Category: World News

A recent polling survey reveals that Germany’s Alternative for Germany party, known for its far-right positions, has achieved unprecedented support levels, capturing 28% of voter preferences according to INSA’s latest weekly survey released Saturday.

This represents the party’s strongest showing ever in INSA polling data and marks a one-point increase from the week prior, establishing a four-point advantage over Germany’s traditional conservative political bloc.

The polling numbers show Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative CDU maintaining its 24% support from the previous survey, while environmental party the Greens dropped to 12% support. The Social Democrats stayed at 14% backing, and the Left Party held at 11%.

Political analysts note that with 11% of voter support going toward smaller parties unlikely to meet parliamentary entry requirements, any governing coalition would need to secure at least 45% among qualifying parties to achieve a working majority.

Given that established parties continue rejecting partnerships with the Alternative for Germany, potential governing arrangements would likely require three-party agreements, according to the survey analysis. A combination of the Union, Social Democrats and Greens would control 50% support, while joining the Union, Social Democrats and Left Party would total 49%.

The polling organization conducted interviews with 1,203 German citizens from April 20 through April 24, asking participants about their voting intentions if national elections occurred this Sunday.

DAKAR – A terrorist organization with ties to Al Qaeda has announced it partnered with a Tuareg rebel faction to execute synchronized strikes throughout Mali this past Saturday, according to intelligence monitoring service SITE Intelligence Group.

The group known as JNIM, which operates as an Al Qaeda affiliate, stated it collaborated with the FLA, a rebel organization primarily composed of Tuareg fighters, in conducting the coordinated offensive operations across the West African nation.

SITE Intelligence Group reported on the joint claim of responsibility, citing an official statement released by JNIM regarding the attacks.

China’s Foreign Minister made a diplomatic visit to Myanmar’s capital on Saturday, meeting with the nation’s newly-installed military-backed president as Beijing works to expand its influence across Southeast Asia.

According to Myanmar’s state television network MRTV, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held discussions with President Min Aung Hlaing focusing on improving Myanmar’s international standing and collaboration within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The diplomatic meeting in Naypyitaw occurred weeks after Min Aung Hlaing took the presidential oath on April 10, following elections that international observers criticized as unfair and orchestrated to preserve military control five years after the armed forces removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian administration.

During their talks, Min Aung Hlaing expressed gratitude that Chinese President Xi Jinping sent congratulations just hours after his electoral victory, according to the state media report.

Beijing maintains significant economic and strategic interests in Myanmar, serving as the country’s largest trade partner and longtime supporter. Chinese companies have poured billions into Myanmar’s mining operations, energy pipelines, and infrastructure projects, while China ranks as a primary weapons supplier alongside Russia.

Among the limited number of nations backing Myanmar’s recent elections, China quickly sent congratulatory messages to Min Aung Hlaing following his presidential appointment.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which counts Myanmar among its 11 members, refused to recognize the elections due to the exclusion of most opposition groups and severe restrictions on dissent. Violence from Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict also prevented voting in certain regions.

ASEAN previously excluded Myanmar’s leadership from meetings after the military government failed to follow through on a peace agreement from April 2021 that demanded an immediate halt to violence, inclusive dialogue, and humanitarian assistance.

The former military administration under Min Aung Hlaing permitted only limited humanitarian aid under strict conditions and ignored other provisions of the peace plan.

During his April 10 swearing-in ceremony, Min Aung Hlaing identified rebuilding ASEAN relationships as a key objective.

Saturday’s discussions also covered border security issues, trade relations, joint efforts against cybercrime, and Myanmar’s domestic peace initiatives, according to the report.

China simultaneously maintains relationships with ethnic armed groups along its border, including the influential “Three Brotherhood Alliance” that has fought for decades seeking greater independence from Myanmar’s central authority.

This alliance seized substantial territory near China’s border and in western Myanmar from late 2023 through 2024, encouraging other resistance movements opposing military rule to expand their campaigns nationwide.

Nevertheless, multiple China-mediated ceasefires in the past year slowed their progress, enabling the army to reclaim strategic areas and regain military advantage since mid-2025.

Lebanese officials reported Saturday that four individuals lost their lives during Israeli military operations in the country’s southern region, according to Lebanon’s state news agency. The fatalities come as both Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continue exchanging fire despite an extended ceasefire arrangement.

While the truce between Israel and Lebanon has substantially decreased fighting overall, confrontations persist in southern Lebanon’s border area, where Israeli troops maintain positions in what they describe as a protective buffer zone against the Iran-supported militant organization.

Israeli defense forces announced Saturday they had targeted Hezbollah rocket launching equipment at three separate southern Lebanon sites during overnight operations and struck multiple Hezbollah operatives in additional attacks. Military officials later confirmed they had also hit installations operated by Hezbollah’s specialized Radwan unit in the same region.

Officials have not confirmed whether the four deaths reported by Lebanese state media resulted from these specific Israeli military actions.

Israeli forces renewed their advisory for Lebanese civilians to stay away from the Litani River region in southern Lebanon during ongoing operations against Hezbollah militants.

Military representatives reported intercepting a “suspicious aerial target” in territory currently under their control, while noting that Hezbollah launched two rockets toward northern Israel, with one being successfully intercepted. No injuries were reported from the rocket attacks.

On Friday, a Hezbollah legislator declared the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel meaningless, one day after the truce received a three-week extension. The original ceasefire had been scheduled to end this Sunday.

Iran’s top diplomat outlined his nation’s stance during weekend peace negotiations in Pakistan, rejecting what Tehran calls excessive American demands in efforts to resolve a deadly conflict affecting worldwide energy supplies.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi concluded discussions with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior officials before departing Islamabad under military escort Saturday, according to government sources. Specific details about the negotiations remained limited.

The White House previously announced that President Donald Trump’s special representative Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner would fly to Islamabad on Saturday.

Whether Araqchi plans to return to Pakistan for additional talks remains uncertain. Tehran has previously rejected the possibility of renewed direct negotiations with Washington.

The standoff continues as Iran maintains its closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that typically handles 20% of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas transport, while America blocks Iranian petroleum exports.

The crisis began February 28 with joint US-Israeli military strikes against Iran, though a ceasefire is currently holding. Iran has retaliated with attacks on Israeli territory, American military installations, and Gulf region nations. The fighting has driven energy costs to multi-year peaks, fueling inflation concerns and threatening global economic growth.

Araqchi “explained our country’s principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran”, according to a statement posted on the minister’s official Telegram channel.

When questioned about Iran’s objections to American negotiating positions, an Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters: “Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier suggested Iran still had an opportunity to reach a favorable agreement.

“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely,” he stated. “All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.”

Araqchi reached Islamabad on Friday. However, an Iranian foreign ministry representative posted on social media that Iranian officials had no plans to meet with US representatives and would communicate Tehran’s position through Pakistani mediators.

Trump revealed Friday that Iran intended to present a proposal addressing American requirements, though he said he didn’t know the specifics. He refused to identify Washington’s negotiating partners, saying only “but we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now”.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt indicated the US had observed some Iranian progress recently and anticipated further developments over the weekend, while Vice President JD Vance remained prepared to travel to Pakistan if needed.

Following Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire earlier this week, international air travel resumed from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on Saturday, Iranian media reported. Initial flights departed for Medina in Saudi Arabia, Muscat, and Istanbul, with expanded operations planned for coming days.

“Well, it’s a good feeling. When flights resume, trade is done, and people can do their jobs. It’s a good feeling,” one traveler told reporters at the airport, where passengers lined up at check-in counters.

Iranian airspace has remained largely shut since hostilities began. Tens of thousands of flights worldwide have faced cancellations, diversions, and schedule changes, effectively closing much Middle Eastern airspace due to missile and drone threats.

Trump unilaterally extended a two-week ceasefire Tuesday to provide additional time for negotiators to reconvene.

Energy markets surged this week, with Brent crude futures jumping 16% amid uncertainty about peace negotiations and renewed regional violence.

Maritime data from Friday showed only five vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the preceding 24 hours, compared to approximately 130 daily crossings before the conflict. The ships included an Iranian petroleum products tanker but none of the massive crude-carrying vessels that typically supply global energy markets.

Analytics company Vortexa reported recording 35 total passages through the US blockade between April 13-22, involving Iran-connected or sanctioned ships traveling in both directions.

“The enemy, whose objective of crippling Iran’s missile and military capabilities has failed, is now seeking an honorable exit from the quagmire of war,” Iranian media quoted a defense ministry representative as saying. “Iran is today in firm control of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iranian state television quoted the nation’s military leadership reaffirming that Iran would respond if US forces continued their “blockade and piracy” in the region.

Thursday saw Israel and Lebanon extend their ceasefire for three weeks during a White House meeting facilitated by Trump, though fighting persisted in southern Lebanon.

Israel launched an invasion of its northern neighbor last month to eliminate Iran’s Hezbollah allies after the militant organization fired across the border in support of Iran. Tehran maintains that a ceasefire there represents a prerequisite for negotiations.

Four people died in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon Saturday, Lebanon’s state news agency reported, while Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel, the Israeli military confirmed, representing the latest challenge to that ceasefire agreement.

ATHENS, Greece — French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized Saturday that Europe’s increased military spending represents a response to longstanding American requests for greater self-reliance, not an effort to create a rival to NATO.

Speaking alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, Macron stressed that European nations are finally addressing Washington’s decade-long appeals for the continent to shoulder more responsibility for its own protection.

“The lesson we must draw is, let us no longer be dependent,” Macron stated following discussions with Mitsotakis. “We Europeans must strengthen this European pillar of NATO, we must strengthen this Europe of defense — not against anyone, not as an alternative to anything.”

The Greek leader supported Macron’s position, arguing that the United States should welcome Europe’s commitment to greater self-sufficiency and increased defense investments, describing American calls for higher spending as “justified.”

Macron’s Athens visit followed an informal European Union summit in Cyprus and focused on reinforcing a 2021 defense agreement between France and Greece that features a mutual protection provision for armed attacks on either nation.

“This mutual assurance and assistance clause is inviolable, and it is not up for debate between us,” Macron declared. “So there are no question marks, no doubts to be entertained — and all our potential, or real, enemies need to be very clear about that.”

The comprehensive 3-billion-euro deal encompasses Greece’s acquisition of 24 Rafale fighter aircraft and four advanced frigates, including the Kimon vessel that both leaders toured Saturday.

Greece has been modernizing its armed forces amid ongoing tensions with neighboring Turkey, purchasing much of its new equipment from French suppliers. The procurement includes France’s MICA anti-aircraft missile technology designed for use across air, ground, and naval platforms.

Both officials promoted their partnership as a model for other EU members to enhance the 27-nation alliance’s global competitiveness. Mitsotakis urged European leaders to abandon “national egotism” that shields domestic industries and pursue greater consolidation for improved efficiency.

Macron highlighted the importance of European innovation and manufacturing to attract consumers with superior products that will fund the EU’s security objectives.

“All of us Europeans — the Franco-Greek relationship is a prime example — need to buy more European products, produce more European goods, and innovate more within Europe,” he explained.

The leaders referenced Article 42.7, the EU’s collective defense provision, which Macron insisted represents more than “just empty words.” He cited both nations’ rapid deployment of naval vessels to Cyprus in early March after a Shahed drone attacked a British facility during the Iran conflict.

Regarding concerns about energy supplies, Macron cautioned against creating alarm over potential fuel shortages linked to Strait of Hormuz disruptions, through which approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas flows. He described the fuel situation as “under control” and predicted no supply interruptions.

While acknowledging that normalizing conditions will require time, Macron said Europe remains committed to reopening the strategic waterway.

Mitsotakis, representing Greece’s significant maritime industry, insisted any diplomatic resolution must guarantee “non-negotiable” unrestricted passage through the strait without vessel fees, matching pre-conflict conditions.

Slovenia finds itself in political limbo after President Natasa Pirc Musar announced Saturday that she will not designate a prime minister candidate following last month’s parliamentary elections, citing insufficient coalition support among competing parties.

Last month’s electoral contest resulted in a razor-thin margin, with current Prime Minister Robert Golob’s liberal Freedom Movement (GS) claiming 29 parliamentary seats compared to 28 won by former Premier Janez Jansa’s right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS).

Despite his party’s narrow lead, Golob attempted negotiations with various political groups but acknowledged this week that he could not gather the necessary 46 parliamentary votes, leading his Freedom Movement to accept an opposition role.

Meanwhile, Jansa has challenged the election outcome and denies actively pursuing government formation, though reports suggest he may be quietly building support among smaller center-right parties that gained parliamentary representation.

The president’s refusal to nominate a candidate transfers the responsibility to parliament members, who must propose a prime ministerial nominee within a two-week timeframe.

Should lawmakers fail in this initial attempt, the 90-member parliament will proceed to a third round of nominations.

“Only if the second and third rounds are not successful, I can call early elections,” Pirc Musar explained during a press conference announcing her choice.

During this week’s political consultations, no parliamentary faction provided the required 46 votes of confidence, the president noted. She also expressed concern about the absence of trust and mutual respect among the political leaders she met with.

“If political actors want to gain my trust to propose a candidate for prime minister after consultations with them, I expect them to speak honestly and frankly,” she stated.

Any shift in leadership could significantly impact Slovenia’s policy direction, as Golob has championed European Union-compatible foreign relations and progressive social legislation.

Conversely, Jansa, who has expressed support for former U.S. President Donald Trump, advocates for corporate tax reductions and decreased government spending on non-governmental organizations, social programs, and media outlets, potentially reversing current policies if he returns to power.

Romanian authorities discovered debris from two Russian drones on Saturday following overnight strikes on neighboring Ukraine, marking an escalation in cross-border incidents that damaged property for the first time.

Officials found drone wreckage in the southeastern city of Galati, where an electrical pole and residential outbuilding sustained damage, along with additional fragments in nearby Tulcea county. No injuries were reported in either location, according to Romania’s defense ministry.

Emergency responders temporarily relocated residents near the Galati crash site while bomb disposal teams secured the potentially explosive drone remnants.

The incidents occurred as Russia targeted Ukrainian ports along the Danube River. Romania, which maintains NATO and European Union membership, shares approximately 400 miles of border with Ukraine and has experienced repeated airspace violations from Russian drones during Moscow’s ongoing military campaign.

While drone debris has previously landed on Romanian soil, Saturday’s events represented the first instance of actual property destruction.

“The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area,” the ministry’s statement said.

“Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, but also the collective security of NATO.”

British Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft participating in Romania’s air policing mission launched to monitor the situation, following standard protocols. Authorities also issued shelter warnings for Tulcea county residents.

Recent months have seen increasing tensions across Europe’s eastern borders as suspected Russian drones have violated multiple NATO countries’ airspace.

Romanian legislation permits shooting down drones during peacetime when lives or property face threats, though officials have not yet exercised this authority.

Defense Minister Radu Miruta announced Friday that an American-made, artificial intelligence-powered anti-drone system would join national air defenses within days after completing final testing.

The Merops system, created by Project Eagle — a U.S. company supported by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt — will address drone threats along the Danube River, Miruta explained.

Poland currently operates the same system along NATO’s eastern frontier.

Romania’s foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to formally protest the border violations.

BEIJING – Chinese officials issued a sharp rebuke Saturday against the European Union’s decision to place several Chinese businesses on its newest sanctions list targeting Russia, marking the 20th round of such penalties.

Beijing’s commerce ministry voiced strong disapproval of the EU’s action, calling for the Chinese companies to be struck from the sanctions roster without delay.

The latest European sanctions focus on foreign suppliers providing crucial advanced technology components to Russia. Several China-based companies were targeted for allegedly supplying equipment that serves both civilian and military purposes, or weapons technology, to Russia’s defense manufacturing sector.

A commerce ministry representative stated the EU’s decision “runs counter to the spirit of the consensus reached between Chinese and EU leaders, and seriously undermines mutual trust and the overall stability of bilateral relations.”

Chinese officials issued a stern warning that they would implement “necessary measures” to safeguard their domestic companies. The ministry added that “all consequences will be borne by the EU side” for this action.

A high-ranking Russian official arrived in North Korea Saturday to participate in ceremonies celebrating the country’s military support for Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, according to reports from Russian state media.

Vyacheslav Volodin, who serves as speaker of Russia’s Duma and maintains close ties to President Vladimir Putin, was greeted by Jo Yong-won upon his arrival. Jo holds significant influence as a trusted advisor to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and leads the nation’s Supreme People’s Assembly, the Tass news agency confirmed.

Intelligence estimates indicate North Korea has contributed approximately 14,000 soldiers to assist Russian military operations against Ukrainian forces. International officials from South Korea, Ukraine, and Western nations report that more than 6,000 of these North Korean troops have been killed in combat.

The visit coincides with North Korea’s planned commemoration of what they term the “liberation of Kursk,” marking one year since Moscow announced it had retaken control of the disputed region from Ukrainian forces.

The military cooperation stems from a comprehensive strategic agreement signed by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin during their June 2024 meeting. This treaty established a mutual defense arrangement between the two nations, whose diplomatic and military partnership has strengthened considerably since 2023.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized Saturday his dedication to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, following warnings from TotalEnergies’ chief executive about potential worldwide energy shortages if the Iranian conflict extends for additional months.

During a press briefing in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron noted that fear driven by geopolitical instability can itself create supply shortages.

“Our goal is to achieve a full reopening in the coming days and weeks, in accordance with international law, guaranteeing freedom of navigation without tolls on the Strait of Hormuz. Then things can gradually return to normal,” Macron stated.

Patrick Pouyanne, TotalEnergies’ chief executive, advocated Friday for the waterway’s reopening, noting that approximately 20 percent of worldwide oil and gas supplies typically pass through this corridor.

Transit through this crucial passage, which also serves as a vital shipping lane for fertilizers and pharmaceuticals, has been severely restricted due to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Iranian forces have captured container vessels while the United States has established a blockade at Iranian harbors.

“If it lasts two, three months more, we are entering in a world of scarcity of energy, which Asian countries have already suffered,” Pouyanne stated at the World Policy Conference in Chantilly, near Paris. “You cannot have 20% of the oil and gas of the planet being stranded and not accessible without major consequences.”

Over a dozen nations have expressed willingness to participate in a French-British led international mission to safeguard shipping through the strait once conditions allow, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that American assistance from allies is unnecessary.

“We’re all in the same boat, and it’s not a boat we chose, if I may say. We’re victims of geopolitics and we’re victims of this war that started several months ago,” Macron commented Saturday.

A grieving Palestinian father laid to rest his pregnant wife and two young children on Saturday following deadly Israeli military strikes in Gaza that claimed at least 13 lives on Friday.

Hospital officials reported that the Friday casualties included two fatalities in Gaza City and eight deaths in the southern community of Khan Younis. Medical staff at Nasser Hospital confirmed that the eight victims in Khan Younis, which included four police officers, died when Israeli forces struck a police vehicle.

Khalid Al-Tanani from Beit Lahiya described the devastating sequence of attacks that took the lives of his wife and two of his four children in northern Gaza.

“With the first shell, thank God we all survived and were calling out to each other. Then they fired the second, third, and fourth shells one after the other. Their voices fell silent. I went inside and found my wife, Islam Al-Tanani, martyred, and my son, Hamza, and Naya in her mother’s arms. I found them martyred,” Al-Tanani recounted. The children were ages 4 and 13.

One of Hamza’s 13-year-old twins and another child from the family survived the attack. Al-Tanani mentioned that he and his wife had recently begun discussing preparations for the expected twins, including gathering baby supplies and clothing.

During Saturday’s burial ceremony, family members grieved openly over the victims. “You took my soul with you, Hamza, you took me with you and broke me, Hamza,” cried the boy’s grandmother through tears.

Israeli military officials stated that armed militants had posed threats to their forces in the region, prompting the targeted airstrike after issuing civilian warnings. However, Al-Tanani maintained that no advance warning was provided before the strikes occurred.

The Israeli military confirmed targeting two militants who had threatened their personnel in Gaza City but offered no statement regarding the Khan Younis strike that resulted in eight deaths.

Although major combat operations have largely ended, continued Israeli military actions have consistently interrupted the ceasefire that began on October 10. The mounting Palestinian casualties have led many Gaza residents to feel that hostilities have never truly stopped.

Israeli troops regularly engage Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas. Armed groups have conducted attacks against Israeli forces, with Israel citing these incidents and other ceasefire violations as justification for their strikes. Four Israeli soldiers have died since the ceasefire implementation.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israeli operations have resulted in more than 790 Palestinian deaths during the six months since the tenuous ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was established. The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that United Nations agencies and independent analysts consider generally credible. However, the records do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.

According to the health ministry’s overall count, 72,300 Palestinians have died since the Gaza conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on Israel.

The current war started when Hamas-led fighters launched a major attack into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, on October 7, 2023.

The U.S. Navy has launched operations to locate and remove underwater explosives from the Strait of Hormuz, according to President Donald Trump, as the military works to reopen the critical shipping lane that carries a fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Military officials briefing House Armed Services Committee members this week indicated the mine-clearing mission could require half a year to complete, even with a fragile ceasefire in place between Washington and Tehran following weeks of warfare, according to sources familiar with the classified discussion.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to confirm the six-month timeline when questioned by reporters Friday, though he didn’t dispute the estimate. “Allegedly that was something that was said,” Hegseth stated during a Pentagon briefing. “But we feel confident in our ability, in the correct period of time, to clear any mines that we identify.”

The challenge extends beyond simply removing explosives from the seabed, according to defense analysts who warn that restoring commercial confidence in the waterway’s safety may prove even more difficult.

“You don’t even have to have lain mines — you just have to make people believe that you’ve laid mines,” explained Emma Salisbury, a researcher with the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program.

“And even if the U.S. sweeps the strait and says everything’s clear, all the Iranians have to do is say, ‘Well, actually, you haven’t found them all yet,’” added Salisbury, who also works with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. “There’s only so much the U.S. can do to give that confidence back to commercial shipping.”

Trump announced an intensification of the mine-clearing efforts through social media Thursday, declaring he had directed naval forces to target any vessel attempting to deploy explosives in the strait.

“Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now,” the president wrote. “I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”

The operation represents one of several strategies the Trump administration is pursuing to restore traffic through the vital waterway as energy costs climb and economic pressures mount. Officials have also imposed blockades on Iranian ports, confiscated vessels linked to Tehran, and scheduled participation in additional ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan this weekend.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the senior U.S. military commander overseeing Middle East operations, recently confirmed to reporters that forces would work to eliminate mines from the strait, though he provided no operational specifics.

Current naval assets in the region include two littoral combat ships equipped with mine-clearing capabilities, according to defense officials speaking anonymously about sensitive military deployments. Additionally, two Avenger-class minesweepers stationed in Japan have begun transit toward the Middle East but remained in Pacific waters as of Friday.

Steven Wills, a former lieutenant commander with experience aboard Avenger-class vessels, explained that current operations likely focus on creating secure passage channels rather than comprehensive area clearing, which typically occurs after conflicts conclude.

“Minehunting is walking through your yard pulling individual weeds and dandelions so that you can walk safely from one side to the other. Minesweeping is more like mowing the grass,” said Wills, now an analyst with the Center for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States.

Intelligence assessments suggest Iran possesses several thousand mines in its arsenal, primarily older Soviet designs supplemented by some Chinese models and domestically produced variants, according to Salisbury. The weapons likely rest on the ocean floor or hang suspended beneath the surface on cables, activated by changes in water pressure or engine noise from passing ships.

“Minelaying is a lot easier than minesweeping, so you can literally push these things off the back of a speedboat,” Salisbury noted, though she acknowledged such activities would likely be detected by U.S. surveillance.

Iranian submarines capable of covert mine deployment pose a more significant detection challenge and appear to have survived the recent conflict, she added.

Naval mine-clearing teams employ remotely operated underwater vehicles equipped with sonar technology to locate explosives, along with specialized charges to destroy them safely. Helicopter units can also search for mines using laser systems, while explosive ordnance disposal divers provide additional clearing capabilities.

Scott Savitz, a RAND Corporation researcher specializing in naval operations and mine warfare, emphasized that complete clearance isn’t always necessary for resuming commercial traffic.

“There’s still areas that have not been cleared from World War II — and in some cases, World War I — just because it is so resource intensive and it takes a lot of time,” he explained.

Shipping companies will eventually accept calculated risks to transit the lucrative route, Savitz predicted, though current Iranian requirements mandate vessels use northern passages closer to Iranian shores rather than traditional shipping lanes.

Insurance companies have begun requiring ship owners to coordinate with Iranian authorities for safe passage certification, according to Dylan Mortimer, marine war insurance leader for broker Marsh. These approvals address the full spectrum of threats including missiles, drones, and potential vessel seizures, not just mines.

However, the psychological impact of potential mine threats continues influencing commercial decisions regardless of actual explosive presence, creating what Mortimer termed the “specter of threat.”

“That plays in the Iranians’ favor, because whether there are mines there or not, people think there’s mines there and they will operate accordingly,” Mortimer observed.

These persistent concerns may significantly delay the restoration of commercial confidence in strait safety even after hostilities formally conclude, experts warn.

Armed militants launched what appears to be a coordinated assault on multiple locations across Mali early Saturday morning, striking the West African nation’s capital and several other major cities, according to local residents and government officials.

Mali’s military confirmed in an official statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital.” The army added that its forces were “currently engaged in eliminating the attackers.”

The troubled nation has faced ongoing conflicts with militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with separatist fighters operating in northern regions.

A journalist with the Associated Press reported hearing continuous heavy gunfire and automatic weapons fire emanating from Modibo Keïta International Airport, located approximately 15 kilometers from Bamako’s center. Military helicopters were observed flying over surrounding areas. The airport sits next to an air base operated by Mali’s military. A local resident near the facility confirmed the gunfire and reported seeing three helicopters conducting patrols above.

Citizens in additional Malian cities described hearing weapons fire and explosions Saturday morning, indicating the attacks may have been synchronized across multiple locations.

Armed fighters penetrated the northeastern city of Kidal, seizing control of certain districts and engaging in firefights with military personnel, according to a former Kidal mayor who spoke to AP by telephone. The individual requested anonymity due to safety concerns.

The Azawad separatist faction has waged a prolonged campaign to establish an independent state called Azawad in Mali’s northern territory. These rebels previously expelled government security forces from the area before a 2015 peace agreement, which later fell apart, allowed some former insurgents to join Mali’s armed forces.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, speaking for the Azawad Liberation Front, claimed on Facebook that his organization’s fighters had seized multiple areas in both Kidal and Gao, another northeastern city. The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm these assertions.

A Gao resident reported that gunfire and explosions began in the predawn hours Saturday and continued into late morning.

“The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. I’m scared out of my wits,” the resident told AP by phone. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns for his safety. The resident said the gunfire came from the army camp and the airport, which are right next to each other.

In Kati, a community close to Bamako that houses Mali’s primary military installation, another resident reported being awakened early by sounds of gunfire and explosions.

Last year, an al-Qaeda-affiliated organization took responsibility for an assault on Bamako’s airport and a military training facility in the capital that resulted in dozens of deaths.

Mali, together with neighboring countries Niger and Burkina Faso, has struggled for years against armed organizations connected to al-Qaeda and ISIS, with violence intensifying over the last ten years.

After military takeovers, the ruling governments in these three nations shifted away from Western partnerships toward Russian assistance in their fight against Islamic extremists.

However, security conditions across Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have deteriorated recently, according to experts, with militant attacks reaching record levels. Government troops have also faced accusations of killing civilians suspected of supporting militants.

The Biden administration has adjusted its sanctions policy toward Venezuela, clearing the way for that nation’s government to fund legal representation for former president Nicolás Maduro in his ongoing drug trafficking prosecution, according to court documents filed Friday.

Maduro, age 63, along with his spouse Cilia Flores, 69, were apprehended at their Caracas residence by American special operations forces on January 3rd and transported to New York to answer criminal charges that include narcoterrorism conspiracy. Both defendants have entered not guilty pleas and remain in custody at a Brooklyn detention facility while awaiting trial.

Defense attorney Barry Pollack petitioned Manhattan federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein in February to throw out the prosecution, arguing that existing U.S. economic restrictions were blocking Venezuela from covering his client’s legal expenses.

According to Pollack, this prohibition violated Maduro’s constitutional guarantee to legal representation of his choosing.

Defense counsel indicated that neither Maduro nor Flores possess the financial means to hire attorneys independently, while Venezuela’s government stands ready to cover their legal costs.

Constitutional protections for criminal defendants in America extend to all individuals facing charges, regardless of their citizenship status.

During a March 26th court session, Hellerstein indicated he would not dismiss the prosecution but expressed doubt about the government’s justification for preventing the fee payments.

Federal prosecutor Kyle Wirshba argued in court that the sanctions blocking these payments served valid national security and foreign policy objectives. Wirshba further contended that Hellerstein lacked authority to compel the Treasury Department to alter its sanctions framework, since foreign policy falls under executive rather than judicial control.

Hellerstein observed that Washington had already eased various Venezuelan sanctions following Maduro’s removal from power. Diplomatic ties between Caracas and Washington have strengthened since Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, assumed interim leadership of Venezuela.

“The defendant is here, Flores is here. They present no further national security threat,” Hellerstein stated. The judge, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, added: “The right that’s implicated, paramount over other rights, is the right to constitutional counsel.”

Throughout his initial presidential term, Donald Trump intensified economic penalties against Venezuela amid accusations that Maduro’s administration engaged in corruption and weakened democratic governance. Washington declared Maduro’s 2018 electoral victory illegitimate.

Maduro rejected these allegations, as well as drug trafficking accusations, characterizing them as fabricated justifications for what he described as America’s attempt to gain control over the South American OPEC member’s extensive petroleum resources.

An unmanned aircraft from Ukraine struck a residential high-rise in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on Saturday, marking the first time the major urban center has been targeted since the conflict between the two nations began, according to regional authorities.

Denis Pasler, who serves as governor of the Sverdlovsk region, reported through the Telegram messaging platform that while no deaths occurred, several individuals sustained minor injuries and one woman required hospital treatment.

“Residents of the affected building have been evacuated,” he said. “All emergency services are working promptly.”

Social media footage confirmed by Reuters displayed thick smoke billowing from the upper floors of the contemporary tower. The building’s exterior showed significant fire damage and numerous shattered windows from the impact.

Ukrainian officials have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.

This attack on Yekaterinburg occurred following a substantial overnight Russian assault on Ukraine that resulted in seven deaths and injured many others.

The targeted city houses 1.5 million people and sits in Russia’s Ural mountain region within Sverdlovsk, an area known for its numerous military manufacturing facilities. The distance from Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv to Yekaterinburg spans more than 1,200 miles.

Since hostilities commenced in 2022, Russian forces have conducted extensive bombardments of Ukrainian locations using artillery, unmanned aircraft, and aerial strikes. In response, Ukraine has launched operations deep within Russian territory using sabotage teams and drones, eliminating Russian military commanders and targeting petroleum facilities and pipeline infrastructure.

KYIV, Ukraine — Overnight bombardments by Russian forces struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, leaving three dead and injuring 21 others, regional officials reported Saturday.

Rescue teams discovered the three victims in the debris of a residential home that was leveled during the nighttime assault, according to Dnipropetrovsk regional leader Oleksandr Ganzha, who warned that additional people could remain buried beneath the wreckage.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Saturday that “11 people in hospitals in Dnipro after the Russian attack on the city.”

“The Russians have been hitting Dnipro and other cities and communities practically all night,” Ganzha posted on Telegram, describing the bombardment that sparked blazes throughout Dnipro and left multiple apartment complexes, commercial structures and a residence in partial ruins.

In the Odesa region to the southwest, drone assaults during the night injured two additional civilians.

The southern portion of that region saw damage to homes, port facilities and vehicles, regional administrator Oleh Kiper announced Saturday.

Meanwhile in Russia, a drone attack in the border area of Belgorod resulted in one woman’s death and left a man with severe injuries, according to local authorities.

These latest attacks came one day after Russia and Ukraine completed a prisoner exchange on Friday, trading 193 military personnel.

Such prisoner swaps represent among the limited positive developments from otherwise unsuccessful months of U.S.-mediated discussions between Moscow and Kyiv. The diplomatic efforts have failed to achieve breakthroughs on major obstacles to ending Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry is encouraging Afghan nationals who supported American military operations and remain stranded in Qatar while hoping to reach the United States to come back to their homeland safely.

The Saturday announcement from foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi follows news reports indicating the Trump administration is considering relocating approximately 1,100 Afghans who aided U.S. forces during the Afghanistan conflict, along with family members of American military personnel, to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A support organization known as #AfghanEvac, which advocates for Afghan resettlement initiatives, reported Wednesday that American officials had notified them of ongoing conversations between the U.S. and Congo regarding accepting the Afghan refugees who have remained in uncertain circumstances at Camp As-Sayliyah, an American military facility in Doha, throughout the past year.

The State Department confirmed it is exploring ways to “voluntarily” relocate these refugees to a third nation but declined to specify which countries are under consideration.

According to #AfghanEvac, refugees were presented with the option of returning to Afghanistan, where they worry about retaliation or execution by the Taliban, who have controlled the nation since taking control following the turbulent departure of U.S.-led military forces in 2021, due to their collaboration with American forces during the twenty-year conflict.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry “reiterates that Afghanistan constitutes the shared homeland of all Afghans and it invites all those concerned, as well as others sharing a similar situation, (to) return to their homeland, whose doors remain open to them, to do so with full confidence & peace of mind,” Balkhi wrote in his statement.

He continued that “those intending to travel to another country may do so at an appropriate juncture through legal & dignified channels.” Afghanistan’s foreign ministry “stands ready to engage with all countries,” Balkhi stated, emphasizing that the foreign ministry “underscores to all sides that there exist no security threats in Afghanistan, & none is compelled to leave the country on account of security considerations.”

In a collective statement released by the #AfghanEvac organization representing those at Camp As-Sayliyah, the Afghans expressed they had not been informed by U.S. officials about discussions to potentially move them and learned about it through media reports. They described how their prolonged uncertain status is severely affecting their wellbeing.

“Many of us are not well. The uncertainty has been more than some of us can carry. There is deep depression,” the group stated, noting that some individuals are experiencing mental health challenges due to their circumstances.

“We will say this plainly. We do not want to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the group declared, explaining that “it is a country in its own war. We have been in enough war. We cannot take our children into another one.”

The African nation has endured prolonged conflict between government troops and Rwanda-supported insurgents in its eastern territories for decades.

The Afghans at the Doha facility emphasized that returning to Afghanistan was not viable. “The Taliban will kill many of us for what we did for the United States,” the group stated. “This is not a fear. This is a fact. The United States knows this, because the United States is the reason we cannot go home.”

These relocation talks, first reported by The New York Times, emerge more than a year after President Donald Trump suspended his predecessor’s Afghan resettlement initiative as part of multiple executive actions targeting immigration.

This policy stranded thousands of refugees who escaped conflict and persecution and had completed an extensive, sometimes multi-year screening process to begin new lives in America at various locations globally, including the Qatar base.

In a Milan suburb each afternoon, Diego Di Franco collects his kids from school, coordinates their extracurricular activities, and cooks dinner — duties typically handled by Italian mothers. While this daily routine might seem ordinary, Di Franco stands out because he’s a father who documents his caregiving role on social media.

Although Italy’s legislature turned down a February proposal for equal maternity and paternity leave, Di Franco represents a growing movement of “dad influencers” who are transforming perceptions of fatherhood in a nation grappling with work-life balance and gender equality challenges.

Despite being the eurozone’s third-biggest economy under its first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni — who has a 9-year-old daughter — Italy continues to see women handling most caregiving responsibilities while facing one of Europe’s largest gender employment disparities, hampering long-term economic growth as the population ages.

Economic experts and advocacy groups point to a significant policy disparity that worsens the problem: mothers receive five months of leave compared to fathers’ mere 10 days of paternity leave.

Opposition lawmakers proposed equal, non-transferable, and fully compensated parental leave for both parents, similar to reforms implemented in Spain and other nations. However, the center-right majority defeated the measure 137-117, claiming budgetary limitations.

Olympic swimming champion Federica Pellegrini, mother of two, expressed her frustration on Instagram after the bill’s defeat: “If a woman wants a career in Italy, she is better off not becoming a mother.” Her statement reflects what many Italians view as an impossible choice between professional advancement and family life.

This legislative setback stands in sharp contrast to developments on social platforms, where Italian fathers increasingly share content about daily childcare responsibilities, making paternal involvement more visible and mainstream.

Sociologist and Children’s Health Centre consultant Annina Lubbock observed: “The number of dad-influencing bloggers is increasing and it’s very varied. They’ve made a huge contribution in putting forward a different narrative about fatherhood, which is more inclusive, more equal, also fun.”

She added: “This is a reflection of a change that’s been ongoing in Italy already for some time, but these influencers are also driving this change.”

Di Franco exemplifies this trend as a 45-year-old father with over 50,000 Instagram followers who serves as the primary caregiver while his wife Raffaella maintains a full-time senior management position — an unusual arrangement in Italy.

“Around 85% of my followers are women, many asking how to encourage their partners to be more present at home,” Di Franco explained.

Raffaella credits Diego’s involvement as crucial to her professional success: “It gave me the confidence to face challenges and seize opportunities.”

However, the Di Franco family’s situation remains exceptional. Italy’s female employment rate reached only 53% in 2024, representing the European Union’s largest gender employment gap, according to Eurostat data. The EU average for female employment stands at 70.8%.

Women comprise approximately 70% of voluntary job departures in Italy, frequently occurring after childbirth, while involuntary part-time employment remains common.

Statistician Linda Laura Sabbadini characterized this pattern as “a clear sign of the child penalty women pay for having children.”

Economic analysts connect the challenges of balancing careers with child-rearing to Italy’s declining birth rates, emphasizing that increased female workforce participation is crucial for sustaining economic growth and public finances. They argue that additional support for working mothers would encourage childbearing.

Opposition Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein told parliament: “This law would have been a cultural revolution.”

Representatives from Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party claimed they harbored no ideological opposition to expanding paternity leave but maintained it was economically unfeasible.

Walter Rizzetto, who chairs the Chamber’s Labour Committee, told reporters: “Furthermore, a mandatory five-month leave for fathers would require deeper analysis due to possible impacts on public administration and small businesses.”

International examples demonstrate that policy structure is critical. After Spain expanded paid paternity leave to 16 weeks and made it mandatory and non-transferable in 2021, father participation increased dramatically and the gender wage gap decreased, according to academic research.

Italian research by the Tortuga think tank reveals that when private employers provide extended paternity leave, utilization rates climb to 71%, surpassing the 64% national average, with younger fathers showing greater likelihood to use the benefit.

Di Franco remains hopeful based on his personal observations: “With my first child I was the only dad at kindergarten. Six years later, there were three or four. And I thought: things are changing.”

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The fragile peace established in the Middle East following the October 7th attacks hangs by a thread, held together only by temporary ceasefires and ongoing threats between opposing forces.

While Iran has taken significant hits, the damage hasn’t been substantial enough to alter its stance in negotiations. The country’s regional partners, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, remain weakened yet operational as Israeli forces continue conducting regular strikes against both organizations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure to convert battlefield successes into concrete political gains before this year’s elections.

President Donald Trump, who frequently highlights his diplomatic capabilities, continues pursuing a nuclear agreement with Iran alongside broader Middle Eastern peace initiatives. However, negotiations have yielded no concrete outcomes, and both nations remain locked in an intensifying confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz.

While large-scale military campaigns have ceased, the fundamental issues that existed long before Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 assault remain unresolved. Millions continue living in displacement, with widespread concerns that hostilities could resume without warning.

According to Michael Ratney, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, ceasefires “don’t fix anything — they just stop things from getting worse.” He explained, “It’s part of an answer to an immediate political problem, which is (Trump) needs to get out of war and can’t figure out how do that.”

Trump has spent recent weeks alternating between threatening devastating strikes on Iranian infrastructure — at one point warning he could destroy “a whole civilization” — and pursuing diplomatic solutions for Iran’s nuclear program and other longstanding disputes.

Earlier this week, the president extended an existing ceasefire while maintaining America’s naval blockade of Iranian ports. On Wednesday, he promised to target Iranian fast boats operating in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively sealed since fighting began, creating a global energy crisis.

Iran has shown no public willingness to compromise on its nuclear activities, ballistic missile development, or backing of regional allies. Iranian officials state the strait will remain blocked until America ends its blockade and Israel stops attacking Iran-supported groups including Hezbollah.

Both nations appear reluctant to engage in full-scale warfare, with new ceasefire discussions scheduled for Saturday in Pakistan.

Iranian leadership, based on their social media communications, appears convinced they can endure the blockade longer than Trump can tolerate rising fuel costs and an unpopular conflict, particularly with U.S. midterm elections approaching.

Jon Alterman, who chairs Global Security and Geostrategy at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted Trump’s history suggests he favors generating media attention and declaring rapid victories.

“The most visible part of the fighting has stopped, but the less visible efforts are roaring ahead,” Alterman observed. “Ceasefires can seem comfortable but lock in unsustainable patterns, with one side feeling it has lost the urgency to resolve the underlying conflict.”

A Lebanese ceasefire established last week has generally held except in border regions where combat continues. Israel has signaled intentions to maintain control over portions of southern Lebanon indefinitely. Iran-backed Hezbollah, which isn’t formally bound by the ceasefire agreement, insists Israel must withdraw.

Following White House meetings between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension on Thursday.

American and Israeli officials have insisted Lebanon’s government must take responsibility for dismantling Hezbollah. Beirut attempted implementing portions of such a plan before the current fighting erupted. However, Lebanese leadership acknowledged their limited capabilities, and their efforts produced minimal results as Hezbollah maintained its capacity to launch thousands of missiles and drones toward northern Israel over recent months.

Given Beirut’s reluctance to risk civil conflict by directly confronting the militants — particularly while Israeli forces occupy Lebanese territory — the ceasefire provides temporary relief.

Similar to Gaza, Israeli forces have established a “yellow line” in southern Lebanon, destroying homes they claim Hezbollah used, preventing resident returns, and announcing strikes against individuals they identify as militants attempting to cross. Many Lebanese fear a repeat of Israel’s 1982-2000 southern occupation, which concluded after years of deadly Hezbollah attacks on Israeli soldiers.

Wednesday, one day before Washington talks, Israeli strikes killed a prominent Lebanese journalist reporting from southern Lebanon and injured another reporter. Health officials reported Israeli forces fired on ambulance crews attempting to rescue journalist Amal Khalil, forcing them to retreat. Israel denied targeting journalists or rescue personnel.

A U.S.-mediated ceasefire reached in October resulted in the release of remaining Hamas-held hostages and ended major military operations. However, Israel continues conducting regular strikes against what it identifies as militant targets. Gaza health officials, considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts, report over 790 Palestinian deaths since last year’s ceasefire, including approximately 225 children. Israeli forces have also faced occasional attacks.

Israel links its withdrawal from Gaza territories under its control, the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced residents, establishing new political authority, and urgently needed reconstruction to Hamas disarmament — something the militant organization shows no indication of accepting.

Hamas claims it has presented proposals to surrender weapons while seeking additional Israeli concessions and accusing Israel of ceasefire violations.

This situation leaves the vast majority of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents trapped in extensive tent settlements or their destroyed homes, with no visible end to their hardship.

Israel maintains its right to respond to ceasefire breaches or movement across another “yellow line” established there. Health officials report dozens of civilians have died in these strikes.

A committee of Palestinian technocrats has been formed to temporarily govern Gaza, but Israel has prevented their entry from Egypt, while Hamas continues controlling half the territory.

TUNIS, Tunisia — The Tunisian government has imposed a month-long closure on the Tunisian League for Human Rights, marking another escalation in what critics describe as an expanding assault on civil liberties organizations throughout the North African nation.

The targeted organization represents one of Africa and the Arab world’s most established human rights advocacy groups and was a member of the National Dialogue Quartet that received the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.

In a Friday evening statement, the league acknowledged the government action and condemned it as “a serious and arbitrary violation of freedom of association” and “a direct assault” on fundamental democratic principles that Tunisia has achieved.

Under President Kais Saied’s leadership, foreign financial support for advocacy organizations has become a frequent target of criticism. The president regularly characterizes such funding as dangerous to Tunisia’s sovereignty and uses this narrative to brand political adversaries and social justice advocates as foreign operatives working to create domestic instability.

The organization emphasized that the suspension represents part of a larger pattern. “This measure cannot be seen in isolation from a broader context in the country marked by increasing systematic pressure on civil society and independent voices,” the group stated, announcing plans to contest the ruling through legal channels while maintaining their commitment to protecting human rights victims regardless of background.

This latest action continues a series of government moves against advocacy organizations across Tunisia, where judicial authorities previously forced several prominent non-governmental organizations to cease operations for month-long periods, including groups dedicated to protecting migrants and advancing women’s rights.

The suspension coincides with the 48-hour detention of journalist Zied El-Heni related to content he posted on Facebook, reflecting a wider campaign of arrests and legal actions targeting government critics.

During a Friday demonstration in Tunis, Mohamed Yassine Jlassi, who previously led the Tunisian journalists union SNJT, spoke with The Associated Press about the deteriorating situation. He reported that hundreds of individuals currently face detention on speech-related accusations, including charges stemming from social media activity.

“Repression has come to affect everyone. Journalism has become a crime, civil society work has become a crime, political opposition has been criminalized,” Jlassi explained.

“People now increasingly find themselves facing arbitrary prosecutions without the bare minimum guarantees of a fair trial.”

The investigative publication Inkyfada also faces legal challenges, with a May 11 court date scheduled as authorities seek to dissolve Al Khatt, the organization responsible for publishing the outlet.

According to the group’s statement, they reject the government’s legal justification for the case and maintain that the allegations have not undergone proper examination by Tunisian courts since 2024.

These recent actions have intensified worries among human rights advocates regarding restrictions on independent journalism, civil society organizations, and dissenting perspectives under Saied’s rule. The president has concentrated authority since 2021 and continues to target groups he consistently claims accept foreign money to create unrest and undermine Tunisia’s national security.

Turkey’s top diplomat indicated his nation would be open to participating in mine removal efforts in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz if Iran and the United States successfully negotiate a peace deal.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the comments while speaking with journalists in London on Friday evening, explaining that an international technical team would likely handle the explosive ordnance removal following any potential agreement between the two nations.

Fidan described Turkey’s perspective on such humanitarian operations as fundamentally supportive, calling them a moral obligation.

The foreign minister outlined several key points regarding Turkey’s potential involvement:

• An international technical team comprising multiple nations would handle the mine-clearing operations following a hypothetical Iran-United States peace accord

• Turkey would be willing to join such mine-removal efforts under these circumstances, stating the country would have “no problem” with participation

• However, Fidan warned that Turkey would reconsider its involvement if the international technical coalition eventually became entangled in renewed hostilities

• The minister also expressed optimism that disputes surrounding Iran’s nuclear program could find resolution during upcoming discussions scheduled to take place in Pakistan

An extensive overnight Russian bombardment across Ukraine resulted in four fatalities and more than 30 injuries, as Moscow deployed over 660 drones and missiles targeting multiple regions, with the southeastern city of Dnipro bearing the brunt of the assault.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took to social media to describe the intensity of the attack, stating “Practically all night, the Russians bombed Dnipro and our other cities and communities.” He noted that urban infrastructure was the primary target of the strikes.

Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha confirmed that rescue teams pulled two bodies from a structure damaged in the Dnipro attack, while five additional individuals may remain buried beneath the debris. The governor also reported that 21 residents of the city sustained injuries.

The northern Chernihiv region also suffered casualties, with local officials reporting two deaths and seven injuries from missile and drone strikes in that area.

Calling for international support, Zelenskiy emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying “Every strike like this must remind our partners that the situation needs immediate and firm action, rapid strengthening of our air defences.”

Ukrainian air defense forces reported intercepting a significant portion of the assault, shooting down 580 of the 619 drones and 30 of the 47 missiles that Russia launched, according to a statement posted on Telegram.

This large-scale bombardment represents an escalation from Russia’s typical pattern of conducting nightly attacks with smaller numbers of drones, occasionally punctuated by major offensives involving hundreds of drones and multiple missiles.

Iranian officials announced Saturday they had executed a man accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence services during this year’s widespread demonstrations across the country, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The executed individual, identified as Erfan Kiani, was described by authorities as a “hired thug of Mossad” who participated in destroying and burning both government and private buildings in Isfahan, a major city in central Iran. Officials also accused him of using a machete to intimidate residents and create widespread panic in the area.

According to Tasnim’s report, the execution took place in the early morning hours after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence and all required legal processes were completed.

DAKAR, April 25 – Witnesses reported hearing two powerful explosions and gunfire early Saturday morning close to Mali’s primary military installation at Kati, located outside the capital city of Bamako, according to Reuters.

Military personnel responded to the incident by deploying troops and establishing roadblocks throughout the surrounding area, effectively cutting off access to the region where the disturbances occurred.

The sounds of combat were detected in the early morning hours near the West African nation’s most significant military facility.

American diplomatic officials are preparing to travel to Pakistan this Saturday, though Iranian representatives have announced they will not participate in direct discussions with the United States regarding efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and disrupted worldwide markets.

The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will depart Saturday morning for potential discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed reporters, stating that Iran has an opportunity to reach a “good deal” with the United States.

“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely,” he said. “All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.”

Foreign Minister Araqchi reached Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad on Friday. However, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry announced on social media platform X that Iranian representatives would not conduct meetings with U.S. officials, and that Tehran would communicate its position through Pakistan as an intermediary.

The White House has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding Iran’s announcement.

The standoff between Washington and Tehran continues to carry significant economic consequences, as Iran has effectively blocked most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that typically handles one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments, while the United States maintains restrictions on Iranian oil exports. This nine-week conflict has driven energy costs to their highest levels in years, contributing to inflation and threatening global economic growth.

In a Friday interview with Reuters, Trump revealed that Iran was preparing to present a proposal designed to address American requirements, though he stated he was unaware of the proposal’s specific details. When asked about negotiating partners, he declined to identify them but noted, “we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now”.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the U.S. had observed some positive developments from Iran recently and expressed optimism for additional progress during the weekend, while noting that Vice President JD Vance was also prepared to make the trip to Pakistan if needed.

Previous negotiations in Islamabad two weeks earlier included Vance, Witkoff, Kushner, Araqchi, and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, but those discussions ended without resolution.

Araqchi, who announced on social media that his diplomatic tour would include Pakistan, Oman and Russia, conducted meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday at the Serena Hotel, the same venue where earlier negotiations took place. Pakistani sources confirmed that an American logistics and security team had already arrived in Islamabad.

President Trump made the decision Tuesday to extend a two-week ceasefire for additional time to allow negotiators to reconvene.

Energy markets experienced significant volatility this week, with Brent crude futures climbing 16% amid concerns about the peace negotiations’ future and renewed violence in the region.

Maritime tracking information from Friday revealed that only five vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz during the previous day, a dramatic decrease from the approximately 130 ships that typically crossed daily before the conflict began on February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched military action. The vessels included one Iranian oil-products tanker, but none of the large crude-carrying supertankers that normally supply global energy markets.

On Thursday, Israeli and Lebanese officials agreed to extend their ceasefire for an additional three weeks during White House negotiations facilitated by Trump, though fighting in southern Lebanon shows little sign of ending.

Israel launched its invasion of Lebanon last month with the goal of eliminating Iran’s Hezbollah allies after the militant organization conducted cross-border attacks. Tehran maintains that a ceasefire in that conflict is necessary before broader negotiations can proceed.

Lebanese officials reported six fatalities from an Israeli airstrike, while Hezbollah forces shot down an Israeli drone. Israel’s military confirmed it had eliminated six armed Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.

Iran’s top diplomatic official Abbas Araghchi touched down in Pakistan’s capital city on Friday, setting the stage for high-level peace negotiations with American representatives.

The White House has confirmed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to fly to Islamabad on Saturday for the diplomatic meetings. Officials stated the American delegation aims to “move the ball forward towards a deal” during the discussions.

The timing of these talks comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, making diplomatic efforts increasingly crucial for regional stability.

The White House announced Friday that President Donald Trump is deploying envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for a second round of ceasefire discussions with Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already reached Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad, where he held overnight discussions with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the country’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to officials.

Pakistani authorities are making preparations to host Witkoff and Kushner for the continuation of diplomatic talks, though no specific arrival date has been announced for the American representatives. The White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance will not be participating in these discussions.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration revealed new economic penalties targeting a significant Chinese oil refinery along with approximately 40 shipping firms and vessels that transport Iranian petroleum. This action appears connected to the administration’s strategy of implementing secondary sanctions against organizations conducting business with Iran to eliminate the country’s oil export revenues.

Araghchi has additional meetings scheduled for Saturday with Pakistani leadership. Early Saturday photographs from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry depicted the Iranian minister in discussions with Dar, Munir, and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the Iranian diplomatic team will engage in conversations with high-ranking Pakistani officials regarding current regional developments and initiatives to advance peace and stability in the area.

This diplomatic mission coincides with Pakistan’s preparations to welcome the American envoys, though the exact timing of Witkoff and Kushner’s arrival in Islamabad remains unspecified.

Late Friday evening, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Pakistan conducted a phone conversation about launching fresh negotiations between the United States and Iran. Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty spoke with his Pakistani colleague Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

Egypt’s foreign ministry reported that both diplomats emphasized their belief that diplomatic negotiations represent the most effective approach to ending the current conflict.

ISTANBUL (AP) — Representatives from Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey came together Saturday morning in northwestern Turkey to mark 111 years since the deadly World War I Battle of Gallipoli took place.

The ceremonial event started at 5:30 a.m. local time close to the shoreline where forces from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, known as Anzacs, first came ashore at dawn on April 25, 1915.

The one-hour memorial featured somber musical pieces, religious observances, and wreath presentations by attendees, including delegates from numerous nations worldwide.

The Gallipoli military operation was part of a British-led strategy to overcome the Ottoman Empire but ended in failure, causing tens of thousands of casualties for all sides throughout the eight-month campaign. The mission sought to establish a maritime passage from the Mediterranean Sea through the Dardanelles to Istanbul and remove the Ottomans from the conflict.

This historic confrontation played a crucial role in shaping the national character of both Australia and New Zealand while also establishing lasting bonds with Turkey, their one-time opponent.

“From great suffering, understanding can grow. From former enemies, friendships can blossom. The relationship between Turkey, Australia and New Zealand is built on remembrance, respect and recognition of our shared humanity,” New Zealand’s Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro stated in her opening remarks.

Turkish Colonel Fatih Cansiz recited words from a 1934 memorial tribute by Turkey’s founding leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk honoring those who perished: “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours.”

Ataturk initially gained recognition leading Turkish troops at Gallipoli before later commanding Turkey’s independence movement and establishing the modern Turkish Republic.

GALATI, Romania – Pieces of Russian drone wreckage caused property damage in southeastern Romania following a nighttime assault on Ukraine, according to the country’s defense ministry.

The debris struck an electrical pole and a residential outbuilding in Galati, marking the first instance of actual property damage from such incidents. No injuries occurred during the event.

Romania maintains a 400-mile border with Ukraine and belongs to both NATO and the European Union. The nation has repeatedly experienced Russian drones entering its airspace as Moscow continues targeting Ukrainian ports across the Danube River.

Though drone debris has frequently landed on Romanian soil, this weekend’s incident represents the initial case of structural damage.

“The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area,” officials stated.

“Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, but also the collective security of NATO.”

British Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft conducting air patrol duties in Romania were deployed to observe the attack, following standard protocol. Authorities also issued shelter warnings to residents in nearby Tulcea county.

Recent months have seen increasing tensions across Europe’s eastern border as suspected Russian drones have violated the airspace of multiple NATO member countries.

Romanian legislation permits shooting down drones during peacetime when lives or property face danger, though the country has not yet exercised this authority.

Defense Minister Radu Miruta announced Friday that an American-made, artificial intelligence-enhanced anti-drone defense system will join the national air defense network within days following final testing.

The Merops technology, created by Project Eagle – a U.S. firm supported by former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt – will provide drone defense capabilities along the Danube River, Miruta explained.

Poland has already deployed this system along NATO’s eastern border.

Malaysian officials have selected a former judge to oversee the nation’s anti-corruption commission following a series of misconduct allegations that have plagued the current leadership.

Abdul Halim Aman will assume control of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) beginning May 13, according to government chief secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar’s announcement on Saturday.

“The government is confident that with his vast experience and high integrity, he would be able to bolster efforts to strengthen governance, improve public confidence and intensify the anti-corruption agenda in the interest of the country,” Shamsul Azri said.

The current commission leader, Azam Baki, has faced repeated accusations of improper conduct related to his stock investments, beginning with initial claims in 2022. Despite these controversies, his contract that started in 2020 has received multiple extensions.

Additional pressure for his resignation mounted this year following February media coverage that alleged both Azam and other senior MACC officials violated public servant regulations and engaged in misconduct.

Both Azam and the commission have rejected these claims as unfounded.

These controversies have created divisions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, with some important supporters questioning his dedication to fighting corruption.

While authorities have examined some accusations against Azam, they have not released their conclusions publicly, citing ongoing investigations by police and other agencies.

The country’s monarch, Sultan Ibrahim, made Abdul Halim’s appointment after stating this week that he would personally select the agency’s new leader to avoid political interference.

Saturday’s announcement indicated that the king’s choice followed a recommendation from Anwar.

Malaysia’s constitutional framework allows the monarch to name leaders of important government agencies based on prime ministerial advice. While the monarchy typically serves in a ceremonial capacity and stays removed from political matters, it has gained greater influence recently due to extended political turmoil that has required the king to exercise seldom-used discretionary authority.

TOKYO – Emergency crews in northern Japan entered their fourth consecutive day Saturday fighting two devastating wildfires that have displaced more than 3,200 residents and consumed nearly 1,800 acres across Iwate Prefecture.

More than 1,000 firefighting personnel are now deployed to combat the blazes, which are advancing dangerously close to homes in Otsuchi, where approximately one-third of all residents have been ordered to leave their properties.

The crisis began Wednesday afternoon when the first wildfire ignited in Iwate Prefecture’s mountainous terrain. A second blaze started just two hours later, located roughly 6.2 miles away and positioned near Otsuchi’s neighborhoods.

Emergency response teams include 1,225 firefighters working both on the ground and from aircraft, with many crews brought in from neighboring prefectures to assist local departments. Military helicopters from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are joining civilian aircraft in conducting water-dropping operations over the burning areas.

As of Saturday morning, the wildfires had destroyed 730 hectares of land and prompted mandatory evacuation orders affecting 1,541 households containing 3,233 people. Eight structures have been lost to the flames, including one home, though authorities report no injuries or deaths have occurred.

Weather conditions remain challenging for firefighting efforts, with Japan’s Meteorological Agency forecasting no rainfall for the upcoming week.

The combined destruction makes these fires the third-most devastating wildfire event in Japanese history, according to media reports. Only the 2025 Ofunato fire that burned approximately 3,370 hectares and the 1992 Kushiro fire that consumed 1,030 hectares have caused more widespread damage.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinians in war-torn Gaza are participating in their first opportunity to vote in local elections in twenty years, marking a significant political moment on Saturday.

Meanwhile, residents of the Israeli-occupied West Bank are heading to polling stations for their first electoral experience since the Israel-Hamas conflict began. Voter participation could signal the degree of public confidence in the broader political structure overseen by veteran West Bank leadership, as Gaza anticipates a possible shift away from Hamas governance.

West Bank balloting will decide the composition of local councils responsible for managing water systems, roadway maintenance, and electrical services. In contrast, the single Gaza city participating represents more of a symbolic gesture, with authorities describing it as an experimental “pilot” program.

Despite not conducting presidential or parliamentary elections since 2006, the Palestinian Authority has championed these local contests following reform measures implemented last year in response to pressure from international supporters.

Operating under the motto “We Stay,” the Ramallah-headquartered Central Election Commission has worked to boost involvement among approximately 70,000 eligible voters in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah and one million throughout the West Bank.

According to spokesperson Fareed Taamallah, casting ballots “reflects the will if the Palestinian people to stay on their land and develop their country.”

Given that extensive portions of Gaza have been destroyed during more than two years of warfare, the commission selected Deir al-Balah for its inaugural vote because while the area sustained airstrike damage, it remained among the few locations that avoided Israeli ground operations. Officials had to adapt their approach since standard voter registration procedures proved impossible.

“The main idea is to link the West Bank and Gaza politically as one system,” Taamallah explained. Palestinians view combining both territories under unified governance as essential for any future path toward statehood.

The commission avoided direct coordination with either Israel or Hamas before the Deir al-Balah election and could not transport essential supplies including ballot papers, voting boxes, or ink into Gaza, he noted. COGAT, the Israeli military organization managing humanitarian matters in Gaza, did not respond to inquiries about permitting election materials entry.

While Palestinian voter participation has slowly declined, it has remained comparatively strong in previous local elections by regional measures, commission data shows, typically ranging from 50% to 60%. For context, recent local election turnout in Lebanon and Tunisia fell below 40% and 12%, respectively.

Ninety-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas approved legislation last year restructuring the electoral framework to address some Western donor requirements. The changes permit voting for individual candidates instead of party lists, reduced the minimum age for candidacy, and increased quotas for female candidates.

In January, another Abbas order mandated that candidates endorse the Palestine Liberation Organization’s platform, the organization leading the Palestinian Authority. This platform demands recognizing Israel and abandoning armed resistance, effectively excluding Hamas and other militant groups.

Candidate lists in major cities are primarily controlled by Fatah, the Palestinian Authority’s leading faction, and independents, some connected to other political groups. However, this marks the first instance across six local elections where no other faction has formally presented its own candidate list — an omission that experts say demonstrates political disappointment with Abbas and the authority’s elderly leadership.

Throughout the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the authority maintains limited self-governance, with local councils managing services from waste collection to construction permits. Elections will occur in villages within “Area C” under Israeli military administration and in municipalities that have been occupied by Israel’s military since launching a ground offensive in the northern West Bank last year.

Campaign advertisements have been displayed throughout cities, although many locations — including Ramallah and Nablus — will skip elections due to insufficient candidate or slate registration.

The Palestinian Authority’s influence has diminished during years without peace talks with Israel and continued growth of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. However, it views local elections as a low-risk method to showcase reform progress, according to Aref Jaffal, director of the al-Marsad Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor.

“The PA wants to show it is on the right track on political, financial and administrative reforms, and is using local elections as a symbol of that,” he stated. “With the weak legitimacy of the national government, it is seeking to bolster legitimacy through local elections.”

With the authority having limited options to address hundreds of new military checkpoints and settler outposts restricting West Bank movement, he explained that many councils have gained greater significance, managing local healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and public services that residents previously accessed elsewhere.

Hamas secured parliamentary victories in 2006 and forcibly took Gaza control from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority the following year. While not fielding candidates for Saturday’s elections, surveys from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research indicate it continues as the most favored Palestinian faction in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N. deputy special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, described the elections as “an important opportunity for Palestinians to exercise their democratic rights during an exceptionally challenging period.”

However, other international participants have remained mostly quiet regarding the Gaza vote, with recent memories of previous elections sparking conflict and alternative governance options remaining uncertain.

Hamas maintains control over the Gaza section that Israeli forces evacuated last year, including Deir al-Balah, but the coastal territory is preparing to shift toward new governance arrangements under U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.

The plan created a Board of Peace consisting of international representatives and a committee of unelected Palestinian specialists designed to function beneath it. Movement toward additional phases, including Hamas disarmament, reconstruction, and power transfer, remains stalled.

Although elections in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem regularly create tension between Israel and Palestinian officials, the 1995 Oslo Accords contained no stipulations regarding the authority conducting local elections there.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Escalating fuel shortages and surging energy costs stemming from ongoing conflict with Iran have prompted European Union officials to explore funding alternative energy transportation corridors throughout the Middle East that would avoid unstable regions such as the Strait of Hormuz.

During an informal gathering of EU leadership in Cyprus’s capital, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Friday that the bloc stands prepared to collaborate with Persian Gulf nations on developing new energy delivery systems to global markets that would remain immune to warfare and regional tensions.

“The events of the past month have taught us a hard lesson,” von der Leyen stated during a press briefing following the leadership meeting. “Our security is not just related, it is intrinsically linked. A threat to a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is a threat to a factory, for example, in Belgium.”

While the EU leadership emphasized strengthening defense partnerships and highlighted the bloc’s Red Sea maritime security operations as a potential naval protection model for the Persian Gulf, von der Leyen concentrated her public statements on European assistance for rebuilding and constructing Middle Eastern energy facilities.

“We are also ready to team up with the Gulf countries to diversify export infrastructure away from solely the bottleneck of the Hormuz Strait,” she declared, additionally proposing EU support for repairing Gulf energy systems damaged during the conflict.

Approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments typically transit through the Strait of Hormuz, though the ongoing war has effectively shut down this crucial waterway, causing fuel costs to surge dramatically.

During Friday morning trading, Brent crude climbed 98 cents to reach $100.33 per barrel, while U.S. benchmark crude increased 81 cents to $96.66 per barrel.

Von der Leyen reiterated that due to these oil and gas price increases, the 27-member bloc’s energy expenses have jumped by 25 billion euros ($29.3 billion) over the past 43 days.

Both von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa declined to provide specific information about which initiatives are under consideration or their anticipated timelines. However, von der Leyen mentioned the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor connecting the EU with the world’s most populous democracy.

Von der Leyen indicated that an upcoming summit between the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council later this year would provide both parties an opportunity to examine such initiatives.

Cyprus currently holds the rotating EU presidency, positioning this island nation near Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Turkey as a key regional player. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has worked to strengthen ties between the bloc and Middle Eastern countries to support their economies and enhance regional security.

This regional emphasis was highlighted by the distinguished attendees at the informal EU summit: Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El Sissi, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi.

“We know that Europe needs Syria as much as Syria needs Europe,” Al-Sharaa remarked, while Aoun requested EU assistance for reconstructing his conflict-torn nation.

Costa commended Aoun for prohibiting Hezbollah’s military operations, which he described as “an existential threat” to Lebanon, promising to help the country eliminate the militant organization.

Costa emphasized that “the European Union is not part of the conflict, but we will be part of this solution.”

Human rights organizations criticized EU leadership for failing to increase pressure on Israel regarding its Middle Eastern military operations.

EU officials including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated they would maintain sanctions on Iran until numerous concerns are addressed, including terminating its missile development and regional proxy support.

“It’s too early to talk about relief of any kind of sanctions,” Costa explained.

Cyprus experienced direct attack early in the conflict when a Shahed drone launched from Lebanon on March 2 struck an aircraft hangar at a British military installation on the island’s southern shoreline. Greece, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands deployed warships equipped with anti-drone technology to protect the island.

This incident has renewed focus on a mutual assistance provision within the EU’s founding treaties for situations when member states face attack.

Christodoulides reported that EU leaders agreed to begin developing a formal response mechanism, concluding that “ad hoc arrangements” prove unreliable.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — President Trump is dispatching diplomatic representatives to Pakistan this Saturday in a fresh attempt to restart ceasefire negotiations with Iran, though Tehran has rejected face-to-face discussions as its foreign minister landed in Islamabad.

This renewed diplomatic push occurs while an open-ended ceasefire has halted most combat operations, yet economic consequences continue to escalate due to disrupted global energy shipments caused by the blocked Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistani officials have been working to bring American and Iranian representatives back to negotiations after Trump announced this week an open-ended extension of the Iran ceasefire, responding to Islamabad’s appeal for additional time to pursue diplomatic solutions.

The White House announced Friday that President Trump would dispatch Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. However, immediately following Araghchi’s arrival in Islamabad, his ministry declared that any discussions would be conducted indirectly, with Pakistani officials serving as intermediaries between the parties.

Araghchi and the two Trump representatives participated in extensive indirect discussions in Geneva on February 27 regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, but departed without reaching an agreement. The following day, Israel and the United States initiated military action against Iran.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed Fox News that the president had chosen to send Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan “to hear the Iranians out.”

“We’ve certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days,” Leavitt stated. She provided no specifics about what American officials were learning.

In a separate development Friday, the White House announced Trump had issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver, facilitating foreign vessels’ transport of oil and natural gas.

He initially announced a 60-day waiver in March designed to stabilize energy costs and improve oil and gas deliveries to the United States following the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway that handles one-fifth of global oil shipments during peacetime.

Iran continues to maintain its grip on strait traffic, launching attacks on three vessels this week, while the United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports and Trump has authorized the military to “shoot and kill” small boats potentially deploying mines.

Brent crude oil prices, the global benchmark, declined on this news, fluctuating between $103 and over $107 per barrel — still approximately 50% above February 28 levels when hostilities commenced.

The restricted shipments through the strait have affected global maritime commerce, including traffic through the Panama Canal on the opposite side of the world.

Since hostilities began, at least 3,375 people have died in Iran, and over 2,490 in Lebanon, where renewed conflict between Israel and the Iran-supported militant organization Hezbollah erupted two days after the war’s start, according to official sources.

Furthermore, 23 people have perished in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab nations. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 American service members across the region have been killed.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon has also suffered losses. UNIFIL reported Friday that an Indonesian peacekeeper died from injuries received during a March 29 attack on his base, bringing to six — four Indonesians and two French — the total force members killed since the conflict began.

Conditions in Lebanon remained unstable after Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks. Hezbollah has not taken part in the Washington-mediated diplomacy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video message issued by his office Friday, praised “a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon.”

Previously, the Israeli military instructed residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Aames to evacuate, claiming Hezbollah was using the location to conduct attacks against Israel.

Israel’s military reported shooting down a drone over Lebanon after Hezbollah launched a small surface-to-air missile. The militant organization, meanwhile, claimed it destroyed an Israeli drone with a surface-to-air missile near the southern port city of Tyre.

King Charles III faces the ongoing challenge of matching his late mother’s diplomatic legacy as he begins a significant state visit to America this week.

Queen Elizabeth II delivered a memorable address to Congress in 1991 that honored the shared democratic values between Britain and America, referencing Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson while emphasizing the strong ties connecting both countries.

Charles will focus on similar themes during his visit as he marks America’s 250th anniversary and works to ease diplomatic friction over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision not to back President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, according to Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University in Texas.

“We’ve got to always make the distinction that there’s a difference between the government of the U.K. and the kings and queens of Great Britain, who are really always coming to try to put (on) a good face,” Brinkley told The Associated Press. “Politics come and go, prime ministers, presidents, come and go, but there’s something deeper about the special relationship between the United States and the U.K.”

Behind the ceremonial aspects of Charles’ four-day journey through Washington, New York and Virginia lies a strategically planned diplomatic mission organized, like all royal visits, upon the British government’s request. Starmer rejected calls to postpone the trip despite Trump’s criticism of British military contributions in Afghanistan and personal attacks on the Prime Minister for not supporting American actions in Iran.

Nevertheless, Trump continues to express positive feelings toward Charles personally.

“History has shown that President Trump really tries to be impressive whenever he’s dealing with British royalty,” Brinkley said. “And I’m sure it’ll be the same this time around.”

Since 1939, when King George VI made history as the first British royal to visit America, these visits have generated unique enthusiasm among Americans.

That inaugural visit occurred as World War II threatened Europe. The royals toured the eastern United States and joined Roosevelt for an informal gathering at his Hyde Park, New York residence. “King tries hot dog and asks for more,” reported the New York Times.

The most significant moment came when the royals visited Mount Vernon to honor George Washington at his tomb, demonstrating respect during America’s isolationist period.

“People could see the handwriting on the wall and know that it was going to be important for the United States and Britain to stay strong for fighting against Hitler,” said Barbara Perry, a presidential scholar at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center.

However, sharing casual meals created broader connections, helping the royals establish relationships with ordinary Americans beyond political leaders. When war began in September 1939, Queen Elizabeth, George VI’s wife and future Elizabeth II’s mother, corresponded with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt about touching letters from Americans who donated money for British forces.

“Sometimes, during the last terrible months, we have felt rather lonely in our fight against evil things, but I can honestly say that our hearts have been lightened by the knowledge that friends in America understand what we are fighting for,” she wrote.

Queen Elizabeth II expanded these relationships through four state visits during her seven-decade reign. She joined President Gerald R. Ford for America’s bicentennial celebration in 1976 and met President George W. Bush in 2007 while British and American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These visits consistently aimed to calm diplomatic tensions and highlight shared values between the nations.

Charles’ trip will follow this tradition, featuring a September 11th memorial event, a ceremony for fallen soldiers, and Queen Camilla will attend a celebration marking the centennial of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories.

Controversial topics will be deliberately avoided.

The royals will not meet Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, despite requests for the king to address his brother’s connections to the convicted criminal. Charles also has no scheduled meetings with his son Prince Harry, who has criticized the monarchy since relocating to California and abandoning royal responsibilities.

These matters aren’t the focus, explained Robert Hardman, author of “Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story.”

“He’s going because 250 years ago the Founding Fathers of the USA kicked out his great-times-five grandfather, and he’s going to say, ‘No hard feelings, it’s been a great divorce, we’ve had a lovely 250 years and let’s reflect on the high points,’” Hardman said. “I mean, there are going to be some very, very large elephants in the room during that visit … but, you know, there are plenty of other things for the king to focus on.”

Charles’ congressional address provides an opportunity to emphasize that lasting friendship outweighs temporary disagreements.

He will likely include humor, as his mother did when addressing lawmakers in 1991.

Dressed in soft peach among the gray-suited legislators, the petite queen opened with a joke about the previous day’s White House mishap, when her podium was too high for the audience to see her.

“I do hope you can see me today from where you are,” she said with perfect timing.

The room burst into laughter and applause before she delivered her remarks about democratic principles, legal foundations and the Atlantic partnership.

Charles must present his own interpretation of these concepts, Brinkley noted.

“The theme of the speech is going to be American exceptionalism, American history, the importance of U.S.-British alliance, and some memories from the past,” he said. “But also about the love affair the two countries share with each other, even though it goes over rocky rapids from time to time.”

Palestinians participated in local elections Saturday that included Gaza voters for the first time in nearly two decades, as political tensions remain high amid ongoing conflict with Israel.

The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, hopes that including the Gaza city of Deir al-Balah in the voting will strengthen its claim to govern the war-damaged territory, where Hamas has maintained control since forcing out the Authority in 2007.

Residents of Gaza, still dealing with basic survival needs in the devastated region, expressed enthusiasm about the chance to participate in the democratic process.

“I’ve been hearing about elections since I was born,” said Adham Al-Bardini, speaking from beside cooking equipment outside his family’s tent shelter in the city. “We are eager to take part … so we can change the reality imposed on us.”

The elections come as a U.S.-negotiated ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that began in October has led to sporadic diplomatic discussions, though little meaningful progress toward a comprehensive peace agreement involving international oversight of Gaza.

International leaders from Europe and Arab nations generally favor eventually returning Palestinian Authority leadership to Gaza and creating an independent Palestinian nation that would include Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank, where the Authority currently has limited governing power under Israeli military occupation.

Foreign diplomatic officials believe these local elections might create a pathway for the first nationwide Palestinian elections in almost 20 years and could help push forward reforms aimed at improving government transparency and accountability that Palestinian Authority leaders say are already in progress.

These represent the first Palestinian elections conducted since the Gaza conflict began over two years ago with Hamas’s cross-border attack on Israeli communities in the south. The most recent municipal voting in the West Bank occurred four years ago.

The Palestinian Authority faces financial difficulties paying employee salaries as Israel continues holding tax money it normally collects for the Palestinians, creating concerns about potential economic breakdown. Israeli officials defend withholding these funds as opposition to welfare payments made to prisoners and families of those killed by Israeli forces, claiming such payments encourage violent attacks.

Israel’s government has also implemented measures to assist settlers in obtaining West Bank property, and ultranationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated, “We will continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state.”

In Deir al-Balah, which has experienced less destruction from Israel’s military campaign since 2023 compared to other Gaza cities, campaign banners displaying candidate names are displayed on buildings. Some ballot casting will occur in temporary tent structures, and voting hours will be shortened due to limited electrical power.

Palestinian election officials pointed to extensive damage as one reason voting could not occur throughout the remainder of Gaza, where Israel controls more than half the territory while Hamas governs the rest.

Several Palestinian political groups are refusing to participate in the elections to protest the Palestinian Authority’s requirement that candidates support its diplomatic agreements, including acknowledging Israel’s right to exist as a state.

Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly 20 years, did not officially put forward any candidates, though one candidate slate in the Deir al-Balah race is widely considered by local residents and political observers to support the militant organization.

Political analysts suggest the electoral performance of candidates connected to the militant group could indicate its current level of public support. Most candidates, both in Gaza and the West Bank, are campaigning under the Fatah movement, which leads the Palestinian Authority, or as independent candidates.

Hamas leadership has indicated it will accept the election outcomes, and Palestinian officials informed Reuters before the voting that the group’s civilian police officers would be stationed at Gaza polling locations to provide security.

The Palestinian Central Elections Committee reported that over one million Palestinians, including 70,000 in Gaza, were qualified to vote, with final results anticipated late Saturday or Sunday.

A dual-citizen American journalist who spent nearly two months in Kuwaiti detention has been freed and has departed the Middle Eastern nation, according to U.S. State Department officials.

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, 41, was cleared of all charges by a Kuwaiti court and has safely left Kuwait, a State Department representative confirmed Friday.

The journalist had been held since early March after Kuwaiti officials arrested him during a broader government crackdown on individuals sharing content about the recent Iran conflict on social media platforms.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based media advocacy organization, Shihab-Eldin was last seen publicly on March 2nd. He was taken into custody the following day while visiting relatives in Kuwait.

Kuwaiti authorities charged him with disseminating false information, threatening national security, and improperly using his cellular device, the CPJ reported.

The media watchdog organization announced Thursday that a Kuwaiti court had dismissed all accusations against Shihab-Eldin, based on information from attorneys representing his sisters. The CPJ expressed approval of the court’s decision to acquit him.

Throughout his detention, various press freedom organizations and human rights groups had urged Kuwait to drop the charges and release the journalist.

“We can confirm that American journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has safely departed Kuwait. While in detention, the State Department was in contact with Mr. Shihab-Eldin and provided consular assistance,” the State Department official said.

The official declined to provide additional details, citing privacy concerns and other factors. Kuwait’s Washington embassy did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

On March 15th, Kuwait implemented new legislation that includes penalties of up to a decade in prison for circulating false information about military organizations with the goal of damaging public confidence in them.

Prior to his arrest, Shihab-Eldin had shared videos and photographs on social media platforms concerning the regional conflict, including material depicting a U.S. military aircraft crash within Kuwait.

Shihab-Eldin identifies himself as an independent journalist with experience at major international news organizations including the New York Times, HBO, Vice, PBS, BBC and Al Jazeera.

The conflict began when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28th. Iran retaliated with its own attacks on Israel and Gulf nations hosting American military installations. The ongoing U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran and Israeli military actions in Lebanon have resulted in thousands of casualties and displaced millions of people.

A tentative ceasefire in the Iran conflict took effect more than two weeks ago.

Kuwait’s Interior Ministry issued a public warning on February 28th advising citizens against recording missile defense activities, posting such material on social media, or filming security forces during operations, encouraging people to depend on official information sources instead.

PRIPYAT, Ukraine — Two devastating blasts have shaken the Chernobyl nuclear facility nearly four decades apart, both occurring in the early morning darkness.

The initial catastrophe struck at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, releasing a lethal radioactive plume that terrorized Europe and contributed to the Soviet Union’s eventual downfall.

The recent explosion occurred at 1:59 a.m. on February 14, 2025, when Ukrainian authorities say a Russian drone carrying explosives struck the site. Though less devastating than the original disaster, the attack has intensified concerns about Moscow’s war against Ukraine, targeting a location that represents immense tragedy for the nation.

“What once seemed unthinkable — strikes on nuclear facilities and other hazardous sites — has now become reality,” said Oleh Solonenko, head of a radiation safety shift at Chernobyl, which Ukrainians transliterate as Chornobyl.

The drone struck the exterior of the New Safe Confinement structure, a massive $2.1 billion arch-shaped barrier completed in 2019 to surround the original concrete “sarcophagus” built hastily after the disaster to contain the destroyed Reactor No. 4 and prevent radiation leaks. Russia has denied deliberately attacking the facility, claiming Ukraine orchestrated the incident.

The impact ignited a blaze on the enormous structure — large enough to encompass the Statue of Liberty — but failed to breach it completely, affecting a section with minimal contamination. Radiation monitoring equipment showed no increase in levels beyond the protective barrier, and no injuries occurred.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency cautioned that the damage could dramatically reduce the structure’s intended 100-year operational period, compromising its essential safety role.

For Klavdiia Omelchenko, who works alongside more than 2,200 engineers, scientists and other personnel at the shuttered facility, the attack brought back painful memories from four decades ago.

In 1986, Omelchenko was a 19-year-old working at a textile plant, sleeping in her Pripyat home where most Chernobyl employees resided. She never heard the explosion during what was supposed to be a routine reactor test.

She awakened to whispers about an accident, but only grasped its magnitude weeks afterward — following her evacuation with just a small bag containing identification papers and makeup. Her previous residence now sits within Chernobyl’s “exclusion zone,” a 2,600-square-kilometer area that remains uninhabited.

Soviet officials initially concealed the extent of what became the planet’s most severe nuclear accident, which released radiation clouds over present-day Ukraine and Belarus, creating panic throughout Europe. While dozens perished immediately, the long-term fatality count from radiation exposure remains undetermined.

Omelchenko never established another permanent residence and returned in 1993 to work in the plant’s dining facility. That homecoming “wasn’t as scary as now. Back then, at least, there was no bombing,” she added.

To her, the comprehensive 2022 invasion and last year’s drone assault are more frightening than radiation exposure.

She experienced headaches following the 1986 incident and later underwent surgery for a precancerous condition, but at 59 years old, she dismisses contamination risks.

“We grew up in it,” she said. “We don’t pay attention to it anymore.”

Bright yellow daffodils flourish next to military defensive positions at the Chernobyl facility as employees in regular clothing, carrying identification badges and special authorization, move through the restricted area.

The plant ceased generating power in 2000 when its final reactor was decommissioned. An international initiative constructed the protective NSC — a groundbreaking project intended to secure the location and allow for dismantling the deteriorating Soviet-era covering over the reactor.

However, Russia’s military offensive has suspended that initiative.

Liudmyla Kozak, an engineer with over twenty years at Chernobyl, was working when Russian forces captured the plant in February 2022. Staff maintained operations under armed supervision for nearly three weeks, exposing workers to radiation levels far exceeding their standard shift limits.

“We had no hope we would make it out alive — it was really that scary,” she said.

Kozak described how employees slept on floors and desks while Russian soldiers controlled critical areas. Equipment suffered damage and theft, she noted. The troops also operated heavy machinery through contaminated zones and excavated trenches, disturbing radioactive particles.

“With the drone strike as well, it will be much more complicated,” Kozak said.

The IAEA determined the damage has compromised the arch’s ability to perform its primary duties of containing radioactive materials and enabling safe reactor dismantlement. Without repairs, the structure would progressively deteriorate, heightening radiation exposure dangers for Ukraine and neighboring nations.

Serhii Bokov, who manages NSC operations, was on duty during the early hours of February 14, 2025, when the muffled explosion from the drone reverberated through the structure.

He and his team rushed outside, detecting smoke but initially seeing nothing. A nearby military post confirmed the attack, and firefighters arrived approximately 40 minutes later.

Ascending into the structure, they discovered flames burning through the outer covering. Fire hoses were extended across the arch as crews fought blazes that repeatedly reignited. The fire required more than two weeks to completely extinguish.

“There was no feeling of fear, none at all. It was just a fire — something we practice in drills — only this time it was real,” he said. “I didn’t think, honestly, that we could lose the entire arch.”

The damage has been temporarily repaired and concealed internally, while a sealed rupture remains visible externally.

Each evening, Bokov walks more than a kilometer through the structure via what employees call the “golden corridor” — a pathway bordered by yellow panels protecting them from radiation. It passes abandoned control centers, including Reactor No. 4’s.

When the NSC was finished in 2019, he felt pride in participating in something remarkable, observing its construction and development, and serving on the team maintaining its operation.

Currently, though, the structure no longer maintains complete containment. While no immediate radiation danger exists, dismantling work on the sarcophagus has stopped — delayed, Bokov estimates, by at least ten years.

“Everything depends on how quickly we can restore this and return to normal operations — and to preparing for dismantling,” he said.

Bokov believes the arch can continue operating in its present condition temporarily. However, the real worry involves the stability of the underlying sarcophagus — and why resuming its dismantlement is critical.

Oleh Solonenko, head of a radiation safety shift at the facility, confirmed the drone damaged the NSC’s outer layer without fully penetrating it. The damage affected a low-contamination area, with no radiation increase detected outside the arch.

Nevertheless, the incident demonstrated how the conflict has disrupted nuclear safety assumptions, he said.

Without immediate repairs, the sarcophagus collapse risk increases substantially, Greenpeace Ukraine warned in a report by engineer Eric Schmieman, who worked at Chernobyl for years and helped design the NSC.

“It is difficult to comprehend the scale of the deadly, hazardous conditions inside the sarcophagus,” he said. “There are tons of highly radioactive nuclear fuel, dust and debris. Now it is critical to find a way to restore the key functions of this facility.”

Officials in Tunisia have issued a directive halting operations of the nation’s Human Rights League for one month, the organization announced Friday. The group, known locally as LTDH, was part of a coalition of civil society organizations that received the Nobel Peace Prize nearly a decade ago.

Government representatives have not responded to requests for comment regarding the suspension order.

According to the league’s statement, this action represents part of a “wider pattern of increasingly systematic curbs on civil society and on free and independent voices.”

This latest move follows similar government actions from last October, when authorities also halted operations of other notable organizations including Democratic Women and the Economic and Social Rights Forum. Human rights advocates have denounced what they characterize as an unprecedented campaign against non-governmental organizations, political opposition, and media outlets since President Kais Saied consolidated additional authority in 2021.

The Human Rights League has been a vocal opponent of Saied’s administration, consistently raising alarms that the nation has been moving toward autocratic governance since the president dissolved parliament in 2021 and subsequently began governing through executive orders.

President Saied has rejected accusations of dictatorial behavior, stating that civil liberties remain protected in Tunisia while emphasizing that legal accountability applies universally, regardless of individual status or reputation.

During recent months, the organization has been prohibited from conducting prison inspections to monitor detention conditions across multiple cities throughout the country.

Established in 1976, the Human Rights League holds significant standing as a fundamental pillar of civil rights advocacy in Tunisia and ranks among the most established such organizations across the Arab world and African continent.

The group joined three other Tunisian civil society organizations in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize as members of the National Dialogue Quartet in 2015, recognized for their contributions to facilitating the country’s transition to democracy.

Tunisia, previously celebrated as the sole democratic achievement emerging from the Arab Spring movement fifteen years ago, now faces mounting international criticism from human rights organizations over restrictions imposed on political opponents, news media, and civil society groups.

In a related development Friday, prominent Tunisian journalist Zied Heni was taken into custody following publication of an article critical of the judicial system, his legal representative confirmed.

Washington D.C. officials made an embarrassing mistake while preparing for King Charles’ upcoming state visit, accidentally displaying Australian flags instead of British ones near the White House, according to a spokesperson from the D.C. Department of Transportation who spoke Friday.

While Charles does serve as Australia’s head of state, that position is primarily symbolic in nature.

The mix-up involved 15 Australian banners that were temporarily hung among more than 230 flags being arranged to greet the British monarch upon his arrival Monday in the nation’s capital. Transportation officials said the incorrect flags were swapped out for proper British flags once the error was discovered.

This state visit represents what many consider the most significant journey of Charles’ time as king, scheduled to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence from Britain.

The diplomatic trip is designed to strengthen the “special relationship” between the two nations, which has reportedly reached its weakest point in seven decades due to tensions related to the Iran conflict.

The State Department has issued a worldwide diplomatic alert accusing Chinese artificial intelligence companies of stealing intellectual property from American AI laboratories, according to a confidential cable obtained by Reuters.

The diplomatic message specifically names Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, along with companies Moonshot AI and MiniMax, as part of what officials describe as systematic theft efforts targeting U.S. technology.

According to the cable, the communication aims to “warn of the risks of utilizing AI models distilled from U.S. proprietary AI models, and lay the groundwork for potential follow-up and outreach by the U.S. government.”

The document explains that distillation involves training smaller AI systems using data from larger, more costly models to reduce development expenses for new AI technology.

DeepSeek gained international attention last year when it released a low-cost AI model that surprised the tech world. On Friday, the company unveiled a preview of its newest model designed to work with Huawei chip technology, demonstrating China’s increasing independence in the AI sector.

Neither the State Department, DeepSeek, nor the Chinese Embassy in Washington provided immediate responses to requests for comment. Moonshot AI and MiniMax also did not respond to inquiries.

Earlier this week, the White House made similar accusations against Chinese companies. The Chinese Embassy dismissed these claims as “baseless allegations,” stating that Beijing “attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights.”

The Friday cable, distributed to U.S. diplomatic and consular offices worldwide, directs diplomatic personnel to discuss with foreign officials their “concerns over adversaries’ extraction and distillation of U.S. A.I. models.”

“A separate demarche request and message has been sent to Beijing for raising with China,” the document notes.

This previously unreported cable demonstrates the Trump administration’s serious approach to growing concerns about Chinese copying of American AI technology.

The communication argues that “AI models developed from surreptitious, unauthorized distillation campaigns enable foreign actors to release products that appear to perform comparably on select benchmarks at a fraction of the cost but do not replicate the full performance of the original system.” It further claims these campaigns “deliberately strip security protocols from the resulting models and undo mechanisms that ensure those AI models are ideologically neutral and truth‑seeking.”

In February, OpenAI informed U.S. lawmakers that DeepSeek was targeting the ChatGPT creator and other leading American AI companies to copy their models for its own development purposes, Reuters previously reported.

This diplomatic action, coming just weeks before President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, threatens to escalate tensions in the ongoing technology competition between the two superpowers, which had been reduced through a diplomatic agreement reached last October.

The presidents of Colombia and Venezuela reached agreements on Friday to enhance intelligence cooperation and strengthen economic ties during a diplomatic meeting at the presidential palace in Caracas.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez committed to new information-sharing protocols designed to address criminal activity along their mutual border, while also discussing expanded trade relationships and electrical grid improvements for Venezuela’s western regions, which experience regular power outages.

Both presidents face significant pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump – Rodriguez to welcome foreign investment into Venezuela’s economy and Petro to intensify anti-drug trafficking efforts.

This marked Rodriguez’s second meeting with another head of state since taking office, following a brief visit to Grenada earlier this month.

“It makes no sense for Colombia or Venezuela to look toward other latitudes, another hemisphere, for what we can get in our own territories,” Rodriguez stated during joint remarks alongside Petro. She emphasized plans to boost bilateral commerce and energy cooperation, adding, “Electrical interconnection is already a step forward, and so is gas interconnection, through which we can not only supply gas to Colombia but also jointly export gas to other countries.”

The two nations share profound historical and cultural connections, particularly along their extensive 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border where numerous families hold dual citizenship. Approximately 3 million Venezuelan refugees have relocated to Colombia in recent years, escaping their homeland’s economic crisis.

While the border area generates over $1 billion in yearly commerce, it also serves as a corridor for drug trafficking, contraband smuggling, and other criminal enterprises operated by armed organizations including criminal networks and Colombian rebel groups.

Human rights organizations and former Colombian administrations have accused these armed factions of operating with Venezuelan military assistance or tolerance, claims that Caracas has consistently rejected.

Petro and Rodriguez’s predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted in a U.S. operation in January, had previously expanded military presence along the border to counter drug trafficking.

The nations are adopting “a very serious, very comprehensive approach” to addressing border criminality, Rodriguez explained, and will promptly implement “mechanisms for sharing information and developing intelligence” to combat narcotics and fuel smuggling, along with other illegal activities.

Petro declared that the border must serve the citizens of both nations, not criminal organizations.

Rodriguez, who previously served as vice president, has been working to attract oil and mining investors while operating under close Trump administration oversight. Trump has publicly commended her efforts, and she has hosted U.S. officials and prospective investors in Caracas.

She has actively called for the U.S. to remove sanctions against Venezuela, arguing that special permits and exemptions provide insufficient security for investors or economic recovery.

Petro has experienced multiple disagreements with Trump, who has consistently demanded greater Colombian cooperation in anti-drug operations, while Petro points to record drug seizures during his presidency.

Despite personal sanctions Washington imposed on Petro, both leaders expressed optimism following a direct meeting earlier this year. In March, they held a cordial phone conversation about border economic issues, according to Petro’s office.

The chief executive of artificial intelligence company OpenAI has issued a public apology following revelations that his firm failed to notify authorities about troubling online activity from an account connected to a deadly school shooting in British Columbia, Canada.

Sam Altman released the apology letter on Friday, expressing remorse over the company’s decision not to contact law enforcement about suspicious behavior from an account they had previously suspended.

“I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June,” Altman stated. “While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered.”

The tragic incident unfolded on February 10 when authorities say 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar first killed her mother, 39-year-old Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, at their family residence in northern British Columbia. Van Rootselaar then proceeded to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where she fatally shot five students and one educator before taking her own life. The rampage left 25 additional victims wounded.

Following the massacre, OpenAI disclosed that their automated systems had flagged Van Rootselaar’s account the previous June for content related to “furtherance of violent activities.” The San Francisco-based technology firm acknowledged they debated whether to report the concerning activity to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but ultimately decided the content did not reach their threshold for law enforcement notification. Instead, they terminated the account for policy violations.

British Columbia Premier David Eby had previously criticized the company’s inaction, suggesting OpenAI “looks like” they could have prevented the mass casualty event.

Altman’s letter, dated Thursday and shared through Premier Eby’s social media accounts and local news outlet Tumbler RidgeLines, detailed conversations with Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and Eby about the community’s response.

“I want to express my deepest condolences to the entire community,” Altman wrote. “No one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this. I cannot imagine anything worse in this world than losing a child. My heart remains with the victims.”

The OpenAI leader pledged to work with government officials at all levels to prevent similar tragedies in the future, stating his company would continue focusing on collaborative prevention efforts.

Despite the apology, Premier Eby characterized Altman’s statement as “necessary, and yet grossly insufficient for the devastation done to the families of Tumbler Ridge” in his own social media response.

For the first time in two decades, residents of Gaza will participate in municipal elections this Saturday, with voting taking place in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah. The elections will run concurrently with the West Bank’s fifth round of municipal voting since 2005.

Officials describe the synchronized elections as a demonstration of Palestinian solidarity and a representation of future statehood aspirations.

The last Gaza elections occurred in 2006, when Hamas won a majority. Following a short-lived conflict between Hamas and Fatah in 2007, Hamas gained authority over the Gaza Strip and began directly selecting local government officials.

According to the Central Elections Commission, 70,449 eligible voters can participate at 12 voting locations throughout Deir al-Balah. These sites include nine temporary tent structures and three community organization buildings, with eight voting booths available at each location.

Election officials have deployed approximately 675 personnel to manage the voting process. Additionally, 292 monitors from 10 local oversight organizations and 45 credentialed media representatives will observe the proceedings.

Jamil al-Khalidi, who serves as the commission’s Gaza regional director, explained to Asharq al-Awsat that voters will participate through a closed-list format. “Voters will select one list and cast votes for five candidates within it,” al-Khalidi stated. The election will establish a 15-member city council comprised of the top vote recipients, with a minimum of four positions designated for women candidates.

Four competing candidate lists are participating in the race, with one list reportedly containing several candidates who support Hamas positions. Election officials characterize all participating groups as independent and family-oriented, with competition primarily influenced by neighborhood ties and kinship connections.

All candidates had to sign an agreement supporting the Palestine Liberation Organization’s platform and acknowledging its authority as the official Palestinian representative. This requirement could create tension with Hamas ideology, since it suggests acceptance of policies that include Israeli recognition. The Palestinian Authority is implementing this pledge requirement as part of its support for a two-state resolution.

Initial election outcomes are anticipated Sunday morning.

American military leaders are developing contingency plans for targeted strikes against Iranian naval forces in the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz as diplomatic efforts continue to stagnate, according to a CNN report.

The military strategy focuses on what officials call “dynamic targeting” of Iranian capabilities throughout the Strait of Hormuz, the southern Arabian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman regions.

Intelligence sources outlined potential operations against Iran’s fleet of rapid attack craft, mine-laying ships, and other unconventional naval assets that Tehran has deployed to control shipping lanes and exert pressure on Washington.

This critical maritime corridor handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments, while tensions between the two nations escalate amid stalled diplomatic discussions.

Previous American military actions targeted locations away from the Strait itself, allowing for operations deeper within Iranian territory. These new strategic plans emphasize a concentrated strike campaign focused specifically on the crucial shipping channels.

In a related development, US forces announced Thursday they had boarded a sanctioned tanker transporting Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean. Pentagon officials described conducting a “maritime interdiction” operation on the vessel M/T Majestic X, defining the action as intercepting or examining a ship suspected of legal violations.

American forces have stopped numerous ships since establishing a naval blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13.

President Donald Trump has authorized US military personnel to “shoot and kill” any vessel attempting to place mines within the Strait.

These escalating developments come after Wednesday’s incident where Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boats opened fire on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two ships while inflicting damage on a third.

Nations across the Persian Gulf region are slowly restoring normal operations following extended disruptions caused by military conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, which led to Iranian strikes on Gulf urban areas, power infrastructure, and civilian targets.

Bahrain declared the complete restoration of full-capacity government operations beginning Sunday, April 26. Since March 1, Bahraini government workers had been operating under reduced staffing at half capacity.

Educational institutions in Bahrain transitioned back to traditional classroom instruction last week following a temporary shift to remote learning platforms.

Kuwaiti officials revealed on Thursday their plans for the phased reopening of Kuwait International Airport and the restoration of aviation operations following almost two months of complete shutdown. The closure came after multiple drone and missile strikes originating from Iran and Iraq targeted Kuwait, with several projectiles hitting critical infrastructure including the main airport facility.

Qatari leadership announced the step-by-step return of international carrier operations and expanded Qatar Airways service schedules. The United Arab Emirates has implemented comparable measures.

Signs of regional recovery extend beyond transportation, with business and retail sectors across multiple GCC nations showing renewed activity as shopping districts and commercial centers welcome customers at levels approaching pre-conflict patterns, while professional gatherings, cultural events, and recreational activities steadily resume throughout the Gulf region.

A Lebanese journalist who survived an Israeli airstrike that claimed her colleague’s life has shared her harrowing account of the hours they spent waiting for rescue, speaking to The Associated Press from her hospital bed on Friday.

Zeinab Faraj, a freelance photographer and video journalist, regularly worked alongside Amal Khalil, an experienced correspondent for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar who covered southern Lebanon.

The pair were traveling behind one of Faraj’s relatives through the village of al-Tiri on Wednesday, approximately 8 kilometers from the Israeli border. They had arrived five days after a delicate ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah, intending to document conditions in the area following the truce.

While passing through the village with Khalil recording video on her phone through the car window, an Israeli strike targeted the vehicle ahead of them, Faraj explained from her recovery room at a Beirut medical facility.

Both women exited their vehicle and sought cover along the roadside while a drone circled above. Approximately one hour later, a second attack struck Khalil’s car parked nearby.

Faraj managed to force open a shop’s metal security door, and both journalists took shelter inside the building.

“Amal was crawling, she was wounded — her nose and head and shoulder and leg,” Faraj remembered, her words difficult to understand through facial swelling and bruising. She noted that Khalil also sustained burns when the targeted vehicle burst into flames.

The two were able to contact their families and news organizations. According to Faraj, Khalil maintained a positive demeanor and attempted to reassure her loved ones that both were safe.

During this time, urgent communications began between the Lebanese Red Cross, Lebanese military forces, the U.N. peacekeeping mission UNIFIL, and Israeli forces to arrange safe evacuation for the journalists.

As time passed, Faraj began losing consciousness.

“When I said I wanted to go to sleep, Amal came closer and hugged me and told me, ‘Zeinab, don’t leave me alone,’” she recalled. “I realized that Amal was not in good condition. The color of her face had changed and I realized that she had some internal bleeding, too.”

While drifting in and out of consciousness, she heard incoming ordnance. A third strike hit their shelter.

The blast ejected Faraj from the shop while Khalil remained trapped inside.

“I was in and out of consciousness, and then I thought my dad had come to get me and I began calling to him, ‘Baba, I’m here, come and help me,’” Faraj said.

Emergency responders arrived and extracted Faraj from the debris, also recovering the bodies of two people killed in the initial vehicle strike. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli forces fired upon the Red Cross ambulance attempting to reach Khalil, forcing the crew to retreat.

The Israeli military stated that individuals in the village had breached the ceasefire agreement, putting Israeli soldiers at risk, and rejected claims that it targets media personnel or blocked rescue operations. Officials said the incident remains under investigation.

Faraj had lost consciousness and remained unaware that Khalil hadn’t been evacuated with her until several hours later.

Just before midnight, after Lebanese military, civil defense, and Red Cross teams received authorization to enter the area, Khalil’s body was recovered from the wreckage.

Faraj maintains that “if they had gotten to her a bit sooner, Amal would be here today.”

The current Israel-Hezbollah conflict started on March 2, when the militant organization launched a missile barrage across the border, occurring two days after the United States and Israel began their military action against Iran. Israel countered with extensive bombing campaigns in Lebanon and ground operations.

Following the ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces have maintained control over a border zone extending approximately 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory, characterizing this area as essential for protecting northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah rocket attacks. Despite the truce, both Israel and Hezbollah have continued launching strikes.

Faraj suspects the journalists were intentionally targeted. Khalil had previously disclosed that during her reporting in southern Lebanon during the earlier 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict, she received threatening communications from an Israeli phone number.

The origin of these messages — whether from Israeli military sources or private individuals — remains unclear. The Israeli army has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter.

Prior to Khalil’s death, Avichay Adraee, an Israeli military spokesman, shared on social media platform X a video from Al-Akhbar featuring Khalil rescuing a cat from destroyed building debris. He labeled the publication “terrorist media speaking on behalf of Hezbollah, the devil” due to its pro-Hezbollah editorial stance.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, an international advocacy organization, condemned the post as “incitement” in an official statement.

“Under international humanitarian law, journalists, as civilians, are protected from direct and indiscriminate attack, regardless of the positions or affiliation of their media outlets, provided they do not directly participate in hostilities,” the organization stated. “There is no evidence that Khalil or Faraj were directly participating in hostilities.”

The group has requested an international investigation into Khalil’s death.

Lebanon’s information ministry reports that nine journalists have died in Israeli strikes since March 2. The latest Israel-Hezbollah war has resulted in nearly 2,500 Lebanese deaths, including 277 women, 177 children, and 100 healthcare workers. Fifteen Israeli soldiers and three civilians have also been killed.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived at Venezuela’s presidential palace Friday for crucial discussions with acting President Delcy Rodríguez, marking their first face-to-face meeting since the U.S. military detained former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his spouse at their residence in January.

The diplomatic encounter at the Miraflores palace was designed to address a wide range of shared concerns between the neighboring nations, including cross-border migration issues, security cooperation, trade relationships, and industrial partnerships.

Originally scheduled for last month at the countries’ shared frontier, the high-level talks were suddenly postponed by both governments, who cited “force majeure” circumstances without providing additional details, stating only that the meeting would be rescheduled.

Prior to Friday’s discussions, Petro revealed that his team, featuring senior military and law enforcement commanders, would prioritize border security matters with Rodríguez during their talks.

Special attention was directed toward the volatile Catatumbo area, where competing armed factions battle for territorial dominance. Petro emphasized the critical need for “close collaboration on intelligence,” cautioning that without proper coordination, “bombs land in the wrong places … and end up killing civilians.”

Relations between the two South American neighbors have remained strained for years. Following Venezuela’s disputed July 2024 presidential election that sparked demonstrations and subsequent government crackdowns, Petro refused to acknowledge Maduro’s claimed victory. Despite this stance, Colombia continued maintaining diplomatic channels with Caracas.

Colombian officials stated that Friday’s Petro-Rodríguez summit was intended to “contribute to a resolution of Venezuela’s political crisis.”

The path forward, however, remains uncertain.

According to Ronal Rodríguez Durán, who studies Venezuelan affairs at Universidad del Rosario’s Venezuela Observatory, Petro’s ability to broker meaningful change appears constrained, particularly since his presidential term concludes in August. Colombia’s future relationship with Venezuela will likely depend significantly on whoever assumes Colombian leadership next.

Britain’s King Charles will join New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 memorial site during his upcoming state visit to the United States, according to an announcement from the mayor’s office Friday.

The ceremony will take place at the location where the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks occurred, killing at least 2,606 people when al Qaeda militants flew hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers. Among those who lost their lives were 67 British citizens.

According to the mayor’s press secretary Joe Calvello, the King and Mamdani will not have a private meeting during the event.

King Charles is scheduled to visit Washington D.C., New York, and Virginia between April 27 and April 30 as part of his official state visit.

The royal visit will include a historic moment when King Charles addresses a joint session of Congress, marking the first time a British monarch has done so since Queen Elizabeth II delivered remarks in 1991.

President Donald Trump is expected to hold a private meeting with King Charles and will host an official state dinner honoring the King and Queen Camilla.

The visit occurs during a period of tension between the United States and United Kingdom. Speaking to the BBC Thursday, Trump expressed optimism that King Charles could help mend the diplomatic relationship between the two nations.

“I know him well, I’ve known him for years. He’s a brave man, and he’s a great man. They would absolutely be a positive,” Trump said.

COPENHAGEN – Denmark’s attempts to establish a new government have reached an impasse four weeks following the nation’s parliamentary elections, hampering decision-making capabilities during ongoing diplomatic tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration regarding Greenland.

Acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who holds the royal mandate to form a coalition, has been conducting negotiations with all 12 parliamentary parties but has managed to secure backing only from progressive factions – insufficient to achieve a governing majority.

Frederiksen’s moderate coalition was defeated in the March 24 elections as citizens expressed frustration over rising living costs, though her Social Democratic Party continues to hold the largest bloc in parliament with 38 of 179 seats.

“There is no end date to the negotiations (on a new government), this must take the time that it takes,” Frederiksen stated to media on Thursday evening while attending an EU summit in Cyprus.

The centrist Moderates Party and right-wing Liberal Party, both former partners in Frederiksen’s previous coalition, have refused to support arrangements that would depend on far-left parties for majority control.

Although Frederiksen’s administration continues operating until a new cabinet is established, its authority to make significant decisions remains restricted during a period when Denmark must also navigate Trump’s demands regarding Greenland, which belongs to the Danish kingdom.

Denmark, Greenland and the United States initiated diplomatic discussions to address the dispute in January, but tensions escalated again this month when Trump described the territory he desires as a “BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE” on social media, prompting criticism from Greenland’s prime minister.

Regarding coalition building efforts, Moderates Party leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen informed TV2 on Thursday that an agreement remained “far away,” while Conservative Party leader Mona Juul suggested Frederiksen should step aside from leading the negotiations.

“With the results we have seen from the current royal investigator, I believe that the baton should be passed on,” Juul told TV2 on Friday, referencing Frederiksen’s official responsibility for guiding the discussions.

Although most negotiations occur privately, Frederiksen will likely need to abandon her campaign promise to impose a wealth tax on Denmark’s wealthiest residents.

“There’s not a majority for the economic policy that (Frederiksen) wanted,” explained Andreas Thyrring, a partner at Ulveman & Borsting, a public affairs consulting company.

According to Thyrring, the prime minister must either surrender major elements of her platform or transfer the government formation role to Rasmussen or Liberal Party leader Troels Lund Poulsen.

MOSCOW – Russian officials declared Friday their nation will stand with Cuba and maintain humanitarian support for the Caribbean island, while condemning what Moscow characterizes as intimidation tactics from the United States.

President Donald Trump has previously stated he anticipates having the privilege of “taking Cuba,” while simultaneously, Washington has pressed Havana to reform its economy and expand political liberties.

“Against the backdrop of the targeted and malicious escalation against Cuba, we reaffirm our solidarity with the Cuban government and the Cuban people,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

“We reject blackmail and threats in foreign policy, which also applies to Washington’s current demonstrative aggressive pressure on Havana with the aim of gross interference in Cuba’s internal affairs in order to break Cuban statehood,” Zakharova stated.

The Caribbean nation maintained strong ties with Moscow for many years, beginning with the Communist uprising in 1959 that elevated Fidel Castro to leadership and continuing through the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991. In recent years, Russia has backed the island through financial support and material resources.

“Russia and Cuba have a close historical relationship. We have always been on the side of Cuba in its struggle for independence, in its right to live by its own rules, develop on its own path and defend its own interests,” Zakharova explained.

“We will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Cuba during this difficult period of artificially fueled confrontation,” she added.

A Russian vessel, the Anatoly Kolodkin tanker, delivered approximately 700,000 barrels of Russian Urals crude oil in late March to Cuba’s Matanzas Bay, defying US fuel restrictions. The Trump administration stated it permitted the shipment for “humanitarian” purposes.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump revealed Friday that Iran is preparing a proposal designed to address American concerns, with diplomatic discussions set to continue in Pakistan.

“They’re making an offer and we’ll have to see,” Trump stated in a phone conversation with Reuters.

The President acknowledged he remains unaware of the specific details of Iran’s upcoming proposal.

When questioned about which Iranian officials the United States is engaging with, Trump responded: “I don’t want to say that, but we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Friday that Trump will dispatch special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Islamabad. The envoys are scheduled to leave Saturday morning.

Earlier reports indicated that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was anticipated to arrive in Pakistan’s capital Friday to explore options for restarting diplomatic negotiations with the United States.

The leader of Qatar held a telephone conversation with President Donald Trump on Friday to talk about recent progress in a ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran, according to Qatar’s official news service.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s Emir, engaged in the discussion about developments surrounding the Washington-Tehran agreement, the state-run media outlet reported on April 24.

The Qatari ruler indicated his nation plans to maintain its collaborative efforts with international allies to back mediation initiatives spearheaded by Pakistan.

TELL, West Bank (AP) — A surge in deadly violence has claimed the lives of three Palestinian teenagers in the West Bank this week, with the most recent fatality occurring during an Israeli military operation mid-week.

Residents of Tell, a village in the northern West Bank, held funeral services Friday for 15-year-old Youssef Shtayyeh, who health authorities confirmed was fatally shot by Israeli troops in the adjacent city of Nablus.

Mourners carried the teenager’s wrapped body through village roads while displaying Palestinian flags, as family members and community residents joined together in prayer and expressions of sorrow.

Military officials from Israel confirmed the death and stated their troops opened fire following efforts to detain a Palestinian individual who allegedly threw stones at soldiers. The military did not provide details about their presence in Nablus, the West Bank’s second-largest urban center under Palestinian Authority control.

The death of Shtayyeh marks at least the fourth Palestinian fatality at the hands of Israeli forces or settlers this week, following separate incidents in Hebron, al-Mughayyir and Deir Dibwan throughout the West Bank.

Human rights organizations, Palestinian officials and international monitors are raising urgent concerns about escalating violence, noting the increasing frequency of deaths among young Palestinian men amid widespread incidents of property destruction, arson and forced displacement of agricultural communities near Israeli settlements and outposts.

Speaking at one of this week’s funeral ceremonies, Ramallah Mayor Leila Ghannam characterized the wave of violence as evidence of widespread lawlessness in Palestinian territories. “Settlers and the army are one and the same,” she stated.

Data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that no fewer than 40 Palestinians have lost their lives since January began, with a unprecedented 11 killed by settlers — exceeding the total settler-related deaths for all of 2025 by two.

CASABLANCA, Morocco — A massive $700 million skyscraper has officially opened in Morocco’s capital region this week, representing the nation’s ambitious drive to strengthen its position on the world stage.

The 55-story Mohammed VI Tower, reaching 820 feet into the sky and designed to resemble a rocket preparing for launch, will house a high-end Waldorf Astoria hotel along with office spaces, retail establishments, dining venues, and premium residential units.

According to Leila Haddaoui, director of development company O Tower, the structure ranks among Africa’s tallest buildings and is projected to create 450 direct employment opportunities plus 3,500 additional indirect positions.

Located in Salé, which neighbors the capital city of Rabat, the construction project spanned eight years and employed more than 2,500 workers representing over a dozen nations. The building has gained such prominence that it now graces Morocco’s 200-dirham banknote, worth approximately $20.

The tower sits adjacent to the Grand Theatre of Rabat, a creation of the renowned late architect Zaha Hadid, and provides panoramic vistas of both the Atlantic coastline and the neighboring cities.

“Morocco is positioning Rabat and Salé — often overlooked by tourists — on the international stage, as part of a broader tourism push,” Haddaoui explained to reporters.

As the most visited nation in Africa, Morocco depends heavily on its tourism sector and continues seeking ways to draw more international visitors, particularly as regional tensions may drive travelers toward destinations perceived as more stable. This initiative gains additional significance as the country prepares for its role as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The tower’s creators view the newly inaugurated structure as an emblem of Morocco’s increasing influence throughout Africa and the Middle East, reflecting the nation’s goal to establish itself as a dominant regional force through major development initiatives designed to expand its reach.

However, some observers argue that such progress remains concentrated along Morocco’s Atlantic coastline while interior regions continue to lack adequate development. Youth-led demonstrations last year brought attention to concerns about widespread joblessness and inadequate public services.

The building, encompassing more than 102,800 square meters (approximately 1.1 million square feet), was the brainchild of 93-year-old billionaire Othmane Benjelloun, who controls Bank of Africa, a formerly government-owned Moroccan financial institution that now wields considerable influence throughout the continent.

Tower management reports that the businessman’s inspiration for the skyscraper originated from his 1969 invitation by NASA to participate in a spaceflight simulation conducted before the Apollo 12 lunar mission.

WASHINGTON — Federal officials announced Friday they are implementing financial penalties against a large Chinese petroleum processing plant and approximately 40 maritime transport companies for their involvement in moving Iranian crude oil.

The action, first disclosed by The Associated Press, fulfills the Trump administration’s promise to target foreign businesses and nations conducting trade with Iran through secondary sanctions. This effort represents part of the Republican leadership’s intensified strategy to eliminate Iran’s primary income source through oil sales.

At the same time, the United States has established a physical maritime blockade this month at the Strait of Hormuz, the vital Persian Gulf shipping route essential for worldwide energy distribution.

The timing places these penalties just weeks ahead of a scheduled meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China.

Among the entities targeted Friday is the Hengli Petrochemical complex located in Dalian port, which can process approximately 400,000 barrels of crude daily, ranking it among China’s largest independent oil processing facilities.

According to Treasury Department officials, Hengli has accepted Iranian crude deliveries starting in 2023, creating revenue streams worth hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran’s armed forces.

The watchdog organization United Against Nuclear Iran identified Hengli in February 2025 as among numerous Chinese companies purchasing Iranian petroleum.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated Friday that his department “will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries and buyers Iran relies on to move its oil to global markets.”

Earlier this month, Bessent’s office delivered warnings to banking institutions across China, Hong Kong, the UAE and Oman, threatening secondary sanctions for Iranian business relationships and claiming these nations permit illicit Iranian financial activities through their banking systems.

During an April 15 White House media briefing, Bessent explained the administration has informed countries “that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure.”

These measures arrive amid widespread disruption in international energy markets as Persian Gulf conflicts restrict oil and natural gas shipments, driving prices sharply higher.

Treasury officials have attempted to moderate rising energy costs by issuing temporary exemptions for Russian petroleum and providing a one-time allowance for Iranian oil currently being transported.

The Associated Press sought responses from Chinese government representatives regarding the sanctions.

Following earlier U.S. penalties against another Chinese refinery for alleged Iranian oil purchases, Liu Pengyu, speaking for China’s Washington embassy, criticized the sanctions as actions that “undermine international trade order and rules, disrupt normal economic and trade exchanges, and infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and individuals.”

MILAN (AP) — Controversial artist Maurizio Cattelan, known for creating provocative pieces like a golden toilet called “America,” kicked off Milan Design Week by hosting an unconventional gathering at Milan’s iconic Duomo cathedral, where he marked participants with “White Trash” stamps on their necks and hands during an informal sharing of cherished items.

The atmosphere throughout Milan remained upbeat Monday evening as attendees traveled between cocktail receptions at some of the city’s most attractive locations before the Milan Furniture Fair officially began Tuesday, launching what’s considered the most diverse and dynamic collection of events on the international design scene.

Even with economic uncertainty and travel complications caused by conflicts in the Middle East, nearly 1,900 exhibitors representing 32 nations displayed their creations at Fiera Milano Rho, while countless additional events took place throughout the city during the widely anticipated Fuorisalone.

“This week of design is so deep — an experience for all of us. I think we are a big community around the world, and I think at the end, we are a little bit all dreamers,” said Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola, one of Europe’s most celebrated luxury interior and furniture designers.

Among Urquiola’s projects was a collaboration featuring an installation at a Milan luxury hotel for German porcelain manufacturer Duravit, which included artistic totems constructed from toilets and bidets.

This year’s furniture fair introduced a new section called “Raritas” specifically for creators of limited-edition works, providing a counterbalance to the mass production that has traditionally dominated the event.

“We wanted to have antiques, high handcraft and, of course, contemporary collectibles with limited edition and unique pieces, so to have the entire wide range of design at the Salone,” curator Annalisa Rosso said.

Dutch creator Sabine Marcelis displayed a dynamic sculpture featuring air bubbles moving through a viscous liquid contained within a vertical polymer structure. Italian designer Francesco Faccin exhibited seemingly straightforward tables and chairs that looked like wooden planks but were actually bronze castings, drawing inspiration partially from Shaker design principles.

Saudi brand Zaza made its first appearance at Salone, proving that the Gulf kingdom serves not only as a market for international products but also as a source of creative innovation. The brand displayed curved sculptures crafted from colored stainless steel and a limited-edition chair befitting royalty.

“We are here to bring the Saudi story to the world,” designer and architect Abdulaziz Khalid Al Tayyash said. “We want to expand and tell a good story about how, from Saudi lifestyle and Saudi culture, we can bring something interesting to be in such a platform, like this one.”

Interior design has emerged as a significant focus for numerous luxury fashion brands including Armani and Dolce & Gabbana. Even fashion houses that haven’t entered the home goods market consider design week an essential event, complete with champagne receptions.

Gucci hosted visitors in a peaceful garden filled with wildflowers within a monastery setting. The courtyard featured tapestries chronicling the fashion house’s evolution, beginning with Guccio Gucci’s work as a London hotel employee that inspired him to create leather luggage in Florence, and following the brand’s artistic journey under designers Tom Ford, Frida Giannini, Alessandro Michele, Sabato Sarno and current creative director Demna.

Louis Vuitton presented its newest home goods and furniture line in an elegant palazzo, displaying historical pieces including travel trunks designed for traveling artists that connected to modern table arrangements, a wooden turntable stand resembling a drill bit, and an imaginative foosball table with mermaid figures and eyeball-shaped handles.

At the historic Palazzo Litta in the city center, Paris-based Lebanese designer Lina Ghotmeh constructed a bright pink wooden maze designed to encourage visitors to slow their pace, explore design publications, sit down and engage in conversation.

“As people move in this installation, you have this feeling of choreography and dance that is manifested, and you sit here and you’re just about watching people talk to each other. They become part of the setting and part of the theatricality of this place as well,” she said.

At Piazza Gae Aulenti, surrounded by Milan’s impressive skyscrapers, Andrea Olivari displayed sculptures representing the heart, stomach and brain with accompanying text: “Follow your heart, use your brain, trust your stomach.”

Italy’s design and furniture industries contribute 2.3% of the nation’s GDP and account for more than 4% of manufacturing output, establishing Italy as an innovation hub.

The combination of design week with the furniture fair has evolved into a leading global destination and essential platform for numerous small and medium enterprises to connect with purchasers and markets, according to Claudio Feltrin, president of FederlegnoArredo, Italy’s furniture industry association.

Highlighting the sector’s strategic significance, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni inaugurated the furniture fair, joined by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

Italy’s furniture and design industry performed better than anticipated during U.S. tariff periods, achieving 1.4% growth last year with revenues reaching 52 billion euros ($60.8 billion), with 36% coming from international sales. However, uncertainty from Middle Eastern conflicts, which are increasing energy costs and disrupting transportation, is creating cautious projections for the current year.

International sales declined 9% to approximately 1.6 billion euros ($1.8 billion) during the year’s first two months, including a 20% decrease to the United States. Feltrin indicated the sector could rebound if conflicts conclude soon, similar to last year’s recovery from tariff impacts.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Associated Press correspondent Regina Garcia Cano spent months documenting an unprecedented demonstration by Venezuelan women who established a makeshift camp outside a detention facility in the nation’s capital, demanding freedom for their imprisoned spouses.

Garcia Cano, working alongside video journalist Juan Arraez and photographer Ariana Cubillos, followed the daily lives of approximately 30 women during their remarkable 64-day vigil outside the Caracas police facility where their husbands were being detained.

The extended demonstration pushed both the participants’ physical endurance and mental strength to their limits, while simultaneously challenging the Venezuelan authorities’ typical harsh response to public dissent. Although the temporary encampment was eventually dismantled and the women returned to their homes, their mission remains incomplete — they continue searching for ways to secure their husbands’ freedom.

The following account comes from Garcia Cano’s interview with story editor Del Quentin Wilber.

Venezuelan citizens were shocked when the Trump administration chose to support a government loyalist rather than opposition leaders to govern the South American nation following the U.S. military’s removal of former President Nicolás Maduro in January. Under acting President Delcy Rodríguez, the new administration immediately freed all American prisoners but left hundreds of Venezuelans, whom human rights organizations claim are political prisoners, behind bars.

Just five days following Maduro’s capture, officials announced plans to release a substantial number of detainees, and subsequently, Rodríguez enacted amnesty legislation that could potentially help thousands of dissidents and opposition members currently or previously imprisoned.

Following these announcements, dozens of women — primarily wives and mothers of detained individuals — assembled outside correctional facilities, detention centers, and jails, anticipating their relatives’ release. When their loved ones failed to emerge, many women refused to disperse and established permanent camps outside these same facilities to maintain pressure on Venezuelan leadership.

Such public demonstrations would have been inconceivable before January 3rd. Until that point, Venezuela’s ruling party had demonstrated zero tolerance for any form of public opposition. This was particularly evident following the 2024 presidential contest, which Maduro declared he had won despite substantial credible evidence indicating otherwise.

Following the election, authorities detained more than 2,000 individuals, many of whom had not participated in any demonstrations whatsoever. Citizens became frightened and ceased public expressions of dissent.

These women represent the first Venezuelan citizens to openly confront the ruling party since Maduro’s removal. The predominantly reserved homemakers had never engaged in political activism before. They overcame their fears, ignored advice from relatives and friends to remain silent, and accepted the risk of arrest to confront government authorities. In most cases, their courage paid off.

Video journalist Juan Arraez and I conducted interviews with numerous women demonstrating outside detention facilities. He even spent several nights sleeping at the camp where Mendoza and Rosales were staying.

We concentrated our coverage on Mendoza and Rosales because both women dedicated considerable time to camping outside the jail, abandoning their children and normal routines. Though they were complete strangers initially, they developed a close friendship through their common struggle.

Furthermore, their families exemplify two different but typical Venezuelan experiences. Rosales and her spouse both work for the government, support the ruling party, and reside in a formerly prosperous neighborhood. In contrast, Mendoza and her husband remained politically neutral and relied primarily on private sector employment.

While this story centered on protest activities, it also explored the profound bonds formed between women.

Witnessing the evolution of these women’s relationships was truly remarkable. They transformed from timid, quiet, and wary strangers into talkative, open, and mutually supportive friends. As a group, they mastered the art of protesting, learned to use amplification equipment, developed skills in legislative advocacy, and even figured out how to work within prison regulations. They provided comfort to each other during emotional moments and celebrated each other’s successes. Their conversations covered everything from fears and love to parenting challenges and personal uncertainties.

PRISTINA, Kosovo — Three ethnic Serbs received harsh prison sentences Friday from a Kosovo court for their involvement in a deadly armed confrontation last year that claimed four lives and escalated tensions throughout the unstable Balkans region.

Kosovo’s Basic Court in the capital city of Pristina handed down life imprisonment to two defendants and sentenced the third to three decades behind bars. The court found all three guilty of undermining Kosovo’s constitutional framework and promoting terrorist activities aimed at severing the ethnic Serb-majority northern region from Kosovo to merge it with Serbia.

Judge Ngadhenjim Arni stated during sentencing: “Through this well-organized plan, they attempted to separate the municipalities in the north from Kosovo and annex them to Serbia.”

The violent incident unfolded in September 2023 when well-armed Serbian fighters erected roadblocks in northern Kosovo before engaging Kosovo police forces in an extended firefight near Banjska village. The battle resulted in the deaths of one Kosovo police officer and three of the armed fighters.

Kosovo authorities have pointed fingers at Serbia, claiming Belgrade provided weapons and backing to the militant group. Serbian officials have rejected these accusations, maintaining the fighters operated independently. Serbia continues to refuse recognition of Kosovo’s independence, which was declared in 2008.

While prosecutors initially brought charges against 45 individuals, only three defendants who remained in detention faced trial. The group’s alleged leader, Milan Radoicic, remains a fugitive. Radoicic, a prominent politician and business figure with connections to Serbia’s governing populist movement and President Aleksandar Vucic, has evaded justice.

Serbian authorities briefly held Radoicic following the shooting incident, charging him with criminal conspiracy and illegal weapons possession. However, he has not faced trial despite demands from American and European Union representatives. Both the United States and Britain have imposed sanctions on Radoicic for suspected financial crimes.

The three defendants tried in Kosovo sustained injuries during the fighting and were captured at Banjska, while their associates escaped across the border to Serbia. During court proceedings, defendant Blagoje Spasojevic declared: “I am not a terrorist.”

Spasojevic further testified: “This (incident) was my biggest mistake in life … but I did not kill anyone.”

Defense attorneys contended that prosecutors failed to establish their clients’ guilt on the charges. They announced plans to challenge Friday’s ruling, calling the sentences “too harsh.”

The current tensions stem from the devastating 1998-99 Kosovo conflict, which resulted in more than 10,000 deaths when ethnic Albanian rebels launched an uprising against Serbian control. Serbia’s violent crackdown prompted NATO military intervention to halt the bloodshed.

The United States and most European Union members have acknowledged Kosovo’s sovereignty, while Russia and China support Serbia’s territorial claims. Both Belgrade and Pristina face pressure to resolve their differences as a prerequisite for European Union membership consideration.

LIMA, Peru — Authorities in Peru conducted searches Friday at the residence of the country’s former election agency director, who stepped down from his position this week while facing scrutiny over voting problems during April’s presidential contest.

Anti-corruption investigators announced through social media that officers and legal officials searched the properties of Piero Corvetto, multiple former election workers, and a representative from Galaga, the firm contracted to deliver voting materials to polling locations throughout Lima, the nation’s capital.

In correspondence to Peruvian officials, Corvetto rejected any allegations of misconduct but explained that the voting difficulties experienced during the election led to his decision to step down to “generate more confidence” ahead of the June 7 runoff election.

Attorney Ricardo Sánchez, representing Corvetto, informed local radio that Judge Manuel Chuyo authorized the search while denying prosecutors’ request to detain his client.

The April 12 voting had to continue for an extra day when the election agency couldn’t get voting supplies to more than a dozen locations in Lima, an issue that stopped over 52,000 citizens from voting when scheduled.

The situation drew sharp criticism, particularly from ultraconservative candidate Rafael López Aliaga, who alleged without supporting proof that Peru experienced an “electoral fraud unique in the world,” calling Corvetto a “criminal” and promising to pursue him “until he dies.”

A European Union electoral observation team called on political figures to avoid inflammatory language and found no evidence suggesting fraud occurred.

Based on 95.1% of votes counted, Keiko Fujimori, the conservative daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori who was later disgraced, held the lead Friday with 17.05% of votes, while nationalist Roberto Sánchez had 12.03% and López Aliaga captured 11.90%.

Peru’s election court set a May 15 deadline to formally announce which two candidates will compete in the presidential runoff.

A significant prisoner exchange took place Friday between Ukraine and Russia, with each nation releasing 193 captured military personnel in a deal brokered with assistance from the United States and United Arab Emirates.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed satisfaction with the swap in a Telegram message, stating: “It is important that there are exchanges and that our people are returning home.”

Both Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, and Russia’s defense ministry confirmed that American and UAE officials helped coordinate the prisoner transfer.

This exchange represents the latest in a series of captive swaps that have occurred throughout the four-year conflict, with both countries having traded thousands of prisoners during the war.

According to Zelenskiy, the freed Ukrainian personnel included military members, border patrol agents, and police officers. Some returnees sustained wounds during their captivity, while others had been facing criminal prosecution in Russia.

Emotional scenes unfolded as the released Ukrainians disembarked from transport vehicles, with many wrapped in Ukrainian flags and visibly moved by their return.

One returning soldier named Serhiy, who provided only his first name, described his feelings upon release: “It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m home, I was in captivity for three years … our Ukrainian sky, our trees — this is happiness.”

Law enforcement officials in Peru conducted a search of the former top election official’s residence on Friday as investigators examine claims of voting process misconduct following his resignation earlier this week due to ballot counting delays from the April 12 national election.

Television footage from local news outlets captured police officers entering Piero Corvetto’s home in Lima’s Miraflores neighborhood, acting under court authorization. The former director of Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) was the target of the search, while authorities simultaneously examined up to 12 additional locations during the investigation.

The nation’s prosecutor’s office confirmed that anti-corruption officers worked alongside prosecutors during the operation, responding to mounting public accusations of electoral process violations.

Defense attorney Ricardo Sanchez Carranza informed Reuters that while a magistrate approved searching his client’s residence, officials rejected prosecutors’ request to place Corvetto in preliminary custody. The lawyer emphasized that Corvetto provided complete cooperation with investigators.

Lead prosecutor Raul Martinez directed the confiscation of cellular devices, computer equipment and paperwork from Corvetto’s residence, according to local broadcaster RPP’s reporting.

Corvetto stepped down from his position on Tuesday, describing his departure as “necessary and unavoidable” to help rebuild public trust in the electoral system following organizational failures that caused extended wait times at voting locations and delayed result announcements.

In his resignation statement, he rejected any allegations of misconduct and advocated for addressing outstanding concerns through an unbiased investigation.

European Union monitoring teams reported finding no indication of fraudulent activity during their observation.

The prolonged ballot counting process has sparked fraud accusations from multiple candidates across Peru. Election officials began this week examining thousands of disputed ballots containing discrepancies or mistakes on counting forms, creating additional delays in finalizing outcomes.

By Friday morning, approximately 95% of ballots had been processed according to ONPE data, showing conservative contender Keiko Fujimori in the lead with about 17% support. A close competition for second place continues between leftist legislator Roberto Sanchez and former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, with Sanchez expanding his advantage over Lopez Aliaga to approximately 20,000 votes from 14,000 earlier in the week.

Peru’s National Jury of Elections announced that complete results will be released by May 15, preceding the planned presidential runoff between the leading two candidates scheduled for June 7.

ROJ CAMP, Syria (AP) — Thirteen Australian women and children departed a Syrian detention facility on Friday in a second effort to return to their homeland, following a previous unsuccessful repatriation attempt earlier this year.

Journalists witnessed the group leaving Roj camp, a isolated detention center located close to Iraq’s border that holds relatives of individuals suspected of Islamic State connections. The families traveled by bus with a Syrian government official escort.

According to Lana Hussein, a representative from the Women’s Protection Units within the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that oversees camp security, the families’ departure was coordinated with Syria’s central government in Damascus.

Hussein indicated the families would spend approximately 72 hours in Damascus before being “deported under security procedures.”

Neither Syrian foreign ministry officials nor Australian government representatives immediately provided comments when contacted.

An earlier effort in February to bring 34 women and children back to Australia from the same facility was halted when Syrian officials turned them back. Australian officials stated at that time they would not facilitate the families’ return, and the government subsequently issued a temporary exclusion order preventing one woman from re-entering the country.

Officials have not confirmed whether Friday’s new attempt involved coordination with Australian authorities.

While Roj camp sits in northeastern Syria under Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces control, the Australians had intended to fly from Damascus.

Camp administrators previously stated that family members of the returnees, rather than Australian officials directly, had organized the planned repatriations.

Following the Islamic State’s territorial defeat in Syria during 2019, former fighters from various nations along with their spouses and children were detained in multiple camps and facilities across northeastern Syria. Despite their defeat, the organization continues operating through sleeper cells that conduct fatal attacks throughout Syria and Iraq.

The larger al-Hol camp has since been shuttered, while the U.S. military transferred thousands of suspected IS fighters previously detained in Syria to Iraq for trial proceedings.

These developments followed January clashes between government troops and the SDF, during which government forces captured significant SDF-controlled territory. The resulting turmoil led to numerous detainee escapes from al-Hol and prisoner breakouts from detention centers.

Australian authorities have previously facilitated the return of Australian women and children from Syrian detention facilities on two separate occasions, while other Australians have returned independently without government assistance.

NICOSIA, April 24 – Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed Friday that the European Union might consider reducing sanctions against Iran as part of a broader peace agreement, though fellow EU leaders responded with more reserved positions.

For several years, the 27-member European Union has maintained sanctions against Tehran, implementing travel restrictions and freezing assets of high-ranking officials and organizations due to human rights abuses, nuclear programs, and military assistance to Russia.

American officials have indicated that a wide-ranging agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz could potentially bring a lasting conclusion to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran, extending beyond the existing ceasefire.

Following an EU summit held in Cyprus, Merz indicated the European bloc might consider a step-by-step reduction of Iran sanctions if a comprehensive agreement were achieved.

While European leaders have found themselves mostly on the sidelines during the ongoing Middle East crisis, some European officials view the bloc’s sanctions as a potential avenue for EU participation in diplomatic solutions.

“The easing of sanctions can be part of a process,” Merz stated to reporters following the Nicosia summit.

“No one has objected to that,” he commented regarding the summit discussions. “It is, so to speak, part of the contribution we can make to advance this process and, hopefully, lead to a permanent ceasefire.”

However, European Council President Antonio Costa, who chaired the summit, expressed a different view during a press conference after the meeting concluded: “It is too early to talk about relieving any kind of sanctions.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that lifting sanctions would require concrete proof of significant policy changes from Iran.

“We believe that sanctions relief should be conditional on verification of de-escalation, particularly on progress on the international effort to contain its nuclear threat, and on a change to the repression of its own people,” she said during the same press conference.

A Lebanese man experienced profound shock when he witnessed through social media an Israeli soldier destroying a religious statue that belonged to his family in their private garden located in the southern Lebanese village of Debel.

Houssam Naddaf explained that he discovered the incident online like countless others. “I saw it on the internet like everyone else,” Naddaf stated. Due to movement limitations enforced by Israeli military forces in the region, he was unable to personally visit his property to assess the destruction.

The area fell under Israeli military control during the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which commenced on March 2 following Iran-backed Lebanese militants launching missiles across the border two days after the United States and Israel initiated their campaign against Iran. Subsequently, Israel conducted a ground operation in southern Lebanon, maintaining their presence even after last week’s ceasefire declaration.

The footage showing the soldier wielding an axe against the fallen Jesus statue in Debel generated significant international criticism and outrage throughout Lebanon and beyond.

On Tuesday, Israel’s military announced they had provided a replacement sculpture. Naddaf verified that Israeli forces delivered a similar but smaller crucifix, presented their apologies, and completed the installation with local clergy present.

Nevertheless, Naddaf revealed that his family members, who were absent during that ceremony, had already been approached by United Nations peacekeeping forces regarding a crucifix donation from Italy. The family chose to accept Italy’s contribution, which matched the original statue’s dimensions, while donating the Israeli-provided replacement to a neighborhood church.

Wednesday’s installation of the Italian-donated crucifix featured a modest ceremony with local religious leaders, community members, UN peacekeepers, and Naddaf’s family in attendance.

From Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni transmitted a message describing the replacement statue as “a powerful message of peace, hope, and dialogue.”

The family had originally placed the crucifix in their garden during 2018, within shared property that Naddaf and his three brothers subdivided into four family apartments beginning in 2010.

According to Naddaf, his residence sits at Debel’s perimeter, positioned between the village and neighboring Rmeish—a location residents view as more vulnerable compared to the village center, which remains largely outside the primary conflict zone. When hostilities resumed between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2, Naddaf relocated with his wife and three children to his parents’ residence deeper within Debel.

Following last week’s ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, Israeli forces have been demolishing neighborhoods throughout towns and villages along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Military officials claim they exclusively target structures that served as militant outposts for the Iran-supported organization. However, destruction appears nearly comprehensive across many regions. This extensive devastation has heightened concerns among Lebanese authorities and citizens that numerous war-displaced individuals may lack homes to return to should the fragile ceasefire endure.

Even with the ceasefire in effect, Naddaf reported that Israeli forces continue preventing his family from returning to their residence.

Israeli troops maintain control over a border zone extending approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Lebanese territory, characterizing this area as an essential buffer zone protecting their northern communities from Hezbollah rocket attacks. Many Lebanese civilians worry these actions could result in extended displacement.

Unlike the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict when Naddaf’s family sought refuge in Beirut, they decided to stay within their village this time. “It was clear that the plan was expulsion, so we say good thing we didn’t leave this time,” he explained.

During his UN peacekeeper-escorted visit to his home for the crucifix ceremony, he discovered a “total mess,” though expressed gratitude that his house remained intact, unlike several neighboring homes that faced demolition.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s Cabinet has approved legislation mandating two years of military service for men between the ages of 18 and 25, following deadly border conflicts with Thailand that occurred twice last year.

Government spokesperson Pen Bona announced Friday that this new conscription legislation will replace a 2006 law that was never put into practice and no longer meets current military requirements.

The previous legislation set the maximum draft age at 30 years old. Under the new rules, women may join the armed forces voluntarily.

According to Pen Bona, the Cabinet adopted the comprehensive draft legislation, which contains eight chapters and 20 articles, during Thursday’s meeting.

Border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand erupted into violence on two separate occasions last year over competing territorial claims along their mutual boundary.

The conflicts resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents in both nations and claimed the lives of approximately 100 Cambodian military personnel and civilians. While a December ceasefire ended active hostilities, regional tensions continue to simmer.

According to an official government statement, military service represents both a fundamental obligation and a distinguished honor that enables Cambodians to support national progress and protect their homeland.

Prime Minister Hun Manet announced in July of last year, as relations with Thailand worsened, that Cambodia would enact conscription during this year. He argued that drafted soldiers demonstrate greater effectiveness and professionalism compared to volunteer forces, and that mandatory service would address personnel shortfalls while enhancing military readiness.

The proposed legislation must receive approval from both the National Assembly and Senate before King Norodom Sihamoni can sign it into law.

European Union member nations have decided to continue advocating for worldwide carbon emissions pricing in the shipping industry during upcoming United Nations maritime discussions, potentially creating another diplomatic confrontation with the United States over environmental policy.

Last year, officials at the International Maritime Organization chose to delay the environmental initiative by twelve months following intense resistance from the Trump administration, which had threatened to implement sanctions and travel restrictions on representatives backing the measure.

Despite this setback, European nations remain determined to resurrect their climate proposal, based on the EU’s negotiating strategy for the upcoming IMO discussions, which Reuters has reviewed.

According to the strategic document, EU member states “shall oppose any attempts” to eliminate these climate initiatives from the negotiation agenda during the scheduled meeting.

The document indicates that European countries are willing to modify their original carbon pricing framework if such changes would help build broader international support. Nevertheless, several EU representatives expressed doubt that any compromise agreement on environmental measures could succeed, considering America’s steadfast resistance.

Norway’s Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen stated that the IMO maintains an opportunity to achieve a groundbreaking agreement, but must explore “different approaches” to prevent a recurrence of last year’s unsuccessful outcome.

“Also… whether we can do some things already now and potentially postpone other parts of the regulation to a later stage, for example,” he added while speaking to journalists.

During October’s meeting, 57 nations – including China and significant maritime countries such as Liberia – voted to postpone the carbon pricing mechanism, while 49 countries pushed for immediate implementation.

Those favoring the proposal included European states, Brazil, and several small island nations facing climate change threats.

A group representing the world’s three largest ship registration countries – Liberia, Panama, and the Marshall Islands – along with oil transport companies including Saudi Arabia’s Bahri, have encouraged IMO participants to explore alternatives to the existing carbon pricing framework during next week’s sessions.

“Support for the framework in its current form has continued to erode” since the IMO meeting last year, they said in a statement.

Last year’s IMO decision created divisions within the EU, as Greece and Cyprus – both hosting substantial shipping sectors – departed from the bloc’s unified position and abstained rather than supporting the European-backed environmental proposal.

Greece, Malta, and Italy refused to approve the new EU negotiating strategy, which received approval from a reinforced majority of European Union countries, according to officials.

Brazilian law enforcement officials are conducting a criminal investigation into Caldic, an international chemical distribution company majority-controlled by American private equity giant Advent International, over allegations the firm supplied materials for an enormous methanol smuggling operation.

Authorities last year dismantled what they described as a massive $10 billion fuel fraud network operated by Brazil’s most powerful criminal organization, the First Capital Command (PCC), which illegally distributed methanol as automotive fuel through gas stations.

According to a source with direct knowledge of the investigation, Caldic served as the primary methanol supplier in the case under scrutiny.

While law enforcement has not uncovered evidence suggesting Caldic or Advent were aware their products were being misused, the source noted that the investigation by São Paulo state prosecutors highlights how even well-established American investment firms can become inadvertently connected to criminal enterprises that have infiltrated large portions of Latin America’s business sector.

This marks the first public disclosure that the Netherlands-headquartered Caldic faces investigation for potential connections to the fuel fraud network run by the PCC criminal syndicate.

Another distributor, GPC Química, is also facing examination regarding its methanol transactions, though the volumes in question are reportedly smaller than those involving Caldic, according to the source.

The PCC, which originated three decades ago within a São Paulo correctional facility, has evolved into South America’s most extensive drug trafficking organization, operating a money laundering division that has increasingly penetrated legitimate business sectors including real estate, financial technology companies, and fuel distribution.

The criminal organization has created diplomatic friction, with the United States urging Brazil’s government to designate it as a terrorist entity as part of a broader regional approach to combat transnational gangs engaged in what officials term “narcoterrorism.”

Prosecutors plan to file formal charges in the methanol investigation by June and continue assessing the scope and character of Caldic’s involvement in the operation, the source revealed, noting the company could face civil litigation while employees might encounter criminal charges.

When questioned about the criminal investigation, Caldic issued a response through its Brazilian division Quantiq, stating the company is “cooperating with investigators” and “is firmly committed to the highest standards of compliance and integrity.” The statement added that an internal review discovered no misconduct by company leadership.

GPC Química, which neither confirmed nor denied being under investigation, informed reporters it operates “strictly following the legislation and current regulations.”

Advent, consistently ranked among America’s ten largest private equity companies, stated the investigations do not directly involve the investment firm, emphasizing it “conducts all of its business with the highest integrity, and holds its portfolio companies to the same high standards.”

Brazil’s fuel oversight agency ANP announced it has initiated an ongoing “administrative proceeding” to examine Quantiq’s methanol transactions. Internal documents from that separate regulatory investigation, currently sealed, reveal it was prompted by the criminal probe and references prosecutors’ initial conclusions, including electronic communications between Quantiq staff and individuals connected to the PCC.

The regulatory body has already limited Caldic’s methanol distribution in Brazil and could potentially revoke the company’s authorization to handle the substance, according to ANP records.

Methanol, a regulated chemical in Brazil, poses dangers to vehicles and can be fatal to humans. Beginning in 2024, ANP made distributors accountable for improper use of the substance by their clients.

An ANP document from November, obtained from the regulator’s confidential investigation, indicated nearly 25% of Quantiq’s methanol transactions triggered concerns because the listed purchasers, including some connected to the PCC, were either non-operational, never received deliveries, or had no apparent need for the quantities bought.

The document accused Quantiq of failing to establish basic compliance procedures, thereby enabling “the irregular methanol trade, with potential risk to public health and to the regular supply of fuels.” These allegations have not been independently confirmed.

Responding to inquiries about the document’s findings, Quantiq stated it would not address speculation, anonymous sources, or partially disclosed information.

The São Paulo prosecutors’ office refused to discuss specifics of the ongoing sealed investigation.

Both methanol and ethanol play crucial roles in Brazil’s expanding biofuels sector. Methanol serves in small amounts for biodiesel manufacturing, while ethanol functions widely as both an additive and gasoline replacement in Brazilian vehicles.

Since methanol typically costs less than ethanol, criminal actors can blend the substances to increase profits from fuel sales, explained Carlo Faccio, director of ICL, an industry organization established to fight fuel fraud in Brazil.

During the multi-billion-dollar fuel fraud and money-laundering scheme targeted by officials in August, PCC members obtained methanol to contaminate fuel distributed to suppliers and gas stations, the government reported.

Among those served with warrants were two individuals who had been employed for more than ten years at Quantiq, the Caldic subsidiary, according to documents from the ANP investigation. These workers, who held non-executive positions, exchanged electronic messages arranging methanol deliveries with people directly tied to the PCC, the investigation source confirmed.

The company reported its internal review found “no indication of involvement by Quantiq’s representatives or management” in the alleged methanol smuggling, declining to elaborate on specific accusations. Quantiq refused to share audit documentation or identify who performed it, and the findings could not be independently verified.

During the previous year, Quantiq ranked as Brazil’s second-largest methanol importer, trailing GPC Química, based on ANP statistics.

ANP investigation records showed Quantiq distributed approximately 190 million liters of methanol between January and August of last year.

Hundreds of these shipments, which Quantiq brought through the Paranaguá port in southern Brazil, failed to reach their designated recipients, according to financial tracking information examined by ANP officials in their sealed administrative review.

Quantiq also delivered methanol shipments to companies that had ceased operations or lacked clear purposes for the chemical, ANP determined.

When customers did show legitimate uses, ANP officials discovered several purchased far more than their documented requirements.

For instance, Quantiq sold roughly 25 million liters over eight months to a purchaser that informed ANP in October it uses approximately 630,000 liters of methanol monthly, the ANP documents indicated. The destination of the excess amount could not be determined.

In November, ANP prohibited Quantiq from methanol sales while examining issues identified by last year’s criminal investigation. ANP also referenced a regulatory review into similar problems in 2023, when it advised the company to enhance its compliance procedures.

Regarding ANP’s recent conclusions, Quantiq said it maintained compliance and client verification processes, “incorporating regulatory recommendations.”

In February, the regulator permitted Quantiq to restart limited methanol sales to designated buyers under new protective measures, pending a final decision based on its continuing administrative investigation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering attending the G20 summit scheduled for Miami in December, according to Kremlin officials who confirmed Friday that Moscow received an invitation from the United States.

The potential attendance would mark Putin’s first appearance at a G20 gathering since 2019, as he skipped previous meetings due to the coronavirus pandemic and later because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which severely damaged relations between Russia and Western nations.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the possibility during an interview with state television, stating: “President Putin may go to Miami as a member of the G20, or he may not go, or another Russian representative may go.”

A U.S. official confirmed that Washington has extended an invitation to Russia for the annual gathering of the world’s 20 largest economies, and Moscow has accepted the invitation.

The development comes after reports emerged Thursday that President Trump planned to invite Putin, though Trump later told journalists he was unaware of any invitation or whether the Russian leader would attend.

A senior administration official clarified that formal invitations have not yet been distributed. “But Russia is a G20 member and will be invited to attend ministerial meetings and the leaders’ summit,” the official said while requesting anonymity.

Peskov emphasized that Russia will ensure appropriate representation at the summit, noting that Moscow considers the G20 forum extremely valuable given the various global crises currently unfolding.

The Kremlin previously expressed agreement with Trump’s assessment that removing Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014 was an error, though Moscow has since characterized the G7 as insignificant and “rather useless” for Russian interests.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin confirmed through state news agencies that Russia received an invitation to participate at the highest level in the Miami G20 summit.

During Thursday’s remarks to reporters, Trump suggested that Putin felt deeply insulted by his removal from the G8. “He was very offended by that. I’d venture to say you probably wouldn’t be having these problems if you didn’t throw him out,” Trump commented. “I’m of the opinion that you talk to everybody.”

However, Trump expressed skepticism about Putin’s actual attendance. “I doubt he’d come, to be honest with you. I sort of doubt he’d come,” Trump said while discussing his efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.

Since beginning his second presidential term, Trump has demonstrated a more accommodating approach toward Russia and has criticized Ukraine regarding the ongoing war. The administration recently extended exemptions allowing Russian oil purchases without triggering sanctions.

Trump has faced ongoing criticism for his historically positive statements about Putin, with critics arguing he maintains a lenient stance toward Russia. Trump disputes these characterizations, claiming no previous U.S. president took a tougher approach with Moscow.

A State Department representative clarified the administration’s position Thursday, explaining: “As a member of the G20, Russia has been invited to all working-level meetings to date. President Trump has been clear that Russia is welcome to attend all G20 meetings as the United States focuses on delivering a successful and productive summit.”

Authorities in Portugal announced Friday they have confiscated a massive collection of 278 artworks from a former domestic worker who may have been attempting to sell pieces that didn’t belong to him.

The collection, which investigators say includes potential works by renowned artists Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, was discovered in the possession of a man who previously worked as a butler for an American citizen living in Penalva do Castelo. The artwork’s original owner passed away in 2024.

Investigators have not yet verified whether the pieces are authentic, according to authorities. The former employee is currently being questioned by police in connection with suspected attempts to sell portions of the valuable collection.

Law enforcement conducted their investigation through what they dubbed “Operation Butler,” working alongside art experts from the National Museum Machado de Castro to properly handle and assess the seized items.

The remarkable collection spans multiple centuries and artistic movements, featuring works attributed to 27 different creators. Among them are pieces believed to be by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer, Spanish masters Picasso and Miró, and contemporary British artist David Hockney. The haul also contains various sculptures and cultural artifacts.

Police have launched a formal investigation into the matter but have not released additional information regarding potential criminal charges at this time.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A former Syrian intelligence operative featured in a disturbing leaked video showing mass executions has been captured by authorities, officials announced Friday.

The Interior Ministry confirmed that Amjad Yousef was taken into custody in Hama province, where he had been in hiding. Officials released an image showing him wearing a striped prison jumpsuit.

The arrest follows the December 2024 overthrow of former President Bashar Assad by insurgent forces, leading to the capture of numerous security personnel accused of committing war crimes. Assad has since fled to Russia for refuge.

The devastating conflict that erupted from peaceful demonstrations in March 2011 eventually escalated into a full-scale civil war, resulting in approximately 500,000 deaths and more than one million injuries.

Yousef was identified as one of multiple Syrian security operatives featured in footage that surfaced in 2022, depicting the systematic execution of bound and blindfolded prisoners who were shot and disposed of in a pit.

The disturbing 6-minute and 43-second recording captured members of the infamous Military Intelligence Branch 227 executing approximately 40 detainees in a deserted structure in Tadamon, a Damascus suburb adjacent to the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee settlement. This area remained a battleground between government troops and rebel forces throughout much of the war.

The victims appeared with blindfolds and hands restrained behind them. The Branch 227 operatives systematically positioned each prisoner at the rim of a pit containing old tires before forcing them inside and shooting them as they fell.

During the recording, intelligence personnel deceived some prisoners by claiming they would traverse a dangerous sniper zone and instructed them to run quickly. The victims collapsed onto the remains of previous victims. As corpses accumulated in the pit, some victims continued moving, prompting additional gunfire into the mass of bodies.

The perpetrators subsequently ignited the remains, apparently attempting to destroy evidence of their crimes.

Syrian security forces announced last year that three additional individuals connected to these same killings had been apprehended.

Friday’s Interior Ministry announcement emphasized that authorities remain committed to tracking down everyone involved in the Tadamon executions to ensure they face prosecution.

The U.S. State Department imposed travel restrictions on Yousef, his spouse, and immediate family members in March 2023, barring their entry into the United States.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Friday, marking his second trip to the kingdom within a month as Ukraine works to strengthen security partnerships and showcase its military technology throughout the Middle East during ongoing regional tensions.

Upon his arrival, Zelenskyy posted on social media platform X: “Yesterday, at a meeting with European leaders, we secured financial guarantees for our resilience. Today, we are advancing our agreements with Saudi Arabia in the areas of security, energy, and infrastructure.”

The Ukrainian leader indicated his intention to hold discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the visit. While Zelenskyy did not specify his destination in his own statements, Saudi state television confirmed his arrival in Jeddah.

This follows Zelenskyy’s previous trip to Saudi Arabia in late May, where Ukraine and the kingdom established a defense cooperation framework that the president characterized as creating extensive groundwork for future military contracts.

Following regional conflicts involving Iran, Ukraine has successfully negotiated agreements with multiple Middle Eastern nations by offering its technology and knowledge in intercepting Iranian long-range attack drones.

Zelenskyy has previously highlighted Ukraine’s support as producing positive outcomes across the Middle East region, and has also proposed that Kyiv could contribute its specialized knowledge to help restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

LONDON — Legislation permitting terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose assisted death will expire Friday as the parliamentary session concludes without final passage.

While the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill successfully passed through the elected House of Commons last June, the upper chamber House of Lords has effectively stalled the measure through extensive debate and procedural delays.

Supporters of what advocates call “assisted dying” — also known as “assisted suicide” — viewed this legislation as potentially the most significant social policy transformation in Britain since abortion became partially legal in 1967.

However, House of Lords opponents successfully delayed passage by submitting over 1,200 proposed amendments to the legislation. This represents what experts believe is the highest number of amendments ever filed for a backbencher-sponsored bill rather than government-introduced legislation. Parliamentary rules restrict backbencher bills to Friday debate sessions only, severely limiting available discussion time.

Since the current parliamentary session ends next week, the legislation will expire. Britain’s five-year parliamentary terms include multiple government-determined sessions, and bills must complete the entire legislative process within one session to become law.

Assisted dying advocates have expressed frustration that unelected House of Lords members blocked the will of elected representatives and pledge to reintroduce the measure in the upcoming parliamentary session beginning after King Charles III delivers the government’s agenda speech to both chambers on May 13.

The legislation under consideration for approximately 18 months would have permitted adults in England and Wales with terminal diagnoses of six months or less to request assisted death following approval from two physicians and an expert review panel.

House of Lords members filing amendments argued they were conducting essential legislative review to improve the bill. Critics labeled the measure dangerous and impractical, expressing concerns about potential pressure on vulnerable individuals and insufficient protections for disabled persons.

Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the legislation to the House of Commons in late 2024, has committed to entering the backbencher ballot to reintroduce the bill next session.

“I will keep pushing for a safer, more compassionate law until Parliament reaches a final decision,” she stated.

Last month, Scottish Parliament members defeated similar legislation that would have made Scotland the first UK region to permit terminally ill adults to end their lives. Scotland maintains semi-autonomous governance with authority over various policy areas including healthcare.

Physician-assisted suicide — where patients consume lethal medication prescribed by doctors — is currently legal in multiple countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and several U.S. states, with varying qualification requirements across jurisdictions.

Federal authorities have unveiled a major offensive targeting cybercrime networks operating across Southeast Asia, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro describing the effort Friday as part of a “new theater of war” the Trump administration is waging against Chinese organized crime syndicates.

The comprehensive operation, spearheaded by a newly formed Scam Center Strike Force, resulted in Treasury Department sanctions against 29 individuals and entities, including a high-profile Cambodian legislator. Federal prosecutors have also brought criminal charges against two Chinese citizens connected to similar schemes in Myanmar.

During a virtual news conference linking Washington with reporters across Asia, Pirro outlined the scope of the initiative, which includes obtaining warrants to dismantle a significant recruitment operation on Telegram and freezing hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds.

Online fraud has exploded throughout Southeast Asia in recent years, with Cambodia and Myanmar serving as major hubs for illegal enterprises that generate enormous profits by targeting victims worldwide, according to United Nations researchers and crime analysts. FBI data shows Americans alone suffered losses approaching $21 billion from cyber-enabled fraud and digital scams during 2025.

These criminal enterprises are deeply connected to human trafficking networks, exploiting foreign workers who are lured with promises of legitimate employment only to be forced into operating romance scams and cryptocurrency fraud under conditions resembling modern slavery.

The strike force brings together Pirro’s U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, along with the FBI and Secret Service.

The operation’s highest-profile target is Kok An, a Cambodian senator and influential business figure whom Treasury officials have labeled a “scam center kingpin.”

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Kok An and his associates for their alleged roles in a criminal network that has reportedly stolen millions from American victims. The penalties freeze any U.S.-based assets belonging to Kok An and ban American businesses from conducting transactions with him.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Kok An or his representatives were unsuccessful.

“His Excellency Kok An is a Cambodian Senator and he was elected by elections, and as a senator he has parliamentary immunity,” stated Chea Thyrith, a spokesperson for Cambodia’s Senate, adding that only American officials could provide clear details about the sanctions.

This marks at least the second time the U.S. has sanctioned a Cambodian senator. In 2024, Washington took similar action against another wealthy businessman, Ly Yong Phat, who faced accusations of involvement in forced labor, human trafficking and profitable online fraud schemes.

According to Pirro, the current enforcement action began in November when FBI agents deployed to Thailand gained access to extensive evidence recovered from a deserted scam facility in Myanmar, including over 8,000 mobile phones and 1,500 computer devices.

This evidence led to wire fraud conspiracy charges against two Chinese nationals, Huang Xing Shan and Jiang Wen Jie, who allegedly managed the Myanmar compound before attempting to relocate their operations to Cambodia. Both men are currently detained by Thai authorities on immigration charges while the U.S. pursues their extradition, Pirro explained.

Cambodia’s parliament unanimously passed legislation in March specifically targeting online scam operations with penalties up to life imprisonment, following government promises to eliminate these centers by April’s end.

This past January, Cambodia extradited another suspected scam leader, Chen Zhi, founder of the Prince Holding Group business empire, to China despite U.S. efforts to secure custody after indicting him last year for allegedly orchestrating a massive fraud operation.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani leaders held discussions Friday with Iran’s foreign minister about ceasefire arrangements in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel, as Islamabad continues pushing to arrange another round of peace negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

Islamabad has been working to bring American and Iranian representatives back to the negotiating table, though anticipated discussions earlier this week failed to occur. President Donald Trump agreed to extend the ceasefire indefinitely at Pakistan’s urging this week, giving diplomats additional time to pursue talks.

Despite the ceasefire extension, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile. This crucial shipping route handles one-fifth of global oil and natural gas transportation during normal conditions. Iranian forces continue blocking vessel traffic and launched attacks on three ships this week, while American forces maintain their blockade of Iranian harbors and have authorized military personnel to “shoot and kill” small watercraft suspected of laying mines.

The U.S. military presence in the area has expanded significantly with the arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush in the Indian Ocean this week, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea.

This marks the first instance since 2003 that three American aircraft carriers have operated simultaneously in the region. According to U.S. Central Command, the combined naval force includes 200 aircraft and 15,000 sailors and Marines.

The conflict has caused dramatic increases in global oil costs, with Brent crude reaching over $107 per barrel in Friday’s spot trading — nearly 50% higher than February 28 levels when the U.S. and Israel initiated military action against Iran.

During Friday’s diplomatic conversation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir about “regional developments and issues related to the ceasefire,” according to Araghchi’s statement, though specific details were not disclosed.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed that “both sides exchanged views on regional developments, the ceasefire, and ongoing diplomatic efforts being pursued by Islamabad in the context of U.S.-Iran engagement.”

The ministry added that Dar “underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues, in order to advance regional peace and stability at the earliest.”

Casualty figures from the conflict show at least 3,375 deaths in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon, according to official sources. Israel has reported 23 fatalities, while Gulf Arab nations have lost more than a dozen people. Military losses include 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. service members across the region.

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Republic’s leading electricity provider ČEZ announced Friday it has entered into an agreement with British company Rolls-Royce SMR for preliminary development of the country’s inaugural small modular nuclear reactor.

According to ČEZ chief executive Daniel Beneš, the collaboration will focus on creating project blueprints and obtaining the regulatory documentation required for construction permits.

Beneš expressed optimism that all necessary governmental approvals will be secured by 2030. Construction of the compact nuclear facility is planned for the location where the current Temelín nuclear power station operates.

Earlier this year on April 13, Great Britain Energy – Nuclear, a governmental organization, entered into an agreement with Rolls-Royce SMR to initiate design development for Britain’s first small nuclear reactors.

According to Beneš, the Czech facility will represent the British company’s second small nuclear reactor project, following completion of their initial installation in the United Kingdom.

ČEZ maintains a 20% ownership stake in Rolls-Royce SMR, and the two companies previously established a strategic alliance aimed at developing up to 3 gigawatts of energy capacity within Czech borders.

The Czech government controls nearly 70% of ČEZ shares and is working toward complete ownership of the utility company.

Small modular reactors represent a nuclear technology designed to produce less electricity than conventional large-scale reactors. Proponents argue these compact units can be constructed more quickly and economically than traditional nuclear facilities, with flexibility to match specific regional energy demands.

RUYIGI, Burundi (AP) — Hundreds of Congolese refugees who fled violence in their homeland are now making the journey back across the border from Burundi, taking advantage of enhanced safety conditions after rebel forces pulled back from strategic locations.

The most recent group of 470 individuals crossed into eastern Congo after spending nearly four months at the Busuma refugee facility in Burundi’s Buhumuza province, where they had taken shelter following clashes near Uvira. United Nations data shows these returnees are part of a larger movement, with no fewer than 33,000 Congolese having made the trip home by March.

The M23 rebel organization, which captured extensive territory across North and South Kivu provinces along Rwanda’s border last year, subsequently pulled out of Uvira under mounting international pressure.

President Donald Trump has taken on a significant role in peace negotiations as the United States works to secure lasting ceasefire commitments from both nations, while potentially creating opportunities for American businesses to access Congo’s valuable mineral resources essential for technology ranging from aircraft to smartphones.

A Congolese Embassy representative from Burundi supervised Thursday’s homecoming ceremony, which brought joy to refugees who had endured food shortages and supply deficits at the Busuma facility.

Officials from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees announced the transport operation will extend for several more weeks, with a minimum of two bus groups departing weekly.

“I am happy, very joyful,” Hassan Masemo, one of those returning home, expressed, while thanking Burundian officials for “reopening the border for us.”

UNHCR statistics indicate Burundi currently provides refuge to over 200,000 Congolese displaced persons, with 66,000 residing in the Busuma location alone.

The facility opened in December 2025 to house Congolese civilians escaping the rebel offensive toward Uvira, which led Burundi to shut down the Gatumba crossing point. The border resumed operations following M23’s departure.

“This is being done only for those who are going straight to their homes, because for areas which are not yet safe for return, we are not going to organize the return,” stated Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, UNHCR’s representative in Burundi.

After local administration was reestablished in Uvira, some refugees began voluntary returns in March, which encouraged others to follow their example, she explained.

Eastern Congo’s resource-abundant region has endured generations of conflict as government military units battle more than 100 armed organizations, with M23 representing the most formidable threat.

While neither Rwanda nor M23 have openly confirmed Rwandan military participation alongside the rebels, United Nations investigators have documented proof of their engagement. Rwanda characterizes its actions as protective steps to safeguard its borders from Hutu militants linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

SEOUL, South Korea — Prosecutors in South Korea have declined a police request to arrest Bang Si-Hyuk, the billionaire music executive who chairs the company that manages global K-pop sensation BTS, citing insufficient grounds for detention in a major investor fraud investigation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency had sought an arrest warrant earlier this week for Bang, who founded and leads Hybe. However, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office determined the police request didn’t provide adequate justification for holding the executive and directed investigators to build a stronger case.

Bang has been prohibited from traveling outside South Korea since August, though authorities don’t consider him a significant flight risk.

The 53-year-old executive faces accusations of deceiving investors in 2019 by suggesting Hybe had no immediate intentions of becoming a publicly traded company, leading investors to sell their stakes to a private equity firm just before the company launched its stock market debut.

Investigators suspect the private equity fund may have paid Bang approximately 200 billion won ($135 million) through a separate agreement that guaranteed him 30% of profits from stock sales following the public offering.

According to Hybe representatives, Bang maintains his innocence. His attorneys have condemned the police effort to arrest him, emphasizing that he has fully participated in the investigation for several months.

The legal challenges facing Bang create unwelcome publicity for Hybe as BTS embarks on a worldwide tour following a nearly four-year break while the group’s seven members completed required military service.

BTS recently performed before thousands of international fans at a free reunion concert in Seoul and has since held shows in Goyang city, South Korea, and Tokyo. The band is scheduled to begin its American tour dates with a performance in Tampa, Florida, this weekend.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declined Friday to engage with reports suggesting the Pentagon might consider disciplinary action against NATO members who don’t back U.S. military operations in Iran.

Spain finds itself potentially targeted after blocking American military forces from utilizing Spanish territory and airspace for Iran-related operations. Spanish officials argue that actions taken by the U.S. and Israel in the Iran conflict violate international law.

Reports indicate the Pentagon may be considering Spain’s suspension from NATO, based on an unnamed U.S. official’s reference to a Defense Department email cited by Reuters.

“Well, we do not work with emails,” Sánchez stated to media during a European Union summit in Cyprus. “We work with official documents and positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States.”

“The position of the government of Spain is clear: absolute collaboration with the allies, but always within the framework of international legality,” he added.

NATO functions through unanimous agreement among members. The alliance’s charter contains no provisions for removing or suspending any of its 32 nations, though countries can voluntarily withdraw after providing one year’s notice to other members. NATO itself plays no direct part in the Iran conflict beyond protecting member territory.

President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with what he perceives as inadequate support from certain NATO allies regarding American Iran operations and assistance with securing the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Trump has publicly questioned America’s continued participation in the military alliance.

EU foreign policy leader Kaja Kallas expressed confusion about U.S. complaints, noting that Britain and France are spearheading efforts to secure maritime trade in the strait post-conflict.

“When we have had contacts with the American counterparts, then actually their asks for us have been exactly what we are able to offer after the cessation of hostilities,” she explained. “Demining, escorting of ships, all of this that we have been discussing.”

However, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has emphasized that America maintains “long-standing arrangements and agreements with European allies on overflight, on basing” that deserve respect, appearing to criticize countries like Spain and France.

Despite Spain’s restrictions on U.S. military activities tied to the Iran situation, American aircraft have operated through other NATO nations’ airspace and utilized U.S. installations in different member countries for conflict-related missions.

Trump has even suggested potential trade restrictions against Spain due to its base and airspace limitations. Additionally, Spain has disappointed allies by not matching their planned defense spending commitments.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed the country’s primary intelligence training facility to restore the name of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the controversial figure who established the Soviet Union’s brutal secret police apparatus following the 1917 revolution.

Known as “Iron Felix,” Dzerzhinsky was a Polish aristocrat who became a revolutionary and helped create the oppressive security system that would later be expanded under Josef Stalin. While Russian dissidents view him as a symbol of tyranny, current intelligence officials in Putin’s administration regard him as a heroic figure.

The fall of communist regimes brought symbolic rejections of Dzerzhinsky’s legacy. Celebrating crowds destroyed his statue in Warsaw, Poland in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. Two years later, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Moscow residents toppled his monument outside KGB headquarters at Lubyanka Square.

However, “Iron Felix” has now returned to the FSB training institution, following a similar restoration at the Foreign Intelligence Service nearly two years ago.

According to a Kremlin announcement released this week, Putin has mandated that the FSB Academy, formerly called the KGB Higher School, will now operate under the title “F.E. Dzerzhinsky Academy of the Federal Security Service.”

Putin, who served as a KGB lieutenant colonel before entering politics, justified the change by citing Dzerzhinsky’s “outstanding contribution to ensuring state security,” the official decree stated.

Historical records show the KGB Higher School previously carried Dzerzhinsky’s name from 1962 through 1993. Putin himself trained at the facility during 1979 and the early 1980s, according to his official biographical information.

Located in southern Moscow, the FSB academy operates departments covering foreign languages, information security, counterintelligence, operational support, applied mathematics, and specialized equipment.

**REVOLUTIONARY ENFORCER**

Many Russians interpret Dzerzhinsky’s return as evidence of increasing authoritarian control during wartime and Russia’s complete break from its post-Soviet efforts to align with Western nations.

Serving as one of Vladimir Lenin’s most devoted supporters, Dzerzhinsky helped consolidate revolutionary power through merciless Leninist methods: savage persecution of enemies and anyone merely suspected of opposition.

From 1917 until his death in 1926, Dzerzhinsky directed the secret police operations for both Lenin and Stalin, orchestrating the campaign of fear, arrests, violence and killings that became infamous as the “Red Terror.”

He created the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission, called the Cheka, which carried out widespread executions without trial during the Civil War period.

His influence remains so significant that contemporary Russian intelligence operatives still identify themselves as Chekists, referencing his security organization, and honor Dzerzhinsky as “Chekist no. 1.”

Some officials anticipate Dzerzhinsky may eventually return to the FSB’s main Lubyanka Square location.

“After the return of Dzerzhinsky to the FSB Academy, many really await the return of Felix Edmundovich (Dzerzhinsky’s) statue to its rightful place on Lubyanka,” said Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the National Defence magazine.

Chinese authorities are implementing new measures that would block major technology companies from accepting American investment dollars without first obtaining government clearance, according to a Bloomberg News report released Friday.

The news outlet cited sources with knowledge of the situation, though Reuters has not been able to independently confirm these details.

According to the report, Chinese government agencies, including the National Development and Reform Commission, have recently directed multiple private technology companies to turn down investment from United States sources during funding rounds unless they secure explicit approval beforehand.

The new guidance has reportedly reached artificial intelligence companies Moonshot AI and StepFun, Bloomberg indicated. Additionally, ByteDance, the parent company behind the popular social media platform TikTok, has been instructed that it must obtain clearance before allowing any secondary share transactions involving American investors.

The development represents another layer in the ongoing technological tensions between the world’s two largest economies, as both nations continue to scrutinize cross-border investments in sensitive technology sectors.

International development organizations have released a sobering assessment indicating that worldwide food insecurity will continue at alarming levels throughout 2026, as armed conflicts, climate-related droughts, and decreased international assistance create a perfect storm for hunger.

The latest edition of the Global Report on Food Crises, marking its tenth year of tracking worldwide hunger patterns, reveals that severe food shortages have increased twofold during the past ten years. For the first time since the report began, two regions – Gaza and Sudan – were officially classified as experiencing famine conditions in 2025.

The comprehensive study documented that 266 million individuals across 47 nations and territories experienced dangerous levels of food shortage during 2025, while 1.4 million people endured the most extreme hunger conditions in Haiti, Mali, Gaza, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen.

The crisis has particularly impacted children, with 35.5 million young people worldwide suffering from acute malnutrition in 2025 alone. Nearly 10 million of these children faced the most severe form of nutritional deficiency.

Examining current conditions, the assessment indicates that crisis-level hunger persists, with only Haiti showing signs of potential improvement from the most catastrophic category due to modest security gains and expanded humanitarian support.

Alvaro Lario, who leads the U.N. International Fund for Agricultural Development and contributes to the annual assessment, emphasized the evolving nature of the crisis. “We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” Lario stated.

He further explained to Reuters: “The main message is that food insecurity is not an isolated issue anymore, but is putting pressure on global stability.”

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has intensified concerns about food security, according to Lario. He cautioned that extended disruptions to energy and fertilizer markets could impact global food systems and intensify hunger in nations that rely heavily on food imports and are already experiencing crises.

“Even if the conflict in the Middle East were to end right now, we know that a lot of the food price shocks and inflation will happen in the next six months,” he explained.

Beyond Middle Eastern tensions, West African nations and the Sahel region face continued challenges from violence and ongoing price increases, with Nigeria, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso expected to experience particular difficulties.

Nigeria specifically is anticipated to witness one of the most significant rises in food insecurity during 2026, with projections showing 4.1 million additional people will face acute hunger.

In East Africa, insufficient rainfall throughout much of the Horn of Africa region is expected to intensify hardships in Somalia and Kenya, where drought conditions, security threats, elevated food costs and diminished humanitarian support are likely to create deteriorating circumstances.

The report also highlighted concerning trends in international funding, noting that humanitarian and development financing for food-related programs dropped significantly in 2025 and is expected to decline further.

Financial support for humanitarian food initiatives is estimated to have decreased by approximately 39% in the previous year compared to 2024 figures, while development aid contracted by no less than 15%.

Indonesia’s finance minister confirmed Friday that the nation has abandoned any consideration of charging fees to vessels navigating through the Malacca Strait, following international concern over earlier remarks about monetizing the crucial shipping corridor.

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa reinforced a statement made Thursday by Indonesia’s foreign minister, emphasizing that the Southeast Asian nation will not implement any tariff system for the strategic waterway.

During a Friday press briefing, Purbaya stated that Indonesia remains committed to following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which establishes international guidelines for maritime passages used by global shipping.

The clarification came after Purbaya created international concern Wednesday when he publicly discussed potential methods for countries to charge vessel fees in the strait, though he had noted such arrangements would not be feasible.

The controversy emerged as Asian policymakers grapple with maritime security challenges following the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East, raising concerns about other critical shipping passages.

The Malacca Strait spans 900 kilometers (550 miles) and borders Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The U.S. Energy Administration has designated it as the world’s largest “oil transit chokepoint,” serving as the most direct maritime route connecting East Asia with the Middle East and Europe.

According to data from Malaysia’s Marine Department, more than 102,500 vessels—primarily commercial ships—passed through the Malacca Strait in 2025, representing an increase from approximately 94,300 ships in 2024.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have instructed their defense departments to move ahead with a troubled European fighter jet initiative worth $116 billion, according to government officials.

The ambitious military aviation program, which includes Spain as a partner, has faced serious obstacles due to public disagreements between France’s Dassault Aviation and Airbus over who should lead the massive undertaking.

When a journalist questioned whether the FCAS program had failed, Macron responded firmly. “No, not at all,” the French leader stated during an EU summit in Cyprus, where he had met with Merz to address the issue.

“We had a good discussion this morning with the chancellor, and we gave a mandate to our defence ministries to work precisely on several areas, on a range of different issues,” Macron explained. “Not just the future combat aircraft, but various levers of cooperation between our two countries.”

A representative from the German government verified that the two leaders had discussed the matter.

“The Chancellor and the President instructed their defence ministers to continue working on various areas of cooperation and to agree on the next steps. This work will be completed in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson confirmed.

Earlier this week, defense officials from both nations presented conflicting schedules for resolving the fighter jet program’s future, with some suggesting an immediate decision while others requested additional time for negotiations.

The central conflict revolves around which country will oversee the primary fighter aircraft component of a comprehensive system designed to connect manned aircraft with armed drones through advanced digital technology.

Industry experts have anticipated that Germany and France might scale back their joint fighter development while maintaining collaboration on drone technology and the digital infrastructure that would link various military assets including aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and ground-based radar systems. However, abandoning the original plan would create political difficulties for Macron.

European Union officials will develop a comprehensive plan for the bloc’s mutual defense agreement following concerns about America’s dedication to NATO, according to announcements made during a summit in Cyprus this week.

The decision comes as President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of NATO over the Iran conflict, combined with his earlier threats to take control of Greenland from Denmark, has prompted European leaders to strengthen their own security arrangements.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides announced that EU leaders reached consensus during Thursday evening’s summit to create detailed procedures for Article 42.7, the union’s mutual assistance provision.

“We agreed last night that the (European) Commission will prepare a blueprint on how we respond in case a member state triggers Article 42.7. There are a number of questions that we need to have an answer to,” Christodoulides said.

The EU’s mutual assistance agreement differs significantly from NATO’s Article 5 collective defense provision, which serves as Europe’s primary security foundation and includes detailed military planning and operational structures.

France remains the only nation to invoke the EU clause, doing so following the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks that claimed 130 lives. Member countries responded by contributing to EU and international military operations, allowing France to redeploy its forces.

Cyprus has particular interest in strengthening Article 42.7 after a drone attack targeted a British military installation on the island during last month’s Iran conflict. The nation, which currently leads the rotating EU Council presidency, does not belong to NATO.

However, several EU member states worry about appearing to distance themselves from NATO and its established Article 5 defense framework.

“For me it is an absolutely crucial thing that Article 5 is the key of our collective defence and collective security and it will remain so,” Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters on Thursday.

Article 42.7 of the Treaty on the European Union states that “if a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all means in their power.”

“Let’s say France triggers Article 42.7. Which countries are going to be the first to respond to the request of the French government, what are the needs of the government or the country that triggers Article 42.7? All those will be put in a blueprint,” Christodoulides said.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas provided leaders with updates on current efforts to develop Article 42.7 procedures during the summit, according to EU sources.

“NATO remains the bedrock of collective defence,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But the EU has tools available that are complementary to NATO – such as sanctions, financial assistance and humanitarian aid – which could come into play in an Article 42.7 situation.”

Kallas’ team is examining various scenarios including hybrid warfare, traditional military attacks, and situations where both Article 42.7 and NATO’s Article 5 might be activated simultaneously, the official added.

BEIJING – Chinese foreign ministry officials on Friday dismissed President Donald Trump’s suggestion that a recently seized Iranian cargo vessel contained materials provided by Beijing.

U.S. forces opened fire on and captured an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that attempted to bypass American enforcement of sanctions at Iranian ports. Iranian military officials confirmed the vessel had departed from China and promised to respond to what they characterized as “armed piracy by the U.S. military.”

During a Tuesday interview with CNBC, Trump suggested the intercepted ship “had some things on it, which wasn’t very nice. A gift from China perhaps, I don’t know.”

Beijing’s foreign ministry dismissed those remarks during Friday’s briefing.

“China opposes any accusations and associations that lack a factual basis,” ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

“Normal international trade relations between countries should not be subject to interference and disruption,” he added.

The cargo vessel Touska was boarded and captured by American forces on Sunday. Maritime security experts indicated Monday that the ship likely carried what U.S. officials consider dual-use materials that could potentially serve military purposes.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Floating naval mines threatening oil vessels in the Persian Gulf. Iranian patrol boats spraying ships with automatic weapons fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States caught in the crossfire.

These scenes aren’t from today’s tense standoff between Iran and America, currently on hold due to an unstable ceasefire. Rather, they describe the “Tanker War” of the 1980s, when Iran attacked commercial shipping during its conflict with Iraq, prompting American warships to provide protection for Kuwaiti oil vessels to maintain global crude supplies.

America might consider adopting a similar approach today and take more forceful action to safeguard vessels traveling through the waterway, which handles 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments during normal times. The military provided limited ship protection in the Red Sea recently for vessels under attack, and President Donald Trump announced this week he has directed American forces to “shoot and kill” Iranian small craft.

However, implementing escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz would present significant challenges. Military capabilities have evolved dramatically since the “Tanker War.” America lacks the same focused, specific objectives it maintained during the 1980s conflict. Additionally, international shipping companies might not trust American naval protection given the U.S. is now directly involved in combat.

The American Navy has extensive experience dealing with small vessel strategies employed by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which has adapted to international economic restrictions limiting access to military ships by converting smaller civilian craft for warfare.

The Guard has spent years using boats comparable in size to small fishing vessels to track American aircraft carriers transiting the strait. Rather than carrying fishing equipment, these craft typically mount Soviet-era heavy machine guns on their front sections along with small rocket systems on top.

Iran captured two commercial ships this week using these small boats. Guard footage showed their personnel on patrol craft that appeared tiny next to the enormous container vessels. Guard members fired weapons at the cargo ships before boarding them while carrying automatic rifles.

Apart from their publicity impact, these captures demonstrated that nearly two months into hostilities with America and Israel, despite an American naval blockade of Iranian shores, the Guard can utilize minimal resources to effectively close the strait and threaten the global economy.

The “Tanker War” emerged from the brutal eight-year conflict between Iraq and Iran during the 1980s.

Iraq initially struck Iranian oil facilities and tankers in the Persian Gulf. Iran eventually launched its own systematic campaign against regional shipping, including deploying mines.

Iraq would ultimately strike more than 280 ships compared to Iran’s 168, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. However, Iran’s mine deployment created widespread chaos in the area.

America, which backed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein with intelligence, weapons and other support, initiated “Operation Earnest Will” and began protecting Kuwaiti oil tankers that were redesignated under American flags.

The mission carried significant risks. The Kuwaiti supertanker Bridgeton hit a mine while under American protection at the operation’s beginning. An Iraqi missile attack on the USS Stark resulted in 37 sailor deaths, while an Iranian mine strike injured 10 aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts. America also mistakenly identified a passenger aircraft as a military jet and destroyed it, killing all 290 passengers and crew on Iran Air flight 655.

Despite these difficulties, the “Tanker War” operation achieved success as Navy vessels escorted approximately 70 convoys through the region.

Repeating such success today would prove extremely challenging.

America would need to ensure it could establish a protective barrier that Iran couldn’t breach — a demanding task since even a single Iranian missile, drone or boat attack would restore the anxiety currently affecting the strait.

“I think even if you compare it with the ‘Tanker War,’ I think just in terms of the way military technology has evolved, especially on that asymmetrical side, it’s much more difficult to secure a waterway now than it was then,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst with risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“Unless there is some sort of agreement or unless the U.S. can significantly curb Iran’s ability to launch fast boats, to launch drones, to launch short-range missiles, then this problem just remains unresolved.”

This explains why European nations, despite Trump administration pressure, have stated they won’t participate in ship escort missions until hostilities end.

The Reagan administration also maintained more limited, defined objectives in its Cold War operation, such as keeping the strait open, according to Tom Duffy, a former U.S. diplomat and naval officer.

“In contrast, the American goals (now) have been sort of a kaleidoscope of regime change to all sorts of very maximalist goals,” said Duffy, who recently published a book called “Tanker War in the Gulf.”

Recently, the American Navy provided limited protection for ships traveling through the Red Sea passage to shield them from attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-supported Houthi rebels. However, the Navy concentrated on American-flagged vessels or those transporting supplies for the U.S. government.

During those missions, the Navy encountered its most severe maritime combat since World War II. Using military force to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz could result in similarly fierce fighting.

Duffy observed that it remains unclear whether the Trump administration even desires such a confrontation.

“There’s a White House statement this week in which we said that the ceasefire is not in jeopardy because they aren’t attacking U.S. and Israeli ships. That’s a fundamental shift,” he said. “That goes past centuries of U.S. practice and statements about the needs for freedom of the sea.”

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Celebration erupted across Indonesia’s capital Friday as community members, municipal employees, and environmental activists pulled massive nets filled with invasive suckermouth catfish from a city reservoir during a major crackdown on the destructive species.

Officials aim to extract a minimum of 10 tons of these unwanted fish from Jakarta’s water systems, hoping the initiative will help restore ecological balance to the Ciliwung River while drawing public focus to water quality issues.

Throughout the contaminated waterway and along concrete barriers near downtown’s towering buildings, dark silhouettes of these fish attach themselves firmly to river walls. Upon closer inspection, they look almost ancient, featuring armored frames that shine a muted brown color under the cloudy water.

These suckermouth catfish, scientifically called Pterygoplichthys and known locally as ‘sapu-sapu,’ originated outside Indonesia. Brought in years ago for home aquariums due to their algae-eating capabilities, they eventually escaped into Jakarta’s heavily contaminated rivers where they flourished. These creatures can reach lengths of 50 centimeters (nearly 20 inches) and survive 10-15 years.

Scientists have repeatedly cautioned that uncontrolled invasive species populations can upset freshwater environments, especially in crowded metropolitan regions like Jakarta.

Dian Rosleine, an environmental scientist from the Bandung Institute of Technology, explained that these fish demonstrate remarkable adaptability, thriving in polluted environments where native species cannot survive.

‘So, these fish are biological indicators that the water is in poor condition,’ she said.

The Ciliwung previously transported pristine water from West Java’s mountains into Jakarta. Currently, it winds through crowded residential areas, collecting untreated domestic sewage and factory discharge. Concrete barriers have replaced natural riverbanks. When dry seasons arrive, warmer and slower water creates ideal conditions for janitor fish while harming native species, according to Rosleine.

Jakarta officials have launched widespread removal efforts, focusing on these invasive fish throughout municipal waterways. The initiative started last week.

The removal campaign, directed by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, occurred simultaneously across all five administrative districts of the capital, involving hundreds of workers including firefighters, emergency personnel, and local volunteers. Teams have captured and disposed of more than seven tons of janitor fish citywide within one week.

Friday’s cleanup at a 6-meter-deep (19-foot-deep) water reservoir in East Jakarta’s Ciracas district attracted interested onlookers as municipal crews gathered approximately 320 kilograms (705 pounds) of the invasive species.

Stacks of squirming janitor fish filled red containers beside the reservoir — concrete evidence that meaningful action was finally underway.

‘The janitor fish populations have reproduced at a notable level while also feeding on native species,’ East Jakarta’s mayor, Munjirin, told reporters during Friday’s cleanup visit. ‘The impact extends beyond ecosystem destruction, contributing to structural damage to riverbank and embankment walls.’

Munjirin, who follows the Indonesian custom of using one name, stated that this coordinated effort begins a long-term strategy to manage the species, with regular surveillance and removal scheduled to prevent additional environmental harm.

Nevertheless, he promised to reassess the program’s approach after the Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, expressed concerns about apparent cruelty, guaranteeing that all fish will be deceased before disposal.

While supporting the cleanup, MUI’s religious ruling commission cautioned that burying living janitor fish constitutes a breach of animal welfare principles established in Islamic teachings.

Officials remain careful about future steps. Although janitor fish provide food in certain nations, worries about heavy metal pollution mean they cannot be immediately cleared for human consumption in Jakarta. Instead, authorities are investigating options including converting the fish into livestock feed or soil enhancement products.

Anung stated that the disposal process will mandate killing the fish before burial at approved locations, with sanitary protocols implemented to prevent their return to waterways or commercial markets.

The Jakarta governor observed that buried janitor fish can function as organic fertilizer and recommended following Brazil’s approach, where the fish become charcoal to create greater economic value.

However, scientists warn that removal represents just the beginning. Without enhancing sewage treatment and decreasing contamination, the river may rapidly return to previous conditions.

‘The Ciliwung River requires rehabilitation, our major challenge that must be addressed,’ Rosleine said. ‘Addressing the symptoms without tackling the root causes will not provide a lasting solution.’

TOKYO (AP) — Celebrated Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is breaking new ground with his upcoming release, which will be his first full-length work to spotlight a female lead character as she navigates her way through an extraordinary and puzzling reality.

Set for release on July 3 in both printed and electronic editions, “The Tale of KAHO” follows the journey of Kaho, a 26-year-old who creates children’s picture books.

This upcoming release represents Murakami’s return to novel-writing after a three-year hiatus. His last work, “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” told the story of a man’s quest through themes of romance, grief, and the blurred lines separating reality from the unconscious mind.

According to a Thursday announcement from Shinchosha Publishing Co., Kaho represents the first solitary female lead to anchor a complete novel in Murakami’s body of work.

The novel’s origins trace back to a brief story called “Kaho,” which Murakami performed during a literary event at Waseda University — where he studied — two years ago. He shared the stage with acclaimed female writer Mieko Kawakami, who is known to admire his writing. This initial story appeared in Shincho magazine’s June 2024 issue.

The protagonist Kaho possesses ordinary appearance and intellect but maintains an inquisitive nature. During a meal with a male companion, he delivers a shocking statement: “I’ve never seen one as ugly as you.” Rather than becoming angry, the puzzled and curious Kaho seeks to decode the meaning behind his words.

Following this encounter, strange occurrences begin infiltrating her daily existence.

A promotional preview from the publishing house declares: “I must find the way out of this world,” adding that “Murakami world is in full force.”

Since then, Murakami has continued the character’s story through three additional installments in Shincho magazine, with the most recent appearing in March. These pieces include “The Anteater of Musashi-sakai,” “Kaho and the Termite Queen,” and “Kaho and the Motorcycle Man, and Scarlett Johansson.”

Philip Gabriel provided the English translation of the initial story for The New Yorker magazine’s 2024 publication.

According to the publisher, Murakami has woven these four segments together and breathed fresh energy into them for this 352-page novel.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Hundreds of mountaineers hoping to conquer Mount Everest find themselves stuck at base camp after a dangerous ice formation has blocked their path up the world’s tallest mountain, Nepalese officials announced Friday.

The unstable ice formation, known as a serac, sits between base camp and the first climbing camp and poses significant danger to anyone attempting to pass, according to Himal Gautam from Nepal’s Department of Mountaineering.

Government officials are collaborating with climbing teams and expedition leaders to evaluate the dangerous conditions while hundreds of mountaineers and their guides remain stranded, unable to continue their ascent.

The mountaineering department has granted climbing permits to 410 international adventurers seeking to reach Everest’s summit during this spring’s climbing window, which concludes at May’s end.

Specialized climbing guides known as “Icefall Doctors” typically complete the annual route preparation by mid-April, installing ropes and placing aluminum ladders across dangerous gaps in the ice.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, responsible for deploying the route-setting team, intends to examine the ice formation from the air. “The risk of avalanche is high and they are waiting for the serac to melt down on its own to a safe level,” stated committee Chairman Lama Kazi Sherpa.

This ice formation belongs to the notorious Khumbu Icefall, a continuously moving glacier filled with deep cracks and enormous overhanging ice structures that can tower as high as ten-story buildings. Climbers regard this section as among the most challenging and dangerous parts of the entire Everest ascent.

A similar ice collapse in 2014 triggered a devastating avalanche that claimed the lives of 16 Sherpa guides who were transporting client equipment up the mountain, marking one of Mount Everest’s most tragic climbing disasters.

Next month, hundreds of international climbers along with approximately the same number of Nepalese guides and support staff plan to attempt the summit during brief periods of suitable weather conditions.

Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay first successfully climbed the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak on May 29, 1953, thousands of people have reached Everest’s summit.

The crisis between the United States and Iran reached new heights Friday following President Donald Trump’s directive to American forces to fire upon Iranian small vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian officials rejected Trump’s assertions about internal political divisions within their country.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf responded with nearly matching posts on social media, stating: “In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates’. We are all Iranians and revolutionaries.”

Following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the initial military action on February 28, questions remain about which Iranian officials now hold ultimate power among the nation’s civilian leadership and military commanders who currently appear to be running the country.

Trump announced Thursday night that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah following discussions at the White House.

The ongoing conflict has brought oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz to a virtual halt, blocking a waterway that typically handles one-fifth of global oil trade during normal conditions, with no resolution appearing imminent.

European Union foreign policy leader Kaja Kallas warned Friday that current peace talks between Washington and Tehran could result in a less effective deal than agreements reached ten years ago.

Speaking from Cyprus, Kallas said: “If the talks are only about the nuclear (issue) and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPoA was,” referencing the 2015 nuclear accord from the Obama era that Trump withdrew from in 2018.

Kallas emphasized that without addressing Iran’s “missile programs, their support to proxies, and also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe,” negotiators risk creating “a more dangerous Iran.”

Meanwhile, Turkish officials reported that a humanitarian supply convoy departed for Iran on Friday, according to Turkey’s official Anadolu news service.

Van Health Director Muhammed Tosun confirmed that six trucks left the eastern Turkish city of Van to cross at the Gurbulak border checkpoint.

“The materials include medicines and medical supplies,” Tosun explained.

“We previously sent three trucks. With today’s trucks, a total of nine trucks of aid materials will have been delivered to our Iranian colleagues to serve their citizens,” he added.

WARSAW, April 24 – Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has raised serious doubts about America’s willingness to stand by its NATO commitments should Russia launch an assault on European territory, according to statements he made to the Financial Times.

In remarks that highlight mounting concerns across Europe about President Donald Trump’s unpredictable approach to foreign policy and his criticisms of European allies, Tusk emphasized the urgent need for the European Union to transform into a “real alliance” capable of defending the continent.

During an interview published Friday in the British publication, Tusk described the uncertainty surrounding NATO’s readiness as the continent’s most pressing concern. “For the whole eastern flank, my neighbours… the question is if NATO is still an organisation ready, politically and also logistically, to react, for example against Russia if they try to attack,” he stated.

The Polish leader characterized the possibility of Russian aggression as “something really serious” and stressed the immediate nature of the threat.

“I’m talking about short-term perspectives, rather months than years… For us, it’s really important to know that everyone will treat the NATO obligations as seriously as Poland,” Tusk explained.

These comments came as Tusk participated in an unofficial European Union gathering in Cyprus, where leaders are also addressing Middle Eastern conflicts, energy policy responses, and the bloc’s upcoming long-term financial planning.

Looking toward potential changes in EU defense cooperation, Tusk mentioned the possibility of strengthening Article 42.7 of the EU treaty – the mutual defense provision – particularly following the eventual departure of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintains close ties with Russia.

“What you need if you want to have, not only on paper, a real alliance, is true tools and real power when it comes to defence instruments and mobility of militaries from country to country etc. It’s a very practical problem for today,” he remarked.

Tusk outlined his broader vision for European security, stating: “This is why my obsession now and my mission is to reintegrate Europe. It means common defence… a common effort to protect our eastern borders.”

Federal investigators in India have placed a drone technology firm under scrutiny after arresting government aviation officials and executives from a major industrial conglomerate on bribery charges this week.

The Central Bureau of Investigation took action against personnel from India’s aviation regulatory body and Reliance Industries, claiming corrupt payments were made to fast-track approval processes for importing certain unmanned aircraft.

At the center of the controversy is Asteria Aerospace, an obscure subsidiary within billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s vast Reliance business network. Reliance has stated it neither authorized nor had knowledge of any such financial arrangements, while legal representation for the aviation official has challenged his detention.

India’s unmanned aircraft sector has experienced significant expansion following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration relaxing regulatory restrictions in 2021. The nation now operates approximately 39,000 authorized drones for agricultural monitoring, community mapping, and various government programs.

According to its corporate website, Asteria Aerospace markets itself as a drone technology enterprise delivering “actionable intelligence from aerial data.” The company assists clients in gathering precise information and performing artificial intelligence-driven analysis using geographic imagery collected by unmanned aircraft.

Through its fleet of more than 400 deployed drones, Asteria serves the farming, building, telecommunications, and energy industries. One example includes drone operations for Reliance BP Mobility, where the company studied road traffic patterns and calculated vehicle velocities to determine optimal locations for retail establishments.

Entrepreneurs Nihar Vartak and Neel Mehta established the business in 2011 within Bengaluru, India’s prominent technology center. Reliance purchased the company in 2019 through a $2.45 million transaction.

The acquisition aligned with Reliance’s strategy to invest in cutting-edge technologies, according to company statements. Current ownership data from March 2024 indicates that Reliance Jio Platforms, the conglomerate’s technology division, holds a 74% stake in Asteria.

Reliance Jio Platforms is also preparing for a public stock offering that analysts predict could become India’s largest initial public offering in history.

Financial records show Asteria’s income jumped dramatically from 11 million rupees ($117,000) in fiscal year 2020 to 400 million rupees ($4.24 million) by fiscal year 2024.

Current aviation regulations established in 2021 require all unmanned aircraft systems to obtain proper certification before operating within Indian airspace. Asteria claims to be the first domestic drone manufacturer achieving three distinct certifications from the country’s aviation safety authority.

The company highlighted that its domestically-produced AT-15 drone model was featured during the 77th Republic Day Parade held earlier this year.

Law enforcement officials report they initiated their investigation after receiving information suggesting a Reliance executive and government regulator had agreed upon a $16,000 payment to expedite processing of three import applications submitted by Asteria Aerospace.

SEOUL, South Korea — Legal authorities in South Korea have demanded a three-decade prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, claiming he intentionally heightened conflict with North Korea during 2024 through authorized drone missions over Pyongyang to justify implementing martial law domestically.

The ousted conservative leader faces charges of aiding an enemy nation and misusing presidential authority, part of extensive criminal allegations stemming from his brief martial law implementation in South Korea last December.

The sentencing recommendation emerged during final proceedings at Seoul Central District Court, where special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk’s investigative team argued that Yoon and senior military officials orchestrated alleged drone incursions into North Korean territory approximately two months prior to declaring martial law while characterizing liberal opposition as North Korean sympathizers and “anti-state” elements.

Defense attorneys for Yoon, who have consistently rejected these allegations, have not yet responded to the prosecution’s sentencing proposal.

Earlier this year in February, the court imposed a life sentence on Yoon after convicting him on the more severe rebellion charges. Both Yoon’s legal team and prosecutors, who had pursued capital punishment, have appealed that decision.

Cho’s prosecution team stated Friday that Yoon attempted to manufacture a conflict scenario between the two Koreas while orchestrating an authoritarian scheme to eliminate political rivals and “consolidate and prolong his authority.” Legal officials are also pursuing a 25-year sentence for former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, a close ally who assisted in organizing and deploying forces for the martial law announcement.

Pyongyang alleged that Seoul conducted three drone operations over its capital in October 2024, dropping propaganda materials. Kim initially offered an ambiguous denial, though Seoul’s Defense Ministry subsequently stated it could not verify the accuracy of these accusations. Korean Peninsula tensions escalated significantly during this period.

Yoon moved forward with his midnight martial law proclamation on December 3, 2024, broadcasting a televised statement condemning liberals on multiple fronts, particularly regarding their impeachment efforts against his administration officials and reductions to his government’s budget proposal.

The emergency order remained active for approximately six hours until sufficient legislators penetrated a barrier of heavily armed military personnel and law enforcement that Yoon had stationed at the National Assembly. Lawmakers subsequently voted to reverse the declaration, compelling his Cabinet to rescind the directive.

Legislative action suspended Yoon from his position on December 14, 2024, following impeachment by the liberal-controlled parliament, with the Constitutional Court officially removing him in April 2025. Authorities arrested him in July of that year, and he has faced multiple criminal proceedings since then.

Despite its brief duration, Yoon’s martial law order plunged the nation into significant political upheaval, disrupting governmental operations and international relations while destabilizing financial markets. The crisis subsided only after his liberal opponent Lee Jae Myung secured victory in an emergency presidential election last June.

Following his inauguration, Lee endorsed legislation establishing independent inquiries into Yoon’s martial law actions and additional criminal matters involving the former president, his spouse, and their associates.

BANGKOK — During a diplomatic meeting in Bangkok on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reached an agreement to boost their nations’ strategic alliance and broaden cooperative efforts.

According to Thai government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek, both leaders committed to enhancing joint efforts against international criminal activities and online fraud schemes, among other collaborative initiatives.

The spokesperson noted that Anutin expressed gratitude to China for its ongoing support of Thailand, while Wang offered congratulations to Anutin for maintaining his position following recent elections and voiced optimism about the future of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.

The meeting took place at Government House in Bangkok, where Anutin welcomed Wang with a handshake and photo opportunity before their formal discussions began.

Earlier in the day, Wang also held talks with Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, according to government officials.

Wang’s arrival in Thailand occurred Thursday, marking the start of a three-day diplomatic mission that followed his meetings with Cambodian government officials focused on strengthening political and security cooperation between their nations.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has announced that Myanmar will be Wang’s next destination on his regional tour.

Thailand and China share significant economic ties, with China serving as Thailand’s largest trading partner. The two nations marked the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship last year, and Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn made history in November with the first visit to China by a sitting Thai monarch.

Investment from Chinese companies in Thailand has grown substantially in recent years, driven largely by firms relocating production facilities to Southeast Asia to circumvent U.S. trade tariffs.

Myanmar’s president Min Aung Hlaing announced emergency measures Friday placing 60 districts under direct military authority for 90 days, escalating government control in regions where armed conflict continues following the nation’s transition from junta rule.

The emergency declarations affect districts spanning Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Shan and Rakhine States, along with portions of Saging, Magway and Mandalay regions. These same areas have faced military restrictions and nighttime curfews since the armed forces seized power in 2021.

State media reported the government justified the 90-day emergency period as necessary to “end armed terrorism” and restore “the rule of law” in the affected territories.

Under the new orders, Myanmar’s military commander Ye Win Oo will assume complete executive and judicial control over the designated areas, according to an announcement in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar publication.

The emergency measures represent Min Aung Hlaing’s most significant effort to strengthen authority over battle-scarred regions since taking the presidency in early April, following controversial elections that brought a military-aligned party to power.

The Southeast Asian nation descended into widespread violence after military forces removed the democratically elected administration of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, triggering mass demonstrations that evolved into organized armed opposition to military rule.

After seizing control in 2021, Min Aung Hlaing’s military government declared nationwide emergency rule, repeatedly extending it until organizing December and January elections that international observers condemned as illegitimate.

MANILA – The Philippines called on Myanmar Friday to expand its prisoner releases to include more political detainees, specifically mentioning former leader Aung San Suu Kyi who was removed from power in a military coup.

As the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines issued a statement on April 24 praising Myanmar’s recent amnesty actions while pushing for additional releases to help foster nationwide political discussions.

“We reaffirm our commitment to assisting Myanmar, as an integral part of ASEAN, to achieve a peaceful and durable solution to the political crisis in the country,” the Philippines stated in the official ASEAN chair’s declaration.

The Filipino government characterized the recent prisoner amnesty as a constructive move toward creating opportunities for broader political engagement across Myanmar’s divided society.

ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania — French fighter pilots rushed to their aircraft with well-rehearsed precision when the NATO alert sounded, already dressed in flight gear to cut down response time.

The aviators raced in vehicles to aircraft shelters where their combat-ready Rafale fighters waited, climbed into their seats and started the engines, which roared and shrieked to life.

Just minutes after departing from Lithuania’s Šiauliai Air Base, they were flying above the Baltic Sea, first encountering a Russian Il-20 spy plane and then following high-speed Russian bombers with their fighter protection that came close to several NATO nations’ airspace.

During wartime, such encounters could rapidly escalate. However, at present, with Russia and the Western military bloc in disagreement about Ukraine but not engaged in direct combat, aviators from both nations simply observed and recorded each other — maintaining separation like cautious predators with weapons ready but unused, their armaments clearly visible yet not fired.

Part of this strategic display — occurring in airborne choreography that happens beyond public view hundreds of times annually — aims to prevent the tension between NATO and Moscow regarding Russia’s comprehensive assault on Ukraine from escalating to direct military confrontation.

Military leaders and aviators conducting NATO air defense operations along the eastern border of the 32-member alliance state their objective is deterrence rather than aggression. They consider their deployment comforting to the Baltic nations — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — which share borders with Russia and its partner Belarus but lack their own air forces to repel potential Russian aggression.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse, or rather cat and cat,” said Lt. Col. Alexandre, commander of a French air force wing of four Rafales that is sharing the Lithuanian base with another fighter detachment from Romania. Citing security concerns, the French military withheld the commander’s surname.

“We watch each other, scrutinize each other and try to make sure that it doesn’t go any further,” he said.

Member nations rotate responsibility for monitoring Baltic airspace continuously, twenty-four hours daily throughout the week. The French took over the facility that currently houses their temporary command center from a Spanish unit. They will transfer it to Italian successors in August. Each rotating team adds commemorative patches and insignia to a display wall documenting their service.

NATO launches interceptor aircraft to verify identity and potentially take additional measures when Russian planes operate in Baltic airspace with disabled identification equipment and without submitting flight plans or maintaining radio contact with aviation authorities.

“There are plenty of times in which, on purpose or not, they’re not really respecting the ICAO — the International Civil Aviation Organization — rules, regarding flight plans and behavior,” said Col. Mihaita Marin, commanding the Romanian detachment of six F-16s.

“So obviously we are forced to take off and just make sure that they are who they say they are and their intention is peaceful,” he said.

Spring’s arrival, bringing improved weather for aviation operations, has kept French and Romanian pilots occupied since beginning their four-month NATO assignments in early April.

Marin said interceptions “are getting close to daily” and “that will definitely increase as the weather is getting better.”

French flight crews — observed by an Associated Press reporter covering activities at the base — experienced their most active day yet on Monday.

Launched under NATO direction, French Rafales encountered and monitored two Russian Tu-22M3 bombers carrying high-speed, anti-vessel missiles beneath their fuselages that Russia has also deployed in Ukraine, converting them for ground strikes, and which can be fitted with nuclear warheads.

The strategic bombers’ flight lasting more than four hours from a base near St. Petersburg, accompanied by Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, stayed in international airspace but passed the coastlines of NATO members Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, turning around when they neared Denmark.

The French unit reported the Russian aircraft operated without active transponders, filed flight plans or radio communication. Fighter aircraft from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Romania also launched to maintain surveillance, according to French sources. NATO didn’t respond to requests for comment.

French commander Lt. Col. Alexandre said the reasoning behind Russian pilots’ actions that could threaten other Baltic airspace users remains unclear.

“We don’t know if it’s lack of professionalism or just a means for them to test us,” he said.

“But what is sure is that we need to go every time,” he added. “We cannot say, ‘OK, that’s usual, this time we will just let them pass.’”