Category: World News

Intelligence sources indicate that Iran’s recently appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains unconscious and in grave condition in the city of Qom, creating uncertainty about who holds power in Tehran, according to a diplomatic briefing citing American and Israeli intelligence that was published Tuesday in The Times of London.

Former President Trump has questioned whether the Iranian leader remains alive or capable of governing. Speaking last month, Trump stated, “The supreme leader of Iran is dead or seriously wounded because nobody hears from him. Who would want to lead Iran? Nobody.”

Mojtaba Khamenei has been absent from public view since early March, just weeks after taking over as supreme leader. His current medical crisis stems from wounds he received during a combined American-Israeli military strike on February 28 that marked the beginning of the conflict. That same attack resulted in the deaths of his father Ali Khamenei, along with his mother, spouse, and child.

The intelligence memo reveals that funeral arrangements are being made in Qom for Ali Khamenei, with construction of an expansive mausoleum designed to accommodate “more than one grave,” suggesting additional family members may be interred at the location.

Meanwhile, Iran International, an opposition news source, has reported that a military committee consisting of high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders has taken control of governmental decisions in Iran. This council is allegedly blocking Mojtaba Khamenei from receiving updates about the nation’s wartime situation.

Additional friction has emerged between President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government and the Revolutionary Guards. Reports indicate that Pezeshkian sought an audience with Mojtaba Khamenei, but his request received no response and contact was never made.

Israeli military forces launched extensive bombing operations across Iran on Monday, striking facilities the military claims were essential to the country’s weapons manufacturing capabilities, according to statements from the Israel Defense Forces.

Military officials reported that warplanes targeted a chemical manufacturing complex in Shiraz that produced nitric acid, a substance Israeli forces describe as crucial for creating explosives and developing ballistic missiles. Israeli military representatives stated this location was among the limited number of Iranian sites still capable of manufacturing vital chemical materials for weapons production.

The Israeli military indicated these latest attacks followed previous bombardments of other major chemical manufacturing complexes, including what they characterized as Iran’s largest petrochemical operation and another facility in Mahshahr. Military officials claim these combined strikes have disabled more than 85% of Iran’s chemical export capabilities.

In addition to the Shiraz facility, Israeli forces reported hitting a major ballistic missile installation in Iran’s northwestern region during the same military operation.

Israeli officials expect the infrastructure damage will significantly hamper Iran’s capacity to produce essential missile components, which they say Iran uses to threaten Israel and neighboring Middle Eastern nations.

The United Nations migration agency reported Tuesday that over 80 migrants remain unaccounted for following a devastating boat accident in the central Mediterranean Sea. Two bodies have been found so far from the tragedy.

The vessel was carrying approximately 120 individuals when it left Tajoura, a coastal community in northwestern Libya, on Sunday. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the boat took on water and flipped over due to severe weather conditions in the area.

Rescue operations by a commercial ship and tugboat successfully pulled 32 survivors from the water, who were subsequently transported by Italy’s coast guard to Lampedusa, a southern Italian island. Officials confirmed the recovery of two victims’ bodies during the operation.

The North African nation has become a primary departure point for people escaping conflict and economic hardship across Africa and the Middle East. Libya descended into turmoil following the 2011 rebellion that resulted in the death of long-ruling leader Moammar Gadhafi.

This latest tragedy occurred roughly one week following another deadly incident when Italian coast guard personnel discovered 19 bodies and saved 58 individuals from a migrant dinghy approximately 80 nautical miles from Lampedusa. That rescue operation took place in Libya’s search and rescue waters during challenging weather.

The small Mediterranean island of Lampedusa serves as Europe’s primary arrival destination for migrants making the dangerous crossing from North Africa, with thousands perishing during these treacherous voyages. Most fatalities occur when small vessels launch from Tunisian and Libyan shores.

According to Tuesday’s IOM report, early 2026 has become the most lethal beginning to any year for Mediterranean crossings since 2014, with no fewer than 990 documented deaths already recorded. In the Central Mediterranean specifically, 765 people have lost their lives in 2026, representing approximately a 150% surge compared to the same timeframe last year.

IOM Director General Amy Pope recently told The Associated Press that the organization is observing increasing numbers of migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sudan aboard Mediterranean vessels.

“The issue of people crossing the Mediterranean is really dependent on what else is happening in the world and the factors at the moment, war, instability, lack of access to food, sexual violence, all of these things will drive people to move,” she said.

BULLY-LES-MINES, France — A locomotive engineer lost his life Tuesday when a high-speed passenger train collided with a truck transporting military equipment at a railroad crossing in northern France, according to local officials.

Sixteen passengers sustained injuries in the crash, with two in serious condition, authorities reported. The truck operator has been taken into custody as investigators launch an aggravated manslaughter probe, though Prosecutor Etienne Thieffry told media it remains too soon to pinpoint what caused the deadly collision.

Jean Castex, who leads France’s national railway system SNCF, confirmed that the crossing’s safety gates were operating properly at the time of impact.

Emergency responders descended on the crash site in Bully-les-Mines, located along the rail line connecting Dunkirk to Paris, regional officials stated. More than 200 train passengers were safely evacuated from the scene following the accident.

An Associated Press reporter observed extensive damage to both vehicles, with the locomotive’s front end severely crushed and the truck also heavily damaged. The train cars stayed upright on the rails, though railway operations were suspended while emergency crews conducted their response operations.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan diplomatic officials announced Tuesday that peace negotiations taking place in China between Afghanistan and Pakistan aimed at stopping cross-border violence have shown encouraging progress.

The diplomatic meetings commenced last week in Urumqi, a city in western China, after Beijing extended an invitation to both nations in hopes of resolving the deadly conflict that erupted in February and has claimed hundreds of lives. Pakistan previously declared it was engaged in “open war” with Afghanistan and has conducted aerial bombardments on Afghan territory, including strikes in Kabul.

According to a Tuesday post by the United Nations humanitarian coordination office in Afghanistan, the ongoing violence has forced 94,000 people from their homes, while another 100,000 residents in two Afghan border districts have been completely isolated by the fighting since February began.

The escalating violence has created significant concern among international observers, especially given that extremist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS maintain operations in the contested region.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held discussions with China’s ambassador to Afghanistan on Tuesday, as reported by Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal on social media. Takal expressed gratitude to Beijing for organizing and facilitating the negotiations, while also acknowledging mediation assistance from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“Noting that constructive discussions have taken place so far, FM Muttaqi expressed hope that minor interpretations would not hinder the progress of the negotiations,” Takal wrote.

Official communications about the diplomatic talks have remained limited since mid-level representatives from both countries began meeting on April 1.

Despite the ongoing negotiations, Afghanistan has repeatedly alleged that Pakistan continued cross-border artillery attacks during the talks, resulting in civilian casualties. Pakistani officials have not responded to these accusations.

Pakistan frequently claims that Afghanistan allows militant groups to operate from its territory and launch deadly strikes inside Pakistan, particularly the Pakistani Taliban organization known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. This group maintains ties with but operates separately from the Afghan Taliban, which assumed control of Afghanistan in 2021 after U.S.-led forces withdrew. Afghan authorities reject these allegations.

Pakistani military leadership pledged Tuesday to maintain current anti-terrorism operations until what they described as “militant safe havens” are destroyed and “the use of Afghan territory against Pakistan” ceases.

These statements emerged from a high-level military conference led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to an official military announcement.

The gathering assessed current domestic and international security conditions. The statement indicated that “terrorist proxies” working for “external sponsors” and their supporters would be tracked down and eliminated “relentlessly and without exception.”

The current violence represents the most intense fighting between the neighboring countries and began when Afghanistan launched retaliatory cross-border operations following Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil. These clashes shattered a Qatar-mediated ceasefire agreement from October that had ended earlier fighting which killed dozens of military personnel, civilians and suspected militants.

A Pakistani airstrike on March 17 targeted a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, with Afghan authorities reporting more than 400 deaths. Pakistan disputed targeting civilians, claiming its operations focused on military installations.

Crude oil costs have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels approaching $150 per barrel as the escalating Middle East conflict continues to strangle global energy supplies, according to industry data released April 7.

The ongoing war involving the U.S.-Israel alliance against Iran has resulted in the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off approximately 12 million barrels of oil per day from reaching world markets. This represents roughly 12% of global oil production, creating severe supply shortages that are driving prices to historic peaks.

While Brent crude futures climbed to $119.50 per barrel last month – the highest level since 2022 – the actual cost of physical oil deliveries has far surpassed even those elevated prices. North Sea Forties crude reached an all-time high of $146.09 per barrel on Tuesday, surpassing the previous 2008 record of $147.50.

The dramatic price surge stems from desperate competition among refineries in Europe and Asia scrambling to secure alternative oil sources to replace the lost Middle Eastern supplies. This has created a bidding war for immediately available crude from regions like Europe and Africa.

Veteran oil trader Adi Imsirovic attributed the extreme pricing to widespread “panic” in the marketplace. “When there is a real, physical shortage, people are not thinking about July delivery – June loading and hence June futures prices – but oil NOW,” Imsirovic explained.

The gap between immediate delivery prices and future contracts has widened dramatically, with dated Brent crude – which reflects actual cargo prices – trading nearly $20 above June futures contracts. This premium reflects the urgent need for oil that can be delivered immediately rather than months down the road.

“At the moment, the market is scrambling for prompt, refinery-usable barrels, and stress is appearing first in the part of the benchmark that is closest to the immediate physical problem,” Morgan Stanley analysts noted in their latest market assessment.

S&P Global Energy Platts, a major oil price publisher, valued dated Brent at $141.365 on April 2, approaching the 2008 record of $144.22. Using this benchmark would push many physical oil cargoes, including Forties crude, well beyond the $150 threshold.

The supply crisis has also sent refined fuel costs soaring across European markets. Jet fuel prices reached $226.40 per barrel on Tuesday, nearly matching record highs set in mid-March. Diesel prices climbed to $203.59 per barrel, though still below the peaks reached in 2022.

BAGHDAD — Three Iraqi government sources revealed Tuesday that local officials suspect the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia orchestrated the March 31 kidnapping of American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson from a Baghdad street corner, though efforts to secure her freedom have encountered significant roadblocks.

While U.S. authorities had previously pointed to this group as responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, Iraq’s government has not officially identified the perpetrators, and the militia organization has made no public claims regarding the kidnapping.

When contacted for comment, representatives from Kataib Hezbollah refused to respond.

Two Iraqi security officials and one member of the pro-Iran Coordination Framework political alliance shared details with The Associated Press under anonymity, as they lacked authorization to discuss the sensitive matter publicly.

According to one security source, a representative from the Popular Mobilization Forces — an umbrella organization of Iran-backed militias operating under nominal Iraqi military oversight — was assigned to establish contact with the kidnappers for Kittleson’s release but encountered substantial communication barriers with Kataib Hezbollah’s leadership.

“The primary challenge is that the leaders of the Kataib militia — specifically, the commanders of the battalions — are nowhere to be found. No one knows their whereabouts, and the process of establishing contact with them is extremely complex,” they said. “These leaders have gone underground, maintaining no active lines of communication, out of fear of being targeted.”

The political source indicated that Iraqi officials sent communications to Kataib leadership seeking their conditions for the journalist’s release. While authorities expressed readiness to free six detained Kataib Hezbollah members — most held for attacks on a U.S. facility in Syria — the militia has yet to clearly state its demands.

A second security official noted additional complications, explaining that the Iraqi official overseeing the case still awaits authorization from U.S. authorities to move forward with negotiations.

U.S. officials have not yet responded to requests for comment. The State Department has previously stated it is collaborating with the FBI to secure Kittleson’s freedom.

Press freedom organizations have called on the U.S. government to officially classify Kittleson as a hostage or “wrongful detainee,” a status that would activate enhanced government response protocols.

The 49-year-old Kittleson spent years working internationally, previously operating from Rome while establishing a distinguished journalism career throughout the Middle East, with particular focus on Iraq and Syria. As is common for independent journalists, she frequently operated with limited resources and without the security measures provided by major news organizations to their staff reporters.

She had recently re-entered Iraq before her capture. U.S. officials report they repeatedly warned her about threats to her safety, but she chose to remain in the country.

Iraqi authorities described the kidnapping as involving two vehicles, with one crashing during a pursuit near al-Haswa in Babil province, located southwest of Baghdad. The journalist was subsequently moved to a second vehicle that escaped.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council will cast ballots Tuesday on a significantly diluted measure calling for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, though uncertainty remains over whether Russia and China will block the Bahrain-backed proposal.

The balloting comes just hours ahead of an 8 p.m. Eastern time ultimatum issued by U.S. President Donald Trump requiring Iran to reopen the crucial shipping lane or face military strikes on its infrastructure including power facilities and bridges. Approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments normally transit through this waterway, and Iran’s blockade amid the ongoing conflict has caused energy costs to spike dramatically.

Even if the measure passes, it’s unlikely to influence the conflict, which has now entered its fifth week, given how substantially it has been diluted in attempts to persuade Russia and China to abstain instead of using their veto power.

The original proposal from Bahrain would have permitted nations to employ “all necessary means” — diplomatic language at the UN that encompasses military force — to guarantee passage through the Strait of Hormuz and prevent closure attempts.

Following objections from Russia, China and France, all permanent Security Council members with veto authority on the 15-nation body, regarding the authorization of force, the measure was amended to remove all references to offensive operations. The revised version would have permitted only “all defensive means necessary.” Voting had been anticipated for Saturday.

However, the proposal underwent further weakening to remove any mention of Security Council authorization — which constitutes a directive for action — and restrict its scope specifically to the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier versions had encompassed surrounding waters.

Tuesday’s resolution “strongly encourages states interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate with the circumstances, to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation across the Strait of Hormuz.”

This would encompass providing protection for merchant and commercial ships, and preventing efforts to shut down, block or disrupt international shipping through the waterway, according to the text.

The measure also calls on Iran to immediately cease attacks on merchant and commercial vessels and stop hindering their navigation freedom through the Strait of Hormuz and targeting civilian infrastructure.

Following U.S. and Israeli military operations that began February 28, Iran has struck hotels, airports, residential areas and other civilian targets across more than 10 nations, including the Islamic Republic’s Gulf neighbors, some of whom rank among the world’s leading oil and natural gas exporters.

Gulf states view Iran’s strait blockade as a threat to their survival. Bahrain, which houses the U.S. Fifth Fleet and currently serves as the Security Council’s Arab representative and monthly president, has been advocating for UN intervention.

Meanwhile, Trump reiterated Monday his demand for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while praising U.S. forces for their bold rescue of two fighter jet crew members shot down over Iran. The Republican leader cautioned Iran that the “entire country can be taken out in one night, and that might be tomorrow night.”

He echoed this threat Tuesday, stating a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Tehran meets his deadline to accept an agreement that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia and China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong have held the U.S. and Israel responsible for initiating the conflict and creating a widening international crisis. They informed the Security Council last week that the most pressing need is an immediate cessation of military activities.

Following Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbors, the Security Council passed a Bahrain-sponsored resolution March 11 denouncing the “egregious attacks” and demanding Tehran immediately stop its strikes.

That measure, approved 13-0 with Russia and China not participating, also criticized Iran’s Strait of Hormuz actions as endangering global peace and security and demanded an immediate end to all shipping blockade activities.

Turkish law enforcement officers fatally shot an assailant during an armed confrontation outside the structure that houses Israel’s consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, officials and eyewitnesses confirmed.

The violent encounter brings attention to Turkey’s extensive record of extremist violence spanning nearly a decade. Here’s a chronological overview of significant terrorist incidents that have occurred across the country:

December 29, 2025 – Six Islamic State fighters and three Turkish law enforcement officers died during armed combat in Yalova, located in Turkey’s northwest region.

September 8, 2025 – Authorities detained a teenager, age 16, in connection with the fatal shooting of two officers during an assault on a police facility in Izmir, a western Turkish municipality.

October 24, 2024 – A pair of armed assailants murdered five individuals at TUSAS, Turkey’s premier aerospace company in Ankara. Officials attributed the assault to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) extremist organization.

January 28, 2024 – Two masked shooters fatally wounded one person while attacking a religious service in Istanbul. Law enforcement apprehended the suspects and established connections to Islamic State.

October 1, 2023 – Two militants set off an explosive device outside government facilities in Ankara, killing themselves and injuring two law enforcement officers. The PKK took credit for the bombing.

November 13, 2022 – An explosion on a crowded Istanbul street resulted in six deaths and 81 injuries. Turkish officials accused the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which they regard as a PKK affiliate, though both organizations rejected involvement.

January 5, 2017 – A vehicle bomb in Izmir claimed the lives of one police officer and one court worker. Officials determined PKK members carried out the attack.

December 31, 2016 – Islamic State accepted responsibility for a New Year’s Eve mass shooting at an Istanbul entertainment venue that resulted in 39 fatalities.

December 17, 2016 – A car bomb explosion killed 13 military personnel in Kayseri. A PKK splinter group claimed the attack.

December 10, 2016 – Dual explosive attacks near an Istanbul football stadium killed 44 people, primarily law enforcement officers. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK), affiliated with PKK, claimed responsibility.

August 26, 2016 – A suicide truck bomb targeting a police station in southeastern Turkey killed no fewer than 11 people. The PKK claimed the operation.

August 20, 2016 – A suicide bomber struck a wedding celebration in Gaziantep, killing at least 51 attendees. President Tayyip Erdogan stated the perpetrator had Islamic State connections.

June 28, 2016 – A coordinated attack involving three suicide bombers and gunmen at Istanbul’s primary airport killed 45 and injured more than 160. The attackers, believed connected to Islamic State, received life imprisonment sentences.

March 19, 2016 – A suicide bomber killed four people in Istanbul, including three Israeli citizens (two holding dual U.S. citizenship) and one Iranian national. A Turkish Islamic State member was responsible.

March 13, 2016 – An explosive-laden vehicle detonated at a busy transportation center in Ankara, killing 37 people. TAK claimed responsibility.

February 17, 2016 – A car bomb targeted military transport vehicles near the armed forces headquarters, parliament, and additional government structures in Ankara, killing 28 and wounding many others. TAK claimed the attack.

January 12, 2016 – A suicide bomber killed at least 10 individuals, predominantly German visitors, in Istanbul’s historic district. Authorities attributed the incident to Islamic State.

October 10, 2015 – Twin bomb attacks outside Ankara’s central railway station killed more than 100 people. Turkish courts gave life sentences to the perpetrators, who had Islamic State ties.

September 8, 2015 – PKK fighters killed 15 law enforcement officers in the eastern provinces of Mardin and Igdir.

July 20, 2015 – An Islamic State suicide bomber killed over 30 people, mainly young students, in Suruc, a predominantly Kurdish community near Syria’s border.

Two French citizens who spent more than three years imprisoned in Iran are now heading home, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday.

Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris are “free and on their way to France, after three and a half years of detention in Iran,” Macron wrote on the social media platform X.

The news prompted French legislators to rise in a standing ovation when the announcement was shared at the National Assembly in Paris.

Military strikes targeted infrastructure across Iran on Tuesday, hitting transportation networks and a train facility, while President Donald Trump issued what he called a final ultimatum demanding Tehran agree to terms that would reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Trump delivered stark warnings that “a whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iranian leaders accept his latest proposal by an 8 p.m. Washington deadline. The president has previously extended similar ultimatums but indicated this one would be his last.

American forces also conducted operations against military installations on Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export facility, marking the second assault on the location. Previous attacks on the island destroyed air defense systems, radar equipment, an airfield, and a naval base, according to satellite imagery analyzed by defense research organizations.

The escalating conflict has Iran’s leadership calling on citizens to protect critical infrastructure. Iranian official Alireza Rahimi released a video appeal urging “all young people, athletes, artists, students and university students and their professors” to create protective human barriers around electrical generation facilities.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on social media that 14 million citizens have responded to recruitment drives, volunteering for military service, and declared his intention to join them. Revolutionary Guard commanders have encouraged families to send their children to staff security checkpoints.

The military standoff centers on Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies normally flow during peacetime. Iran imposed the shipping restrictions after coordinated attacks by Israel and the United States on February 28 initiated the current conflict.

Iranian forces retaliated Tuesday morning by launching seven ballistic missiles toward Saudi Arabia, with debris scattering near energy installations as defense systems intercepted the projectiles. The attacks forced Saudi authorities to temporarily shut down the King Fahd Causeway, the sole roadway linking Bahrain and the Arabian Peninsula.

Additional missile strikes targeted Israeli territory, with incoming projectiles reported near Tel Aviv and Eilat. Israel’s military confirmed it attacked an Iranian petrochemical facility in Shiraz for the second consecutive day and issued warnings in Farsi advising Iranians to avoid railway travel.

The humanitarian toll continues mounting, with Iranian state media reporting over 1,900 deaths since hostilities began, though officials haven’t updated casualty figures recently. In Lebanon, where Israel battles Iran-supported Hezbollah forces, more than 1,400 people have died and over one million have been displaced.

Economic consequences are spreading globally as oil prices surge. Brent crude reached above $108 per barrel in Tuesday trading, representing approximately a 50% increase since the conflict started.

International leaders are expressing alarm at the escalating rhetoric. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned that strikes against civilian and energy infrastructure “are barred by the rules of war, international law” and would trigger “a new phase of escalation.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also cautioned the United States that attacks on civilian infrastructure violate international legal standards, according to his spokesperson.

When asked about potential war crimes concerns, Trump told reporters he’s “not at all” worried about such allegations.

Behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts are continuing despite the public threats. Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are working intensively to broker a compromise before the deadline expires. Iran has connected any reopening of the strait to sanctions relief, while the United States has shown willingness to ease some restrictions, particularly on Iran’s oil sector, partly to stabilize global energy markets.

Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal on Monday, demanding instead a permanent end to hostilities. However, indirect communication channels between Washington and Tehran remain active as negotiators race against time.

The mood in Iran’s capital reflects the gravity of the situation. One teacher in Tehran, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, expressed fear that continued attacks on infrastructure could create widespread chaos. Many Iranians who initially hoped the conflict might topple their government now worry about returning to primitive conditions without electricity, internet, or basic utilities.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to “deprive the U.S. and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years” and expand attacks throughout the Gulf region if Trump follows through on his ultimatum.

The conflict has also claimed lives beyond Iran and Lebanon, with more than two dozen deaths reported in Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, 23 fatalities in Israel, and 13 American service members killed.

LAGOS, Nigeria — Massive crowds gathered in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos for the spectacular annual Fanti Carnival, honoring the rich Afro-Brazilian culture of the “Aguda” community — descendants of formerly enslaved individuals who made their way back from Brazil during the 1800s.

Typically held during the Easter season in recent years, this cultural extravaganza ranks among West Africa’s most significant celebrations, drawing comparisons to Brazil’s famous Rio Carnival, known worldwide as the ultimate party.

Upon arriving in West Africa, many of these returnees made Lagos their home, integrating with the local Yoruba community while maintaining elements of Brazilian and Portuguese traditions. These influences became woven into local music, cuisine, building styles, religious practices, and daily life, ultimately creating the foundation for the Fanti celebration.

“If you know the history of Lagos, you will understand how this carnival is important to the city and its history,” carnival participant Ademola Oduyebo explained on Monday. “It is important that we preserve this so for our children.”

Under this year’s banner “A Homecoming of Heritage,” parade groups from throughout Lagos made their way to Tafawa Balewa Square, showcasing multiple generations of descendants from formerly enslaved communities.

Participants donned vibrant attire as they danced through the streets toward downtown, with some riding on horseback. Each group proudly showcased aspects of their Brazilian ancestry and cultural identity.

Performers and artists from across the African continent displayed stunning outfits adorned with beads and feathers, while others painted their bodies in brilliant colors, moving to traditional Yoruba beats.

Festival attendee Glamour Sandra expressed her enthusiasm for participating in both the Fanti celebration and Brazil’s Rio Carnival.

“I love the energy, the artistic splendor that they create,” she remarked about the Fanti festival.

Community organizations representing the historic Aguda neighborhoods play a central role in the yearly celebration and assist with its coordination.

ISTANBUL, Turkey — A violent confrontation erupted outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday when three armed individuals launched an assault on police officers, resulting in one gunman’s death and the capture of two wounded suspects, according to Turkish authorities.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul reported to the media that two law enforcement officers received minor injuries during the exchange of gunfire. The attackers were armed with long-barrel firearms during the incident.

Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti revealed on X that the perpetrators had driven approximately 60 miles from Izmit to Istanbul in a rental vehicle. According to Cifti, one of the suspects had connections to an organization that “exploits religion,” though he did not specify which group. Turkey has previously experienced fatal attacks carried out by the Islamic State organization.

The Interior Ministry identified the two captured brothers as Onur C. and Enes C., with the former having a prior criminal history involving narcotics. Both suspects are currently undergoing questioning.

Footage captured during the assault revealed one gunman wielding what looked like an assault weapon while wearing a brown backpack, taking cover behind a bus during the firefight with officers. The video shows a police officer being struck and falling before rolling to safety behind a tree.

Ministry officials confirmed that one officer sustained a leg wound while another was injured in the ear during the confrontation.

The consulate operates within a high-rise structure located in Levent, a major commercial area of the city. Authorities noted that no Israeli diplomatic personnel are currently stationed at Israeli facilities throughout Turkey, as Israel removed its diplomats due to safety concerns and worsening diplomatic ties during the Gaza conflict.

Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, have been appointed to oversee the investigation.

Law enforcement cordoned off the building and closed multiple streets while forensic specialists in protective gear searched the scene for evidence.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack criticized the attack and commended Turkish officials for “their swift and decisive response.” He stated on X: “Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international order — and an assault on the principles that bind nations together.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry similarly condemned the incident and praised Turkish security personnel for their “swift action in thwarting this attack.”

Vice President JD Vance confirmed Tuesday that recent American military strikes against Iran’s Kharg Island do not signal any shift in the United States’ current approach, while a U.S. official confirmed the attacks focused on military installations rather than oil facilities.

An unnamed U.S. official speaking with Reuters indicated that the strikes targeted locations that had been hit in previous operations, with the military action taking place during the early morning hours on Tuesday.

During remarks made in Budapest, Vance emphasized that these strikes maintain consistency with existing U.S. policy, noting the Trump administration expects Iran to respond by 8 p.m. Tuesday (0001 Wednesday GMT) regarding ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the current conflict. President Trump has demanded that Iran abandon its nuclear weapons program and allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil transport.

“We were going to strike some military targets on Kharg Island, and I believe we have done so,” Vance stated.

“We’re not going to strike energy and infrastructure targets until the Iranians either make a proposal that we can get behind or don’t make a proposal,” he continued. “I don’t think the news in Kharg Island … represents a change in strategy, or represents any change from the President of the United States.”

Officials from Afghanistan announced Tuesday that productive negotiations occurred in the Chinese city of Urumqi as part of efforts to address escalating tensions with neighboring Pakistan.

China, which borders both nations along its western frontier, has stepped into a mediating role to help resolve what has become the most serious diplomatic crisis between the two countries since Taliban forces regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.

The talks represent an attempt to repair the deteriorating relationship between the former allies, whose partnership has soured significantly in recent years.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Officials in Cameroon announced Monday that Russian authorities have verified the deaths of 16 soldiers from the Central African nation who were killed fighting in Ukraine, based on correspondence sent to Russia’s embassy in Cameroon.

The foreign affairs ministry in Cameroon sent a communication to the Russian embassy confirming the deaths of the 16 Cameroonian soldiers who were deployed in Ukraine’s conflict zone. Ministry officials stated that “necessary arrangements” have been initiated to reach out to the families of the fallen soldiers.

On the same day, the ministry issued another communication requesting that relatives of six additional Cameroonian citizens residing in Russia visit the ministry regarding “urgent matters” related to their family members. No additional details were provided about these cases.

Last March, Cameroon’s defense minister directed the nation’s military leadership to implement “strict emergency measures” aimed at stopping additional defections among current and former military personnel.

Ukrainian officials estimate that over 1,700 African nationals have been enlisted to fight alongside Russian forces, with multiple African governments reporting that their citizens were deceived into combat roles through promises of well-paying employment or professional training opportunities.

A security briefing delivered to Kenya’s parliament this year revealed that approximately 1,000 Kenyan nationals were recruited for Russian military service after being deceived with false job promises before being deployed to combat zones.

Ukraine’s intelligence services reported this month that two Nigerian citizens were killed in combat while fighting for Russian forces late last year.

A separate AP investigation conducted in 2024 revealed that African women were also deceived into supporting Russia’s military operations, being sent to work in facilities manufacturing attack drones for use against Ukraine. These women were recruited through social media advertisements promoting educational work programs.

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s energy officials confirmed Tuesday that crude oil shipments through a critical Black Sea pipeline continue operating normally, despite a Ukrainian strike that damaged Russian port facilities used for the exports.

Russian military officials reported Monday that Ukrainian forces had struck the maritime transfer complex at Novorossiysk port during overnight operations, causing damage to a docking facility used by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and sparking blazes at four petroleum storage tanks.

“The work of our oil sector is stable and CPC exports continue to be stable,” Deputy Energy Minister Sungat Yesimkhanov stated to media representatives. A ministry advisor had previously indicated Monday that Kazakhstan was keeping watch on developments following the Novorossiysk incident, though no additional details were provided at that time.

The CPC facility, situated southwest of Novorossiysk, processes 80% of Kazakhstan’s crude oil exports. Transportation volumes through the 938-mile Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline increased in the previous year to 70.5 million metric tons – equivalent to 1.53 million barrels daily – up from 63 million tons in 2024.

Ukrainian officials have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the alleged strike on CPC infrastructure. However, Ukraine’s military separately confirmed Monday that its drone operations had targeted oil loading facilities at Sheskharis, located approximately 9 miles from the CPC terminal.

The CPC consortium, which includes U.S. energy giant Chevron among its stakeholders, has not issued a statement regarding the incident. Chevron’s subsidiary Tengizchevroil, which manages Kazakhstan’s largest oil field at Tengiz and serves as the primary source for CPC exports, reported that field operations have continued without interruption.

Additionally, Tengizchevroil’s director general William Lacobie announced Tuesday that the facility has resumed full production capacity following electrical supply problems experienced earlier this year.

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov told journalists Tuesday that Ukrainian responsibility for the facility attack was unquestionable and noted similar previous incidents. He directed operational status questions to the CPC’s management team.

“The strikes took place. That much is clear. As we all know, this is not the first time the Kyiv regime has targeted the CPC’s infrastructure,” Peskov stated.

The pipeline consortium was forced to suspend operations temporarily for several days following a late November Ukrainian attack that effectively eliminated one of three offshore loading platforms.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has put forward a proposal to Russia calling for both nations to halt strikes on energy facilities during the upcoming Orthodox Easter weekend celebration.

The proposal was delivered to Moscow through American intermediaries who have been facilitating discussions between Ukrainian and Russian representatives as the conflict enters its fifth year, Zelenskyy announced.

“If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will be ready to respond in kind,” Zelenskyy stated during his Monday evening address to the nation. “This proposal, conveyed through the Americans, has already been presented to the Russian side.”

Moscow has not yet responded to the Easter truce suggestion. Past ceasefire attempts have yielded minimal results. Last Easter, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral 30-hour halt to hostilities, but both nations later blamed each other for violations.

Russia previously dismissed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by the United States and Ukraine as a pathway to peace negotiations, demanding instead a complete resolution to the conflict. However, Moscow has implemented several brief, one-sided truces.

Zelenskyy expressed skepticism that the Kremlin would accept his April 12 holiday ceasefire proposal, noting that Russia currently profits from elevated oil prices resulting from the Iran conflict.

The Ukrainian president worries that an extended U.S.-Israeli confrontation with Iran might diminish American backing for Ukraine.

The American-mediated negotiations have stalled on major issues as Washington focuses on Middle Eastern developments, while Russian and Ukrainian forces continue fighting along the approximately 1,250-kilometer front.

Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s electrical grid to break civilian morale, while Ukraine has launched domestically manufactured long-range drones against Russian oil facilities to reduce Moscow’s primary export income.

“Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure is exploiting overstretched Russian air defenses and significantly damaging Russian oil export capabilities,” stated the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, in Monday’s analysis.

“Russia’s geographical size poses an enormous challenge to defend, especially with traditional air defense systems on which the Russians reportedly still rely to protect against Ukraine drone salvos,” the assessment continued.

Russian forces are also striking public transportation systems, including Ukraine’s critical railway network and bus routes.

Tuesday morning brought tragedy when a Russian drone hit a bus approaching a stop in Nikopol, a southeastern Ukrainian city, killing four civilians and wounding 15 others, local officials reported.

“This brutal attack on civilian regular transportation occurred during rush hour, when people were just going to work,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko posted online. “This is not an accident, it’s their (Russian) tactic: deliberate strikes on civilians.”

Ukrainian officials also confirmed three deaths and three injuries from an assault on a residential structure in Kherson, a southern city. Near the eastern city of Synelnykove, an 11-year-old boy died in a separate drone attack, raising Tuesday’s civilian casualties to eight fatalities.

Government and military leaders reported electrical outages across multiple eastern and southern Ukrainian regions following artillery bombardments and drone attacks.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed both the speaker and deputy speaker of the nation’s parliament, according to an official announcement made during Tuesday’s legislative session.

Tulio Odongi Ayahu, who serves as chief whip for Kiir’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), delivered the presidential decree that terminated Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba and Deputy Speaker Permena Awerial Aluong from their positions in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

The dismissals stem from accusations made the previous week by SPLM caucus members, who filed a formal petition alleging Kumba engaged in corrupt practices related to the improper handling of legislative funding. The petition demanded her immediate removal from office.

Kumba, who broke barriers in 2021 by becoming South Sudan’s first female parliamentary speaker, has remained silent regarding these corruption claims.

President Kiir has named Joseph Ngere Paciko as the new speaker, while Abuk Paiti Ayiik will assume the deputy speaker role.

These terminations follow a pattern of sudden leadership changes under Kiir’s administration. In late February, he unexpectedly dismissed Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol after only three months in the position, offering no public explanation for the decision.

Political observers note that Kiir regularly rotates high-ranking officials in both government and military positions as a strategy to consolidate his authority while navigating ongoing political uncertainty and questions about future leadership transitions.

Financial markets across the globe are experiencing uncertainty as President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran approaches this evening at 8 p.m. EDT, with traders watching closely to see if Tehran will reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has declined to reopen the crucial shipping lane and has rejected ceasefire proposals, despite Trump’s warning that the country could be “taken out in one night.” This standoff has left investors wondering whether the president’s aggressive rhetoric will translate into military action or result in another extended deadline.

As markets reopened Tuesday following the extended holiday weekend, trading activity reflected the cautious mood among investors. Oil markets showed particular volatility, with Brent crude initially climbing above $111 per barrel before retreating from those highs. Meanwhile, U.S. WTI crude fluctuated around $113 per barrel after briefly surpassing $116.

Stock markets displayed mixed performance across different regions. Asian markets remained largely unchanged despite an early boost from Samsung Electronics’ record-breaking quarterly earnings forecast. European markets opened with gains, while U.S. futures showed little movement ahead of the opening bell.

The previous trading session saw U.S. markets rise on hopes of continued diplomatic talks regarding a potential ceasefire. However, that optimism diminished after Tehran’s rejection of a temporary truce agreement. Reports indicate that Pakistan continues to serve as a mediator in the ongoing situation.

Currency markets reflected the global uncertainty, with the U.S. dollar experiencing a slight decline while maintaining overall strength. The dollar index remained close to the 100 mark after reaching its highest point since May 2025 last week. The Japanese yen continued to struggle, trading near the 160-per-dollar level.

Adding complexity to the situation are recent economic indicators from the United States that suggest broader implications from the Iran crisis. The Institute for Supply Management released survey data Monday showing that growth in the U.S. services sector decelerated in March. Additionally, businesses reported the largest increase in input costs in over 13 years, signaling potential inflationary pressures stemming from the conflict.

The upcoming release of U.S. March consumer price index data on Friday will provide further insight into inflation trends. Meanwhile, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned Monday that current global conditions point toward higher prices and reduced economic growth across “all roads.”

In corporate news, Samsung Electronics announced remarkable first-quarter results, with estimated operating profits of 57.2 trillion won ($37.92 billion) for the January-March period. This figure significantly exceeded analyst expectations of 40.6 trillion won and represented more than an eightfold increase from the previous year’s 6.69 trillion won.

Looking ahead, investors will be monitoring several key economic releases and Federal Reserve communications. Today’s schedule includes U.S. February durable goods data at 8:30 a.m. EDT and a 3-year Treasury note auction at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Additionally, three Federal Reserve officials are scheduled to speak: Philip Jefferson, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly.

The fundamental question facing markets remains whether Trump’s latest ultimatum will lead to an escalation or de-escalation of the current conflict. As the 8 p.m. deadline approaches, traders and investors worldwide are preparing for potential market volatility depending on the outcome.

Multiple international and Saudi companies operating in Riyadh have prolonged their remote work policies this week, according to five sources with knowledge of the situation, as tensions mount over a U.S. deadline demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe consequences.

Regional Gulf nations, which have endured repeated Iranian attacks since hostilities commenced on February 28, are concerned that any American military escalation could prompt Iran to intensify strikes against vital infrastructure and civilian targets throughout the Gulf region.

The remote work notifications, distributed Monday and Tuesday through individual company emails and text messages, impact operations across Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate, and Laysen Valley, sources revealed.

These business hubs house regional headquarters for prominent American financial institutions and technology companies including Microsoft and Apple, alongside Saudi organizations such as the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.

Workers initially received instructions to operate remotely at the start of last week, sources indicated, following Iranian threats to target major American technology companies in the region as retaliation for U.S.-Israeli military actions and targeted killings.

Saudi Arabia’s government media office has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

The kingdom has endured hundreds of Iranian drone and missile strikes since the conflict’s onset but reports successfully intercepting most incoming projectiles. Saudi Arabia has experienced fewer attacks compared to neighboring Gulf nations including the UAE and Kuwait.

On Tuesday, Saudi officials announced they intercepted and eliminated seven ballistic missiles fired toward the country’s Eastern Region, with debris landing near energy infrastructure. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that a petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial area came under attack.

A high-ranking Iranian official revealed Tuesday that Tehran has established specific conditions that must be fulfilled before engaging in permanent peace negotiations with Washington.

Speaking to Reuters, the official outlined Iran’s demands, which include an immediate cessation of military strikes, assurances that future attacks will not occur, and financial compensation for damages sustained.

The official emphasized that Tehran would not accept any temporary ceasefire arrangement with the United States.

Additionally, the Iranian representative stated that any permanent peace agreement should grant Iran the authority to collect transit fees from vessels navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the official, these fees would be calculated based on factors including vessel type, cargo contents, and current maritime conditions.

Iranian leadership remains steadfast in their position as President Trump’s Tuesday 8 p.m. Eastern time ultimatum draws near, demanding the country reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Military operations persist throughout the Persian Gulf waters with no diplomatic resolution on the horizon. The president has maintained his warning to strike Iranian transportation infrastructure and electrical facilities should negotiations fail to produce an agreement.

The escalating standoff continues to unfold in the strategically vital waterway, with both sides showing little indication of backing down from their respective positions as the deadline rapidly approaches.

A worldwide organization representing airline pilots is demanding that flight commanders receive ultimate authority to decline missions through dangerous conflict areas, free from corporate influence or financial pressure.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations issued the statement Monday as ongoing warfare in Iran continues to disrupt Middle Eastern aviation for its sixth week, with drone strikes and missile interceptions creating serious safety concerns for flight crews and travelers.

The Montreal-headquartered organization emphasized that airlines must acknowledge the psychological and emotional burden placed on pilots operating in war zones.

“The Commander’s decision regarding the conduct or rerouting of a flight, including refusal to overfly a conflict zone, must be final and non-negotiable,” the document stated. “Additionally, this decision must not be influenced by financial or other incentives, career repercussions or other penalties, or commercial pressures.”

Despite numerous airlines suspending operations to affected regions, Emirates continues flying at roughly 69% of typical capacity while Qatar Airways maintains 26% of normal service levels, based on Flightradar24 tracking information. This represents hundreds of daily flights traversing airspace targeted by Iranian weaponry.

The UAE has established designated “safe corridors” with predetermined routes, though aircraft frequently enter holding patterns during attacks and sometimes face diversions or returns when airspace temporarily closes.

Qatar Airways stated that “the safety of our passengers and crew remains paramount” and confirmed all Doha flights utilize dedicated pathways coordinated with Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Emirates, which has similarly emphasized safety priorities, did not immediately provide comment.

The pilots’ federation stressed that airlines operating in conflict zones must offer support measures including post-flight recovery periods and confidential assistance programs.

“If rerouting, delay, holding, elevated workload, diversion complexity, or sector uncertainty are recurrent and foreseeable, they should be incorporated into scheduling assumptions, fatigue controls, and roster buffers with additional safety margins such as augmented crew rostering, rather than repeatedly managed as an ad hoc exception,” the statement explained.

In a separate development Monday, the United Nations aviation authority announced its governing board condemned Iran for illegal airspace violations affecting Gulf nations including the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, compromising civilian flight safety.

“The council deplored Iran’s illegal use of unmanned aircraft systems for military purposes against civilian infrastructure over the territories of the affected member states,” the International Civil Aviation Organization declared.

The council’s action follows a complaint filed by multiple Arab nations regarding Iran’s weaponized drone operations against neighboring countries, according to a knowledgeable source.

Iran has filed its own separate documentation concerning its territory for consideration during an upcoming council meeting, though specific details remain unclear.

Iranian forces launched a strike Tuesday against a petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial region, according to reports from Iran’s state-affiliated Fars news agency.

The attack targeted the facility located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern province. Representatives from Saudi Arabia’s government communications office have not yet provided a response to the reported incident.

Officials from Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, and SABIC, the kingdom’s petrochemical subsidiary, also have not issued statements regarding the alleged strike.

ISTANBUL, Turkey – A deadly shooting erupted Tuesday in the vicinity of the Israeli consulate building in Istanbul, resulting in three deaths and leaving two police officers wounded, according to Turkish media outlets.

Video footage captured by Reuters revealed the chaotic scene as law enforcement officers drew their weapons and sought shelter while gunshots echoed through the area. The footage also showed at least one individual covered in blood during the violent incident.

The neighborhood surrounding the Israeli consulate maintains heavy security with armed police stationed there at all times. Following the shooting, television broadcasts displayed additional armed officers conducting patrols throughout the affected area as authorities responded to the scene.

RAZI, Iran (AP) — During a lengthy 12-hour journey across Iran, Associated Press journalists witnessed a nation where ordinary civilian routines continue alongside visible reminders of regional conflict and tension.

The reporting team observed families sharing morning meals at roadside truck stops and spotted a cargo vehicle displaying a Nike emblem while traveling through a mountain pass. At one dining establishment, patrons listened to R.E.M.’s “Losing my religion” while enjoying grilled dishes and saffron beverages, including women who had removed their required head coverings.

Following five weeks of intensive American and Israeli military strikes, significant damage has occurred throughout the country, especially in Tehran where journalists documented destroyed government facilities and law enforcement buildings.

However, during the extended journey from the Turkish border, visible evidence of the regional conflict that has affected Middle Eastern stability and global markets remained limited.

Iranian authorities have authorized the Associated Press to deploy an additional reporting team for a short-term assignment in the country. The AP maintains existing operations in Iran, with visiting journalists required to work alongside government-affiliated media assistants while retaining complete editorial independence.

Large images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during the conflict’s opening day, decorated the border crossing area with inflammatory messaging. Nearby, a herder moved his flock along the roadway as snow-covered peaks stretched into overcast skies.

Halfway through their journey in Zanjan city, reporters encountered their first direct war evidence. An Israeli military strike had recently damaged a religious community facility called a husseiniyah. Iranian authorities reported the attack destroyed medical and library facilities, resulting in two civilian deaths. Israeli forces claimed they targeted a military command center.

Beyond this damaged complex and throughout every community along the Tehran route, normal activities appeared to continue. Commercial establishments remained operational and traffic congestion occurred during peak hours.

Additional Khamenei promotional displays appeared as the team approached Tehran. Arriving after midnight, they traveled through vacant streets past bombed government structures and security positions staffed by Revolutionary Guard and Basij forces, key Islamic Republic institutions that have faced repeated attacks.

This documentary photo story was compiled by AP photo editors.

Associated Press reporter Sam Metz in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed.

PARIS – A deadly collision occurred Tuesday morning when a high-speed passenger train struck a truck transporting military equipment at a railroad crossing in northern France, according to local government officials.

The train’s engineer died in the crash, which happened near the port city of Calais, a local prefecture spokesperson confirmed. Multiple passengers aboard the train were also hurt in the accident.

France’s Transportation Minister Philippe Tabarot acknowledged the fatal incident through a social media post, stating he planned to travel to the crash site personally.

The national railway company SNCF reported through its social media channels that the collision took place at a grade crossing situated between Bethune and Lens. Rail service along the route has been suspended following the accident.

Vietnamese lawmakers made a historic decision Tuesday, unanimously selecting Communist Party Secretary General To Lam as the nation’s state president for the upcoming five-year term, establishing him as Vietnam’s most influential leader in recent decades.

This anticipated decision represents a departure from Vietnam’s long-standing tradition of shared leadership among multiple officials, concentrating power in a single individual in ways experts believe could push the single-party nation toward increased authoritarian control, while potentially allowing for quicker policy implementation similar to neighboring China.

Parliamentary records show that all 495 legislators attending Tuesday’s National Assembly gathering supported the Communist Party’s selection, with five members not present. Government officials indicated that nominations for senior state positions were completed during a late March conference.

The previous public security chief now holds dual authority to govern Vietnam for the coming five years, following his successful bid for a second term as general secretary in January.

In a separate but equally expected development Tuesday, parliament members also gave unanimous approval to Le Minh Hung as Vietnam’s incoming prime minister.

Following the election, Lam addressed legislators in a broadcast speech, expressing gratitude for holding both positions and promising “a new growth model with science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the primary driving forces.”

He outlined his main objectives as maintaining national stability, advancing rapid and sustainable development, and enhancing “all aspects of people’s lives.”

“Concentrating greater power in To Lam’s hands could pose risks to Vietnam’s political system, such as increased authoritarianism,” warned Le Hong Hiep, senior fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Nevertheless, such power concentration “could enable Vietnam to formulate and implement policies more quickly and effectively,” supporting economic expansion, he noted.

The merger of these two positions “will shift Vietnam’s domestic politics to a new normal where most of the old assumptions about Vietnam’s politics, including those about collective leadership, are no longer valid,” explained Alexander Vuving of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in the United States.

Lam previously managed both roles temporarily following the 2024 death of former party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Even after transferring the state presidency to army general Luong Cuong, Lam continued operating as though he maintained the position, conducting extensive international travel and representing Vietnam in diplomatic meetings with foreign officials.

During his initial term as party leader, the 68-year-old Lam introduced comprehensive economic changes aimed at enhancing Vietnam’s competitiveness, generating both support and opposition.

Lam seeks to achieve double-digit economic expansion through a fresh development approach that reduces dependence on low-cost manufacturing, which has historically anchored Vietnam’s export-focused economic surge driven by international corporations.

His initiatives have occasionally created uncertainty within government circles and business communities, though he has demonstrated practical adaptability in their implementation.

He has endorsed the growth of private business empires, but prior to his reappointment, also released guidance emphasizing state-owned enterprises’ leadership role to satisfy party conservatives.

International investors frequently commend political consistency and view Lam as supportive of business interests. However, his endorsement of domestic champions and pursuit of aggressive growth have sparked concerns among some regarding preferential treatment, corruption possibilities, financial bubbles, and resource misallocation.

Regarding international relations, Lam has continued Vietnam’s “Bamboo Diplomacy” strategy and worked to maintain balanced relationships with major nations while broadening global partnerships.

“Lam’s double-hat would not signal any changes in Vietnam’s foreign policy, even if there are concerns that Vietnam is concentrating more power in a single individual,” stated Khang Vu, a visiting scholar at Boston College.

The newly chosen prime minister Hung, age 55, previously led the central bank from 2016 to 2020, becoming the youngest individual to occupy that role.

He succeeds Pham Minh Chinh, 67, who oversaw a rapidly growing economy during his five-year tenure and became one of Vietnam’s most recognizable leaders domestically and internationally through regular foreign visits and participation in global conferences.

Hung has maintained a reserved public presence in his party and central banking positions.

While lacking formal economics training, Hung’s selection is viewed by some officials as an effort to introduce economic knowledge into senior government levels, which have been primarily filled by politicians with security experience.

In his post-election remarks to lawmakers, Hung committed to pursuing sustainable growth and pledged his utmost effort to achieve the party’s ambitious target of at least 10% annual economic growth through 2030.

He lacks personal security experience, but his family maintains strong connections to the ministry Lam previously headed: Hung’s father served as public security minister, and two siblings hold general ranks in security forces.

LONDON — British government officials are demanding that the artist formerly known as Kanye West be removed from a major London music festival lineup, while the rapper has requested face-to-face meetings with UK Jewish community leaders following controversy over his past antisemitic remarks.

The performer, who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, is scheduled to headline the Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park from July 10-12, where approximately 150,000 attendees are expected across the three-day event.

Festival organizers face increasing demands from corporate sponsors and government leaders to cancel Ye’s appearances after the artist sparked widespread criticism for making antisemitic comments and expressing praise for Adolf Hitler.

The 48-year-old musician previously released a track titled “Heil Hitler” and promoted Nazi imagery on merchandise through his website. In January, he issued a public apology through a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement, attributing his behavior to his bipolar disorder and describing “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”

Major festival sponsors including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo have withdrawn their support since Ye’s headlining announcement, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the booking as “deeply concerning.”

The rapper issued a statement Tuesday expressing his desire for dialogue, saying he “would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen.”

“I know words aren’t enough — I’ll have to show change through my actions,” he continued. “If you’re open, I’m here.”

Festival Republic, the event’s organizing company, has defended keeping Ye on the bill. Managing director Melvin Benn released a statement Monday encouraging people to show the performer “forgiveness and hope.”

“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” Benn’s statement read.

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting rejected the organizers’ position as “absurd” and stated Ye should “absolutely not” take the stage at Wireless. Streeting revealed that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is evaluating whether to prohibit the rapper from entering Britain.

Benn confirmed that Mahmood possesses the authority to cancel Ye’s visa for UK entry.

“If she does, she does, and then the issue is over,” he told the BBC Tuesday.

Representatives for Ye have not responded to requests for comment.

ROME, April 7 – America’s standing as a world leader faces serious challenges due to the Iran conflict, according to Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who voiced alarm about the potential for nuclear escalation he described as “madness.”

Italy joined several NATO partners last week in showing resistance to President Donald Trump’s Iran military operations by refusing to allow American military planes to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily for flights heading to the Middle East.

“This war is also putting the United States at risk in its global leadership,” Crosetto stated during an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that was published Tuesday.

The defense minister, who maintains close ties with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and has established a positive working relationship with Trump, expressed deep concerns that the situation could deteriorate further. He referenced the 1945 atomic bombings that ended World War Two as a historical warning.

“Just think: it was human beings like us who decided that even Hiroshima and Nagasaki were acceptable means of ending a conflict. Unfortunately, we still possess nuclear weapons, and those who do not have them are seeking to acquire them. We have learnt nothing,” Crosetto said.

“The risk is madness, and what we are experiencing is a conflict in which every action triggers a reaction at a higher level,” he added.

Speaking ahead of his scheduled parliamentary address about the Iran war on Tuesday, Crosetto suggested that Trump needs advisers willing to challenge his decisions.

“One of the problems of this presidency is that no one dares contradict the boss,” he remarked.

As tensions grow between Trump and European nations over their war positions, Crosetto confirmed that Italy has maintained its restrictions on U.S. base usage beyond the recent incident.

Prime Minister Meloni, who has avoided taking a strong public stance against the conflict, traveled to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over the weekend. The diplomatic mission aimed to demonstrate Italy’s support for Gulf states facing Iranian threats while also securing the country’s energy interests amid global fuel price increases.

Mounting fuel costs and concerns about petroleum availability have triggered an unprecedented shift toward electric motorcycles throughout Pakistan, with dealers reporting record-breaking sales increases.

In Rawalpindi, Haseeb Bhatti, who converts gasoline-powered motorcycles to electric models, experienced a remarkable 70% jump in March sales. Meanwhile, Ali Gohar Khan, who operates a nationwide electric bike dealership established seven years ago, described the recent sales spike as the most dramatic he has ever witnessed.

“People have this fear that maybe in the near future, they might not get petrol at all,” Khan said.

The ongoing Middle East conflict has caused worldwide petroleum prices to climb sharply, adding to the financial burden on Pakistani citizens already struggling with inflation and economic challenges following the pandemic. Since Pakistan relies on imports for nearly all its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, concerns about supply disruptions have spread despite government reassurances.

Transportation experts note that approximately 40% of Pakistan’s gasoline consumption powers the country’s 30 million motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles that fill the streets in a nation where automobiles remain unaffordable for most and mass transit systems are limited.

Market specialists and researchers predict the current crisis will accelerate Pakistan’s transition to electric vehicles, a movement that benefits from the country’s abundant and inexpensive solar energy resources for charging stations. This transformation could significantly reduce oil import dependency, strengthen foreign currency reserves, and cut pollution in what was ranked as the world’s most polluted nation in 2025.

Following an 18% government fuel price increase last week, Pakistani families earning average wages now spend 31% of their daily earnings on a single liter of gasoline – ranking among the highest 22 countries out of 139 nations monitored by globalpetrolprices.com and Our World in Data.

“My monthly salary is 30,000 rupees. I can barely cover expenses for my family of six with this. How am I supposed to fill my bike?” said Zahoor Ahmed, a security guard in the southern city of Karachi.

The shift to electric vehicles has attracted everyone from working professionals to university students in recent months. Data from consultancy Renewables First revealed that elevated gasoline prices drove electric vehicle sales up nearly threefold last year to 90,000 units, representing 5% of all two-wheeled vehicle purchases.

This year marks the first time electric vehicles have captured more than 10% of monthly motorcycle sales, according to Talha Khan, CEO of EV logistics planning firm Orko. He anticipates this trend will accelerate since conventional fuel costs can be up to 10 times higher than electric charging expenses.

“Keeping inflation and fuel prices in mind, I took matters in my own hands and bought an electric scooter,” said Mehvish Qureshi, a lawyer in southern Hyderabad.

A standard electric motorcycle costs approximately 250,000 rupees – exceeding half of Pakistan’s annual per capita income and 56% more than the popular gasoline-powered Honda CD 70, priced around 160,000 rupees.

The government launched the Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) initiative in February, offering subsidies covering one-fifth of purchase prices plus interest-free financing for the remainder. The program focuses specifically on electric motorcycles and autorickshaws.

Finance Ministry adviser Adnan Pasha told Reuters the program has already attracted roughly 270,000 applications – nearly seven times PAVE’s initial phase goal ending in June. The government plans to finance 2 million electric vehicles over five years, funding the initiative through existing fuel sales taxes.

“Electrifying just 2 million vehicles could result in nearly half a billion dollars in annual savings, as we don’t have to import that fuel,” Pasha said.

Many Pakistani households adopted solar power following IMF-mandated electricity rate increases in 2023, purchasing affordable Chinese-manufactured panels for residential use. The government now seeks to leverage this solar expansion to support electric vehicle growth.

“Using solar can reduce electricity costs at charging stations, and make it more affordable to charge at home,” Pasha said.

Ammar Habib, an adviser to Pakistan’s power minister, explained that electric vehicles are also “great for the grid as the steady demand from electric vehicle charging will ease some of the daytime volatility linked to solar oversupply.”

Similar to Pakistan’s solar energy transformation, the country’s electric motorcycle adoption relies heavily on Chinese manufacturers. Scooter companies including Yadea and Jinpeng, along with locally assembled electric bikes using batteries and parts from firms like AIMA and Sunra, are positioned to meet growing demand.

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, which has partnered with Pakistan’s HUBCO Green to establish charging networks nationwide, announced plans to support broader electrification efforts before eventually introducing passenger vehicles.

Pasha indicated the government wants domestic companies to construct charging facilities and expects the 45% reduction in charging station electricity rates implemented last year to continue encouraging adoption.

However, financial support programs could face pressure if regional conflicts continue, while limited local technical expertise and challenging charging infrastructure expansion present additional obstacles for Pakistan’s electric vehicle transition, according to Ahtasam Ahmad, energy finance lead at Renewables First.

Reliable maintenance networks are essential since electric vehicles are more vulnerable to road damage from potholes, which are widespread on South Asian streets. In neighboring India, operating electric scooters on poorly maintained roads has created significant service delays.

“When Chinese players flood the market, it may look promising on paper, but with virtually no after-sales service infrastructure, they risk eroding consumer confidence in the technology,” Ahmad said.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Vice President JD Vance arrived in Hungary’s capital city Tuesday for a two-day visit aimed at supporting Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s struggling reelection campaign just days before voters head to the polls.

The visit, which includes an official meeting with Orbán followed by an appearance at one of his campaign events, represents the most direct signal yet that the Trump administration is fully backing the Hungarian leader’s bid for another term when the nation votes this Sunday.

Orbán has held power continuously since 2010 and is seeking a fifth consecutive term as prime minister. However, he and his Fidesz party are confronting their most challenging electoral battle in twenty years against center-right opposition candidate Péter Magyar, who leads the Tisza party and could potentially end Orbán’s decade-and-a-half grip on power.

Critics have long accused the Hungarian leader of seizing control of the country’s institutions, restricting media freedoms, and allowing widespread government corruption to flourish — allegations Orbán rejects. Despite these controversies, he has emerged as a prominent figure within international far-right political circles.

President Trump has publicly backed Orbán’s reelection efforts multiple times, with many supporters of the Make America Great Again movement praising the Hungarian prime minister’s strict immigration policies, restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, and control over media outlets and educational institutions.

However, recent independent polling data suggests Fidesz is running more than ten points behind among committed voters in advance of the April 12 election, prompting Orbán to seek public appearances with his international supporters to enhance his standing.

This marks the second major show of American backing for Orbán’s government in recent months.

Hungary has diverged from most European Union member nations by declining to provide Ukraine with financial aid or military equipment to defend against Russia’s ongoing invasion, while continuing to purchase Russian energy resources despite EU efforts to reduce such dependencies.

Following a White House meeting between Orbán and Trump last November, Hungary secured an exemption from American sanctions targeting Russian oil and gas imports.

During a February visit to Budapest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered strong praise for Orbán and highlighted the “person-to-person connection” between the Hungarian leader and President Trump. Rubio told Orbán: “President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success.”

At the end of last month, Orbán welcomed dozens of international allies to Budapest for the Hungarian version of the Conservative Political Action Conference and a gathering of the Patriots for Europe party alliance, which holds the third-largest bloc of seats in the European Parliament.

Trump contributed a video message to the Hungarian CPAC event, declaring that Orbán had his “complete and total endorsement” and calling him a “fantastic guy.”

The Trump administration’s support for Orbán demonstrates its broader alignment with European far-right political movements, with mutual admiration evident across countries including Spain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Nevertheless, Trump’s recent foreign policy decisions regarding Greenland, Venezuela, and Iran have created tension with some European relationships.

Orbán has maintained his loyalty to Trump, including repeating the former president’s unfounded assertions about winning the 2020 election. Speaking on state radio shortly before Trump’s second term began, Orbán claimed Democrats “took the presidency away from Donald Trump through fraud.”

Vance’s scheduled participation in Orbán’s campaign rally represents an uncommon move for a foreign official and departs from the typical practice of political leaders avoiding direct involvement in other nations’ electoral contests.

Ironically, Orbán has previously criticized any mention of Hungary’s election by fellow EU leaders, condemning expressions of support for his political rivals as serious violations of Hungarian sovereignty and improper interference in the democratic process.

KYIV – Three people lost their lives and twelve others sustained injuries when a Russian drone targeted a public bus during Tuesday morning’s commute in Nikopol, located in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The attack occurred as commuters were making their way to work, striking the public transportation system during one of the busiest travel periods of the day. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko described the incident on Telegram, stating: “It is a devastating blow at public transport. It happened during rush hour, just as people were heading to work.”

The drone assault represents the latest in ongoing attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in the eastern Ukrainian region.

A Japanese citizen who has been held in Iranian custody since the beginning of this year has been granted bail and released, Tokyo government officials announced Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirmed during a press briefing that the individual’s release was verified on Monday, while emphasizing that Japanese officials continue to push Iranian authorities for complete freedom for the detainee.

Kihara reported that Japan’s ambassador to Iran, Tamaki Tsukada, conducted a meeting with the released person and verified their good health condition, though he declined to share additional information.

Sources indicate the detained individual works as a journalist for NHK, Japan’s national public broadcasting network. This case follows another incident where a different Japanese citizen, who had been held in Iran starting last June, gained freedom and returned home in March.

The bail announcement followed diplomatic discussions between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who spoke by telephone on Monday about Iran’s ongoing conflicts with both the United States and Israel.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement issued after their conversation, Motegi pressed again for the detainee’s complete release, while Araghchi indicated he would give serious consideration to Japan’s appeal.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has identified the person taken into custody in January as an NHK broadcast journalist. According to the CPJ, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officials made the arrest on January 20, and the journalist was later moved to Evin Prison on February 23, based on information from unnamed sources who cited safety concerns.

HANOI, Vietnam — In a unanimous decision, Vietnam’s National Assembly has selected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam for a five-year presidential term, marking a significant shift in the country’s leadership structure.

This decision breaks with Vietnam’s long-standing practice of distributing power among different officials, instead mirroring the concentrated leadership models seen in China under Xi Jinping and in neighboring Laos.

Political observers had anticipated this outcome following Lam’s reconfirmation as party leader in January, when analysts recognized that his strengthened party position would likely lead to his assumption of presidential duties.

Following his swearing-in ceremony, the 69-year-old leader addressed the National Assembly, emphasizing that maintaining peace and stability would be his primary focus as the foundation for rapid and sustainable economic development. “We aim to improve people’s livelihoods so all can share the benefits of development,” he stated.

This marks Lam’s second period holding dual roles, having previously served in both capacities briefly in 2024 following the death of his predecessor as party chief, Nguyen Phu Trong.

According to Nguyen Khac Giang from Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute research center, this power consolidation is particularly noteworthy because it provides Lam with a “stronger mandate and far more political room to push through his agenda than any leaders” since the 1980s, when Vietnam implemented reforms transitioning from a state-controlled economy to a market-based system welcoming foreign investment.

“The opportunity is obvious. Faster decision-making, greater policy coherence, and a better chance of pushing difficult reforms at a pivotal moment. But the risk is that concentration of power can move faster than institutional reform,” Giang explained.

Lam’s ascension represents the culmination of a former police officer’s journey through Vietnam’s security apparatus to the pinnacle of political power. His rise was facilitated by an extensive anti-corruption initiative launched by his predecessor, which he supervised while serving as Minister of Public Security.

In his role as party leader, Lam has spearheaded Vietnam’s most extensive administrative restructuring since the 1980s, eliminating positions, consolidating ministries, reorganizing provincial borders, and promoting significant infrastructure developments.

His agenda emphasizes economic achievement and private sector expansion, seeking to transition Vietnam away from its current labor- and export-dependent framework that has successfully elevated millions from poverty and established a manufacturing-focused middle class. The nation has set ambitious targets of achieving 10% or greater annual economic growth throughout the next five years.

However, significant obstacles persist, particularly the immediate challenge of implementing this bold strategy amid global economic disruption caused by energy market volatility from the conflict in Iran. Vietnam’s economy grew at a 7.8% annualized rate during the first quarter, improving from 7.1% the previous year but falling short of the 9.1% goal and slower than late 2025 performance.

Giang noted that Lam must also navigate political obstacles to secure reform support while preserving Vietnam’s practical foreign policy approach.

Vietnam faces pressure from the United States regarding its trade surplus while simultaneously managing relationships with China, its primary trading partner and competitor in South China Sea territorial disputes.

“It has benefited from a careful balancing strategy in foreign policy, but maintaining that position will become harder in a more turbulent world,” he observed.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian authorities have filed war crime charges against a 47-year-old former military member on Tuesday, accusing him of murdering five defenseless Afghan civilians during his deployment between 2009 and 2012, according to law enforcement officials.

The identity of the accused veteran has not been disclosed by authorities. Court officials expect him to make his initial appearance before a Sydney judge on Tuesday.

This case represents just the second instance of an Australian Afghanistan war veteran facing war crime prosecution.

The first case involves 44-year-old Oliver Schulz, a former member of the Special Air Service Regiment, who has entered a not guilty plea to war crime murder charges. Prosecutors allege Schulz fatally shot an Afghan civilian named Dad Mohammad three times in the head while in a wheat field in Uruzgan province during May 2012.

Under Australian federal law, war crime murder constitutes the deliberate killing of individuals not actively engaged in combat operations, including civilians, captured soldiers, or wounded personnel during armed conflict. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The suspect was taken into custody at Sydney Airport on Tuesday following his arrival from Brisbane, according to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett.

“Authorities will contend that the deceased individuals were not participating in combat activities when they were allegedly murdered in Afghanistan. We will argue that these victims had been detained, were without weapons, and remained under Australian Defense Force supervision at the time of their deaths,” Barrett explained during a media briefing.

“The prosecution will maintain that the accused either personally shot the victims or that subordinate ADF personnel carried out the killings while in his presence and following his commands,” Barrett continued.

These criminal charges stem from a military investigation completed in 2020 that documented evidence showing elite Australian SAS and commando units illegally executed 39 Afghan detainees, agricultural workers, and other non-combatants.

Barrett emphasized that only a limited number of service members are implicated in the current allegations.

“The alleged misconduct associated with these charges involves only a very small portion of our reliable and esteemed ADF personnel who work to protect our nation’s security,” Barrett stated.

“The vast majority of our military forces make our nation proud. These charges do not represent the conduct of most service members who wear the Australian uniform with integrity, excellence, and democratic principles,” she concluded.

The Office of the Special Investigator was created to collaborate with police on war crime investigations. Investigation director Ross Barnett reported that 53 potential war crimes have been examined, with 39 investigations completed without resulting in charges. Approximately 40,000 Australian service members were deployed to Afghanistan from 2001 through 2021, with 41 losing their lives during the conflict.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — From their apartment balcony overlooking Iran’s capital, Zahra Arghavan and Mehdi Alishir watched the evening sky while preparing themselves for the possibility of incoming strikes.

With President Donald Trump’s newest deadline approaching, the couple faces troubling questions: What happens if electrical facilities get hit and the lights go out for days? How would they escape Tehran if bombing destroys the city’s bridges?

After five weeks of conflict, the pair has adapted to the thunder of U.S. and Israeli military aircraft overhead, the rumble of explosions, and nights without rest. Similar to many residents, they’ve evacuated and returned to the capital multiple times seeking security. The married couple of more than ten years survived both the coronavirus outbreak and last June’s nearly two-week conflict.

They’ve applied transparent tape along their window frames as protection from potential blast damage. Glass items and breakable decorations have been relocated or fastened down. An emergency bag containing important papers, medicine and necessities sits ready for rapid departure.

During a profanity-filled warning this past weekend, Trump declared that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day,” threatening that Iranian officials will be “living in Hell” unless they reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“Honestly, the situation is really unclear,” Arghavan said. “We don’t really understand things like how long the power might go out if it does, or what life without electricity would even look like.”

Alishir explained that he and his spouse could manage without electrical power — and possibly without water service — for about seven days maximum. “If it goes on longer, we’ll definitely run into problems,” he said.

Their difficulties started before the initial American and Israeli attacks hit Iran on February 28.

Tehran’s response to January’s nationwide demonstrations included severe internet restrictions. According to NetBlocks, an organization that tracks online connectivity, this represents the most extended countrywide internet blackout on record.

Arghavan operates a small educational business teaching French language skills to Iranian citizens planning to relocate to Quebec, Canada.

“We were basically an online school, and our students had classes with kids abroad,” she said. “Around 50% of our learners were outside the country. But now, with all these internet outages, it’s really disrupting our work.”

Iranian citizens remain split regarding the conflict: Some participate in daily government-supporting demonstrations, while others privately support military action against their leadership despite opposing civilian casualties and infrastructure destruction.

The couple holds Israel and the United States responsible for initiating the conflict and hopes diplomacy will prevail.

“I really hope an agreement is reached soon and that whatever happens, it ends up helping people, because right now people are the ones paying a heavy price,” Arghavan said.

Iranian officials have declined a proposed 45-day temporary ceasefire, instead demanding a complete and permanent conclusion to the ongoing conflict as President Donald Trump’s Tuesday 8 p.m. ET ultimatum approaches with expanded threats targeting the nation’s power grid and transportation infrastructure.

Speaking Monday, Trump expressed he is “not at all” worried about potential war crimes allegations while reiterating his threats to demolish Iranian infrastructure should Tehran fail to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his specified deadline.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned the United States that targeting civilian infrastructure violates international law, according to his spokesperson’s Monday statement.

Israeli forces launched fresh strikes against Iran in the early hours of Tuesday, prompting Iranian missile retaliation directed at Israel and neighboring Gulf nations.

The death toll in Iran has surpassed 1,900 since hostilities began, though officials have not provided updated casualty figures in recent days.

Lebanese authorities report over 1,400 fatalities and more than one million displaced residents. Eleven Israeli military personnel have lost their lives in that theater.

Casualties in Gulf Arab nations and the occupied West Bank exceed two dozen, while Israel has reported 23 deaths and 13 American service members have been killed.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced plans to send his chief of staff on a diplomatic mission to Kazakhstan, Oman and Saudi Arabia, seeking alternative fuel sources amid energy shortages triggered by the Middle Eastern conflict.

Kang Hoon-sik confirmed his Tuesday evening departure for talks aimed at securing additional crude oil and naphtha supplies, essential for plastic production.

Last month, South Korea secured an agreement with the United Arab Emirates for 24 million barrels of crude, with initial deliveries already arriving.

South Korea’s energy imports – over 60% of crude oil and half of naphtha supplies – typically transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway now largely obstructed by Iran as leverage against the United States and Israel.

The King Fahd Causeway connecting Saudi Arabia to Bahrain was shuttered early Tuesday due to Iranian attack threats.

Officials from the King Fahd Causeway Authority announced via social media that traffic had been “suspended as a precautionary measure” following Iranian strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

The 25-kilometer bridge serves as Bahrain’s sole road connection to the Arabian Peninsula, with the island nation hosting the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters.

Though no direct threats against the causeway have been issued, Iranian hardliners have increasingly suggested it as a potential target.

Such risks could escalate if Trump proceeds with his threatened bridge strikes within Iran.

Saudi military officials reported early Tuesday that seven Iranian ballistic missiles struck the kingdom’s oil-rich Eastern Province, with “debris from the missiles” landing near energy installations.

Major General Turki al-Malki, speaking for Saudi forces, provided limited details about ground damage while confirming an “assessment is underway.”

The specific energy facilities affected remained unclear.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Officials temporarily shut down a crucial roadway connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain early Tuesday morning due to concerns about potential Iranian military strikes.

The King Fahd Causeway Authority announced the closure through a social media post on X.

Officials stated that traffic flow had been “suspended as a precautionary measure” due to Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

The 25-kilometer (15.5 mile) roadway serves as Bahrain’s sole land connection to the Arabian Peninsula. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

President Donald Trump has given Iran an ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and has warned of strikes against Iranian power facilities and infrastructure if compliance doesn’t occur by Tuesday 8 p.m. EDT.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A prominent Taiwanese opposition figure departed for mainland China on Tuesday following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing her diplomatic mission as a “journey for peace” while Beijing continues pressing for control over the self-governing island.

Cheng Li-wun’s trip represents the first time a Taiwan opposition leader has visited China in ten years, occurring just months before a planned May meeting in Beijing between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking to media before her departure from Taipei, the Kuomintang party chairwoman emphasized that Taiwan should exhaust every possible avenue to avoid conflict and embrace opportunities for peaceful dialogue.

Beijing maintains its claim over the democratically-governed island and has refused to eliminate military action as an option for achieving unification.

“The purpose of this visit to mainland China is precisely to show the world that it is not just Taiwan that unilaterally hopes for peace,” Cheng said.

“I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC Central Committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides,” she added, referring to the initials of the Communist Party of China.

Several dozen people gathered at Taipei’s airport to either support or protest Cheng’s departure, displaying banners and voicing their opinions.

The Trump administration announced in December a substantial arms package for Taiwan worth over $10 billion, including medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, prompting anger from Beijing.

Beijing requires all nations with diplomatic relations, including the United States, to avoid official connections with Taipei. The U.S. serves as Taiwan’s most significant unofficial ally and weapons supplier, with the recent arms deal expected to feature prominently in discussions during the Xi-Trump meeting.

During a February phone conversation between Xi and Trump, the Chinese president declared that “Taiwan will never be allowed to separate from China,” according to a Chinese government readout of the call. “The U.S. must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence,” the statement continued.

Beijing also characterized the “Taiwan question” as “the most important issue in China-US relations.”

China has maintained an almost daily presence of military aircraft and ships near Taiwan, recently conducting two significant military drills around the island. The latest exercise occurred in December following the U.S. arms sale announcement and featured coordinated air, naval and missile forces in live-fire training.

The U.S. State Department condemned such military activities as unnecessarily escalating tensions and urged Beijing to end its military intimidation of Taiwan.

China refuses diplomatic engagement with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, labeling him a separatist.

Cheng’s visit to China coincides with the opposition-controlled parliament blocking efforts by Taiwan’s government to approve a $40 billion special defense spending package.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has extended his ultimatum for Iran to negotiate a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Tuesday evening, marking another postponement in a pattern of shifting deadlines that began in March, while warning that without compliance “Hell will reign down on them.”

Trump’s original March 23rd deadline has been moved multiple times over recent weeks as the president has alternated between aggressive warnings, announced postponements, and declarations of diplomatic progress, sometimes within the same public statement.

Iranian officials turned down the most recent ceasefire offer, according to the nation’s state-controlled IRNA news agency on Monday. Following this rejection, Trump issued a stark warning about Iran’s fate if it fails to comply, indicating Tuesday’s 8 p.m. deadline would be his final extension.

“They’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything,” he stated.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned the United States through his spokesperson that targeting civilian infrastructure violates international law. When questioned by reporters, Trump said he’s “not at all” worried about potential war crimes charges related to such strikes.

The timeline of Trump’s ultimatums began March 21, when he posted on Truth Social demanding Iran “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time,” or face attacks on their power facilities.

This initial ultimatum set a March 23 evening deadline.

However, twelve hours before that deadline expired, Trump announced on Truth Social that productive talks were underway between both nations.

“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD,” he posted, noting this depended on successful negotiations.

This delay moved the deadline to the end of that week.

On March 26, before the new deadline arrived, Trump intensified his warnings on Truth Social: “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!”

Yet that same day, he granted another 10-day extension until April 6 at 8 p.m., posting on Truth Social that talks were “going very well.”

Trump issued conflicting messages on March 30, praising negotiation progress while simultaneously broadening his bombing threats if an agreement wasn’t “shortly reached,” adding that “it probably will be.”

“We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” he posted.

The meaning of Trump’s “shortly reached” timeline remained unclear, but no agreement materialized as the deadline approached.

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday, “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”

As the deadline neared, his social media posts escalated the threats until Sunday, when Trump again postponed the deadline in a profanity-laden message.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F——-in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, followed by a separate post establishing the 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

On Monday, Trump indicated Tuesday’s deadline would be his last, claiming he had already provided Iran with sufficient extensions.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump declared. “We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night.”

Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, Iran’s diplomatic mission chief in Cairo, stated that Iran has lost confidence in the Trump administration following two previous U.S. bombing campaigns during earlier negotiation attempts.

“We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again,” he informed The Associated Press.

A regional official participating in the diplomatic efforts indicated that negotiations haven’t completely broken down. “We are still talking to both sides,” the official said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the closed-door discussions.

Israeli television station Channel 13’s evening broadcast featured a prominent digital countdown timer marking the hours and minutes remaining until Tuesday’s deadline.

Taiwan’s top security officials are warning that Beijing is orchestrating a systematic campaign to acquire the island’s cutting-edge semiconductor technology and skilled workers as part of efforts to circumvent international trade restrictions.

According to a new report from Taiwan’s National Security Bureau presented to legislators, China’s pursuit of chip expertise has grown more aggressive as Beijing seeks independence in advanced semiconductor production while facing escalating technology competition with the United States.

The island nation, which Beijing considers part of its territory, regularly discovers and dismantles Chinese operations illegally attempting to recruit semiconductor professionals and high-tech specialists. Taiwan maintains stringent regulations preventing its most sophisticated technologies from reaching China.

In their briefing to lawmakers, security officials detailed how China attempts to “lure” Taiwan’s technology sectors, particularly artificial intelligence and semiconductor companies, into establishing or maintaining business operations on the mainland.

“It also continues to use indirect channels to poach Taiwanese talent, steal technology, and procure controlled goods, with the aim of obtaining key core technologies and products such as Taiwan’s advanced-process chips, thereby breaking through international technological containment.”

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has not responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations. Beijing maintains its position that Taiwan represents a Chinese province that will ultimately fall under mainland control.

The island serves as headquarters for TSMC, the globe’s largest contract semiconductor manufacturer and a key supplier to major corporations like Nvidia and Apple.

Beyond technology theft, the security report warns that China plans to deploy various unconventional tactics, including artificially generated content and fabricated polling data, to meddle in Taiwan’s upcoming local elections at year’s end.

Government computer networks faced more than 170 million attempted cyber intrusions during the first three months of 2024, according to the document reviewed ahead of Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s scheduled legislative testimony on Wednesday.

“It cannot be ruled out that the Chinese Communist Party is laying the groundwork to interfere in Taiwan’s year-end elections, with the intent of expanding intelligence collection, surveillance, and data theft,” the report said.

Military tensions also continue escalating around the island nation.

During the opening quarter of this year, Taiwan’s defense systems tracked over 420 Chinese military aircraft operating in surrounding airspace, while naval forces conducted coordinated operations in 10 “joint combat readiness patrols,” security officials documented.

The report characterizes China’s Communist leadership as facing increased internal and external challenges, including economic difficulties and international strategic competition.

“Nevertheless, it continues to employ a range of hybrid threats against Taiwan, including military intimidation,” the report added.

Taiwan’s administration dismisses Beijing’s territorial claims, maintaining that only the island’s residents possess the authority to determine their political future.

SEOUL, April 7 – Officials in South Korea announced Tuesday that North Korea’s unusually diplomatic reaction to an apology over drone flights represents significant advancement in reducing military hostilities between the neighboring countries.

The South Korean Unification Ministry characterized North Korea’s response as “meaningful progress” following President Lee Jae Myung’s expression of regret regarding unauthorized drone operations that crossed into North Korean territory.

Lee’s administration has been working to repair severely damaged relations between the two nations, which technically remain in a state of war following the armistice that ended the Korean War from 1950-53.

In an official statement, the ministry responsible for managing inter-Korean relations said Seoul would continue adhering to its commitment to avoid hostile actions against North Korea while pursuing peaceful coexistence across the Korean peninsula.

The ministry’s comments came in response to statements published Monday by North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency. In those remarks, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described Lee’s apology and promise to prevent future incidents as “very fortunate and wise” – language markedly different from the harsh criticism typically seen in recent years.

However, Kim Yo Jong also warned that Seoul should “refrain from any attempt at contact” with North Korea.

President Lee issued his statement of regret Monday, acknowledging that the drone incursions had created unnecessary military tensions. He explained that civilians acting contrary to government policy had conducted these flights into North Korean airspace.

Lee revealed that an investigation discovered involvement by a National Intelligence Service worker and an active military official, describing these incidents as violations of South Korea’s constitution.

South Korean media reported Tuesday that presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik explained Lee’s decision to express regret demonstrated his strong commitment to reducing military tensions and rebuilding trust. The president ordered the message after receiving briefing materials about the investigation’s findings.

In recent years, Pyongyang has designated South Korea as its “most hostile state” and abandoned reunification goals, instead treating inter-Korean relations as connections between two enemy nations rather than parts of a divided country.

Kyungnam University professor Lim Eul-chul interpreted North Korea’s response as a measured acceptance of Lee’s statements, but warned that South Korea remains viewed as a hostile state. Any reduction in tensions would likely focus on managing the current situation rather than changing Pyongyang’s rigid two-state approach.

A former Australian military member who received his country’s highest honors has been taken into custody on war crimes charges related to killings during his deployment in Afghanistan, according to reports from Sydney.

Ben Roberts-Smith, age 47, was apprehended at Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning by Australian Federal Police. Authorities have charged him with five counts of war crimes for the alleged murders of five individuals in Afghanistan during the period from 2009 to 2012.

Each charge carries a potential sentence of life behind bars, police officials confirmed.

The former soldier had achieved hero status in Australia after receiving multiple prestigious military decorations, including the Victoria Cross, for his conduct during six deployments to Afghanistan spanning 2006 through 2012.

Roberts-Smith has maintained his innocence regarding allegations of misconduct during his military service. These accusations first came to public attention through a series of reports published by Nine Entertainment newspapers beginning in 2018.

The published allegations included claims that Roberts-Smith fatally shot an unarmed Afghan youth and forced a handcuffed individual off a cliff before commanding subordinates to kill him.

In what became Australia’s costliest defamation case, Roberts-Smith attempted to fight the newspaper reports but was unsuccessful. A Federal Court judge determined in 2023 that the publications had substantiated four out of six murder allegations they had made. The High Court rejected his final appeal attempt in September 2025.

A government report released in 2020 documented credible evidence showing that Australia’s Special Air Service Regiment members had killed numerous unarmed prisoners during the extended conflict in Afghanistan.

The Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator launched their probe into Roberts-Smith in 2021. The Special Investigator’s office was established specifically to examine war crime allegations against Australian military personnel who served in Afghanistan.

Officials stated that the defendant is scheduled to make his first court appearance in New South Wales later Tuesday.

Legal representatives who handled Roberts-Smith’s defamation case have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the criminal charges.

Vietnam’s National Assembly unanimously approved Communist Party chief To Lam for the position of state president on Tuesday, granting him dual leadership authority that political analysts say represents the most significant concentration of power in the Southeast Asian nation in decades.

The parliamentary approval, which was widely expected, formally breaks with Vietnam’s longstanding tradition of shared leadership among multiple officials. This shift toward centralized control mirrors developments in neighboring China and could fundamentally alter how the single-party state operates moving forward.

Lawmakers endorsed the Communist Party’s selection of Lam, a decision that party officials confirmed was reached during closed-door discussions in late March. The 68-year-old former security chief now holds both the general secretary and presidential positions simultaneously for a five-year term, after securing his second stint as party leader this past January.

Following the legislative vote, Lam addressed parliament members in remarks broadcast on television, expressing gratitude for the dual appointment. He outlined his vision for the country, promising “a new growth model with science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the primary driving forces.” Lam also emphasized his commitment to strengthening national defense capabilities through domestic resources.

Singapore-based political expert Le Hong Hiep from the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute warned about potential consequences of this power consolidation. “Concentrating greater power in To Lam’s hands could pose risks to Vietnam’s political system, such as increased authoritarianism,” Hiep noted. However, he acknowledged that streamlined leadership “could enable Vietnam to formulate and implement policies more quickly and effectively,” potentially boosting economic development.

Alexander Vuving from the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in the United States described the change as transformative. The dual role arrangement “will shift Vietnam’s domestic politics to a new normal where most of the old assumptions about Vietnam’s politics, including those about collective leadership, are no longer valid,” Vuving explained.

This marks Lam’s second time holding both positions simultaneously. He previously served in both capacities for several months in 2024 following the death of former General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Even after temporarily stepping back from the presidency in favor of military leader Luong Cuong, Lam continued conducting presidential duties, including extensive international travel and diplomatic meetings with foreign officials.

Throughout his initial tenure as party leader, Lam has pursued ambitious economic restructuring aimed at enhancing Vietnam’s global competitiveness, though his initiatives have generated mixed reactions. He has committed to achieving double-digit economic growth by moving away from the low-wage manufacturing model that has traditionally powered Vietnam’s export economy under foreign corporate leadership.

While Lam’s reform agenda has sometimes created uncertainty within government circles and the business community, he has demonstrated adaptability in his approach. He supports expanding private sector conglomerates but has also issued guidance reinforcing the importance of state-owned companies, apparently to maintain support from party conservatives.

International businesses, which play a crucial role in Vietnam’s export-focused economy, generally view the country’s political consistency favorably and regard Lam as business-friendly. Nevertheless, his promotion of domestic corporate champions and aggressive growth targets have sparked concerns among some observers about potential favoritism, corruption vulnerabilities, speculative bubbles, and inefficient resource allocation.

In international relations, Lam has maintained a balanced approach. He continues Vietnam’s established “Bamboo Diplomacy” strategy, working to maintain equilibrium among major global powers while pursuing broader international cooperation.

Boston College visiting scholar Khang Vu believes the leadership consolidation will not alter Vietnam’s foreign policy direction. “Lam’s double-hat would not signal any changes in Vietnam’s foreign policy, even if there are concerns that Vietnam is concentrating more power in a single individual,” Vu stated.

The head of Taiwan’s primary opposition party departed Tuesday for China on what she calls a diplomatic mission aimed at preventing conflict, while Taiwanese officials revealed the current positioning of Chinese naval vessels surrounding the island.

Cheng Li-wun, who leads the Kuomintang (KMT) party, embarked on her journey during a period of heightened military tensions with China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory. Her trip also coincides with legislative delays over a proposed $40 billion increase in Taiwan’s defense budget.

Before heading to the airport from her party’s offices, Cheng addressed reporters about what she described as a “historic journey for peace,” while acknowledging that some citizens have concerns about her visit.

“If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize even the slightest chance, every possible opportunity, to keep Taiwan from being ravaged by war,” Cheng stated.

“So I would rather believe that all Taiwanese people hope this trip will succeed, because we can transform the most dangerous place in the world into the safest place in the world,” she added.

Beijing maintains its position that military action remains an option for bringing Taiwan under Chinese control and refuses diplomatic contact with Taiwan’s current President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese officials label a “separatist.”

On Monday evening, Kuan Bi-ling, who oversees Taiwan’s coast guard through the Ocean Affairs Council, shared a Facebook image showing current Chinese naval deployments around Taiwan – including two vessels positioned off the eastern coastline and one ship each stationed to the north, northwest, and southwest of the island.

“When you depart, you are doing so from within what they see as the ‘Taiwan cage’,” Kuan explained to parliamentary reporters Tuesday, referencing China’s military terminology for Taiwan’s planned T-Dome air defense system while discussing Cheng’s diplomatic mission.

During separate parliamentary remarks, Chiu Chui-cheng, Taiwan’s chief official handling China relations through the Mainland Affairs Council, emphasized that Beijing should work with Taiwan’s democratically chosen leadership.

“We call on Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, when facing the Communist Party authorities in person, to demand that they immediately stop their compounded pressure against Taiwan, including military aircraft and naval harassment,” Chiu stated.

Cheng’s China visit occurs one month ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi in Beijing.

Although Trump and Xi may reach cooperative agreements on agricultural trade and aircraft components during their Beijing meeting, discussions are anticipated to cover contentious issues including Taiwan, where diplomatic breakthroughs appear unlikely.

During a February phone conversation, Xi cautioned Trump that the United States “must carefully handle arms sales to Taiwan.”

This marks the first visit by a KMT leader to China in ten years, though Chinese officials have not confirmed whether Xi will definitely meet with Cheng, who plans to remain in Beijing starting Thursday.

Her itinerary includes an initial stop in Shanghai followed by rail travel to Nanjing, where the tomb of party founder Sun Yat-sen is located. Sun Yat-sen led the overthrow of China’s final imperial dynasty and established the Republic of China in 1912.

The KMT-controlled republican government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 following their defeat in a civil conflict against Mao Zedong’s communist forces.

Vietnam’s National Assembly has unanimously selected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam to serve as the nation’s president for the next five years, according to parliamentary officials following Tuesday’s vote.

This expected decision represents a departure from Vietnam’s longstanding tradition of shared leadership among multiple officials, concentrating power under a single leader in a manner that experts believe could push the communist nation toward increased authoritarian control, while potentially allowing for quicker policy decisions similar to neighboring China.

National Assembly members approved Lam’s selection after the Communist Party formally nominated him during meetings concluded in late March.

The 68-year-old former public security chief now holds dual authority to govern Vietnam for five years ahead, having already secured his second term as general secretary this past January.

“Concentrating greater power in To Lam’s hands could pose risks to Vietnam’s political system, such as increased authoritarianism,” stated Le Hong Hiep, senior fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Nevertheless, this power concentration “could enable Vietnam to formulate and implement policies more quickly and effectively,” which would support economic expansion, he noted.

The merging of these two positions “will shift Vietnam’s domestic politics to a new normal where most of the old assumptions about Vietnam’s politics, including those about collective leadership, are no longer valid,” explained Alexander Vuving from the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in the United States.

Lam previously occupied both roles temporarily following the 2024 death of former party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Despite transferring the presidency to army general Luong Cuong, Lam continued functioning as though he maintained the position, conducting extensive international travel and representing Vietnam in diplomatic meetings with foreign officials.

During his initial tenure as party leader, Lam introduced comprehensive economic reforms aimed at enhancing Vietnam’s competitiveness, generating both support and opposition.

Following his reappointment as party chief, Lam pledged to achieve double-digit economic growth through a fresh development strategy reducing dependence on low-cost manufacturing, which has historically driven Vietnam’s export-focused economic success under foreign multinational leadership.

While Lam’s initiatives have occasionally created uncertainty within government circles and business communities, he has demonstrated practical adaptability in their implementation.

He has supported private conglomerate expansion, though prior to his reappointment, he also released guidance emphasizing state-owned enterprises’ primary importance to satisfy party traditionalists.

International investors, who play a crucial role in Vietnam’s export-dependent economy, frequently commend the nation’s political stability and view Lam as business-friendly. However, his support for domestic champions and aggressive growth targets have sparked concerns among some regarding preferential treatment, corruption possibilities, asset inflation, and resource misallocation.

Regarding international relations, Lam has maintained a practical approach.

He has preserved Vietnam’s “Bamboo Diplomacy” strategy while working to maintain balanced relationships with major global powers and expanding international partnerships.

“Lam’s double-hat would not signal any changes in Vietnam’s foreign policy, even if there are concerns that Vietnam is concentrating more power in a single individual,” said Khang Vu, a visiting scholar at Boston College.

SQUAMISH, British Columbia — Officials in British Columbia are warning residents to avoid a cliff area above a major highway where engineering students apparently hung a red Volkswagen Beetle shell as part of an elaborate stunt.

Provincial authorities announced Monday that BC Parks crews are working to take down the vehicle and anticipate completing the removal by week’s end. The Environment Ministry confirmed that both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and park officials have been called in to look into the incident.

The hollowed-out car emerged on the cliff face overlooking Highway 99 in Squamish last week, displaying a prominent “E” painted on its top — a marking that suggests University of British Columbia engineering students were continuing their longstanding practice of positioning Beetle shells in challenging spots.

This type of stunt has occurred before. In 2009, another Beetle dropped from the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge, leading Vancouver police to arrest five students who had unsuccessfully tried to hang it from the bridge structure.

University representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment about the latest incident.

Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford expressed concern about the location chosen for the prank, describing the Stawamus Chief rock formation area as a “sacred place” that holds significant cultural importance for the Squamish Nation.

The mayor noted that the location draws many outdoor enthusiasts for hiking and climbing activities, and emphasized that what “may have felt like an innocent prank” has negatively impacted the local community.

“This is an area that deserves respect, and that wasn’t the case here,” Hurford said in the statement.

A Japanese citizen who spent nearly three months detained in Iran has been granted bail and released from custody, according to Japan’s government officials.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announced during a Tuesday press conference that the individual, who was taken into custody on January 20th, was freed on bail this past Monday. Kihara reported that the person appears to be in good health but declined to share additional information including the detainee’s name or what charges were involved.

Earlier this year in February, Radio Free Europe published reports indicating that Shinnosuke Kawashima, who serves as the Tehran bureau chief for Japan’s public broadcasting network NHK, had been arrested by Iranian authorities and moved to a prison facility.

When the arrest reports first emerged, NHK representatives stated that “there is nothing we can answer at this stage” while emphasizing that protecting their staff members’ safety remained their highest concern.

Japanese government officials subsequently acknowledged that one of their citizens was being held in Iran and confirmed they had established communication with both the detained person’s relatives and Iranian government representatives.

The detention occurred during a period of heightened tensions involving Iran, particularly following the start of hostilities between the United States and Israel against the Middle Eastern nation on February 28th.

Defense officials in Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday that their forces successfully shot down seven ballistic missiles that were fired toward the kingdom’s Eastern Region, with fragments from the destroyed projectiles landing in the vicinity of energy infrastructure.

According to the defense ministry, teams are currently working to evaluate potential damage from the incident, though officials did not identify the source of the missile attack.

Since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Saudi Arabia has faced hundreds of missile and drone attacks from Iranian forces, with most being successfully neutralized by defense systems, according to government officials.

Iran has conducted military strikes against Israel as well as Gulf Arab nations that provide hosting facilities for U.S. military operations.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East will drive up inflation while dampening global economic growth, according to the International Monetary Fund’s top official who spoke with Reuters on Monday.

Kristalina Georgieva, who serves as the IMF’s managing director, made these comments as the organization prepares to release updated economic projections next week.

Without the current warfare, the IMF had been anticipating modest improvements to worldwide growth estimates of 3.3% for 2026 and 3.2% for 2027.

“Had we not had this war we would have seen a small upgrade of our growth projections. Instead, all roads now lead to higher prices and slower growth,” Georgieva explained.

According to the IMF chief, even if fighting ends quickly followed by swift recovery, the organization would still make a “relatively small” downward adjustment to growth predictions while raising inflation estimates. Should the conflict drag on, she warned the economic impact would be more severe.

Georgieva revealed that several nations have approached the IMF seeking financial support, though she declined to identify which countries made these requests. She noted the fund could expand current lending arrangements to address these nations’ requirements.

Pakistan’s leadership made a swift policy reversal late Friday evening, backing down from a dramatic gasoline price increase after citizens expressed overwhelming anger and frustration.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered a national address announcing the price reduction, recognizing the serious economic hardships facing the country’s population.

The government cut gasoline prices by 80 Pakistani rupees per liter through a reduced petroleum levy, setting the new cost at PKR 378 per liter (approximately $5.14 per gallon). Diesel prices remained at their current level of PKR 520.35 per liter.

Just one day earlier, Energy Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had revealed increases of PKR 137.23 per liter for gasoline and PKR 184.49 per liter for diesel. These hikes temporarily pushed gasoline to PKR 458.41 per liter ($6.23 per gallon) before officials reversed course. The petroleum levy had jumped from PKR 105 to PKR 160 per liter but now sits at PKR 80 per liter after the rollback.

Government representatives initially defended the dramatic price jumps by pointing to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict and rising global oil costs. Sharif also announced several relief measures including transportation subsidies, frozen railway ticket prices, and a six-month extension of federal cabinet salary donations.

“War is ongoing in the Gulf, and as a result, oil prices across the region are soaring. The sharp rise in oil prices has also gripped Pakistan,” Sharif said.

This represented the second fuel price jump within a month’s time. On March 4, both gasoline and diesel had increased by PKR 55 per liter. During the past month, gasoline costs climbed 77% while diesel rose 87%, triggering widespread public demonstrations.

Opposition voices have criticized these policies as poorly planned decision-making and questioned the reasoning behind such severe increases while oil continues moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

Political opponents also claim the administration has avoided reducing its own expenditures, instead placing financial strain on citizens already experiencing significant economic hardship.

Wahid, a rickshaw driver, told The Media Line that he barely earns PKR 1,000 ($3.59) a day and now faces an impossible choice: whether to buy fuel or feed his children.

Prior to the government’s midnight policy change, the political party Jamaat-e-Islami had organized nationwide protests against the fuel cost increases, threatening demonstrations and a potential transportation strike.

In their official response, Jamaat-e-Islami declared the price reduction insufficient, demanding the government eliminate or significantly lower petroleum taxes and levies that were already in effect and had been substantially raised in the recent price adjustment.

The party issued a warning that without meeting their demands, they would organize supporters to march to provincial chief ministers’ homes and initiate a nationwide transportation strike designed to shut down road traffic and transport operations.

Emergency crews confirmed Monday that all four individuals missing after an Iranian missile directly struck a building in Haifa on Sunday have been found dead, according to Fire and Rescue Services officials. The victims included an elderly man and woman both in their 80s, along with their approximately 40-year-old son and his female partner, who was around 35 years old.

Rescue workers managed to retrieve two bodies from the collapsed structure, while operations continued to reach the other two victims. The recovery efforts faced additional challenges when another missile attack targeted the same neighborhood, causing more destruction and leaving four residents with minor injuries.

Monday morning brought fresh violence when a projectile hit a residential building’s private parking area in Haifa, resulting in smoke inhalation injuries for four people: two 5-year-old girls and two adults in their 40s.

The most serious injury occurred in Petah Tikva, where a 34-year-old woman suffered severe wounds from interceptor missile debris during the barrage. Emergency medical personnel from Magen David Adom rushed her to Beilinson Hospital, where doctors later upgraded her condition from serious to moderate-to-serious. Video from the scene revealed her damaged vehicle with broken windows and captured the moment she was struck while standing near the car.

Israeli authorities documented at least 15 impact locations throughout central Israel, with the Tel Aviv metropolitan area bearing significant damage. One Tel Aviv building sustained a direct hit, leaving one person with moderate injuries.

Medical responders also treated a 90-year-old Tel Aviv woman who was seriously injured while attempting to reach a bomb shelter during the attack.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Monday that intelligence chief Majid Khademi died in what Tehran describes as a joint American-Israeli operation that took place during early morning hours in the Iranian capital.

The Revolutionary Guard stated that Khademi was “martyred in the criminal terrorist attack by the American-Zionist enemy … at dawn today,” according to Iranian media reports.

Israeli military sources reported that their air force carried out the nighttime operation in Tehran using detailed intelligence provided by Israel’s military intelligence division.

Khademi brought extensive military and security expertise to his role and held significant influence within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. He stepped into the intelligence position after Mohammad Khatami’s death and was tasked with collecting intelligence that informed Iran’s top leadership decision-making.

Israeli officials accused Khademi of orchestrating attacks on Israeli and Jewish facilities around the globe. They also alleged he participated in operations targeting Americans and directed monitoring of Iranian civilians to crush domestic demonstrations.

The Israeli military reported Sunday that they had also eliminated Mohammad Reza Ashrafi Kahi, who led commercial operations for the Revolutionary Guard’s petroleum division in Tehran.

Military sources said Ashrafi managed business operations for the unit that generates billions annually and was instrumental in building military strength for the Revolutionary Guard and its allied organizations, including the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Defense forces in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates scrambled Monday to counter incoming Iranian missiles and drone attacks, with falling wreckage from successful intercepts causing civilian injuries and property damage throughout both nations.

Kuwaiti military officials confirmed they were actively countering “hostile missile and drone threats.” These Monday strikes came one day after attacks damaged several locations throughout Kuwait, including the Shuwaikh facility that serves as headquarters for both the oil ministry and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation disclosed “severe material damage” following Sunday’s drone attacks on its operational facilities. The nation’s electricity and water ministry confirmed that two water desalination facilities also sustained damage. Government media outlets reported another strike damaged a state office building, though no injuries occurred there.

Throughout the UAE, defense operations continued nationwide as military officials said their defensive systems were “actively engaging with missiles and UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) threats.” Officials explained that loud sounds heard across the country resulted from these defensive actions.

Debris from one successful intercept hit Raneen Systems, a company located in Abu Dhabi’s Musaffah industrial district, causing moderate injuries to a worker from Ghana, the Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed.

In another UAE incident, Fujairah officials responded after an Iranian drone approached the Du telecommunications company building on Sunday. No one was hurt in that incident.

Emergency responders in Sharjah worked to extinguish a blaze at Khor Fakkan Port after intercept debris landed at the location Sunday. One worker from Nepal suffered serious injuries requiring hospitalization, while three Pakistani nationals received treatment for minor to moderate injuries.

The head of London’s Wireless Festival is defending his choice to feature rapper Ye as the main act, even as major corporate sponsors abandon the event over the controversial booking.

Festival Republic’s managing director Melvin Benn issued a public statement Monday supporting the decision to schedule the artist formerly called Kanye West for the summer concert series.

“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world,” he wrote. “I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.”

The performer, who officially changed his name in 2021, is scheduled to appear before approximately 150,000 festival attendees during the three-day event running July 10-12.

The 48-year-old artist has faced intense criticism over the past few years for making antisemitic statements and expressing praise for Adolf Hitler. In recent actions, he released a track titled “Heil Hitler” and promoted merchandise featuring Nazi symbols on his website. This past January, he issued an apology through a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement, attributing his behavior to bipolar disorder and describing “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”

Major festival backers including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and Diageo have withdrawn their sponsorship following the headliner announcement, though primary sponsor Pepsi declined to specify their reasoning. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the booking decision as “deeply concerning.”

Benn’s defense emphasized the artist’s continued presence in mainstream media. “Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country,” his statement read.

“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” the festival organizer added.

The rapper recently returned to major live performances with two shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium last week, his first significant American concerts in almost five years. Attendees seemed willing to separate his musical work from his personal controversies, particularly after his public apology.

Concert-goer Yovani Contreras explained his perspective: “I don’t really bring into politics or the way someone’s personal opinion are. I’m into the music artistry. Like, I just, to me, Ye is always gonna be Ye. Kanye is always gonna be Kanye.”

Representatives for the artist did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez continues in her temporary leadership role despite her court-mandated 90-day appointment ending last Friday, following Nicolás Maduro’s arrest by U.S. authorities in January.

The duration of Rodríguez’s continued presidency remains uncertain, as Venezuelan lawmakers have not held a public vote to extend her appointment beyond the Friday deadline.

The high court’s ruling maintains that Maduro retains his official presidential status, with his “forced” absence due to what officials call a “kidnapping” temporarily preventing him from carrying out presidential responsibilities.

Venezuela’s constitution allows the vice president — Rodríguez’s previous position — to serve during temporary presidential absences for up to 90 days, according to the constitutional article the court cited. The national assembly has the authority to extend these interim appointments for another 90-day period.

Should lawmakers declare the presidency permanently vacant, the National Assembly, which Rodríguez’s party controls, could call for emergency elections.

Government press officials have not responded to media inquiries about the situation.

Ronal Rodríguez, who studies Venezuelan politics at Colombia’s Universidad del Rosario Venezuela Observatory, noted the government’s history of using legal interpretations to maintain power, especially since Maduro assumed office in 2013.

“And it would be no surprise if they did so again now,” he said. “They will most likely try to come up with some kind of explanation, such as it being Good Friday or the way the days were counted, but in the end, everything will be validated by a ruling from the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.”

U.S. authorities arrested Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, on January 3 in Caracas and transported them to New York to face drug trafficking accusations. Both individuals have entered not guilty pleas.

Rodríguez and other government officials have called for the couple’s release, characterizing their detention as an abduction. Similar demands appear on billboards and wall murals throughout Caracas.

The Trump administration surprised many Venezuelans by choosing to collaborate with Rodríguez after Maduro’s removal, rather than supporting opposition political groups. She has spearheaded cooperation with the administration’s step-by-step approach to resolving Venezuela’s multifaceted crisis, promoting her petroleum-rich country to global investors and opening the energy industry to private investment and international dispute resolution. Rodríguez has also dismissed key officials, including Maduro’s loyal defense secretary and chief prosecutor.

President Donald Trump has commended her efforts.

The U.S. Treasury Department removed sanctions against Rodríguez last week, while the State Department designated her as Venezuela’s “sole Head of State” last month.

The United States withdrew recognition of Maduro as Venezuela’s rightful leader in 2019, one year after he declared victory in an election widely viewed as fraudulent due to the exclusion of opposition parties and candidates.

Political adversaries in Venezuela are exploring unprecedented collaboration to protect the nation’s assets located within the United States, following Washington’s formal acknowledgment of interim President Delcy Rodriguez and the resulting confusion over legal representation in American courts.

Legal representatives for both Rodriguez’s administration and opposition forces submitted a joint request Monday to Manhattan-based U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, asking for a 45-day suspension of proceedings where creditors are attempting to claim funds connected to the state-owned oil enterprise Petroleos de Venezuela. The pause would allow time to establish proper legal representation for Venezuela’s interests.

This request indicates possible collaboration between previously hostile political factions in defending American assets, including the Houston-based oil refinery Citgo Petroleum, from various creditors. These creditors include bondholders of PDVSA and Venezuelan government debt, businesses that lost Venezuelan properties through expropriation, and individuals claiming damages from alleged terrorist activities.

Venezuela’s information ministry, responsible for handling government media inquiries, has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

The relationship between Venezuela’s opposition and the country’s socialist administration has historically been marked by bitter conflict. Opposition forces have maintained control over American assets like Citgo since 2019, when Washington first implemented sanctions against PDVSA as part of efforts to pressure former President Nicolas Maduro, who is now imprisoned, to step down from power.

Following Maduro’s capture by American forces, Washington officially recognized Rodriguez as Venezuela’s legitimate leader in March. According to a Reuters report from April 1, citing four sources familiar with the transition, Rodriguez is now making preparations to assume control of PDVSA’s American subsidiary boards, including Citgo.

The American government’s recognition of Rodriguez’s administration led Judge Netburn to request clarification from all parties regarding who possessed the authority to speak for Venezuela in legal proceedings.

Judge Netburn approved the suspension request on Monday. Legal counsel for both the government and opposition are required to provide an update on selecting permanent legal representation for Venezuela’s interests by May 21.

A Ukrainian defense company responsible for creating the nation’s Flamingo cruise missile is collaborating with European firms to develop an affordable air defense system, according to a senior company official speaking with Reuters.

Fire Point’s co-founder and chief designer Denys Shtilierman revealed that his company is working to create a budget-friendly alternative to the increasingly scarce Patriot missile defense system, with plans to launch by next year.

As global conflicts in Ukraine and Iran create widespread security concerns, Shtilierman explained that Fire Point wants to reduce the expense of stopping a ballistic missile to under $1 million.

The executive also disclosed that Fire Point is waiting for government clearance on a potential investment from a Middle Eastern business group. This deal would value the company at $2.5 billion and could lead to new ventures, including satellite launches in low Earth orbit.

Ukraine’s battlefield experience fighting Russian military forces has positioned the country as a pioneer in affordable defense technology. Following recent conflicts in the Gulf region, Kiev has used this expertise to establish security partnerships with governments throughout the area.

Numerous Ukrainian defense companies are now looking to export their additional production capacity and capitalize on increased global military spending. Although the government has recently relaxed wartime export limitations, each potential agreement still faces thorough review and requires state authorization.

Ukraine and many Western allies depend heavily on the American-manufactured Patriot system for ballistic missile defense. However, Patriot missiles are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain due to extensive use in Gulf operations against Iranian attacks. Europe’s sole anti-ballistic system, the Italian-French SAMP/T, has limited production numbers.

According to Shtilierman, the Patriot system – built by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin – typically needs two or three defense missiles to destroy a ballistic projectile, with each missile costing several million dollars.

“If we can decrease it to less than $1 million, it will be … a game changer in air defence solutions,” he stated during the interview. “We plan to intercept the first ballistic missile at the end of 2027.”

While Shtilierman refused to identify the European companies participating in development discussions, he said Fire Point is “deeply interested” in partnerships involving radar, missile guidance, and communication systems – technologies where the company needs additional expertise.

He mentioned that European firms such as Weibel, Hensoldt, SAAB and Thales offer strong radar capabilities.

Established following Moscow’s 2022 invasion, Fire Point has become Ukraine’s largest producer of long-range drones used in most attacks deep within Russian territory.

Recently, the company’s FP5 long-range cruise missile – widely called the Flamingo – has struck Russian military installations and weapons factories, including a ballistic missile facility located nearly 1,400 kilometers inside Russian borders.

Shtilierman reported that Fire Point is completing development of two supersonic ballistic missiles. The smaller FP-7 missile, with approximately 300-kilometer range, will see its first military use “in the close future,” he said, comparing it to Lockheed Martin’s ATACMS short-range ballistic system.

The larger FP-9, designed to deliver an 800-kilogram warhead up to 850 kilometers, is entering testing phases and would put Moscow within Ukraine’s ballistic weapon range, he added.

Shtilierman suggested that attacks on Moscow, protected by some of the world’s strongest air defenses, would create a “mass shift in the Russian mind and the mind of top guys in Russia.”

Russia’s defense ministry did not provide comment when contacted.

Fabian Hoffmann, a missile specialist and senior researcher at the Norwegian Defence University College, noted that while Russia has successfully intercepted ATACMS missiles, increased ballistic missile usage could strain Russian air defenses already weakened by Ukrainian attacks.

Although Fire Point’s 2027 timeline for launching a low-cost air defense system appears “ambitious,” Hoffmann said strong government demand would exist beyond Ukraine’s military requirements, even if the system’s effectiveness per missile was lower than the Patriot’s.

Ukraine’s anti-monopoly agency has until approximately October to approve the proposed $760-million purchase of a 30% Fire Point stake by the Middle Eastern investor, Shtilierman explained.

Ukrainian news outlets have named the potential buyer as Emirati defense company Edge Group. Neither Edge Group nor Ukraine’s anti-monopoly authorities responded to requests for comment.

This investment would initiate a project to construct a space launch facility in the UAE, ultimately aiming to establish a network of low-orbit European satellites. Shtilierman noted that the country’s proximity to the Indian Ocean and geographic conditions favor space launches.

“We built a carbon winding machine, which allows us to wind a big solid rocket booster for satellite delivery,” he explained, adding that while the project remains conceptual, agreements exist “with a couple of Western companies.”

Whether or not the UAE agreement moves forward, Shtilierman said Fire Point would avoid additional investors until demonstrating success with its missile defense system, which will utilize the company’s FP7 missile.

Fire Point has received inquiries from Gulf nations regarding purchases of existing drone products and awaits Ukrainian government approval to begin exports. Shtilierman stated the company can export up to 2,500 long-range drones monthly.

However, exporting the Flamingo missile faces greater challenges due to regulatory obstacles, he noted.

Fire Point reports producing hundreds of long-range strike drones daily, each costing approximately 50,000 euros ($57,775), plus three Flamingo missiles at roughly 600,000 euros each. He acknowledged certain “bottleneck” problems with Flamingo production, particularly engine manufacturing.

Fire Point will boost Flamingo production when a new internal engine begins mass production in October and a rocket fuel facility in Denmark becomes operational later this year, he said. The Danish plant awaits two final government approvals.

President Donald Trump delivered a stark warning to Iran on Monday, stating the nation could face complete military devastation within a single evening if officials fail to agree to ceasefire terms by Tuesday night.

Speaking during a White House press briefing, Trump issued the ultimatum: “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.”

The president had previously established Tuesday evening as the final deadline for Iran to accept a ceasefire agreement or face extensive attacks targeting power facilities and other vital infrastructure.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced during the same briefing that Monday would see the most intensive military strikes since operations against Iran began, with Tuesday expected to bring even greater force.

Trump also provided extensive details about a weekend rescue operation that successfully retrieved a downed American pilot from Iranian soil. The president explained how the unidentified airman sought refuge in mountainous terrain, continuously moving to higher elevations to improve his chances of being found.

“It was like finding a needle in a haystack,” Trump remarked about the search efforts.

The recovery mission involved hundreds of American military personnel working to locate the pilot before Iranian forces could capture him, according to Trump.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, present at the briefing, revealed that the agency conducted a “deception campaign” designed to mislead Iranian officials about the airman’s actual location.

Ratcliffe reported that Saturday morning brought confirmation that “one of America’s best and bravest was alive and concealed in a mountain crevice, still invisible to the enemy, but not to the CIA.”

The pilot, who was shot down Friday, was successfully extracted Sunday morning.

Trump described the rescue operation in dramatic terms: “In a breathtaking show of skill and precision, lethality and force, America’s military descended on the area, the real area, engaged the enemy, rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats and exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties of any kind.”

Hegseth noted that the rescued airman activated an emergency beacon to signal his position, and his initial communication upon rescue was: “God is good.”

LONDON – British officials are facing mounting calls to prevent rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, from entering the United Kingdom after organizers announced him as the featured performer for July’s Wireless Festival.

The 48-year-old artist has faced widespread condemnation for making antisemitic statements and expressing support for Nazi ideology, resulting in multiple social media platform suspensions including on X.

The festival booking announcement triggered immediate backlash, with several major corporations withdrawing their financial backing from the event. The opposition Conservative Party has formally requested that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood use her authority to block his entry into Britain.

A Home Office representative confirmed to Reuters that officials are currently examining his authorization to visit the country. While the department typically avoids commenting on specific cases, Mahmood possesses the legal power to personally deny Ye entry to the UK. Earlier this year in January, officials revoked travel permissions for Dutch far-right activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek for distributing misleading information.

Neither festival representatives nor Ye’s management team provided immediate responses when contacted for comment.

The Jewish Leadership Council issued a statement last week criticizing organizers for selecting Ye amid increasing incidents targeting Jewish individuals and institutions.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed strong disapproval of the booking decision, calling it “deeply concerning.”

“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” Starmer stated in remarks initially published by the Sun on Sunday.

“Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.”

A representative for London Mayor Sadiq Khan indicated the rapper’s statements contradict the city’s principles, while emphasizing that festival organizers made the booking choice independently.

Australia previously canceled the performer’s visa in July following his release of “Heil Hitler,” a track that promoted Nazi ideology. This action occurred months after Ye advertised merchandise featuring swastika symbols on his website.

In January, Ye purchased a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal to express remorse for his antisemitic statements, citing an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder as contributing factors. He also apologized for previously expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler and using Nazi symbolism.

The artist has not appeared in Britain since his headline performance at Glastonbury in 2015.

Major beverage companies Diageo and Pepsi, a longtime festival supporter, announced they were ending their partnerships with the Wireless event due to Ye’s involvement. PepsiCo also confirmed that its Rockstar Energy division had terminated its sponsorship agreement.

PayPal informed Reuters on Monday that its corporate branding would be removed from all future Wireless festival marketing materials.

ZURICH – The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross called on world leaders Monday to follow international warfare standards both in their statements and military actions, following escalating tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East.

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric issued a statement emphasizing that “States must respect and ensure respect for the rules of war in both what they say and what they do.” She added, “The world cannot succumb to a political culture that prioritises death over life.”

Spoljaric warned that intentional targeting of crucial civilian infrastructure and nuclear sites through threats or military strikes should not become standard practice in modern conflicts.

While the Red Cross statement addressed ongoing Middle Eastern hostilities, it did not specifically identify any particular nations involved.

Critical civilian facilities including electrical grids, water treatment plants, medical centers, transportation networks, residential areas, and educational institutions have been targeted in fighting that started with joint U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran in late February, prompting Iranian retaliation throughout the region.

President Trump has issued an ultimatum demanding Iran reach an agreement by Tuesday’s end to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy transport corridor, or face strikes on Iranian power facilities and transportation infrastructure.

Israeli forces targeted Iran’s biggest petrochemical facility on Monday, according to Israel’s defense minister.

In an unusual diplomatic development, North Korea has praised South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for apologizing over unauthorized drone flights that crossed into North Korean territory.

During a cabinet meeting on Monday, President Lee expressed remorse for at least two separate drone incidents that he said were conducted by civilians acting against government policy. He characterized these actions as an “act of revolt” against South Korea itself.

North Korea had previously claimed that drones from the South had breached its airspace and accused Seoul of serious provocation, stating they had shot down the aircraft.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, responded positively to Lee’s statements through the KCNA state news agency. “Our government appreciated it as a very fortunate and wise behaviour for its own sake,” she said, referring to the South Korean president’s comments.

She added that her brother viewed Lee’s apology as “a manifestation of a frank and broad-minded man’s attitude.” Kim Yo Jong frequently speaks on foreign policy issues and is believed to represent her brother’s positions.

This diplomatic tone represents a dramatic shift from North Korea’s recent harsh rhetoric, where it has labeled South Korea its “most hostile enemy” and declared that unification was no longer possible.

The Korean Peninsula remains divided, with both nations technically still at war following their 1950-53 conflict that concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Lee revealed that an internal investigation discovered that a National Intelligence Service worker and an active military member were connected to the drone incidents, which he said violated South Korea’s constitution prohibiting provocative acts against North Korea.

“Although it was not our government’s intention, we express our regret to the North over the fact that unnecessary military tensions were caused by the irresponsible and reckless actions of some individuals,” Lee stated during the cabinet session.

Since assuming office in June, President Lee has attempted multiple diplomatic initiatives with North Korea to repair relations that had deteriorated to historic lows, emphasizing that peaceful coexistence would benefit both nations economically.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Israeli forces have launched their second assault on Iran’s South Pars natural gas facility and its connected petrochemical operations — a crucial energy infrastructure that powers Iranian homes while generating significant export revenue.

On Monday, Israel’s defense minister confirmed that Israeli forces struck a major petrochemical facility at Asaluyeh, the land-based industrial component of the gas field located beneath the Persian Gulf waters.

Defense Minister Katz described the “powerful strike” as targeting what he termed “the largest petrochemical facility in Iran … responsible for about 50% of the country’s petrochemical production.”

Such strikes against South Pars carry significant consequences, as demonstrated when Israel’s previous March 18 assault led Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructure throughout other Middle Eastern nations, escalating regional tensions and creating widespread concern.

Following the March incident, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Israel would refrain from future South Pars attacks, though he warned via social media that continued Iranian strikes on Qatar’s energy infrastructure would prompt American retaliation to “massively blow up the entirety” of the facility.

The South Pars natural gas field represents Iran’s primary domestic energy source in a nation that frequently faces electricity generation challenges. This underwater gas field — the world’s largest — spans both Iranian and Qatari territories, known as South Pars on Iran’s side and the North Field on Qatar’s side.

Natural gas plays a vital role in Iranian society, powering electricity generation and home heating systems. Iran ranks as the world’s fourth-largest natural gas consumer, trailing only the United States, China, and Russia, according to Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, despite having a significantly smaller economy. Unlike other Middle Eastern nations, Iran depends heavily on gas heating due to its colder climate, with much of this usage receiving government subsidies that discourage conservation efforts.

Beyond domestic energy needs, the petrochemical facility generates crucial export income. The extracted gas produces essential chemical components including ethylene, propylene, methanol, ammonia, and urea, which manufacturers use to create plastic pipes, packaging materials, textiles, household items, and fertilizers. Major importing nations include Turkey, China, India, and various Southeast Asian countries, according to Iranian mining and petrochemical export company Irminex. Iran’s petrochemical sector maintains competitive advantages through reduced raw material costs thanks to direct South Pars gas access.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims these revenues support Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. “Today we destroyed the largest petrochemical plant in Iran,” Netanyahu stated. “In other words, we are systematically destroying the money machine of the Revolutionary Guards.”

Despite possessing substantial energy reserves on paper, Iran has experienced power shortages due to gas supply disruptions. Last July, public facilities were forced to close during a heat wave that overwhelmed the electrical grid.

Therefore, South Pars attacks potentially threaten both civilian welfare and export earnings simultaneously.

Qatar, with its 3 million residents, has invested billions developing the field for liquefied natural gas production, previously exporting from its Ras Laffan facility before wartime shutdowns. This profitable operation made Qatar responsible for approximately one-fifth of global LNG supplies before conflict forced Ras Laffan’s closure.

Iran’s situation differs dramatically with its 93 million population. International sanctions and insufficient investment have prevented LNG export terminal development. Instead, Iran channels its gas through domestic pipeline networks for cooking, home heating, electricity generation, and industrial raw materials. Iran exports relatively modest amounts — roughly 9 billion cubic meters — compared to Qatar’s previous 120 billion cubic meters.

Consequently, South Pars petrochemical operations provide Iran with alternative methods to monetize its vast gas reserves.

Iran previously planned three Persian Gulf coastline LNG export projects, including partnerships with Total Energies and Shell. However, nuclear program sanctions have blocked these initiatives by preventing necessary technology imports and investment. A third Asaluyeh site reportedly nears completion after nearly two decades of construction.

President Donald Trump declared Monday that his established Tuesday deadline for Iran to reach an agreement will not be extended, despite describing Tehran’s recent peace offer as meaningful but insufficient.

The president has threatened extensive strikes against Iranian infrastructure should his Tuesday evening ultimatum pass without resolution. Iranian officials have dismissed Trump’s imposed timeframe.

Speaking to media during a White House Easter egg celebration on the South Lawn, Trump commented on Iran’s diplomatic efforts. “They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” the president stated.

Trump expressed optimism about a swift resolution, telling reporters: “It could end very quickly, the war, if they do what they have to do. They have to do certain things. They know that, they’ve been negotiating I think in good faith.”

Administration officials have been conducting indirect discussions with Iran through Pakistani intermediaries, seeking an agreement where Iran would abandon nuclear weapons development and reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel. Iranian negotiators have indicated they seek a permanent conflict resolution rather than a temporary halt to hostilities.

The president characterized Iran’s current negotiating team as less extreme than previous representatives who were eliminated in military strikes. “We think they’re actually smarter,” Trump observed, noting they appear “not as radicalized” compared to their predecessors.

Regarding Iran’s petroleum resources, Trump suggested he would prefer American control of Iranian oil reserves, though he acknowledged such action would likely lack public support domestically.

CAIRO, April 6 – Iran has delivered its official response to a United States peace proposal through Pakistani diplomatic channels, declining temporary ceasefire measures and instead demanding a complete resolution to the ongoing conflict, according to the state-run IRNA news agency on Monday.

The Iranian government’s counter-proposal includes ten specific conditions that address broader regional stability concerns. These conditions encompass ending all regional hostilities, establishing secure navigation protocols for the Strait of Hormuz, removing economic sanctions, and implementing reconstruction efforts, according to the news agency.

KABUL, Afghanistan — Officials in Afghanistan report that devastating weather conditions have now claimed at least 110 lives, with seven individuals still unaccounted for as forecasters predict more severe rainfall ahead.

The violent storms and torrential rains started approximately two weeks ago, impacting nearly all of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. According to the Disaster Management Authority, the most recent 24-hour period saw 11 additional fatalities and six new injuries. The seven missing persons are believed to have been swept away by rushing floodwaters in various locations.

During the two-week period, the combination of floods, mudslides, and lightning has resulted in 110 fatalities and left 160 people wounded, officials reported. The destruction includes 958 homes completely leveled and an additional 4,155 structures suffering significant damage.

On Monday, the Defense Ministry reported deploying helicopter rescue operations to extract two individuals who had become trapped by floodwaters in Herat province in the western region.

The disaster has wiped out more than 325 kilometers (200 miles) of roadways, while also damaging commercial properties, farmland, water channels, and drinking water sources, impacting 6,122 families according to authorities. Officials noted these numbers remain preliminary.

Weather officials have issued alerts for Tuesday covering nearly the entire nation, urging citizens to avoid rivers and flood-prone areas.

Afghanistan experienced similar deadly weather earlier this year when heavy snowfall and sudden floods killed dozens nationwide.

Transportation has been severely disrupted with two major highways remaining closed for multiple days due to landslides and flooding. Travelers are being forced to use lengthy alternate routes. The critical Kabul to Jalalabad highway, which connects the capital to Pakistan’s border and eastern Afghan provinces, has been impassable since Thursday. Additionally, the route from Jalalabad northeast to Kunar and Nuristan provinces has been blocked by rockslides since Sunday.

Afghanistan regularly experiences deadly flash flooding triggered by snow and heavy rainfall, often killing dozens or hundreds at once. Spring flooding in 2024 resulted in more than 300 deaths.

BASRA, Iraq – The leader of Iraq’s state-operated Basra Oil Company announced that the nation could revive crude oil shipments to approximately 3.4 million barrels daily within seven days, contingent on the conclusion of hostilities with Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a Reuters analysis, Iraq has experienced the most severe decline in petroleum revenues among Persian Gulf oil-producing nations due to the waterway’s effective shutdown, primarily because the country has limited alternative shipping pathways.

However, Iraq, which ranks as OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, has the capability to rapidly resume production levels that existed before U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran in late February resulted in the strategic waterway’s closure. The Strait normally handles approximately one-fifth of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

IRAN’S ASSURANCES REMAIN UNOFFICIAL

Bassem Abdul Karim revealed that Iran has only offered oral commitments that would grant Iraqi oil tankers clearance to navigate through the Strait.

“We have not received any formal documents regarding permission for Iraqi tankers to pass,” he said in an interview with Reuters.

Abdul Karim explained that current output from Iraq’s southern petroleum fields stands at roughly 900,000 barrels daily, though he emphasized that ending the conflict and securing safe transit through the Strait could push exports to 3.4 million barrels per day within one week.

President Donald Trump has issued ultimatums to Tehran, warning of unleashing “hell” unless an agreement is reached by Tuesday’s end to restore traffic flow through the Strait of Hormuz.

DRAMATIC DECLINE IN IRAQI PETROLEUM PRODUCTION

Iraqi energy officials reported to Reuters last month that the country’s oil output fell approximately 80% to roughly 800,000 barrels daily as warfare prevented exports and filled storage facilities to capacity.

With restricted distribution channels for Iraqi petroleum, the Rumaila field’s production decreased to about 400,000 barrels per day from its pre-conflict level of 1.35 million barrels daily, while the Zubair field dropped to 300,000 barrels per day from 340,000 barrels daily before hostilities began, Abdul Karim stated.

Multiple smaller drilling sites continue operating at reduced capacity to maintain associated gas production needed for domestic electricity generation, while shutdowns at other locations have provided opportunities for maintenance activities, he noted.

Iraq’s total field production reached 4.3 million barrels daily before the war commenced, which should provide sufficient capacity to export 3.4 million barrels per day despite conflict-related infrastructure damage.

Natural gas production from Basra region fields has fallen to approximately 700 million standard cubic feet daily, compared to about 1.1 billion standard cubic feet per day before the war, mainly due to reduced petroleum extraction, Abdul Karim reported.

SATISFYING DOMESTIC REFINERY NEEDS

To meet internal consumption requirements, the Basra Oil Company transports around 400,000 barrels per day of crude to northern Iraq, including approximately 150,000 barrels daily by truck and roughly 250,000 barrels per day through domestic pipeline infrastructure, supplying refineries with demand totaling 500,000 barrels daily.

The northern Kirkuk fields currently produce about 380,000 barrels per day, Abdul Karim confirmed.

When questioned about drone strike impacts, Abdul Karim described attacks on petroleum facilities as causing “major losses to the continuity of production and oil operations,” noting that both international and Iraqi service companies have been targeted.

A dual-drone assault targeting the Rumaila oilfield on Saturday injured three Iraqi employees, according to security and energy sources who spoke with Reuters.

Abdul Karim said the attack on Rumaila field’s northern section struck locations used by American oilfield service corporations Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, sparking a fire that crews subsequently extinguished.

Both Schlumberger and Baker Hughes did not immediately provide responses to comment requests.

MOSCOW – A former regional governor in Russia received a lengthy prison term Monday after being convicted of stealing public money meant for border security.

Alexei Smirnov, who previously led the Kursk region, was ordered to serve 14 years behind bars following his corruption conviction, according to Russian state media reports.

The sentencing comes as part of a broader criminal investigation targeting multiple former Kursk officials accused of pocketing money allocated for constructing frontier defense systems. The Kursk region sits along Russia’s border, and Ukrainian forces occupied portions of the territory for several months during 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is pushing for rapid expansion of his nation’s energy infrastructure as Middle East conflicts continue to shake global oil markets, according to reports from Beijing.

The leader of the world’s second-largest economy stressed the importance of water-based power generation and environmental protection while calling for careful expansion of atomic energy programs, state media CCTV reported Monday.

Xi referenced the ruling Communist Party’s leadership in his remarks, stating: “The Party Central Committee has gained a profound grasp of global energy development trends and made major decisions by advancing the new energy security strategy in depth.”

The Chinese president’s comments did not specifically reference the ongoing Middle East warfare, though the timing comes as the United States and Iran consider a Pakistani-mediated proposal to resolve their five-week conflict. Tehran continues to resist international pressure to quickly reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Energy experts note that China faces less vulnerability to rising petroleum costs compared to other major economies. The nation relies on coal for over half its power needs, maintains substantial oil reserves, and receives only about 5% of its total energy consumption through imports passing the Strait of Hormuz.

Xi defended China’s energy strategy, saying: “The path we took in being the first to develop wind and solar power has now proven to be forward-looking. At the same time, coal-fired power remains the foundation of our energy system and must continue to play its supporting role.”

China currently operates more than half the globe’s coal-burning power facilities, making it the largest producer of carbon emissions worldwide. This has created ongoing tensions with Western climate programs. The country continues treating coal power as essential backup infrastructure while simultaneously expanding renewable energy sources.

Despite highlighting coal’s importance in China’s power grid, Xi emphasized his nation’s commitment to environmentally-friendly development approaches.

State media quoted officials saying: “A greener, more diversified and resilient new energy system will provide a strong guarantee for China’s energy security and economic development.”

Major infrastructure projects are moving forward, including construction that began last July on what will become the world’s largest hydroelectric dam along the Tibetan Plateau’s eastern edge.

Additionally, China General Nuclear Power Group started building a solar thermal facility Monday at 4,550 meters elevation in Tibet, according to state news agency Xinhua.

LONDON – A new analysis reveals how the blockade of a critical Middle Eastern shipping route has created vastly different economic outcomes for oil-producing nations in the region.

The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz – which normally handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments – has resulted in massive financial gains for some countries while devastating others, according to recent data.

Iran closed off the strategic waterway following American and Israeli military strikes against Iranian targets in late February, which escalated into broader regional hostilities. Tehran later announced it would permit passage for ships without American or Israeli connections, allowing some tankers to navigate the narrow passage, though global energy markets remain severely disrupted.

The crisis sent international Brent crude prices soaring 60% during March, marking the largest monthly price jump on record.

President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran, warning he will unleash “hell” on Tehran unless a deal is reached by Tuesday’s end to restore normal shipping traffic through the strait.

The financial impact on regional oil exporters has been determined largely by their geographic advantages or disadvantages.

Countries with access to alternative shipping methods – including Iran itself, along with Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – can utilize pipelines and ports that avoid the blocked strait entirely.

Meanwhile, oil from Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar remains effectively stranded, as these nations lack backup routes to reach global markets.

An Iranian government source told reporters that Iran refuses to reopen the strait as part of any temporary truce agreement, following Trump’s latest demands. Tehran has consistently rejected previous American ultimatums, stating it will not accept humiliation.

Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow with the Chatham House think tank, noted the long-term implications: “Now that Hormuz has been closed, it can be closed again and again, and that poses a major threat to the global economy. The genie is out of the bottle.”

The International Energy Agency has characterized this conflict as the most severe energy supply disruption in global history, with over 12 million barrels daily of regional production halted and approximately 40 energy installations damaged.

March export data analysis shows Iraq and Kuwait both experienced roughly 75% drops in estimated oil export earnings compared to the previous year. In contrast, Iran’s revenues jumped 37% while Oman’s increased 26%. Saudi Arabia saw a 4.3% revenue boost, and the UAE experienced a modest 2.6% decline as higher prices compensated for reduced shipping volumes.

For Saudi Arabia, elevated oil prices translate to increased government income through royalties and taxes from state-controlled Aramco, which is predominantly owned by the government and its investment fund.

This revenue boost comes at an opportune time for the kingdom, which had been running budget shortfalls due to heavy investments in economic diversification projects aimed at reducing oil dependency.

Aramco representatives declined to provide comments regarding the revenue calculations. Officials from other affected nations and their petroleum companies have not yet responded to inquiries.

Saudi Arabia’s primary alternative shipping route is its 746-mile East-West pipeline system, constructed during the 1980s Iran-Iraq conflict specifically to circumvent Hormuz. The pipeline links eastern oil production areas to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and currently operates at its maximum 7 million barrel daily capacity.

With approximately 2 million barrels consumed domestically, Saudi Arabia has roughly 5 million barrels available for export daily. Yanbu port handled an average of 4.6 million barrels per day during the week beginning March 23, despite attacks on the facility on March 19.

Saudi crude exports declined 26% year-over-year in March to 4.39 million barrels daily, but higher prices still increased export values by approximately $558 million compared to the previous year. The kingdom had strategically increased February exports to their highest levels since April 2023, anticipating potential American military action against Iran.

Despite the East-West pipeline advantage, Quilliam warned that Saudi Arabia remains exposed to additional attacks by Iran or its Yemeni allies, the Houthis, targeting western energy infrastructure and ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait toward the Red Sea.

The UAE has received partial protection through its Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, which can handle 1.5-1.8 million barrels daily while bypassing the strait. However, the country’s estimated oil export revenues still dropped more than $174 million year-over-year in March, and Fujairah has faced multiple attacks causing loading interruptions.

Among Gulf producers, Iraq suffered the steepest revenue decline – falling 76% to $1.73 billion. Kuwait followed with a 73% drop to $864 million.

Iraq’s state oil marketing organization SOMO reported April 2 that March oil revenues totaled approximately $2 billion, closely matching independent estimates.

Both nations likely face even sharper April declines, as their March figures benefited from shipments that departed during the conflict’s early days. One Iraqi crude tanker successfully navigated the strait last week after Iran announced Iraq would be exempt from shipping restrictions.

Adriana Alvarado, VP of sovereign ratings at Morningstar DBRS, explained that Gulf governments have options to maintain financial stability, including utilizing fiscal reserves or accessing debt markets.

“Apart from Bahrain, the Gulf states have enough fiscal room to deal with the shock, with government debt at moderate levels below 45% of GDP,” she stated.

The crisis’s long-term consequences remain uncertain. While some Western oil companies and political leaders advocate for increased fossil fuel investment to guard against supply disruptions, other analysts argue renewable energy offers superior protection.

Demonstrating how the crisis might accelerate the transition away from oil dependence, France’s TotalEnergies and UAE state-backed renewable firm Masdar announced a $2.2 billion joint venture last week to rapidly expand renewable energy infrastructure across nine Asian nations.

ZANJAN, Iran — Dark banners drape the border checkpoint while images of Iran’s fallen Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei look down, vowing revenge against America and Israel.

Yet during the lengthy 12-hour journey south toward Tehran, ordinary life persists, with scattered evidence of the current conflict, including a Shiite religious facility that authorities report was struck in a recent aerial attack.

Reporters from the Associated Press completed this trek on Saturday following their entry into Iran from Turkey. Their journey provided insights into a nation positioned at the heart of a regional conflict that has disrupted global markets and continues unabated five weeks following Khamenei’s death in the initial American and Israeli offensive.

The Iranian government has authorized the Associated Press to deploy an additional reporting team for a limited assignment. AP maintains existing operations within Iran. The visiting journalists must work alongside a handler from a government-connected organization, though AP maintains complete editorial authority over its reporting.

Evidence of wartime devastation first appeared in Zanjan, a northwestern city located roughly six hours from the border crossing.

Government representatives report that an aerial bombardment struck a religious community facility called a husseiniyah, resulting in two fatalities and destroying both a medical clinic and library. Additional sections of the complex, portions dating back centuries, sustained damage including its golden dome structure.

When questioned regarding the attack, Israeli military officials stated they had targeted “a military headquarters,” adding that they attempt to prevent damage to civilian infrastructure, without providing further details.

“It has hurt me a lot and distressed me a lot,” said Somayeh Shojaei, a local resident who has attended religious and cultural events at the center. “With these airstrikes, (the U.S. and Israel) are showing their malicious intent to the whole world,” she said.

The bombardment claimed the lives of the library’s caretaker and an Iranian Red Crescent volunteer responder, according to Jaafar Mohammadi, the regional director of cultural and Islamic guidance.

Mohammadi explained that economically disadvantaged individuals had accessed free medical care at the clinic while students utilized the library containing over 35,000 volumes, including historical manuscripts.

He stated he remained uncertain about the reasoning behind targeting the facility.

“Iran wanted to negotiate for peace with (U.S. President Donald) Trump, but Trump responded with war,” Mohammadi said. “He started the war, but we will definitely be the victorious side.”

American and Israeli forces have conducted thousands of bombing missions throughout the nation, while Trump has threatened to attack Iran “back to the Stone Ages, where they belong.” During the weekend, he restated his Monday ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for petroleum and natural gas transport.

Iran’s remaining leadership has maintained their defiant stance and governmental control, dismissing what they characterize as unrealistic American peace terms. Israel has shown no signs of reducing its military operations and has encouraged Iranians to remove their current government.

Despite the war creating international upheaval — along with fear and worry among Iranians — everyday activities persist.

Throughout multiple cities along the Tehran route, AP journalists observed regular vehicle traffic, operating businesses, and pedestrians on sidewalks. One restaurant offered traditional Iranian cuisine including grilled lamb with rice, barley soup, and saffron beverages while R.E.M.’s “Losing my religion” played through speakers.

Numerous women were visible conducting daily activities without the government-mandated head coverings, enforcement of which has relaxed in recent years.

The reporting team traveled through two security checkpoints approaching Tehran without being detained.

The capital appeared unusually quiet after midnight hours. Intense aerial bombardments had targeted mountainous areas surrounding the city the night before.

Tehran remains on the conflict’s front lines, experiencing repeated bombing waves that American and Israeli officials claim target military and domestic security installations. Iranian authorities report more than 1,900 casualties, though the breakdown between military personnel and civilians remains unclear.

The AP team observed multiple destroyed government facilities and police stations. They encountered several checkpoints staffed by plainclothes Basij internal security personnel and uniformed Revolutionary Guard members.

Security forces stopped them once, requesting they open their vehicle and display press credentials before allowing them to proceed.

Government fuel subsidies keep gasoline prices at approximately 15 U.S. cents per gallon, though citizens can only purchase about 5 gallons per transaction. No evidence of fuel shortages or waiting lines was apparent.

In Zanjan, Mohamoud Maasoumi, a former military member, described the American conflict as involving “the world’s arrogance” — tensions tracing back to a 1953 CIA-supported overthrow that remains vivid in many Iranians’ memories. He voiced confidence that Iran’s leadership would protect the nation.

“The enemy sees that we are not ever succumbing,” he said.

A tourism cruise ship carrying 30 passengers became stranded on a coral reef in Fiji waters over the weekend, prompting a safe evacuation of all aboard, according to the vessel’s operating company.

The incident involving the MV Fiji Princess occurred Saturday when the ship became grounded near Monuriki Island, which gained fame as the filming location for the Tom Hanks movie ‘Cast Away’ in 2000, Blue Lagoon Cruises announced Monday.

According to the company’s official statement, the 182-foot vessel was initially anchored in calm conditions when unexpected severe weather moved through the area. “Whilst the investigation is in its early stages, conditions upon the ship anchoring in the area were calm, and it appears a severe squall caused the ship’s anchor to drag towards a nearby reef whereby the ship became grounded,” the statement said.

Rescue operations began at dawn Sunday when a ferry arrived to assist the stranded vessel. All 30 passengers successfully left the ship with their personal items and luggage intact, with no reported injuries during the evacuation process.

The evacuated travelers were transported to Denarau Island for safety.

Environmental protection measures were implemented quickly, with Blue Lagoon Cruises confirming that all removable fuel and oils had been extracted from the vessel by Monday to prevent potential contamination of the surrounding waters.

Recovery operations have been ongoing since Sunday under the supervision of an Australian salvage expert who arrived on scene to coordinate the ship’s removal efforts.

Officials from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, the agency responsible for regulating marine operations in the region, have not yet provided comment on the incident.

ATHENS, April 6 (Reuters) — Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on European Union prosecutors Monday to rapidly determine whether to bring charges against members of his conservative New Democracy party who are under investigation in a major agricultural subsidy fraud case, as he works to limit political damage from the growing scandal.

The investigation has shaken the government following European prosecutors’ decision last year to charge numerous Greek livestock farmers with fraudulently claiming pastureland ownership to illegally obtain millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies, reportedly with assistance from government workers and conservative political figures.

Expanding their investigation, prosecutors requested last week that Greece’s parliament remove legal immunity from at least 11 conservative members of parliament, including previous cabinet ministers, to enable investigation into suspected crimes against the European Union’s financial interests.

The charges facing the legislators, who enjoy constitutional protection from prosecution under Greek law, include encouraging breach of trust and computer fraud, based on evidence collected by Greek law enforcement.

Mitsotakis, who has reorganized his cabinet, acknowledged in a public statement that the request represents a significant development but noted the cases differ in seriousness and expressed his commitment to protecting the lawmakers’ right to be presumed innocent.

“I am calling on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, once (their) parliamentary immunity has been lifted, to proceed swiftly with all investigative acts and to decide whether, how many and whom it intends to prosecute,” he said.

Mitsotakis additionally promised reforms to enhance transparency and combat favoritism, including a proposal that parliament members appointed as ministers be replaced in parliament rather than serving in both roles simultaneously.

EU PROSECUTORS PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO GREEK PARLIAMENT

Parliament received the evidence provided by European prosecutors along with their immunity removal request on Saturday.

The materials, reviewed by Reuters, include recorded conversations between the parliament members — some former ministers or their staff — and high-ranking officials from OPEKEPE, the agency responsible for managing EU agricultural subsidies.

“We’ll be exposed … we certainly need to fix this,” one legislator told an OPEKEPE representative. Prosecutors contend in the documents that the lawmakers used their political influence to pressure agency personnel.

Greek constitution protects lawmakers and ministers from prosecution, requiring parliamentary action to remove their immunity.

New Democracy controls 156 seats in the 300-member parliament. Two former ministers involved in the investigation have rejected any wrongdoing and proactively requested their immunity be removed.

An ethics committee will examine the matter on Tuesday, with parliament anticipated to vote on removing the lawmakers’ immunity next week.

A deadly Israeli airstrike late Sunday targeted an apartment building in a Christian community outside Beirut, claiming the lives of a local political figure and escalating tensions within Lebanon regarding Hezbollah’s involvement in the ongoing conflict.

The attack occurred in Ain Saadeh, a Christian-majority town located in the hills east of Lebanon’s capital. Three people died in the strike – a man and two women who were located one floor beneath the apartment that was actually targeted, according to Lebanon’s health ministry and the town’s mayor.

Among the casualties were Pierre Moawad, a regional official with the Lebanese Forces Party, and his spouse Flavia, the anti-Hezbollah Christian political organization confirmed.

The month-long warfare has intensified existing rifts between those who support the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Lebanese citizens who hold the militant group responsible for sparking another confrontation with Israel barely over a year since the previous conflict ended.

“We are paying a heavy price for a war into which we have been dragged by the lawless organisation Hezbollah,” Lebanese Forces parliamentarian Razi El Hage told Lebanese broadcaster MTV.

Israel launched its comprehensive air and ground offensive following Hezbollah’s March 2 rocket attacks into Israeli territory, which the group conducted in support of Iran. Lebanese officials report that more than 1,460 people have died in the Israeli campaign.

The Israeli military’s evacuation orders have affected vast portions of southern Lebanon, eastern regions, and Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, forcing over one million residents to flee their homes. The majority of displaced people belong to the Shi’ite Muslim population that forms Hezbollah’s primary base of support.

Christian area residents and local leaders have voiced worries that displaced populations might be sheltering militants who could become Israeli targets. Some local governments are now screening individuals seeking rental housing in their communities.

Christian legislator Nadim Gemayel, who opposes Hezbollah, expressed concerns to Reuters last month that Israel might be intentionally forcing Shi’ite populations into other Lebanese regions to create inter-community conflicts.

Unlike many previous strikes, Israeli forces issued no evacuation warning before Sunday’s attack. Local residents confirmed that no displaced individuals were residing in the targeted building or nearby structures.

“I’ve been in my house for 20 years, I’ve never even seen this apartment lit. There’s no one in it,” Antoine Aalam, a 70-year-old man who lives across from the targeted apartment, told Reuters on Monday.

Israeli military officials told Reuters they had attacked a “terror target east of Beirut” but provided no additional information.

“Reports that several uninvolved individuals were harmed as a result of the strike are being reviewed,” the military stated.

Military representatives refused to address concerns that attacks on Christian communities were designed to increase sectarian hostilities.

Despite the 2024 ceasefire that concluded the previous Hezbollah conflict, Israeli forces have maintained their presence in southern Lebanon while continuing periodic strikes. Lebanese appeals for new peace negotiations have been ignored by Israel.

The Sunday evening attack occurred just hours after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered his first televised speech since hostilities began, declaring that the nation’s “primary concern is preserving civil peace, which is a red line.”

Additional Israeli strikes on Sunday killed five people in Beirut’s southern suburbs, including a teenage girl and two Sudanese migrant workers. Another attack on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed a married couple and wounded their two children.

MOSCOW – Russian government officials on Monday accused Ukraine of likely being behind explosive devices discovered near a major gas pipeline in Serbia that transports Russian energy to Hungary, though they acknowledged lacking definitive proof at this time.

The allegations emerged after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called an emergency defense meeting on Sunday following the discovery of explosives near the TurkStream pipeline. Orban, who is facing a challenging reelection campaign ahead of Sunday’s vote, has previously stated that Ukraine has spent years attempting to disconnect Europe from Russian energy sources, but stopped short of directly accusing Kyiv of responsibility for this specific incident.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry has categorically denied any connection to the explosive devices found near the pipeline infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the situation as extremely concerning during a press briefing with reporters. “The situation is potentially very dangerous. This is a vital energy artery, which is currently operating under extreme strain. And prior to this, as we know, the Kyiv regime was directly involved in such acts of sabotage against critical energy infrastructure,” Peskov stated.

“It is highly likely that signs of the Kyiv regime’s involvement will be found this time too,” he continued, expressing Moscow’s expectation that Hungarian and Serbian authorities would take steps to reduce the security threat.

Peskov also referenced recent diplomatic discussions, saying: “We also hope that, during recent talks (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskiy held in Ankara, the head of the Kyiv regime was made aware that such aggressive actions against the infrastructure of the South Stream and Blue Stream pipelines are unacceptable.”

A recent worldwide survey conducted by the Pew Research Center examined global perspectives on the moral acceptance of homosexuality, revealing dramatic differences across nations. Nigeria emerged as the country with the highest percentage of residents who view homosexuality as morally unacceptable, with an overwhelming 96% of respondents expressing this view. Indonesia and Turkey also ranked among the countries with similarly high levels of moral disapproval. On the opposite side of the global spectrum, Sweden led nations where homosexuality is widely accepted, with 94% of those surveyed considering it morally acceptable. Within the United States, the survey found that 60% of participants expressed moral acceptance of homosexuality.

MADRID, April 6 – New polling data reveals that Spain’s Socialist Party has experienced a boost in voter approval following Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s firm stance against the U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeting Iran, while the far-right Vox party’s support has weakened, according to two surveys released Monday.

Sanchez has positioned himself among the most outspoken Western leaders condemning what he describes as an unlawful and dangerous military action, taking concrete steps including shutting down Spanish airspace to American aircraft participating in the strikes and prohibiting their use of shared military installations in Spain’s southern region.

The far-right Vox party – which maintains close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement – has strongly condemned Sanchez’s position on the conflict.

Recent polling by the state-run CIS organization revealed that 85% of Spanish citizens oppose the military action.

Fresh survey results from Sigma Dos, conducted for El Mundo newspaper, indicate the Socialist Party’s support climbed to 27.7% from the previous month’s 26.4%, narrowing the gap with the conservative People’s Party (PP). A separate poll by 40dB for El Pais newspaper placed Socialist support at 28.6%, representing an increase from 27.7%.

Conversely, Vox experienced a decline to 17.1% in April from 18.3% according to Sigma Dos polling, while the 40dB survey showed a smaller decrease of 0.1 percentage point to 18.7%.

The People’s Party maintained its lead in both surveys, capturing 32.5% and 31.1% of voter preferences respectively, with modest gains of less than one percentage point in each poll. The party has criticized Sanchez for harming Atlantic alliance relationships and has avoided publicly condemning Trump and Israel, although its leadership has adopted the “no to war” message.

Both surveys indicate a notable pattern of voter migration from political extremes toward the two major mainstream parties. The People’s Party appears to be preventing further voter defection to Vox, while the Socialists are attracting previous supporters of Sumar, their hard-left coalition partner.

Despite these shifts, Spain’s divided political landscape continues to require coalition governments, with both polls suggesting a potential right-wing majority if elections occurred today.

The country’s next scheduled general election is set for August 2027.

Both polling organizations surveyed approximately 2,000 respondents, with each study carrying a 2.2% margin of error.

Senior Iranian leadership has rejected President Trump’s ultimatum regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, adopting a confrontational stance as both nations continue to exchange missile strikes.

The dismissal of Trump’s deadline comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries, with military actions escalating on both sides. Iranian officials have maintained their defiant position despite increasing pressure from the United States.

The ongoing conflict has seen continued missile exchanges between the warring nations, with no immediate signs of de-escalation as diplomatic efforts appear to have stalled.

Iranian officials announced Monday they have developed their own counter-proposal to recent ceasefire initiatives that were delivered through diplomatic intermediaries, according to the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters that Tehran has established a list of conditions based on the nation’s interests, which have already been transmitted through diplomatic back-channels. He noted that previous American proposals, including a 15-point framework, were turned down for being “excessive.”

Baghaei emphasized during Monday’s news briefing that diplomatic talks were “incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes.”

“Iran does not hesitate to clearly express what it considers its legitimate demands and doing so should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions,” Baghaei stated during the press conference.

When questioned by an Iranian reporter about ongoing diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire between Iran and the United States, Baghaei confirmed “We have formulated our own responses” and indicated that specific details would be revealed at an appropriate time.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials reported Monday that a nighttime Russian drone strike on the southern port city of Odesa claimed the lives of three civilians, including two women and a 2-year-old child, as Ukraine simultaneously launched its own drone offensive against Russian oil export facilities along the Black Sea.

The devastating assault severely damaged a residential apartment building in Odesa, prompting rescue teams to work through the night using floodlights to extract four survivors from the debris.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on X that eleven individuals required hospitalization following the attack, among them a pregnant woman and two young children, with the youngest victim being under one year of age.

Since launching its invasion more than four years ago, Russia has consistently targeted civilian areas throughout Ukraine, resulting in over 15,000 deaths according to United Nations data.

The overnight bombardment extended beyond Odesa, with Russian forces also striking power infrastructure across the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, Zelenskyy confirmed.

Regional power companies reported that more than 300,000 homes lost electricity in northern Chernihiv after distribution centers sustained damage from the attacks.

Zelenskyy revealed that Russian forces have unleashed more than 2,800 attack drones, nearly 1,350 powerful glide bombs and over 40 various missiles against Ukraine in just the past seven days.

During a recent Associated Press interview, Zelenskyy voiced concerns that conflicts involving Iran are depleting weapon stockpiles Ukraine desperately needs for defense, particularly American-manufactured Patriot air defense systems capable of intercepting missiles.

“Russia has no intention of stopping” its invasion, Zelenskyy stated Monday, emphasizing that the country’s allies “need to strengthen air defense together so that the interception rate of drones and missiles continues to increase.”

Ukraine has responded by developing indigenous long-range drone technology capable of striking targets up to 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) within Russian territory.

These Ukrainian drones have recently focused on Russian oil infrastructure, particularly as Moscow seeks to increase exports following temporary sanctions relief from the Trump administration aimed at easing supply shortages. Ukrainian officials argue that Russia will use additional oil revenues to purchase more weapons for continued attacks.

Russian Defense Ministry officials claimed their air defenses successfully intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones during overnight operations.

Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that eight individuals, including two children, sustained injuries during multiple Ukrainian drone strikes on Novorossiisk, a major Russian Black Sea port. The assault damaged six apartment complexes and two residential homes, according to his statement.

Unverified media sources suggested the drones specifically targeted the Sheskharis oil terminal located at the Black Sea port.

Ukrainian drone operations last week successfully struck oil facilities in Russia’s Gulf of Finland region in the northwest part of the country.

Iran’s top nuclear official has sharply criticized the United Nations’ atomic oversight body, claiming its failure to respond decisively to attacks on nuclear facilities is encouraging further aggression.

Mohammad Eslami, who leads Iran’s atomic energy organization, sent a formal complaint Monday to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding repeated strikes against the Bushehr nuclear power station.

According to Eslami’s letter, Iran’s sole operational nuclear facility has come under attack four separate times, with the latest incident occurring April 4 near the plant. That assault resulted in the death of one security worker and left several others wounded.

The Iranian official expressed grave concern about potential catastrophic outcomes, warning that strikes on an active nuclear reactor could lead to radioactive contamination with “irreparable consequences” affecting both people and the environment across the region.

Eslami characterized these incidents as violations of international law and condemned what he termed the agency’s “lack of decisive action.” He argued that simply voicing concern without taking concrete steps would only encourage additional attacks on nuclear infrastructure.

Iranian military officials announced Monday they conducted a drone attack against American forces stationed on Bubiyan Island in Kuwait, according to a video statement released through state-controlled media.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, speaking for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, claimed the operation specifically targeted satellite communications equipment and weapons stockpiles on the island using unmanned aircraft. He stated that American troops had moved to this location from the Arifjan military installation following multiple previous Iranian strikes on that facility.

The island represents Kuwait’s largest coastal landmass and sits in the northwestern section of the Persian Gulf region.

Kuwait’s health ministry reported that six individuals sustained injuries from debris that fell into a residential neighborhood in the country’s northern region during the Iranian assault.

Ukrainian military forces have successfully recaptured 185 square miles of territory across southeastern and eastern front line areas since the end of January, according to the nation’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Following a recent front line inspection, Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces had restored control over a dozen settlements – eight located in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region and four in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

However, the military leader warned that Russian forces remain committed to their spring assault campaign across the battle lines.

“Russian troops are not abandoning their plans for further offensive operations and are regrouping their available forces and equipment,” Syrskyi wrote on the Telegram messaging platform late Sunday evening.

“Despite significant losses in personnel and military equipment, the invaders aim to seize more Ukrainian territory and establish a ‘buffer zone’ in the Dnipropetrovsk region.”

Syrskyi emphasized that Ukrainian defenders have successfully held their defensive positions throughout the recent fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared last week that the battlefield conditions for Ukraine represented the most favorable circumstances since mid-2023.

Defense experts indicate that Ukraine’s southeastern counterattacks are effectively hampering Russian military operations near Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, while also disrupting the broader Russian spring campaign along more than 750 miles of front line positions.

“Ukrainian counter attacks in the Hulyaipole and Oleksandrivka directions continue to present the Russian military command with dilemmas that overstretched Russian forces appear challenged to meet,” stated the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War in Monday’s analysis.

Russian forces have maintained their advance in eastern Donetsk territory, particularly north of Pokrovsk, a crucial supply center, according to statements from Russia’s defense ministry reported by state media last week.

The fight for Pokrovsk has continued since summer 2024 as Russian forces attempt to solidify their hold over the Donetsk region.

Syrskyi confirmed he toured the Pokrovsk area and directed additional ammunition and supply deliveries to reinforce Ukrainian positions in that sector.

As diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict remain stalled, Ukraine has escalated its long-distance strike operations targeting Russian petroleum facilities. During the previous two weeks, Ukrainian forces have attacked Russian Baltic coastal ports and oil installations in the Leningrad region.

SEOUL, South Korea — Intelligence officials in South Korea now believe it’s reasonable to consider North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter as his likely successor, marking their most definitive statement yet about the girl’s rising prominence in the isolated nation’s power structure.

The teenager, whom North Korean state media has called Kim’s “most beloved” or “respected” child, has been appearing alongside her father at major public events since the end of 2022, fueling international speculation that she’s being prepared to take over leadership.

During a private briefing with South Korea’s National Assembly, National Intelligence Service director Lee Jong-seok told lawmakers the girl should be viewed as Kim’s potential successor when questioned about her political position, according to lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun who was present at the meeting.

When lawmakers asked about potential objections from Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong, who has long been considered the regime’s second-most powerful figure, the intelligence director indicated she lacks meaningful authority, citing what he called “reliable intelligence” sources.

This represents the intelligence service’s most confident evaluation of the girl’s status to date. Earlier in 2024, the agency first officially suggested she was probably being groomed as her father’s heir. By February, intelligence officials said they believed she was nearly certain to be named the country’s future leader.

However, some experts question this analysis, arguing that North Korea’s deeply patriarchal culture makes it unlikely to accept female leadership. Others point out that Kim, who is 42 years old, may be too young to designate a successor, which could potentially undermine his current authority.

The girl is believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and approximately 13 years old, though North Korean media has never confirmed these personal details. Her suspected name comes from former basketball player Dennis Rodman, who mentioned holding Kim Jong Un’s infant daughter during a 2013 visit to Pyongyang.

Since its founding in 1948, North Korea has been continuously governed by male members of the Kim dynasty. Kim Jong Un assumed control following his father Kim Jong Il’s death in late 2011. Kim Jong Il had previously taken power after the death of his father and the nation’s founder, Kim Il Sung, in 1994.

Recent public appearances by the girl have included operating a tank during military exercises overseen by her father and both of them shooting handguns during a tour of an ammunition manufacturing facility.

During Monday’s intelligence briefing, officials suggested North Korean leadership has deliberately arranged these military-focused events to strengthen her defense credentials and “dispel skepticism about a woman successor,” lawmaker Lee reported.

Park Sunwon, another legislator who attended the briefing, provided similar accounts of the intelligence agency’s analysis regarding the girl’s recent military-themed public appearances.

MOSCOW – A high-ranking Russian military officer perished in a fatal aircraft accident that claimed 30 lives in Russian-occupied Crimea last week, according to statements from Russian officials reported Monday.

Alexander Otroshchenko, who led the 45th Army of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defence units, was among those who died in the incident, according to Andrei Chibis, the governor of Russia’s northern Murmansk region where the fleet operates.

The military transport An-26 aircraft struck a cliff in Crimea on March 31. Russia’s Defence Ministry reported soon after the incident that initial investigations pointed to technical failure as the likely cause.

The An-26 aircraft model entered military service in the late 1960s and has also been utilized by commercial carriers for cargo operations, though the aircraft type has been linked to several fatal incidents in recent years.

In 2022, a Ukrainian An-26 went down in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, resulting in one fatality. Two years earlier, another aircraft of the same model crashed during a training mission in northeastern Ukraine, killing 26 of the 27 individuals aboard.

An An-26 crash in South Sudan in 2020 killed eight people, including five Russian nationals. In 2017, four out of 10 passengers died when an An-26 crashed while attempting to land in Ivory Coast in West Africa.

Iranian state television confirmed Monday the passing of Majid Khademi, who served as the intelligence chief for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards forces.

Government media outlets made the announcement without providing any circumstances or details surrounding Khademi’s death.

The Revolutionary Guards represent Iran’s elite military force, and Khademi held a senior leadership position overseeing the organization’s intelligence operations.

JAKARTA – Civil rights organizations in Indonesia filed criminal charges Monday against Myanmar’s recently-elected President Min Aung Hlaing, alleging he committed genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority population.

Myanmar holds membership in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), though diplomatic ties have deteriorated following Min Aung Hlaing’s 2021 military takeover, which sparked ongoing civil conflict and created a humanitarian emergency that has displaced countless Rohingya Muslims into refugee camps.

Indonesia serves as ASEAN’s headquarters and represents the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, making it a destination for Rohingya refugees escaping Myanmar or overcrowded camps by sea.

Under Min Aung Hlaing’s military leadership, Myanmar’s forces conducted a 2017 campaign that drove more than 730,000 Rohingya people from their communities into neighboring Bangladesh, where survivors reported systematic murders, widespread sexual violence and deliberate burning of villages.

The formal complaint submitted to Indonesia’s Attorney General came from Yasmin Ullah, a Rohingya refugee who escaped Myanmar, alongside prominent Indonesian leaders including a former attorney general and the head of Muhammadiyah, a major Indonesian Muslim organization, according to their Monday statement.

The complainants indicated they would provide documentation of systematic displacement affecting the Rohingya – recognized as the world’s largest population without citizenship – along with evidence of killings carried out by the military government, noting that Indonesian prosecutors have officially accepted their case.

“It is the first time under Indonesia’s new penal code that a case has been officially received and I warmly welcome this historic development as a milestone for all Rohingya people on their long march to justice and accountability,” Ullah said.

The legal team explained that Indonesia’s criminal laws permit “universal jurisdiction” for particularly severe crimes, allowing prosecution without regard to the victims’ citizenship or the location where alleged crimes occurred.

Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

Gambia, another nation with a Muslim majority, presented arguments in January before the United Nations’ highest court, claiming Myanmar systematically targeted the Rohingya Muslim minority for elimination and subjected them to horrific conditions in a groundbreaking genocide case.

Myanmar has consistently rejected genocide accusations. The military government did not immediately respond to Monday’s request for comment.

Min Aung Hlaing secured the presidency through legislative voting last week following his military-supported party’s victory in December and January elections that Western nations condemned as fraudulent, cementing his political control.

The 2021 military coup has generated continuous public demonstrations and nationwide opposition movements.

A diplomatic initiative spearheaded by Pakistan has delivered a peace framework to both Iranian and American officials, with implementation potentially beginning Monday, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Pakistan developed and transmitted the peace proposal overnight to both nations, presenting a dual-phase strategy that begins with an immediate halt to hostilities and progresses toward a comprehensive settlement, the source revealed.

“All elements need to be agreed today,” the source stated, explaining that the initial agreement would take the form of a memorandum of understanding completed electronically with Pakistan serving as the exclusive communication bridge between the parties.

Earlier reporting by Axios on Sunday indicated that American, Iranian and regional diplomatic intermediaries were exploring a possible 45-day truce as part of a two-stage agreement that might ultimately bring permanent resolution to the conflict.

According to the Reuters source, Pakistan’s military leader Field Marshal Asim Munir maintained continuous overnight communication with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special diplomatic representative Steve Witkoff, and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

The proposed agreement would establish an immediate cessation of hostilities and reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, allowing 15 to 20 days for negotiating a more extensive resolution. Officials have tentatively named this potential agreement the “Islamabad Accord,” which would establish a regional framework governing the strait and conclude with face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan’s capital.

Neither American nor Iranian representatives provided immediate responses to requests for comment. Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi refused to discuss the matter.

Iranian leadership has previously communicated to Reuters their desire for a lasting ceasefire with assurances against future attacks from both America and Israel. They confirmed receiving diplomatic messages through multiple intermediaries including Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt.

The comprehensive agreement is anticipated to include Iranian pledges to abandon nuclear weapons development in return for sanctions relief and access to previously frozen financial assets, according to the source.

Two Pakistani officials indicated that Iran has not yet committed despite intensive diplomatic and military engagement efforts.

“Iran has not responded yet,” one official explained, noting that proposals supported by Pakistan, China and the United States for temporary hostilities suspension have received no firm commitment.

Chinese officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding their involvement.

This latest diplomatic effort emerges as escalating tensions have sparked concerns about potential disruptions to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial pathway for international oil transportation.

President Donald Trump has recently made public appeals for swift conflict resolution, issuing warnings about potential consequences if a ceasefire agreement is not achieved within a brief timeframe.

The ongoing conflict has created increased instability in energy markets, with commodity traders monitoring developments that could impact oil flows through the strategic waterway.

South Korean intelligence officials say they have reliable evidence that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing his teenage daughter to take over the isolated nation, according to lawmakers briefed on the assessment Monday.

The National Intelligence Service told parliamentary members that their conclusion stems from what they called “credible intelligence” rather than speculation, following a closed-door briefing attended by both ruling and opposition party representatives.

Intelligence officials pointed to recent propaganda footage showing Kim’s daughter operating a tank as evidence designed to showcase her military credentials and address potential concerns about a female successor, lawmakers reported.

North Korea’s official news agency KCNA released photographs last month depicting Kim and his daughter driving a new tank, adding to previous images that showed her shooting rifles and handling pistols at firing ranges.

These military-themed photo opportunities mirror Kim Jong Un’s own public appearances during the early 2010s when his father was preparing him for leadership, noted ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won, who described the scenes as paying “homage” to that earlier succession period.

The intelligence agency’s latest evaluation represents an upgrade from previous assessments that suggested the girl, believed to be approximately 13 years old and named Ju Ae, was simply being prepared for potential succession.

According to lawmakers citing the intelligence briefing, Ju Ae’s frequent appearances at military and defense events aims to reduce skepticism about female leadership while building a succession storyline.

Previous intelligence reports indicated the agency views her growing public profile as evidence she’s already functioning as the second-most powerful figure in North Korea’s hierarchy.

People Power Party lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said intelligence officials dismissed speculation that Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong might oppose the focus on Ju Ae, noting that Kim Yo Jong lacks independent authority.

However, some regional experts cautioned against reading too much into the tank imagery as definitive proof of succession planning.

Hong Min, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, argued that Ju Ae’s tank appearance alone doesn’t confirm her status as heir apparent, pointing out that she appeared with her father rather than alone, unlike Kim Jong Un’s independent military demonstrations during his preparation for power.

A senior United Arab Emirates official has declared that guaranteed passage through the Strait of Hormuz must be included in any future agreement between the United States and Iran, cautioning that failure to address Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and weapons programs could lead to greater regional instability.

Anwar Gargash, who serves as diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, emphasized during a weekend press conference that the Strait of Hormuz – the world’s most vital oil shipping channel – cannot be turned into a weapon. He stressed that protecting this waterway represents a global economic necessity rather than a regional negotiating tool.

“The Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage by any country,” Gargash stated, emphasizing that navigation freedom through this passage “has to be part and parcel of the settlement of any conflict with clear agreement on that.”

While expressing the UAE’s desire to see the conflict end, Gargash cautioned against a cease-fire that would leave underlying causes of regional tension unaddressed.

“We don’t want to see more and more escalation,” he explained. “But we don’t want a ceasefire that fails to address some of the main issues that will create a much more dangerous environment in the region…notably (Iran’s) nuclear programme, the missiles and drones that are still raining down on us and on other countries.”

President Donald Trump has issued ultimatums to Tehran, threatening to unleash “hell” unless Iran agrees to terms and reopens the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline. In a profanity-filled social media post Sunday on Truth Social, Trump warned of additional attacks on Iranian energy and transportation infrastructure, moves that some critics argue would violate international law.

For over five weeks, American and Israeli forces have conducted sustained missile and air attacks against Iran, targeting what they describe as immediate threats from the nation’s nuclear weapons development, ballistic missile stockpiles, and backing of regional militant groups.

CRISIS SCENARIO BECOMES REALITY

Gargash announced the UAE’s willingness to participate in any American-led international mission to protect shipping through the strait.

Approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments typically move through this waterway daily, but Iranian military actions have dramatically reduced traffic, sparking a worldwide energy emergency.

The current crisis began on February 28, when American and Israeli forces struck Iran following the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran responded with successive waves of missiles and drone attacks against Israeli targets, American military installations across the region, and crucial Gulf energy infrastructure, including aviation facilities, ports, and commercial districts.

Regional authorities report that the UAE has endured more intensive Iranian attacks than any other Gulf nation.

Gargash noted that for years, the UAE’s most feared worst-case scenario involved a comprehensive Iranian assault – a situation that has now materialized. Nevertheless, he said his country has shown remarkable strength and adaptability under these challenging circumstances.

He maintained that the UAE’s economic foundations remain solid and position the nation for eventual recovery, while acknowledging the considerable work ahead.

According to Gargash, Iran’s aggressive approach will likely strengthen rather than weaken Gulf state security partnerships with Washington, solidifying America’s military presence in the region and expanding Israel’s influence. He confirmed that the United States will continue as the UAE’s primary security ally and that Abu Dhabi plans to deepen this partnership as regional dangers grow.

Regional analysts view Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and shipping routes as a deliberate strategy to increase costs for Washington’s Arab allies. By targeting oil installations, ports, and critical waterways including the Strait, Iran hoped that Gulf states, concerned about economic damage and regional consequences, would pressure the United States to end its military campaign.

This approach built on years of Gulf efforts to maintain balanced relationships with both Washington and Tehran, contain regional tensions, and prevent direct military confrontation. Many Gulf countries had reestablished diplomatic ties with Iran and attempted to protect their economies from regional disruptions, believing that engagement would reduce risks.

Gargash argued that Iran’s leadership is battling to save the “regime, not the country,” contending that no responsible government would accept such devastation merely to claim resistance. He said the UAE does not desire conflict with Iran, but cautioned that trust remains impossible under Tehran’s current leadership.

The UAE official expressed appreciation for international support his country has received, specifically highlighting France as a reliable ally and commending Washington for its extraordinary assistance, especially in enhancing the UAE’s air defense systems.

Weekend military strikes across multiple Iranian cities resulted in over 25 deaths from Sunday through Monday, according to reports from the ongoing conflict zone. Meanwhile, Israeli rescue teams continue searching through debris in Haifa where two people died and two remain unaccounted for following Sunday’s Iranian missile attack.

President Donald Trump escalated his warnings against Iran on Sunday, threatening devastating attacks on the nation’s essential infrastructure unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane before his Tuesday ultimatum expires.

In a profanity-laced social media message, Trump declared that Tuesday would mark “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.”

The military conflict, which started with combined U.S.-Israeli operations on February 28, has resulted in thousands of casualties, disrupted international markets, blocked crucial maritime trade routes, and driven fuel costs higher. Both nations have targeted civilian areas, prompting United Nations officials and international legal experts to warn about potential war crimes violations.

Recent developments include:

Iranian drone forces struck a telecommunications facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, according to the state-operated WAM news service. The assault focused on a building owned by the government-backed du telecommunications company. Fujairah authorities confirmed no injuries occurred in the incident, WAM reported.

South Korea’s intelligence officials told parliament members Monday that North Korea shows no evidence of supplying weapons or military assistance to Iran. Agency representatives suggested during a private legislative briefing that Pyongyang may be avoiding involvement to keep diplomatic options open with the Trump government, according to two attending lawmakers.

While North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has criticized the U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran as unlawful, intelligence sources noted that Pyongyang hasn’t issued formal condolences for the death of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently promoted “new Cold War” concepts and sought expanded partnerships with nations opposing U.S. policies, including sending a trade delegation to Iran in April 2024.

South Korea announced plans to deploy at least five vessels to Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port over the coming weeks, establishing alternative oil shipping pathways through the Red Sea. The Trade, Industry and Resources Ministry stated Monday that ship deployments will begin in phases starting mid-April, with potential fleet expansion based on Saudi partnership agreements.

Ministry officials declined to name participating companies but indicated some domestic oil refiners might contract with foreign shipping firms. South Korea also intends to dispatch special diplomatic representatives to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Algeria to strengthen efforts securing backup fuel sources, according to ruling party representative Ahn Do-geol.

Iranian authorities executed another individual convicted on charges related to January’s nationwide protest movement. The judiciary’s Mizan news outlet identified the executed person as Ali Fahim in Monday’s report, though execution timing remained unclear. Fahim faced conviction for allegedly raiding a military installation to obtain weapons.

Amnesty International stated that Fahim and co-defendants “were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in detention, including beatings, floggings, prolonged solitary confinement, and death threats at gunpoint before being convicted in grossly unfair trials that relied on forced ‘confessions’ extracted under torture and lasted only a few hours.”

The Human Rights Activist News Agency reported that Fahim and others had entered a Tehran facility belonging to the volunteer Basij militia, a Revolutionary Guard branch, after the building was already burned, then were coerced into confessions.

Israeli emergency services reported Monday morning that Iranian missiles targeted several locations across central Israeli cities. In Petah Tikva, medical personnel treated a woman with serious chest wounds from shrapnel fragments before transporting her to Beilinson Hospital. City firefighters worked to extinguish vehicle fires while conducting searches to ensure no individuals remained trapped beneath rubble.

Tel Aviv medics evacuated a man with minor glass fragment injuries to Ichilov Hospital. Magen David Adom rescue service footage documented residential building damage from the assault.

Israeli military forces issued their fourth public warning Monday morning about incoming Iranian missile volleys.

Emergency response teams in the northern port city of Haifa reported multiple Iranian missile impact sites early Monday. Four people sustained minor injuries at one location, including two children. The missile strikes damaged residential neighborhoods and an industrial facility, with the factory suffering shrapnel damage from defensive interceptions.

Officials could not confirm whether all reported damage resulted from interception debris or direct missile impacts. Magen David Adom video footage from affected areas showed active fires and destroyed vehicles in what appeared to be residential districts.

These latest missile attacks followed Sunday’s Iranian strike on another Haifa residential area that killed two people and wounded others. Two additional individuals remain missing beneath Sunday’s rubble, with their status unknown.

In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, local authorities reported that a Ghanaian man sustained shrapnel injuries after Iranian missile interception over the city’s Musaffah district. This area sits close to Al Dhafra Air Base, which houses U.S. military personnel and has faced repeated Iranian targeting throughout the conflict.

German defense officials are rushing to provide clarity on a newly implemented regulation that mandates men of military age to obtain government approval before departing the country for extended stays.

The provision became active in January as part of revised military service legislation, but the requirement affecting potentially millions of German men between ages 17 and 45 remained largely under the radar until a local news outlet brought attention to it on Friday.

A defense ministry representative emphasized that Germany maintains voluntary military service and noted the ministry is “currently drafting specific regulations for granting exemptions from the requirement for approval, also to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.”

The updated military service legislation was enacted last year as part of Germany’s effort to strengthen its armed forces and fulfill NATO obligations, responding to growing concerns that the nation has depended too heavily on U.S. military support while tensions with Russia have heightened calls for enhanced European defense capabilities.

According to the defense ministry representative, the law aims to establish a comprehensive and dependable military registration framework.

“In the case of an emergency, we must know who may be residing abroad for an extended period,” the spokesperson explained in written comments.

The official declined to provide additional details about how the approval process might ultimately function.

German leadership aims to expand active military personnel from the current 183,000 to 260,000 by 2035, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously emphasizing to military commanders the urgent need for the country to develop self-defense capabilities and recruit additional soldiers.

Political opposition figures criticized the government over the weekend for generating uncertainty through the legislation’s implementation.

KYIV, April 6 – A deadly Russian drone assault struck Ukraine’s major Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early morning hours of Monday, leaving three people dead, including a child, and injuring ten others, according to regional officials.

Oleh Kiper, the regional governor for Odesa, announced the casualties on the messaging platform Telegram, stating that “Overnight, Odesa came under another heavy attack by the enemy.”

The drone strike caused extensive damage across the city, with Kiper reporting that “Residential buildings, critical infrastructure and administrative facilities were hit. There is significant damage.”

As the conflict enters its fifth year, Russian forces have intensified their targeting of Odesa, which serves as Ukraine’s primary port and a crucial logistics center in the country’s south. The city handles the bulk of Ukraine’s grain shipments and other maritime trade.

A mining operation in the war-torn Luhansk region has left 41 workers stranded underground after an attack damaged critical electrical systems at the Bilorichenska coal facility on Monday, according to Russian-appointed regional authorities.

The strike targeted infrastructure that powers the mining operation in the Moscow-controlled territory, cutting off normal evacuation routes for the trapped workers, officials reported.

“All the relevant services are taking steps to rescue the miners and restore power to the mine,” said Leonid Pasechnik, who serves as the Moscow-installed regional administrator.

Pasechnik confirmed that rescue teams have successfully made contact with the stranded workers and verified they have access to drinking water while emergency crews work to restore electrical power needed for safe evacuation procedures.

South Korean officials revealed Monday that North Korea’s recent rocket engine testing is part of an effort to develop advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles using carbon fiber construction capable of delivering multiple warheads.

The March ground test involved a solid-fuel rocket engine that intelligence analysts believe is being designed for North Korea’s newest long-range missile system.

According to South Korean lawmakers, this latest engine appears to generate more power than the version tested in 2024, which military experts already determined could reach any target across the continental United States.

North Korea typically launches its long-range missiles on high-arcing paths that end with the weapons landing in ocean waters near its eastern coastline or beyond Japan, rather than testing them at their full intended range.

Parliament member Park Sun-won told reporters that North Korean media displayed the missile’s carbon fiber construction during the engine test. “North Korean media showed the airframe of the missile at the new engine test that was built with carbon fibre, which is lightweight while strong, allowing the projectile to carry multiple warheads,” Park said.

Park made his comments after attending a private intelligence briefing conducted by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the March 28 testing and described it as a major enhancement to his nation’s strategic military capabilities.

Despite United Nations Security Council prohibitions on missile and nuclear testing, North Korea continues to advance its development of increasingly sophisticated and powerful missile systems.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The upcoming Hungarian elections scheduled for April 12 could send major ripples throughout the European Union, as numerous officials within the 27-member alliance are hoping to see the end of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s tenure, viewing him as a threat to the bloc’s future stability.

Currently trailing in polling data, Orbán has maintained control for 16 years as the EU’s most tenured leader, challenging the union’s governance framework designed to maintain peace through economic and political cooperation following the devastation of two world wars. His challenger Péter Magyar informed the Associated Press that he would work to restore Hungary’s relationship with the EU should he win the election.

The European Union currently faces massive challenges including the growth of right-wing populist movements, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Middle Eastern regions, Russian interference operations, China’s economic expansion, and a White House administration that has disrupted longstanding transatlantic partnerships.

However, Orbán’s blocking tactics have hampered EU responses to these issues. Political experts and lawmakers indicate he has exploited his veto authority and developed an intricate knowledge of how the union distributes member funding to consolidate his authority and wield disproportionate influence by obstructing decision-making processes to secure favorable deals.

“He entered a club, read the rules, figured out how he can rig the rules, and then started to be a free rider and blackmail all of the other club members,” said Dániel Hegedűs, deputy director with the Berlin-based Institute for European Politics. “The question is, how long will the club members tolerate it?”

The relationship wasn’t always contentious. Following the Cold War’s end, Hungary became an EU member alongside nine other nations in 2004 during the bloc’s most significant expansion. There was considerable optimism surrounding Hungary’s membership, according to Jim Townsend, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

However, following economic downturns, Orbán gained power by pledging economic prosperity for all social classes, explained Gábor Scheiring, a former Hungarian parliament member currently teaching at Georgetown University in Qatar. He also forged relationships with conservative leaders throughout the union.

Orbán subsequently began attacking the EU, frequently drawing comparisons between Brussels and the Soviet Union, despite receiving substantial EU financial assistance, while resisting demands to halt democratic deterioration.

Between 2014 and 2022, “Hungary was one of the biggest beneficiaries of EU funds,” Scheiring said. “Orbán could navigate the EU system really well: get all the money and get away with his political shenanigans.”

The EU became increasingly frustrated with Orbán’s inability to guarantee judicial independence and press freedom while controlling corruption. The union started withholding billions in funding from Budapest in 2022 due to violations of rule-of-law principles.

Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Orbán repeatedly employed his veto authority to obstruct efforts supporting Kyiv and imposing sanctions on Moscow. His close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin drew significant attention.

Last month, when Orbán backed out of a December agreement to provide Ukraine with a 90-billion euro ($104-billion) loan, the typically diplomatic European Council President Antonio Costa displayed visible frustration: “Nobody can blackmail the European Union institutions,” he said.

Many view the EU’s requirement for unanimous agreement on major decisions as a significant weakness. Critics argue this has prevented the bloc from taking stronger positions on other crucial matters like the Gaza conflict.

Internal European Parliament documentation reveals that Orbán has used his veto more frequently than any other leader in EU history, according to German lawmaker Daniel Freund.

“It’s staggering. No one else even comes close,” Freund said. “This is the biggest design flaw in the EU that he has exposed.”

Orbán’s obstructionist tactics have sparked discussions about reforming the union’s founding treaties to protect against future authoritarian leaders — or Orbán himself, should he secure reelection.

Several options exist for addressing this issue, though each comes with constraints.

The EU could decrease the number of matters requiring unanimous approval. This would enable measures to pass with simple majority support from the 27 national leaders representing approximately two-thirds of the bloc’s population.

Hegedűs suggested the European Commission “could play even more hardball” by developing sanctions targeting specific violations of EU regulations.

Some officials have even suggested invoking Article 7 of the EU Treaty, a legal mechanism that could strip Hungary of its voting privileges within the bloc.

Such action would need approval from all other EU leaders, but Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has indicated he would block such a proposal.

Additional tools remain available to the EU.

The European Commission has withheld approval for Hungary’s request to access approximately 16 billion euros ($18.4 billion) from an EU program designed to enhance member nations’ defense capabilities. The 18 other countries that submitted funding proposals have received approval.

Should Orbán win reelection, the EU could leverage this funding as negotiating leverage to secure concessions such as removing his veto of the 90 billion euros for Ukraine, Hegedűs suggested. However, there’s no assurance he won’t identify other policies to obstruct once Hungary receives the funds.

“What will the EU offer in two to three or four months when the next strategic decision will come and Orbán will block again?” Hegedűs said.

Orbán’s behavior has triggered a reassessment of how the EU evaluates new member applications and oversees existing members.

Current membership discussions with Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine are increasingly influenced by the challenging experience with Hungary.

In February, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos noted that the 12 countries including Hungary that joined the EU from 2004-2007 “led to a new era of stability for our continent and an impressive level of economic convergence.”

Without specifically mentioning Hungary or other nations, Kos stated that a key lesson from 2004 is that “we need to have safeguards that ensure new members stick to the rules.”

“If countries go backwards on our fundamentals, such as democracy and rule of law, the safeguards must bite,” the commissioner said, adding: “No Trojan horses.”

KYIV, Ukraine — When darkness began settling over a nature preserve outside Ukraine’s capital, families gathered to witness volunteers carefully opening fabric pouches to set bats free into the evening sky.

Over 1,000 onlookers — including families, soldiers taking a break from duty, and wildlife lovers, some sporting Gothic clothing — erupted in cheers and clapping as each winged creature darted through the air.

The Saturday evening celebration featured the release of hundreds of bats, many of which had been saved from conflict zones in eastern Ukraine, as part of several springtime events happening across the nation.

“This is important for us as an organization because these are on a red list of endangered animals. Preserving them is very important,” said Anastasiia Vovk, a volunteer at the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center, which organized the release.

Ukraine’s 28 different bat species all receive protected status because their numbers continue dropping.

The gathering provided much-needed comfort and family entertainment following a brutal winter filled with freezing temperatures, constant Russian aerial bombardments, and devastating electrical grid failures.

During Saturday’s event, youngsters wearing bat-themed clothing watched volunteers use tweezers to feed the animals mealworms before setting them free. Some children were permitted to put on protective gloves and hold the creatures themselves.

“Life goes on despite the war,” said Oleksii Beliaiev, a 54-year-old Kyiv resident who attended with his family. “The war is the main thing right now, but there has to be something else as well.”

Beliaiev operates a small printing company and volunteers his time supporting military initiatives.

The ongoing conflict has forced both people and animals from their homes. Bombing destroys the shelters where bats live, while explosions frighten these small creatures, according to wildlife specialists.

“In winter, bats hibernate, and if they are disturbed, they can die. They reproduce slowly — one or two offspring per year — so populations recover very slowly,” said Alona Shulenko, who headed Saturday’s release.

“As natural hibernation sites disappear, bats move into cities, into cracks in buildings and balconies. But repairs or destruction of these places can kill entire colonies,” she said.

Ukraine’s bat population consists entirely of insect-eating species that receive legal protection, and the nation sits along a crucial eastern European migration pathway.

The rescue organization reports saving over 30,000 bats in total, including 4,000 during this past winter alone.

“We are all living in wartime, and everyone has their own struggles,” Shulenko said. “But we are doing what we know best. … If we stop what we are doing, thousands of bats will die.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A coordinated military campaign by Israel and the United States resulted in more than 25 deaths across Iran on Monday, while Tehran launched retaliatory missile strikes against Israel and neighboring Gulf states. The escalation comes as President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches its Monday night deadline.

Throughout the night, explosions echoed across Tehran as low-altitude aircraft conducted sustained operations over Iran’s capital city. Dense black smoke billowed near Azadi Square following a strike that damaged Sharif University of Technology facilities.

Israeli officials confirmed two fatalities in Haifa after debris from a residential building collapse, with search teams continuing efforts to locate two additional missing persons amid ongoing Iranian missile bombardments targeting northern Israeli communities early Monday.

Both Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates deployed their air defense networks to counter incoming Iranian missiles and unmanned aircraft as Tehran maintained pressure on regional allies. Iran’s continued assault on energy infrastructure throughout the region, combined with its control over the Strait of Hormuz—a waterway that typically handles one-fifth of global oil shipments during peacetime—has driven worldwide energy costs dramatically higher.

Facing mounting domestic pressure from worried consumers, Trump established a Monday night deadline for Tehran, warning that failure to negotiate the strait’s reopening would trigger American attacks on Iranian power facilities and infrastructure, potentially setting the nation “back to the stone ages.”

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” Trump declared in a social media message, warning that Iran would be “living in Hell” if the strait remained closed.

Tehran has demonstrated no indication of abandoning its control over maritime traffic through the strait, which operated without restrictions before the February 28 U.S.-Israeli assault that initiated the current conflict.

After Trump’s profanity-filled Easter Sunday social media posts, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf condemned the infrastructure targeting threats as “reckless.”

“You won’t gain anything through war crimes,” Qalibaf posted on X. “The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game.”

Brent crude oil prices climbed to $109 during early Monday trading, representing approximately 50% growth since hostilities began.

While Iran has permitted limited vessel passage through the strait since fighting commenced, no ships from the United States, Israel, or nations perceived as supporting them have been allowed through. Some vessels have secured passage through payments to Iran, though overall maritime traffic has declined more than 90% compared to the same timeframe last year.

Despite Trump’s military ultimatums, diplomatic initiatives continue seeking solutions to restore waterway access.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry announced meetings between deputy foreign ministers and specialists from Iran and Oman to explore proposals ensuring “smooth transit” through the strategic passage.

Egypt reported that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conducted discussions with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with officials from Turkey and Pakistan. Russia confirmed that Araghchi also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Monday morning’s strikes included an attack on Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology, where Iranian outlets documented damage to campus structures and an adjacent natural gas distribution facility.

The specific targets within the university grounds remained unclear, as the institution has suspended in-person classes for online instruction due to the conflict. Multiple nations have previously imposed sanctions on the university due to its military collaboration, particularly regarding Iran’s ballistic missile development program overseen by the Revolutionary Guard paramilitary forces.

An attack near Eslamshar, located southwest of Tehran, claimed at least 13 lives according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The state-run IRAN daily newspaper reported five additional deaths when residential areas in Qom were struck, with six more fatalities in strikes across other cities.

Iranian state television confirmed three more deaths when an airstrike destroyed a Tehran residence.

Iranian casualties have exceeded 1,900 since the conflict began, though government officials have not provided updated figures in recent days.

In Lebanon, where Israeli ground forces have conducted operations, more than 1,400 people have died and over 1 million have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have lost their lives while engaging Iranian-supported Hezbollah fighters.

Additional casualties include more than two dozen deaths across Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, 19 reported deaths in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members killed.