating in shallow coastal waters following its death.

The marine mammal had become a media sensation across Germany, earning the affectionate names “Timmy” and “Hope” as news organizations provided continuous coverage of its condition after it was initially discovered near the German coastline on March 3.

Authorities discovered the whale’s body on May 14, washed up near the tiny island of Anholt in the Kattegat strait, which runs between Denmark and Sweden and links the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.

The animal’s death brought to a close several months of dramatic and sometimes controversial rescue attempts, which reached their peak on May 2 when crews loaded the whale onto a barge and attempted to transport it toward the North Sea, hoping to guide it back to its natural Atlantic Ocean environment.

Officials with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency say they plan to conduct an examination of the remains in the coming week to identify what caused the whale’s death.

On Saturday, the Danish media outlet “News5” broadcast live footage showing the carcass being pulled up onto the beach using cables connected to a truck positioned on shore.

Marine biologists remain uncertain about why the whale entered the Baltic Sea waters, which are located far from its typical living area and provide unsuitable conditions for the species. Some specialists have suggested the animal may have become disoriented while pursuing a school of herring or during its seasonal migration journey.

Recent changes to Canadian citizenship regulations have triggered a significant spike in applications from Americans seeking to obtain status through family heritage, according to new government statistics.

The revised regulations, which expanded eligibility beyond just first-generation descendants to include more distant family connections, have led to dramatic increases in monthly citizenship approvals. Government records show monthly approvals have climbed from just 275 when the updated law took effect in December 2025 to more than 1,000 additional cases each month this year.

Statistics reveal that approximately 48% of these new approvals through February came from applicants in the United States, highlighting the strong interest among Americans in securing Canadian status.

Legal experts attribute the high American participation to the longstanding connections between the neighboring nations, while also noting that many Americans view Canada as an appealing destination for living or education, particularly given recent political turbulence in the U.S.

William Hunnewell, a 41-year-old Seattle resident who submitted his application this year and anticipates a decision within nine to twelve months, explained his motivation. His great-grandfather homesteaded in Saskatchewan prior to World War One, and his grandfather was born in Canada.

“The biggest thing is it gives our family options,” Hunnewell explained. “If my kid wants to study or live in Canada, she can just go — there’s no visa, no deadlines.”

Immigration attorney Nick Berning, who practices in the United States, believes most newly approved citizens will continue residing abroad but want to maintain flexibility for the future.

“Current interest in Canadian citizenship is definitely influenced by U.S. politics,” Berning stated. “They want to stay in the U.S., but if things become untenable, they want a way out.”

Political divisions have intensified across America, with polling indicating growing dissatisfaction with the current administration. Relations between the two countries have also become strained following the imposition of heavy tariffs on Canadian products and discussions about annexing Canada as the 51st state.

Monthly approval figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada show steady growth: 1,140 approvals in January, 1,255 in February, and 1,405 in March under the new citizenship category.

The updated citizenship legislation came in response to a 2023 court decision that ruled restricting citizenship to only the first generation born outside Canada violated constitutional principles.

Individuals who have lived outside Canada for multiple generations can now qualify for citizenship by demonstrating ancestral connections. This expansion contrasts sharply with recent Canadian government initiatives to reduce immigration quotas.

However, Berning pointed out that new citizens who have never resided in Canada cannot automatically transfer citizenship rights to their children born in foreign countries.

A devastating highway accident in Afghanistan’s eastern region has claimed the lives of at least 22 people, including 10 children, when a transport vehicle carrying Afghan refugees overturned on Saturday. Approximately 36 others sustained injuries in the crash, with women and children comprising the majority of casualties, according to local authorities.

The fatal incident took place in Laghman province along the primary roadway connecting Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, to Nangarhar province, according to Abdul Malik Niazai, the spokesperson for the provincial governor.

Among those who perished were 10 children and five women, while the wounded victims were transported to medical facilities in Nangarhar for treatment, Niazai reported.

Aminullah Sharif, the provincial director of public health, confirmed the death toll of 22 individuals and stated that roughly 36 people were hurt in the incident. According to Sharif, the crash happened when the transport vehicle veered into a roadside ditch after its operator dozed off while driving.

The victims were part of the large population of Afghans who have recently come back from Pakistan, following that country’s enforcement campaign against migrants that began in 2023, resulting in deportations and pressure on many to depart. Iran similarly stepped up removal efforts for Afghan migrants during this period. Millions of Afghans have since returned from both nations, including numerous individuals who were born in Pakistan and had lived and worked there for many years.

In another incident in eastern Nuristan province, a vehicle plunged from the roadway into a river on Friday evening, injuring the operator and leaving four occupants unaccounted for, provincial officials announced Saturday. Search and rescue teams were actively looking for the four missing individuals, the governor’s office reported.

Such transportation incidents occur frequently throughout Afghanistan, where roadway infrastructure is in poor condition and motorists commonly disregard safety rules.

Moscow announced Saturday that it has withdrawn its diplomatic representative from Armenia for discussions, expressing displeasure over the nation’s growing relationship with the European Union with elections approaching on June 7.

The Caucasus country, home to approximately 3 million residents, maintains a formal alliance with Russia but has been strengthening connections with Western nations in recent years, even while remaining economically tied to Moscow.

“The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Armenia, S.P. Kopyrkin, has been recalled to Moscow for consultations in connection with steps taken by the Armenian leadership toward rapprochement with the European Union,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated regarding diplomat Sergei Kopyrkin.

On Friday, a Moscow-led economic alliance of former Soviet states announced it would review potentially suspending Armenia for pursuing EU membership and urged the capital to conduct a public referendum on the matter.

Polling data for the upcoming June vote indicates that pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s political party holds a lead over opposition groups favoring Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump has given his backing to Pashinyan, who rose to leadership following a 2018 popular uprising and secured re-election in 2021.

Armenian officials contend that Russia did not provide adequate security during military conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan, particularly regarding disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh, a previously separatist territory with ethnic Armenian residents that Azerbaijan reclaimed in 2023.

Moscow maintains that Western nations are interfering in Armenian affairs to diminish Russian authority throughout the former Soviet territories.

Armenian officials have not yet responded publicly to the diplomatic recall announcement.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian allies Saturday to increase their military expenditures in response to China’s expanding military capabilities, expressing concern about the nation’s rapid defense buildup during a major regional security conference.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s leading gathering for defense officials, military leaders and diplomats, Hegseth emphasized the need for a more robust and independent network of allies to discourage aggression and maintain regional stability.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.

“A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power,” Hegseth said. “No state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”

The Pentagon chief announced that the U.S. anticipates its Asian partners to raise defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP while committing to a $1.5 trillion investment in American military capabilities.

“Less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that the region needed greater defense capability than conferences. Allies want stability, not escalation, he said.

“What they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.”

Despite his warnings about China’s military expansion, Hegseth adopted a moderate approach regarding U.S.-China relations, characterizing them as “better than they have been in many years,” with increased military-to-military communication helping to reduce tensions.

“We are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication.”

Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University and retired People’s Liberation Army senior colonel who was part of the Chinese delegation, described U.S.-China relations as “complicated.”

Nonetheless, he said Hegseth struck “a much better tone” this year than last, attributing the shift to Trump’s visit to China.

“Both sides have open channels of communication, the situation is not as exaggerated as the outside world makes it out to be,” Zhou said.

China, whose defense minister is skipping the dialogue for a second consecutive year, accused Hegseth last year of making “vilifying” remarks.

Hegseth reinforced President Donald Trump’s persistent call for allies to take on greater responsibility for their own defense expenses. Trump has specifically stated that European and NATO partners should decrease their dependence on Washington.

“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over,” Hegseth said. “We need partners, not protectorates,” he added. “We don’t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.”

Hegseth acknowledged contributions from allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and said Japan was taking concrete steps to bolster its defences.

Tokyo and Washington “must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance,” he said.

Regarding Middle East tensions, Hegseth stated the United States remains prepared to resume military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts prove unsuccessful, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran work to resolve significant disagreements preventing an agreement.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth said. He added that Trump remains “patient” and is seeking a “strong deal” to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump said on Friday he would convene advisers in a secure White House setting to make a “final determination” on a proposal to end the Iran war.

Hegseth also dismissed concerns that the Middle East conflict would divert attention from Asia-Pacific priorities.

“We can do two things at one time.”

During his address, Hegseth did not reference Taiwan, a sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations.

When questioned about weapons sales to the island afterward, Hegseth minimized worries that a multi-billion-dollar package might be impacted as the United States reduces its weapons stockpiles during the Middle East conflict. “We feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,” he said.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has been waiting for the U.S. to approve an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.

Trump sowed uncertainty in Taipei by saying, after meeting China’s President Xi Jinping this month, that he was undecided on whether to approve the package.

Any decision on future arms sales would rest with President Trump, Hegseth said, signalling no shift in Washington’s longstanding approach despite recent engagement with Beijing.

“Those decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,” Hegseth said. “There’s been no change in our status.”

Three allied nations are joining forces to create unmanned underwater vehicles through their defense partnership, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Speaking to reporters in Singapore on Saturday, Hegseth revealed that the United States, Britain and Australia are collaborating on this underwater drone technology as part of their AUKUS trilateral defense agreement.

The announcement highlights the ongoing military cooperation between the three countries under the AUKUS framework.

Emergency teams successfully extracted four additional individuals from a water-filled cave in Laos on Saturday, according to Thai rescue officials.

The Saturday rescue mission took place just hours following the Friday evening extraction of another person from the same flooded cavern.

All five individuals who have now been brought to safety were part of a seven-person group of Lao citizens who had ventured into the cave system located in Xaisomboun province while searching for gold. The group became stranded when floodwaters blocked their path out, leaving them stuck underground for over a week.

Vietnam’s highest-ranking official believes that strengthening relationships with neighboring China could enhance peace and stability throughout the region, despite ongoing territorial conflicts between the two nations.

Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam shared this perspective during his inaugural interview with international media in his current position, speaking with Reuters on Friday.

“We do not pick sides,” Lam stated, emphasizing Vietnam’s balanced approach to foreign relations.

The Vietnamese leader explained that pursuing closer ties with China while working to resolve longstanding territorial disagreements in the South China Sea presents no conflict of interest.

“If we can maintain good relations and dialogue, then all disagreements can be resolved,” Lam explained through an interpreter.

“Having good relations with China, safeguarding our sovereignty and settlement of issues in the East Sea are mutually reinforcing, not mutually exclusive,” he added, referencing Vietnam’s terminology for the South China Sea.

Lam restated Vietnam’s established stance of resolving territorial disputes through international law, specifically citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The territorial tensions between China and Vietnam are significant, with Vietnam claiming the Chinese-controlled Paracel islands and the complete Spratlys archipelago located further south. The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have competing claims over this crucial shipping corridor, where military presence continues to expand, making it an increasingly volatile regional hotspot.

These comments come as Lam works quickly to elevate Vietnam’s international standing, seeking to strengthen relationships with China, the United States and other major nations while pursuing an aggressive economic growth strategy.

Lam characterized the rivalry between the United States and China as an “objective reality.”

“We do not approach our relations with major powers through the prism of security,” he noted, demonstrating Vietnam’s traditional flexible diplomatic approach known as “bamboo diplomacy.”

“We need good relations with major countries so that we can jointly address essential, important issues.”

Now serving in both the party leadership and presidential roles, Lam has become Vietnam’s most influential leader in recent decades, with his dual position enabling him to take a more active diplomatic role.

International diplomatic observers are carefully monitoring his leadership style as he develops a more assertive and adaptable stance for a country previously viewed as diplomatically reserved and careful due to its shared leadership structure.

Some experts have observed that concentrating power in a single individual could push the one-party system toward increased authoritarianism, while simultaneously allowing for quicker policy decisions.

Described as soft-spoken yet decisive, the 68-year-old Lam rose through Vietnam’s domestic security organization, an influential but discrete agency not typically associated with producing diplomatic leaders.

Lam’s Reuters interview occurred following his keynote address on Friday evening at Asia’s premier defense conference, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore — marking the first time a Vietnamese party leader has delivered such a speech.

Speaking to an audience of international defense officials, military personnel, intelligence officers and scholars, Lam identified global challenges including weakening international rules and law, developmental crises involving reduced growth and climate change, and deteriorating trust between nations.

“The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept,” Lam declared.

He advocated for strengthening international law, establishing inclusive and sustainable economic drivers, and promoting dialogue and openness.

During the post-speech interview in a hotel meeting room, wearing casual attire with a burgundy tie, Lam acknowledged to Reuters that his administration’s growth objectives were “ambitious and highly challenging” but expressed determination to reach them.

Vietnam aims to achieve developed, high-income nation status by 2045, targeting 10% GDP growth this year and continued double-digit increases in coming years, powered by advances in science, technology and digital innovation.

When questioned about whether the Iran crisis and other global challenges might require adjusting these targets, Lam maintained the core goals remained “within reach.”

“Our answer is clear: we will not adjust this objective downward.

“We believe there is no alternative path. If we fail to achieve this target, we will fall short of the broader development aspirations we have set for our country,” he concluded.

Air operations came to a temporary standstill at Munich Airport in southern Germany on Saturday morning following reports of a suspected drone in the airspace, according to German news outlets Focus Online and Bild.

Focus Online later reported that flight operations had resumed at the facility. However, the airport’s departure information showed that multiple flights scheduled around 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) experienced delays or cancellations, though not all services were affected.

Neither airport officials nor local police provided immediate responses when contacted for comment about the incident.

Emergency crews in Laos continued their mission Saturday to safely extract four villagers discovered alive inside a water-filled cave, where they have been stranded for 10 days following the successful rescue of one survivor the previous day.

The rescue operation aims to bring out the remaining four men Saturday after determining they weren’t prepared for evacuation on Friday. Teams are working to pump additional water from the cave system while simultaneously searching for two individuals who remain unaccounted for.

“One person has made it out safely, and we will not stop until the remaining four make it home too,” Norrased Palasing, a Thai cave diver participating in the operation, wrote Saturday on his Facebook page.

The first evacuation on Friday required approximately 30 minutes, according to rescue personnel. Footage captured the moment the survivor surfaced alongside a rescue diver, gasping for air before struggling through a tight, water-filled corridor and rising unsteadily. As rescue workers assisted him from the tunnel, someone could be heard cautioning others about his injured hands. Emergency responders then covered him with a foil blanket and helped him sit down.

Additional footage showed the individual exiting the cave entrance wearing a headlamp, walking shakily with support from two people who transferred him to other team members as onlookers gathered.

The group had reportedly gone into the cave the previous week searching for precious minerals when sudden flooding trapped them inside. Another villager managed to escape in time and notified authorities about the seven people left behind.

Search teams located five survivors on Wednesday, identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen. Officials have not disclosed which individual was brought to safety Friday.

The trapped men received supplies including water, soft food and thermal blankets for warmth, though video footage from inside the cave indicated their situation was worsening.

International rescue teams from Laos and Thailand have been joined by specialists from Japan and Malaysia. Additional experts from Indonesia, France and Australia have also arrived at the remote location in Xaisomboun province, approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Vientiane, the capital.

Multiple team members had participated in the complex 2018 cave rescue operation in northern Thailand that saved 12 schoolchildren and their soccer coach.

In video recorded Friday, roughly one hour before the first evacuation commenced, Thai rescuer Kengkaj Bongkawong of the Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin explained the operational difficulties they face.

The rescue team has established a base inside a large cave chamber, reachable only by navigating over 200 meters of winding, narrow, flooded passages with sharp walls. From that point, divers must travel through a submerged tunnel spanning about 30 meters to reach the stranded individuals.

“To dive in a cave, there are issues with the temperature, narrow areas, control of movement, and managing the panic of the survivor, which will be difficult, but we have to do it,” Kengkaj said.

The operation carries substantial risk as rescue teams guide survivors with no diving experience through water with zero visibility.

Video showed Thai diver Norrased and Finnish diver Mikko Paasi instructing the men on diving equipment use, including underwater breathing methods.

“All the way, breathe through your mouth only. Do not ever breathe with your nose, do you understand?” Norrased said during the session.

Emergency teams are also preparing to look for the two villagers who remain missing.

Kengkaj indicated the team intends to explore a section further inside the cave, roughly 20 to 25 meters past where the survivors were discovered. He warned, however, that the area is extensively flooded.

“That area has a lot of water. The water goes there because it’s even deeper than this place,” he said.

Regional officials in southern Russia reported Saturday that Ukrainian drone attacks overnight targeted a tanker vessel and oil storage facility in two separate cities near the Ukrainian border.

According to Rostov region Governor Yury Slyusar, who posted on Telegram, blazes at the tanker and throughout the port of Taganrog were put out without causing an oil spill. The governor reported two people sustained injuries in the port city, which is home to approximately 240,000 residents.

Mayor Svetlana Kambulova announced that a local emergency declaration, first implemented on May 27, would continue beyond its original timeframe.

In the adjacent Krasnodar region, officials from Armavir reported that a blaze at an oil storage facility within the city’s industrial area was successfully contained without any casualties. Armavir has approximately 185,000 inhabitants.

Governor Slyusar stated that regional air defenses intercepted nearly 50 drones throughout the area, with strike attempts documented across the province that shares a border with Ukraine’s Donbas region, where intense combat between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues.

Beyond the port city of Taganrog, the governor indicated that only minimal property damage occurred from the drone activity.

ATHENS, Greece — Soccer brought communities together on the streets of Greece’s capital as amateur teams prepared for their own version of World Cup competition.

Athletes competed and formed connections on neighborhood practice fields throughout Athens rather than in the massive venues hosting matches across Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The local tournament featured no premium seating or elaborate facilities — instead, migrant and Greek athletes played on municipal fields while spectators gathered along chain-link barriers as music echoed through surrounding neighborhoods.

Though teams representing Albania, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan won’t appear in the official World Cup, amateur athletes connected to these nations showcased their skills in Athens.

Numerous migrant athletes have been preparing for Europe’s tougher migration and asylum policies set to begin in June. However, the competition for migrant and refugee communities offered a welcome break — a festival of soccer and cultural pride.

One playing location sat near Plato’s Academy, where ancient Athenians once discussed citizenship concepts, with the Acropolis visible beyond the field. In the crowded Kypseli neighborhood, fans displayed Congolese and Ivory Coast banners while volunteers conducted drumming workshops nearby.

Squads played to African pop songs while coaches called out directions and fans applauded from the edges of the field.

Amelie Nguedia of Cameroon moved rhythmically onto the pitch before game time as teammates followed her lead, sharing laughter.

“Coming to play here is a real pleasure,” she said. “We aren’t professionals, but we love participating.”

Nguedia mentioned she would cheer for Ivory Coast during the World Cup, since Cameroon didn’t make the tournament.

Ivorian Moussa Sangare established the Kypseli Mundial tournament three years earlier, explaining he hoped to use soccer to address fear and suspicion directed at migrants in Greece.

The Mediterranean country serves as a primary entry point for migrants entering the European Union without authorization and experienced the 2015 refugee emergency. Though unauthorized border entries to Greece decreased over the past ten years, anti-migration feelings have intensified as the government implements tighter border security and promises more deportations.

“People are often afraid of migrants, but we wanted to change this narrative,” he said. “Interacting with migrants and second-generation migrants and doing things together: People change their minds through experience.”

Sangare remained constantly active during the event — organizing schedules, greeting teams, recording social media content and tidying up following games.

“For us, this tournament is like a mini–World Cup in Greece,” he said.

The scheduling of the Athens event held special meaning.

The five-week World Cup begins June 11. One day afterward, updated EU migration and asylum regulations become active, featuring stronger border enforcement and quicker deportations. Greece also plans to relocate migrant holding centers overseas to African nations.

Even with this context, Athens maintained a celebratory mood.

Games remained competitive without becoming aggressive. Rough plays prompted reactions from spectators. Coaches delivered instructions from tight sideline areas. Supporters exchanged friendly comments with opposing fans across the barriers.

Soon after, they would share moments of humor.

For most participants, the competition provided relief from everyday responsibilities. Many spend extended hours working behind the scenes in restaurant kitchens, hotels, construction projects and food delivery services throughout Athens.

“I am very proud to be playing in this tournament for the first time,” said Amissi, a midfielder from Mali, after completing a match. He is employed at a facility that builds water heaters.

Following competition among 21 teams, Nigeria’s squad captured the men’s championship, while Greek community club Fostiras earned the women’s trophy.

Head referee Chara Vogiatzidaki noted the tournament’s importance reached beyond field outcomes.

“There are so many countries and different cultures, and I think the main goal is to show respect for all communities,” she said.

“There are some teams that are technically very advanced, and others that are less so. But the important thing is that all the teams have the mindset of enjoying themselves,” Vogiatzidaki said. “That’s really beautiful.”

Delegates at Asia’s most important defense conference are asking one pressing question: “Where is China?”

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has now missed the Shangri-La Dialogue for two consecutive years, choosing not to attend Singapore’s premier security gathering. His absence means missed chances to engage directly with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and defense officials from Australia, France, Britain, Japan and numerous other countries.

Instead of sending high-ranking military leadership, Beijing opted to dispatch a modest group of People’s Liberation Army “experts and scholars” – a significant downgrade from their typical influential representation.

The annual conference traditionally features a major address from China’s defense minister or another senior official outlining Beijing’s military philosophy and perspective on international conflicts. However, this signature presentation has been removed from this year’s schedule, just as it was in 2025.

Hegseth acknowledged the notable absence during his Saturday keynote address.

“I wish my counterpart was here at this conference, but I look forward to other options when we can cross paths and communicate, talk about things where often actions at sea or actions in the air are perceived differently,” he stated.

Australia’s Richard Marles described the situation as a missed chance for nations to engage in direct, honest discussions about regional tension points.

Despite skipping the Singapore forum, Dong Jun did hold talks with Hegseth when U.S. President Donald Trump visited China earlier this month.

Zhou Bo, a former PLA senior colonel participating in China’s delegation, minimized the significance of the defense minister’s absence.

“This is not the first time the defence minister is not attending,” he explained. “And academic delegations have come before. But it is true that the level of the delegation is relatively low this time.”

Several experts suggest Beijing made a strategic decision to avoid difficult questioning about Taiwan-related tensions and how military corruption investigations might affect China’s battlefield capabilities.

“My feeling is that they are trying to avoid tough questions,” explained Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore.

“The question that comes up with the (Chinese) delegation, since it is so researcher heavy, is their representativeness and authoritativeness.”

Diplomatic sources indicate Beijing may have wanted to prevent a repeat of last year’s forum, when Hegseth characterized China as a regional threat and called on Asian partners to increase military expenditures.

At that time, Beijing accused the United States of unfairly demonizing China.

This year, Hegseth adopted a more moderate approach, though he warned that “no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”

He also noted that U.S.-China diplomatic ties were in better shape than they had been for several years.

China started participating in the 23-year-old conference with typically high-ranking delegations beginning in 2007. The country sent its defense minister in 2011 and 2019, then maintained this practice from 2022 through 2024. The forum was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bilahari Kausikan, an experienced Singapore diplomat, noted that the Shangri-La Dialogue’s main purpose has always been maintaining U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia and guaranteeing America’s defense secretary visits Singapore and the region annually.

“Whether China is represented by its defence minister is a secondary factor. It would be nice but not essential to have the Chinese defence minister here.”

The U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian partners to significantly increase their military expenditures during a major defense conference in Singapore on Saturday, citing concerns about China’s expanding military capabilities across the region.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s leading gathering for defense officials and military leaders, Hegseth emphasized the need for stronger, more independent allied networks to prevent regional dominance by any single power.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.

The Pentagon leader warned against allowing any nation to control the Pacific, stating: “A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power. No state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”

Hegseth announced that the U.S. expects its Asian partners to raise defense spending to 3.5% of their GDP, while America commits $1.5 trillion to its own military investments.

The defense secretary emphasized that allies seek stability rather than conflict, explaining: “What they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.”

Despite his warnings about China’s military expansion, Hegseth adopted a more measured approach regarding U.S.-China relations, describing them as “better than they have been in many years,” with increased military-to-military communication helping manage tensions.

“We are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication,” he noted.

Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University and retired People’s Liberation Army senior colonel who was part of the Chinese delegation, described U.S.-China relations as “complicated.”

However, he said Hegseth struck “a much better tone” this year than last, attributing the shift to Trump’s visit to China.

“Both sides have open channels of communication, the situation is not as exaggerated as the outside world makes it out to be,” Zhou said.

China’s defense minister is absent from the dialogue for the second year running. Last year, China criticized Hegseth for making “vilifying” remarks.

Hegseth reinforced President Donald Trump’s ongoing position that allies must take greater responsibility for their own defense costs, stating that European and NATO partners should depend less on Washington.

“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over,” Hegseth declared. “We need partners, not protectorates. We don’t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.”

The defense secretary commended contributions from allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, noting that Japan was taking concrete steps to strengthen its defenses.

Regarding Japan specifically, he said Tokyo and Washington “must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.”

Addressing Middle East tensions, Hegseth indicated the United States remains prepared to resume military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail, as negotiators from both countries work to resolve significant disagreements preventing an agreement.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth stated. He added that Trump remains “patient” and is seeking a “strong deal” to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump announced on Friday he would gather advisers in a secure White House setting to make a “final determination” on a proposal to end the Iran war.

Hegseth dismissed concerns that the Middle East conflict would divert attention from Asia-Pacific priorities, saying: “We can do two things at one time.”

When questioned about arms sales to Taiwan, Hegseth minimized worries that a multi-billion-dollar package could be impacted as the United States reduces its weapons stockpiles amid the Middle East conflict. “We feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,” he said.

Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has been awaiting U.S. approval for an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.

Trump created uncertainty in Taipei by saying, after meeting China’s President Xi Jinping this month, that he was undecided on whether to approve the package.

Any decision on future arms sales would rest with President Trump, Hegseth said, indicating no change in Washington’s established approach despite recent engagement with Beijing.

“Those decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,” Hegseth said. “There’s been no change in our status.”

Parliamentary elections commenced Saturday in Malta, with polling data indicating the ruling Labour Party is positioned to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office.

Prime Minister Robert Abela initiated the early election four years into the current five-year term, referencing future challenges facing the Mediterranean nation due to international uncertainties.

The country’s economic performance ranks among the European Union’s strongest, with 4% growth recorded last year, minimal inflation, and virtually no unemployment. Energy and fuel costs have remained frozen for nearly a decade, resulting in Europe’s most affordable rates.

Nevertheless, officials worry that Middle Eastern conflicts could increase inflation in the EU’s smallest member nation, which depends heavily on imports, and could damage the tourism sector as aviation fuel costs climb.

Multiple polling surveys have repeatedly indicated his Labour Party is positioned to secure a substantial parliamentary majority, similar to victories achieved in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

Although six political organizations appear on the ballot, Labour and the opposition centrist Nationalist Party have been the sole parties to gain parliamentary representation since 1966, with minor parties receiving under 5% of votes.

Abela has focused his campaign on economic achievements, pledging competence and stability.

The Nationalist Party under new leader Alex Borg has argued that the robust economy has failed to improve living standards.

A significant increase in migrant workers during the past decade has also sparked concerns about rising housing costs, overcrowding and strain on infrastructure and healthcare systems.

Election outcomes are anticipated around midday Sunday.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli reservist watched as his fellow soldiers celebrated enthusiastically, cheering each other on. They had just attacked a Palestinian vehicle traveling near the Israeli-controlled section of the Gaza Strip, leaving all occupants dead.

The military member said such incidents had become routine following the implementation of a fragile ceasefire in October. During his weeks of deployment in Gaza, he witnessed troops eagerly pursuing those who violated — or nearly violated — the yellow boundary line separating Israeli-controlled zones from Palestinian territories.

“It was a jungle,” the soldier, who is in his twenties, told The Associated Press. “After the ceasefire, the order was: If someone crosses the line, you shoot them.”

While diplomatic attempts to reinforce the agreement have reached an impasse, three military personnel shared with AP their experience of disorder in the war-torn region, citing unclear guidelines for engagement near the yellow boundary. The soldiers reported that some commanding officers publicly supported the ceasefire while privately expressing hopes for continued warfare in Gaza. Occasionally, forces were positioned too distantly or responded too hastily to properly identify their targets, according to one soldier — a worry also raised by a veteran whistleblower organization.

These military accounts offer an uncommon look into events within Israeli-controlled Gaza since the agreement took effect seven months prior. The soldiers — reserve forces deployed across Gaza from October through January who have since returned home — requested anonymity due to concerns about potential social isolation for their statements. They explained their motivation for speaking publicly stemmed from anger and grief over their observations.

AP has recorded instances of Palestinian civilian shootings, including children at play, near the yellow boundary. The soldiers indicated that fatal incidents seemed continuous throughout the unstable agreement.

“To call it a ceasefire is a joke,” one soldier told AP.

Following the ceasefire implementation, Israel repositioned forces to a buffer area marked by a yellow boundary, securing control over slightly more than half the territory. The agreement requires Israeli forces to execute a more complete withdrawal, though no specific timeline exists. The diplomat backed by the U.S. who supervises the truce reports that advancement has stalled due to the primary obstacle of disarming Hamas, which affects all other matters — including Israeli pullbacks and rebuilding efforts.

During this period, Israel has extended its authority over additional Gaza territory. Each side has blamed the other for ceasefire violations.

The boundary’s precise position has remained unclear and sometimes unmarked. In certain areas, yellow blocks and barrels indicate its location; elsewhere, it has occasionally gone completely unmarked.

The Israeli military brought AP this week to observe a portion of the yellow boundary in central Gaza, close to the Maghazi refugee camp. The boundary was clearly visible there, marked by a broad dirt pathway and small yellow indicators. To the east lay an empty expanse of open ground extending to a heavily defended Israeli military position approximately 500 meters distant.

An Israeli military commander stated that Hamas operates on the opposite side of the boundary and regularly dispatches individuals — both fighters and civilians — toward and across the line to evaluate the army’s preparedness and reactions.

“There is no reason for anyone to come near the line,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity under military rules. “There’s nothing here.”

The army claims the complete boundary, spanning Gaza’s entire length, now has clear markings.

Since the ceasefire began, over 900 individuals have died in Gaza — dozens of them near or beyond the yellow boundary, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not specify how many were fighters, but unarmed men and children were among the casualties.

Israel’s military has stated that most individuals killed while crossing the boundary presented a danger to troops. However, soldiers who spoke with AP and Breaking the Silence — the whistleblower organization that has gathered troop testimonies during the war — report that soldiers sometimes acted from too great a distance, too rapidly, and under excessive pressure to make accurate determinations.

Israel’s army informed AP that the zone near the yellow boundary represents a “sensitive operational environment” with posted warnings against approaching. It stated the army does not target civilians merely for approaching the boundary and that engagement rules mandate warnings before force is used. In cases involving immediate danger, forces have authorization to respond, it explained.

This marked the combat soldier’s second deployment in Gaza when the ceasefire commenced. He reported being positioned several hundred meters from the yellow boundary and witnessing multiple individuals attempting to cross it being killed by soldiers.

Soldiers conducting shootings or requesting drone attacks do not always identify who is crossing the boundary, he explained. While soldiers must provide location coordinates and obtain superior approval before attacking, delivering precise information becomes difficult as people move, he noted. He described soldiers reporting coordinates based on assumptions or the last observed location of someone.

Breaking the Silence reports that general engagement rules are extremely lenient, particularly regarding boundary crossers, with instructions in many zones being “shoot to kill.” Executive director Nadav Weiman, a veteran who served in Gaza but not during this conflict, identified distance from targets and some overeager soldiers as problematic factors.

He stated that directives and policies from military leadership “have created a reality where countless civilians have and are being killed for crossing invisible lines.”

In one testimony to Breaking the Silence, documented in interview notes reviewed by AP, a soldier describes instructions for troops regarding anyone crossing the yellow boundary: “eliminate him no matter what.”

Another soldier deployed in Gaza for weeks following the ceasefire said commanders emphasized maintaining the boundary at any cost.

“There was a general feeling that human lives are not valuable,” he said.

Regarding yellow boundary marking, the soldier reported his superiors called it “too much work,” not their responsibility, and claimed Palestinians should know its location.

Gaza deployment created emotional strain, he explained.

While snipers sometimes fired warning shots at people approaching the boundary, he said, commanders instructed troops to take greater self-protective measures. The soldier interpreted this as authorization for more lethal shooting.

He and other soldiers who spoke with AP said troops generally believed, based on leadership and peer actions, that Israel planned a permanent Gaza presence rather than eventual withdrawal.

An internal report distributed among aid organizations last month and reviewed by AP indicated that throughout Gaza, Israel has grown “increasingly proactive” with its attacks.

Independent data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a nonprofit based in the U.S., showed April as Gaza’s deadliest month this year and reported that documented deaths near the yellow boundary or of people who crossed it rose over 25% from January to April, increasing from 58 to 73.

This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel controls 60% of Gaza and indicated the next objective was advancing to 70% control.

The soldiers informed AP that conditions on the ground make the ceasefire seem nonexistent.

“We need to stop using this term,” one said regarding the word ceasefire. “It’s not serving people that want to stop the war.”

Three high-ranking European intelligence officials have revealed to The Associated Press that Russia’s spy operations are becoming increasingly bold in their attempts to obtain Western technology and military secrets, driven by economic pressure from international sanctions.

According to these officials, Moscow’s operatives are establishing fraudulent businesses, enlisting intermediaries, and using digital espionage specialists and hackers to collect intelligence that might also be weaponized against vital infrastructure.

International sanctions imposed over four years have restricted Moscow’s access to European machinery, technology, and research, while the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has strained critical industries and threatens to push the nation toward economic crisis.

Christoffer Wedelin, deputy head of operations at the Swedish Security Service, explained that Russian agents “really know what they need” and are investing “serious effort” into obtaining sophisticated machine tools, manufacturing equipment, research materials, and dual-use technology.

According to Wedelin, Russia is focusing on Sweden’s defense sector and cutting-edge research involving the nation’s most sophisticated weapons, including the Gripen fighter jet. Moscow is also attempting to acquire camera and laser technologies originally designed for civilian applications that could be incorporated into Russian military systems, he noted.

Juha Martelius, director of Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service, stated that Moscow is also attempting to acquire technology to maintain competitiveness or gain advantages over the West in coming decades.

“We’re talking about space technology, quantum … arctic technology, marine technology,” he explained, noting that space technology is something Russia requires “right now,” though he didn’t provide additional details. Nations utilize such technology for satellite imagery, communications, and navigation systems.

Martelius also mentioned that Russia requires sanctioned computer technology and software updates for machine tools.

On Wednesday, Anne Keast-Butler, director of the U.K’s signals intelligence agency, charged Russia with “relentlessly targeting” the U.K. and its European partners through technology theft and planning sabotage and assassination operations.

Swedish authorities arrested two individuals in May on charges of sanctions violations connected to a Turkish company that has shipped dozens of metalworking and metal-turning machine tools to Russia.

Wedelin warned that as these technology acquisition schemes become more sophisticated, businesses must recognize they could inadvertently become part of Russia’s military supply network.

“All of the security and intelligence services in Russia are helping out on the state’s efforts to get this,” he stated.

Moscow is also launching cyberattacks against European companies and critical infrastructure to collect intelligence, which it could use “when they get the chance and when it serves their purpose,” Wedelin explained. He referenced an attack on a Swedish power facility last year.

Russian-affiliated groups attempted to “destroy” the facility but were unsuccessful because security systems identified the breach, Wedelin said. He noted the attack was partially designed to weaken Western support for Ukraine.

Previously, Sweden’s security agencies had primarily observed reconnaissance for possible attacks, intelligence collection, or activities connected to cybercriminals. The attack represented a “switch” in Russia’s approach, Wedelin said.

“They’re no longer caring as much about potential attribution after their activities, so they are taking greater risks to achieve their goals,” he explained.

Russia’s escalating aggressive methods may indicate growing internal worries about its economy, which “is not doing well at all,” according to Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

Martelius reported that approximately one-third of Russia’s gross domestic product is currently allocated to the war effort. The conflict and resulting sanctions have reduced growth and sustained high inflation.

Russian leadership projected a budget shortfall of 3.7 trillion rubles ($52.1 billion) for all of 2026 and had already accumulated about 3.4 trillion rubles ($47.9 billion) by February’s end, Rosin reported.

The Iran war that began on Feb. 28 has provided relief by driving oil prices higher. The U.S. has issued sanctions exemptions for Russian oil sales and the U.K. reduced its sanctions to attempt lowering global fuel costs.

Higher revenues since then have probably enhanced Russia’s budget, but “it doesn’t save them,” Rosin said, adding that continued Western pressure could lead Moscow to face a financial crisis by year’s end.

Rosin said intelligence reviewed by his agency indicates a more pessimistic outlook among Russian officials over the past six months, with the narrative of “total victory” in Ukraine having disappeared. Keast-Butler, of British intelligence, reported nearly 500,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine since the comprehensive invasion in 2022.

Russia and Ukraine have generally kept their battlefield casualty numbers confidential.

Stagnant battlefield progress and economic difficulties have many Russian officials privately questioning “what is this all for,” Rosin said, referencing intelligence reports.

Martelius, from Finland’s intelligence service, said that although some reports about the Ukraine war may have been “sanitized” before reaching President Vladimir Putin’s office, he believes the Russian leader understands the economic difficulties fairly well.

However, that doesn’t indicate political change will occur.

It is “very dangerous … to start analyzing Russia as if it is some country like ours,” Martelius said. “It is not.”

SINGAPORE — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered reassurances to Pacific region partners during a Saturday address, confirming America’s ongoing dedication to the area while adopting a more moderate stance regarding China compared to his previous statements.

During his presentation to international leaders, diplomatic representatives and senior security personnel at Singapore’s Shangri-La defense summit, Hegseth emphasized that the Pacific region “has profound implications for U.S. security and prosperity.” He stated Washington’s objective was to “achieve a lasting and favorable balance of power in the Pacific.”

This marked Hegseth’s second appearance at the annual gathering. During his previous participation, he drew criticism from Beijing after delivering stark warnings about China’s escalating threats, especially regarding Taiwan. He had declared that China was no longer merely expanding its armed forces to capture Taiwan, but was “actively training for it, every day.”

However, this year’s conference occurred approximately two weeks following President Donald Trump’s visit to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. After that diplomatic encounter, Trump praised Xi as a “great leader” and expressed optimism about having a “fantastic future together.”

Hegseth, who accompanied Trump during the Beijing visit, revealed that both leaders had reached an understanding that China and the United States should “build a constructive relationship of strategic stability, based on fairness and reciprocity, reaffirming that while our nations will vigorously protect our respective interests, we can secure practical, mutually beneficial agreements where our interests align.”

Nevertheless, he maintained that preventing Chinese dominance over the Indo-Pacific remained a key American objective.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he stated.

“We share a clear-eyed assessment of that security environment and a mutual understanding that a Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve,” he added.

Following the Xi-Trump discussions, the American president questioned Washington’s commitment to Taiwan’s defense, describing a pending $14 billion weapons package as “a very good negotiating chip for us” with China.

China maintains territorial claims over the democratically governed island, with Xi refusing to eliminate military action as an option for reunification. American law mandates providing Taiwan with defensive capabilities, though the U.S. maintains “strategic ambiguity” regarding potential military intervention if China attacks the island.

Hegseth informed attendees that there was “no change in our status” concerning Taiwan, but declined to discuss the weapons agreement.

“Any decision about future Taiwan arms sales, as the president said, will rest with him,” he explained.

He emphasized the Trump administration’s demand that allies boost defense expenditures, declaring “we need partners, not protectorates.”

He praised multiple Asian nations for their contributions while criticizing unnamed European allies who he claimed became “distracted by empty globalist rhetoric about the rules-based international order.”

“Our partners in Asia have long understood that the bedrock of a durable partnership is not based on idealistic values but on the concrete alignment of national interests,” he stated.

“When our interests diverge, we adjust pragmatically, without the drama or the moralizing,” he continued. “I think Western Europe might take note — this is a mindset we fully embrace.”

Hegseth omitted references to the Ukraine conflict or Iran during his presentation. When questioned about Iran, he simply noted that Trump had assured him that upon completion of Tehran negotiations, “any deal will be a good deal.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Saturday that the United States stands prepared to resume military operations against Iran should diplomatic negotiations fail to produce an agreement, as representatives from both nations continue working to overcome significant obstacles to a deal.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth stated while speaking in Singapore.

“Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place,” he continued.

During his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s leading conference for defense officials, military leaders and diplomatic personnel, Hegseth emphasized that America remains committed to the Asia-Pacific area despite ongoing Iranian hostilities.

“We can do two things at one time. We’re super-charging our defence industrial base so that we’re building 2X, 3X, 4X the munitions very soon to ensure that all of our (operations) plans are properly funded throughout the world,” he explained.

The Defense Secretary characterized President Donald Trump as “patient” and seeking to negotiate a “great deal” that would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

Trump announced Friday his intention to convene in a secure White House location to reach a “final determination” regarding a proposal to halt the Iranian conflict, which would extend a truce established in early April for an additional 60 days while negotiators work toward a lasting resolution.

The military campaign initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28 has resulted in thousands of casualties, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon, while creating worldwide economic disruption through elevated energy costs caused by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

New Zealand’s defense minister announced Friday that the country plans to gradually increase military expenditure to reach a target of 2% of GDP over the next eight years, representing nearly double current spending levels.

Defense Minister Chris Penk outlined the strategy during remarks in Singapore before the start of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense conference. He emphasized the government’s goal of maintaining consistent growth in military funding.

“As much as possible, it’s our intention to have a smooth and steady upward trajectory to 2 percent,” Penk stated during his interview with Reuters.

Penk acknowledged that spending patterns may fluctuate during periods when the country purchases major military equipment and platforms, but stressed the overall objective remains doubling New Zealand’s defense budget to strengthen military capabilities.

The defense minister assumed his role in April, taking over from Judith Collins following her retirement after an extensive political career.

These remarks follow the government’s announcement last week of NZ$1.58 billion ($924.62 million) in additional defense allocations for the 2026 budget as part of military modernization efforts.

The planned investments include acquiring two new surveillance and intelligence drones designed for operations in the South-West Pacific region and polar environments. New Zealand is also seeking long-term replacements for its aging pair of Anzac-class frigates and the multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury.

Essential maintenance work for the surface fleet is also in preparation phases.

Speaking during a panel at Saturday’s dialogue, Penk revealed that Wellington continues assessing British and Japanese alternatives for the frigate replacement program.

The defense spending increases are part of a broader budget that includes enhanced funding for education and healthcare, despite Prime Minister Chris Luxon’s conservative government implementing an otherwise restrictive fiscal approach this week.

Government projections show a budget deficit of NZ$15.06 billion for the fiscal year concluding June 30, 2026, representing an improvement from the NZ$16.93 billion deficit forecast in December’s mid-year review.

As a treaty partner with Australian forces, New Zealand has been expanding its presence throughout East Asia alongside Western military forces and their allies in response to China’s expanding military capabilities.

“I think the word inter-operability is an important one for us, and I would add inter-changeability, certainly with regard to Australia, who’s our nearest neighbour, but also a formal ally,” Penk explained.

“I think it’s important that we are very visibly present…in the Asian region, and we do things in conjunction with the likes of Korea and Japan,” he continued, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and exercising navigation freedoms.

Myanmar’s newly appointed president will travel to India this Saturday for his inaugural foreign trip since assuming civilian leadership, marking a significant diplomatic milestone less than two months after his transition from military junta commander.

The five-day diplomatic mission will include meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and represents Myanmar’s gradual re-entry into regional diplomacy, five years after neighboring countries isolated the Southeast Asian nation’s military government following their seizure of power.

India views this visit as a chance to reduce China’s substantial sway over Myanmar while pursuing access to the nation’s valuable rare earth mineral reserves and strengthening security along India’s northeastern frontier, according to policy experts.

“After changing into civilian clothes as president, Min Aung Hlaing is looking to boost diplomatic engagement across the region,” said Richard Horsey, senior Myanmar adviser at Crisis Group.

“He expects more normal ties with ASEAN,” Horsey added, referring to the grouping of 11 southeast Asian countries, “with support from Thailand and some other member states. He is also likely to visit Beijing soon to meet Xi Jinping. India is Myanmar’s other key neighbour.”

A Myanmar presidential office representative contacted by phone refused to provide details about the upcoming visit.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters on Friday: “All issues that form part of the gamut of relations between Myanmar and India will come up for discussion.”

The military takeover occurred at dawn on February 1, 2021, when Min Aung Hlaing removed the democratically elected civilian administration headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering widespread protests that evolved into a nationwide armed resistance against military rule.

The power grab generated international criticism, including from the ASEAN alliance that prohibited Myanmar’s military leaders from attending its conferences, leaving the new military government increasingly cut off from the international community.

A catastrophic earthquake last year offered a diplomatic opportunity for Min Aung Hlaing, who attended a regional conference in Bangkok, an opening he hopes to expand following a controversial election that led to his presidency.

“He is seeking more and more regional and international respectability post-election,” said Gautam Mukhopadhaya, a former Indian ambassador to Myanmar.

Despite Beijing’s historical support and extensive investments in Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing’s decision to make India his first international destination partly aims to offset China’s extensive influence, analysts explained.

“This has been part of Myanmar’s way of dealing with India and China, capitulating more to China and trying to sort of balance it with India,” said Mukhopadhaya.

The diplomatic trip occurs as Myanmar’s armed forces have initiated fresh military campaigns in border regions containing rare earth deposits and crucial trade corridors connecting to India and Thailand.

“Min Aung Hlaing will almost certainly seek India’s help in countering the Arakan Army and Chin armed groups,” Horsey said, referring to rebels fighting the military in Myanmar’s Chin state, which borders India, and nearby Rakhine state.

India has shown interest in accessing Myanmar’s natural resources, including efforts to obtain mineral samples with assistance from a powerful rebel group, Reuters has reported.

“The bottom line behind this visit from the Indian side is what they can get out of it in terms of raw materials, rare earths (and) business propositions,” Mukhopadhaya said.

“And that’s exactly what the Myanmar military wants, because it wants its military enterprises strengthened.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to Asian partners on Saturday, calling for increased military investments to counter China’s expanding military capabilities and prevent regional dominance.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s leading defense and diplomatic gathering, Hegseth emphasized the need for stronger, more independent allied networks to discourage aggression and maintain regional stability.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.

Hegseth warned against any single power controlling the Pacific region. “A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power,” he stated. “No state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”

The Pentagon leader announced expectations for Asian allies and partners to boost defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, while the U.S. commits $1.5 trillion to military investments.

Hegseth emphasized that allies seek stability rather than conflict escalation. “What they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.”

Despite security concerns, Hegseth adopted a balanced approach regarding U.S.-China relations, describing them as “better than they have been in many years,” with increased military-to-military communications helping manage tensions.

“We are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military to military communication.”

“NO FREELOADING”

Hegseth reinforced President Donald Trump’s ongoing demands for allies to bear greater defense responsibilities, similar to expectations for European and NATO partners to reduce dependence on Washington.

“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over,” Hegseth declared. “We need partners, not protectorates,” he continued. “We don’t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.”

The Defense Secretary commended contributions from multiple allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, while noting Japan’s concrete measures to strengthen its defenses.

Regarding the U.S.-Japan partnership, he said both nations “must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.”

ARMS SALES DECISION TO TAIWAN IS TRUMP’S CALL

When questioned about weapons sales to Taiwan, Hegseth dismissed concerns that a multi-billion-dollar package might be impacted by U.S. weapons stockpile reductions due to Middle East conflicts. “We feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,” he said.

Taiwan, which China considers its territory, awaits U.S. approval for an arms sale that Reuters reported could reach $14 billion.

Trump created uncertainty in Taipei by stating, following his meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping this month, that he remained undecided about approving the package.

Hegseth indicated that any future arms sales decisions would remain with President Trump, showing no departure from Washington’s established approach despite recent Beijing engagement.

“Those decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,” Hegseth explained. “There’s been no change in our status.”

A devastating climbing accident on Alaska’s Mount McKinley has claimed the lives of three mountaineers from Latvia, while a fourth climber survived and was airlifted to safety, according to officials and a climbing organization from the victims’ homeland.

The tragedy unfolded Wednesday when four members of a seven-person climbing team plummeted near Denali Pass, positioned roughly 2,100 feet below the 20,310-foot peak of McKinley, which stands as North America’s highest mountain, the National Park Service reported.

Emergency crews rescued the surviving climber Thursday from a mountain basin situated at 17,200 feet elevation. The survivor was subsequently transported by air ambulance to receive medical treatment, park officials stated.

“Operations for the three remaining climbers have transitioned from a search and rescue mission to a recovery effort,” the Park Service said in an online statement, adding the agency “does not release information about fatality victims until 72 hours after next-of-kin notification.”

Park authorities provided limited additional information and did not identify the climbers’ country of origin in their official announcement.

However, the Latvian Mountaineering Association identified the three deceased mountaineers as Inese Puceka, Vija Olte, and Renars Kunigs-Salaks, based on a translation of the organization’s website statement from Latvian to English.

“This is an indescribably painful and irreversible loss for the entire Latvian climbing community,” the group said in its statement.

The mountaineering association also reported that the fourth climber who fell, Mārtiņš Bilzēns, remained in critical condition.

The expedition’s three other members, who were unharmed in the incident, safely returned to a mountain camp after assisting their injured teammates, park officials confirmed.

According to the Latvian Mountaineering Association, the three uninjured climbers intended to descend from their 17,000-foot camp with help from rescue personnel.

The mountain serves as the focal point of the surrounding park and is commonly known to area residents and Alaska Natives as Denali, which translates to “the high one” in the Athabascan indigenous language. The peak received its official designation in 1917 to honor William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president, who was killed by an assassin in 1901.

In 2015, President Barack Obama formally changed the mountain’s name back to Denali, observing that McKinley had never set foot on the mountain and had no meaningful historical ties to the peak or Alaska. The Trump administration later restored McKinley as the official designation.

The United States demanded Friday that Nicaragua immediately release Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera following the publication of hospital images showing him in critical condition.

Rivera, who leads the Miskito people and has faced decades of conflict with the ruling Sandinista government, has been held since September 29, 2023, during an extensive campaign targeting dissent. His relatives maintain his detention is politically motivated and assert authorities have not filed formal charges.

Several detainees have died while in Nicaraguan government custody in recent years as officials have jailed hundreds of media members, activists and political opponents.

Nicaraguan authorities announced in January they would free certain prisoners after facing pressure following the U.S. military action to apprehend Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro. However, the government has provided minimal transparency since making that statement.

“This repression, violence and inhumanity is abhorrent,” the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs posted on social platform X Friday. “We reiterate our call for his and all political prisoners’ unconditional release NOW.”

On Wednesday, the administration led by co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo issued a health report about Rivera, describing his condition as “delicate” while connected to a mechanical ventilator with multiple organ failure. The released photographs depicted a severely weakened Rivera attached to numerous tubes in his hospital bed.

A coalition of Nicaraguan Indigenous organizations issued a Thursday statement condemning the government for Rivera’s arbitrary imprisonment and “distorting the narrative” by alleging he was already in poor health when taken into custody.

“We know that who is responsible for this very grave situation that he is in, for the violations of human rights, is the Sandinista Ortega-Murillo regime,” they said in the statement sent to The Associated Press.

Currently, at least 47 individuals remain imprisoned in Nicaragua for political reasons, according to the Mechanism for Recognition of Political Prisoners, an organization monitoring these cases. Hundreds have been detained following a 2018 uprising that triggered a violent government response killing hundreds.

What began as demonstrations against social security system changes grew into demands for Ortega’s resignation. Ortega has governed the nation for nearly twenty years after constitutional modifications permitted his continued reelection. The suppression escalated before 2021 presidential elections, during which all competitive candidates were jailed before Ortega claimed victory. The United States does not recognize Ortega’s presidency.

Over 200 political prisoners were freed and transported to the U.S. in 2023, describing solitary confinement and physical and psychological abuse. Many developed ongoing health issues from detention conditions and currently face uncertain immigration status under the Trump administration. An additional 135 political prisoners were released and sent to Guatemala in 2024.

The Miskito population has been a particularly prickly thorn in the side of the Ortega regime, according to Manuel Prado, vice president of the Miskitu American Organization.

Rivera was instrumental in opposing Ortega’s Sandinista government during the late 1970s and 1980s, joining the armed U.S.-backed Contra movement and helping establish the northern coastal area as an autonomous region.

The resource-rich Miskito territory, containing gold and silver deposits, is crucial for the Ortega-Murillo administration’s efforts to attract international investment, especially from China.

Prado demanded Rivera’s release and voiced concern about his current physical condition.

“We do feel like Ortega will allow him to die,” Prado said.

The highest-ranking U.S. military commander for Latin America conducted discussions with Cuban military leadership on Friday, focusing on operational security issues in the vicinity of the Guantanamo Bay naval facility. This meeting represents the most recent high-level contact with the island nation as President Donald Trump intensifies his administration’s pressure campaign against Cuban leadership.

Following the successful U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro during a January mission, Trump has indicated that Cuba “is next” on his list of targets. Recent months have seen the Trump administration implement an oil embargo against Cuba, deploy naval vessels to Caribbean waters, and bring federal criminal charges against a former Cuban official.

High-ranking Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA director John Ratcliffe, have conducted meetings with Cuban representatives to examine potential pathways for better diplomatic relations. However, American officials have expressed disappointment with the outcomes of these discussions, resulting in additional economic penalties against Cuba’s government.

During Friday’s activities, U.S. Gen. Francis L. Donovan not only engaged with Cuban military personnel but also evaluated security conditions at the naval installation and reviewed “safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials,” according to a statement from U.S. Southern Command posted on X.

Despite ongoing tensions with Cuba’s socialist government, which Trump seeks to remove from power, the United States continues operating its military facility at Guantanamo Bay after decades of diplomatic conflict.

Currently, the U.S. military maintains several Navy vessels in Caribbean waters, including at least one amphibious assault ship, though this represents a significantly reduced presence compared to the force levels during the Maduro operation.

The Pentagon announced Friday that a fresh deployment of 1,300 sailors and Marines will soon replace the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which has been stationed in the area since last summer.

WASHINGTON — The United States has canceled the visa of a Chinese journalist employed by state news agency Xinhua, marking a direct response to Beijing’s recent expulsion of a correspondent from The New York Times.

Sources familiar with the situation confirmed the visa cancellation, speaking anonymously due to privacy restrictions surrounding visa matters. A State Department official also verified plans to revoke the journalist’s credentials.

This retaliatory action follows Beijing’s removal of Vivian Wang, who has served as a China correspondent for The New York Times. Her expulsion reportedly stems from the Taiwanese leader’s participation in a DealBook event, despite Wang having no involvement in the interview. Such direct U.S. government retaliation against China’s journalist expulsions is uncommon.

The New York Times, which initially broke news of the reciprocal visa revocation, stated the publication does not request governments to cancel media credentials or interfere with journalistic work. On Friday, the newspaper released a statement demanding Wang’s reinstatement and calling on both nations to “reverse this deterioration in journalist access.”

“The Chinese government’s decision to expel Vivian Wang is wrong,” Joseph Kahn, the paper’s executive editor, said in a statement published on the Times’ corporate website. “Her expulsion will make it even harder for our global audience to get accurate, independent and in-depth reporting about the world’s second largest economy at a critical time.”

The Chinese embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Wang’s departure occurs when American media presence in China has already diminished significantly following previous credential disputes, leaving many U.S. news organizations operating with minimal staff in their Chinese bureaus.

“The number of correspondents from American media outlets allowed to work in China has now fallen to an alarmingly low level, at a time when the need for people everywhere to understand China is greater than ever,” Kahn wrote.

Beijing initiated Wang’s expulsion after The New York Times’ DealBook Summit 2025 included a recorded interview with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, conducted by host Andrew Ross Sorkin. During the interview, Sorkin referred to Taiwan as a country, while Lai discussed Beijing’s aggressive actions in the Taiwan Strait and pledged that “Taiwan will do everything necessary to protect itself.”

China maintains territorial claims over Taiwan, which separated from the mainland in 1949 following Mao Zedong’s communist victory in the civil war. During recent discussions with President Donald Trump in Beijing in mid-May, Chinese President Xi Jinping cautioned that China and the U.S. could “collide or even clash” over Taiwan without proper handling of the issue.

The action against The New York Times has raised concerns among other Western media outlets that might interview Lai, potentially risking their ability to report from China in exchange for giving the self-governed island a platform.

China requires all foreign journalists to obtain accreditation from the country’s foreign ministry for reporting activities, and Beijing has consistently used accreditation and visa policies to remove or exclude foreign journalists whose coverage has displeased Chinese leadership or to express dissatisfaction with coverage deemed unfavorable or hostile.

In 2020, Chinese authorities expelled three Wall Street Journal correspondents following the financial newspaper’s publication of an opinion piece titled “China is the Real Sick Man of Asia” after the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

As relations between the U.S. and China deteriorated, the U.S. State Department designated several major Chinese news organizations as “foreign missions” in 2020. Xinhua, for instance, operates under direction from the ruling Chinese Communist Party to function as the party’s and government’s official voice, including distributing their authorized news content.

In response, Beijing severely restricted visa availability for journalists employed by U.S. media organizations.

During the first half of 2020, at least 18 foreign journalists from The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal faced expulsion, according to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China. Many others received abbreviated visas lasting between one and three months, the organization’s annual survey indicated.

The two nations subsequently negotiated a limited agreement permitting U.S. media to deploy a small number of correspondents to mainland China. Wang was among those journalists.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva delivered sharp criticism Friday against the United States’ move to classify two major Brazilian criminal organizations as terrorist groups, denouncing the action as improper meddling in his nation’s domestic matters.

“We will not accept being treated like children, we will not accept being treated as if we were a banana republic,” Lula declared during a public appearance Friday, mentioning “a certain Marco Rubio, who said that our criminals are terrorists and that Americans can intervene.”

The announcement came Thursday when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed a new policy targeting Brazil’s largest criminal organizations with terrorist designations, potentially allowing for more forceful interventions. This decision followed lobbying activities in Washington conducted by the sons of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazilian officials characterized the designation as harmful to productive relations and a challenge to national sovereignty, while legal analysts cautioned about potential consequences for companies doing business in Brazil.

The U.S. embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The two major organizations affected by the U.S. action, Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), originated as drug trafficking operations but have broadened their activities into additional economic sectors, including extortion and controlling local supply networks in certain regions.

Legal analysts noted that due to this extensive reach, corporations might face indirect risks if they conduct operations in areas where these groups hold sway, even without direct connections.

Legal firms distributed advisories to business leaders Friday cautioning that the U.S. classification could heighten oversight of financial institutions and corporations working in sectors including agribusiness, energy, mining and telecommunications.

“Scrutiny on financial institutions is also expected to tighten. Recent examples in Mexico show how quickly the situation can escalate, with local banks cut off from the financial system,” one report by local attorneys said.

A separate analysis by international lawyers warned that companies that operate across Brazilian territory face an even steeper challenge, particularly those in agribusiness and the energy, mining, and telecommunications sectors, where exposure to the criminal factions’ economic orbit can be difficult to map and harder to avoid.

Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) are both set to be formally listed as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), effective June 5, 2026.

Financial markets displayed a subdued initial reaction, though several banking stocks declined Friday, with Brazil’s primary Ibovespa index closing down 0.7%.

During a Washington meeting with Trump this week, Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is organizing a presidential campaign with his father’s support, ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, revealed he had requested the U.S. designate these organizations as terrorists.

His brother Eduardo Bolsonaro, who took part in the Washington discussions, stated that the decision had been under review in Washington but was postponed due to Lula’s policies.

Speaking with Reuters, Eduardo said he was not focused on whether such measures could sway votes in the Brazilian business community. “I am concerned with the interests of the Brazilian people. I want to destroy the Comando Vermelho, the PCC, so that Brazilians don’t go out to buy bread at the bakery and end up taking a bullet to the head.”

Lula’s administration had worked to prevent such classifications, worrying they might create pathways for future U.S. military involvement or penalties against financial institutions that unknowingly conduct business with organization members.

During his comments, Lula, who is seeking re-election in October, criticized Senator Bolsonaro for “betraying our homeland and going to the U.S. to ask for intervention in Brazil.”

Lula himself had also met with Trump at the White House to discuss ways to combat organized crime, but said at the time they did not discuss the possibility of Washington designating the CV and PCC gangs as terrorist organizations.

Friday, Lula described the U.S. decision as “disappointing” and promised to maintain focus on the domestic battle against both organizations, which control the drug trade across much of Brazil and have strengthened connections throughout Latin America.

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Lawmakers in Ghana have approved legislation Friday that would sentence individuals to as many as 10 years behind bars for promoting LGBTQ activities, bringing back legislation that religious organizations in the West African nation have long advocated for while human rights groups have denounced it.

The legislation, anticipated to receive President John Dramani Mahama’s signature, would also sentence individuals to three years in prison for participating in LGBTQ acts.

A previous iteration of this legislation was approved in 2024 but never received the signature of former President Nana Akufo-Addo to become law, though advocacy groups and religious organizations have persistently campaigned for a version of this bill and Mahama has signaled his willingness to support it.

Ghana becomes part of an expanding number of African nations implementing legislation that outlaws homosexuality. These laws receive widespread backing in many traditional African nations despite global criticism.

The new law prohibits “promoting, sponsoring or advocating” LGBTQ acts, along with financing LGBTQ organizations and activities. The legislation also establishes a five-year prison sentence for operating a brothel for prohibited sexual activity.

Those backing the legislation claim it safeguards what they characterize as Ghanaian family values and cultural traditions, while opponents argue it breaches constitutional rights and may promote discrimination and mistreatment of sexual minorities.

Human Rights Watch criticized the legislation and called on Ghana’s government to “uphold the international legal protections that guarantee every Ghanaian the rights to equality, nondiscrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy.”

Same-sex relationships are currently illegal in Ghana under existing colonial-era legislation that bans what it terms “unnatural carnal knowledge.” The new law, however, greatly broadens these limitations by making advocacy, support and related activities connected to LGBTQ acts illegal.

When the earlier version was approved in 2024, Ghana’s Finance Ministry cautioned that implementing it might threaten billions of dollars in international funding and assistance from development partners.

Over 30 of Africa’s 54 nations have legislation criminalizing same-sex relationships. Some laws include lengthy prison sentences exceeding 10 years, while countries such as Somalia, Uganda and Mauritania impose the death penalty.

Leaders from four major international organizations issued a warning Friday that ongoing warfare in the Middle East is placing significant pressure on worldwide energy markets and causing the greatest harm to developing nations.

The conflict between the U.S.-Israel alliance and Iran has caused disruptions to international commerce, created volatility in financial markets, and sparked worries about global energy security, especially regarding shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for petroleum and natural gas transport.

While the worldwide economy has shown strength, the fighting is having an outsized impact on less wealthy nations through rising costs for fuel and fertilizer, greater economic uncertainty, and employment risks, according to the international organizations.

Leaders from these groups convened Thursday to discuss their response to the economic consequences of the conflict, according to their joint announcement.

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he would make a decision Friday regarding a possible agreement with Iran to extend their current ceasefire, which would require reopening the shipping route and eliminating Tehran’s nuclear weapons development capabilities.

The organizations stated: “If shipping flows do not return to normal, continued rapid depletion of global oil inventories ahead of peak summer oil demand in the Northern Hemisphere would present increasing risks for fuel security, market conditions, and broader economic resilience.”

Syrian officials have taken 18 people into custody who are believed to have played key roles in the Assad government’s chemical weapons operations, as newly uncovered evidence may strengthen international war crimes prosecutions.

The arrests come alongside the discovery of chemical weapons materials and munitions that could help investigators build cases against those who oversaw the deadly program during Syria’s civil war.

Retired Brig. Gen. Mustafa al-Sheikh, a military affairs expert, explained to The Media Line that finding munitions matching those from the Ghouta and Al-Latamenah attacks represents a major breakthrough for international investigators. “Any technical match between the newly discovered materials and previously documented evidence could provide additional grounds for legal accountability and strengthen efforts to prosecute those responsible for the use of chemical weapons,” he stated.

A United Nations investigation from September 2013 found “clear and convincing evidence” that Sarin gas was used in the Ghouta area near Damascus, an assault that reportedly caused hundreds of deaths.

Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the investigation results “deeply disturbing.” The UN team concluded that “chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in [Syria], also against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale.”

The UN investigation revealed that 85% of blood samples collected from Ghouta locations showed positive results for Sarin, while most rocket debris also contained traces of the lethal nerve agent.

“This is a war crime,” Ki-moon declared to the UN Security Council in 2013 following the report’s release. “The international community has a responsibility to hold the perpetrators accountable and to ensure that chemical weapons never re-emerge as an instrument of warfare.”

French courts have issued international arrest warrants for Bashar Assad regarding the 2013 Ghouta chemical attacks, determining that such crimes are not covered by head-of-state immunity. Additional legal actions in Germany and Sweden use universal jurisdiction principles, while the International Criminal Court cannot automatically intervene since Syria has not signed the Rome Statute.

Mohamed Katoub, Syria’s permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, revealed that officials detained 18 people suspected of running and operating the previous government’s chemical weapons operations. Katoub stated that those in custody include high-ranking military, political, and technical personnel, though their names and exact positions remain undisclosed.

These detentions mark the start of what may become an extended legal and security investigation, especially as international demands persist for accountability regarding banned weapons used against civilians throughout the conflict.

Syrian officials announced a major step forward in dismantling the chemical weapons infrastructure created under former President Bashar Assad, following reports from the OPCW and Syrian authorities about discovering munitions, chemical substances, and specialized equipment connected to the program. The discoveries also included documentation that may help explain the extent of activities that stayed hidden despite years of international oversight and disarmament work.

A source within Syria’s Ministry of Defense informed The Media Line that specialized government units found raw materials, munitions, and missiles linked to the chemical weapons program used during the Syrian conflict, including weapons similar to those used in poison gas attacks throughout the war.

Search operations resulted in recovering more than 70 missiles and bombs designed for the former government’s chemical weapons program, though the OPCW indicated the materials are still being analyzed technically, according to the anonymous source.

The OPCW verified that recent inspection missions discovered dozens of munitions, chemical materials, and associated equipment across multiple Syrian locations, along with thousands of documents connected to the former government’s chemical weapons program. OPCW experts are currently conducting technical analysis of the materials.

This discovery occurs as Syria’s new leadership attempts to resolve one of the war’s most sensitive and complicated issues, while facing continued international pressure to fully reveal the status of undeclared chemical weapons supplies and ensure accountability for their use.

In the first comprehensive official statement about the findings, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said national teams successfully located “munitions, precursor materials, as well as mixing and storage equipment,” noting that the materials were secured and moved to specialized facilities for destruction. He described the accomplishment as resulting from “months of national, intelligence, and technical work,” including gathering and analyzing information, accessing dangerous sites, and enabling OPCW inspection visits to dozens of locations connected to the former program.

Al-Shaibani also mentioned that Syrian authorities made progress in pursuing people involved in the former government’s chemical weapons program, describing these efforts as demonstrating cooperation between Damascus and the OPCW within what he termed a “new Syria” founded on transparency and international collaboration.

Syria’s mission to the OPCW reported that search operations identified sites connected to the former chemical weapons program and found munitions and materials linked to previous chemical attacks during the war. The mission stated that investigators discovered 54 aerial bombs similar to those used in the 2017 Al-Latamenah attacks and 25 ground-to-ground munitions resembling those used in the 2013 Eastern Ghouta attack, plus sarin precursor materials and equipment for mixing and storage.

Emphasizing growing international attention to the matter, US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack called the discoveries “an important milestone” in building a new Syria and strengthening international security. Barrack said uncovering remnants of the chemical weapons program represented another step toward ending what he termed the “brutal legacy” of chemical weapons in Syria. He attributed the progress to cooperation between Syrian authorities and the OPCW, with support from the United States and international partners.

“A safer, more sovereign, and more accountable Syria is in the interest of the Syrian people and the world as a whole,” Barrack stated.

The chemical weapons matter remains among the most controversial and sensitive elements of the Syrian conflict, connected to multiple attacks that prompted widespread international criticism and became central to efforts holding the former government accountable. While Syria agreed in 2013 to eliminate its chemical weapons arsenal under international supervision, the OPCW has continued finding gaps, inconsistencies, and unresolved questions about Syria’s declarations.

Observers think the recent discoveries, combined with unprecedented cooperation between Syrian authorities and international organizations, may mark a crucial moment in international accountability efforts, especially if ongoing investigations confirm previously undeclared stockpiles, equipment, or operational networks outside earlier disarmament agreements. Such findings could begin a new phase in legal investigations into one of the Syrian war’s most disputed legacies.

Military representatives from Israel and Lebanon will participate in US-facilitated discussions at the Pentagon on Friday, concentrating on border security matters, Hezbollah’s disarmament, and establishing a schedule for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Washington is advancing these operational conversations through military channels.

The Friday session will address military matters such as border arrangements, security coordination, and the practical aspects of implementing future measures. Additional political conversations are planned to resume next week at the State Department.

These discussions occur while fighting continues and ceasefire violations persist along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The Lebanese Armed Forces are emphasizing the need for a definitive ceasefire structure and a schedule for Israel’s pullback from southern Lebanon. Israel is insisting on measures to disarm Hezbollah and protect the mutual border, pointing to ongoing drone and rocket attacks.

These military-to-military conversations aim to advance the 45-day ceasefire extension that was agreed upon in mid-May.

On Thursday, Israel conducted a targeted attack in Beirut against Ali al-Husni, described as the missile commander in the Imam Hussein Division, a unit connected to Iran’s Quds Force. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has not confirmed whether al-Husni was eliminated.

The attack came after the IDF expanded military operations in Lebanon past the Yellow Line and represented a shift in Israeli tactics following earlier signals that Israel would refrain from military action in Beirut.

Israel’s military response came after multiple Hezbollah attacks in recent weeks that resulted in several IDF casualties, along with drone strikes into Israel.

Iranian naval forces discharged warning shots at four commercial vessels attempting unauthorized passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from an Iranian military-linked social media account, while diplomatic talks continue regarding a potential peace agreement between the United States and Iran.

According to the social media posting, the ships tried to navigate through the waterway “without prior coordination or authorization.” No identification of the vessels or further specifics about the confrontation were provided in the report.

The maritime confrontation happened while American and Iranian officials achieved initial agreements Thursday evening on a potential 60-day agreement aimed at prolonging the current ceasefire and initiating discussions about Iran’s nuclear program, CNN reported. The news outlet noted that President Donald Trump has not yet given his approval to the deal.

CNN reported the proposed agreement would temporarily maintain the ceasefire, restore unrestricted maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and create a framework for negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

Axios reported the plan would also feature an Iranian statement pledging not to develop nuclear weapons, with subsequent talks addressing sanctions removal and access to frozen Iranian funds.

Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency announced Friday that Iranian military forces fired missiles from southern Iran at “designated targets.” Fars reported the targets remained unidentified and offered no further information about the military action.

The connection between the missile strikes reported by Fars and the maritime incident described by the Iranian military-affiliated account remained uncertain.

These events unfolded during heightened focus on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated Thursday that the Treasury Department might take measures against Oman if that nation assisted Iran in collecting fees from ships using the waterway. Oman shares a border with the Strait of Hormuz.

Bessent’s statements came after President Trump’s Wednesday remarks cautioning Oman against disrupting shipping traffic through the strait.

“Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up,” President Trump said.

South Africa finds itself walking a diplomatic tightrope as it desperately seeks billions in Gulf investment to rescue its faltering economy while maintaining controversial ties with Iran that are making investors nervous.

The nation’s ministers spent this year traveling across the Middle East asking for financial help from oil-rich monarchies, even as South African naval forces conducted joint military exercises with Iranian ships.

The country is attempting to juggle relationships with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar while strengthening bonds with BRICS alliance members Russia and China. This balancing act includes pursuing a legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and defending its engagement with Iran under a policy of non-alignment.

“Our foreign policy of non-alignment is not anti-West or anti anyone,” International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said at a Pretoria foreign policy event on Monday, calling it a “sovereign choice grounded in the constitution and international law.”

As Africa’s most developed industrial nation, South Africa faces severe economic challenges. Manufacturing’s contribution to the economy has dropped dramatically from approximately 23% in the early 1980s to just over 11% today. Factory output declined again recently, with steel, machinery, and automotive plants reducing both production and workforce.

Rising oil prices have worsened the situation. While the International Monetary Fund predicted in February that inflation would decrease and growth would slowly return, conflicts affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have pushed Brent crude over $100 per barrel. The South African Reserve Bank now cautions that inflation could approach 5% later this year if oil costs stay high, with the rand becoming increasingly vulnerable to Gulf region developments.

The government’s debt burden has reached 77% of economic output and keeps growing. Unemployment exceeds 32%. Electrical outages and deteriorating rail and port infrastructure have forced factories to operate at roughly two-thirds capacity, hampering the export growth South Africa desperately needs.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson traveled through the Middle East earlier this year seeking investment from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE for infrastructure, logistics, and real estate projects. Government officials described the trip as part of efforts to attract external funding that the state can no longer secure independently.

Gulf nations have shown interest and possess substantial financial resources. The UAE has emerged as Africa’s biggest foreign investor, directing over $110 billion to the continent from 2019 to 2023 according to government figures. In South Africa specifically, Abu Dhabi’s International Resources Holding established a strategic partnership with the Public Investment Corporation covering mining, rail, logistics, and green energy sectors.

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power has investigated multibillion-dollar hydrogen and renewable energy projects with South African companies. The UAE reports its investments in the country exceeded $1.3 billion in 2024 alone.

However, South Africa’s military cooperation with Iran has created complications. Early this year, the country hosted naval exercises called Will for Peace with China, Russia, and Iran off its eastern coastline, near Indian Ocean shipping routes connecting the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

These drills attracted significant attention in Washington, particularly since Iran participated while South Africa was simultaneously courting Gulf states that view Tehran as their primary regional adversary.

The exercises also revealed divisions within South Africa’s government. After the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in 2024, it now governs alongside the Democratic Alliance (DA), which supports stronger Western relationships. The DA’s defense spokesman, Chris Hattingh, argued that hosting and training with heavily sanctioned forces involved in active conflicts cannot be considered neutral. “It is a political choice, whether the government admits it or not,” he said.

Domestic and international critics have questioned whether South Africa remains truly non-aligned or is shifting toward an anti-Western stance. In January, the country abstained from a UN Human Rights Council resolution condemning Iran’s violent suppression of protesters, refusing to criticize a government it has historically supported.

“I don’t think anyone still regards South Africa as truly non-aligned,” Darren Olivier, director of the African Defence Review, told The Media Line. “It has virtually ceased military exercises with Western countries and now primarily conducts them with fellow BRICS states, while investing far more heavily in military relationships with Russia, Iran, Cuba, and China over the past decade.”

“At this point, it’s less of a complete realignment and more a case of testing the waters,” he added.

Olivier noted that consequences are already emerging. “South Africa’s closeness with Iran and Russia has already affected investment, international partnerships, and confidence in the country,” he said. “It frequently comes up in investor discussions, creates friction around trade relationships with Western countries, and has become an issue the current US administration increasingly uses against Pretoria.”

Tensions are most pronounced with Washington, South Africa’s second-largest trading partner after China. South Africa primarily exports platinum-group metals, vehicles, steel, aluminum, and agricultural products like citrus and wine to the United States. Automotive and agricultural exports depend heavily on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides duty-free access to US markets; vehicles alone represented about two-thirds of South Africa’s AGOA exports last year.

This preferential access has deteriorated as the administration of President Donald Trump allowed AGOA to expire on September 30, renewing it only in February and only through the end of 2026. The month before expiration, Washington imposed a 30% tariff on South African goods, the highest rate on the continent. Vehicle shipments to the United States dropped by approximately three-quarters in 2025, though stronger mineral exports prevented overall totals from declining.

The US Supreme Court overturned the broad reciprocal tariffs in February, and the administration replaced them with a flat rate of roughly 10% to 15%, placing South Africa on equal footing with most other exporters but far below its previous duty-free status.

Despite political tensions, Trade Minister Parks Tau informed parliament on Tuesday that exports to the United States increased from 238 billion rand ($13 billion) in 2024 to 260 billion rand ($14 billion) in 2025.

President Trump boycotted the 2025 G20 summit South Africa hosted in Johannesburg, repeating unsubstantiated claims, rejected by Pretoria, that “white farmers are being killed” and their land seized.

In January, South Africa announced it would temporarily withdraw from the group as Washington assumed the presidency for 2026. At the same Johannesburg summit that the United States avoided, the UAE committed $1 billion to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure across Africa. The most widely referenced South African government land audit determined that whites—who comprise less than 8-10% of the population—still control roughly 72% of individually held agricultural and farmland. Black South Africans, who represent more than 80% of the population, own about 4% in that category.

Siphamandla Zondi, a politics professor at the University of Johannesburg, described the ANC’s approach as principled rather than opportunistic. “South Africa’s approach to BRICS and non-alignment is rooted in long-held traditions of South-South cooperation,” he said, tracing it to the Bandung Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement.

The party frames its Israel case as both a legal matter concerning Gaza and an issue of national identity, with President Cyril Ramaphosa stating in March that South Africa “would keep defending international law under the Genocide Convention.” This position has enhanced its standing throughout the Arab world and much of the Global South, even as it concerns Western governments and investors focused on geopolitical risk.

Nigeria, Africa’s other major economy, demonstrates the limitations of a more accommodating approach. It maintained its embassy in Tel Aviv and full diplomatic relations with Israel throughout the Gaza conflict, filed no genocide case at the ICJ, and like South Africa, seeks Emirati investment; the UAE lifted a visa restriction on Nigerians in 2023 and promised billions in new investment.

However, this warmer relationship provided Abuja little benefit in Washington. The Trump administration designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over the killing of Christians, threatened military intervention, and had already imposed a 10% tariff.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are rapidly expanding across Africa in ports, logistics, renewable energy, food security, and critical minerals, seeking influence beyond oil and positioning in future supply chains. However, their largest recent commitments have gone elsewhere, with tens of billions allocated to projects in Egypt and Mauritania over two years, far exceeding what the UAE has invested in South Africa.

South Africa remains one of the continent’s largest economies. It produces more platinum than any nation and supplies much of the world’s manganese and chromium, minerals that both Gulf and Western supply chains require.

The greater risk for South Africa may be less the loss of Gulf funding than developing a reputation for unpredictability among risk-conscious investors. The country is attempting to maintain positions that don’t align easily: depending on Western markets, aligning with America’s adversaries, staying close to Russia and China, and courting Gulf states that fear Iran.

“Investors want certainty and long-term predictability,” said Darren Bergman, the DA’s former shadow minister for international relations. “There is still uncertainty about where South Africa actually stands internationally, and investors dislike uncertainty.”

“The danger is antagonizing major trade partners such as the United States and possibly the European Union,” Bergman said. “South Africa has to balance both sides carefully.”