Category: World News

Ukrainian forces conducted overnight drone attacks on Russian infrastructure in the Krasnodar region, targeting both an oil processing facility and a major port, according to Russian officials who reported the strikes on Saturday, March 14.

Regional authorities in Krasnodar announced through social media that three individuals sustained injuries during the attack on Port Kavkaz, a critical shipping hub that handles grain exports and liquefied petroleum gas. The facility sits along the Kerch Strait directly across from Crimea.

The drone strike damaged both a service ship and the port’s pier infrastructure, officials confirmed in their public statement.

In a second incident, regional leaders reported that Ukrainian drones ignited a blaze at the Afipsky oil refinery after striking the processing plant.

Russia’s military command claimed its air defense systems successfully intercepted 87 Ukrainian drones during the nighttime operation, with 31 shot down over the Sea of Azov waters and another 16 destroyed above the Krasnodar region itself.

DENPASAR, Indonesia — Three Australian nationals received significant prison terms Monday from an Indonesian court for the murder of a compatriot on the resort island of Bali, following their claims that an anonymous individual paid them for the deadly attack.

The Denpasar District Court convicted Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou, and Darcy Jenson in the June killing of 32-year-old Melbourne resident Zivan Radmanovic. Another victim, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim, survived gunshot wounds and a beating during the same incident.

The court imposed 16-year prison terms on both Coskun, 22, and Tupou, 27, while sentencing Jenson, 24, to 12 years behind bars. Both Coskun and Tupou maintained the fatal shooting was accidental amid the confusion of that evening.

Radmanovic had traveled to Bali for his wife Jazmyn Gourdeas’ birthday celebration, accompanied by her sister and Ghanim, who was dating the sister. Medical examination revealed Radmanovic sustained three bullet wounds along with injuries from physical assault.

According to prosecutors, Jenson masterminded the assault while his co-defendants executed the plan. Authorities apprehended Jenson at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta airport in June as he tried to flee Indonesia. International law enforcement agencies assisted in capturing Coskun and Tupou in Singapore and Cambodia respectively.

Throughout the October trial proceedings, all three defendants testified they accepted payment to travel to Bali and intimidate Ghanim into settling an outstanding debt. They claimed an unidentified Australian man made this arrangement but refused to reveal his identity, citing concerns for their families’ safety.

Law enforcement officials testified that the group took orders from a mysterious “Mr. X” whose true identity remains unknown. The judicial panel acknowledged the defendants acted in exchange for “a promised payment.”

The prosecution had requested 18-year sentences for both Coskun and Tupou, and 17 years for Jenson.

Although the three-judge panel acknowledged the defendants inflicted “deep trauma” on both victims’ families, Presiding Judge Wayan Suarta emphasized the men had clean criminal histories and cooperated fully during the investigation and court proceedings.

“They are still young and have the chance to improve themselves in the future,” he stated, explaining that the punishment “is not intended as revenge, nor to degrade their dignity, but as a preventive measure so similar acts do not occur again.”

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea launched approximately 10 ballistic missiles into eastern waters on Saturday, according to South Korean military officials, marking the latest display of military strength as US and South Korean forces continue joint training exercises.

The missiles originated from an area close to Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital city, though South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately release details about the distance traveled. Japanese Defense Ministry officials confirmed the weapons splashed down in waters beyond Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

South Korean military leadership announced increased surveillance measures and maintained combat readiness for potential additional launches while coordinating closely with American and Japanese counterparts.

The missile tests occurred during the annual spring military drills between American and South Korean forces, involving thousands of service members, while the Trump administration simultaneously manages an intensifying conflict in the Middle East.

The Middle Eastern conflict has sparked worries about possible security vulnerabilities in South Korea, as domestic news outlets have suggested through security footage and other evidence that America may be moving missile defense equipment from the country to support Iranian operations.

When The Associated Press inquired this week about whether US Forces Korea was transferring interceptor missiles from its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, installation in Seongju to Middle Eastern operations, President Lee Jae Myung’s administration stated it could not verify specifics regarding American military activities.

The administration emphasized that any potential movement of US military equipment would not compromise the alliance’s defensive capabilities against nuclear-equipped North Korea, while highlighting South Korea’s conventional military capabilities. Officials provided similar statements regarding reports about possible Patriot missile defense system relocations from South Korea.

North Korea has consistently characterized the allied exercises as preparation for invasion and frequently uses them as justification to escalate its own military displays or weapons development.

In past years, the North has executed multiple coordinated launches of missiles or artillery while characterizing them as practice runs for nuclear strikes against South Korean locations.

The recent launches followed criticism from Kim Jong Un’s influential sister on Tuesday, who condemned Washington and Seoul for continuing their exercises during a dangerous period for international security, warning that any threat to North Korea’s safety would result in “terrible consequences.”

Without explicitly mentioning the Iranian conflict, Kim Yo Jong stated the US-South Korea exercises damage regional stability during a time when the international security framework is “collapsing rapidly and wars break out in different parts of the world due to the reckless acts of outrageous international rogues.”

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has issued separate declarations condemning joint US-Israeli operations against Iran and expressing solidarity with Tehran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled through March 19, represents one of two yearly command post training programs conducted by American and South Korean military forces. The primarily computer-based simulations evaluate the allies’ combined operational readiness while incorporating developing warfare scenarios and security threats. Freedom Shield will operate alongside a field training component called Warrior Shield.

North Korea has consistently rejected appeals from Washington and Seoul to restart diplomatic negotiations focused on dismantling its nuclear capabilities. Discussions stalled in 2019 after Kim Jong Un’s second meeting with US President Donald Trump during his initial presidency ended unsuccessfully.

Kim has prioritized Russia in his international relations, deploying thousands of soldiers and substantial military supplies to assist Moscow’s Ukrainian campaign, potentially in return for assistance and defense technology.

On Monday, Kuwait conducted military funeral ceremonies honoring two interior ministry personnel who lost their lives “in the line of duty,” according to government officials.

The Gulf nation, which houses American military bases and has experienced Iranian drone and missile attacks during Tehran’s ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States, reported that both men perished early Sunday morning without providing additional specifics about the circumstances.

Kuwait’s military forces confirmed separately that regions close to the country’s international airport came under attack Sunday, with their units successfully stopping incoming missiles and unmanned aircraft.

Sunday’s statement from the Interior Ministry expressed grief for “the martyrs of duty, Lieutenant Colonel Staff Abdullah Emad Al-Sharrah and Major Fahad Abdulaziz Al-Mejmed, from the General Administration of Land Border Security, who were martyred at dawn.”

The ceremonial service took place at Sulaibikhat Cemetery, with First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah presiding alongside other high-ranking officials.

Government sources report that the ongoing Iranian crisis has claimed five lives total, including four service members and one young girl, while injuring dozens more.

Regional authorities in Ukraine report that a deadly Russian aerial bombardment during nighttime hours has claimed four lives and left 15 people injured in areas surrounding the capital city of Kyiv.

According to Mykola Kalashnyk, who leads the regional military administration, the bombardment struck homes, schools, businesses and essential infrastructure across four separate districts in the Kyiv region.

Kalashnyk indicated that casualty reports continue to be updated as damage assessments proceed, with the death toll potentially climbing higher.

These aerial bombardments represent part of an ongoing pattern by Russian military forces, which have consistently launched strikes against Ukrainian population centers and cities located well away from active combat zones throughout their four-year military campaign, frequently targeting power systems and vital infrastructure.

AMSTERDAM – A blast struck a Jewish educational facility in Amsterdam during the early hours of Saturday morning, causing property damage in what city leadership has characterized as an intentional assault on the local Jewish population.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema confirmed the incident occurred at a school located in an affluent residential area on the city’s southern side. The damage remained minimal due to the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel who quickly arrived on scene.

Authorities reported no individuals were harmed in the incident.

The attack comes as Dutch officials had already increased protective measures around Jewish houses of worship and community centers throughout Amsterdam following a separate arson incident at a Rotterdam synagogue that took place overnight Friday.

Similar violence has occurred across the region, with a blast triggering a fire at a synagogue in Liege, Belgium earlier this week on Monday.

“This is a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community,” Halsema stated in her official response.

“Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism. This is unacceptable,” the mayor added.

Global Jewish communities have faced growing security threats amid escalating tensions following recent military exchanges between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Marion Soulet navigates her bicycle through Paris City Hall via a street that previously overflowed with automobiles but now serves as a dedicated cycling path, representing the French capital’s environmental makeover that will be evaluated in this Sunday’s mayoral contest.

The cyclist advocacy leader from Paris en Selle appreciates the approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of bicycle infrastructure developed under progressive Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s administration during the past ten years, noting that close to half of all Parisians now use bicycles weekly.

“The more the city is redesigned to accommodate it, the more cycling increases,” Soulet explained to Reuters following her journey down Rue de Rivoli. “People like it because it’s easy, inexpensive, and fast.”

The campaign to convert Paris from a contaminated urban center into a “15-minute-city” featuring extensive cycling infrastructure and increased greenery stems from initiatives by Hidalgo and her progressive predecessors, who have controlled City Hall for decades.

This environmental record now confronts judgment in Sunday’s voting, as Hidalgo steps aside while conservative opponents hope to capitalize on citizen exhaustion regarding the increasingly automobile-restricted metropolis, construction-related disruptions, and growing municipal debt.

Polling data indicates the victor will likely be either Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, who advocates intensifying environmental policies, or conservative former minister Rachida Dati, who claims Paris’s traditional charm is being eroded.

Far-right nationalist candidate Sarah Knafo, age 32, shows increasing poll strength and might complicate Dati’s prospects if she advances to the March 22 runoff. Knafo’s support exceeds the 10% minimum required for second-round qualification.

Current polling shows Grégoire, 48, leading with approximately 33%, while Dati, 60, follows at roughly 30%.

“We’re not fighting an ideological battle on mobility issues,” Dati stated to Reuters while meeting shoppers in northern Paris. “We just want things to be organised.”

During Hidalgo’s tenure, municipal officials have worked to prepare Paris for climate challenges while improving livability for its 2 million inhabitants within the broader metropolitan area of 10 million people.

City administrators have added 130,000 trees and eliminated thousands of street-level parking spots. Roadways alongside the Seine River have been converted to pedestrian areas.

Municipal statistics show automobile traffic has decreased more than 60% since 2002 while bicycle usage has increased threefold. Air quality has also improved.

“There aren’t many major cities in the world that have known such a spectacular transformation,” commented Patrick Le Gales, an urban planning expert at Sciences-Po University in Paris.

“But there’s been strong criticism over cleanliness and the debt,” he added, referencing municipal obligations totaling approximately 10 billion euros ($11 billion), representing a 42% increase since 2020.

Pierre Chasseray, director of the motorists’ advocacy organization 40 Million Motorists, accused Hidalgo of creating a “Berlin Wall” separating affluent central Paris residents from automobile-dependent citizens in economically disadvantaged suburbs who lack influence over municipal policies.

“We’ve ended up with a caricatured image of the capital: motorists on one side, cyclists on the other — the good guys versus the bad guys,” he explained.

Hidalgo has additionally encountered widespread social media criticism using the #saccageParis hashtag that showcases urban problems ranging from persistent construction projects to litter-covered walkways.

Grégoire attributed these issues to Hidalgo’s excessive ambition.

“We did too many things at the same time,” he acknowledged. “I would have chosen a different timetable, above all for reasons of implementation quality.”

Dati, an attorney with North African heritage, has softened her opposition to well-received cycling lanes, instead emphasizing concerns about unsanitary streets, and published footage of herself wearing safety gear while accompanying sanitation workers.

“The city is increasingly dirty — it hasn’t escaped anybody,” she observed.

Dati’s evolving moderate position on transportation matters — combined with her upcoming September corruption trial on charges she disputes — has created opportunities for Knafo.

Knafo has presented an Artificial Intelligence-developed proposal to restore automobile access to Seine riverbanks and conducted interviews from vehicle passenger seats while traveling through Paris.

Soulet considers Knafo’s influence restricted to “a very small group of Parisians who…want to turn the clock back.”

BUDAPEST, Hungary — The Hungarian Prime Minister is calling on European Union leadership to eliminate sanctions against Russian energy imports as fuel costs soar amid ongoing Middle East warfare.

Viktor Orbán, widely regarded as Moscow’s strongest ally within the EU, announced through a social media video Monday that he had written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following what he described as explosive growth in oil prices.

The conflict involving Iran, now entering its second week, has affected key regions vital to Persian Gulf oil and gas production and transportation, driving up costs in international markets.

In his video message, Orbán declared that the 27-member European Union should “review and suspend all sanctions on Russian energy across Europe.” He also announced calling an emergency cabinet session Monday to examine ways to prevent additional increases in Hungary’s gasoline and diesel costs.

Orbán’s nationalist administration has consistently resisted EU initiatives to reduce Russian energy dependence, and together with Slovakia has continued and even expanded Russian oil and gas purchases since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Both nations received temporary waivers from EU restrictions on Russian oil imports and had been receiving Russian crude through the Druzhba pipeline crossing Ukrainian territory until recently.

However, Druzhba pipeline deliveries stopped on January 27, creating growing disputes between Hungary and Ukraine. Ukrainian officials attribute the halt to Russian drone attacks damaging pipeline facilities, while Orbán has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for intentionally blocking oil shipments.

As a result, Orbán blocked new EU sanctions against Russia and is preventing a massive 90-billion euro ($106 billion) EU loan to Ukraine until deliveries restart.

With polls showing him behind just one month before crucial elections, Orbán has claimed Zelenskyy is attempting to trigger an energy crisis in Hungary to affect voting results — a key element in his administration’s extensive anti-Ukraine messaging campaign before the April 12 election.

Adding to the diplomatic tensions, Hungary temporarily held seven Ukrainian state bank workers Thursday and confiscated two Ukrainian armored vehicles transporting millions of euros in cash and gold through Hungary on suspected money laundering charges.

Ukraine has maintained the cash transport was routine banking business and firmly rejected the money laundering accusations.

A unique sporting tradition brought together approximately two dozen couples in southern England this weekend, where relationships faced the ultimate endurance test on a challenging hillside course.

Partners gripped tightly as they were hauled up and down a slope during the U.K. Wife Carrying Race, marking another year of one of Britain’s most unusual annual competitions.

Finnish competitors Teemu Touvinen and Jatta Leinonen claimed victory on Sunday with a time of 1 minute and 45 seconds, earning themselves a barrel of locally brewed ale as their reward.

The peculiar race held in Dorking, Surrey draws its origins from a 19th-century Finnish tale involving raiders who would storm villages and abduct women.

Today’s event focuses purely on entertainment and humor. Participants are encouraged to don amusing outfits, and the competition welcomes male or female carriers transporting anyone aged 18 or older who weighs at least 50 kilograms (110 pounds). Those below the weight requirement must add a backpack filled with flour or water to meet the minimum standard.

“You do not have to carry your own wife. It could be someone else’s. Or a mate, girlfriend, boyfriend, sister or brother,” organizers said. “They should ideally weigh less than you do.”

Teams may select their preferred carrying method, although most participants opted for the classic “Estonian Hold,” positioning the carried person upside-down across the carrier’s back with legs wrapped around their face.

Participants navigated up a moderately inclined hill and returned downward, maneuvering around barriers including low hay bale rows while enduring water bucket splashes along the way. The 380-meter (416-yard) track presents “a long way under the circumstances,” according to event organizers.

Though remaining a specialty interest, this Scandinavian-origin sport has gained popularity across the U.K., United States, Australia, Poland and additional nations. England’s version of the competition began in 2008.

British champions Edward Nash and Kathryn Knight, who finished merely 4 seconds after the winning team, earned the right to compete for the U.K. at July’s World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland.

Security concerns are mounting across Europe following two separate explosive incidents that rocked Belgium and Norway over the weekend, with authorities treating both as potential acts of terrorism.

In Belgium, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin condemned Monday an overnight explosion that occurred outside a synagogue in Liege as “a despicable antisemitic act” while federal investigators launched a probe into the incident.

Authorities in Liege reported the detonation took place during the early morning hours on Monday near the religious building. While no injuries occurred, the blast shattered windows in a structure facing the synagogue.

Investigators cordoned off the surrounding area as they searched for evidence, according to an official statement.

“The explosion in front of the Liege synagogue was a despicable antisemitic act that directly targeted the Jewish community of Belgium,” Quintin wrote on X. “Security around similar sites will continue to be strengthened.” The minister did not connect the incident to the ongoing Iran conflict.

Multiple European nations including Belgium, France and Germany have announced plans to increase security measures in response to Middle Eastern hostilities, while emphasizing they remain uninvolved in active combat alongside the United States and Israel.

Belgium’s transportation chief has called for enhanced protection of the country’s railway system.

The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office announced Monday it was assuming control of the investigation “given the possible indications of a terrorist offense.” Officials provided no additional details about the explosion or potential suspects.

In a separate incident, Norwegian authorities in Oslo reported they are examining security footage while searching for whoever detonated an explosive device outside the American Embassy early Sunday.

Law enforcement released surveillance images showing an individual dressed in dark clothing and carrying a backpack, with their face concealed. The suspect remains unidentified, police stated.

Oslo officers responded to reports of a “loud bang” or explosion near the US Embassy around 1 a.m. Sunday. No casualties were reported, though the embassy’s entrance sustained damage, officials confirmed.

“We are early in the investigation, but we are working based on multiple hypotheses,” said Frode Larsen, who leads Oslo police’s joint investigation and intelligence unit, in a Sunday statement. “Given the current security situation, it is natural to consider whether this was a targeted attack on the American Embassy. However, we have not committed to any single hypothesis.”

On Monday, investigators determined an improvised explosive device had been positioned near the embassy’s entrance area.

Police also said they were examining a video uploaded to Google Maps around the time of the blast. Norwegian media outlet NRK previously reported the video, which appeared at the embassy’s location on the mapping platform, featured Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Two men wanted in connection with the murder of a Bangladeshi activist have been captured in India, with diplomatic negotiations now underway to bring them back to face charges.

Indian authorities apprehended the two Bangladeshi citizens, identified as Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, during a police operation in Bongaon, located in West Bengal state’s North 24 Parganas district on Sunday.

A judge in India has ordered the pair to remain in custody for interrogation, according to reports from PTI news agency.

Bangladesh’s top police official, Inspector General Mohammed Ali Hossain Fakir, announced Monday that the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry is pursuing the suspects’ return using the existing extradition agreement between Bangladesh and India.

The case centers on the December 12 shooting death of Sharif Osman Hadi in Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka. Following the attack, Hadi was transported to Singapore for advanced medical care but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.

Hadi had played a significant role in the 2024 political movement that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government after 15 years in power. He served as both a student organizer and spokesman for Inquilab Mancha, a youth organization focused on cultural transformation.

The activist’s death triggered widespread demonstrations throughout Bangladesh. Angry crowds gathered in Dhaka and targeted the headquarters of two major national newspapers during the unrest.

Those supporting Hadi have pointed fingers at both India and the former prime minister for his death. The activist had been an outspoken critic of both India and Hasina, who sought refuge in India following the August 2024 uprising that forced her from office. However, some liberal voices in Bangladesh had criticized Hadi for what they viewed as extremist rhetoric that resonated with young people and Islamic groups.

Bangladesh law enforcement had previously confirmed they had identified the shooting suspects but believed the men had escaped across the border. Indian officials reported that the arrested individuals had been hiding near the Bongaon border crossing while planning their return to Bangladesh.

BEIRUT (AP) — After Israeli forces issued a mass evacuation directive for Beirut’s southern districts, Fatima Nazha and her family found themselves homeless, spending two nights sleeping outdoors.

With government-operated shelters at schools completely filled and no money for hotel rooms or rental apartments, Nazha and her spouse ultimately settled into a tent at Lebanon’s largest sports venue. Their children and grandchildren managed to secure accommodation near Sidon, a coastal city in the south.

Within a mere 10-day period, the current conflict has forced more than 800,000 Lebanese citizens to abandon their residences, occurring just over 12 months after the previous confrontation displaced over one million people. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, a humanitarian organization, this represents approximately one out of every seven residents in the small nation. Countless individuals lack proper accommodation, while Lebanon’s financially struggling government has managed to house only around 120,000 people despite efforts to establish additional shelters and increase supply deliveries.

For Nazha, who relies on a wheelchair for mobility, this forced displacement has proven significantly more challenging than during the previous Israel-Hezbollah conflict that occurred more than a year earlier. The current military strikes against the Iranian-supported militant organization have been more severe and unpredictable, with Israel’s evacuation directive arriving suddenly and preventing her from collecting all personal possessions.

“Previously, the bombardments focused on particular locations, but currently they’re striking everywhere,” she explained while smoking a cigarette. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported Friday that the conflict has claimed more than 700 lives, including 103 children.

Israeli military operations against its northern neighbor intensified after Hezbollah launched multiple rockets into Israeli territory following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the conflict’s beginning.

The majority of Lebanese citizens had hoped Hezbollah would refrain from retaliating against the Iranian attack, since the militant group’s backing of Hamas, another Iran-supported organization, in 2023 resulted in Israeli military action against Hezbollah within Lebanon. Anti-Hezbollah sentiment and opposition to its supporters has grown throughout Lebanon, while existing tensions and divisions within the fractured nation continue to intensify.

Property owners have been increasing rental prices to discourage new tenants, worried about becoming targets themselves. Hotels have implemented stricter guest screening procedures since Israel attacked two hotel rooms, claiming it was pursuing Iranian Revolutionary Guard operatives conducting activities in Beirut.

Those without family or friends to accommodate them, or who cannot afford apartments or hotel accommodations, have resorted to sleeping outdoors or in vehicles throughout central Beirut, choosing safety over comfort. However, this perceived security was destroyed when an overnight Israeli attack resulted in at least eight deaths and over 30 injuries in the capital’s Ramlet el-Bayda district, where numerous displaced individuals had established tent camps along the coastline or slept on mattresses along the waterfront promenade.

Relief organizations, constrained by years of insufficient funding, are finding it difficult to meet demands. They caution about an impending humanitarian disaster.

“Requirements are growing much more rapidly than our ability to address them,” stated Mathieu Luciano, who leads the International Organization for Migration in Lebanon, during a recent media briefing.

The government has converted Lebanon’s primary sports stadium into an emergency shelter, housing Nazha, her husband, and over 800 additional people who sleep in the partially enclosed walkways beneath the seating areas. The facility provides restrooms and washing stations but lacks shower facilities and has unreliable electrical service.

“Simply providing food isn’t sufficient… A can of fish or bread loaf or water jug isn’t adequate,” Nazha stated Thursday from her portable bed.

In the stadium parking area where Lebanon’s national football team typically competes during peaceful times, children engaged in an informal match while an Israeli surveillance drone circled above, identifiable by its distinctive buzzing sound. From this location, observers can witness and hear the explosions occurring daily in surrounding neighborhoods.

Naji Hammoud, who manages athletic facilities for Lebanon’s Youth and Sports Ministry, said he never anticipated assuming such significant responsibilities.

“We’re working against the clock,” Hammoud commented as relief workers and volunteers hurried to erect tents.

The previous conflict displaced over one million people, but that occurred near its conclusion after a year of limited combat that slowly intensified. This time, developments that previously required months have happened within days.

Hezbollah’s initial rocket assault followed by Israel’s immediate overnight bombardments shocked Lebanon, and the widespread evacuation announcements caught residents unprepared. Israel initially directed dozens of villages south of the Litani River to move northward. Subsequently, it advised residents to evacuate Dahiyeh, a predominantly Shiite suburban area on Beirut’s southern periphery that ranks among the country’s most densely populated regions.

Every major highway connecting the capital to southern Lebanon experienced severe traffic congestion as people rushed to locate safe accommodations.

“We traveled for two days before discovering this location that would accept us,” explained Seganish Gogamo, an Ethiopian worker who escaped from the southern city of Nabatieh and found refuge in a Beirut church sheltering migrant workers from Asia and Africa. She departed during nighttime hours following intense aerial bombardments.

The fighting shows no signs of concluding, as approximately 100,000 Israeli soldiers have gathered along the U.N.-established Blue Line separating both countries in preparation for an expected ground offensive. Many worry the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation might extend beyond the Iran conflict.

Joe Sayyah was among numerous residents who stayed in their border village, Alma al-Shaab, during the war’s initial days, hoping evacuation wouldn’t become necessary. As a Christian community, Israel has primarily targeted Shiite areas where Hezbollah maintains operations.

Sayyah and others contacted the Vatican and the United States, presenting themselves as uninvolved parties in the conflict and emphasizing the absence of military personnel or activities in their area. They also spent several days taking shelter within a church.

However, when his friend died in an Israeli drone attack while tending to his garden, they realized departure was essential. He and the remaining residents rang the church bell one final time before traveling to the capital in a convoy protected by United Nations peacekeeping forces.

Upon reaching a church in Beirut’s northern outskirts to conduct a funeral service for his friend, Sayyah said the relief of arriving somewhere secure was quickly overshadowed by the sobering understanding that this conflict might differ from the previous one.

“This time, there’s a significant chance we might never return to our village,” he said.

BANGKOK, March 14 – Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn will formally inaugurate parliament on Saturday while the nation’s Constitutional Court examines potential legal violations from last month’s general election involving ballot security features.

The country’s Office of the Ombudsman has raised concerns that barcode technology on voting ballots could compromise voter anonymity and has asked the Constitutional Court to review the matter.

Although Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party secured a decisive win in the February 8 election, the ombudsman announced Friday that 21 public complaints have been filed alleging that barcodes and QR codes on ballots might enable identification of individual voter choices.

This scrutiny carries significant weight, as the court previously invalidated a 2006 election due to violations of ballot secrecy requirements.

Election officials have defended the barcode system, stating it serves security functions and that voter identification would only be possible with access to the top portion of ballots, which remain in secure storage.

Bhumjaithai secured at least 191 seats in the 500-member legislative body and plans to establish a governing coalition with the third-place Pheu Thai Party along with smaller political groups. This alliance would control more than 290 seats, potentially providing governmental stability following years of political upheaval.

Parliamentary sessions will resume Sunday with lawmakers selecting a new house speaker and two deputy positions.

Veteran Bhumjaithai politician and Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Zaram announced to media Thursday that his party has put forward his name for the speaker position. The newly elected speaker will then schedule parliamentary proceedings to select the prime minister.

According to Bhumjaithai deputy leader Siripong Angkasakulkiat, the prime ministerial vote is anticipated for Thursday.

American military forces launched strikes Friday against Kharg Island, Iran’s critical oil export facility that handles nine-tenths of the nation’s petroleum shipments, raising concerns about global energy supply disruptions.

Former President Donald Trump announced on social media that U.S. forces “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the strategic island and warned that oil facilities could become targets if Iran continues disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The island facility, located 16 miles off Iran’s coastline and approximately 300 miles northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, serves as the primary export point for Iranian crude oil due to its deep-water ports capable of accommodating large tankers.

Data from TankerTracker.com and Kpler indicates Iran has maintained oil shipments between 1.1 million and 1.5 million barrels daily, even after increasing production before the February 28 conflict launched by Israel and the United States.

Energy markets closely monitored whether the military action affected Kharg’s complex system of pipelines, loading terminals and storage facilities. Any operational disruption could further strain already tight global oil supplies and increase market volatility.

“You take out Kharg infrastructure, then you take 2 million bpd out of the market for good – not until the Straits get fixed,” explained Dan Pickering, chief investment officer for Pickering Energy Partners.

Iran’s military responded Saturday through state media, warning that attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes against oil company facilities belonging to U.S. regional partners.

Patrick De Haan, an analyst with fuel price tracking service GasBuddy, expressed alarm about escalating tensions. “I’m very concerned it elevates the temperature and Iran has less to lose and it seems to escalate. Iran when backed into a corner is highly emboldened to act,” De Haan stated.

Iran has effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that carries 20% of global oil supplies, primarily to Asian markets.

China represents the largest destination for Iranian crude exported through Kharg Island. According to Kpler tracking data, Iranian oil comprises 11.6% of China’s seaborne petroleum imports this year, with independent refiners drawn to previously discounted prices resulting from U.S. sanctions.

Export figures show Iran shipped 1.7 million barrels per day of crude oil this year, with 1.55 million barrels flowing through Kharg facilities. Before the current conflict, Iran had increased exports to approximately 2.17 million barrels daily in February, including a record 3.79 million barrels during the week of February 16.

The island’s storage infrastructure can hold roughly 30 million barrels, with approximately 18 million barrels of crude stored there as of early March, according to JP Morgan analysis of Kpler data. Satellite imagery from Wednesday showed multiple large crude carriers loading at Kharg terminals.

As OPEC’s third-largest producer, Iran supplies about 4.5% of global oil, with current output reaching 3.3 million barrels daily of crude oil plus 1.3 million barrels of condensate and other petroleum liquids.

An accomplished Belarusian journalist received a nine-year prison sentence Monday after being found guilty of treason charges, marking another blow to press freedom in the authoritarian nation.

Pavel Dabravolski, 36, was convicted during a private hearing at Minsk City Court, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. The award-winning reporter, who contributed to both international and local news organizations, most recently worked for BelaPAN, a news agency that Belarusian officials have labeled as extremist.

This conviction represents the fifth journalist to receive prison time within a two-week period, highlighting the government’s ongoing assault on media independence.

Alexander Lukashenko has maintained his grip on power for more than thirty years through systematic suppression of opposition voices.

The country erupted in widespread demonstrations after the disputed 2020 election results, which international observers condemned as illegitimate. Authorities detained over 65,000 individuals and physically assaulted thousands during the unrest. Following these protests, officials forced the closure of hundreds of independent news organizations and civil society groups.

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, now living in exile, accused authorities of pursuing fabricated accusations against Dabravolski.

“Dabravolski’s only ‘crime’ was doing his job and covering the 2020 protests after the stolen elections,” she said. “We see that the conveyor belt of repression inside Belarus continues unabated.”

Media advocates report an intensification of government harassment targeting news professionals.

“Repression is escalating and Dabravolski’s sentence shows that the authorities are increasing pressure on journalists in a country that already has the worst freedom of speech in Europe,” Andrei Bastunets, the head of the journalists’ association, told The Associated Press.

The organization reports that 28 media workers are currently imprisoned throughout Belarus.

“It contradicts the idea that the human rights situation in Belarus has allegedly improved due to the release of prominent political prisoners,” Bastunets said.

During Lukashenko’s rule, Belarus has endured extended diplomatic isolation and economic penalties from Western nations due to authoritarian practices and for permitting Russia to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian territory in 2022. Recently, the leader has attempted to rebuild Western relationships by freeing hundreds of political detainees.

Nevertheless, many others remain incarcerated, with human rights group Viasna calculating that 1,140 political prisoners are still held captive.

Extremist fighters launched devastating simultaneous assaults across northeastern Nigeria early Monday, claiming the lives of 15 people in what military sources and local residents describe as carefully orchestrated attacks.

The casualties included 12 military personnel and three civilians who died during the overnight raids that struck three different locations, highlighting the persistent threat posed by terrorist organizations in the region.

For nearly two decades, extremist violence has plagued northeastern Nigeria, resulting in thousands of deaths and forcing 2 million people from their homes, according to humanitarian organizations. This devastation continues despite extensive military operations aimed at eliminating the threat.

The Monday morning strikes targeted Kukawa, Dalwa, and Goniri, occurring just days following a comparable assault on military forces in Ngoshe. These incidents demonstrate the terrorist organizations’ capability to execute simultaneous operations across multiple locations.

Fighters affiliated with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province launched their assault on Kukawa district in Borno state just before sunrise Monday, advancing toward a nearby military installation in what became a three-hour firefight, according to soldiers who participated in the battle.

Military personnel eventually regained control of the facility, but not before losing their commanding officer and five additional soldiers, a military source reported. Karta Maina Ma’aji Lawan, the legislative representative for Kukawa, verified both the attack and the commanding officer’s death.

The assault on Dalwa resulted in two military deaths and three civilian fatalities, while militants destroyed more than 250 residences by fire, according to Shetima Isa, a local resident and traditional leader.

In the adjacent Yobe state, insurgents successfully captured the Goniri military installation, killing four soldiers and destroying vehicles and structures through arson, another military member reported.

Army officials have not provided responses to requests for official statements regarding these incidents.

Nigerian military forces have increased their operations against insurgent strongholds throughout this year as part of an intensified campaign. However, both ISWAP and Boko Haram continue to take advantage of challenging geography, poorly secured borders, and limited government presence throughout the northeastern region’s dry territories.

These most recent attacks occurred mere hours after military intelligence had issued warnings about a probable ISWAP offensive operation.

American military forces destroyed key targets on Iran’s Kharg Island Friday, according to President Donald Trump, striking at the heart of the nation’s oil export operations. Iran’s parliamentary leadership had previously cautioned that attacks on such facilities would trigger unprecedented retaliation measures.

The Pentagon is deploying an additional 2,500 Marines along with an amphibious assault vessel to the Middle East region as the conflict with Iran enters its third week, according to a U.S. defense official.

Iranian forces have maintained extensive missile and drone bombardments against Israel and neighboring Gulf nations while successfully blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that carries twenty percent of global oil shipments. American and Israeli aircraft continue intensive bombing campaigns targeting Iranian military installations and strategic sites.

These developments suggest the two-week military confrontation is far from reaching a resolution.

Early Saturday morning, an aerial strike targeted a residential building in Baghdad’s Karrada neighborhood, resulting in one fatality and two injuries, according to security sources and officials connected to Iranian-backed militia organizations who requested anonymity due to authorization restrictions.

Iraqi military leadership issued a statement denouncing the attack as “a blatant violation of all humanitarian values and a disregard for international conventions.”

This incident preceded a separate missile assault on the U.S. Embassy complex in Baghdad.

Iran’s Fars news agency documented at least fifteen explosions accompanied by heavy smoke clouds over Kharg Island following the American military strikes.

The news outlet reported that the bombardment focused on air defense systems, naval installations, airport control facilities, and helicopter storage areas belonging to offshore petroleum companies, while claiming no damage occurred to oil production infrastructure.

Iranian military command renewed warnings about potential attacks on American-connected energy assets throughout the region should their oil facilities face targeting.

Speaking for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ebrahim Zolfaghari issued threats early Saturday through state television channels.

“All oil, economic, and energy infrastructures belonging to oil companies across the region that have American shares or cooperate with America” would become targets if Iran’s energy and economic facilities face attack, he warned.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad provided no immediate response following the missile strike on its compound.

Embassy officials reissued their highest Level 4 security warning for Iraq on Friday, noting that Iranian forces and affiliated militia groups have historically conducted attacks against American personnel, interests and facilities, with the potential for continued targeting.

The massive embassy facility, ranking among the world’s largest American diplomatic installations, has faced repeated rocket and drone attacks from Iranian-aligned militant groups in previous incidents.

These organizations have recently intensified their assault campaigns against military bases housing American and coalition personnel.

A drone attack in northern Iraq Thursday resulted in the death of a French soldier and injuries to several others serving with the international coalition forces.

Security officials confirmed that a missile impacted a helicopter landing area within the U.S. Embassy grounds in Baghdad.

The projectile struck inside the embassy perimeter after targeting the Green Zone, the heavily secured central Baghdad district containing Iraqi government buildings and international diplomatic missions, according to security personnel who requested anonymity due to speaking restrictions.

Associated Press footage captured smoke rising from within the embassy compound following the attack.

Iraqi security officials reported Saturday that the United States Embassy in Baghdad came under missile fire, with the attack generating visible smoke from the diplomatic compound.

According to the security sources who spoke with Reuters, the missile strike targeted the American embassy facility in Iraq’s capital city. While smoke was observed rising from the embassy building following the attack, officials have not yet released information regarding the extent of damage or any potential casualties.

The incident occurred on March 14, marking another security challenge for American diplomatic personnel stationed in the volatile region.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te defended his administration’s massive defense spending proposal on Saturday, arguing the island’s strong economic performance justifies the $40 billion military investment amid growing tensions with China.

Speaking during commemorations of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election three decades ago, Lai addressed criticism from opposition lawmakers who have stalled the eight-year defense package in parliament. Opposition members, who hold a majority, argue the spending details lack clarity and refuse to approve what they call “blank cheques.”

“With Taiwan’s economic growth, we can absolutely afford it,” Lai stated during his address. “If we look at the United States’ National Security Strategy, the U.S. emphasises collective defence and burden-sharing.”

The island nation has experienced remarkable economic expansion, driven largely by its semiconductor industry and surging demand for artificial intelligence technology. Taiwan’s economy grew at its fastest rate in 15 years during 2025, benefiting from its position as the world’s leading producer of advanced computer chips.

Lai’s defense spending push aligns with pressure from the Trump administration for allies to increase their military budgets, a policy the Taiwanese president has publicly supported.

The president outlined plans to integrate artificial intelligence into Taiwan’s defense capabilities while strengthening domestic military manufacturing. “In other words, our defence budget is not only a budget for national defence, but also a budget for economic and industrial development,” he explained.

Despite parliamentary resistance to the broader spending plan, lawmakers on Friday authorized the government to proceed with approximately $9 billion in arms purchases from the United States to meet contract deadlines.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of Chinese territory and maintains it will use military force if necessary to bring the island under its control. Lai has consistently rejected China’s territorial claims, insisting that only Taiwan’s citizens can determine their political future.

Chinese military forces conducted their latest war exercises near Taiwan in December, and Beijing regularly deploys naval vessels and military aircraft around the island as part of ongoing pressure campaigns.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are standing firm on their decision to prevent Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela’s ousted president, from accessing state funds to pay for his legal defense against drug trafficking charges.

In court documents filed Friday, prosecutors argued that Maduro should not have access to Venezuelan government money, emphasizing that the United States has refused to recognize him as the country’s legitimate leader for several years.

The legal dispute began last month when Maduro’s attorney Barry Pollack petitioned U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein to throw out the criminal charges. Pollack claimed the Treasury Department wrongfully canceled a sanctions exemption that had previously allowed Venezuela’s government to fund Maduro’s legal representation.

The defense attorney contended this action violated Maduro’s Sixth Amendment right to legal counsel. Pollack explained that according to “Venezuelan law and custom,” the government is responsible for covering legal expenses for the president and his spouse. Court documents from last month show that an official from Venezuela’s attorney general’s office confirmed the government’s willingness to cover these costs.

Manhattan federal prosecutors countered these arguments, telling Judge Hellerstein that the original exemption was simply an “administrative error.” They emphasized that both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain free to use their own personal assets for their legal defense. Flores’ attorney, Mark Donnelly, has also requested dismissal of charges against his client based on the funding restrictions.

“While both defendants claim that they are entitled to funds under the Venezuelan constitution … both defendants also surely knew that the U.S. Government did not consider them to hold legitimate positions,” prosecutors stated in their filing, pointing out that removing Maduro and Flores from power was a key objective of U.S. sanctions.

Venezuelan government officials did not respond to requests for comment through the communications ministry, which handles all media inquiries.

Both Maduro and Flores were taken into custody on January 3 during a U.S. military operation at their residence in Caracas. They have entered not guilty pleas and remain detained in Brooklyn while awaiting trial.

Their legal representatives have not yet commented on the latest court filings.

Judge Hellerstein is scheduled to address the legal funding dispute during a March 26 hearing in Manhattan federal court.

Federal authorities have accused Maduro, who assumed the presidency in 2013 as a socialist leader, of manipulating election results in both 2018 and 2024. Maduro has consistently denied these allegations.

Since Maduro’s arrest, his former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has taken control of Venezuela’s government. According to a March 11 State Department court filing in an unrelated case, the United States now recognizes Rodriguez as Venezuela’s official head of state.

A projectile hit the helicopter landing zone within the United States embassy complex in Baghdad on Saturday morning, according to reports from Iraqi security sources.

Witnesses observed a plume of smoke ascending from the diplomatic facility following the Saturday morning incident, as reported by the Associated Press.

Two Iraqi security officials confirmed the strike on the embassy compound’s helipad to news outlets.

Multiple sources in Brazil report that Finance Minister Fernando Haddad will likely resign from his cabinet position within the next week to launch a gubernatorial campaign in São Paulo state, following encouragement from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

According to four sources who spoke with Reuters on Monday, while Haddad and Lula haven’t held final discussions about the gubernatorial run, the two officials have been in regular contact regarding the potential campaign.

The Brazilian newspaper O Globo first broke the story earlier Monday. Officials at the finance ministry have refused to provide comment on the reports.

Political analysts suggest Lula’s encouragement stems from his need to establish a stronger foothold in São Paulo, a state where right-wing opposition candidates typically perform well. Party officials believe a poor showing in São Paulo could damage the president’s chances for reelection.

The finance minister had originally planned to avoid seeking office this election cycle, instead expressing his desire to help coordinate Lula’s presidential reelection effort.

However, sources indicate that concerns about the president facing a difficult reelection battle have created pressure for Haddad to enter the São Paulo race.

Recent polling data from Datafolha reveals that a hypothetical runoff between President Lula and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, would essentially result in a dead heat.

Separate Datafolha polling focused on the São Paulo gubernatorial race shows Haddad capturing 31% support in a first-round matchup, trailing incumbent Governor Tarcísio de Freitas at 44%. De Freitas, who has backing from the Bolsonaro political family, previously defeated Haddad in the 2022 election.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Monday from Kyiv that his nation stands prepared to engage in U.S.-supported peace negotiations immediately, though he acknowledged that international allies are currently preoccupied with the escalating Iran situation.

The Ukrainian leader revealed that the United States has requested to delay a scheduled diplomatic meeting due to the shifting focus toward Iranian activities in the region.

In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy accused Russia of attempting to exploit the Middle East tensions for strategic advantage. He warned that Moscow seeks to transform Iran’s attacks on neighboring countries and American military installations into “a second front of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”

LIMA – A new survey reveals that two conservative politicians are currently leading Peru’s crowded presidential contest scheduled for April 12, though widespread voter uncertainty suggests the race remains wide open.

Keiko Fujimori and Rafael Lopez Aliaga have emerged as frontrunners among a historic field of 36 candidates, according to polling data from Datum Internacional released Sunday evening on Peruvian television. Fujimori captured 10.7% support while Lopez Aliaga garnered 10%, making them the only contenders to reach double-digit backing.

The narrow margins reflect deep political uncertainty in the South American nation, with approximately two-fifths of survey respondents either refusing to select a candidate or indicating they won’t participate in the election at all.

These modest approval ratings make a June 7 runoff election highly probable, continuing a pattern for the Andean country where no presidential candidate has secured a first-round victory since the late 1990s.

Peru’s presidency has experienced remarkable instability, cycling through eight different leaders since 2018. Currently, four former presidents are incarcerated, and the nation’s unpopular conservative-dominated legislature ousted the most recent president last month following revelations of undisclosed meetings with a Chinese business figure.

The Datum survey, conducted between February 27 and March 4, found that over 38% of voters had not made a decision or planned to abstain from voting. Company CEO Urpi Torrado noted that many participants who do intend to vote will likely make their final choice just one week before the election.

Fujimori, whose father Alberto Fujimori served as president before receiving a 16-year prison sentence for human rights violations including authorizing death squad operations during his ten-year rule, is making her fourth presidential bid.

Her polling position has fluctuated with Lopez Aliaga, an ultra-conservative former Lima mayor who has adopted the campaign nickname “Porky” due to his resemblance to an American cartoon character. Two weeks earlier, a previous Datum survey showed Lopez Aliaga leading with 13.4% compared to Fujimori’s 9.7%.

Additional candidates polling around 5% include leftist Alfonso Lopez-Chau, who previously served as a central bank official; wealthy entrepreneur Cesar Acuna; Carlos Alvarez, a well-known comedian famous for impersonating past presidents; and Wolfgang Grozo, a retired military general and former intelligence director.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that American forces carried out devastating attacks on military installations located on Iran’s Kharg Island, a strategic location that serves as the nation’s primary oil export hub, while issuing stern warnings that petroleum facilities could face bombardment if Tehran persists in disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media statement, Trump revealed that U.S. military forces had “obliterated” strategic positions on Kharg Island during Friday’s operations. The island serves as Iran’s main oil export terminal, making it a critical component of the country’s economic infrastructure. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf had previously cautioned that such military actions would trigger unprecedented retaliation from Tehran.

Defense officials confirmed that an additional 2,500 Marines along with an amphibious assault vessel are being deployed to the Middle East region, marking nearly two weeks since hostilities began with the Islamic Republic.

These developments suggest the two-week conflict shows no signs of reaching a resolution anytime soon.

Tehran has maintained its barrage of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf nations while effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that facilitates one-fifth of global oil trade. This continues despite intensive bombing campaigns by U.S. and Israeli aircraft against Iranian military installations and other strategic targets.

The crisis in Lebanon has worsened dramatically, with casualty figures reaching nearly 800 deaths and 850,000 people forced from their homes as Israeli forces conduct repeated strikes against Hezbollah forces backed by Iran, with Israeli officials stating the campaign will continue without pause.

Military sources speaking anonymously to discuss classified operations confirmed that components of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship have received orders for Middle East deployment.

Marine Expeditionary Units possess capabilities for beach assault operations while also specializing in embassy security reinforcement, civilian evacuation missions, and emergency response operations. This deployment doesn’t necessarily signal imminent ground combat operations.

The Wall Street Journal initially broke news of the Marine deployment.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Tripoli, along with accompanying amphibious vessels carrying the Marines, operate from Japanese bases and have spent recent days in Pacific waters, according to military photographs. Satellite imagery captured the Tripoli sailing independently near Taiwan, positioning it over a week’s journey from Iranian coastal waters.

Naval forces earlier this week included 12 vessels operating in the Arabian Sea, featuring the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and eight destroyer escorts. The Tripoli’s arrival would create the region’s second-largest naval presence behind the Lincoln.

While exact numbers of American military personnel stationed throughout the Middle East remain classified, Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base alone typically accommodates approximately 8,000 U.S. service members at one of the region’s largest installations.

Trump’s social media announcement detailed how American strikes against Iran’s Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf focused on military targets while deliberately avoiding petroleum infrastructure.

However, he cautioned that interference with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz by Iran or other parties would force him to reconsider his current policy avoiding attacks that would “wipe out the Oil Infrastructure.”

Thursday saw Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issue social media warnings that strikes against Iran’s southern maritime border islands would prompt Tehran to “abandon all restraint,” highlighting these territories’ crucial role in the nation’s economic and security framework.

Iraqi security personnel reported that a missile impacted a helicopter landing area within the U.S. Embassy complex in Baghdad.

Associated Press video documentation captured smoke plumes rising Saturday morning above the embassy grounds.

The extensive embassy facility, ranking among the world’s largest American diplomatic installations, has faced repeated rocket and drone attacks launched by Iranian-supported militant organizations.

U.S. Embassy officials in Baghdad provided no immediate response. Friday saw the embassy extend its Level 4 security warning for Iraq, alerting that Iran and affiliated militia organizations have conducted previous strikes against American citizens, interests and facilities, with potential for continued targeting.

Friday afternoon in Iran’s capital, a massive blast shook a central plaza where thousands had assembled for the government’s annual pro-Palestinian demonstration calling for Israel’s destruction. No injuries were immediately reported.

The Tehran explosion occurred at midday in the Ferdowsi Square vicinity, where crowds had gathered for the annual Quds Day demonstration, shouting “death to Israel” and “death to America.”

Israeli forces had issued evacuation warnings through a Farsi-language social media account shortly before the explosion. However, few Iranians likely received the message due to authorities’ near-complete internet shutdown. Video footage showed crowds chanting “God is greatest” as smoke filled the area.

Israel’s military subsequently posted additional Farsi messages, noting Iran’s judiciary chief attended the rally while criticizing Tehran for preventing citizens from accessing their warnings.

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the hardline judiciary leader, was conducting a state television interview at the demonstration when the attack occurred. Security personnel surrounded him as he raised his fist, declaring Iran would “under this rain and missiles will never withdraw.”

Israeli officials announced another round of Iranian infrastructure strikes, reporting their air force had struck over 200 targets within 24 hours, including missile systems, defensive installations and weapons manufacturing facilities.

From Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that more than 15,000 enemy positions have been attacked—exceeding 1,000 daily since combat operations began.

Addressing concerns about Strait of Hormuz disruptions, he told media representatives: “We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it.”

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran on Saturday, threatening to target the nation’s crucial oil export infrastructure if Tehran continues interfering with international shipping routes through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The ultimatum came after American forces conducted military operations against Iran’s Kharg Island, which serves as the departure point for approximately 90% of Iran’s petroleum exports. The island facility sits roughly 300 miles northwest of the contested waterway.

While U.S. operations deliberately avoided damaging oil-related infrastructure, Trump made clear this restraint could end quickly. “Should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” the president declared in a social media statement.

Trump also dismissed Iran’s military capabilities, writing that the country “had no ability to defend against U.S. attacks.” He added: “Iran’s Military, and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!”

Iranian military officials responded swiftly on Saturday, warning through state media that any assault on their energy facilities would trigger retaliatory strikes against regional oil companies working with American interests.

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, witnesses reported hearing more than 15 explosions during the American assault on Kharg Island. Sources indicated the bombardment focused on defensive installations, naval facilities, and airfield infrastructure while sparing petroleum operations.

Global energy markets are closely monitoring whether the island’s complex system of pipelines, storage facilities, and export terminals sustained any damage. Even minimal disruptions could worsen an already strained worldwide supply situation.

The regional conflict has expanded beyond Iran, with the Revolutionary Guard announcing additional collaborative strikes against Israel alongside Lebanon’s Hezbollah organization, according to Iran’s Tasnim news outlet.

Israeli military forces reported conducting extensive air operations Friday, hitting over 200 Iranian targets including missile systems, defensive installations, and weapons manufacturing sites across western and central regions of the country.

American military personnel have suffered losses in the escalating conflict. The Pentagon confirmed Friday that six crew members died when their refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian missiles damaged five U.S. Air Force tanker planes at a Saudi Arabian base, with repairs currently underway.

Energy markets have experienced dramatic price swings based on Trump’s varying statements about the conflict’s expected duration. The fighting erupted February 28 with coordinated American and Israeli bombardments against Iran and has since expanded into a broader regional war affecting global financial and energy markets.

Lebanon has emerged as another major battleground, with Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants exchanging attacks in and around Beirut, further escalating tensions.

Beyond missile and drone assaults on Israel and U.S.-allied Gulf nations, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has actively worked to disrupt commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles approximately 20% of global fossil fuel transportation.

Trump announced Friday that American naval forces would “soon” begin providing security escorts for tanker vessels navigating the waterway.

Despite previously suggesting the conflict would conclude within weeks, Trump declined Friday to offer any timeline for resolution. “I can’t tell you that,” he told reporters. “I mean, I have my own idea, but what good does it do? It’ll be as long as it’s necessary.”

Iran has maintained crude oil shipments while other Gulf producers suspended operations due to security concerns about potential Iranian attacks.

Satellite monitoring by TankerTrackers.com showed multiple large oil tankers loading cargo at Kharg on Wednesday. Iran’s daily exports have ranged between 1.1 million and 1.5 million barrels from February 28 through Wednesday.

Energy analyst Bob McNally of Rapidan Energy Group said Trump’s Friday remarks “will focus the market’s mind on pathways that this energy disruption, already history’s largest, could expand and last longer.”

Some industry experts questioned the strategic value of avoiding oil infrastructure. “Bombing Kharg Island but not the oil infrastructure is like going to McDonald’s and getting a hamburger with no meat,” said Josh Young of Bison Interests. “What’s the point?”

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, made his first public statements Thursday, promising to maintain the Strait of Hormuz closure and warning neighboring nations to shut down American military installations or face potential attacks.

European nations are developing strategies to protect their interests, with France leading discussions among European, Asian, and Gulf Arab partners about potentially deploying warships to escort commercial vessels through the strait.

After nearly two weeks of warfare, casualty figures have reached 2,000 deaths, with the majority occurring in Iran but significant losses also reported in Lebanon and Gulf states now experiencing frontline combat for the first time in decades of Middle Eastern conflicts.

Several million people have fled their homes due to the fighting. As Israeli aircraft continue pounding Beirut’s surrounding areas, Lebanese interior officials report being overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of displaced residents seeking shelter in the capital city.

WASHINGTON — American intelligence officials concluded in a classified report that military action against Iran would fail to bring about a change in government, even if key leaders were eliminated, according to two sources with knowledge of the February assessment.

The National Intelligence Council’s analysis determined that both targeted airstrikes and extended military operations would be unlikely to install new leadership in the Islamic Republic, the sources revealed on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the document.

This finding challenges the current administration’s claims that its goals in Iran could be achieved rapidly, possibly within weeks. Although officials have stated they are not pursuing regime change, President Donald Trump has openly discussed his preferred candidates to lead Iran.

According to those briefed on the report, intelligence analysts found no strong or unified opposition group ready to assume power should Iranian leadership be eliminated. The assessment predicted that Iran’s establishment would work to maintain governmental continuity if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed.

The intelligence community’s predictions have materialized, as Iranian religious authorities on Sunday selected Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, as the new supreme leader following his father’s death in the initial military strikes. The younger Khamenei is considered more extreme than his predecessor, signaling the regime’s defiance and unwillingness to surrender power easily.

The Washington Post and The New York Times previously reported details from this intelligence assessment.

Administration officials have offered varying explanations for the military campaign that commenced February 28, citing the need to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons development or prevent Iranian missile attacks. While Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintains the conflict does not aim for regime change, Trump has expressed his desire to see new Iranian leadership.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Director Tulsi Gabbard previously dismissed the council’s acting leader last year following the publication of a declassified report that contradicted administration statements used to justify Venezuelan immigrant deportations.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has maintained deep suspicion toward U.S. intelligence agencies, regularly rejecting their conclusions as politically driven or part of efforts by a “deep state” to sabotage his administration.

As military operations involving Iran, Israel and Lebanon continue for a second week, Associated Press photographers are capturing images from across the conflict zones.

The visual documentation shows conditions on the ground as tensions remain high in the region. Meanwhile, political changes are occurring with leadership transitions taking place.

The collection of photographs has been assembled by Associated Press photo editors to provide a visual record of current events in the affected areas.

A London courtroom became the stage Monday for allegations against Gerry Adams, the former head of Sinn Féin, as three bombing victims claim he held leadership positions within the Irish Republican Army during deadly attacks in England.

The civil lawsuit filed in London’s High Court alleges Adams bore direct responsibility for Provisional IRA decisions to carry out explosive attacks in England during 1973 and 1996.

Attorney Anne Studd, representing the three injured men, told the court that Adams made false distinctions between his roles. “The defendant carefully draws a distinction between being a member of ‘the Army’ and being a member of Sinn Féin,” Studd stated. “That was a distinction without a difference.”

While these accusations against Adams have circulated for years, this marks the first instance where a court will determine their validity.

Adams served as a pivotal figure during Northern Ireland’s violent era, heading the IRA-associated Sinn Féin party from 1983 through 2018 and playing a crucial role in negotiating the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. Despite consistent denials of IRA membership, several former associates have claimed he held leadership roles within the organization.

“There is no doubt that the defendant contributed to the peace in Northern Ireland, but the claimants say that on the evidence, he also contributed to the war,” Studd argued.

The three plaintiffs seek acknowledgment rather than financial compensation, pursuing damages of just one pound ($1.33) from Adams.

Their lawsuit claims Adams served on the IRA’s governing Army Council and shares equal responsibility with those who physically planted explosives during “the Troubles” – three decades of bloodshed involving Irish republican militants, British loyalist groups, and UK military forces. This period claimed approximately 3,600 lives, primarily in Northern Ireland, though IRA operations extended to England.

Police officer John Clark sustained shrapnel wounds to his head and hand during the 1973 Old Bailey courthouse attack in London. Jonathan Ganesh experienced psychological trauma from the 1996 London Docklands explosion. Barry Laycock suffered 50% disability, emotional distress, and financial hardship following the 1996 Arndale shopping center bombing in Manchester.

Defense attorney Edward Craven stated that Adams, who plans to testify during the jury-free trial scheduled to end next week, “emphatically, unequivocally and categorically denies that he was ever a member of the IRA.”

Craven emphasized that the 77-year-old was never formally charged with these bombings or even detained on suspicion of involvement.

Adams faced IRA membership charges in 1978, though prosecutors later abandoned the case due to insufficient evidence.

Last year, Adams secured a £100,000 ($116,000) libel judgment against the BBC regarding a television documentary’s assertion that he approved killing an informant within Irish republican circles.

Craven described the plaintiffs’ burden of proof as insurmountable, saying they “had a mountain to climb to prove their case and they had not even arrived at the foothills.”

The defense acknowledged that Adams supported IRA objectives and attempted to rationalize their actions, though he didn’t endorse every operation.

“That makes him, in the eyes of some people, a deeply controversial figure,” Craven explained. “It does not mean he was factually responsible for the bombings.”

China’s top diplomat has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to pursue peaceful negotiations instead of military action as tensions between the neighboring nations continue to escalate.

During a telephone conversation on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions over armed conflict, according to an official statement from China’s foreign ministry.

Wang stressed the importance of both nations maintaining composure and showing restraint while working toward immediate face-to-face negotiations. He advocated for an urgent ceasefire and emphasized that differences should be settled through diplomatic channels.

The Chinese foreign minister warned that continued military actions would only worsen the current crisis and heighten regional instability.

This diplomatic intervention follows Pakistan’s Friday bombing of a Kam Air fuel depot located near Kandahar airport in Afghanistan, representing a major escalation in what has become the most serious conflict between these neighbors in recent years. The attack occurred despite ongoing Chinese mediation efforts.

The two foreign ministers also discussed developments in Iran during their conversation, with Wang expressing Beijing’s readiness to collaborate with Afghanistan and other international partners to promote stability in Iran.

ROME (AP) — Historic treasures beyond Michelangelo’s renowned marble Moses sculpture are getting much-needed attention at Rome’s San Pietro in Vincoli basilica.

European Union pandemic recovery dollars are driving an intensive wave of restoration work at religious, cultural and historic landmarks throughout Rome.

Restorer Melanie Khanthajan scaled multiple ladders Monday, carrying her equipment to scaffolding positioned 65 feet above the basilica floor near the ceiling. With surgical precision, she used a scalpel to carefully remove plaster layers from decorative serpentine elements surrounding a coat of arms on the vaulted ceiling, employing a method known as “descialbo.”

“Every removal of a layer surprises us because it allows us to understand what it is like, what emerges,” she explained. “So for us it’s wonderful, it’s a discovery every day.”

A $2.3 million EU recovery grant is funding comprehensive cleaning and restoration of the basilica’s ceilings, altar, tombs, marble columns and ornamental features, providing work for Khanthajan and 10 additional restoration specialists.

Rome secured $579 million in European funding for “Caput Mundi” initiatives covering more than 100 cultural renovation projects citywide. Ancient Romans used “Caput Mundi” to describe their city as “the head of the world.” European Union agreements require these funds to be spent by late 2026.

Located steps from Rome’s Colosseum, the basilica derives its name “vincoli” from the Latin “vincula,” meaning chains. Ancient chains believed to have bound St. Peter in Jerusalem are displayed in a glass case at the main altar. According to religious tradition, these chains miraculously joined with those used to restrain Peter during his imprisonment at Rome’s Mamertine prison.

Built during the 5th century under Eastern Roman rule, the basilica underwent partial reconstruction in the 16th century when Pope Julius II ordered renovations. The pope added his Della Rovere family crest featuring an oak tree throughout the ceilings, arches and chapels. These heraldic symbols and accompanying decorative elements are the restoration’s primary focus.

Michelangelo’s Moses sculpture, created in 1513 for Julius’s funeral monument, remains the basilica’s star attraction. While not included in the current restoration work, the statue will receive cleaning once the project concludes.

“The works started about eight months ago and will end by May 2026,” said Ilaria Sgarbozza, the scientific director of the restoration project. “Let’s say it’s a very fast pace.”

BRISBANE, Australia — Five players from Iran’s women’s national soccer team have received humanitarian protection in Australia, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who announced the decision on Tuesday.

Australian federal police relocated the women from their Gold Coast hotel to a secure location during the early morning hours on Tuesday. Burke met with the players there and completed the processing of their humanitarian visas, he informed media representatives in Brisbane later that day.

The Iranian squad had traveled to Australia last month to compete in the Women’s Asian Cup, arriving before conflict erupted in their homeland. After being eliminated from the competition over the weekend, the team faced the possibility of returning to Iran amid ongoing bombardment.

Iran’s head coach Marziyeh Jafari stated on Sunday that her players “want to come back to Iran as soon as we can,” as reported by Australia’s AAP news service.

President Donald Trump had strongly criticized Australia’s handling of the situation on Monday, posting on social media that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the … team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed.”

Trump urged Australia to provide asylum for the team, stating: “The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”

Within two hours, Trump posted again praising Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, writing: “He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.”

The specific measures being implemented by Australia’s government remained unclear at the time.

Trump also noted that some players “feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return.”

This asylum offer marked a notable shift for Trump, whose administration has worked to reduce the number of immigrants eligible for political asylum.

Throughout the tournament, team members largely avoided discussing the crisis in their country, though forward Sara Didar became emotional during a Wednesday press conference while expressing worry for their loved ones and fellow Iranians affected by the conflict.

The squad’s quiet stance during the national anthem before their opening defeat to South Korea was interpreted by some as defiance and by others as grief. The team has not clarified their intentions. During their final two games, they participated in singing and saluting during the anthem.

A Palestinian actor featured in an Academy Award-nominated film announced Friday that he will miss this weekend’s Oscars ceremony due to current U.S. travel restrictions affecting Palestinian citizens.

Motaz Malhees stars in “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which earned a nomination for best international feature film. The movie tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli military forces in Gaza during 2024.

In his role, Malhees portrays a call center worker who tries to assist the young girl. However, he revealed on social media that he cannot travel to the United States for the ceremony.

“I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees posted on Instagram, expressing that “it hurts” to miss the prestigious event.

The travel restrictions stem from a December proclamation by President Donald Trump that limits entry for individuals carrying Palestinian Authority travel documents. Trump stated he had “determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.”

Officials cited security concerns as the reason for the entry restrictions affecting certain countries.

The State Department has not yet provided a response regarding the actor’s situation.

The film draws from a tragic real-life incident where five members of Rajab’s family and two ambulance workers attempting a rescue were also killed by Israeli gunfire. Israeli authorities have indicated the incident remains under investigation.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s political party emerged as the top vote-getter in weekend congressional elections, though the results fell short of providing the clear mandate needed to push through sweeping government reforms.

The Historical Pact secured nearly 25% of Senate positions and approximately 15% of House seats in Sunday’s voting, outpacing all rival parties. However, conservative opposition forces also strengthened their position, with the Democratic Center party of former President Álvaro Uribe claiming 17 of the Senate’s 103 seats.

Centrist political groups, including traditional Liberal and Conservative parties, saw their influence diminish, while the Green Party also experienced reduced representation.

“The country seems to be turning away from voices in the center, and it’s becoming more polarized,” observed Carlos Arias, a Bogota-based political consultant.

Jorge Restrepo, an economics professor at Javeriana University in Bogota, characterized the electoral outcome as evidence that Colombia is abandoning its historical resistance to populist movements after decades under technocratic, center-right leadership.

“The Petro administration has taken a series of measures that are popular in the short term” but lack long-term viability, Restrepo explained.

He cited substantial minimum wage increases, reduced fuel costs, and workplace law modifications that boosted overtime compensation as examples of policies designed for immediate political appeal.

“These decisions have helped to increase the popularity of the Historical Pact,” Restrepo noted. “And make its critics more unpopular.”

The legislative contest occurred two months ahead of Colombia’s presidential race, which will determine the future of current security strategies and economic policy directions.

Throughout Petro’s four-year tenure, his government has pursued diplomatic solutions with remaining insurgent organizations while implementing labor reforms, including a 23% minimum wage boost despite 5% annual inflation.

The president has advocated for government control of Colombia’s healthcare system, removing private insurers from social security administration. His administration has also promoted pension system modifications that would expand state oversight of retirement fund management.

Political opponents have vowed to reverse these policy changes, arguing they contribute to irresponsible government expenditures.

Critics have also indicated they would take a more aggressive stance against rebel organizations that continue threatening citizens through extortion, abduction, and violence while competing for territorial control and drug trafficking profits.

Sunday’s elections included a primary contest among center-right coalition parties, which selected Democratic Center Senator Paloma Valencia as their presidential nominee.

The coalition’s 5.7 million votes established Valencia as a formidable contender in the upcoming presidential campaign, according to Bogota political risk analyst Sergio Guzmán.

Constitutional restrictions prevent Petro from seeking reelection, but his party’s nominee, Senator Iván Cepeda, currently leads polling data. Ultra-conservative attorney Abelardo de la Espriella, who has expressed admiration for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, holds second place.

Valencia’s strong primary performance suggests she may now challenge De la Espriella for conservative voter support.

“Abelardo’s candidacy seems shaky now,” Guzmán assessed, noting that the attorney’s congressional slate received approximately 600,000 votes Sunday, representing just one-tenth of Valencia’s primary total.

May’s presidential election will feature at least six candidates, including representatives from smaller leftist parties.

A runoff between the top two finishers will occur in June if no candidate achieves a 50% majority.

Yan Basset, a political science instructor at Rosario University in Bogota, predicted that a conservative presidential victory would end current efforts to rewrite Colombia’s constitution.

Petro has maintained that constitutional revision is necessary to strengthen democratic participation and advance economic reforms previously rejected by the judiciary. However, opponents characterize the initiative as an attempt to consolidate power and reduce judicial supervision of executive actions.

Basset suggested that even if Cepeda wins the presidency, constitutional changes would face significant obstacles given Congress’s new composition.

“The left won, but they only had a quarter of the seats,” Basset explained. “I don’t think that there is the appetite among their potential coalition partners” to pursue constitutional reform.

OTTAWA, Canada (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Norway this Friday to witness a major NATO military training operation, followed by a visit to the United Kingdom, according to an announcement from his office on Monday.

Officials said Carney will observe the Cold Response exercise, which Norway leads for NATO. This biennial training event brings together approximately 25,000 military personnel from 14 different nations to conduct coordinated land, air and naval operations in harsh Arctic environments.

Participating countries include Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden and Finland.

“Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation. In the face of new threats, we are deepening defense collaboration with our Arctic partners to create a stronger, more prosperous, and more secure world for Canada and for all,” Carney stated.

During his time in Oslo, Carney is scheduled to hold discussions with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre covering topics such as trade, investment, clean energy initiatives, critical mineral resources and aerospace industry cooperation.

The Canadian leader will also participate in the Canada-Nordic Summit, where he will engage with other Nordic government officials to explore opportunities for strengthened geopolitical partnerships.

Following his Norway visit, Carney will travel to London for discussions with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer focusing on defense matters and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East before returning home to Canada.

NONTHABURI, Thailand — An unconventional festival in Thailand encourages attendees to face their own mortality while providing hands-on services and spiritual guidance for life’s final chapter.

This distinctive gathering, currently in its second year, tackles a topic many find difficult to discuss. The festival also reflects core Buddhist principles that influence Thai culture, addressing life’s unavoidable hardships: birth, aging, illness and death.

Sangduan Ngamvinijaroon brought her mother to the three-day festival on Friday in Nonthaburi province, located near Bangkok. She explained that discussing death was once challenging for her family, but after more than two decades of caring for sick relatives — including her stroke-affected husband and family members battling cancer — she has witnessed multiple deaths and now feels comfortable addressing the subject.

“It’s not just about dying well. It’s also about the present moment and taking good care of our lives while we’re still here,” she said about why she appreciated the festival.

The gathering united specialists and organizations from healthcare, financial planning, end-of-life care, burial services and memorial technology. Presentations and activities emphasized both death preparation and maintaining life quality through one’s final days.

“Death involves everybody. It’s not just about you,” explained Zcongklod Bangyikhan, The Cloud magazine’s editor-in-chief and a primary event organizer. “Instead of wondering what dying will be like, maybe we should think about how to make things easier for the people who remain after we’re gone.”

A widely visited display called “Test Die” allows guests to rest inside various coffins while viewing themselves in an overhead mirror. The activity aims to encourage contemplation rather than create fear.

Office employee Phinutda Seehad described the experience as peaceful.

“I don’t think I’m scared of death,” she shared. “I also don’t want to die, but when the time comes, I don’t think it will be that frightening.”

One business showcased an eco-friendly coffin constructed from mycelium — fungal root-like structures — which assists natural decomposition processes.

Company founder Jirawan Kumsao explained the design represents a more sustainable burial method. While she brought a human-sized version to the festival, her business primarily creates pet coffins.

“It gives people comfort to know they’ve cared for their pets until the very end,” she noted. “It looks like a spacecraft, a capsule, for sending them to another world.”

Noppasaward Panyajaray, who created the digital memorial service Sharesouls, has observed similar emotional connections. Her platform enables users to upload photos and share memories of deceased loved ones, establishing online spaces where friends and family can leave tributes and honor their memory.

She said she initially designed the platform to preserve family member memories. However, she was amazed to discover many users were building memorial pages for their pets.

“Many people sent me a message to say thank you, because nowadays we don’t really have any space to store stories or memories about their pets,” she explained. “Every pet is meaningful to their owners as much as a family member.”

Iranian missiles damaged five American Air Force refueling aircraft during a recent attack on a military installation in Saudi Arabia, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Friday.

The refueling planes were struck while stationed on the ground at Prince Sultan air base, sustaining damage but avoiding complete destruction, the newspaper reported, citing information from two U.S. officials. Military personnel are currently working to repair the damaged aircraft.

No fatalities resulted from the missile attack, according to the Wall Street Journal’s sources.

The Reuters news agency noted they were unable to independently confirm the details of the reported incident at this time.

WASHINGTON – The United States has formally condemned Afghanistan’s Taliban government for holding American citizens captive, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing Monday that this action could trigger a complete travel prohibition for US passport holders visiting the nation.

In his official statement, Rubio classified Afghanistan’s current leadership as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention” and called for the immediate release of all detained Americans, specifically naming Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle among those being held.

“The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions. These despicable tactics need to end,” Rubio declared, explaining that he had determined the country poses too great a risk for American travelers due to the threat of unjust imprisonment.

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Washington is also demanding the return of Paul Overby’s remains, a writer who disappeared near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in 2014.

Officials indicated that passport restrictions for Afghanistan travel could be implemented if the Taliban fails to comply with US demands. Currently, only North Korea faces such travel limitations for American citizens.

This marks the second such designation under President Trump’s executive order from September, following a similar classification of Iran on February 27. While Rubio issued comparable warnings about potential Iran travel restrictions, no such measures have been enacted yet. The announcement preceded the US-Israel military action against Iran by one day.

The Afghan government could not be contacted for response to these developments.

Taliban officials have previously rejected claims that they are holding Habibi, who formerly served as Afghanistan’s civil aviation director.

CBS News initially broke the story about the potential designation earlier Monday.

Six people were wounded Monday when a Russian drone attack hit near a residential high-rise in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to local officials.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that a young child was among those injured in the strike. The attack shattered windows throughout the area and ignited multiple vehicles.

The city of Kharkiv sits just 18 miles from the Russian border and has endured repeated aerial bombardments since successfully defending against Russian ground forces during the initial invasion that began in February 2022.

In a separate incident Monday, artillery fire targeted the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, wounding seven civilians, according to regional Governor Oleksandr Ganzha, who shared the update on Telegram. Ganzha published images showing debris scattered across streets and significant damage to building exteriors.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced Friday that American military forces launched strikes targeting military installations on Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil export facility in the Persian Gulf.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated he deliberately refrained from destroying the island’s oil facilities. “For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island,” the president wrote.

Trump issued a warning about potential future military action, writing: “However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”

The president described the operation as strikes against “every military target” located on the strategically important island, which serves as Iran’s primary oil export hub.

A spontaneous demonstration unfolded Monday on the campus steps of Havana University, where a small gathering of college students voiced frustration over how Cuba’s severe power shortage is disrupting their academic experience amid ongoing U.S. sanctions that have worsened the island’s energy supply problems.

Frequent electrical blackouts and transportation breakdowns have compelled the university to cancel numerous in-person classes or move them to virtual formats, though many students face additional challenges with Cuba’s sluggish and unreliable internet service.

“We aren’t martyrs for any side; we are university students. So, none of us intended to be here, but there has been no other way,” said one of protesters, who didn’t want to be identified by name due to fear of government reprisals.

First Deputy Minister of Higher Education Modesto Ricardo Gómez came outside to address the demonstrating students. He recognized the budget constraints impacting Cuba’s higher education system and blamed the current tensions with the Trump administration for making conditions worse.

“Today we have been tremendously affected by the criminal and genocidal blockade of the United States government, which, without a thought for the people or our youth, is truly massacring an entire society,” Gomez said.

Throughout Havana’s primary thoroughfares Monday, residents were forced to travel on foot to reach their jobs or complete errands. Fuel distribution is limited to 20 liters per vehicle, and obtaining gasoline requires a complex scheduling system that can stretch for weeks.

At a weekend gathering in Florida with conservative leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, President Donald Trump indicated the U.S. would focus on Cuba following the conflict with Iran and hinted his administration might negotiate an agreement with Havana, highlighting Washington’s increasingly confrontational approach toward the island’s communist government.

“Great change will soon be coming to Cuba,” Trump said at the summit.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Saturday described the summit as “small, reactionary and neocolonial.”

Trump also said there are high-level talks happening between Cuba and the U.S. government.

The Cuban government hasn’t confirmed that meetings are happening.

The Florida conference, which the White House termed the “Shield of the Americas” summit, occurred just two months after Trump authorized a bold U.S. military mission to apprehend Venezuela’s former president, Nicolás Maduro, which ended Venezuela’s petroleum exports to Cuba.

After Maduro’s capture, Trump issued an executive directive imposing tariffs on imports from nations that sell or supply oil to Cuba, a decision that further devastated the island already facing a worsening energy shortage.

Since that time, Cuba has received no oil deliveries, despite producing only one-third of its domestic energy requirements.

Intelligence officials across the Persian Gulf region have uncovered extensive Iranian spy networks that are providing Tehran with sensitive military information and documenting attacks as they happen, according to a new report.

Tehran’s recent aerial bombardments targeting Gulf infrastructure have sparked worries that hidden networks operating within these nations may be supporting Iran’s military campaigns. These covert groups have been functioning in Gulf territories before current hostilities began, supplying Iran with precise locations of defense installations, recording military defensive measures, and capturing footage of Iranian ballistic weapon and unmanned aircraft operations.

An unnamed military intelligence official speaking to The Media Line confirmed that “Iranian sleeper cells in the Gulf belong to several nationalities, including Arab and Asian nationalities, as well as Sh’ite citizens of the Gulf.”

The official further specified that these operatives include “Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi, in addition to several citizens of Algeria and Tunisia.”

The most compelling proof of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives working within Gulf territories comes from video recordings of aerial bombardments captured before the actual strikes occur.

Multiple recordings have emerged showing the exact moments of attacks before the weapons reach their intended locations. These recordings appear on social media platforms including X and Instagram immediately following strikes, often before government officials make any public announcements about attacks.

The footage, captured using both mobile devices and professional recording equipment, suggests advance knowledge about target selection, and this information did not come from security camera systems. Since military actions against Iran began, hundreds of new social media accounts have appeared on X, Instagram, and other platforms broadcasting similar live footage alongside false information and propaganda.

These activities have been documented in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, particularly across multiple Gulf urban areas.

Interior and Defense Ministry officials in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia have released multiple public warnings against recording the results of Iranian bombardments or discussing target locations. These government agencies also cautioned against filming air defense systems, missile installations, military operations, or any related footage.

Multiple verified social media accounts connected to Bahraini opposition groups, which have represented their interests for years, have shared images of what they describe as “electronic operations rooms” with masked personnel.

According to these accounts, their purpose is to “support the Islamic Republic of Iran.” These opposition-affiliated accounts share attack footage and work to circulate various false claims that are later proven incorrect.

“Simultaneous investigations are currently underway in the Gulf states, and cooperation is taking place in these investigations to uncover all espionage and support networks operating on behalf of Iran in the Gulf,” the intelligence source added.

These Iranian operatives have shared precise coordinates of defense facilities and petroleum processing plants in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, along with various significant military and civilian structures.

They have also revealed locations of American community members in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, resulting in attacks on apartment buildings, hotels, and other properties. Intelligence regarding crucial economic locations, financial institutions, oil processing facilities, and other important industrial and manufacturing sites has also been compromised.

Numerous Shi’ite residents in Gulf nations have not maintained neutrality but have instead shown support for Iran and defended its attacks on Gulf countries.

Mohammed Hassan, a Bahraini Shi’ite currently residing in Iraq, told The Media Line, “We support the Islamic Republic of Iran. If it falls, Israel will swallow up all the Arabs, and we know that the missiles were launched from the Gulf states toward Iran.”

He added, “We must avenge everyone who contributed to the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and they must meet the same fate. We cannot remain silent, even if it is my country.”

A Gulf media personality, identified only as A., who refused to reveal his nationality or complete name, told The Media Line, “We publish these videos to demonstrate Iran’s strength. It’s ridiculous to arrest people and accuse them of spying for Iran. Everything the military wants to know is available on Google Maps. This targeting of Shia citizens is simply an act of revenge.”

He continued, “This is unacceptable. Our opinions cannot be suppressed. We support the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that is our opinion. No one can confiscate it or accuse us of treason or being agents.”

Badr al-Aji, a Saudi military analyst, told The Media Line, “The Gulf states have known about the existence of such cells for some time, and some Gulf states have already taken steps, but the entire network only began to fall apart recently.”

He explained, “The network is large and far-reaching, and it operates in a decentralized manner. Most of its members are known only to their leader, for fear that the rest of the network will reveal their identities if one of them is arrested.”

Al-Aji noted, “These people are ideologically driven and consider Iran to be their spiritual father, and therefore they have no fear of punishment if they are arrested.”

Abdullah al-Khalidi, a Gulf political analyst, told The Media Line, “Now they will try to exert pressure through more operations within the Gulf states, attempting to distract security efforts to achieve the greatest possible outcome from these security strikes.”

He continued, “Iran’s missile stockpiles will soon run out, but the focus will remain on the fifth column—Iranian agents in the region—who will seek to sabotage. However, the fall of Iran will certainly mean the fall of these agents as well, for they do not plan; they merely execute orders.”

Multiple Gulf nations, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, have detained various cells and individuals on espionage charges. Qatar officially announced the capture of two spy networks working for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). One network possessed photographs and coordinates of military locations, while the other was planning multiple bombings and hostile operations targeting critical infrastructure and aiming to destabilize security and stability, according to the Qatar News Agency.

Kuwait also announced in separate statements the detention of multiple individuals accused of recording and sharing footage of military movements and Iranian bombardment of Kuwait.

The Bahraini Ministry of Interior announces almost daily the detention of individuals accused of recording and sharing footage of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Bahrain, glorifying these actions that harm Bahrain’s interests, and publicizing military movements on the Gulf island.

The most notable announcement from the Bahraini Ministry of Interior was the arrest on Sunday of multiple individuals of Asian nationalities, including five Pakistanis and one Bangladeshi national, who had documented and shared information about the Iranian bombing of Bahrain and praised these actions.

On Thursday, March 12, the Bahraini Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of four Bahrainis and the identification of a fifth fugitive abroad, after they were found to be spying for the IRGC through terrorist elements located in Iran.

The Ministry of Interior statement listed the names of the four, aged between 22 and 36, including a woman named Sarah Abdulnabi. It indicated that they used high-resolution photography equipment and sent images and coordinates to the IRGC via encrypted software.

As trials began for those arrested by Bahrain, the Bahraini Public Prosecution, in the first session held on Monday, March 9, charged the detainees with espionage for Iran and demanded the maximum penalties, which under Bahraini law can reach the death penalty. This is considered an aggravating circumstance due to the state of war. The hearings will continue until a final verdict is reached.

The laws of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries generally stipulate the death penalty for espionage or the leaking of important information, especially during times of war. Therefore, it is expected that these individuals will receive what is called the maximum penalty, which is execution, as the Gulf states are currently considered to be in a state of war.

A ballistic missile launched from Iran made a direct impact on the northern Israeli community of Zarzir during nighttime hours, leaving approximately 60 people wounded and causing structural damage to close to 300 residential properties, according to reports from Ynet.

Medical officials report that one individual required hospitalization for moderate injuries, while the remaining casualties suffered minor wounds from the direct strike on the northern community, based on accounts from local residents. The projectile impacted a residential neighborhood, resulting in widespread destruction to houses, automobiles and nearby infrastructure.

Local residents reported receiving three emergency notifications from Israel’s Home Front Command alerting them to missile launches from Iranian territory, with warnings sent to mobile devices throughout the Galilee region, Golan Heights and surrounding valleys during the overnight period. The missile made direct contact with Zarzir just minutes following one of these emergency alerts.

The community, home to numerous young people who serve in the Israel Defense Forces, experienced significant destruction across multiple residential streets. Local residents described finding broken windows, damaged doorways and rooms covered with glass fragments and rubble after the explosion occurred.

Vehicles parked close to where the missile landed suffered severe damage, and property across the entire neighborhood felt the effects of the blast, residents reported to Ynet.

Families recounted frantically looking for their children in complete darkness after the strike knocked out electrical power and filled their homes with smoke and debris. Residents described hearing children crying out as community members navigated through damaged structures to help people who became trapped indoors.

Several residents explained that doorways needed to be broken open after the explosion warped entrances and prevented normal exits. Others described shouting for assistance from their windows while neighbors and family members hurried to provide aid.

According to residents, individuals who had taken shelter in protected areas escaped serious harm, while those who were outside designated safe rooms were among the casualties from the blast.

Pentagon officials announced that joint American and Israeli military operations have severely crippled Iran’s armed forces in what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called an unprecedented campaign of destruction.

During a briefing at the Pentagon with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Hegseth outlined the extensive damage inflicted on Iranian military infrastructure during the opening weeks of current hostilities.

“The United States is decimating the radical Iranian regime’s military in a way the world has never seen before,” Hegseth stated. “Never before has a modern, capable military … been so quickly destroyed and made combat ineffective.”

According to Hegseth, American and Israeli air forces working together have hit more than 15,000 military targets throughout Iran.

“The combination of the world’s two most powerful air forces is unprecedented and unbeatable,” Hegseth explained. “Between our Air Force and that of the Israelis, over 15,000 enemy targets have been struck.”

The Defense Secretary reported that Iran’s defensive systems, naval operations, and rocket capabilities have suffered extensive damage.

“Iran has no air defenses. Iran has no air force. Iran has no Navy,” he declared, noting that Iranian missile and drone operations have declined dramatically due to the ongoing strikes.

“Iran’s missile volume is down 90%,” he reported. “Their one way attack drones yesterday down 95%.”

Hegseth explained that attacks have also focused on Iran’s weapons manufacturing infrastructure to block the regime from rebuilding its military strength.

“As of two days ago, Iran’s entire ballistic missile production capacity … has been functionally defeated,” Hegseth said, noting that manufacturing plants, research centers, and assembly facilities nationwide have been eliminated.

The Secretary indicated that operations are expanding in scope.

“Today will be yet again the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran and Tehran,” Hegseth announced.

Hegseth also suggested Iran’s political leadership faces internal challenges following the death of the nation’s former supreme leader.

“We know the new so-called not so Supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” he said, characterizing Iranian leadership as chaotic and unable to mount an effective response.

“The military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling,” he added.

Gen. Dan Caine reported that American forces have now reached the 13th day of Operation Epic Fury and verified that U.S. military units continue targeting missile installations, unmanned aircraft, maritime assets, and weapons facilities across Iran.

“CENTCOM [US Central Command) continues to attack ballistic missile and drone capabilities so that they are no longer a threat to US forces, our bases or our partners,” Caine explained.

According to Caine, American forces have hit more than 6,000 locations and are conducting continuous air operations above Iran.

“CENTCOM is now persistently over the enemy,” he stated.

Caine reported that U.S. forces have also attacked Iran’s maritime forces and mine deployment systems in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure open shipping lanes.

“We’ve rendered the Iranian Navy combat ineffective,” he said.

He noted that America continues targeting ships and port facilities used to endanger merchant vessels.

“The only thing preventing commercial traffic and flow through the Straits right now … is Iran,” Caine said.

The military leaders also discussed an unrelated incident involving American personnel.

Caine verified that four crew members were rescued after a KC-135 fuel tanker crashed in western Iraq while conducting a combat operation.

“The incident occurred over friendly territory in western Iraq,” he said, emphasizing that it “was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.”

Caine said search and rescue efforts are ongoing and military officials will provide additional details when available.

Hegseth commended American military personnel participating in the operation and said the current administration remains focused on meeting its goals.

“President Trump holds the cards,” Hegseth concluded. “He’ll determine the pace, the tempo and the timing of this conflict.”

Senior government officials from Colombia traveled to Caracas Friday for high-stakes discussions with Venezuelan leaders about energy partnerships, border security and commercial relations, marking a new chapter in diplomatic ties between the South American neighbors.

The meeting represents the first face-to-face diplomatic engagement since Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was removed from office in early January, signaling a potential reset in bilateral relations.

Plans for a presidential summit between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez were scrapped due to what both governments described as “force majeure,” though no additional details were provided about the cancellation.

Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez sat down with Venezuelan counterpart Vladimir Padrino to develop coordinated security approaches for their shared 1,370-mile border. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministers Rosa Villavicencio of Colombia and Venezuela’s Yvan Gil worked on initiatives to “prioritize brotherhood and peaceful coexistence,” according to a statement from Rodriguez’s administration.

Commercial representatives explored opportunities in trade and tourism sectors, while energy officials including Colombian Energy Minister Edwin Palma focused on a recently announced collaboration between state petroleum companies Ecopetrol and PDVSA. The partnership aims to restore a damaged portion of a cross-border pipeline that would enable Colombia to receive natural gas imports from Venezuela.

Rodriguez, who previously served as vice president, has been working to draw investment in oil and mining sectors as she works to bring stability to the nation following Maduro’s detention by U.S. authorities. President Donald Trump has offered praise for her leadership, and she has opened doors to American officials and business interests in Caracas. The United States and Venezuela have also officially restored diplomatic relations.

While Petro maintained friendly relations with the former Maduro government, he has experienced tensions with Trump, though both leaders reported positive outcomes from a Washington meeting last month and held a constructive phone conversation Thursday focused on economic conditions along the Venezuela-Colombia border, Petro’s office reported.

Trump has consistently called for enhanced Colombian cooperation in anti-narcotics efforts. Petro points to unprecedented drug seizure numbers during his administration as evidence of progress.

The two nations share deep historical and cultural connections, particularly in border regions where many families hold citizenship in both countries. Approximately 3 million Venezuelan refugees have relocated to Colombia in recent years, escaping economic devastation in their homeland.

Colombian trade statistics show the country maintained a $973.4 million trade surplus with Venezuela in 2025, shipping products including food items, tobacco, chemicals, plastics and machinery. Venezuelan exports to Colombia totaled $98.3 million, consisting primarily of iron, steel, fertilizer and paper products.

The Venezuelan state petroleum company PDVSA will handle restoration work on the Antonio Ricaurte gas pipeline, which has remained out of service for several years, Colombia’s energy ministry announced Thursday.

The 140-mile pipeline system can transport up to 500 million cubic feet of natural gas daily when operational.

ROME (AP) — Strong opposition has emerged from across Europe after organizers announced Russia would return to participate in the prestigious 2026 Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition. The European Commission has threatened to cut funding while 22 European nations are calling for Moscow to be excluded once again due to its ongoing military conflict in Ukraine.

The controversy surrounding the world’s most significant and longest-running contemporary art exhibition has placed Italy’s Culture Ministry under intense scrutiny. This diplomatic crisis follows shortly after Italy watched the International Paralympic Committee permit Russian and Belarusian competitors to participate under their own national flags at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics.

Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli is working to address the international backlash, expressing strong disagreement with the Biennale’s choice while recognizing that the governing foundation operates independently from government control and made this decision on its own regarding the 61st arts festival.

Moscow maintains a permanent, traditional pavilion within the Giardini exhibition space, and according to the art fair’s regulations, enjoys a simplified approval process for participation. However, Russia has been absent since the Ukraine conflict started: The Russian pavilion closed in 2022 when its artists pulled out following Moscow’s invasion. During the 2024 festival, Bolivia used the Russian pavilion space for its own display.

On March 4, the Venice Biennale Foundation revealed the participant list for its 2026 festival, scheduled to run from May 9 through November 22. The exhibition will feature 99 countries, with seven making their debut appearance.

Moscow’s comeback to the festival received no special attention from Biennale organizers, appearing simply within the standard list of participating nations with a display called “The Tree is Rooted in the Sky,” featuring approximately three dozen Russian artists.

Following growing criticism, Giuli terminated ministry representative Tamara Gregoretti from the Biennale board this week, claiming she failed to inform the ministry about Russia’s planned participation and had endorsed their inclusion.

Giuli has also initiated an inquiry to assess whether Russia’s involvement complies with European Union sanctions. He specifically requested that the Biennale immediately supply all documents, including communications with Moscow, regarding Russia’s plans for establishing and operating the pavilion during the exhibition.

During a Friday phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Tetyana Berezhna, Giuli “emphasized the Italian government’s dedication to safeguarding Ukraine’s cultural identity, which has faced threats for more than four years due to the Russian invasion, and confirmed his personal and governmental commitment to rebuilding Ukraine’s cultural heritage,” according to the ministry.

Berezhna told Giuli that Russia’s participation was “unacceptable for Kiev and conflicts with the strong Ukrainian support maintained by the Italian government,” Giuli’s office reported.

Biennale Foundation president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco has stood behind the decision, characterizing it as a stance against censorship.

He revealed that this year’s festival will include two special exhibition areas dedicated to “dissident” artwork. He also referenced last year’s Venice Film Festival, which hosted the world debut of “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” a critical film starring Jude Law about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ascent to power.

However, 22 European nations sent Buttafuoco a letter voicing their “deep concern” about Russia’s participation. They cautioned that Moscow might use this opportunity to “present an image of legitimacy and international acceptance that sharply contrasts with the reality of Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine and the devastation of Ukrainian cultural heritage, as well as European and international sanctions.”

The European Commission has criticized the Biennale’s decision and warned of withdrawing EU funding for the fair, which totals approximately 2 million euros across three years.

“If the Biennale Foundation moves forward with its decision to permit Russia’s participation, we will explore additional actions, including suspending or ending current EU funding to the Biennale Foundation,” stated Commissioners Henna Virkkunen and Glenn Micallef.

A senior United Nations humanitarian leader is pressing for safe passage of aid shipments through the Strait of Hormuz as conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran disrupts the critical waterway.

Tom Fletcher, who serves as the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, made the appeal Friday as Iran considers blocking the strategically important shipping lane.

“When routes close and costs surge, the help we can deliver shrinks – and the people who need it most are the ones who lose it first,” Fletcher said in a statement.

“So my message to the parties to the conflict and all those with influence over them is simple: humanitarian cargo must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz.”

The military confrontation began two weeks ago after American and Israeli forces launched attacks against Iran, resulting in the deaths of senior Iranian leadership, including the country’s supreme leader. The violence, which started February 28, has claimed hundreds of lives and expanded throughout the Persian Gulf area.

In response to the initial strikes, Iran launched counterattacks and placed approximately twelve naval mines within the strait.

According to Fletcher, vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly stopped due to the escalating hostilities. He warned this disruption will increase costs and create barriers to transporting essential items such as medical supplies and food.

“I am speaking directly with key parties, pressing for humanitarian supplies to be allowed to keep moving unobstructed through the Strait,” he said.

GOMA, Congo — Both sides in Congo’s long-running conflict are pointing fingers at each other for breaking ceasefire terms designed to end decades of warfare and establish lasting peace in the war-torn eastern region.

The fragile peace agreement, along with a separate minerals accord that Congo signed with the Trump administration to give the U.S. access to the nation’s valuable mineral resources, now faces serious challenges following renewed drone attacks and ground fighting.

President Trump played a role in brokering peace negotiations between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, which has been viewed as an important behind-the-scenes participant in the conflict. Meanwhile, Qatar and other international partners have supported direct talks between Congo’s government and the M23 rebel movement.

However, both diplomatic efforts have failed to stop the violence.

This Tuesday, a drone attack that M23 fighters attribute to Congo’s military resulted in the death of a French United Nations worker in the strategic city of Goma. The incident occurred less than 30 days after another similar aerial strike killed the rebel group’s spokesperson and wounded multiple others.

Local residents are reporting ongoing battles between M23 forces and Congo’s army, sometimes with assistance from the regional Wazalendo militia. These clashes have forced thousands of people to flee their homes in recent weeks.

Speaking to The Associated Press, M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stated that his organization remains dedicated to peace initiatives provided Congo’s military “refrains from attacking our positions and assassinating our leaders, soldiers, and innocent civilians.”

Patrick Muyaya, a spokesman for Congo’s government, confirmed that authorities are looking into this week’s drone strike that claimed the life of the French aid worker, though he declined to provide details about other aerial attacks.

While Muyaya accused M23 of breaking ceasefire terms, he emphasized that the government wants to “reaffirm our commitment to respecting the ceasefire” and other negotiated agreements.

The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm events in the affected areas of the region. These attacks have made peace efforts more difficult in an area where mass burial sites have recently been discovered.

The ongoing warfare has created one of the globe’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, with no fewer than 7 million people forced from their homes in eastern Congo.

Even as peace negotiations continue, Congo’s military has been linked to at least 60 drone attacks in 2026, while rebels have been responsible for fewer than 5% of such strikes in the past year, according to research from the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), an organization that tracks global conflict data.

“You still have people losing their lives to this crisis, and you still have displacement,” said Christian Rumu, a senior campaigner with Amnesty International, noting that Congolese citizens “do not feel any positive change” from the peace agreements.

“Heavy artillery has been used on densely populated areas throughout the conflict since 2021, and we see that in the latest attack in Goma,” Rumu explained.

VILLA DEL ROSARIO, Colombia — Family members seeking the freedom of Colombian prisoners held in Venezuela faced crushing disappointment Friday when a high-level diplomatic meeting was unexpectedly scrapped.

Javier Giraldo had traveled to an international bridge connecting the two nations, planning to hold up a sign pleading for his father’s freedom during what was supposed to be a face-to-face meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

Instead, Giraldo’s hopes were shattered when both governments suddenly called off the summit Thursday night, citing unexpected circumstances without providing specific reasons.

This marks the third disappointment this year for Giraldo in his quest to free his father. Previous setbacks came after a U.S. military action in January that resulted in former President Nicolás Maduro’s capture, and again when Venezuela’s legislature approved an amnesty measure for mass prisoner releases.

Giraldo’s 70-year-old father, Javier Giraldo García, has been held for four years at El Rodeo III prison in Guatire, located about 22 miles southeast of Caracas. Despite being born in Colombia, the elder Giraldo had resided in Venezuela for 30 years before authorities arrested him in Táchira state on terrorism-related accusations, his son explained.

According to Colombia’s foreign ministry, diplomatic negotiations have led to the gradual release of Colombian detainees from Venezuelan facilities since last year. However, data from Foro Penal, a Venezuela-based prisoners’ rights group, indicates at least eight Colombians and 11 people with dual Colombian-Venezuelan citizenship remain imprisoned.

Family members of those still detained have organized occasional demonstrations.

Ninfa Rebolledo, who participated in Friday’s protest near the Atanasio Girardot Binational Bridge despite the meeting’s cancellation, shared that her son Albeiro Guevara remains optimistic about his upcoming release. She explained he has been incarcerated for more than six years on charges of “aggravated trafficking in transport” — accusations he firmly denies.

“He is under the impression that they were going to bring them over and hand them over right here at the international bridge,” said Rebolledo, who maintains phone contact with her son every two weeks.

Despite expectations, no prisoner exchange or unusual activity occurred at the international crossing between Norte de Santander and Venezuela’s Táchira state following the cancellation of what would have been Petro and Rodríguez’s first in-person encounter.

Both nations released a joint statement late Thursday promising the meeting would be rescheduled for a future date, though no additional specifics were provided.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — While Hollywood stars may dominate the movie industry spotlight during events like Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony, Brazilian performers typically begin their journey to fame in television studios rather than on movie sets.

Dating back to the 1960s, Brazil’s telenovelas produced by TV Globo have transformed from basic daily programming into a massive entertainment empire featuring 13 production facilities, three complete set communities, 122 editing suites, and attracting as many as 60 million viewers from Brazil’s 213 million population each week.

Numerous Brazilian performers featured in Academy Award-nominated productions — including “Central Station” from 1998, “I’m Still Here” from 2024, and this year’s four-category contender “The Secret Agent” — initially gained recognition through TV Globo programming. Stars such as Wagner Moura and Fernanda Torres built their national profiles through telenovela appearances.

By comparison, Brazil operates only approximately 3,500 cinema locations, primarily concentrated in metropolitan areas where American blockbusters dominate programming. This environment creates a cycle where television success opens doors to major film opportunities, which then leads back to popular soap opera roles, and eventually returns to cinema projects.

Moura, who headlines “The Secret Agent,” appeared in the telenovela “A Lua Me Disse” (The Moon told Me) two decades ago. Torres, featured in “I’m Still Here,” which earned Brazil its first best international feature Oscar, had already become a cherished performer through two prominent TV Globo comedy programs that audiences consider soap operas.

“Globo’s telenovelas are key for Brazil’s audiovisual production,” stated Amauri Soares, director of TV Globo and Globo Studios, describing them as “a continuous platform of creation and production of content.”

“‘The Secret Agent’ has actors and staffers who worked at Globo, who will work at Globo again and the film itself has Globo investment despite being independent,” Soares explained.

TV Globo airs three telenovelas concurrently from early evening through prime time hours. These productions originate from Rio de Janeiro facilities and typically continue for six-month periods, airing Monday through Saturday with crews exceeding 1,000 individuals. Final episodes of telenovelas become nationwide viewing occasions, with establishments like bars, restaurants and fitness centers broadcasting major installments.

The telenovela business demands flexibility. Since some episodes are written just days ahead based on viewership data, these programs enable audiences to indirectly influence storylines. Their financial influence is substantial: a remake of the successful “Vale Tudo” (Anything Goes) allegedly produced more than 200 million reais ($38 million) in advertising revenue — four times “The Secret Agent’s” worldwide box office earnings.

TV Globo annually brings in up to 70 new performers from theater, cinema and regional productions. According to Soares, they develop their abilities using advanced equipment and fresh methods for one year. Many then depart for different projects, while others remain with the network for additional soap operas and limited series.

Dira Paes, an experienced performer and regular TV Globo commentator during Oscar broadcasts, observes that Brazil’s soap opera and film sectors are becoming more connected, allowing professionals to transition between mediums for creative and financial opportunities. She recently starred in the popular telenovela “Pantanal” (Wetlands) and appeared in “Manas,” a movie that received praise from Julia Roberts and Sean Penn.

“Soap operas are not only about ratings, but also heart and affection. When you do it on prime-time, you experience the power of an entire nation watching you. When the public loves your character … it is a very special popularity,” Paes commented, referring to her role in “Tres Gracas” (Three Gracas), a telenovela filmed in Rio but depicting an impoverished São Paulo neighborhood.

Mauricio Stycer, a television culture author and critic, believes Brazil’s economic disparity strengthened free television networks like Globo in ways that diminished public interest in movies. He contends this situation resulted in “Brazilian cinema holding a grudge for not having the same reach of soap operas.”

Stycer noted that performers often face a difficult choice when offered telenovela roles.

“To be popular and have a sure income every month or to take risks in a career that involves theater and cinema? TV was always a safe haven for most actors,” he observed.

Although competing Brazilian television networks have attempted to challenge Globo’s telenovela dominance, few have succeeded. However, even TV Globo’s programming no longer maintains the commanding position it held through the early 2010s. Network leadership has recognized increasing competition from streaming platforms.

Nevertheless, “Globo is still Brazil’s biggest company for actors,” Stycer noted. “Up until the year 2000, Globo alone was responsible for about 50% of TV ratings in Brazil.”

Actor and director Lázaro Ramos initially joined telenovelas after launching his career in theater and film. He believes Brazilians have developed equal appreciation for both telenovelas and movies when they successfully capture the nation’s vibrant and sometimes somber character.

“Brazilians see themselves in telenovelas, more and more. Our acclaimed writers created many of them based on literature classics,” Ramos said. “They are an investment in a national voice through characters, language and esthetics that viewers greatly identify with.”

Ramos — a longtime friend of Moura — plans to attend the Academy Awards but will return to Brazil immediately afterward to resume work on his new telenovela, “A Nobreza do Amor” (Love’s Nobility).

For him, the capacity to move between theater, cinema and television keeps Brazilian actors financially stable.

“An American actor could get $10 million for a film. That’s not the Brazilian reality,” he said. “But telenovelas are not a lesser product; they are a product of the highest quality.”

An Israeli emergency responder used his own body to protect a newborn infant during an Iranian missile warning that came just moments after the baby’s birth inside an ambulance on a southern Israel highway.

Magen David Adom paramedic Elad Pas recounted the harrowing experience, telling The Media Line: “I shielded the baby with my body.” The incident occurred when his medical team was rushing a 23-year-old expectant mother to the hospital as her labor intensified.

With contractions becoming more frequent and the hospital still far away, it became apparent the infant would arrive before they could reach medical facilities. “There was a very high probability the birth would happen immediately,” Pas remembered.

As Pas explained to The Media Line: “We were notified that there was a woman with contractions that were becoming urgent. We understood there was a very high probability that the birth was about to happen.” When his team arrived, another ambulance crew was already providing assistance, but it was clear there wasn’t enough time to transport the woman safely.

“We saw that she was really at the beginning of delivery,” Pas noted. “So we delivered the baby right there, in the ambulance.” The infant arrived safely and started crying as the medical team quickly cleaned and examined him while caring for his mother.

Within seconds, the circumstances changed drastically.

“Immediately after the baby came out, after we cleaned him a little and made sure everything was okay, the sirens started,” Pas described. Alert notifications appeared on the crew’s mobile devices, warning that an Iranian missile was targeting their area in southern Israel.

While Israeli emergency personnel follow established protocols during rocket and missile warnings, having both a newborn and a woman who had just delivered created an unusually challenging scenario inside the ambulance.

“In general, there are instructions for what to do when there are sirens,” Pas said. “If you are in the ambulance, if you are on the way to a call, or if you are treating someone at the scene. But here the situation was more complex.” Evacuating the patient from the vehicle was impossible due to her post-delivery condition.

“She had just given birth,” he explained. “It wasn’t possible to take her out.” Meanwhile, the infant was completely vulnerable and reliant on the medical team. “The baby is helpless. Completely dependent on you. Those are his first breaths in the world.”

The crew positioned their ambulance in what they determined was the safest available location. They quickly donned helmets and protective gear while securing the mother and her companion. Pas then picked up the newborn and used his body as a shield during the ongoing alert.

“I held the baby and covered him,” Pas said. “You instinctively protect him.”

Though the tense moments lasted only minutes, Pas was struck by the stark contrast between what should have been a joyful occasion and the reality of wartime danger.

“Birth is something very joyful,” he reflected. “Life is coming into the world.” His typical duties often involve the opposite scenario: responding to emergencies where people are critically wounded or ill and struggling to survive. “A lot of our work is dealing with people in very difficult situations,” he said. “When there is a birth, it’s something optimistic. It makes you smile.”

However, this delivery was overshadowed by the ongoing conflict.

“Suddenly it was very mixed,” Pas observed. “On one hand, a baby had just been born, something very happy. On the other hand, we are in a reality of war, and we are being bombarded.”

For Pas, his duty in that critical moment was unmistakable: safeguard the newborn until the threat subsided. The warning sirens eventually stopped, the immediate danger passed, and the ambulance resumed its journey to the hospital.

“It goes into the collection of moments you never forget,” he said, looking back on the experience. Emergency medical personnel frequently encounter the extremes of human existence, witnessing scenes of loss, survival, and occasionally new beginnings.

“Our work deals with extreme situations,” Pas explained. “People in very serious condition who need help.” In this instance, the threat didn’t stem from medical emergency or trauma, but from the surrounding warfare.

“It was something external,” he said. “Missiles falling.” During those critical moments, no medical intervention or procedure was needed. “There was nothing to treat,” Pas said. “Only to make sure the baby would not be hurt.”

The infant’s first moments of life occurred not in a sterile hospital delivery room, but inside an emergency vehicle parked roadside, cradled in the arms of a paramedic shielding him from potential enemy fire.

Three Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Friday, with Palestinian medical officials confirming that two of the victims were 17 years old, as conflicts throughout the Middle East continue to intensify.

Over the past day, Israeli military operations have extended across Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank territories.

Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli forces fatally shot two individuals in the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced Friday that the country’s death toll has climbed to 773.

Following almost two weeks of warfare, casualty figures have reached 2,000 deaths, with Iran bearing the heaviest losses, while millions of residents have been forced to flee their homes.

When contacted by Reuters, Israeli military representatives stated they had no knowledge of the Gaza airstrike.

In a separate Thursday statement, military officials claimed they had eliminated two people who allegedly tried to ram their vehicle into soldiers. The military has not yet provided evidence to support claims of the attempted ramming incident.

Although Israeli attacks on Gaza initially decreased when the conflict with Iran began, strike frequency has since increased. Israeli operations have resulted in 23 deaths in Gaza following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

Despite a ceasefire that took effect in Gaza last October, sporadic violence has erupted repeatedly since that time.

Reuters previously reported that President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative has been suspended since the Iran conflict commenced.

The West Bank has also experienced ongoing violence. Israeli military personnel and settlers have killed a minimum of eight Palestinians throughout the West Bank since the U.S.-Israeli Iran operations began.

Reuters has documented an increase in settler attacks during this period, coinciding with Israel’s implementation of widespread lockdown measures across much of the West Bank.

MOSCOW (AP) — Foreign websites remained inaccessible on mobile devices throughout central Moscow on Friday as internet restrictions continued to impact Russia’s capital for more than eight days, disrupting daily life for millions and causing severe economic damage to companies dependent on mobile connectivity.

Government officials claim these limitations serve as protective measures against potential Ukrainian drone strikes, though technology specialists believe the actions may be testing procedures for completely severing Russian citizens’ access to international internet if leadership chooses this path.

The sporadic service interruptions, previously documented across numerous Russian territories over recent months, have led some Moscow citizens to resurrect outdated communication devices including walkie-talkies, pagers and portable media equipment.

These connectivity disruptions represent one component of comprehensive government efforts to control internet access. Officials have implemented restrictive regulations and prohibited websites and platforms refusing to comply. Advanced technology has been developed to monitor and control online activity.

Following President Vladimir Putin’s military deployment to Ukraine in February 2022, the administration blocked prominent social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. In the previous year, Russia’s telecommunications regulator announced limitations on widely-used messaging applications WhatsApp and Telegram.

Simultaneously, officials have aggressively promoted a “national” messaging application named MAX, which opposition voices characterize as a monitoring instrument.

The mobile internet blackouts affecting Moscow, initially documented on March 5 in certain suburban areas, expanded into the city center during the current week. Numerous additional regions have experienced connectivity failures since May.

Throughout these interruptions, select government-endorsed Russian websites and digital services remained accessible through “white lists.” However, during this week’s mobile internet problems in Moscow, even approved government platforms, major banking institutions and ride-sharing applications ceased operating.

Companies with fixed broadband connections and residents with home internet service have remained unaffected.

Nevertheless, Moscow cafe, restaurant and retail establishment owners depending on mobile internet have experienced substantial financial damage as patrons cannot complete electronic payments. ATMs and parking payment systems requiring cellular internet connectivity stopped functioning.

Ride-sharing applications have provided customers alternative options to request transportation through telephone calls and cash payments.

At certain times, cellular phone service for voice calls was completely suspended alongside internet access.

During the week, Kremlin-controlled parliament members reported mobile internet was virtually nonexistent within the lower house facility situated mere hundreds of meters from Red Square.

Friday brought restored access to Russian websites and certain mobile applications in central Moscow, while foreign websites remained blocked in what some analysts interpreted as preparation exercises for complete internet isolation.

Business publication Kommersant released calculations earlier this week estimating Moscow businesses lost between 3 and 5 billion rubles (approximately $38 million to $63 million) during five days of service interruptions. Alternative assessments suggested significantly higher losses.

News outlets reported that as blackouts affected Moscow, retailers experienced rapid increases in demand for pagers, portable radios, landline telephones and media devices.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Wednesday that the recent mobile internet shutdown in Moscow occurred in “strict conformity with the law” and would continue “as long as additional measures to ensure security of our citizens are necessary.”

Recently enacted legislation requires Russian internet service providers to disable mobile internet access when authorities determine security concerns necessitate such action.

When questioned about the timing of Moscow’s current shutdowns, Peskov explained that as Ukraine employs “increasingly sophisticated methods of attack, the more technologically advanced measures are needed to ensure public security.”

He indicated the government would examine methods to reimburse businesses for shutdown-related losses but provided no detailed plans.

OSLO – A Norwegian court has ordered a family of four to be held in police custody for up to four weeks following their alleged involvement in last Sunday’s attack on the United States embassy in Oslo, court officials announced Friday.

The suspects include a mother and her three adult sons, who face accusations of carrying out what authorities have labeled a “terror bombing” designed to inflict casualties or substantial property damage.

Sunday’s early morning detonation of a homemade explosive device struck the entrance area of the embassy’s consular services building, according to Norwegian officials. While the blast caused significant structural damage, no one was hurt in the incident.

Defense attorneys representing the accused have revealed that one of the sons has confessed to positioning the explosive device, while his mother and two brothers maintain their innocence in the attack.

Norwegian police apprehended all four suspects following the bombing incident at the diplomatic facility in Oslo.

Israeli emergency responders treated 16 people for minor injuries Monday afternoon following a rocket barrage launched by Hezbollah that struck multiple locations across central Israel, according to medical officials and police reports.

The majority of those hurt were in the city of Ramle, where emergency medical service Magen David Adom reported treating 14 individuals after a rocket hit a daycare center. All victims in that incident were described as being in good condition by paramedics.

Two additional people sustained light injuries in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council area from a separate rocket impact, Magen David Adom confirmed.

Law enforcement officials reported that one missile hit “an open area in the Mateh Yehuda [Regional Council] area,” and noted that “damage was caused to infrastructure.”

The Lebanese militant organization claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it had aimed at a communications facility located in the Haela Valley near Beit Shemesh. According to Hezbollah’s statement, the group fired a “barrage of precision missiles” targeting what it called a “satellite communications station.”

However, the targeted facility is actually a civilian operation run by European company SES, not a military installation.

First responders and law enforcement personnel remained on scene following the strikes to evaluate damage and assist with the aftermath, while medical personnel continued caring for those wounded in the rocket attacks.

Tehran launched deadly attacks on critical infrastructure across the Gulf region Sunday, targeting Kuwait’s main airport and a water treatment facility in Bahrain as the conflict enters its second week.

Military officials confirmed that unmanned aircraft attacked fuel storage facilities at Kuwait’s international airport. The Kuwait News Agency stated that firefighters successfully contained the resulting blaze and reported no “significant injuries” from the airport strike.

However, Kuwait’s Interior Ministry announced that two border security personnel died “while performing their national duty,” though officials provided no additional details about how the deaths occurred.

The same wave of attacks also damaged a desalination facility in Bahrain, according to reports from the region.

Saudi Arabia experienced the deadliest incident when what civil defense officials described as a “military projectile” hit the Al-Kharj governorate south of Riyadh. The strike on the residential area killed two people – one from India and one from Bangladesh – while injuring 12 others.

These Sunday operations represent Tehran’s continued expansion of attacks on Gulf region infrastructure facilities.

Data compiled by AFP shows that 18 people have lost their lives in Gulf nations since the conflict began, with 10 of those being civilians.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a warning Sunday that his country might intensify operations if regional governments permit their land to serve as launch points for strikes against Iran.

The Islamic Republic “will be forced to respond” against neighboring nations if their territory becomes a staging ground for attacks, he stated.

Just one day before, Pezeshkian had issued apologies to countries in the region that host American military installations for Iranian operations on their soil.

Leaders throughout the Gulf have maintained that their nations have not provided territory for launching operations against Iran. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, these governments repeatedly declared they would prohibit such use of their land.

Sunday’s military actions occurred as Tehran maintains its offensive against Gulf targets while the wider regional conflict moves into its second week.

Iran has appointed a new Supreme Leader following the reported death of longtime ruler Ali Khamenei in what officials describe as an Israeli assassination attempt. The Assembly of Experts selected 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the deceased leader, to head the Islamic Republic during its ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.

The younger Khamenei, a mid-level religious figure with strong connections to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, has never served in an official government role before this appointment. His father led Iran for 36 of the Islamic Republic’s 47-year history, taking power after founder Ruhollah Khomeini.

The leadership transition occurs just days following an alleged Israeli attack that reportedly wounded the new Supreme Leader. Iranian state media referenced him as “Jaanbaz [injured war veteran] of Ramadan,” seemingly acknowledging his injuries from the current warfare. Tragically, his spouse and reportedly one of his children died on the initial day of what Iran calls the joint US-Israeli conflict.

According to Iranian state broadcasting, the new leader is fluent in English and has completed advanced training in psychology and psychoanalysis. The network also reported his studies include modern technology, military strategy, and security matters.

Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari informed state media that the Assembly of Experts gathered Sunday in Qom, with more than two-thirds of the 88-member religious body present to meet the required attendance for selecting a new supreme leader.

“Some of the members were not informed about the meeting and could not make it to the session even though they were in the city of Qom,” Heidari said.

According to Heidari, Khamenei secured approximately 85% of votes from attending members.

The selection process took place after a March 3 Israeli attack targeted the facility where the Assembly of Experts’ 88 religious leaders were scheduled to gather for choosing a successor.

President Donald Trump responded to the appointment within hours of its announcement, having previously expressed opposition to Khamenei taking control.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

The United States has announced a temporary suspension of certain sanctions targeting Russian oil shipments, a decision driven by worldwide worries about soaring crude prices caused by supply disruptions linked to Middle East conflicts.

This action, designed to calm nervous markets amid concerns about oil and gas supply interruptions from the Middle East, highlights how current conflicts have strengthened Russia’s capacity to generate revenue from energy sales – a crucial component of Moscow’s budget while it continues its military operations in Ukraine.

According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement on social media platform X, American sanctions will be suspended for 30 days on Russian oil deliveries that were already loaded onto ships by Thursday. This decision provides hesitant buyers permission to purchase the oil without fear of violating U.S. sanctions regulations.

Previously, the Trump administration had provided a similar 30-day exemption to refineries operating in India.

Bessent described this as a “narrowly tailored, short-term measure” that represents President Donald Trump’s “decisive steps to promote stability in global energy markets” and to “keep prices low.”

The Treasury Secretary explained that permitting sales of stranded Russian oil would not generate additional revenue for Moscow since the Russian government had already collected taxes when the oil was initially extracted. Washington has imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil corporations, Lukoil and Rosneft, as part of initiatives to halt the Ukrainian conflict. Apart from the 30-day exception for oil currently at sea, these sanctions continue.

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov stated Friday that this decision will contribute to stabilizing worldwide energy markets, noting it was impossible to achieve stability “without significant volumes of Russian oil.”

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the action, saying it “does not help peace.”

“This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelenskyy stated. “It spends the money from energy sales on weapons, and all of this is then used against us.”

International benchmark Brent crude prices dropped 1.5% to $98.76 per barrel by 1300 GMT Friday following the announcement. This remains significantly higher than the $72.87 level where Brent was trading on February 27, before the current conflict began.

The ongoing fighting has severely restricted tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz at the Persian Gulf entrance, a waterway that normally handles 20% of global oil supplies. This disruption has created a substantial energy crisis for the world economy and raised concerns about rising inflation globally.

“In the short term this slightly increases available supply on the global market, which helps contain the current spike in oil prices,” explained Simone Tagliapietra, an energy specialist at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. “The impact on prices should therefore be modestly downward, or at least stabilizing.”

Industry analysts calculate that approximately 125 million barrels of Russian oil are currently being transported at sea. This amount represents five to six days of typical shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, or slightly more than one day’s worth of worldwide consumption, which totals about 101 million barrels daily.

Following President Vladimir Putin’s order for a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union – previously Moscow’s largest oil customer – ceased purchasing Russian oil, and numerous Western buyers also avoided it.

The oil was then redirected to China and India, where it sold at reduced prices due to efforts by the U.S., EU, and Ukraine’s allies to establish a price ceiling on Russian oil enforced through shipping and insurance companies.

Eventually, Russia managed to circumvent this cap by assembling a fleet of older tankers with unclear ownership and insurance from nations that weren’t following the cap.

In addition to sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft, Ukraine’s supporters penalized increasing numbers of individual ships in Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Chinese and Indian customers began demanding larger discounts to offset the risk of sanctions violations, the complications of hiding oil origins, or finding alternatives that avoided banks reluctant to process payments for sanctioned oil.

In December, Russia’s Urals blend was trading below $40 per barrel, approximately $25 less than Brent. This reduced the Kremlin’s oil income to its lowest point since the invasion began. Oil and gas exports typically contribute 20% to 30% of the federal budget.

Russian oil prices have increased alongside general oil market trends and now trade above $80 per barrel – improving Russia’s financial position if Strait of Hormuz disruptions persist and maintain high prices while Asian refineries seek replacements for unavailable Middle Eastern supplies.

Russia’s daily oil sales revenue during the Iran conflict has averaged 14% higher than February levels, according to the nonprofit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Isaac Levi of CREA reports that Russia has been earning 510 million euros ($588 million) daily this month from oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

However, a substantial discount to Brent prices remains due to sanctions. The recent U.S. decision “likely narrows the Urals discount somewhat” by reducing sanctions risk, Tagliapietra noted. But since it’s limited, the U.S. action “does not fundamentally change the structure of longer-term Russian oil flows or sanctions pressure.”

Former Russian Central Bank official Sergei Aleksashenko said the move “will not be a very significant boost” to Russia’s budget because the oil would have found buyers regardless – particularly given the Strait of Hormuz disruptions.

The Trump administration may not have anticipated such a dramatic price increase or extended conflict, suggested Aleksashenko, who heads economics at the NEST Centre, established by exiled Russian businessman and opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

With U.S. gasoline prices rising alongside oil costs, “the president should say something, that ‘I’m dealing with the problem,’” he explained. This includes the relief for India and the coordinated release of 400 million barrels from strategic oil reserves with other nations.

“In my view it’s more rhetoric and perception,” he concluded.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed that Group of Seven democratic leaders discussed Russian oil with Trump this week and that “six members expressed a very clear view that this is not the right signal to send.”

European Union member countries have initiated groundbreaking legislation aimed at prohibiting artificial intelligence systems from creating child sexual abuse imagery, marking the first major governmental action of its kind.

The proposal, announced Friday in Brussels, would expand the EU’s comprehensive artificial intelligence regulations that were enacted two years ago to specifically address this emerging threat.

The legislative push comes as government officials and regulatory agencies across Europe and Asia are taking action against sexually explicit material created by Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI company and deployed on the X platform. Authorities are particularly concerned about intimate deepfake images produced by the technology.

Currently, technology oversight bodies in the European Union, along with regulatory agencies in Britain, Ireland, and Spain, are conducting investigations into Grok’s capability to generate sexualized artificial intelligence deepfakes.

Before the proposed restrictions can become law, EU member nations must secure approval from the European Parliament. Parliamentary representatives are set to consider their own comparable measure during a scheduled vote on Wednesday.

The competing proposals represent the opening positions as both legislative bodies prepare for upcoming negotiations regarding the European Commission’s plan to modify certain aspects of the AI Act. While technology companies and some business interests have praised the potential changes, civil liberties organizations and privacy advocates have condemned the modifications as capitulating to major tech corporations.

Political observers expect the legislative process to continue for approximately one year before any new regulations take effect.

A devastating drone attack on a marketplace in western Sudan has claimed 11 lives and left more than 20 people wounded, according to the French humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders.

The deadly strike occurred March 12 at the Adikong market located near Sudan’s border with Chad. The attack ignited fuel storage areas, causing victims to suffer severe burns. Medical staff confirmed that 11 individuals died from their injuries in the blaze.

Doctors Without Borders reported treating 23 injured people at a hospital the organization supports in Adre, Chad. Among those hurt were seven children who required medical care following the attack.

This marks the second fatal drone assault in the area within less than 30 days, highlighting the escalating violence in the region. UN High Commissioner Volker Turk revealed Thursday that his office has documented reports of more than 200 civilian fatalities from drone attacks across Sudan since March 4.

The strikes have caused widespread destruction beyond the loss of life. “Many homes, schools, markets and health facilities were damaged or destroyed in the attacks,” Turk stated.

These aerial weapons have emerged as critical tools in the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s military forces and the Rapid Support Forces, a war that started in April 2023. The deployment of drones has enabled the RSF to counter the army’s initial advantage in air power during the early stages of the fighting.

Moscow has added Nina Khrushcheva, a 62-year-old American professor and descendant of a prominent Soviet leader, to its registry of individuals classified as ‘foreign agents’ on Friday.

Khrushcheva, who teaches at The New School university in New York, is the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, who governed the Soviet Union from 1953 until his removal by the Politburo in 1964.

Despite Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine that began in 2022, the academic has continued conducting research visits to the country.

When reached for comment, Khrushcheva expressed little shock at her inclusion on the list, which now encompasses 1,164 individuals and organizations including media figures, politicians, artists, and advocacy groups.

‘It would have been sloppy on their part not to do this sooner or later,’ she stated, noting it was premature to determine the real-world consequences of the designation.

The professor acknowledged the historical significance of her situation, referencing the current rehabilitation of Josef Stalin’s image in Russia.

‘There is certainly historical irony but not anything shocking. When Stalin is up, Khrushchev is down,’ she explained.

Her observation points to Stalin’s growing popularity in contemporary Russia, despite her great-grandfather’s historic 1956 Communist Party speech that condemned the dictator’s brutal policies. Russia recently commemorated the 70th anniversary of that pivotal address, reigniting discussions about both leaders’ historical impact.

Nikita Khrushchev notably transferred Crimea from Russian to Ukrainian control in 1954, a decision that President Vladimir Putin reversed through military annexation in 2014. The former Soviet leader also confronted President John F. Kennedy during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, bringing the world close to nuclear conflict.

According to TASS news agency, Russia’s Justice Ministry accused Nina Khrushcheva of spreading misleading information about Russian government actions and opposing what the Kremlin terms its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine.

The ‘foreign agent’ classification imposes significant administrative burdens and financial limitations on those affected. Designated individuals must identify themselves with the label on all published content and social media communications.

While some government opponents embrace the designation as recognition of their dissent, others find it creates obstacles in their professional activities as fellow Russians often avoid association with labeled individuals.

COLOMBO – Sri Lankan authorities are preparing to send home the remains of 84 Iranian naval personnel who perished when a US submarine torpedoed their warship off the island nation’s coastline last week.

The Iranian vessel IRIS Dena went down on March 4 after being struck by a torpedo fired from an American submarine. The warship was heading back from naval training exercises conducted in India during the current US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Two additional Iranian naval vessels that had taken part in the same exercises fled to safety – the IRIS Lavan found refuge at an Indian port, while the IRIS Booshehr made it to Sri Lankan waters.

A Sri Lankan judicial ruling this week directed that the sailors’ remains, which have been kept at the National Hospital morgue in the southern port city of Galle, should be released to Iranian diplomatic officials.

According to Sri Lankan defense ministry sources cited by local media outlets, the deceased sailors will be transported home Friday via a specially arranged aircraft departing from Mattala International Airport in the country’s southern region.

“Arrangements are being made to transport the bodies of the Iranian crew from the hospital to the Mattala airport,” an Iranian embassy source in Colombo told Reuters, declining to specify the exact departure time.

The remains were subsequently transported by truck convoy through the city under police escort.

Sri Lankan health, foreign affairs, and defense officials did not return Reuters’ requests for comment. The nation’s naval forces indicated they were not participating in the transportation and repatriation operations.

An Indian government official revealed that following the aircraft’s departure from Sri Lanka with the deceased sailors, India will permit the plane to land on Indian soil to collect some of the 183 crew members from the IRIS Lavan, along with Iranian civilians who have been unable to leave India.

India’s foreign ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment. The official noted uncertainty regarding the timing of the aircraft’s arrival and departure from India.

Currently in Sri Lanka are 32 survivors from the destroyed vessel, plus 208 sailors from the IRIS Booshehr.

Sri Lankan foreign ministry officials are maintaining contact with Iran’s embassy in Colombo regarding the crew situation, while the embassy coordinates with officials in Tehran, according to defense ministry statements.

Reuters previously reported that Washington has been urging Colombo not to allow the survivors from either vessel to return to Iran.

Ethiopian officials announced Tuesday that the nation will observe three days of mourning as recovery teams continue pulling bodies from deadly landslides that struck the country’s southern region this week.

Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, confirmed the mourning period will commence on Saturday.

Recovery crews have retrieved at least 80 bodies from the Gamo Zone region in southern Ethiopia, where torrential rainfall triggered the devastating landslides that buried residents.

Numerous individuals remain unaccounted for following Tuesday’s disaster, according to government officials. Ongoing search and rescue operations have faced significant challenges due to continued heavy precipitation in the affected area.

Hailemariam Tesfaye, the regional government’s communications director, reported that efforts to locate additional victims have been stepped up.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported Friday that 3,461 individuals have been forced from their homes due to the landslides.

Government officials announced Thursday that federal authorities are coordinating with regional leaders to deploy necessary resources to the disaster zone.

A relief fund established by regional authorities is receiving contributions from individual donors and business organizations to provide assistance to those impacted by the tragedy.

The disaster comes as intense rainfall continues battering East African nations, with neighboring Kenya reporting 62 fatalities from weekend flash flooding.

Meteorologists predict additional precipitation during the ongoing rainy season, prompting government warnings for residents to remain vigilant.

The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre forecasted last month that the March-April-May rainy season carries a 45% probability of above-normal rainfall throughout much of the region, affecting Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Northern Somalia, and Djibouti.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced strong opposition Friday to America’s decision to temporarily suspend Russian oil sanctions, calling the move misguided and counterproductive to ending Moscow’s ongoing invasion of his country.

Speaking during a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Zelenskyy warned that the temporary relief could generate substantial revenue for Russia’s military operations.

“This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This certainly does not help peace.”

The Ukrainian leader expressed concern that Moscow would channel profits from energy exports directly into weapons procurement, creating a dangerous cycle that ultimately harms Ukrainian civilians.

“I believe that lifting sanctions will, in any case, lead to a strengthening of Russia’s position. It spends the money from energy sales on weapons, and all of this is then used against us,” Zelenskyy explained during his Paris visit.

“Therefore, ultimately lifting sanctions only so that more drones will later be flying at you is, in my opinion, not the right decision,” he said.

The Treasury Department revealed Thursday its plan to implement a month-long suspension of Russian oil penalties, designed to release stranded petroleum shipments and address supply shortfalls stemming from Middle Eastern conflicts.

Market experts indicate that rising crude prices resulting from Persian Gulf production disruptions are providing unexpected economic benefits to Russia. Moscow depends significantly on petroleum revenues to fund its military campaign, making sanctions increasingly burdensome for the Kremlin.

Diplomatic negotiations between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv aimed at resolving Europe’s largest military conflict since the 1940s have been suspended due to Iran-related tensions, though discussions may restart within days, according to Zelenskyy.

French President Macron emphasized that comprehensive penalties against Russia remain in place despite America’s temporary adjustment.

Recent American exemptions are “limited” and “taken on an exceptional basis,” Macron explained. “It does not broadly or permanently roll back the sanctions that they themselves decided to apply,” he added.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed sharper criticism of the American decision. During a Norwegian visit Friday, Merz revealed that G7 leaders had previously discussed Russian energy supplies with President Donald Trump.

“Six members of the G7 expressed a very clear view that this (waiving of Russia sanctions) is not the right signal to send,” Merz stated. “We learned this morning that the U.S. government has apparently decided otherwise. Once again, we believe this is the wrong decision.”

“There is currently a price problem, but not a supply problem. And in that regard, I would like to know what additional motives led the U.S. government to make this decision,” Merz added.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has emerged as a major manufacturer of drone defense systems, with Kyiv proposing to share its technological expertise with America and Middle Eastern allies in exchange for advanced military equipment it cannot produce domestically.

However, Trump rejected Ukraine’s assistance offer in Friday radio comments. “No, we don’t need their help on drone defense,” Trump told the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio.

Just one day earlier, Zelenskyy had announced Ukraine was seeking White House authorization for a drone production partnership agreement.

In Paris, the Ukrainian president claimed his government had received American requests for drone combat support. The reason for the conflicting statements between the two leaders remained unclear.

Zelenskyy disclosed that six nations have requested Ukrainian drone assistance, with expert teams already deployed to three unnamed countries.

The Ukrainian leader stressed that simply providing interceptor equipment is insufficient for effective drone defense operations. His military possesses specialized knowledge in system deployment and integration.

“There must be proper, systematic work with radars and with the entire air defense system,” Zelenskyy said. “Ukraine is ready to share this experience for the sake of the security of those partners who are helping us.”

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is currently fighting pneumonia in an intensive care unit at a Brasilia medical facility, according to hospital officials who released a statement Friday.

The 70-year-old’s transfer from prison to DF Star Hospital occurred after he developed symptoms including chills and vomiting upon waking, his son Flávio Bolsonaro reported on social media platform X.

“I ask for prayers that it not be anything serious,” Flávio posted online. The younger Bolsonaro has announced his intention to seek the presidency this year, with recent polling data showing him nearly even with current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro is currently incarcerated while serving a 27-year prison term for coup-related charges, following his conviction last year by Brazil’s Supreme Court justices.

Medical staff at the hospital documented his arrival with elevated body temperature, reduced oxygen levels, excessive sweating, and severe chills. Diagnostic testing revealed bronchopneumonia, a specific form of the lung infection that doctors believe resulted from aspiration.

“He is currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit, receiving IV antibiotics and non-invasive clinical support,” hospital representatives stated.

This marks another in a series of medical emergencies for Bolsonaro, who has required hospital care repeatedly since surviving a stabbing attack during a 2018 campaign rally.

Just last month, law enforcement officers accompanied him to the identical medical center for neurological examinations after he suffered a fall from his bed.

In September, Bolsonaro and multiple associates received convictions for conspiring to dismantle Brazil’s democratic institutions after his 2022 electoral loss. The conspiracy involved assassination plots targeting Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, along with plans to incite civil unrest in early 2023.

Additional charges against Bolsonaro include orchestrating an armed criminal enterprise and attempting to violently destroy democratic governance. He continues to maintain his innocence on all counts.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced Friday that his administration has canceled the visa of a United States State Department official in what he described as a retaliatory action following last year’s U.S. visa restrictions on Brazilian government officials.

The visa cancellation targets Darren Beattie and stems from actions taken in August by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who revoked and limited visas for certain Brazilian officials that Washington accused of connections to a Cuban medical program that deploys doctors internationally.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes blocked Beattie’s access Thursday to the Brasilia detention facility where former President Jair Bolsonaro is being held.

“That American fellow who said he had come here to visit Jair Bolsonaro was forbidden to do so,” Lula stated, explaining that Beattie will remain banned from Brazil until visa privileges are restored for Brazil’s health minister and his family members.

Justice Moraes, who handed down a 27-year prison sentence to Bolsonaro for orchestrating a coup attempt in 2023, noted in his decision that Beattie had applied for a visa claiming he would participate in the Brazil–US Critical Minerals Forum held Wednesday in São Paulo.

The court document references the Brazilian foreign ministry’s concern that Beattie’s planned meeting with Bolsonaro might constitute “undue interference.” The 80-year-old Lula is seeking reelection this year, with Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the imprisoned far-right former leader, anticipated to be his primary challenger in his campaign for a fourth presidential term.

A Brazilian government representative informed The Associated Press Friday that officials revoked Beattie’s visa due to “the omission of information and lies about the purpose of the visit upon his visa request.”

The official requested anonymity because they lacked authorization to publicly address the issue.

The White House has not responded to Lula’s action or the Brazilian Supreme Court’s decision.

Lula has consistently expressed interest in meeting with Trump in Washington this month to address tariff issues, security partnerships and additional matters, though no meeting date has been confirmed.

According to his State Department biography, Beattie joined the agency “from the private sector, where he worked as a media entrepreneur and political strategist.” His government experience includes roles as a White House speechwriter and policy advisor.

MOSCOW – Russian authorities have arrested the second-in-command at Star City, the secretive space training complex outside Moscow, along with six other individuals in connection with a major bribery investigation, according to Russian state media reports released Friday.

The corruption probe expanded from an earlier case involving Star City’s mayor, Yevgeny Barishevsky, who was placed under house arrest in January after being accused of taking a $4,557 bribe.

Russian investigators announced Friday that their expanded investigation revealed that between 2023 and 2025, both the mayor and his deputy accepted multiple payments from business owners, sometimes through third parties, to ensure favorable decisions when awarding city contracts.

The investigation found that the total value of bribes exceeded 9.9 million roubles, equivalent to approximately $123,602.

Star City is located roughly an hour’s drive northeast of Moscow’s Kremlin. The facility remained so classified during the Soviet era that it was completely absent from public maps, with its existence only becoming known after the USSR’s collapse.

The space training center serves as Russia’s primary facility for preparing cosmonauts and has been a cornerstone of the country’s space program for decades.

Brazil’s government plans to cancel the visa of Darren Beattie, a recently appointed advisor to President Donald Trump who was selected to oversee U.S. policy regarding Brazil, according to a government source who spoke to Reuters on Friday.

The decision follows comments from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who indicated earlier Friday that Beattie would not be permitted to enter Brazil unless the United States first restores the visa of his Health Minister Alexandre Padilha, which American officials canceled last year.

Trump named Beattie, who has been critical of Brazil’s current administration, to the senior advisory position focused on shaping American policy toward Brazil just last month. The appointment highlights ongoing tensions between the two countries despite recent efforts to improve diplomatic ties.

Legal representatives for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned, had petitioned the nation’s Supreme Court to permit Beattie to meet with their client during a planned visit to Brazil next week. However, Justice Alexandre de Moraes rejected the request on Thursday.

In his ruling, Justice de Moraes referenced correspondence from Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira indicating that the American official had only agreed to participate in a critical minerals conference and government meetings during his Brazilian visit.

Bolsonaro, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2022, maintained close ties with Trump during their overlapping presidencies. He is currently imprisoned and serving a 27-year sentence for his role in attempting to orchestrate a coup against Lula, who succeeded him in office.

Speaking at a public event Friday, Lula addressed the situation directly: “That American guy who said he was coming here to visit Jair Bolsonaro was prohibited from visiting, and I forbade him from coming to Brazil until they release the visa for my health minister.”

Federal investigators will deploy to Cuba to examine a deadly February confrontation involving Cuban exiles who attempted an armed infiltration by speedboat, Cuban officials announced Friday.

The collaborative investigation comes as both nations work to ease mounting tensions, particularly as Washington’s oil embargo continues to deepen Cuba’s economic struggles.

According to Havana authorities, ten Cuban nationals attempted to enter the country illegally on February 25th, carrying an extensive arsenal including nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition, 13 rifles, and 11 pistols along with additional equipment. Half of the infiltrators died in the resulting conflict, while the surviving five remain in Cuban detention receiving medical care.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed the cooperative effort during Friday’s press briefing, stating: “There is cooperation with our American counterparts, and we are awaiting a group of FBI experts to continue advancing this investigation.” He noted that coordination between the FBI and Cuba’s Interior Ministry occurred through established diplomatic and consular pathways.

The FBI has not yet provided comment on the arrangement.

U.S. officials have shown interest in obtaining consular access to the survivors, as at least two held dual American-Cuban citizenship while others maintained legal U.S. residency status.

This incident occurred during a particularly strained period in U.S.-Cuban relations, following President Donald Trump’s intensified pressure campaign against the Communist government. The tensions escalated after Trump implemented a comprehensive oil embargo following the January 3rd capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who had been a key Cuban ally.

Cuban authorities characterized the infiltrators as exiles operating from the United States, with some previously linked to terrorist activities. Officials said their mission involved creating disorder and targeting military installations.

The confrontation began when a five-member Cuban border patrol aboard a nine-meter vessel detected the approaching speedboat approximately one nautical mile from a channel along the island’s northern coastline, roughly 100 miles from Marathon, Florida.

Cuban forces report the infiltrators opened fire from 185 meters away, striking the patrol captain in the abdomen. Despite severe bleeding, the wounded captain maintained control of his vessel and directed it toward the attackers, resulting in close-range combat at approximately 20 meters.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that this was not a U.S. government operation and confirmed no American government personnel participated in the incident.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, issued harsh condemnation of ongoing US-South Korea military exercises on Tuesday, warning of severe retaliation for any threats to North Korea’s security.

Her statement followed the launch of the allies’ 11-day Freedom Shield training exercise involving thousands of military personnel, occurring as Washington faces mounting conflicts in the Middle East.

While avoiding direct mention of Middle East warfare, Kim characterized the US-South Korea exercises as destabilizing regional peace during a period when global security frameworks are “collapsing rapidly and wars break out in different parts of the world due to the reckless acts of outrageous international rogues.”

The Freedom Shield operation represents one of two yearly command-post training exercises between American and South Korean forces. These predominantly computer-based simulations evaluate combined operational readiness while addressing emerging warfare scenarios and security threats. The exercise runs alongside field training known as Warrior Shield.

Referencing her nation’s growing nuclear capabilities, Kim Yo Jong declared North Korea would continue strengthening its “destructive power” against perceived external dangers and “constantly and repeatedly convince the enemies of our war deterrence and its fatality.”

Pyongyang has consistently characterized these allied training exercises as preparation for invasion and frequently uses them to justify escalating its own military activities or weapons testing. US and South Korean officials maintain these drills serve defensive purposes.

Last week, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned American and Israeli strikes against Iran as an “illegal act of aggression” conducted under false pretenses of “fake peace.”

During an extended diplomatic standoff with Washington and Seoul, Kim Jong Un has increasingly positioned his international strategy around Cold War-style confrontation, strengthening relationships with Moscow and Beijing while presenting Pyongyang as part of an anti-American coalition.

Both North Korea and Iran joined the limited group of nations backing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Ukrainian invasion, with both countries facing accusations of providing military supplies to Russia.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Legislative discussions commenced Monday on new mining legislation introduced by Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, designed to restructure the nation’s mineral extraction sector and encourage international investment.

The proposed legislation seeks to rebuild trust with overseas investors, particularly those who previously suffered asset seizures through government takeovers years ago, while bringing essential funding to revitalize the industry. The measure follows a similar pattern to recent oil sector reforms that permitted privatization, marking a departure from socialist policies that have governed Venezuela for over twenty years.

This represents the most recent policy initiative Rodríguez has introduced following increased pressure from the Trump administration since January, when U.S. military forces removed former President Nicolás Maduro from power. The proposal was announced during U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s recent trip to Caracas.

Burgum’s diplomatic mission aligns with the Trump administration’s strategy to counter Chinese dominance in critical mineral markets — resources that Venezuela possesses in abundance — while implementing a gradual stabilization plan for the South American nation that experienced ongoing turmoil throughout Maduro’s nearly 13-year presidency.

Beyond petroleum reserves, Venezuela contains substantial deposits of gold, copper, coltan, bauxite, diamonds and additional valuable minerals, though the poorly supervised industry suffers from dangerous working environments. Coltan yields niobium and tantalum, both classified as strategic minerals essential for smartphone production and electric vehicle batteries, while bauxite becomes aluminum, another mineral the United States considers critical.

“The restoration of relations between Venezuela and the United States has led the world’s leading mining corporations to evaluate the possibility of investing significant capital to reactivate sectors capable of guaranteeing the supply of critical minerals essential for the development of the technology industry, the generation of new energy sources, and the manufacture of electric vehicles,” stated legislator Félix Freites, who pledged dedicated efforts to ensure the bill creates employment opportunities for Venezuelan citizens.

The draft legislation addresses mineral ownership rights, creates classifications for small, medium and large-scale operations, and permits independent dispute resolution — a provision foreign investors consider crucial protection against future government seizures. Similar arbitration language was incorporated into the oil industry restructuring that Rodríguez enacted earlier this year.

Additionally, the bill prohibits the president, vice president, cabinet members, governors and other officials from obtaining mining permits.

Criminal organizations, guerrilla fighters, gangs and other unlawful groups have historically dominated Venezuela’s mineral-abundant regions, conducting extraction activities with official approval and military protection.

Numerous international companies with Venezuelan investments, including mining and petroleum operations, experienced government confiscation approximately twenty years ago. Subsequently, in 2016, Maduro’s administration created an extensive mining development area across the country’s central region to compensate for declining oil revenues, which dropped due to poor management, corruption and later U.S. economic sanctions.

Mining activities for gold, diamonds, copper and other materials have expanded significantly since that time. Many operate as unauthorized facilities under harsh conditions with criminal gang involvement, yet ordinary Venezuelans continue seeking these opportunities hoping for quick wealth and poverty escape. Government officials and military personnel receive portions of illegal mining profits in exchange for permitting operations, providing fuel access, equipment and mineral transportation.

The United States recently granted a sanctions exemption authorizing business dealings with Minerven, Venezuela’s government-owned gold mining enterprise.

When announcing the legislation Wednesday, Rodríguez informed reporters it would represent “a win for the social well-being” of Venezuelan people.

“May the Venezuelan people also see the good aspects of having good relations with the world and with the United States of America,” she said.

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A sacred wooden drum seized by French colonial forces over a century ago has been returned to Ivory Coast in what officials are calling a historic moment of cultural restoration.

The ceremonial return on Friday marked the first time France has given back a cultural artifact to the West African nation, representing part of ongoing international efforts to restore treasured items taken during colonial rule.

Known as the Djidji Ayôkwé, the enormous hand-carved drum was originally used by the Atchan community near Abidjan for inter-village communication before French authorities confiscated it in 1916. The artifact is one of at least 140 cultural items that Ivory Coast has requested France return.

“This is a historic day and a moment of justice and remembrance,” declared Ivory Coast Culture Minister Françoise Remarck during the reception ceremony at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport.

The impressive drum, whose name translates to “panther-lion,” stretches approximately 11.5 feet in length and tips the scales at nearly 950 pounds. Historical records indicate the drum served as an early warning system, alerting communities about colonial forced labor recruitment drives.

The repatriation initiative stems from French President Emmanuel Macron’s 2018 commitment to return African cultural artifacts, following recommendations from commissioned academic research. French lawmakers passed specialized legislation last year specifically allowing this Ivory Coast artifact to leave French museum collections.

The return process involved extensive coordination with Atchan traditional authorities, who made the journey to Paris to conduct ceremonial rituals that temporarily lifted the drum’s sacred designation, enabling restoration work and safe transport.

Village leaders who witnessed Friday’s homecoming described the moment as deeply meaningful for their community.

“After a long stay far from its land, our sacred drum is finally returning to its people,” expressed Aboussou Guy Mobio, chief of Adjamé-Bingerville village. “It is like the missing piece of our history coming back.”

The centuries-old artifact will spend the next month in a controlled environment, allowing the wood to slowly adapt from Paris’s arid conditions to Abidjan’s tropical humidity and prevent potential damage to the ancient material.

Public viewing is scheduled to begin in April when the drum goes on display at Abidjan’s newly refurbished Museum of Civilizations.

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Visitors to a prestigious German museum can now walk through a mirrored chamber filled with colorful polka dots, explore towering flower sculptures positioned near Cologne’s historic cathedral, and navigate through massive tentacle-like installations that create a captivating journey through art and space.

The distinguished Museum Ludwig in western Germany is marking its golden anniversary by launching an extensive exhibition featuring the work of celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, opening Saturday for a nearly five-month run showcasing more than 300 pieces.

This comprehensive journey through the artistic evolution of the 97-year-old creator spans from her earliest sketch in the mid-1930s to a specially created “Infinity Mirror Room” designed exclusively for this exhibition.

Kusama, who celebrates her 97th birthday this month, has gained widespread popularity on social media through her vibrant color palettes and flowing forms that express her wonder about existence. Her personal journey took her from traditional post-war Japan to New York City, where she became involved with the Flower Power movement and Vietnam War protests during the 1960s, before returning to Japan in 1973.

Exhibition curator Stephan Diederich describes the show, running until August 2nd, as “very diverse, wide-ranging, and depicts an immensely rich, creative life spanning more than eight decades, still looking ahead.”

The display includes pieces from her “My Eternal Soul, 2009-2021” collection, featuring a mosaic of paintings, alongside “The Universe as Seen from the Stairway to Heaven” — constructed from mirror, glass and acrylic materials. At the museum’s entrance stands her internationally recognized 2009 “Pumpkin” sculpture, crafted from fiber-reinforced plastic and polyurethane paint, on loan from Museum Voorlinden in the Netherlands.

The rooftop installation showcases painted-bronze works titled “Flowers That Speak All about My Heart Given to the Sky” from 2018, while “I’m Here, but Nothing,” originally conceived in 2000, transforms everyday household items using fluorescent stickers and ultraviolet lighting.

“Kusama is undoubtedly one of the most significant artists of our time,” Diederich stated. “Her mirror rooms, balloon installations and polka dots have achieved cult status and are now iconic.”

Her diverse artistic creations frequently draw inspiration from the natural world. She spent her childhood surrounded by the greenhouses and farmland of her family’s extensive seed business in Matsumoto, Japan. During her youth, Kusama experienced intense hallucinations, many featuring spreading polka dots or flowers, and has battled ongoing psychological challenges.

“In my more than 70 years as an artist, I have always been in awe of the wonder of life,” she said in a statement. “More than anything, this strong sense of the life force in artistic expression is what has supported me and gave me power to overcome feelings of depression, hopelessness and sadness.

“I have been guided by my belief in this power,” Kusama said.

According to Diederich, Kusama has spent recent years living quietly in a Tokyo medical facility and worked with the exhibition team through intermediaries. Despite health limitations, she continues creating art daily and has maintained active involvement in planning this show.

A majority of justices on Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled Friday to continue holding Daniel Vorcaro, the former owner of the shuttered financial institution Banco Master, behind bars.

Vorcaro was arrested earlier this month following a judicial determination that there was “strong indication” he tried to influence a former central bank official through bribery, offering gifts in exchange for favorable regulatory treatment.

The high court panel’s decision maintains Vorcaro’s detention as the case proceeds through Brazil’s legal system.

Military officials have confirmed that six American service members died when their KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq while conducting operations against Iran.

U.S. Central Command, responsible for Middle East operations, reported the tragedy occurred during an incident involving two military planes in “friendly airspace.” The second aircraft involved managed to land without incident.

This marks the fourth confirmed U.S. aircraft loss during the ongoing conflict with Iran, highlighting the dangerous nature of current military operations in the region.

The KC-135 Stratotanker serves as a vital Air Force asset for mid-air refueling missions, enabling other aircraft to extend their range and operational time without returning to base. Military specialists note these planes also handle medical evacuations and surveillance operations when needed.

The aircraft design stems from the Boeing 707 commercial airliner and has served American forces for over six decades, supporting Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied operations worldwide. However, the military plans to gradually retire these aging planes as newer KC-46A Pegasus tankers become available.

The advanced age of the KC-135 fleet has raised questions about mechanical reliability and operational safety among defense experts.

“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” said Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He added that the transition to the KC-46A has progressed more slowly than expected.

Congressional Research Service data shows the Air Force operated 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 serving on active duty, 163 assigned to Air National Guard units, and 62 supporting Air Force Reserve operations.

Standard crew configuration includes three personnel: pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. Medical missions require additional nurses and technicians aboard.

Refueling operations occur at the aircraft’s rear section, where boom operators deploy fuel lines to connect with fighters, bombers, and other military planes. Many boom operators perform their duties lying prone while monitoring operations through windows beneath the aircraft.

Certain KC-135 models can also refuel aircraft using wing-mounted pods, and the planes have capacity for cargo or passenger transport when required.

Yang suggested refueling tankers may become increasingly critical if the Iran conflict continues, as American aircraft might need extended missions to target Iranian forces moving deeper into their territory.

Central Command initially reported four confirmed deaths among the six crew members, with rescue operations ongoing. Officials later confirmed all six perished in the crash. Investigators are examining the circumstances but have ruled out hostile or friendly fire as causes.

A military source, speaking anonymously about the developing investigation, revealed the second aircraft was also a KC-135. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter confirmed via social media that the other plane landed safely in Israel.

Yang noted that enemy fire rarely targets refueling tankers since these operations typically occur away from active combat zones.

The incident follows last week’s friendly fire tragedy when Kuwaiti forces mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets.

Previous KC-135 accidents have resulted in multiple fatalities over the years. The most recent fatal crash occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R went down after takeoff near Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, during Afghanistan war support operations.

Air Force investigators determined the 2013 crew faced rudder control problems. As they attempted to stabilize their aircraft, the tail section separated and the plane exploded in flight, killing all three crew members.

The most catastrophic mid-air collision involving a KC-135 happened in 1966 near Palomares, Spain, when a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber collided with the tanker.

That accident destroyed the tanker and killed four crew members. The disaster triggered a massive decontamination operation after conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated upon ground impact, spreading nuclear material across the area.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A couple whose daughter suffered life-threatening injuries during a devastating school attack in Canada has filed a civil lawsuit claiming artificial intelligence company OpenAI was aware the gunman was using their technology to orchestrate the violence.

According to the legal filing, OpenAI acknowledged they had concerns about the individual’s activities but chose not to contact law enforcement before Jesse Van Roostselaar carried out the deadly assault in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia on February 10.

The tech company only reached out to authorities following the tragic incident that claimed eight lives before Van Roostselaar took her own life. OpenAI revealed they had previously shut down the attacker’s ChatGPT access, but she circumvented the restriction by creating an additional account.

Court documents submitted to the British Columbia Supreme Court contend that OpenAI possessed “specific knowledge of the shooter utilizing ChatGPT to plan a mass casualty event like the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting.”

The legal action claims the AI chatbot served as a “trusted confidante, collaborator and ally” for the shooter, and alleges the system “behaves willingly to assist users such as the shooter to plan a mass casualty event.”

OpenAI representatives have not yet provided a response regarding the litigation.

The filing details how Maya Gebala sustained three gunshot wounds at point-blank range during the attack — one striking her head, another her neck, and a third grazing her face. According to the lawsuit, she now faces a devastating brain injury resulting in lifelong cognitive and physical impairments.

STOCKHOLM — Maritime authorities in Sweden have launched an investigation into a tanker vessel suspected of illegally displaying false flag documentation while navigating Baltic Sea waters.

Swedish Coast Guard officials boarded the vessel “Sea Owl I” on Thursday near Trelleborg’s coastline. The ship was displaying the flag of the Comoros islands, located off the East African coast, but maritime investigators suspect this flag registration is fraudulent.

According to a coast guard statement, the tanker appears on European Union sanctions lists and had been making a voyage from Brazil toward Russia. While the vessel has previously been used for oil transportation between these nations, it appeared to be traveling without cargo during Thursday’s inspection.

Coast guard personnel plan to conduct a thorough vessel search and interview crew members to assess the ship’s operational safety and compliance.

This marks the second suspected false flag investigation launched by Swedish maritime authorities within the past week. Officials are also examining the cargo vessel “Caffa,” which operates with a predominantly Russian crew and faces accusations of transporting stolen grain while appearing on Ukraine’s sanctions registry.

Swedish officials announced last year they would intensify insurance verification procedures for foreign vessels as part of efforts to restrict operations of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” This fleet consists of older ships used for transporting oil and gas or carrying stolen Ukrainian agricultural products.

These vessels typically average 18 years in age, placing them near the end of their operational lifespan and making them more susceptible to maritime accidents, particularly when maintenance standards are poor.

Stockholm’s government directed the Coast Guard and Swedish Maritime Administration last year to expand insurance documentation collection beyond ships docking at Swedish ports to include all vessels passing through the nation’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Iraq finds itself in a precarious position as the sole nation experiencing military strikes from both Iranian-backed forces and U.S. troops, threatening to pull the country into a comprehensive crisis after managing to stay clear of two years of regional instability.

With the conflict approaching its second full week, Iraq’s circumstances are becoming increasingly dire. Maritime shipping disruptions and attacks on petroleum facilities and infrastructure have virtually stopped all exports, putting at risk a nation that depends on oil trade for most of its government income.

Should the export stoppage persist, Baghdad may find itself unable to cover its massive public employee wages within a month, creating the potential for widespread civil disorder, according to two Iraqi Kurdish officials.

The central government has reached out to Kurdish leadership in the north to restart oil shipments through a pipeline to Turkey, but negotiations have stalled over long-standing internal disputes. The officials provided information to The Associated Press under anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the political discussions.

Meanwhile, a secondary battle related to the broader conflict has intensified between Iranian-supported Iraqi militia organizations and American forces. Daily drone attacks have focused on U.S. assets throughout Iraq, prompting American military responses against militia installations to protect personnel.

Beginning February 28 after a significant American and Israeli operation in Iran, the war has brought continuous drone and rocket attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq, including military installations at Baghdad and Irbil airports, plus American diplomatic compounds. Iranian forces and their Iraqi militia partners have also targeted petroleum facilities and energy systems to increase economic damage.

Iraq stands apart from other Middle Eastern nations affected by the conflict because it houses both established pro-Iranian groups and substantial American interests. The nation’s economy relies almost entirely on oil revenue, making any disruption to production or exports through the Strait of Hormuz potentially devastating to government finances during an already challenging political transition in Baghdad.

Extended conflict raises the likelihood that economic disruption, political deadlock, and tensions with Iran-aligned militias could combine to destroy Iraq’s carefully maintained relative peace.

Officials in Baghdad and Irbil continue advocating for restraint and maintaining that combat operations should not occur within their borders, yet the conflict’s direction is increasingly moving beyond their influence. American officials have provided reassurances to Iraqi leadership that the nation will not be pulled into the regional war, the two Kurdish officials told AP.

During the conflict’s initial phase, drone and rocket attacks by Iran and affiliated organizations began focusing on American military bases, diplomatic facilities, and oil installations. In Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish territory, daily drone strikes have targeted not just U.S. military and allied facilities but also business locations and hotels.

Pro-Iranian groups have also attacked Kurdish organizations operating in northern Iraq following reports that Washington intended to provide weapons to some groups for operations against Tehran. Several Iranian Kurdish leaders have indicated readiness to conduct cross-border missions into Iran with American backing.

Iraq currently operates under interim government leadership after the U.S. rejected the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Caretaker leader Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, working with even more restricted authority, cannot effectively control powerful militia organizations.

American forces have responded by attacking militia locations throughout Iraq, including strikes in Jurf al-Sakhr south of Baghdad, northern Iraq, and al-Qaim near the Iraq-Syria border.

Following patterns from previous crises, Iraqi citizens have adapted to daily violence that affects routine activities.

At an Irbil restaurant, customers heard approaching drones followed by a distant explosion before smoke appeared on the horizon where it was intercepted. A server encouraged calm, explaining the attacks targeted the U.S. Consulate or airport and presented no immediate danger to patrons.

The most serious risk to Iraq’s stability comes from interrupted oil production, which could devastate government income. Kurdish officials reported Baghdad’s warning that public employee payments could face disruption within a month.

To reduce pressure, Baghdad has requested exports of at least 250,000 barrels daily of crude from Kirkuk fields through the pipeline to Ceyhan in Turkey crossing Kurdish territory. Negotiations have stopped after Kurdish representatives demanded lifting an existing U.S. dollar restriction and restoring economic benefits from trade.

Iraq’s government reduced production from southern oil fields, which generate most of the nation’s 4.8 million barrels daily, after the war virtually halted Strait of Hormuz shipping and militias attacked facilities. Oil sales provide over 90% of government revenue.

Iraq maintains one of the world’s largest government workforces and pension systems, and previous payment delays have triggered mass demonstrations.

Production has stopped at oil fields affected by strikes. In the Kurdish region, Canada’s ShaMaran Petroleum and U.S. private company HKN have halted operations at the Sarsang and Atrush sites.

“If oil exports are disrupted, the immediate impact would likely be a decline in the value of the Iraqi dinar. This would quickly trigger inflation, and within a short time the prices of basic goods could rise sharply,” said Farhad Soleimanpour, an Iraqi Kurdish political analyst.

“For the Kurdistan region, the situation could be even more difficult because it does not have its own central bank or significant financial reserves. Iraq may be able to withstand the shock for several months, but the Kurdistan Region would likely face immediate financial pressure,” he added.

The conflict has also damaged electrical systems.

The Khor Mor gas facility in the autonomous Kurdish region is shut down, reducing electricity production by almost two-thirds. Previously providing continuous power, households now receive only four to six hours daily, according to Omed Ahmad, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Electricity.

Following the November 2025 election, Iraq has lacked a government after American opposition to al-Maliki’s return as prime minister. The war complicates the difficult transition, forcing an interim administration with severely restricted powers to handle the consequences.

However, the caretaker status also allows Iraqi leaders to avoid responsibility by claiming insufficient authority to act, according to Iraq analyst Tamer Badawi. “No one wants to take this big responsibility at the moment,” he said.

This would require taking control and managing multiple armed organizations, from Iran-backed militias attacking U.S. interests to Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups, whose activities deepen divisions that could trigger civil unrest.

Even with some oil exported through the pipeline, officials have warned there is no guarantee the infrastructure will remain safe from militia attacks.

Iraq has succeeded against expectations in largely avoiding regional turmoil from the Gaza war that started in 2023. Political and religious leaders have maintained commitment to keeping the country out of broader conflict and preserving stability.

“Iraq faces pressure to maintain neutrality while different political groups inside the country have opposing positions regarding the conflict,” Soleimanpour said. “Some factions support closer relations with Iran, while others prefer stronger cooperation with the United States and Western countries. This internal division increases political tension.”

A high-ranking diplomat from the United Arab Emirates stated Friday that Iran must stop launching attacks against regional neighbors before any meaningful peace negotiations can take place.

Lana Nusseibeh, who previously served as the UAE’s ambassador to the United Nations and currently holds a minister of state position in the country’s foreign ministry, believes the ongoing conflict will eventually reach a diplomatic resolution through President Trump’s leadership.

“Ultimately, it will be a diplomatic solution, but there needs to be that tipping point moment, and I think that president Trump will lead us all to that moment in his time,” Nusseibeh stated during the interview.

When questioned about potential mediation efforts, she emphasized that Iranian aggression must cease first. “It is difficult to talk about mediation when under attack… Mediation can only happen when the guns go silent,” she explained.

Nusseibeh revealed that during diplomatic talks in Tehran just two weeks before hostilities began, Iranian officials provided no warning that the UAE would become a target. This lack of advance notice made Iran’s subsequent attacks “so shocking and so egregious,” according to the diplomat.

Iranian leadership has justified their strikes as targeting American military presence throughout the region. The UAE joins several other nations including Gulf states, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey in hosting U.S. military installations.

The conflict has seen drone and missile strikes against UAE civilian targets, including Dubai’s airport, prominent hotels, and the nation’s financial center.

REBUILDING TRUST WILL PROVE CHALLENGING

The UAE diplomat indicated her country maintains regular communication with the Trump administration, describing the relationship as a robust strategic partnership.

Nusseibeh refrained from criticizing American or Israeli military actions against Iran, suggesting these operations should be considered separately from what she termed Iran’s “egregious illegal and unlawful attacks on the Gulf countries and Jordan.”

She warned that returning to pre-conflict diplomatic relations with Iran would prove difficult “as you look around at the destruction and the chaos that Iran has caused in the region.”

According to Nusseibeh, Iran appears to be targeting the UAE’s economic foundation, which has attracted approximately 700,000 Iranian residents. However, she argued that the Iranian strikes have demonstrated “our economy is strong and robust and resilient.”

“People are back at work, our airports are open, flights are taking off. It’s the Iranian economy that was already strangled by sanctions and economic pressure that is going into freefall. It’s their currency that’s going into freefall,” she concluded.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo announced Tuesday that American officials have not contacted his government regarding potential weapons transfers to support Middle East operations, even as similar conversations are reportedly underway with South Korea.

Last Friday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun revealed that American and South Korean military officials are discussing the potential relocation of US Patriot missile defense systems currently stationed in South Korea for use in the conflict with Iran.

During a press briefing at Taiwan’s parliament, Koo explained that any redeployment of American-manufactured weapons from Taiwan would only occur following a formal US request. He noted that if such a request were made, the United States would handle all transportation logistics.

“But so far, because of the U.S.–Iran war, they have not approached us about making use of any of our related equipment,” Koo stated.

Taiwan maintains Patriot missiles as part of its defense arsenal, with the United States serving as the island’s primary weapons supplier. The democratically-run nation continues to face mounting military threats from China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory. Taiwan’s leadership firmly disputes Beijing’s territorial claims.

According to South Korean media reports citing government sources, Patriot systems are being prepared for Middle East deployment, with large American military cargo aircraft arriving at Osan Air Base to facilitate the transfer.

Travelers can expect to pay more for flights as airlines worldwide respond to skyrocketing fuel costs triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Air New Zealand announced Tuesday that it has increased ticket prices and warned of potential additional fare hikes as jet fuel expenses have surged dramatically. The airline reported that fuel costs, previously ranging from $85 to $90 per barrel before the conflict began, have now climbed to between $150 and $200 per barrel in recent days.

The carrier has implemented fare increases of NZ$10 ($5.92) for domestic one-way economy tickets, NZ$20 for short-distance international flights, and NZ$90 for long-distance routes. Due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the conflict, the airline has also suspended its 2026 financial projections.

“If the conflict leads to continued elevated jet fuel costs, we may need to take further pricing action and adjust our network and schedule as required,” Air New Zealand stated.

The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has caused oil prices to spike dramatically, creating widespread disruption in global travel markets and raising concerns about potential flight cancellations and reduced service.

Other airlines are also feeling the pressure. Vietnam Airlines has petitioned local officials to eliminate environmental taxes on jet fuel to help maintain operations. The Vietnamese government reported that domestic carriers are facing operating cost increases of 60% to 70% due to rising fuel prices, with suppliers struggling to meet airline demand.

Air New Zealand indicated that while New Zealand currently has adequate jet fuel supplies, the company is maintaining close communication with suppliers and government officials to track global developments.

Following Monday’s market turbulence, airline stocks began showing signs of recovery after President Donald Trump suggested the conflict might end soon. This announcement helped oil prices retreat to approximately $90 per barrel on Tuesday from Monday’s peak of $119.

Asian airline stocks demonstrated stabilization, with Air New Zealand climbing 2% after Monday’s nearly 8% decline. Korean Air Lines increased 6% following the previous day’s 8.6% drop, while Qantas Airways gained over 1% after falling 4.5% on Monday. Japan Airlines also rose more than 2%.

Fuel represents airlines’ second-largest operational expense after labor costs, typically comprising 20% to 25% of total operating expenses. While some major Asian and European carriers have oil price hedging strategies in place, most U.S. airlines discontinued this practice over the past twenty years.

Elevated oil prices and airspace restrictions due to the conflict are limiting airline capacity, driving ticket prices significantly higher on certain routes and causing travelers to reconsider their plans as the busy summer travel season approaches.

The conflict is having broader impacts on the travel industry. Major Middle Eastern carriers Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad typically transport about one-third of passengers traveling from Europe to Asia and more than half of all travelers from Europe to Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding Pacific Islands, according to aviation data firm Cirium.

South Korean travel company HanaTour Service has begun canceling group tours involving Middle East destinations, including Dubai trips and European itineraries with Dubai connections. The company is waiving cancellation fees for affected customers and has suspended all Middle East-related tours for March.

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism projects that if the conflict continues beyond eight weeks, the country will lose nearly 596,000 tourists and approximately 40.9 billion baht ($1.29 billion) in tourism revenue.

Five members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team have received asylum protection in Australia after authorities helped them escape from their hotel where Iranian government officials were monitoring their activities.

Australian Interior Minister Tony Burke announced Tuesday that federal police successfully removed the players from their accommodation on Monday evening, relocating them to a secure facility under law enforcement protection.

The group includes team captain Zahra Ghanbari along with Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, and Fatemeh Pasandideh. The Iranian government had labeled these athletes as “wartime traitors” following their refusal to perform their country’s national anthem prior to an Asian Cup competition.

According to Burke, discussions regarding asylum requests had been taking place over multiple days before the Monday night operation. Immigration authorities finalized the women’s humanitarian visa paperwork around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

“Once everything had been signed off last night, there were lots of photos, lots of celebrating, and then a spontaneous outcry of ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi’,” Burke reported during his press briefing.

“These women are great athletes, great people, and they’re going to feel very much at home in Australia,” the minister added.

The team’s tournament participation occurred amid military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran. Australian media had documented that Iranian government representatives were accompanying the soccer squad and restricting their freedom of movement.

Burke revealed that Australian security personnel had been safeguarding the women even before their asylum request. “There’s been a good police presence at different points and we just made sure that opportunity was there,” he explained.

Four of the asylum recipients play for Bam Khatoon, a dominant club that has captured Iran’s women’s soccer championship eleven times. Captain Ghanbari previously competed for this team before transferring to Persepolis this season.

The 33-year-old striker, who holds Iran’s women’s international scoring record, faced suspension in 2024 when her mandatory hijab fell off during a goal celebration in Asian Champions League play. She was permitted to return only after both she and her club issued public apologies.

During Iran’s tournament-ending loss to the Philippines on Sunday, Ghanbari’s head covering again slipped off multiple times throughout the match.

Burke indicated that Australia’s asylum offer extends to the remaining 21 squad members still staying at their Gold Coast hotel, though he expects some will choose to return to Iran.

“These women have been weighing up an incredibly difficult decision,” the minister acknowledged.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Friday that Iran’s recently appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has sustained injuries and may be disfigured following weeks of military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets.

Khamenei, who was chosen by Iran’s clerical assembly this past Sunday, has remained out of public view since assuming power. His initial public communication came Thursday through a written statement delivered by a television announcer, in which he threatened to maintain closure of the Strait of Hormuz and demanded neighboring nations shut down American military installations on their soil or face Iranian retaliation.

A source within the Iranian government confirmed to Reuters Wednesday that the country’s new leader sustained minor injuries but continues to fulfill his duties, following state media reports describing him as battle-wounded.

During a press briefing, Hegseth questioned the leader’s condition and capability. “We know the new so-called not so supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday. A weak one, actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement,” Hegseth said.

The Defense Secretary continued his assessment, saying: “Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father – dead. He’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run and he lacks legitimacy.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed claims Friday that Iran has deployed explosive mines in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, stating American intelligence has found no concrete proof of such activity.

During a Pentagon briefing on March 13, Hegseth’s statement contradicted earlier media coverage this week that suggested Iran had positioned roughly a dozen mines throughout the narrow waterway, which serves as a passage for approximately 20% of global oil shipments.

When questioned about potential mining operations in the strait, Hegseth responded: “We’ve heard them talk about it just like you’ve reported recklessly and wildly about it. But … we have no clear evidence of that.”

The Defense Secretary’s remarks came amid rising fuel costs affecting the United States and allied nations, as the conflict between the U.S. and Israel reached its 14th day. Oil markets reflected the tension Friday, with prices climbing close to $100 per barrel.

Two European nations are reportedly engaging in diplomatic discussions with Iranian officials to establish protections for their commercial vessels navigating through a crucial Middle Eastern waterway, according to a Friday report from the Financial Times.

The negotiations between France, Italy, and Iran center on creating an agreement that would ensure their ships can safely traverse the Strait of Hormuz, sources familiar with the diplomatic efforts told the publication on March 13.

The Reuters news agency noted they were unable to independently confirm the Financial Times’ reporting at the time of publication.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned a deadly drone strike that targeted French military personnel in northern Iraq, calling the attack both “unacceptable” and unjustified during a Friday press conference in Paris.

The assault resulted in one French soldier’s death and left six others injured, prompting Macron to defend his country’s military involvement in the Middle East region.

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Macron emphasized that France maintains a “defensive” stance in the region and has ordered military officials to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the incident.

The attack marks another escalation in regional tensions affecting international forces operating in Iraq, where various nations maintain military presence as part of ongoing security operations.

SEOUL, South Korea — The expanding Middle East conflict is prompting nations across Asia to brace for potential economic disruptions and long-term security implications, as both American partners and adversaries reassess their positions.

The following examines how the Middle Eastern hostilities are affecting North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and China.

During a significant political gathering last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that his nation’s multi-decade nuclear weapons development program was the “correct” path forward, even amid severe international isolation and limited resources.

The joint U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran are expected to strengthen that conviction.

North Korean officials likely observed with concern as the strikes resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader. This followed a January U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang has denounced the Iranian strikes as unlawful and a “most despicable” breach of national sovereignty. Notably, officials did not reference the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Comparable military strikes targeting North Korea’s leadership would pose significantly greater risks and face lower odds of success, according to Hong Min, a researcher at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification.

In contrast to Iran, North Korea has successfully developed its nuclear capabilities. The country possesses an extensive weapons stockpile with numerous warheads and various delivery methods that pose threats to U.S. partners in Asia, plus intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially strike the American mainland. Eliminating North Korea’s military assets through a single preemptive assault would prove challenging and might leave remaining systems available for attacks on South Korea, Japan, or the United States.

Making his first public appearance since the conflict started, Kim recently oversaw maritime trials of his newest warship and testing of what official media described as nuclear-capable cruise missiles. Some experts suggest this demonstration might have been designed to highlight his military strength following Khamenei’s death and the U.S. destruction of Iranian naval forces — indicating that, unlike Iran, his vessels could transport nuclear weapons.

Military action against North Korea would also be complicated by its close geographic location to China and Russia — America’s primary competitors — with both nations developing stronger relationships with Kim as he pursues greater regional influence.

The U.S. military operations against Iran and Venezuela occurred even during active diplomatic talks. Experts hold varying opinions about how this might influence North Korea’s interest in diplomatic engagement with America, which stalled in 2019 after summit talks between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump failed.

During February’s ruling party meeting, Kim kept diplomatic options with the United States open, repeating Pyongyang’s previous demands that Washington abandon its requirements for North Korean denuclearization as a condition for resuming discussions.

Hong noted that while Kim will probably maintain this stance, the Iranian attack may have increased his suspicion of Washington and could lead him to set higher expectations for future negotiations.

However, Park Won Gon, a professor at Seoul’s Ewha Womans University, suggested Kim might feel more pressure to pursue an agreement with Trump, considering their incomplete diplomacy a potential liability.

South Korean officials have indicated that Trump’s anticipated visit to China in late March or April might create opportunities for engagement with Pyongyang.

South Korea, which relies heavily on international trade and imported energy, is concerned about Iran’s strikes on energy facilities and efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles approximately one-fifth of worldwide oil commerce.

The conflict is also increasing anxiety in Seoul regarding its partnership with the United States. The Trump administration has demonstrated readiness to take military action without extensive consultation with partners.

For decades, the United States has promised complete military support — including nuclear protection — for its allies and maintains roughly 28,000 military personnel in South Korea to discourage North Korean aggression. While a substantial reduction in this commitment seems unlikely, Seoul must now evaluate the risk of involvement in potential conflicts initiated by independent U.S. actions, including those beyond the Korean Peninsula, Hong explained.

“Whether it’s Taiwan, North Korea or the U.S.-China competition, there have long been concerns in South Korea that the Trump administration could make overly aggressive decisions without fully considering the potentially serious consequences for its allies,” Hong stated. “Those concerns are now significant.”

South Korea must “clearly define the actions it could take” under different scenarios, he added.

Japan, another crucial U.S. partner in Asia, is similarly cautious about Trump’s aggressive military approach and concerned about any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.

Although Tokyo has supported American efforts to limit Iran’s nuclear progress, the war has created questions about its legitimacy and generated doubt about Washington’s reliability as a partner, said Mitsuru Fukuda, a professor at Nihon University.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other top officials have expressed strong support for U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks but have not fully endorsed the U.S.-Israeli military strikes. Tokyo has shown no desire for military participation, though some analysts believe the conflict might strengthen Takaichi’s campaign for enhanced military capabilities and increased weapons exports.

American nuclear deterrence remains essential to Japan’s security given concerns about an increasingly aggressive China and North Korea. Despite global instability, including Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, reviving discussions about Japan developing nuclear weapons, public support remains minimal due to legal and political limitations.

China might view the Iran conflict as a chance to establish a more dominant position in the Middle East by presenting itself as a more dependable mediator than the United States, according to Seo Chang-bae, a professor at Busan’s Pukyung National University.

Beijing may interpret the U.S. military actions in Venezuela and Iran — both significant oil providers to China — as partially designed to challenge China, analysts suggest.

While continuously expanding commercial and technological relationships with Gulf nations, China has worked to establish itself as a regional balance, most prominently by facilitating a 2023 agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic ties. This represents part of a wider effort to enhance its global influence and challenge dollar-based financial systems.

Although Beijing might seek geopolitical “spillover gains,” an extended conflict would damage China’s trade interests, Seo explained. China could also examine U.S. military capabilities and speed up the incorporation of artificial intelligence into its armed forces, he noted.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Following his president’s rejection of crucial legislation, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared Friday that he remains committed to securing 44 billion euros in European Union defense financing for his country.

The blocked funding would have made Poland the primary recipient of the EU’s massive 150 billion-euro lending initiative known as SAFE, or Security Action for Europe. This program aims to strengthen European defense capabilities as the United States reduces its security involvement on the continent.

However, President Karol Nawrocki, who has established himself as Tusk’s primary political adversary, announced Thursday his decision to reject the legislation that would have allowed Poland to obtain these EU defense loans.

“Poland is in shock,” Tusk said Friday. “People are wondering if this is betrayal, the work of lobbyists, or lack of common sense.”

Polish administrations have consistently increased military expenditures following Russia’s comprehensive assault on Ukraine in 2022. While Tusk’s liberal administration seeks collaboration with European Union partners, the nationalist president has demonstrated greater skepticism toward Europe and maintained closer ties with the Trump administration.

From the beginning, Nawrocki expressed doubts about Poland joining SAFE, contending that it would burden Polish citizens with debt and strengthen the nation’s reliance on Germany.

Earlier this week, he presented alternative legislation on Tuesday, outlining domestic funding sources that could replace European loans for additional defense investments. Tusk has rejected this proposal as impractical.

Despite the presidential rejection, Tusk stated Friday that his government would still pursue the defense funding, though “it will be more difficult, sometimes slower, and it will take much more effort to convince everyone involved in this project.”

The United States has also publicly opposed SAFE.

“The United States has expressed concerns about how EU defense initiatives like Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) restrict market access for American companies,” Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the EU, and Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, wrote in an opinion piece published in February by POLITICO Europe.

According to the ambassadors, these European initiatives “undermine collective defense” by restricting competition, hindering innovation and preventing U.S. companies from receiving essential contracts.

BEIJING — For years, China has consistently dispatched military aircraft toward Taiwan, the democratically-governed island Beijing considers part of its territory, creating tension from Taipei to Washington.

However, a dramatic reduction in these aerial missions over the last two weeks has left defense experts puzzled about Beijing’s military strategy. This uncertainty poses its own dangers, according to former U.S. defense official Drew Thompson.

“There are so many theories and the lack of understanding of China’s intentions is what’s disconcerting,” Thompson, currently a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, explained. “You fill the void with uncertainty, and uncertainty increases risk.”

While the decline began earlier, the recent reduction has been especially striking.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry publishes daily updates on Chinese military air and sea operations near the island. Recently, many of these reports have omitted the typical maps showing aircraft routes because no activity was recorded.

For seven consecutive days between February 27 and March 5, Taiwan detected zero Chinese military aircraft in what it calls its Air Defense Identification Zone. After spotting two planes on March 6, the following four days again showed no activity.

Small numbers of flights have returned in recent days, with three recorded Wednesday and two on Thursday. This brings the two-week total to just seven flights, compared to 92 during the same timeframe last year.

The reduction aligned with China’s annual legislative session, and historically such flights have decreased during significant events and holidays. However, this year’s drop far exceeded previous patterns.

“That alone would not be the only or primary reason for sorties dropping to zero,” K. Tristan Tang, a Taipei-based nonresident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, wrote in an email.

Another possibility involves Beijing’s desire to ease tensions with Washington ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2.

However, Thompson pointed out that Taiwan isn’t Trump’s primary concern regarding China.

“Trump sees China as an economic negotiation, not as a security challenge,” he stated.

The United States maintains its opposition to any forceful changes to Taiwan’s status, including potential invasion by China, which insists the democratic island of 23 million must eventually fall under its authority.

Tang suggests the flight reduction might reflect China’s transition to a new phase of military training and modernization.

The military seems to be testing a fresh approach to combined training involving air force, navy, and potentially ground units, he explained.

Such experimental operations would likely occur away from Taiwan to avoid foreign surveillance, potentially explaining the reduced aircraft presence in the area.

Taiwan’s military has indicated it won’t alter its defensive stance based on the decrease in Chinese warplane activity.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo observed that China’s naval operations continue in surrounding waters despite the aerial reduction.

“As I have said before, we cannot rely solely on a single symptom like the absence of PLA aircraft to make a judgment,” he told reporters, referring to the People’s Liberation Army.

“We will continue to closely monitor the PLA’s movements,” he added.

CAIRO (AP) — A professional engineer takes cover beneath a park bench while military aircraft thunder above. A competitive athlete battles sleepless nights as detonations echo through the darkness. With internet service completely disabled, Tehran’s residents depend on word-of-mouth communication to learn about ongoing warfare and destruction from aerial attacks.

Intense bombing operations by U.S. and Israeli forces targeting Iran’s capital have now stretched into their second week, leaving citizens traumatized and overwhelmed. Across Tehran’s landscape — from its historic center to affluent northern neighborhoods — explosive strikes pound the metropolis around the clock without any advance alerts or public warning infrastructure.

“The psychological pressure is real,” said the athlete, who lives in a northern area of the capital. He was among a half dozen Tehran residents reached by The Associated Press, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for their safety.

Cherished national landmarks face serious threats. Smoke surrounded the towering Azadi Square gateway, widely recognized as the city’s contemporary symbol, following nearby bombardments. The historic Golestan Palace from the 1800s, a treasured cultural monument, suffered shattered windows from blast impacts. Meanwhile, government security personnel have expanded their street patrols to suppress any potential public demonstrations.

Weekend Israeli attacks on Tehran’s petroleum storage facilities created especially severe psychological trauma for local residents. Following the explosions, massive blazes erupted while poisonous black smoke choked the atmosphere — though rainfall in subsequent days provided some relief.

“I could barely breathe and had to go buy an inhaler,” a 54-year-old Tehran resident who is a human-rights activist said. “People are worried it will affect their drinking water.” As she spoke to AP, a blast went off in the background.

In a later voice note on Tuesday, the activist said, “Last night the situation was really bad. Fighters as well as drones had taken over the whole sky. East, west, they hit everywhere they could. Today you see a lot of residential places that were damaged. It’s really painful.”

Regional tensions continue escalating as Iran launches repeated missile and drone assaults against Israeli territory, American military installations, and neighboring Persian Gulf nations.

The coordinated U.S.-Israeli aerial offensive has targeted thousands of locations throughout Iran, primarily focusing on military installations and Revolutionary Guard paramilitary facilities. Iranian Red Crescent officials report extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including medical centers, educational institutions, universities and residential buildings. Iranian authorities have not released updated casualty figures beyond the previously announced toll exceeding 1,200 deaths.

A 33-year-old engineer described the aftermath of the oil depot strikes as an “end-of-times scene.”

Iranian citizens struggle to obtain war updates, he explained, as internet connectivity has remained largely severed since initial strikes began February 28th. The engineer estimates only a small fraction of the population maintains limited online access through virtual private networks.

He relies on telephone calls with friends to learn bombing locations. Other citizens exchange strike information during tense gatherings in private homes and coffee shops.

Complete Israeli and American control of Tehran’s airspace enables attacks at any time without warning. The engineer recalled hearing fighter jets while walking his neighborhood street, followed by a nearby explosion that sent him diving under a park bench for protection.

A university student reported growing anxiety even among residents living far from obvious government and military installations.

“Every moment, without any warning sirens or announcement, some part of the city is under attack,” he said, describing some streets as full of broken glass from surrounding buildings.

Tehran, typically a bustling metropolis housing over 9 million people, now experiences unsettling quiet between bombing runs. While many retail stores and grocery markets remain operational, the traditional marketplace has closed and numerous streets sit empty as residents shelter at home. Families apply tape to windows preventing flying glass and retreat to interior rooms when hearing strike sounds.

A teacher residing in northern Tehran’s Vanak district learned that her friend’s eastern Tehran residence sustained damage from a nearby explosion that destroyed windows, broke plumbing fixtures and twisted the building’s garage door frame. Upon receiving this news by phone, “I was in a very bad shock,” the teacher said.

The teacher spends most time at home, accommodating family members who evacuated another Tehran area because they lived near Basij positions — the feared volunteer militia wing of the Revolutionary Guard. She paces continuously and attempts repeatedly to access internet services.

“I try to keep myself calm and tell myself, ‘This is the price we have to pay for getting rid of the Islamic Republic,’” she said.

U.S.-Israeli operations have concentrated heavily on Revolutionary Guard, Basij and police installations — the primary enforcement apparatus of Iran’s Islamic Republic that crushed earlier protests this year, resulting in thousands killed and tens of thousands imprisoned. This week, strikes targeted roadblocks and security checkpoints operated by Basij forces, with at least 18 locations hit Wednesday, predominantly in Tehran, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based monitoring organization.

Friday brought a massive explosion to a central Tehran plaza during a large pro-government rally.

Authorities appear to maintain control despite ongoing attacks. Residents report increased security force and Basij presence on city streets. One resident provided AP with video footage showing a Basij procession of motorcycles and vehicles displaying flags through her northern Tehran neighborhood. Local mosques broadcast pro-government messages, she noted.

During Monday evening state television programming, Ahmad-Reza Radan, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic’s security forces, warned that anyone taking to the streets in protests will be seen “as enemies, and we will deal with them as we would with the enemy. All our guys are ready to fire.”

Government officials have also mobilized supporters for street demonstrations, particularly following the announcement of Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. He replaces his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in Israel’s initial war strikes.

The younger Khamenei’s appointment signals continued hardliner control over Iranian leadership. He released his first public statement Thursday but has not made any public appearances.

Many Iranians remain traumatized from government crackdowns following massive anti-government demonstrations in January.

A 27-year-old nurse reported that her hospital’s surgical department continues treating protesters with severe injuries.

She characterized U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian leadership and security apparatus as “revenge” for protester killings and expressed satisfaction seeing security forces targeted.

However, the extensive damage from aerial campaigns concerns some Iranians hoping for the Islamic Republic’s collapse.

“It’s no longer about weakening the government. It’s gone toward weakening the people of Iran,” said the activist, who has been imprisoned in the past. “Do you really want to turn us into a scorched country, something the Islamic Republic couldn’t do itself?”

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged Friday that his administration recently engaged in diplomatic discussions with the United States, marking the first official confirmation of such negotiations by the Caribbean nation.

The Cuban leader explained that these discussions “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated these exchanges.”

Díaz-Canel declined to provide specifics about what international factors enabled the diplomatic engagement.

The Cuban president revealed that no oil deliveries have reached the island nation over the last three months, attributing this shortage to what he described as a U.S. energy blockade.

A widespread power outage struck Cuba’s western provinces last week, plunging millions of residents into darkness.

According to Díaz-Canel, while Cuba domestically produces 40% of its petroleum needs, the nation has been relying on its own power generation capabilities, which have proven inadequate to satisfy current energy demands.

The power shortage has disrupted communications, educational services, and transportation systems, forcing authorities to delay surgical procedures for tens of thousands of patients.

“The impact is tremendous,” he stated.

Díaz-Canel explained that the diplomatic discussions focused on identifying “bilateral problems that require solutions based on their severity and impact” and developing approaches to address them.

The president further elaborated that the goal was “to determine the willingness of both parties to take concrete actions for the benefit of the people of both countries. And in addition, to identify areas of cooperation to confront threats and guarantee the security and peace of both nations, as well as in the region.”

Describing the negotiations as a “highly sensitive process,” Díaz-Canel noted that it impacts relations between both nations and “demands enormous and significant efforts to find solutions and create spaces for understanding that will allow us to move away from confrontation.”

He emphasized that Cuba remains prepared to participate in this diplomatic process while maintaining equality and mutual respect for each nation’s political framework and Cuba’s “sovereignty and self-determination.”

Essential oil deliveries from Venezuela ceased following U.S. actions against the South American nation and the arrest of its leadership.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Unmanned aircraft operated by Haiti’s security personnel and contracted private companies have resulted in at least 1,243 fatalities and left 738 people wounded, according to a report released Tuesday by Human Rights Watch.

Among the casualties, 17 were minors and 43 were adults with no suspected ties to criminal organizations. The injured included at least 49 individuals believed to be non-combatants, the advocacy organization reported. These incidents occurred from March 1, 2025, through January 21, 2026.

The deadliest single drone strike resulted in 57 fatalities, the report stated.

“Haitian authorities should urgently rein in the security forces and private contractors working for them before more children die,” Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

Officials from Haiti’s National Police did not provide a response when contacted for comment.

The advocacy group reported that weaponized drone strikes in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital where criminal organizations control approximately 90% of the territory, have escalated dramatically in recent months. Between November and late January, 57 attacks were documented, nearly twice the 29 strikes recorded from August through October of the previous year.

Researchers from Human Rights Watch examined seven video recordings either posted on social platforms or provided directly to the organization, showing armed quadcopter drones in operation. Four of these videos were confirmed to have been filmed in Port-au-Prince.

“The videos show the repeated use of drones equipped with explosives to attack vehicles and people, some of them armed, but none who appear to be engaged in violent acts or pose any imminent threat to life,” the group said.

The rights organization found no evidence of widespread drone deployment by criminal organizations.

The report detailed a September 20, 2025 attack in the Simon Pele neighborhood, an impoverished area under the control of a gang sharing the same name.

The drone strike claimed nine lives, including three minors, and wounded at least eight additional people during preparations by the Simon Pele gang leader to hand out presents to local children.

Human Rights Watch included testimony from an unnamed local resident who described how the blast severed both feet from an infant.

A 6-year-old girl was among the fatalities, and her unidentified mother was quoted as saying, “In the spaces where the gangs are, there are innocent people, people who raise their children, who follow normal paths.”

According to the rights group, criminal organizations managed and restricted access to funeral services for the victims’ families.

“Some residents said that only people who accepted money or support from the criminal group had been allowed to attend the funeral,” the rights group said in its report.

On January 1 of this year, an unidentified woman described witnessing a drone crash and detonate on a truck carrying her cousin, resulting in her death.

“Many of these attacks appear to be attempts to target and kill people in circumstances that amount to unlawful, extrajudicial killings,” Human Rights Watch said.

“Authorities should also ensure transparency around and accountability for any unlawful death resulting from a security operation, and conduct prompt, thorough, and independent investigations to disclose, to the greatest extent possible, the number and identity of victims, and provide adequate reparation where violations have occurred,” the rights group added.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has declared that deploying deadly force against criminal groups in Haiti was excessive, disproportionate and potentially violated international law.

Haiti’s administration established a specialized task force in the previous year that operates independently from the National Police’s supervision and utilizes explosive-equipped drones. This unit combines select police divisions with private security contractors.

During mid-2025, Vectus Global, the security company led by former U.S. Navy Seal Erik Prince, planned to send approximately 200 personnel from multiple nations to Haiti under a twelve-month contract aimed at suppressing gang activity.

Haitian law enforcement is also collaborating with a United Nations-supported mission headed by Kenyan police officers, which continues to face funding shortages and staffing deficits. This mission is anticipated to transition into what officials call a gang suppression force in the coming months.

A Japanese hotel owner is taking radiation measurements as part of an effort to help rebuild communities that were abandoned following the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear catastrophe.

Tomoko Kobayashi, who operates an inn in the affected region, is among local residents who are collecting and sharing radiation data to help restore towns that were evacuated after the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant disaster struck Japan more than a decade ago.

The monitoring efforts by Kobayashi and others aim to provide crucial information needed to encourage former residents to return to their abandoned communities in the Fukushima area.

The story is featured in a photo collection assembled by Associated Press photographers.

ODAKA, Japan — Color-coded radiation charts line the walls of a family-owned inn where Tomoko Kobayashi works to restore life to her nearly empty hometown, fifteen years following the catastrophic nuclear accident at Fukushima.

Before reopening her establishment, Futabaya Ryokan, in 2016, Kobayashi performed her own radiation testing. Today, she collaborates with fellow monitors to collect and distribute radiation information as part of ongoing efforts to restore this formerly thriving textile community.

“These empty lots used to be filled with shops,” Kobayashi explains while walking toward a radiation testing facility, passing by the kindergarten she once attended as a youngster. The building now serves as a museum due to the shortage of children following the nuclear emergency.

“There used to be businesses, community activity and children playing,” she says. “We used to live our ordinary daily lives here, and I hope to see that again.”

Approximately one-third of Odaka’s original 13,000 residents have come back during the last ten years.

“The town was destroyed, and we need to rebuild it. It’s a time-consuming process that cannot be accomplished in just a couple of decades,” she said. “But I hope to see the progress, with new people and new development added to what this town used to be.”

On March 11, 2011, when a massive 9.0 earthquake hit Japan’s northeastern coastline at 2:46 p.m., Kobayashi was inside the Futabaya inn. While the structure withstood the intense trembling without collapse, approximately one hour afterward, tsunami waters flooded the kitchen “like a river,” she recalled.

An even larger wave struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, destroying critical cooling infrastructure and triggering meltdowns in three reactors.

The first reactor structure suffered damage from a hydrogen blast on March 12. Two days following, the Unit 3 reactor exploded, then the No. 4 reactor building, releasing radioactive materials that contaminated surrounding areas and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate. Certain regions remain uninhabitable today.

Kobayashi’s family initially went to a gymnasium in nearby Haramachi town, but found it at capacity. They ultimately reached Nagoya, where she and her spouse remained for one year.

In 2012, the pair returned to Fukushima to begin radiation monitoring while residing in temporary accommodations near Odaka, which remained restricted.

The community has shown some recovery since that time. Her visitors include students and others seeking to learn about Fukushima, plus individuals interested in establishing new enterprises.

“I had to understand what the nuclear accident was about. I thought someone had to go back and keep an eye out,” she said. Through continued monitoring, she began recognizing what had previously been invisible and comprehending radiation. “Now it has become my lifetime mission.”

Kobayashi and her colleagues meet twice annually, dedicating two weeks each session to measuring air quality at hundreds of sites to create their color-coded charts. They have also established a laboratory for testing local food to identify safe consumption options.

“We are not professional scientists, but we can measure and show the data. What’s important is to keep measuring, because the government maintains that it’s safe, as if radiation no longer exists,” she says. “But we know for a fact that it’s still there.”

Their laboratory sits adjacent to a free folklore museum featuring paintings, sculptures, photographs and other artwork inspired by the Fukushima catastrophe.

Fifteen years ago, the facility resembled a bombed industrial site due to hydrogen explosions at reactor buildings where employees risked their lives managing the crisis. Radiation measurements have dropped considerably, and the plant has constructed improved seawalls designed to resist another major tsunami. For the first time since the disaster, all reactor buildings now have enclosed rooftops.

“Our decommissioning work at the plant is about how to reduce risks of radiation,” says Akira Ono, head of decommissioning at the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings Company. Remote-controlled robotics, careful planning, and practice are essential for worker safety, he explained.

At Unit 1, beneath its new roof, top floor decontamination will commence before the scheduled removal of spent fuel from the cooling pool.

The three reactors hold at least 880 tons of melted fuel debris with radiation levels remaining dangerously elevated and details largely unknown.

TEPCO successfully extracted small melted fuel samples last year from the Unit 2 reactor. To examine melted fuel within the Unit 3 reactor, workers recently deployed micro-drones, technology unavailable 15 years ago, Ono noted.

TEPCO plans remote-controlled internal investigations to analyze melted fuel and develop robots for additional fuel debris removal that experts predict could require decades more.

Fukushima prefecture examines thousands of pre-distribution samples annually and reports all farm, fisheries and dairy products in stores are safe.

Sales of certain fruits, mushrooms, river fish and various other harvests from former restricted zones remain prohibited.

“Radiation levels have come down significantly over the past 15 years, but I wouldn’t use the word ‘safe,’ just yet,” says Yukio Shirahige, a former decontamination and radiation survey worker at Fukushima Daiichi who now assists Kobayashi’s monitoring project.

When he recently tested wild boar meat, he discovered it exceeded safety limits by more than 100 times and was unsuitable for consumption.

In a significant policy shift after a decade of working to eliminate nuclear technology, Japan in 2022 announced plans to accelerate reactor restarts and strengthen nuclear power as a reliable energy source.

Shirahige was at Fukushima Daiichi when the earthquake and tsunami occurred in 2011. After evacuating his family, he returned in late March to assist the emergency cleanup at the plant for six months.

Shirahige has received support and equipment from university researchers and oversees testing locally produced food and other samples.

Shirahige, now 76, says measuring radioactive material and sharing that data is his life’s work.

As the government promotes Fukushima’s safety and recovery, Shirahige says, “we are under growing pressure to be silent.”

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian authorities announced Friday they have created new legislation specifically designed to combat internet fraud operations, following their pledge to eliminate such centers by April’s conclusion.

The Southeast Asian nation has become a central location for fraudulent online activities, where criminals steal money from targets through fake investment opportunities and romantic deceptions. Global victims lose an estimated tens of billions of dollars each year to these schemes.

Simultaneously, thousands of individuals, particularly from neighboring Asian countries, have been lured by fraudulent employment promises and subsequently enslaved to work at these criminal operations under brutal conditions.

Information Minister Neth Pheaktra explained in a public statement: “This law is the most important legal instrument for Cambodia in combating scams online, fighting money laundering and demonstrating that Cambodia is not a paradise or a safe haven for criminals.”

The Cabinet-approved legislation establishes prison terms of five to 10 years alongside fines ranging from 500 million to 1 billion riels ($125,000-250,000) for those who establish or manage technology fraud operations. When human trafficking, violence, imprisonment, or confinement occurs, penalties increase to 10 to 20 years plus fines reaching 2 billion riels ($500,000). Deaths connected to scam operations carry sentences of 15 to 30 years, potentially life imprisonment. Some workers have perished attempting to flee these facilities.

Parliamentary approval remains necessary for the legislation to take effect.

Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who leads the Commission for Combating Online Scams, revealed to The Associated Press during a Wednesday conversation that authorities have investigated 250 suspected fraud locations since July, successfully closing approximately 200 operations.

Government prosecutors have initiated 79 criminal cases involving 697 suspected fraud leaders and accomplices since last July, Chhay Sinarith reported.

Nearly 10,000 scam operation workers from 23 nations have been sent home by Cambodian authorities, with under 1,000 individuals still awaiting repatriation. Additional workers have independently returned after escaping or being freed during raids.

Neth Pheaktra emphasized that officials “have made strong efforts to combat this crime in order to protect Cambodia’s reputation and economy, which have previously been damaged by online scams, and the government does not receive any revenue from these activities.”

Previous enforcement campaigns in Cambodia have occurred without significantly impacting scam operations, leading some analysts to question whether authorities can truly eliminate this criminal enterprise.

Harvard University Asia Center visiting fellow Jacob Sims, who specializes in transnational crime, stated: “The real question is whether this effort targets the system that enables the industry, not just the buildings where scams happen. Past crackdowns in Cambodia have often left the financial and protection networks intact, allowing operations to quickly reconstitute.”

Myanmar’s ruling military has expanded its aviation capabilities with newly acquired combat aircraft, according to state-controlled media reports released Friday, as government forces intensify campaigns to reclaim territory from opposition groups in the nation’s ongoing civil conflict.

While the state-operated Global New Light of Myanmar publication did not detail the exact quantity or specifications of the aircraft additions, military-released photographs indicate the acquisition of four fighter jets, including a pair of Russian-manufactured Su-30 aircraft commonly deployed for aerial bombardment and combat operations.

This marks the sixth aircraft commissioning since the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected administration in February 2021, sparking widespread armed opposition throughout Myanmar.

Both Russia and China serve as primary backers and weapons providers to Myanmar’s military leadership, while Western countries have implemented sanctions that include bans on military equipment sales.

According to the publication, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s military chief, stated that maintaining a robust air force is essential to “protect the state interest effectively.”

The general further noted that the air force has proven its effectiveness in past anti-insurgency campaigns, counterterrorism efforts, and operations defending against foreign threats, the report indicated.

Myanmar’s military administration has surrendered significant portions of national territory to pro-democracy People’s Defense Forces and ethnic militant organizations. Government forces have escalated recapture operations and achieved multiple combat victories, though their aerial bombardments have frequently resulted in civilian deaths.

The opposition National Unity Government, which organizes resistance against military control, and the Karen National Union, an ethnic armed organization battling government troops, issued separate Monday statements claiming approximately 30 to 40 fatalities occurred when military forces deployed drones, fighter aircraft, and artillery during ground operations in lower-central Bago region villages from March 5 through March 7.

The influential Arakan Army ethnic militia, operating in western Rakhine state, announced Wednesday that 116 detained army personnel, including officers imprisoned at an Ann township facility, perished during aerial bombardments conducted by eight military aircraft on Sunday.

Military officials have not acknowledged any operations in Bago or Rakhine regions. Independent verification of these claims remains unavailable.

Nay Phone Latt, an NUG representative, informed the Associated Press that acquiring additional aircraft aims to intensify ongoing bombardments of civilian locations.

“The military continues targeting civilians and conducting mass executions. The international community must not ignore this situation,” he stated.

The Global New Light of Myanmar additionally reported that military forces have regained control of the historic town of Tagaung in northern Mandalay following an extended offensive campaign.

Tagaung, situated approximately 170 kilometers north of Mandalay, the nation’s second-most populous city, had remained under NUG-aligned forces’ control since August 2024.

Retaking Tagaung, the final NUG-controlled municipality in Mandalay Region, represents another significant defeat for opposition organizations resisting military rule.

Nay Phone Latt explained that resistance fighters retreated from the town after military forces initiated an assault deploying substantial troop numbers and heavy armaments, though they continue maintaining positions in surrounding areas.

MEXICO CITY – Following a high-profile operation that eliminated a notorious cartel boss, Mexico’s Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch has found himself transformed into an unexpected commercial sensation, with his likeness appearing on toys, household items, and novelty products across the country.

The 44-year-old minister’s image has become ubiquitous on Mexican merchandise after the February 22 operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio Oseguera, the infamous leader known as El Mencho who headed the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Products featuring Garcia Harfuch’s face have taken Mexican markets by storm, including miniature figurines nicknamed “Harfuchitos,” decorative items, bedding, and even action figures styled as superheroes or in various states of undress. His appeal has earned him celebrity status typically reserved for entertainers rather than government officials.

Political experts believe Garcia Harfuch could emerge as a serious presidential candidate when the 2030 election cycle begins, following the conclusion of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. Current polling data suggests he leads other potential candidates, including Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who previously pursued the presidency in 2023.

The transformation of a government minister into collectible merchandise represents an unusual phenomenon in Mexico, where such treatment is generally limited to former presidents and popular cultural figures like Dr. Simi, the beloved pharmacy mascot.

Garcia Harfuch’s rise to fame intensified dramatically after leading the successful mission against El Mencho. The operation held personal significance for the security chief, who held El Mencho responsible for a 2020 attack that wounded him with three bullets and claimed the lives of two protection officers.

Attempts to reach Garcia Harfuch for his perspective on the merchandising trend were unsuccessful.

Carolina Garcia, who operates a custom printing enterprise in Tlaxcala state, described the minister’s widespread appeal. “He is Mexico’s crush,” she explained. “Of course, we get more orders from women, as gifts, but we’ve also gotten some orders from men.”

Digital platforms have embraced the phenomenon, with computer-generated advertisements showing Garcia Harfuch endorsing various products, alongside mobile applications enabling users to create fictional photos with the minister.

Major e-commerce sites have capitalized on the trend, with MercadoLibre featuring Garcia Harfuch blankets among their top-selling items, while Amazon offers large decorative throws featuring his image.

Ingrid Rebeca Sanchez, a 22-year-old designer at a Mexico City manufacturing facility, reported that initial sales were modest, but demand skyrocketed following El Mencho’s elimination. The factory now moves up to 150 blankets daily, with orders arriving from American customers.

The facility has pivoted almost entirely to Garcia Harfuch products, with Sanchez developing new items including collectible figurines and full-sized decorative pillows.

“All the ladies love him, they want to sleep with him, they want to dry themselves off with him,” she observed. “He’s Mexico’s new daddy.”

SAO PAULO – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was rushed to a medical facility in the early hours of Friday morning after becoming sick while in custody, according to his son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

The imprisoned ex-leader experienced chills and nausea upon waking, prompting his transfer to hospital care, his son reported through a social media post on X on March 13th.

Bolsonaro, who previously served as Brazil’s president, is currently being held in detention when the medical emergency occurred.

Chinese trade officials announced Tuesday that the country’s export activity jumped nearly 22% during the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, powered by expanding commercial relationships beyond the United States.

The trade data, published by China’s customs department, significantly outperformed analyst expectations and represented a dramatic acceleration from December’s 6.6% annual growth rate.

Import activity also showed strength, climbing almost 20% in January-February versus the previous year’s 5.7% December increase. Meanwhile, Chinese purchases from the United States fell by nearly 27% year-over-year.

Export performance has remained a key economic driver for China even amid strained US relations. The nation’s overseas sales grew 5.5% in 2025 while achieving a record trade surplus approaching $1.2 trillion. Increased shipments to European and Latin American markets helped compensate for a 20% decline in US-bound exports as President Donald Trump implemented broader tariff policies on global imports.

China recorded a $213.6 billion global trade surplus for the January-February period. Officials typically report combined figures for these months to account for seasonal variations caused by Lunar New Year celebrations, the nation’s most significant annual holiday.

The world’s second-largest economy continues facing headwinds from an extended property market decline that has dampened domestic activity. Chinese officials recently set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026, marking the lowest goal since 1991.

Middle Eastern conflicts have created additional uncertainty for trade prospects and China’s energy supply chains. A potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical pathway for global oil and gas shipments, could limit China’s access to affordable Iranian petroleum while disrupting broader regional commerce.

Bank of America economists noted in a recent analysis that a US Supreme Court decision limiting Trump’s comprehensive tariff program, which has already reduced duties on several nations including China, may “provide modest support to Chinese exports.”

Trump’s scheduled Beijing visit in late March is drawing significant attention as observers watch for possible extension of the trade agreement between both countries established last October, which could benefit Chinese exports to America.