Category: World News

NUUK/COPENHAGEN – Political candidates from Greenland are using President Trump’s interest in purchasing their Arctic homeland as a bargaining chip to secure greater concessions from Denmark in next week’s parliamentary elections.

Trump’s public desire for the United States to obtain Greenland has spotlighted the remote island home to 57,000 residents, highlighting ongoing concerns about Denmark’s investment in military defense, infrastructure development, and economic growth.

“The most important thing for us in this election is the sovereignty of the Greenlandic people,” stated Juno Berthelsen, 43, who represents the opposition Naleraq party that supports independence. “The Greenlandic people … should always be at the centre of any conversation about Greenland.”

The Naleraq party, whose name translates to “point of orientation” in the indigenous Kalaallisut language, has put forward five candidates including Berthelsen to compete for Greenland’s two parliamentary seats in Denmark’s national legislature. Greenland operates as an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.

UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT

Although many residents view Naleraq’s push for immediate separation from Copenhagen as hasty or misguided, others recognize Trump’s territorial ambitions as an opportunity to address decades-old complaints against Denmark.

As global superpowers increasingly compete for Arctic influence and climate change creates new shipping lanes while exposing natural resources, Greenland’s strategic value has become undeniable. This forces Copenhagen to demonstrate its value as an ally rather than taking the relationship for granted.

Any appearance of Danish negligence could strengthen Trump’s argument for American involvement.

Numerous Greenlanders criticize Denmark for unfairly profiting from their fishing sector, preventing economic self-sufficiency, and failing to shield the over 17,000 Greenlanders residing in Denmark from prejudice.

Anna Wangenheim, who serves as Greenland’s health minister and represents the Demokraatit party alongside Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, believes Trump’s demands have triggered a necessary confrontation.

“The fact that we are in the eye of the hurricane in the Arctic means that we have a very great opportunity to have much greater influence than we have had before.”

SEEKING REPRESENTATION

Aage Josefsen, a 55-year-old bus operator in capital city Nuuk, views the election through a straightforward lens: determining who truly represents Greenland’s interests. “The Greenlandic government should have more say in meetings, instead of Denmark just speaking on Greenland’s behalf,” he explained.

Campaign platforms from Greenlandic politicians include establishing a maritime patrol unit staffed by local fishermen and hunters, restructuring fishing operations to keep more profits on the island, and requiring Danish students to study Greenlandic history and culture.

Denmark’s left-leaning Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confronts a competitive election despite gaining support for her firm resistance to American pressure regarding Greenland, as many Danish citizens express frustration with increasing living expenses and social service strains.

Political experts suggest Frederiksen may find it difficult to secure a parliamentary majority, making every vote critical – including those from Greenlandic representatives – for maintaining her leadership position.

Candidates are also demanding revision of the 1951 military cooperation agreement between Denmark and the United States, which was negotiated without Greenlandic participation.

“It must be something that Greenland can also see itself reflected in, a defence agreement about our land,” explained Ane Lone Bagger from the Siumut party.

SHIFTING ATTITUDES

Bagger noted that Trump’s pressure has already altered Danish behavior. “Suddenly there are apologies and this and that,” she observed.

In the previous year, Denmark issued formal apologies to thousands of Greenlandic women who were subjected to forced contraception procedures from the 1960s through 1991.

This changed approach from Copenhagen is exemplified by Frederiksen, who has established herself as Greenland’s strongest advocate, making multiple visits to the territory and mobilizing European allies against American pressure.

She has clearly stated that Greenland’s destiny belongs solely to its people to determine.

However, many islanders worry that international political tensions overshadow their everyday concerns.

For Inuujuk Louis Petersen, a 24-year-old taxi driver campaigning for Demokraatit in Nuuk’s Danish parliamentary race, the situation carries both personal and political significance.

Greenland never requested to become the center of superpower competition, he noted. “It is of course at the expense of the life we have always been used to,” he said. “And that was peace and quiet.”

A leading pharmaceutical trade organization in the United Kingdom is sounding the alarm about potential medicine shortages if Middle East conflicts continue to disrupt global supply chains.

Medicines UK, which represents companies responsible for 85% of NHS prescriptions, reports that while Britain has managed to avoid drug shortages up to this point, escalating shipping expenses are putting severe financial strain on generic medication producers.

Mark Samuels, the organization’s Chief Executive, described Britain as being “one step away” from experiencing medicine shortages should regional instability continue, noting that current stockpiles only offer temporary protection.

According to Samuels, manufacturers of low-cost generic medications are already feeling the impact of increased transportation expenses and shipping delays. These companies may soon reach their limit for absorbing additional costs.

“If the conflict continues for the longer term, then I think manufacturers will cease being able to absorb the costs, and then we’ll either have some price rises for the NHS or we’ll have a failure to supply. Probably a mixture of both,” Samuels explained during a Thursday interview with Reuters.

The executive emphasized that off-patent medications face particular vulnerability compared to patented drugs, as their narrow profit margins provide minimal flexibility for handling increased freight expenses. With approximately 55% of generic drugs in Britain costing less than 1 British pound ($1.34) for a month’s treatment, transportation represents a substantial portion of total costs, raising concerns that some products could become unprofitable.

Previous reporting has indicated that the ongoing conflict is already affecting the flow of essential medications to Gulf regions, threatening supply chains for cancer treatments and other medications requiring temperature-controlled transport as companies seek alternative shipping routes.

Samuels noted that biosimilar medications face greater risk than standard oral medications due to their longer production timelines and more complicated manufacturing processes.

South Africa’s trade regulators have announced significant new import duties targeting structural steel from China and Thailand following a comprehensive investigation that uncovered evidence of unfair trade practices.

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa revealed that Chinese structural steel imports will now face a substantial 74.98% tariff, while products from Thailand will be subject to a 20.32% duty. These final rates represent a major increase from the temporary measures implemented in 2024, which set provisional duties at 52.81% for China and 9.12% for Thailand.

The new tariffs specifically target structural steel products primarily utilized in construction projects. According to the March 19 government announcement, the trade commission’s investigation determined that both countries were engaging in dumping practices.

In their official statement, regulators concluded that steel products “originating in or imported from the PRC and Thailand was being imported into the SACU market at dumped prices, thereby causing material injury.”

The commission explained that dumping occurs when products are sold in foreign markets below normal pricing or production costs, creating unfair competition that harms local manufacturers.

Officials from both the Chinese and Thai embassies have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the new trade restrictions.

The trade commission confirmed that South Africa’s commerce minister has given approval for the recommended tariff structure.

South Africa’s steel sector has been struggling with declining domestic demand while simultaneously dealing with a surge of foreign imports, predominantly from Chinese manufacturers. Major industry players like ArcelorMittal South Africa have been forced to close production facilities due to these market pressures.

According to data from the South African Iron and Steel Institute, imported steel represents approximately 36% of the country’s total steel usage, with Chinese products accounting for 73% of those imports.

While conflict continues to intensify throughout the Middle East, Iranian American families nationwide are determining how best to celebrate Nowruz, the traditional Persian New Year holiday.

Communities with Iranian heritage are navigating the challenge of honoring their cultural traditions during a time of regional turmoil and uncertainty.

South Korean lawmakers approved comprehensive judicial reforms Friday that will remove investigative authority from prosecutors, a change supporters say will reduce the potential for political manipulation of one of the nation’s most influential government institutions.

The new law establishes a dedicated agency focused solely on indictments and prosecutions while transferring investigative responsibilities to a different organization.

This historic decision formalizes the division of authority that President Lee Jae Myung and his liberal Democratic Party believe is essential to stop political misuse of unconstrained prosecutorial influence.

Liberal efforts to restructure the prosecution system intensified following accusations that former prosecutor chief Yoon Suk Yeol exploited the office to secure the presidency and target political adversaries.

When conservative leader Yoon declared martial law briefly in December 2024, many reform supporters viewed this as the ultimate justification for dismantling the system that elevated him to power.

Friday’s vote concludes a multi-decade political battle in South Korea to restructure the prosecution service. Demands for reform grew as prosecutors faced allegations of pursuing political opponents while shielding allies, with liberal politicians contending that such concentrated authority encouraged abuse and undermined democratic oversight.

Park Eun-jung, a former prosecutor and representative from the liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, explained that the reform aims to address “a shameful history of prosecutors changing the standard of the law to suit their political advantage.”

However, opponents, including conservative legislators who attempted to prevent the vote through filibuster tactics, argue the restructuring could diminish oversight of investigators and transform reform into a political weapon for the current administration.

Choi Jin-a, a law professor at Korea University, warned the legislation would eliminate safeguards ensuring the prosecution service’s political neutrality and independence, “making prosecutors and police even more beholden to political power.”

Reform advocates maintain that breaking the prosecution’s control is exactly their objective.

“In democracy, no function is controlled by one group, and power works for the people through dispersion and checks,” explained former Democratic Party representative Choe Kang-wook.

Iranian state television announced Friday that Ali Mohammad Naini, a communications official with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, died in military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.

Naini served as both a spokesperson and deputy of public relations for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces, according to the state media report from Tehran.

The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East involving Iranian military forces and their regional activities.

Chinese anti-corruption authorities announced Friday they are investigating Chongqing Mayor Hu Henghua for alleged serious violations of law and party discipline.

China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection revealed the probe in a brief statement but provided no specific details about the nature of the alleged violations against Hu.

This investigation represents the latest development in China’s ongoing “high-pressure” anti-corruption drive targeting Communist Party officials. The campaign has resulted in numerous senior party members facing investigations, dismissals, and criminal charges in recent years.

Chongqing ranks among China’s four directly-controlled municipalities, sharing equivalent administrative authority with provinces. The other three cities with this special status are Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai.

Hu’s record includes a previous disciplinary action from 2023, when party officials issued him a formal warning for inadequate oversight of housing, construction, and safety standards. This failure contributed to a deadly building collapse in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, which claimed more than 50 lives in 2022.

The mayor took office in Chongqing in December 2021, following a career that included various high-ranking positions in Hunan province from late 2013 through 2020.

Officials from Myanmar’s legislature announced Friday that the presidential selection process will commence on March 30, with many political observers anticipating the current military leader will secure the position.

The announcement comes after a disputed election victory by a party supported by the military. Under the established procedure, three presidential nominees will be put forward – one each from the military, the upper legislative chamber, and the lower legislative chamber.

Following a review period, lawmakers will choose one of these three nominees to serve as president, while the remaining two will take on vice presidential roles, according to officials from the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw speaking during a state media broadcast.

The timeline for the candidate review process and the actual presidential vote remains unclear, as officials provided no specific dates for these steps.

Political analysts widely believe Min Aung Hlaing, the current junta leader, will assume the presidency of the Southeast Asian nation.

Independent political observer Htin Kyaw Aye anticipates the general will resign from his military leadership position before the March 30 deadline, citing constitutional requirements that prevent active civil servants from seeking the presidency.

“Since Min Aung Hlaing aspires to the presidency, he must step down from his current role as Commander-in-Chief to be eligible with 2008 constitution,” stated the Thailand-based analyst.

The analyst noted that military forces and the army-supported Union Solidarity and Development Party will maintain their grip on the nation’s political landscape following the staged elections conducted in December and January.

“This is not a transition to democracy, but rather a transformation from a military-clad dictatorship to a civilian-clothed one,” he explained.

The country has experienced significant unrest since early 2021, when military forces removed the democratically elected civilian administration headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. The military takeover sparked widespread demonstrations that eventually evolved into armed resistance movements challenging junta rule throughout the nation.

South Korean government officials acknowledged Friday that Iranian strikes on Qatar’s energy infrastructure have created market uncertainty, though they emphasized the nation maintains adequate liquefied natural gas supplies through diverse sourcing options.

The state-owned QatarEnergy company announced it must invoke force majeure clauses on long-term supply agreements lasting up to five years for LNG deliveries to Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China following the Iranian attacks that eliminated 17% of the country’s LNG export capabilities.

As the globe’s third-largest LNG purchaser behind China and Japan, South Korea relies on natural gas for electricity generation, industrial operations, and residential heating systems. Data from analytics company Kpler shows the country imported 47.77 million metric tons of LNG last year, with Qatar providing 7.16 million metric tons of that total.

Qatar ranks as South Korea’s third-most important LNG supplier, following Australia and Malaysia in volume.

“Given that the share of imports from Qatar is relatively low (at around 14% in 2026) and alternative supply sources are available, there are no issues regarding gas supply and demand,” South Korea’s Industry Ministry said in a statement, without elaborating on the potential alternative sources.

“However, as uncertainty has been growing, we plan to closely monitor supply, demand, and price trends and respond accordingly,” the ministry added.

The government-controlled Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS) reported Friday that its LNG stockpiles exceed required reserve levels. “KOGAS has sufficient capabilities to respond to supply and demand crises,” the company stated.

Officials plan to manage LNG supplies by boosting coal and nuclear power production while decreasing dependence on natural gas-powered electricity generation, according to Democratic Party representative Ahn Do-geol, who spoke earlier this week.

Natural gas-fired power plants generated 27% of South Korea’s electricity in 2025, with the remainder primarily coming from coal, nuclear, and renewable energy sources.

Ahn indicated that restrictions limiting coal power generation would be removed, while scheduled maintenance at six nuclear facilities would be expedited to maximize nuclear energy utilization.

LNG purchasers across Asia have been scrambling to secure replacement supplies since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran blocked tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz and interrupted Qatari deliveries.

Alex Siow, lead Asia gas analyst at ICIS analytics firm, suggested that Kogas should have little trouble replacing Qatari volumes through spot market purchases, as the company is less constrained by price considerations than other buyers.

Siow noted that South Korea had already begun increasing coal-fired electricity generation, while a new nuclear power facility scheduled to begin operations in the second half of the year will provide additional energy capacity.

DAEJEON, South Korea — A devastating blaze broke out at an automotive parts manufacturing plant in South Korea’s central region Friday, leaving no fewer than 50 workers injured, according to emergency officials.

South Korea’s National Fire Agency reported that 35 individuals sustained serious injuries, though authorities could not immediately determine if any victims faced life-threatening conditions.

Dramatic footage captured at the location revealed dense gray smoke pouring from the industrial complex.

Emergency officials could not immediately determine how many employees remained trapped within the building and cautioned that the casualty count might climb higher. The blaze began around 1:17 p.m., with authorities declining to speculate on what may have sparked the fire.

The fire agency dispatched more than 200 emergency responders along with 70 emergency vehicles to combat the flames.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who serves as the nation’s second-ranking official under President Lee Jae Myung, ordered the complete deployment of emergency personnel and equipment to suppress the fire and conduct rescue missions.

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit publicly addressed her controversial connection to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, expressing deep remorse about their relationship in what represents one of the most significant scandals to impact the Norwegian royal family.

The princess’s comments come after the U.S. Justice Department made public millions of documents related to Epstein, creating worldwide controversy as they exposed the convicted financier’s connections to high-profile individuals, including the Norwegian royal and several prominent politicians, business leaders, and diplomatic officials from Norway.

“I was manipulated and deceived,” Mette-Marit stated during her television interview with Norway’s public broadcasting network NRK.

“Of course, I wish I had never met him,” the crown princess added when discussing Epstein.

The newly released documentation revealed ongoing correspondence between the 52-year-old princess and Epstein that continued well beyond 2008, when he entered a guilty plea for soliciting a minor. Mette-Marit, who issued an apology to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a statement on February 6th, faces no criminal allegations.

Although previous news reports had established some connection between Mette-Marit and Epstein, the recent document release revealed a far more substantial relationship, prompting criticism from Norway’s prime minister and calls for the princess to provide a complete explanation.

According to the American documents, the princess, who is married to Crown Prince Haakon and future queen, remained in contact with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, including a four-day stay at his Palm Beach residence during a personal visit in 2013.

“I’ve never seen anything illegal,” Mette-Marit emphasized during Friday’s NRK interview.

Public support for Norway’s royal institution has declined in recent months, according to polling data from February involving 1,009 participants.

The Norstat survey, published February 21st by NRK, found that 60% of Norwegian citizens now back the monarchy, representing a drop from 70% in January, while republican support increased from 19% to 27% during the same timeframe.

International trade relations face a potential turning point as diplomats warn that stalled reform efforts at the World Trade Organization may drive nations toward alternative trading arrangements.

A crucial four-day conference of WTO trade ministers scheduled for next week in Yaounde, Cameroon arrives at a pivotal moment for the organization that replaced the post-World War II trade framework in 1995.

The discussions occur against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which has disrupted global energy markets and poses significant risks to worldwide economic stability.

President Donald Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs has heightened international trade disputes, undermining the WTO’s authority while multilateral negotiations remain stagnant and the organization’s dispute resolution system has been paralyzed for six years.

While most WTO member nations support organizational changes, they remain split on developing an actionable strategy, according to diplomatic sources and confidential documents reviewed by Reuters. This disagreement may push trade-dependent nations to explore alternative solutions.

“Our ‘Plan A’ is to get reform within the WTO system, but there are many hurdles,” stated Swedish Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa, noting that unsuccessful Yaounde negotiations would motivate the European Union “to pursue a parallel track.”

The 27-member European bloc might strengthen partnerships with nations in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and other aligned economies, Dousa explained to Reuters.

The CPTPP encompasses 12 nations, including Australia, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia and Britain.

Such cooperation would “supplement” the WTO framework, enabling participants to establish specific trade regulations among themselves while continuing to advocate for broader multilateral system reforms, according to two EU diplomatic sources.

“As a Plan B we have to open up for plurilateral agreements,” Dousa continued, referring to arrangements where willing nations commit to binding obligations.

Although some plurilateral deals have been integrated into WTO operations, certain members express frustration that a development investment initiative scheduled for Yaounde discussion has faced repeated obstruction despite majority backing.

Should this initiative remain blocked without agreement on reform directions, “we will consider our options,” warned one Western diplomatic representative.

EU-CPTPP partnerships could advance agreements covering digital commerce and essential raw materials while expanding Free Trade Agreements, according to Svitlana Taran from the European Policy Centre.

A Canadian official identified “a lot of momentum” in EU-CPTPP collaboration, with Yaounde discussions planned regarding origin rules and investment policies.

WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala informed Reuters that the organization endorses diversifying trade relationships.

“If they want to get together as a group and try to do something, we see it as complementary,” she stated.

Both Dousa and a European diplomat described the EU-CPTPP partnership, which currently represents more than 35% of worldwide trade, as potentially forming a “core group” open to additional members.

Looking ahead, participants might develop a “multi-speed” WTO structure, maintaining fundamental regulations while incorporating flexibility through different commitment levels and plurilateral arrangements for motivated groups to progress in specific sectors, Dousa explained.

One European trade diplomat anticipates a “tiered trade system” with varying commitment degrees, including ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) status, among willing participants developing outside WTO structures within five years before eventual WTO integration.

MFN status, a fundamental WTO principle, mandates that countries apply identical tariffs to all trading partners.

Confidential reform documents reviewed by Reuters reveal significant member disagreements: the United States supports changes but opposes detailed, comprehensive work plans, while the EU, Britain and China favor such approaches.

“I expect it to be quite a difficult ministerial,” acknowledged Okonjo-Iweala, though she expressed optimism about member consensus on reform necessity.

Washington’s main objective involves permanently extending a moratorium preventing customs duties on electronic transmissions like digital downloads, which expires this month. This extension would provide U.S. confidence to “remain fully engaged” in WTO operations, stated U.S. Ambassador Joseph Barloon.

India will likely continue opposing the moratorium, according to an official source.

“If U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer leaves Yaounde without a moratorium, the U.S. proclamations on the death of the WTO will be even louder,” predicted one diplomat.

The International Chamber of Commerce reports that businesses worry failure could trigger new taxes on cross-border data transfers.

Ministers will examine the MFN principle, currently governing 72% of global commerce, after Washington declared last December that MFN was inappropriate for the current era. The EU has similarly indicated interest in reconsidering MFN, primarily due to China-related concerns, a senior diplomat revealed.

Beijing maintains that MFN must continue as the foundation of the global trading system, a Chinese diplomat emphasized.

“We need a rules-based, not power-based, system.”

Israeli forces launched overnight airstrikes against Syrian government military installations on Friday, responding to recent attacks targeting Druze civilians in the Sweida province, according to Israeli military officials.

The military operation focused on command and control facilities as well as weapons storage sites located within Syrian military compounds in the southern region of the country. Israeli defense officials stated they will not accept violence directed at Druze communities and pledged ongoing efforts to safeguard these populations while closely watching regional developments.

The conflict in the Middle East has stalled American-mediated peace discussions between Ukraine and Russia, creating an opportunity for Vladimir Putin to launch fresh military campaigns against Ukraine that could intensify pressure on the embattled nation.

Moscow’s war treasury is swelling with profits from climbing global oil prices, while Iranian attacks in the Gulf region are rapidly depleting American air defense resources, sparking worries about reduced availability of support for Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year since Russia’s comprehensive invasion began.

European nations backing Ukraine have pledged continued unwavering assistance, but disagreements surrounding a substantial 90 billion euro ($106 billion) European Union financial package designed to fund Kyiv’s defense and economic requirements over two years demonstrate the growing difficulties.

NATO member countries’ unwillingness to deploy naval forces to help reestablish oil tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz has triggered sharp criticism from President Donald Trump, revealing another developing division with potentially serious consequences for Ukraine.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has attempted to maintain Washington’s focus by proposing Ukrainian knowledge in combating Iranian Shahed drones, dispatching more than 200 military specialists to the Gulf region. However, Trump has dismissed Zelenskyy’s assistance offer, stating America doesn’t require Kyiv’s help.

While fresh indicators of Western alliance tensions surface, Putin and his military commanders are considering strategies for spring and summer operations along the extensive 1,200-kilometer (approximately 750-mile) battle zone.

Russian armed forces seem to be preparing for another attempt to seize remaining Ukrainian-controlled portions of eastern Donetsk region, along with potential attacks in multiple other areas.

Military experts have noticed Moscow accumulating reserves, with operations anticipated to accelerate as spring weather conditions improve ground conditions.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War has observed Russian forces intensifying artillery bombardments and drone strikes, attempting to weaken Ukrainian defensive positions ahead of ground assaults.

Ukraine has tried to disrupt the Kremlin’s strategies by conducting counter-operations in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, where Russian troops have attempted to establish footholds aimed at advancing toward regional capitals that serve as crucial industrial centers.

The ISW stated in a recent battlefield evaluation that Ukraine’s effective retaliation in Dnipropetrovsk region will likely continue forcing Russia to “choose between defending against the Ukrainian counterattacks and allocating manpower and materiel for offensive operations elsewhere” along the front, potentially disrupting the expected Russian offensive.

The organization also observed that Ukrainian forces have increased their medium-range attacks against Russian supply lines, military hardware and personnel to attempt derailing the anticipated offensive.

Russian military commentators caution that Moscow would require significant force reinforcement to execute any major offensive, creating difficulties for the Kremlin.

Following the highly unpopular “partial mobilization” of 300,000 reservists during the war’s early stages that caused hundreds of thousands to leave the country to avoid conscription, Russian military leadership has shifted approaches, depending on volunteers and recruiting international fighters enticed by competitive salaries and additional benefits.

Putin stated Russia maintains approximately 700,000 troops engaged in Ukraine, roughly equivalent to Ukraine’s reported troop numbers.

Following rapid movements by substantial tank and mechanized infantry formations during Russia’s initial 2022 invasion, the conflict has transformed into an attrition war featuring small soldier units engaged in exhausting, building-by-building combat throughout devastated eastern Ukrainian towns and villages. Widespread drone usage has limited troop concentration for significant maneuvers.

Russia has also utilized long-distance missiles and drones to bombard Ukraine’s power infrastructure and other critical facilities.

Throughout the past year, Russia has successfully penetrated and weakened Ukrainian defensive positions due to the “growing lethality” of Moscow’s attacks and Kyiv’s declining personnel numbers, according to analyst Jack Watling from the Royal United Services Institute.

“Russia is likely able to maintain its current rate of recruitment, despite the punishing rate of casualties” inflicted by Ukraine, he added.

While preparing for new offensives, Russia has increasingly attempted to recruit students for its recently established Drone Forces, providing relatively generous compensation and positioning at safe distances from combat zones.

Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, informed the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday that “Russia has maintained the upper hand in the war against Ukraine.”

She indicated the U.S.-led discussions between Ukraine and Russia “are ongoing. Until such an agreement is met, Moscow is likely to continue fighting a slow war of attrition until they view their objectives have been achieved.”

Multiple negotiation rounds have yielded no apparent progress as both sides remain deeply divided on fundamental issues.

Putin demands Ukraine remove its forces from four regions Russia has unlawfully claimed but never completely conquered, abandon NATO membership aspirations, drastically reduce its military, and eliminate restrictions on Russian language and Moscow-aligned Orthodox Church — conditions Zelenskyy has refused.

Zelenskyy has requested a ceasefire, American-supported security assurances to prevent future Moscow invasions, and has dismissed territorial claims over Ukrainian land.

Kyiv’s European supporters accuse Moscow of prolonging discussions hoping to achieve additional gains and insist Europe must participate in negotiations. Russia has refused their involvement.

Moscow declares it won’t permit European troops to oversee a potential ceasefire and will consider them legitimate targets.

“There have been signals from the Europeans indicating that they would like to take a place at the negotiating table regarding the Ukrainian settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated this week, but added that “we don’t consider it necessary or expedient.”

Sam Greene, a professor at King’s College London, commented that Moscow’s approach was clear — “engaging with Washington just enough to prevent Ukraine from getting what it needed to shift the balance on the ground, and just enough to keep the Europeans at bay, but not enough to make real progress.”

The U.S. has provided Moscow a temporary exemption from oil sanctions, permitting sales of Russian crude already in transit — disappointing Kyiv and European nations.

Additionally, Trump has portrayed Zelenskyy as hindering peace efforts. “He has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done,” Trump said regarding the Ukrainian leader earlier this month.

He stated in an NBC News interview that while Putin was prepared for an agreement, “it’s much harder to reach a deal with Zelenskyy.”

Trump also rejected Zelenskyy’s proposal to assist in protecting American forces and allies in the Gulf from Iranian drones. “No, we don’t need their help on drone defense,” Trump told Fox News Radio.

Zelenskyy, who has adopted a more pragmatic public approach with Trump following their tense White House meeting in February 2025, has voiced increasing worry that the Iran conflict could damage Ukraine.

He informed the BBC this week that he had a “very bad feeling” about the Middle East conflict’s effect on Ukraine’s war, observing that peace negotiations are being “constantly postponed” while Russia profits from elevated oil prices and Ukraine might face shortages of American-made Patriot missiles.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian drone strikes targeted a major Kuwaiti oil processing facility in the early hours of Friday, igniting fires while warning sirens blared across Israel and explosive sounds echoed through Tehran during Israel’s retaliatory operations coinciding with Iran’s Persian New Year celebrations.

The ongoing conflict, now approaching its third week, continues to destabilize global markets as Iran maintains its assault on regional energy infrastructure. Kuwait reported that drone attacks on its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery caused significant blazes, with emergency teams working to extinguish the flames.

The targeted facility has the capacity to process approximately 730,000 barrels daily and had previously sustained damage from another Iranian strike on Thursday. The refinery represents one of three major oil processing plants in Kuwait, a small but petroleum-wealthy nation situated along the Persian Gulf.

Tehran escalated its targeting of Gulf Arab energy installations following Israel’s Wednesday bombing campaign against Iran’s extensive South Pars natural gas complex located offshore in the Persian Gulf.

Powerful explosions rattled Dubai as defensive systems engaged incoming projectiles above the city, where residents were commemorating Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan’s holy fasting period, with mosques broadcasting their morning prayer calls.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported warehouse fires caused by debris from intercepted missiles, while Saudi Arabia announced successfully downing several drones aimed at its petroleum-rich Eastern Province.

These fresh assaults followed an intensive period during which Iran targeted energy facilities throughout the region and fired over a dozen missile barrages toward Israel after the South Pars attack.

The South Pars field, representing Iran’s portion of the globe’s largest natural gas reserve shared with Qatar, sits offshore in the Persian Gulf. Given that approximately 80% of Iran’s electrical generation relies on natural gas, the Israeli strike directly threatened the nation’s power grid.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday evening that his country would pause additional strikes on the gas facility following U.S. President Donald Trump’s request, after Iran’s response caused oil prices to surge dramatically.

Iran’s attacks on neighboring Gulf Arab states, combined with its control over shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital passage for one-fifth of global oil and essential goods transport—have heightened fears of a worldwide energy emergency.

Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, which jumped above $119 per barrel during Thursday’s Iranian attacks, traded around $107 Friday morning, representing a more than 47% increase since the February 28 Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran that initiated the current conflict.

Warning sirens activated across Israel early Friday, alerting residents in Jerusalem and northern regions of incoming attacks and forcing people into protective shelters. Initial reports indicated no immediate casualties.

Shortly after Israel announced new military operations against Iran, explosive sounds were audible in Tehran as Iranians observed Nowruz, their traditional New Year celebration. Additional details were not immediately released.

The war has claimed over 1,300 lives in Iran. Israeli military actions against the Iranian-supported Hezbollah organization in Lebanon have forced more than 1 million people from their homes, according to Lebanese officials, who report over 1,000 deaths. Israel claims to have eliminated more than 500 Hezbollah fighters.

Iranian missile strikes have killed 15 people within Israel, while four additional fatalities occurred in the occupied West Bank from Iranian projectiles.

At least 13 U.S. service members have lost their lives in the conflict.

The United Arab Emirates announced Friday it had dismantled what officials described as “a terrorist network funded and operated by Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran.”

Authorities detained five individuals on money laundering charges, claiming they were “operating within the country under a fictitious commercial cover” while planning activities that could destabilize the nation’s financial system.

The UAE’s state-operated WAM news service published photographs of the five detainees without revealing their identities.

PARIS, March 20 – Following a historic release of emergency oil reserves earlier this month, the International Energy Agency has now issued recommendations for combating rising fuel costs triggered by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

The conflict has sent energy prices soaring globally, raising inflation concerns worldwide and prompting the agency to seek additional ways to help consumers manage the financial strain.

On Friday, the IEA presented a series of measures that governments, companies, and individual households can implement to mitigate the impact of climbing energy costs on consumers.

Among the agency’s recommendations are encouraging remote work arrangements, lowering highway speed limits by a minimum of 10 kilometers per hour, and choosing alternative transportation methods over air travel when feasible.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol emphasized the organization’s ongoing efforts in a statement: “We have recently launched the largest ever release of IEA emergency oil stocks – and I am in close contact with key governments around the world, including major energy producers and consumers, as part of our international energy diplomacy.”

Birol further explained the purpose of the new guidelines: “In addition to this, today’s report provides a menu of immediate and concrete measures that can be taken on the demand side by governments, businesses and households to shelter consumers from the impacts of this crisis.”

Earlier this month on March 11, the IEA authorized the release of a historic 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves to address the dramatic increase in worldwide crude oil prices, with the United States providing the majority of the released supply.

DAEJEON, South Korea – Emergency crews are battling a massive industrial fire that has left 50 workers injured at an automotive parts manufacturing plant in South Korea, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

The blaze erupted at the facility located in Daejeon, a city situated approximately 99 miles south of Seoul. Of the 50 injured workers, 35 have sustained serious injuries requiring immediate medical attention.

South Korean fire officials have issued a nationwide emergency mobilization order to combat the dangerous flames. Nearly 240 emergency responders have been dispatched to the scene to fight the fire and conduct rescue operations.

Authorities are expressing grave concerns that the casualty count may continue to climb as firefighting efforts continue.

The country’s Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has issued direct orders emphasizing that rescuing human lives must remain the absolute top priority in the emergency response, according to Yonhap’s reporting.

Officials from the National Fire Agency were not immediately available to provide additional details when contacted by phone.

GUAJES DE AYALA, Mexico — In the rugged mountains of Mexico’s Guerrero state, Jesús Domínguez navigates dense vegetation with an assault rifle across his back and an explosive device attached to his belt.

The 34-year-old moves with a group of camouflage-wearing fighters who patrol remote areas against one of Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organizations.

Equipped with high-powered weapons trafficked from the United States, this 50-person militia represents one of many “autodefensa” or civilian protection units that have formed across Mexico during the last ten years to combat increasingly advanced cartels in regions where government forces cannot reach.

“The government doesn’t care about us, and it’s impossible for our arms to compete with (the cartel’s),” Domínguez explained from an observation point overlooking Guerrero’s mountainous terrain. “They come at you with a ton of force, so you need to respond with force…If you don’t, they’ll overwhelm you.”

These civilian fighters in Guajes de Ayala operate within Mexico’s chaotic environment of competing armed factions — ranging from international cartels to neighborhood criminal groups — particularly in areas like Guerrero that have suffered from fragmenting drug organizations for years. This complex situation presents a major challenge for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as she faces demands from the Trump administration while concerns grow about increased violence after the death of Mexico’s most influential drug kingpin.

The civilian defense unit formed in 2020 when La Nueva Familia Michoacana attempted to seize seven mountain communities located along a crucial route that connects drug trafficking organizations to Acapulco’s port, where narcotics and contraband move through.

Community members reported that this cartel, which the Trump administration labeled a terrorist organization last year, began cutting down trees illegally on their property and attempted to coerce locals into fighting against competing criminal groups.

Without Mexican army or police presence, townspeople took up weapons. Intermittent battles continued for almost twelve months. People evacuated on foot, trekking for hours across distant mountains carrying only their clothing. Towns that once housed 1,600 residents shrank to merely 400.

Following a temporary ceasefire, the militia reorganized in October when Nueva Familia Michoacana resumed their territorial expansion, establishing drug production facilities and conducting surveillance with unmanned aircraft, according to group commander Javier Hernández.

Currently, the fighters protect their communities from elevated positions and monitor approximately 100 cartel soldiers stationed several miles away using their own surveillance drones.

“We don’t want to be part of their ranks and we don’t want to leave our lands,” Hernández stated. “We don’t want to be slaves to any cartel.”

Guerrero experiences more deeply rooted conflict than most Mexican regions, with a militant history extending back to rebel movements from the 1960s. The situation has become more complicated as cartels have split into competing factions, creating conditions vastly different from previous eras when single organizations maintained complete regional dominance. A 2025 DEA assessment identifies five cartels operating in the area, along with numerous local gangs and civilian militias, many aligned with larger criminal enterprises.

“You have a kaleidoscope of armed groups,” explained Mónica Serrano, a researcher at Colegio de Mexico who studies Guerrero violence. “It’s one of the most vexing challenges facing the country and is at the root of the violence.”

Civilian protection forces expanded throughout Michoacan and Guerrero beginning around 2013. Similar to the Guajes de Ayala organization, they emerged from desperate efforts to avoid becoming casualties in cartel warfare.

However, in locations where criminal organizations have stronger presence than law enforcement, virtually every vigilante movement in recent years has either been absorbed by rival cartels or eliminated. Mexico’s federal government remains divided on whether to negotiate with vigilantes or prosecute them as criminals.

Sometimes, these groups transformed into cartel military units, well-funded and terrorizing the same communities they promised to defend. In other instances, cartels provided weapons to local residents to help combat rival organizations.

“They corner you and you can’t do anything,” Domínguez observed. “That’s how what’s been created – which began as autonomy – is corrupted. People end up joining criminal groups just to survive.”

The Guajes de Ayala community claims independence, yet their forces possess equipment far exceeding what local farmers could afford, including drone detection technology, intercepted radio communications, and DJI surveillance aircraft worth thousands of dollars for monitoring cartel operatives.

They carry assault rifles marked “MADE IN USA” and bearing manufacturer names from Florida, South Carolina and Poland. Due to Mexico’s restrictive firearms regulations, most weapons in the country are smuggled from the United States by cartels.

One fighter acknowledged the vigilantes buy weapons from cartels but declined to specify which organization.

Another revealed he previously belonged to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and received payment to join the vigilantes. A third wore headgear displaying “El Señor de los Gallos,” referring to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the influential CJNG commander killed by Mexican military forces in February.

Two regional criminal gangs battling Nueva Familia Michoacana permit Guajes de Ayala residents to travel through their areas, preventing complete encirclement as occurred previously.

Meanwhile, Hernández said he provides information about the opposing cartel to law enforcement and that his organization rejected partnership proposals from other vigilante groups known for attacking civilians.

The spread of armed organizations throughout Mexico tests Sheinbaum as she works to counter Trump administration threats of U.S. military action.

Under Sheinbaum’s leadership, security forces have targeted criminal groups more aggressively than previous administrations. Murder rates have decreased significantly since she assumed office, reaching decade-low levels according to government statistics.

But Hernández said conditions have deteriorated for his community.

“It’s a lie. They say the government is doing wonders, but it’s nothing but propaganda,” he stated.

The elimination of Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” dealt a significant blow to Mexico’s most powerful criminal organization. However, experts and some community members in places like Guajes de Ayala fear this could trigger additional violence as other criminal groups attempt violent takeovers or competing CJNG factions battle for leadership.

A Marine officer in Guerrero, speaking anonymously for security reasons, said his units were “preparing for a possible reorganization of these groups.” He emphasized that Mexican forces haven’t abandoned communities like Guajes de Ayala and respond to requests for assistance from rural locations.

The settlements in Guajes de Ayala have become deserted areas filled with empty houses belonging to people too frightened to return.

Marisela Mojica, Domínguez’s mother, relocated six children and grandchildren after her daughter was abducted by individuals claiming membership in Nueva Familia Michoacana.

“If they come to kill us all, I want one of us to still be alive,” she said.

Mojica hasn’t seen her family in six years or met two grandchildren born after they escaped. She’s uncertain if she ever will.

Educators too afraid to travel between different criminal groups’ territories stopped attending classes in October, leaving schools empty. Government medical facilities have closed.

Hernández tallies the abandoned houses left in decay as he and his fighters drive to patrol the surrounding hills and valleys.

“These mountains are a place of silence,” he said. “You have no voice, and no one hears you.”

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Danish citizens will cast ballots next week to determine their nation’s leadership for the coming four years, in an election taking place after a diplomatic clash between the United States and Denmark regarding Greenland’s future.

Last month, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the upcoming election, seemingly betting that her direct approach during the Greenland dispute would resonate with voters. Should the Social Democratic Party leader successfully form a new coalition following Tuesday’s voting, it would mark the beginning of her third administration.

The 48-year-old has served as head of government for the EU and NATO member nation since mid-2019. Frederiksen has built a reputation for backing Ukraine against Russian aggression while maintaining tough immigration policies.

During her current term, public approval declined amid rising living costs. However, her standing improved as Denmark dealt with Trump’s ambitions for Greenland, which reached a peak in January when he briefly threatened European tariffs over opposition to American control of the Arctic territory.

Election analyst Kasper Møller Hansen from the University of Copenhagen expects Frederiksen to retain leadership, though potentially with her party’s poorest performance to date. The Social Democrats appear headed for less than their 2022 total of 27.5% while maintaining their position as the largest party.

“She’s getting a big burst to her poll results on the topic of Greenland, or the relationship with the United States, or Ukraine,” said Møller Hansen. “On home turf, she’s being really challenged.”

Denmark’s proportional voting system usually creates coalition governments formed by multiple parties from either the political left or right. The current administration broke decades of tradition by spanning both sides of the political spectrum.

Two center-right politicians are competing against Frederiksen — one from within her existing coalition and another from the opposition.

Liberal Party leader Troels Lund Poulsen currently serves as Defense Minister. His Venstre party previously controlled multiple governments but has struggled in recent polling.

Alex Vanopslagh, 34, heads the Liberal Alliance within the conservative “blue bloc,” advocating for reduced taxes, streamlined government, and ending Denmark’s nuclear power prohibition. However, his recent acknowledgment of past cocaine use while leading his party may have damaged his electoral prospects.

The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party appears positioned for a comeback after performing poorly in 2022. Should neither liberal nor conservative factions secure governing majorities, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s centrist Moderate party could determine the outcome.

Immigration remains a central campaign issue, with Denmark maintaining some of Europe’s strictest policies under Frederiksen’s influence.

Responding to right-wing pressure and citing potential migration increases due to Middle Eastern conflicts, she recently proposed measures including an asylum “emergency brake” and enhanced oversight of undocumented criminals. Her administration previously announced plans allowing deportation of foreign nationals sentenced to one year or more for serious offenses.

Frederiksen advocates for establishing “return hubs” beyond EU borders for rejected asylum applicants.

Denmark processed 1,961 asylum requests last year, significantly lower than the 21,000 received in 2015.

Economic concerns including living expenses, retirement benefits, and potential wealth taxation have dominated campaign discussions — along with agricultural issues.

As a major global pork producer, Denmark faces calls from the left-wing Alternative party for improved animal welfare standards, agricultural whistleblower protections, and reducing livestock to levels needed only for the country’s 6 million residents. This proposal would eliminate 86% of the nation’s pig population.

Greenland itself hasn’t featured prominently in campaigning due to widespread agreement on the territory’s relationship with Denmark.

“There’s a huge consensus on our relationship to Greenland and our relationship to foreign powers,” Møller Hansen said.

Frederiksen declared in January that American acquisition of Greenland would effectively destroy NATO. The crisis has since cooled following Trump’s withdrawal of tariff threats, leading to trilateral security discussions between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland.

The election will also test Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who has held office for approximately one year.

Campaign tensions have exposed divisions within his coalition government. Disagreements over local officials seeking Copenhagen parliamentary seats prompted one party to leave his alliance, forcing Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt from her position. She subsequently left her Siumut party.

Voters will select members of the Folketing, Denmark’s unicameral legislature.

The parliament contains 179 seats: 175 representing mainland Denmark, plus two each from sparsely populated Greenland and the Faroe Islands, the kingdom’s other autonomous territory.

Over 4.3 million eligible voters can participate in next week’s election. Danish turnout traditionally runs high, reaching 84.2% during the 2022 contest.

Regional warfare expanded Friday as Iranian forces launched coordinated attacks across Gulf Arab nations, targeting critical energy infrastructure while residents celebrated Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan’s holy fasting period.

Loud blasts echoed through Dubai during early morning hours as defense systems successfully stopped incoming projectiles from reaching the city. The Dubai Media Office confirmed the effectiveness of defensive measures, stating “Authorities in Dubai confirm the success of all air interception operations, with no injuries reported.”

In Bahrain, government officials reported debris from intercepted missiles sparked a warehouse fire Friday morning, while Kuwaiti forces worked to counter incoming Iranian attacks. Saudi Arabian military units destroyed several Iranian unmanned aircraft attempting to strike the kingdom’s petroleum-producing eastern regions.

Israeli forces conducted bombing operations against Tehran Friday morning, with local observers reporting explosion sounds throughout Iran’s capital as citizens celebrated Nowruz, their traditional New Year holiday.

These Friday morning assaults occurred one day after Israel announced it would halt further attacks on a crucial Iranian natural gas installation, even as Iran continued its sustained campaign against petroleum and gas infrastructure throughout the Gulf region, forcing millions to seek shelter and creating turmoil in international markets.

Brent crude petroleum prices, the global benchmark, have surged dramatically since Israeli and American forces initiated hostilities with Iran. Combat casualties from Israeli military operations in Lebanon exceeded 1,000 people Thursday amid renewed clashes with Hezbollah militants.

Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi petroleum processing facility suffered its second Iranian drone assault in two days Friday, igniting fires across multiple operational sections. Emergency crews battled the flames with no immediate reports of personnel injuries.

The facility, capable of processing 730,000 barrels daily, represents one of three major refineries in the small but oil-wealthy Persian Gulf nation. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced the shutdown of damaged units following the attack.

Kuwait’s oil export capabilities have been severely compromised throughout the conflict due to its dependence on maritime shipping routes through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, both frequent targets of Iranian military action.

The timing of Friday’s attacks coincided with Eid al-Fitr celebrations across the region, occurring as mosques issued their first daily prayer calls.

Israeli military officials announced the commencement of Tehran strikes in the early Friday hours, with local activists confirming they heard explosions around the Iranian capital following Israel’s declaration of renewed offensive operations.

The announcement followed Thursday’s intense Iranian missile bombardment of Israeli targets, with more than twelve separate launches documented by Israeli defense forces during that single day.

MOSCOW – Russian citizens are experiencing significant digital disruptions as the Kremlin implements sweeping internet restrictions across the country. Office employees face blocked websites, young people constantly switch between virtual private networks, and taxi operators navigate Moscow streets without digital mapping tools.

Moscow’s government has been systematically disrupting web access throughout various Russian regions while limiting access to popular messaging platforms Telegram and WhatsApp. Authorities have also eliminated numerous VPN services that citizens use to bypass online restrictions.

During the previous week, mobile internet service has been completely unavailable daily in sections of central Moscow, St. Petersburg, and additional major metropolitan areas, according to news correspondents and eight high-ranking international diplomatic sources stationed in Russia.

When questioned about limitations on messaging applications and internet access, Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov confirmed to news outlets: “These measures are taking place.”

“They are partly related to the fact that a number of foreign companies refuse to comply with the norms of Russian legislation, and partly due to security measures against the threat of Ukrainian drones,” Peskov explained.

Military drones can utilize cellular infrastructure for navigation assistance.

This year’s digital restrictions in Russia have coincided with new legislation requiring mobile service providers to disconnect any customer upon Federal Security Service requests and granting the agency authority to establish its own network of pre-trial detention facilities.

The expanded digital control measures aim to help the Kremlin maintain internal stability during the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, according to diplomatic sources who spoke anonymously about sensitive matters.

If the conflict continues, it may progressively weaken public support, the envoys noted. When the war concludes, Russian leadership likely wants to prepare for potential domestic opposition, they added. One diplomat described Moscow’s assembled capabilities as enabling a potential “great crackdown” in cyberspace.

The conclusion of Moscow’s Afghan military involvement in 1989 triggered significant social upheaval in Russia, with returning military personnel contributing to widespread disorder throughout the 1990s. The turmoil intensified following the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991.

Russian investigative reporter Andrei Soldatov, who specializes in security service analysis, stated: “Russia’s leaders and security services remember 1991 and they remember what happened to Russia and what happened to them when Moscow stopped a big war in Afghanistan: the country collapsed, the security services were split apart — it was a disaster.”

“What is happening now is that the security services are trying to create a situation in which — if Putin signs a peace deal or if Putin goes for a protracted war — it would not destroy the whole thing,” Soldatov added.

Two Russian sources familiar with the digital restrictions revealed that Moscow examined other nations’ approaches, especially China and Iran, and assigned officials to develop methods for blocking extensive internet access, including both mobile and fixed connections, while managing online communications.

Following the 2022 Ukraine invasion, Russia enacted the most restrictive legislation witnessed since the Soviet era, expanding censorship authority and FSB influence, the primary KGB successor organization.

This year, Moscow has further escalated security measures. President Vladimir Putin, who worked as a KGB operative from 1985-1990, commemorated the Ukraine war’s fourth anniversary on February 24 by participating in the FSB’s annual Moscow conference.

He directed the agency to intensify counter-terrorism efforts — including Ukrainian attacks — while reinforcing the “information and digital space.”

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov stated that all actions were legally implemented to maintain security during the Ukraine conflict, which Putin characterizes as a Western confrontation.

Two Russian officials with Kremlin connections rejected claims that internet and messaging app restrictions were oppressive, describing them as necessary for enhanced security and national cohesion against Western attempts to create internal division.

Russia’s state digital and communications oversight agency, Roskomnadzor, did not respond to comment requests.

The eight diplomatic sources indicated Moscow’s internet restrictions this year exceeded anything they had previously witnessed in the nation.

Mobile internet access has been intermittently disabled in certain Russian regions for months, frequently following significant Ukrainian drone strikes. By mid-January, Russia had blocked over 400 VPNs, representing a 70% increase from late last year, according to Kommersant newspaper reporting.

Recently, the restrictions have intensified in Moscow, according to diplomatic sources and news correspondents, with the government also targeting Dubai-based Telegram and U.S.-owned WhatsApp.

Last month, Russia reduced Telegram’s service speed — the platform serves over 1 billion active users and is extensively used in both Russia and Ukraine — and investigated billionaire founder Pavel Durov in connection with a criminal terrorism case.

Russian authorities claimed Telegram had been compromised by Ukrainian and NATO intelligence services, resulting in Russian military casualties.

Telegram has rejected penetration claims and stated Moscow is attempting to force Russians toward MAX, a government-supported messaging application that educational institutions have been directed to use for parent and student communications.

Durov told news outlets: “Each day, the authorities fabricate new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram as they seek to suppress the right to privacy and free speech. A sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people.”

The Kremlin also completely prohibited WhatsApp last month for non-compliance with domestic regulations. The application’s owner, technology corporation Meta, criticized the action as detrimental to Russian citizens’ security.

Some young Russians pledged to circumvent the restrictions by adopting different VPNs as services face bans, not for political reasons but to access Western applications like Instagram and Snapchat, which face Russian limitations.

Andrei, who withheld his surname due to the situation’s sensitivity, questioned: “If these quite old politicians want to block everything, why have they not made any Russian apps that are interesting?”

Energy buyers seeking oil shipments in Asia or jet fuel in Europe are facing unprecedented costs as physical commodity prices surge beyond even the steep increases seen in futures markets.

The dramatic price spikes stem from a massive supply shortage triggered by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran, forcing refiners and energy traders throughout Asia and Europe to compete fiercely for available petroleum products.

This supply crisis shows no signs of quick resolution following extensive strikes on energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East region, creating what experts describe as the most severe global energy supply disruption on record. Iranian forces have also restricted vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel that handles one-fifth of worldwide oil and gas transport, threatening to attack ships attempting passage through the strategic waterway.

“It is going to take longer than people realize to bring supply back to the market even once the strait is re-opened, because we would still have a logistics nightmare,” said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial.

Energy supply disruptions and price volatility can severely impact transportation, manufacturing, and shipping sectors, with consequences for consumers, businesses, and entire economies lasting months or years.

According to oil shipments tracker Petro-Logistics, daily crude and condensate volumes have plummeted by approximately 12 million barrels, representing roughly 12% of global daily consumption, due to production cuts and export suspensions by Gulf region producers. These lost barrels cannot be readily substituted from other sources.

While futures contracts have climbed steadily since U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran on February 28, actual cargo prices have experienced far more extreme movements.

Benchmark Brent crude reached a session peak of $119 Thursday before closing near $109 per barrel. Meanwhile, the key Middle East Dubai crude benchmark soared to an all-time high of $166.80 per barrel. Goldman Sachs predicted Thursday that continued supply disruptions could push Brent beyond its record $147.50 level from 2008.

European and African crude shipments have climbed to $120 per barrel, while even heavily sanctioned Russian oil, previously trading at steep discounts, has rebounded above $100.

Mediterranean markets remained stable until this week, but those prices have also increased as prospects for quickly reopening Hormuz have dimmed, according to one crude trader.

“What we’re seeing in spot differentials suggests a much tighter system beneath the headline price,” said David Jorbenaze, global oil market lead at commodities information provider ICIS.

Energy companies have expanded their search for alternatives to Middle Eastern supplies, which typically consist of medium-density, high-sulfur crude known as “sour” in industry terminology.

Russia’s Urals crude, a medium sour variety, has traded at significant discounts to Brent since that nation’s Ukraine invasion due to international sanctions. However, those prices have skyrocketed, with Urals delivered to India trading above Brent earlier this month for the first time in history.

In North Sea markets, Norwegian medium sour crude Johan Sverdrup commanded a record $11.30 premium over Brent Thursday, implying a cash price around $124 per barrel. Sour crude normally trades below Brent due to higher refining costs required.

American crude varieties have also gained ground, though the U.S. market’s geographic separation has created a substantial gap between Brent and benchmark West Texas Intermediate, which closed near $96 Thursday.

The benchmark Mars sour crude from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, similar in quality to Middle Eastern production, has risen more dramatically. Mars Sour hit $107.53 on March 9, its highest level since July 2008, and traded Thursday at roughly $6 above U.S. crude.

Transportation fuel costs have increased even more sharply than physical crude prices. Northwest European jet fuel reached record levels around $220 per barrel according to LSEG data, while European diesel topped $200 per barrel for the first time since 2022. Europe depends heavily on Middle Eastern sources for both products.

Asian fuel prices have risen as refineries reduced processing rates, with refinery profit margins for gasoil reaching their highest point since June 2022 at over $60 per barrel.

On March 11, the United States and other International Energy Agency members announced plans to release 400 million barrels from strategic reserves, with the U.S. subsequently waiving sanctions on Russian oil shipments. However, these measures may prove insufficient, Jorbenaze warned.

“The market ultimately runs on barrels moving, not barrels being announced,” he said.

A striking collection of photographs from across Latin America and the Caribbean captured significant moments during the week of March 13-19, 2026.

The images showcase the bustling activity at a mezcal production facility in Mexico’s Oaxaca state, where the traditional spirit continues experiencing unprecedented popularity. While this surge has delivered substantial financial gains to numerous regional distillers, it has simultaneously created mounting concerns about environmental impact.

Additional photographs document Venezuela’s enthusiastic response to their national baseball team’s triumph against the United States during World Baseball Classic competition, as well as public demonstrations targeting government policies in Ecuador.

Mexico City-based photographer Fernando Llano assembled this visual collection.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Military conflict in Iran is highlighting how dependent the world remains on vulnerable fossil fuel supply chains, adding new pressure for nations to accelerate their transition to clean energy sources.

Combat operations have virtually stopped petroleum shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping channel that handles roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas deliveries. This supply disruption has shaken energy markets worldwide, driving up costs and creating economic pressure for countries that depend on energy imports.

Asian nations, which receive most of their oil through this route, are experiencing the most severe impacts. However, the supply problems are also creating challenges for European leaders seeking to reduce energy consumption and African countries preparing for higher fuel prices and inflation.

What makes this crisis different from past oil supply shocks is that renewable energy has become cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels in many regions. Data from the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that more than 90% of new clean energy projects launched in 2024 cost less than fossil fuel alternatives.

While petroleum products are essential for industries beyond electricity generation—including fertilizer manufacturing and plastics production—countries with greater renewable energy capacity are experiencing less severe impacts. Clean energy sources depend on local resources like sunlight and wind rather than imported materials.

“These crises regularly occur,” said James Bowen of the Australia-based consultancy, ReMap Research. “They are a feature, not a bug, of a fossil fuel-based energy system.”

China and India, home to more than a billion people each, both face the challenge of producing sufficient electricity for continued economic growth. While both nations have increased renewable energy production, China has implemented these changes on a much larger scale despite continuing to use coal-powered plants.

China now ranks first globally in renewable energy adoption. Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that approximately one out of every ten vehicles in China runs on electricity. Despite remaining the world’s top crude oil importer and largest purchaser of Iranian petroleum, China has reduced its import dependence by electrifying portions of its economy with clean energy.

Without this transition, China would be “far more vulnerable to supply and price shocks,” said Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. China can also draw on stockpiles accumulated during periods of lower prices and alternate between coal and oil for industrial fuel, he explained.

India has also increased clean energy usage, particularly solar power, but has moved more gradually and with less government backing for renewable equipment manufacturing and solar grid integration.

Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India made energy security a priority by purchasing discounted Russian petroleum and increasing coal production. The country also expanded solar and wind capacity, which has helped cushion supply disruptions without completely avoiding them, according to Duttatreya Das of the think tank Ember.

“Everyone cannot be China,” Das said.

India now confronts a cooking gas shortage that has sparked increased purchases of induction cooktops and raised concerns about restaurant closures. The fertilizer and ceramics sectors may also face difficulties.

This energy crisis is not unfamiliar to wealthy nations in Europe and East Asia.

During 2022, some European governments attempted to reduce fossil fuel dependence. However, many quickly shifted focus to securing new fossil fuel suppliers instead, according to Pauline Heinrichs, who researches climate and energy at King’s College London.

Germany moved quickly to construct LNG terminals for replacing Russian gas with primarily American fuel, while the energy transition, including demand reduction efforts, lost momentum, she noted.

According to a 2023 analysis, Europe’s additional fossil fuel spending since the Russia-Ukraine conflict equaled roughly 40% of the investment required to convert its power system to clean energy.

“In Europe, we learned the wrong lesson,” Heinrichs said.

In import-reliant Japan, policy responses to previous energy shocks have concentrated on diversifying fossil fuel sources rather than investing in domestic renewable energy, said Ayumi Fukakusa of Friends of the Earth Japan.

According to Ember data, solar and wind account for only 11% of Japan’s energy production, matching India’s level but trailing China’s 18%. Japan’s overall energy consumption is significantly lower than both countries.

The Iran conflict dominated discussions during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s meeting this week with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump, who has consistently encouraged Japan to purchase more American LNG, recently called on allied nations like Japan to “step up” in helping secure the Strait of Hormuz.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung described the crisis as potentially “a good opportunity” to accelerate the shift toward renewable energy.

Developing nations in Asia and Africa are competing with wealthy European and Asian countries and major buyers like India and China for limited gas supplies, driving prices higher.

Import-dependent economies—including Benin and Zambia in Africa and Bangladesh and Thailand in Asia—may experience some of the most severe impacts. Expensive fuel increases transportation and food costs, and many countries have limited foreign-exchange reserves, restricting their ability to pay for imports if prices remain elevated.

Africa may face particular vulnerability because many nations depend on imported oil for transportation and supply chains.

Building long-term energy security through cleaner energy investments makes strategic sense for African countries, said Kennedy Mbeva, a research associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge.

However, not all are choosing renewables: South Africa is exploring construction of an LNG import facility and new gas-powered plants.

Others, like Ethiopia which prohibited gasoline and diesel vehicles in 2024 to promote electric cars, are increasing their renewable energy commitment.

The true challenge extends beyond surviving the next crisis to ensuring it doesn’t “derail the country’s development trajectory,” said Hanan Hassen, an analyst at Ethiopia’s government-linked think tank, the Institute of Foreign Affairs.

Greater renewable energy adoption has helped protect some Asian countries from the energy crisis.

Pakistan’s solar expansion has prevented more than $12 billion in fossil fuel imports since 2020 and could save an additional $6.3 billion in 2026 at current prices, according to think tanks Renewables First and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Vietnam’s existing solar capacity will help the country avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in potential coal and gas imports over the next year, based on current elevated prices, according to the research group Zero Carbon Analytics.

Other nations are managing limited supplies carefully.

Bangladesh has shuttered universities to conserve electricity. With limited storage capacity to handle supply disruptions, the government implemented fuel rationing following a surge of panic buying at gas stations, said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, an economist with the Centre for Policy Dialogue in Dhaka.

Currently, governments must focus on managing shortages and controlling prices. Thailand has halted petroleum exports, increased domestic gas production, and started using reserves.

If the conflict continues into April, Thailand’s limited reserves and constrained subsidy budget mean prices will rise sharply, warned Areeporn Asawinpongphan, a research fellow with the Thailand Development Research Institute.

“The time for promoting domestic renewables should have happened a long time ago,” Asawinpongphan said.

DUBAI, March 19 – Should the current U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran conclude in the near future, political analysts believe one outcome has become evident: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerges in a stronger position, while President Donald Trump faces the challenge of addressing market volatility and strain on Gulf partnerships that have shouldered significant burdens.

Political experts suggest the conflict has reshaped Israel’s domestic political landscape to Netanyahu’s advantage, shifting focus from Gaza operations toward Iran, where Israeli public unity remains strongest and Netanyahu’s defense and economic track record carries the most weight.

The situation presents Trump with opposite results: he finds himself engaged in a conflict without a clear conclusion, his Gulf Arab partners face escalating dangers, and the economic narrative that helped secure his return to the presidency has been undermined.

“There is a clear winner and a clear loser,” said Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. Middle East negotiator. “Netanyahu is by far the key winner. He has demonstrated Israel’s military competence. The Gulf states are by far the biggest losers.”

Miller noted that Trump lacks an exit strategy that would enable him to claim success and withdraw from the situation.

Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour explained that Trump, who called for Iran’s complete capitulation, anticipated discovering an Iranian equivalent to Venezuela’s compliant power broker Delcy Rodríguez, but instead “found an Iranian Kim Jong-un,” referencing North Korea’s resistant authoritarian approach.

Unlike perspectives in Washington, the Iranian conflict is viewed broadly in Israel as essential rather than optional, according to Natan Sacks, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “Even if regime change doesn’t happen,” Sacks said, “weakening Iran and the (militia) axis it leads is a huge goal for Netanyahu.”

FOR TRUMP, ONLY TOUGH CHOICES

Israeli sources indicate the aerial campaign has been strategically divided, with Israel targeting western and northern Iranian regions, striking ballistic missile and nuclear facilities, while U.S. forces focus on eastern and southern areas, including the Strait of Hormuz, to diminish Iran’s maritime capabilities.

Israel has spearheaded the elimination of Iran’s top leadership, officials report, including security chief Ali Larijani on Tuesday and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib on Wednesday. Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that he and Netanyahu had given military commanders authority to target any senior Iranian official they can find, without needing additional authorization.

Despite these achievements, the conflict has not moved closer to resolution. Trump confronts three unfavorable options: continue the airstrikes, claim victory while hoping Tehran backs down, or significantly intensify operations — none providing a clear exit strategy, analysts observed.

The White House, U.S. State Department and Netanyahu’s office did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard informed Congress on Wednesday that although Iran’s government has been damaged since hostilities began, it continues to function, with Tehran and its allied groups still able to threaten U.S. and partner interests throughout the Middle East.

Trump’s apparent strategic error is creating significant repercussions across the Gulf region. As Iran launches missiles and drones toward commercial centers and restricts Hormuz, the pathway for one-fifth of global oil transport, analysts warn that Gulf nations risk becoming the conflict’s primary victims.

“The common threat they (Gulf Arab states) now perceive is nothing short of the future security and stability of the Gulf,” said Miller, also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The notion that the Gulf represents the future of the region is now at stake — and with it, the Gulf’s vision for itself.”

US, ISRAEL OPERATE WITH DIFFERENT RISK PERCEPTIONS

Experts suggest Israel may accept Iranian instability more readily than the United States, believing it would experience less regional consequences, particularly following the weakening of allied groups Hamas and Hezbollah during recent years.

Meanwhile, Washington and Gulf partners face greater exposure to energy infrastructure attacks that increase oil costs and interrupt maritime commerce.

Assaf Orion, former strategy chief for the Israeli military, noted that regional nations question whether Israel seeks disorder in Iran, observing that Israel would experience less impact from such instability compared to neighboring countries or Washington.

Fundamentally, analysts explain, the two allies maintain different threat assessments: Israel considers Iran a potential existential danger, while Washington prioritizes preventing an extended conflict that could create substantial economic damage and harm partnerships.

Demonstrating this tension, an Israeli strike on Iran’s massive South Pars gasfield, the world’s largest offshore natural gas reserve shared with Qatar, prompted an angry Trump response. He posted on social media that the U.S. “knew nothing about this particular attack”, noting that Qatar, a U.S. partner that has experienced Iranian strikes on its own gas infrastructure, was uninvolved.

Trump’s Wednesday statement revealed his careful balance between the strong U.S. military partnership with Israel and crucial U.S. relationships with wealthy Gulf Arab nations.

Israeli officials report that Trump and Netanyahu have maintained daily phone conversations since the conflict began. However, Trump’s denial of advance knowledge regarding the Israeli attack contradicted earlier statements from both leaders claiming their armed forces operate in coordination.

Israel has not publicly accepted responsibility for the South Pars strike, which prompted Iranian retaliation against Gulf Arab energy installations. Israeli media extensively reported that the Israeli operation proceeded with U.S. approval.

Iranian sources indicate Tehran is carefully managing its response to inflict significant costs, restore deterrence and secure sanctions relief — offering Washington an exit only at a substantial price.

ISRAEL MARKETS BUOYED BY ATTACKS ON IRAN

Although the Iranian conflict receives public approval in Israel and could provide Netanyahu with political advantages, it has not yet resulted in improved polling numbers before elections scheduled for later this year.

Opinion polls indicate his conservative coalition lacks a majority, holding approximately 50 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, declining from 68.

This gap between public support and political benefit remains hidden, temporarily, by strong Israeli financial markets. Rising Israeli stock prices and shekel strength may suggest confidence, but they hide a more unstable situation.

Aviv Bushinsky, a former Netanyahu advisor, explained the war will ultimately receive judgment in absolute terms: either Iran’s “regime” collapses, or it survives. Anything less risks converting initial military successes into political problems for Netanyahu, who has characterized the operation as pursuing “total victory.”

Should Ali Khamenei’s system survive, even in a diminished capacity, the story would transform from success to excessive ambition, reviving unresolved dangers from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli markets may reflect resilience, but they seem unaware of the price of an incomplete war.

LONDON – Seven major world powers released a coordinated statement Thursday denouncing Iran’s military actions in the Strait of Hormuz and announcing their willingness to participate in efforts to protect commercial shipping in the vital waterway.

The declaration from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada represents a unified international response to escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf region.

“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” the nations stated.

The coalition expressed alarm over the deteriorating situation and demanded Iran halt its aggressive tactics immediately. “We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817,” the statement read.

The countries emphasized that open sea lanes represent a cornerstone of international maritime law, referencing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Officials warned that Iran’s interference will impact populations worldwide, particularly those in vulnerable regions. “The effects of Iran’s actions will be felt by people in all parts of the world, especially the most vulnerable,” according to the joint declaration.

The nations characterized Iran’s disruption of international commerce and global energy supply chains as a direct challenge to worldwide peace and stability, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2817. They demanded an immediate halt to strikes against civilian energy infrastructure.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” the statement indicated.

To address energy market volatility, the countries praised the International Energy Agency’s authorization of coordinated strategic petroleum reserve releases. They pledged additional market stabilization measures, including collaboration with oil-producing nations to boost production levels.

The coalition also committed to supporting nations most affected by the crisis through United Nations channels and International Financial Institutions.

The statement concluded by emphasizing that maritime security and navigation freedom serve all countries’ interests, calling on every nation to honor international law and maintain fundamental principles of global prosperity and security.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo warned Friday that China’s relentless military expansion creates an urgent security threat, emphasizing that robust deterrence measures are essential to prevent Beijing from launching an attack.

Koo’s comments came after U.S. intelligence officials reported Wednesday that China currently has no plans to invade Taiwan by 2027 and prefers to gain control of the island through non-military means. However, the defense minister stressed that Beijing has not abandoned the possibility of using military force.

China has intensified its pressure campaign against Taiwan through regular military exercises, viewing the self-governing island as part of its territory. Taiwan’s democratically chosen leadership firmly rejects Beijing’s territorial claims.

Addressing the American intelligence assessment, Koo emphasized that China continues its military buildup without reduction in defense spending.

“So its military expansion, and the threat it poses to us, remain very serious,” he told reporters at parliament.

“We need to make it feel that any plan to attack Taiwan would carry a high degree of risk: in other words, to make its assessment of a successful invasion very low.”

The defense minister warned that if China’s military growth continues while Taiwan fails to strengthen its own defense systems, the probability of an attack would increase.

“On the other hand, if our defence capabilities continue to improve and our deterrence grows stronger, then its calculation regarding an attack on Taiwan will decrease. That would have the effect of pushing back such a date again and again.”

Beijing’s foreign ministry responded Thursday by calling Taiwan a domestic matter and urging the United States to “stop hyping up the ‘China threat’ theory.”

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has put forward a $40 billion defense spending increase, though legislative approval has been delayed. Opposition lawmakers, who hold a parliamentary majority, argue the proposals lack specificity and refuse to approve “blank cheques.”

President Lai toured Taiwan’s newly built domestic submarine Thursday, which remains in testing phases, along with one of the island’s two operational submarines purchased from the Netherlands during the 1980s.

Koo reported that upgrades have been completed on one Dutch-manufactured submarine, with the second vessel’s modernization scheduled to finish by year’s end.

“These two submarines will significantly enhance our combat capabilities,” he said.

PHUTHADITJHABA, South Africa — When 22-year-old Lamkelo Mtyho entered the sacred traditional circumcision ceremony, his family anticipated his proud return as a recognized man in their community. Instead, three weeks later, they received devastating news of his death.

Mtyho represents one of at least 48 young males who lost their lives during recent initiation ceremonies across South Africa, part of a centuries-old cultural practice that continues claiming lives despite government oversight efforts.

The secrecy surrounding these rituals makes investigating deaths extremely challenging for families and officials alike. Multiple former participants declined to discuss their experiences, while hundreds of unregistered schools operate for those unable to afford legitimate programs.

Authorities typically only report fatalities when numbers become significant, with few legal proceedings or medical examinations following deaths.

These traditional procedures pose serious health hazards due to inadequately trained operators, contaminated cutting instruments used multiple times, severe dehydration, and infected wounds that receive poor treatment in isolated locations far from medical assistance.

Former health minister Zwelini Mkhize addressed parliament last year, stating: “Imagine this number: 476 young people died in a five-year period and yet they were well before going into initiation. These deaths are unacceptable and should never have happened.”

Despite these dangers, hundreds of thousands of South Africans continue participating in ceremonies that occur twice annually, with the next season starting in June.

Mtyho enrolled in an officially registered school near Ngqeleni village in Eastern Cape province with his parents’ approval. These facilities typically consist of basic mud structures or temporary buildings housing dozens of participants away from public view.

His grandmother, Nozinzile, shared the account she received from a school security worker: “They were walking to the river to go and bathe, and along the way he started losing strength and collapsed. That is what we were told. It is said that it was an emergency situation, that the others ran to get water and tried to resuscitate him. When other people arrived there to help, it was too late.”

Speaking with frequent pauses outside the dwelling where Mtyho once helped with tasks like wood gathering, she declined to assign blame and no investigation into his death occurred.

She acknowledged the ritual’s difficulty but never imagined fatal consequences. As her oldest grandchild, Mtyho had planned to seek employment in town to become “the man of the house.”

Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa announced the December deaths, noting that participants often receive dangerous guidance to avoid water consumption believing it accelerates healing.

Successful ceremonies conclude with participants returning to their communities, presenting themselves through traditional songs and reciting ancestral lineages while villagers celebrate with music, chanting, and dancing.

Completing initiation grants elevated social standing for marriage prospects and participation in specific cultural activities, crucial considerations for many South African ethnic communities.

While medical circumcision remains available from infancy, cultural expectations drive many toward traditional methods.

Traditional leader Morena Mpembe, who supervises a registered facility in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State province, explained: “Initiation is a culture left behind to us by our elders. We grew up practicing it, as it teaches a young man to respect everyone, including those who are not initiates in society.”

South Africa’s high unemployment and economic disparity make fees for government-approved schools unaffordable for many families, creating demand for illegal alternatives.

Some boys attend unauthorized schools before reaching the legally required minimum age of 16, eager to achieve manhood status.

Mluleki Ngomane, an official with Gauteng province’s oversight body, noted: “It is very difficult for the government to monitor initiation schools which are not registered. They are not known until there is a tragedy of some sort.”

A 2022 legislative visit to Eastern Cape discovered more unregistered than licensed schools in OR Tambo municipality alone, with 68 illegal facilities compared to 66 legal ones.

Government and independent investigations have documented participant abuse, violence among initiates, substance abuse at illegal schools, and even forced participation through kidnapping.

Motlalepule Mantsha, a leader at a Phuthaditjhaba initiation school, observed: “We are seeing a rise in gangs because they want to grow their initiation schools, and we see that as a wrong way of practicing initiation. This is damaging the initiation’s image.”

Since 2021, South African regulations mandate strict health and safety compliance for school registration, admitting only males 16 and older with parental permission. Over 5,000 such facilities currently operate.

Registration requirements include three-month advance applications before each season, adequate surgical equipment preventing reuse, and training for traditional “surgeons” and “nurses” in sanitation, infection control, wound management, and HIV education.

During January and February, authorities arrested at least 46 individuals connected to illegal operations, including 16 traditional surgeons, 28 traditional nurses, and two parents accused of collaborating to falsify younger boys’ ages.

In a separate February case, courts sentenced a 26-year-old man to two years imprisonment for illegally circumcising two teenagers, ages 17 and 18, the previous year.

The Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission, a parliamentary oversight body, reported in 2017 that “due to the principles of sacredness and secrecy of this practice, also compounded by the inaccessibility of rural locations,” monitoring schools remains difficult with “clear confusion” about local authority responsibilities.

The commission found that once complications develop, medical intervention comes too late, with some deaths resulting from participants’ existing health conditions, recommending mandatory medical examinations beforehand.

Makhanya Vangile, mother of two initiates, views ceremonies as vital cultural heritage requiring protection but worries about illegal school conditions.

“Here, we have guardsmen from our chief who go and check up on how the boys are being fed, their living conditions and safety,” she explained. “They are able to stop things like boys bringing harmful stuff like alcohol, knives and guns instead of traditional sticks.”

Nicholas Haysom, a prominent South African lawyer who played a crucial role in helping Nelson Mandela create his country’s groundbreaking post-apartheid constitution, passed away Tuesday at age 73.

The white South African, who dedicated his life to fighting racial segregation, later built an impressive international career working for the United Nations in troubled regions including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and South Sudan.

Rebecca Haysom confirmed to The Associated Press that her father died in New York “after a long, valiant battle with heart and lung complications.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Haysom’s commitment, saying he “devoted his life to justice, dialogue, and reconciliation — from his central role in South Africa’s democratic transition serving as chief legal and constitutional adviser to president Nelson Mandela to years of leadership in U.N. posts in some of the world’s most complex and fragile settings.”

Guterres added that Haysom’s influence “will endure in the peace processes he advanced, the institutions he strengthened, and the principles he helped bring to life around the world.”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, himself a former freedom fighter, described the loss of “a distinguished diplomat and a pioneer of our democratic administration whose commitment to justice and peace made our country, our continent and the world a better place.”

“I remember him for applying his legal acumen, mentorship, wisdom and integrity to the development of our constitution,” Ramaphosa stated, encouraging South Africans “to honor his contribution to our nation and the international community by upholding the fundamental rights and maintaining the peace he advocated so passionately and eloquently.”

Born Nicholas Roland Leybourne “Fink” Haysom, he was raised in Durban by a progressive family that championed racial equality, particularly his activist mother who opposed apartheid. During his university years, he developed strong opposition to the segregation system and pursued legal studies at the Universities of Natal and Cape Town to address social injustices.

Haysom rose to lead the anti-apartheid National Union of South African Students and faced multiple arrests and detentions, including six months in solitary confinement around 1980, according to a UN interview he gave last year. Ramaphosa noted his artistic talents as well, recognizing him as South African Playwright of the Year in 1987.

At the time, Haysom recalled, few believed apartheid would collapse, making Mandela’s 1990 release “a tremendous moment.” Working with an activist human rights law firm, he was recruited by Mandela’s African National Congress to join its Constitutional Commission.

Haysom described spending years with “a very exciting group of intellectuals” designing the new South Africa and negotiating with the National Party, which had created and maintained apartheid, on transitional arrangements.

Following South Africa’s international isolation, Haysom explained the group sought “the perfect formula for a constitutional state that appreciated the need for equality among all its citizens and recreated a social contract which we wanted to be a lesson for the world.” Despite challenges, he noted “the South African constitution is still regarded as perhaps one of the most progressive constitutions in the world.”

“And I think that’s what led to me being asked to be Mandela’s legal adviser… while he was president,” Haysom explained, serving in that capacity from 1994 to 1999.

According to Haysom, Mandela aimed to establish precedent for the first post-apartheid administration to honor the rule of law, “and he was really at the forefront of creating a society built on respect for legal equality and human rights.”

Meeting with Mandela daily, Haysom described him as “tremendously gracious.”

“But he was steely, strong in the conviction he had that he was embarking on the right path, and he persevered,” Haysom observed. “As I say to my children, the lesson of Mandela is not just being a nice person, it’s perseverance in your ideals that’ll change the world.”

During Mandela’s presidency, Haysom joined efforts to resolve ethnic conflicts between Hutus and Tutsis in Burundi during the 1990s. He subsequently worked on peace formulas for Sudan’s north-south divide, ultimately contributing to South Sudan’s 2011 independence.

From 2005 to 2007, Haysom worked in Iraq seeking solutions for Shia, Sunni and Kurdish communities to coexist peacefully, recognizing this as a common challenge across conflicts. Between 2007 and 2012, he served in then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s office overseeing political, peacekeeping and humanitarian affairs, followed by four years in Afghanistan in various UN positions from 2012 to 2016.

His later UN work concentrated on Sudan and South Sudan, where he led the peacekeeping mission starting in 2021, with a brief assignment in Somalia. The Somali government expelled him in 2019 after he questioned the detention of a former al-Shabab extremist leader.

Haysom leaves behind his wife Delphine and sons Charles and Hector, plus three children from his first marriage to Mary Ann Cullinan: Rebecca, Simone, and Julian.

Reflecting on his career, Haysom admitted being “quite probably inappropriately proud” of his work in Burundi, Sudan and South Africa, though he acknowledged that after several years, those peace agreements faced difficulties.

This taught him that peace doesn’t endure indefinitely and democracy demands “constant engagement by people of good intention.”

SYDNEY – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese encountered a hostile reception Friday when demonstrators disrupted his visit to Sydney’s largest mosque during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, expressing outrage over his administration’s approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The confrontation occurred at Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney, where Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had joined Muslim worshippers to commemorate the conclusion of Ramadan. Video footage captured the disruption beginning approximately 15 minutes into the religious ceremony.

Angry demonstrators shouted at both officials to “Get out!” while labeling them “genocide supporters,” referencing Israel’s military actions against Palestinians in Gaza that followed the 2023 Hamas militant attack.

An event organizer attempted to restore order, telling the crowd: “Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit. It is Eid. It is a joyful day.” The organizer also encouraged attendees to remain seated and stop recording the disturbance.

Security personnel intervened when one protester became particularly disruptive, physically restraining the individual before removing them from the premises. Both Albanese and Burke departed the mosque soon after, with demonstrators continuing their criticism by shouting “Shame on you!” as the officials left.

The incident highlights growing frustration within Australia’s Muslim and Jewish populations regarding the center-left government’s careful balancing act since the Gaza conflict began. The administration has simultaneously expressed sympathy for Palestinian civilians, called repeatedly for ceasefires, and affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself.

This confrontation follows similar protests that erupted last month during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia. Albanese had extended the invitation to Herzog following a deadly December 14 mass shooting in Bondi that specifically targeted the Jewish community. That visit prompted thousands to rally in Sydney, resulting in 27 arrests after demonstrators clashed with law enforcement officers.

Four people sustained injuries Thursday evening when a rocket launched by Hezbollah made a direct hit on an apartment building in the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, leaving one person in critical condition.

Emergency responders from Magen David Adom (MDA) and law enforcement rushed to the scene after the projectile struck the living room of a third-floor apartment. By 7 p.m., officials confirmed no one remained trapped in the building, though search operations continued throughout the area.

The victims were discovered inside an interior room of the building when the rocket hit, according to police reports. The building lacked a designated safe room, and authorities noted the group was trying to reach shelter when the attack occurred but couldn’t make it in time.

Emergency medical personnel provided on-site treatment before transporting all four victims to a local hospital. Among the casualties was a 60-year-old man in critical condition with shrapnel wounds, a 68-year-old woman in moderate condition suffering from a head wound, and two individuals in their twenties with minor blast-related injuries.

According to an MDA emergency responder, rescue teams encountered extensive destruction and smoke upon arrival, requiring the deployment of numerous ambulances, intensive care vehicles, and emergency motorcycles. Medical personnel extracted the injured from the wreckage and began immediate life-saving procedures while simultaneously conducting area searches and coordinating hospital transport.

Local residents described having only moments between the air raid warning and the rocket’s impact, with mere seconds separating the alert from the explosion.

Chief Superintendent Shlomi Toubul, who commands the Kinneret region, explained to N12 that the victims’ location within the building’s interior likely prevented more severe casualties.

BRUSSELS, March 20 – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Friday that the European Union will pursue alternative approaches to deliver a promised 90 billion euro ($104.2 billion) financial package to Ukraine, despite continued opposition from Hungary.

“We will deliver one way or the other,” von der Leyen stated to media representatives following a Brussels summit where European leaders were unable to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to remove his opposition to the crucial Ukrainian aid package.

During the meeting, EU leadership criticized Hungary’s stance as unacceptable, according to EU Council President Antonio Costa.

“A deal is a deal, we need to honour our word. And no one can blackmail the European Council,” Costa declared.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed that European leaders had directed the European Commission to explore alternative funding mechanisms for the loan. He characterized Orban’s opposition as an unprecedented “act of serious disloyalty.”

“This will leave its mark,” Merz stated. “This is a serious violation of the principle of loyalty of the member states amongst each other, and it damages the standing of the European Union.”

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un made another public appearance with his teenage daughter Thursday, this time taking a ride together in a military tank during army training exercises, according to state media photographs released Friday.

The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim supervised tank unit drills and infantry exercises on Thursday, demanding that military forces finalize their combat readiness preparations.

State media images depicted Kim and his daughter wearing matching black leather jackets while riding in an olive-colored tank alongside other military personnel during Thursday’s training session. The photographs captured the young girl poking her head through the tank’s opening while Kim sat atop the vehicle with a smile.

The daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and approximately 13 years old, has been making regular appearances at significant military and state functions alongside her father since the end of 2022, leading international observers to wonder if she’s being positioned as his successor. North Korean official media has described her as Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” daughter and has released numerous images and videos highlighting their bond.

During the previous week, the father-daughter duo discharged handguns while touring a weapons manufacturing facility and observed live testing of multiple rocket launcher systems. In September, she traveled with her father to Beijing, and during New Year’s festivities, she was photographed kissing her father’s cheek.

South Korea’s intelligence services concluded last month that Kim Jong Un appears ready to name her as his successor. However, some analysts question this evaluation, pointing to Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and North Korea’s heavily patriarchal leadership structure.

The North Korean military training occurred while the United States and South Korea conducted their yearly joint military drills, which North Korea considers practice for an invasion. The allied nations concluded their 11-day computerized command center exercise on Thursday, though field training operations continue.

Officials in the United Arab Emirates announced Friday they have successfully broken up what they describe as a terrorist organization backed financially and operationally by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, leading to multiple arrests.

The state news agency reported the dismantled organization was engaged in “money laundering, financing terrorism and threatening national security.”

Neither Hezbollah nor Iranian officials have responded to the allegations at this time.

This development comes amid escalating tensions following the U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran that began in late February, during which Tehran has conducted extensive missile and drone strikes throughout the Gulf region, with the UAE facing particularly heavy targeting.

UAE officials report their nation has endured hundreds of attacks, with strikes damaging oil infrastructure, port facilities, and locations close to major population centers.

The Emirates has historically maintained opposition to political Islamist organizations. Hezbollah, supported by Iran, joined the broader conflict on March 2 by launching attacks against Israel from Lebanese territory, which prompted Israel to respond with widespread aerial bombardments targeting Hezbollah positions throughout Lebanon.

According to the UAE’s state news agency, “The network had been operating within the country under a fictitious commercial cover and sought to infiltrate the national economy and carry out external schemes threatening the country’s financial stability.”

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil has implemented comprehensive new legislation designed to protect children from harmful online content, marking what experts describe as a significant advancement in safeguarding young internet users.

The initiative gained momentum last August when social media personality Felipe Bressanim, who goes by Felca, released a video condemning the sexual exploitation of minors on digital platforms. His 50-minute presentation, which attracted 52 million YouTube viewers, helped fast-track legislation that had been under development since 2022.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents into law in September after it passed through both congressional chambers. The regulations officially began this Tuesday.

The new statute mandates that children under 16 must connect their social media profiles to a parent or guardian’s account for monitoring purposes. Additionally, it bans platforms from employing engagement tactics like endless scrolling and automatic video playback. Digital companies must also establish robust age verification systems that go beyond simple user declarations of being 18 or older to prevent access to inappropriate content.

“We can no longer think that freedom doesn’t go hand in hand with protection,” Lula stated during Wednesday’s signing ceremony. “Enough of tolerating exploitation, sexual abuse, child pornography, bullying, incitement to violence and self-harm just because it happens in the digital environment.”

Maria Mello, who leads the digital rights division at the Alana Institute, explained that design elements specifically created to maintain user engagement pose particular dangers to children.

“It increases anxiety levels, pulls children out of school, causes vision problems,” Mello explained. Additional concerns encompass sexual predation, promotion of self-destructive behaviors, online harassment, and the commercial exploitation of minors’ personal information.

Brazil joins a growing number of nations worldwide addressing child safety in digital spaces. Australia recently enacted the world’s first complete social media prohibition for users under 16 in December, while Indonesia announced similar restrictions beginning this year.

Rather than implementing a total prohibition, Brazil’s approach emphasizes strengthening parental oversight, according to Guilherme Klafke, a legal scholar at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank. The new framework, he explained, “places more responsibility on those who offer digital products and services that may be accessed by children and adolescents.”

Lincoln Silva, a 48-year-old business owner collecting his children ages 8 and 11 from their Rio de Janeiro school Thursday, expressed support for the new rules, saying they will limit exposure to age-inappropriate material. “There’s information we should only have in adulthood,” he commented.

Technology companies have announced various changes to comply with the new requirements. WhatsApp revealed plans for parent-controlled accounts last week, giving guardians authority over their child’s contacts and group memberships.

Google announced it will deploy artificial intelligence in Brazil to determine whether users are minors or adults to automatically restrict certain material. YouTube will also require parental approval for users under 16 to establish or maintain channels.

Organizations that violate the new regulations face penalties up to 50 million reais (roughly $9.5 million).

The new limitations might frustrate younger users, noted Renata Tomaz, a communications professor at Getulio Vargas Foundation. She emphasized the importance of communicating with children to help them understand the law’s purpose.

“We need to convey all these points that we consider essential to protect children and adolescents in such a way that allows them to look at this law and say: ‘It’s good that I’m being protected.’”

WASHINGTON — A public disagreement between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s strike on Iran’s largest gas facility has highlighted the first major rift between the allies since their 20-day military campaign against Iran began.

Israel’s assault on the South Pars gas facility triggered Iranian counterstrikes against energy infrastructure across the Middle East. These retaliatory attacks drove global energy costs higher and prompted Gulf nation allies to urge Trump to restrain Netanyahu’s actions.

The consequences of this strike have left both Trump and Netanyahu addressing concerns about whether their war coordination remains seamless after what started as a joint offensive against their shared regional adversary. Any visible gap between the leaders could influence how the conflict unfolds and ultimately concludes.

Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office session with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump stated he neither supported nor authorized Israel’s strike on the massive gas field that serves as Iran’s energy backbone.

“I told him, ‘Don’t do that,’” Trump said regarding Netanyahu’s strike decision. “We get along great. It’s coordinated, but on occasion he’ll do something. And if I don’t like it — and so we’re not doing that anymore.”

Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel “acted alone” and confirmed he has accepted Trump’s request to halt additional attacks on Iran’s major gas infrastructure. The prime minister worked to minimize any perceived disagreement with Trump.

“It’s been said that for 40 years I’ve been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true,” Netanyahu stated during a Jerusalem press briefing. “You know who else said that? President Trump.”

Netanyahu further emphasized: “Look, I don’t think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He’s the leader. I’m his ally. America is the leader.”

Trump’s initial public response to Wednesday’s Iranian gas field attack came hours later through a heated social media message where he also stated the U.S. “knew nothing” about the operation beforehand.

However, two sources familiar with the situation who requested anonymity said the U.S. received advance notice of Israel’s intentions. One source indicated Israel coordinates its target selection with American officials.

Senior U.S. administration officials argued Thursday that Trump remains aligned with Netanyahu while prioritizing what he considers America’s national security interests in his Iran approach.

American air operations have concentrated on destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, further damaging its struggling nuclear infrastructure, and eliminating its naval forces. Israel has meanwhile conducted multiple high-profile assassinations aimed at overthrowing the Islamic leadership that has governed since 1979.

The prime minister has characterized this period as a chance to create a new Middle Eastern dynamic with Tehran under more moderate leadership that wouldn’t threaten Israel.

Netanyahu benefits from Israeli public opinion that strongly backs the war compared to American sentiment. This support provides him political freedom to pursue extended operations that could decisively weaken Iran’s religious government.

While Trump has provided various explanations for the conflict, he has consistently stated that preventing Iran from “never having a nuclear weapon” remains his main goal.

“The objectives that have been laid out by the president are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told House intelligence committee members Thursday when questioned about the White House stance on the gas field attack.

Unlike Netanyahu, Trump has become less enthusiastic about removing Iran’s religious leadership and establishing more moderate governance.

This represents a notable shift for the president from the conflict’s beginning, when he confidently assured Iranians they would soon have opportunities to end 47 years of clerical control.

During a Fox News Radio interview last week, Trump expressed much more caution about prospects for government opponents and voiced concerns about the paramilitary Basij force, which has been crucial in suppressing recent nationwide demonstrations and maintaining its threatening presence in Iran.

“So, I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons. I think it’s a very big hurdle,” Trump said.

When host Brian Kilmeade asked if he supported Netanyahu’s appeals for Iranians to reclaim their nation, Trump indicated he doubted their readiness for uprising. “I would think that Bibi would understand that too,” Trump added.

Throughout Trump’s five White House years, Netanyahu has been among his most reliable international allies. The Israeli leader consistently praises the Jewish state’s unprecedented White House support.

However, during the past three weeks, Trump and his staff have recognized both nations approach the war with different perspectives. Trump has called these differences understandable.

“You know, they’re there, and we’re very far away,” Trump observed.

Overall, Trump and Netanyahu’s disagreements remain mostly surface-level, according to Joel Rubin, a former Obama administration State Department official.

The Israeli prime minister has spent “many decades” seeking American backing for his goal of launching devastating strikes against Iran. Trump, Rubin noted, represents “the first president to say, ‘Go for it!’”

Nevertheless, extended warfare could increase Trump’s political pressures and deepen divisions, Rubin warned.

“When the war ends it’s likely gonna be Trump’s call and I do think that we’re probably gonna have a dynamic where, in the future, they’ll have to figure out how to be in sync in terms of identifying and defining when it’s time to end the military operation,” Rubin said regarding Trump and Netanyahu. “And Israel does not have the same focus on global oil markets as the U.S., and the repercussions.”

President Donald Trump has directed Israeli leadership to cease attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure as retaliatory strikes between the nations have caused global fuel costs to surge dramatically, intensifying the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The president’s directive followed Thursday’s sharp increase in energy markets after Iran retaliated against an Israeli assault on a significant gas facility by targeting Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City. This facility handles approximately 20% of global liquefied natural gas production, and the resulting damage will require several years to fully repair.

Iranian forces also struck Saudi Arabia’s primary Red Sea port facility, which the kingdom has been using to reroute exports around Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical Gulf shipping passage.

These attacks highlighted Iran’s ongoing capacity to inflict significant economic damage during the U.S.-Israeli military campaign and exposed vulnerabilities in air defense systems protecting the region’s most crucial energy assets.

Facing political pressure from rising fuel costs among his voter base before November’s midterm elections, Trump has criticized allies who have shown reluctance to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments.

However, the president confirmed he had instructed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid future energy infrastructure attacks.

“I told him, ‘Don’t do that’, and he won’t do that,” Trump stated to reporters during a Thursday Oval Office session.

Sources familiar with military planning, including one U.S. official and three others with knowledge of the discussions, revealed to Reuters that Trump is weighing the deployment of additional thousands of American forces to the Middle East as the conflict, which has claimed over 2,000 lives, continues.

Despite these reports, Trump denied any plans for ground force deployment on Thursday. “I’m not putting troops anywhere,” he declared.

Netanyahu subsequently acknowledged Thursday that Israel conducted the South Pars gas field bombing independently and verified that Trump had requested Israel refrain from similar operations.

The Israeli leader claimed Iran has been “decimated” and lost its uranium enrichment and ballistic missile manufacturing capabilities after 20 days of coordinated U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. However, he noted that regime change would require a “ground component” beyond aerial operations, though he provided no additional details.

During Netanyahu’s remarks, Iranian forces launched another missile barrage toward Israel, according to statements from Israel’s military and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Nearly three weeks into the conflict with no resolution in sight, and growing concerns about a global “oil shock,” seven allied nations issued a joint declaration. Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan expressed “our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait.”

The allies also committed to “other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.”

However, immediate action appears unlikely. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that any assistance in securing the strait would only occur after hostilities conclude.

Major U.S. allies’ reluctance to engage reflects skepticism about a conflict European leaders describe as having unclear objectives they neither sought nor can control.

Israel’s South Pars gas field attack, which Trump said occurred without U.S. knowledge, revealed coordination gaps between the primary participants regarding strategy and objectives.

Three Israeli officials created additional confusion by stating the operation occurred with U.S. consultation but would likely not be repeated.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard informed the House intelligence committee that American and Israeli objectives differ: “…the Israeli government has been focused on disabling the Iranian leadership. The president has stated that his objectives are to destroy Iran’s ballistic missiles launching capability, their ballistic missile production capability, and their navy.”

Iran’s military declared that strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure had initiated “a new stage in the war” prompting attacks on U.S.-linked energy facilities.

“If strikes (on Iran’s energy facilities) happen again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed,” Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari warned through state media.

QatarEnergy’s chief executive confirmed to Reuters that Iranian attacks eliminated one-sixth of Qatar’s LNG export capacity, representing $20 billion annually in lost revenue, with repairs requiring three to five years.

Israeli media reported Iranian strikes damaged oil facilities at Israel’s Haifa port without causing casualties.

Since Wednesday, Iranian attacks have forced the UAE to close its Habshan gas facility and ignited fires at two Kuwaiti oil refineries.

HAVANA (AP) — Two Russian oil tankers are navigating toward Cuba, bringing the island nation’s first fuel deliveries in three months as the country grapples with widespread power outages and a deteriorating electrical infrastructure.

The Russian vessel Anatoly Kolodkin is currently positioned approximately 3,000 nautical miles away in the Atlantic and should arrive within 10 days, according to Jorge Piñón, a specialist with the University of Texas Energy Institute who spoke to The Associated Press.

This delivery would represent Cuba’s first oil arrival from any nation during a three-month period marked by a U.S. energy embargo.

The sanctioned tanker holds 730,000 barrels of fuel and appears on sanctions lists maintained by the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom due to the Ukraine conflict, Piñón explained.

A second ship, the Hong Kong-registered Sea Horse, is also reportedly transporting Russian petroleum to Cuba with roughly 200,000 barrels of diesel aboard, Piñón noted.

He pointed out that Cuba’s daily diesel consumption reaches about 20,000 barrels, meaning the Sea Horse’s cargo won’t fully meet overall diesel needs considering the nation’s depleted storage reserves.

Piñón expects the fuel will primarily serve “critical sectors of the economy,” including transportation and agricultural operations.

The Sea Horse could reach Cuba within four days if that destination is confirmed, he said.

Piñón observed that the vessel remained stationary for 20 days in Atlantic waters before resuming its west-southwestward course. It currently sits roughly 958 nautical miles from Matanzas, Cuba.

Tracking these ships proves challenging because some vessels disable their satellite monitoring systems to avoid detection amid international sanctions and potential U.S. seizure threats, according to experts.

Should either vessel’s arrival be verified, it would mark 2025’s first Russian oil delivery to Cuba. The last detected shipment arrived via the Ocean Mariner carrying 85,000 barrels from Mexico’s Pajaritos port on January 9.

During Thursday Senate testimony, General Francis Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, stated his personnel are monitoring a Russian destroyer accompanied by a fuel “replenishment ship” scheduled for a Cuban port visit. He indicated the oiler’s cargo, even if unloaded, would unlikely significantly impact Cuba’s oil situation.

When questioned by senators, Donovan clarified his command isn’t currently practicing military intervention scenarios in Cuba and focuses solely on safeguarding the U.S. Embassy and Guantanamo Bay military installation, though it can address Caribbean migration or humanitarian emergencies if necessary.

Cuba generates merely 40% of its petroleum needs domestically, relying on Russia, Mexico, and Venezuela for the remainder.

However, essential Venezuelan shipments ceased after the U.S. targeted the South American nation in early January and detained its former president, Nicolás Maduro — a crucial commercial and ideological ally of Cuba.

In late January, President Donald Trump warned of imposing tariffs on any nation selling or providing oil to Cuba. That same month, Mexico suspended its oil exports to the island.

These developments have intensified Cuba’s energy and economic difficulties, resulting in 10-hour power failures, reduced work schedules, limited transportation options, and declining tourism revenues — formerly a primary income source.

The deteriorating conditions have also triggered minor demonstrations.

Cuba has endured a serious economic downturn since this decade’s start due to stricter U.S. sanctions, COVID-19 pandemic effects, and domestic financial reforms that sparked inflation.

Food and medication scarcities have become commonplace for Cuban citizens. These crises have also accelerated emigration, especially among youth and skilled professionals, to the United States, Mexico, and Europe.

This week, European activists participating in an ongoing international assistance convoy delivered over four tons of medical supplies to the island. Additional aid is anticipated Friday by aircraft and Saturday through a large flotilla bringing solar panels, medical equipment, and preserved food gathered by Mexican activists. British Parliament member Jeremy Corbyn and Irish hip-hop group Kneecap are expected among the flotilla passengers traveling to Cuba.

Trump has declared readiness to take Cuba through any necessary means, while the Cuban government, despite acknowledging U.S. discussions, has maintained its sovereign position.

MEXICO CITY – Mexican naval officials reported Thursday that eleven individuals suspected of criminal activity died during a military security operation conducted in the northern state of Sinaloa.

The deadly confrontation occurred as part of ongoing security efforts in the region, according to statements released by Mexico’s navy forces.

No additional details about the specific circumstances of the operation or the identities of those killed were immediately provided by authorities.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will make an unexpected diplomatic trip to Israel on Friday following discussions in Beirut on Thursday, as France works to ease Middle Eastern tensions and broker a Lebanese ceasefire.

According to the French foreign ministry, Barrot plans to address regional security concerns, humanitarian assistance matters, and efforts to calm ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts with Israeli officials.

Sources close to the situation indicate Israel has dismissed Beirut’s proposal for direct negotiations, viewing the offer as insufficient and overdue from a Lebanese government that opposes Iran-supported Hezbollah but worries that confronting the group could trigger internal warfare.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who held talks with Barrot on Thursday, has shown openness to starting direct discussions with Israel. These talks come after Israel launched aerial attacks on Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s March 2 assault on Israel. Despite diplomatic overtures, Hezbollah has refused the negotiation proposal and continues fighting.

Given France’s longstanding relationship with Lebanon, the country has joined the United States in attempting to mediate the dispute. Barrot coordinated with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio prior to his Lebanese visit.

“We call on the Israeli and Lebanese representatives to conduct constructive negotiations with a view to finding a lasting political solution, and we are ready, if necessary, to welcome them,” foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told reporters earlier on Thursday.

Last week, France offered alternative suggestions to American proposals aimed at ending the conflict, according to two diplomatic sources.

Three diplomatic officials revealed that Washington has shown limited enthusiasm for France’s recommendations, though conversations between the two allies continue. They also noted that Israel has turned down the French proposals.

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar — The military leader of Madagascar announced Thursday that prospective government ministers must undergo polygraph testing as part of an anti-corruption screening process.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who assumed control of the Indian Ocean nation following an October coup, revealed that Madagascar has obtained lie detector equipment and trained personnel to evaluate potential cabinet members.

“We will know who is corrupt and who can help us,” Randrianirina stated. “We are not looking for someone who is 100% clean, but someone who is more than 60% clean.”

The military officer led the overthrow of President Andry Rajoelina after weeks of demonstrations last year, primarily driven by young citizens angry about inadequate public services and limited opportunities in the poverty-stricken country of approximately 32 million people.

Last week, Randrianirina dismissed his complete cabinet and disbanded the government structure. He named a new prime minister this past Sunday.

“After taking the polygraph test, candidates who fail will not proceed to an interview,” Randrianirina explained to media representatives. “Those who pass the polygraph test will have an interview with me and the prime minister.”

The military leader has committed to conducting fresh elections within two years of assuming power.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Military strikes targeting major energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf region are sparking concerns about sustained disruptions that could drive up costs for fuel, electricity, technology components, and food supplies worldwide.

Thursday’s Iranian assault on crucial Gulf energy facilities came as payback for Israel’s strike on a natural gas operation that provides the majority of Iran’s gas supply. These retaliatory exchanges have heightened worries that initial war-related price increases could become permanent fixtures in the global economy.

Regional nations have already reduced oil production after Iranian strike threats forced most tanker operations through the Strait of Hormuz to halt, creating a bottleneck with nowhere for the oil to flow. Even when the strait reopens safely for tanker passage, energy supplies will take considerable time to resume normal flow because of the complicated process required to restart refineries and related operations. Any infrastructure damage from continued military action will extend these delays further.

Asian markets are experiencing the most severe impact since the majority of oil and gas passing through the strait heads to that region. Philippine government operations now run just four days weekly with orders to reduce air conditioning usage. Vietnamese authorities have encouraged remote work arrangements.

The disruptions extend beyond petroleum products. Critical materials including helium for semiconductor manufacturing and sulfur for fertilizer production face supply obstacles that could soon create shortages, pushing up prices throughout entire production chains.

Several major facilities have become primary targets in the conflict.

The South Pars natural gas field represents the planet’s largest such reserve, shared between Iran and Qatar, where Qatar calls its section the North Field. South Pars provides most of the natural gas Iran uses for residential heating and power generation.

Israeli forces struck facilities at Asuleyah connected to this field, prompting Iranian warnings of attacks on energy sites throughout other Gulf nations.

Iran already faces periodic electricity production challenges. Losing South Pars gas supplies would create additional hardships for Iranian civilians.

President Donald Trump stated Israel would not target South Pars again, but issued a social media warning that continued Iranian strikes on Qatar’s energy infrastructure would trigger U.S. retaliation to “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.

The planet’s biggest LNG export operation sustained “extensive” damage during Thursday’s Iranian retaliatory strike. State-owned QatarEnergy had already suspended operations following an earlier drone attack.

Ras Laffan processes gas from Qatar’s portion of the shared field with Iran, known as the North Field. The facility cools gas until it becomes liquid for tanker transport, primarily to Asian markets.

This attack severely impacted global energy markets since Qatar supplies 20% of worldwide liquefied natural gas. European consumers are already experiencing significantly higher prices.

This tanker facility has processed nearly all of Iran’s approximately 1.6 million daily barrels of pre-conflict crude exports, with most shipments bound for China. Trump announced U.S. bombing of military positions on Kharg Island March 13 while avoiding oil infrastructure, though he warned those energy facilities could face future attacks.

Some tankers continue loading operations there. Iranian oil appears to be exiting the Gulf through a “dark fleet” of vessels using false location data and hidden ownership to avoid sanctions, according to maritime intelligence firms.

Saudi Aramco’s pipeline connecting the Abqaiq oil processing facility near the Persian Gulf to Yanbu port on the Red Sea bypasses the Hormuz bottleneck, enabling Saudi Arabia to maintain substantial oil exports. However, the pipeline cannot fully compensate for the Hormuz closure. Saudi officials reported strikes on their SAMREF refinery at Yanbu, raising questions about continued oil export capabilities through that port.

This crucial tanker terminal on the Gulf of Oman allows Abu Dhabi to export significant oil volumes through a pipeline from the Habshan oil and gas field without using the Strait of Hormuz. Two strikes have disrupted operations, though activities have reportedly resumed.

After a drone attack, Kuwait Petroleum company reported Thursday that facility fires were extinguished, without detailing damage extent. Refineries are essential to Kuwait’s oil production since wells must shut down without processing destinations. Restarting refineries requires extensive time for safety protocols, keeping wells largely inactive until refineries resume operations.

Salalah hosts an $800 million facility producing liquid petroleum gas for Asian export, commonly used for cooking fuel. Indian restaurants have reduced operating hours and eliminated energy-intensive menu items like curries and fried foods. Located outside the Strait of Hormuz, operations were suspended as a precautionary measure following drone strikes.

This site provides approximately 20% of Abu Dhabi’s natural gas supply and serves as a major sulfur supplier extracted from gas, used in fertilizer and chemical manufacturing. Operations ceased Tuesday due to drone strike damage.

Four people died in overnight Iranian missile attacks that struck multiple locations across Israel and the West Bank from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to emergency services.

Warning sirens blared six separate times during the eight-hour period from midnight to 8 a.m. Thursday as waves of incoming missiles targeted various regions. The Magen David Adom ambulance service reported that a 30-year-old foreign worker in Moshav Adanim sustained fatal shrapnel injuries and died from critical wounds.

Near Hebron in the West Bank village of Beit Awwa, three Palestinian women lost their lives while 13 others were injured, with two victims in critical condition, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed. Palestinian Authority officials named the deceased women as Sahira, Amal and Mais Masalma, aged 50, 36 and 17 respectively.

These deaths represent the first Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank since the ongoing conflict involving America, Israel and Iran began.

Video evidence from the attacks suggested that Iran deployed cluster munitions in at least one of the strikes. A separate projectile demolished a residence in Neta, located close to Beit Awwa, leaving extensive structural damage.

The missile barrage caused widespread destruction across multiple sites. A Tel Aviv building suffered major damage after taking a direct hit.

Wednesday’s earlier attacks wounded three people in Petah Tikva in central Israel – a 44-year-old man and two children aged 13 and 12 – though their injuries were reported as minor.

Emergency sirens also activated in Haifa, the Galilee region, the Golan Heights, and near Eilat in southern Israel, but authorities reported no casualties in those locations.

Four people died in overnight Iranian missile attacks that targeted multiple locations across Israel and the West Bank from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to emergency services reports.

Warning sirens blared six separate times during an eight-hour period from midnight to 8 a.m. Thursday, signaling continuous incoming attacks. Emergency responders from Magen David Adom reported that a 30-year-old foreign worker sustained fatal shrapnel injuries in Moshav Adanim and died from critical wounds.

Near Hebron in the village of Beit Awwa, three Palestinian women lost their lives while 13 others sustained injuries, with two victims remaining in critical condition, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported. Palestinian Authority officials named the deceased women as Sahira, Amal and Mais Masalma, whose ages were 50, 36 and 17 respectively.

These deaths represent the first Palestinian casualties in the West Bank since the ongoing conflict involving America, Israel and Iran commenced.

A separate projectile struck a residence in Neta, located close to Beit Awwa, resulting in extensive property damage. Video evidence from the bombardment suggested that Iranian forces deployed cluster munitions in at least one of the attacks.

Property damage occurred across several other locations during the assault. A Tel Aviv building suffered considerable structural damage from a direct hit.

On Wednesday before the overnight attacks, three people sustained minor injuries in Petah Tikva in central Israel – a 44-year-old adult and two children aged 13 and 12.

Emergency alert systems also activated in Haifa, the Galilee region, the Golan Heights and near Eilat in southern Israel, although no casualties were documented in those locations.

ROME (AP) — Just steps away from Rome’s famous Pantheon lies a tranquil cloister that remains largely unknown to the millions of visitors who pass by daily.

Beyond its massive wooden entrance, decorated walls tell the story of centuries filled with drama, from papal elections to the religious trial of scientist Galileo Galilei. The general public cannot access these historic frescoes.

The courtyard centers around a fish pond surrounded by olive trees, two towering palms, and an orange tree whose fruit the resident friars transform into marmalade. Content cats rest in warm patches of sunlight across the lawn. Twenty Dominican friars continue to call the surrounding convent home while performing their religious duties.

“It is designed to be a place of prayer, of meditation and therefore in some way to encourage prayer and the meditation of the friars,” said Friar Aucone.

Throughout history, this location has drawn notable personalities including St. Catherine of Siena and Renaissance artist Fra Angelico, both entombed in the neighboring basilica. The site witnessed significant moments such as papal elections and proceedings of the Roman Inquisition.

The adjacent basilica’s title, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, reflects its layered past — a Christian church honoring the Virgin Mary constructed above an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Minerva, goddess of wisdom.

“This cloister of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is one of the largest and perhaps the most beautiful in all of Rome and it was a great cultural center in ancient times and it is even now,” said Claudio Strinati, an art historian.

During Julius Caesar’s era, citizens gathered here to vote. Dominican Friars constructed their church on this location in the late 1200s. The current cloister replaced an earlier version around 1570, designed by Guidetto Giudetti, who studied under Michelangelo.

Wall and ceiling frescoes display rosary mysteries intended to inspire contemplation among the Dominican residents. Additional artwork tucked into alcoves throughout the cloister reveals the complex and sometimes troubled history of this place and its occupants.

During the 16th century, the convent housed Roman Inquisition offices. High on the cloister walls, medallion portraits show beheaded Dominican Friars who served as inquisitors, depicted with severed necks and their heads in their hands.

“Among other things there was the tribunal of the Inquisition where famously Galileo Galilei was interrogated,” explained Strinati.

Within a chamber adjacent to the cloister, Galileo Galilei faced inquisition judges in 1633, compelled to abandon his “heretical” theory that Earth and other planets orbit the sun.

Fra Angelico, the Renaissance master and Dominican friar, resided at the convent while creating frescoes for the Vatican’s Niccoline chapel. Though in his fifties, Fra Angelico appears much older in his cloister wall medallion — a weathered elderly man in religious robes bent over his artwork.

Another medallion depicts St. Catherine of Siena, who lived at the convent and lies buried in the adjacent basilica. Friar Aucone observes with humor that while they possess her remains, her skull had to be given to Dominican Friars in Siena.

The structure encircling the cloister hosted two papal conclaves that chose Pope Eugene IV in 1431 and Pope Nicholas V in 1447. Five popes rest within the Basilica.

According to Strinati, concealed gems like the Santa Maria Sopra Minerva cloister contribute to Rome’s magical appeal.

“There is all the history hidden and therefore sometimes something is found and all generations, including mine, have discovered things,” he said. “The generations that will come later will continue to discover why it is so great and so profound that much is secret and hidden. And that is an element of its charm.”

A prominent Israeli missile defense authority warns that Iran’s cluster-equipped missiles present a critical timing challenge for defensive systems.

“After the cluster has opened, it’s too late,” Dr. Uzi Rubin explained to The Media Line, emphasizing the narrow window available to neutralize these weapons.

Rubin’s assessment comes amid growing scrutiny of cluster warhead technology used in Iranian missile strikes during recent hostilities with Israel. These weapons release numerous smaller explosive devices rather than delivering one large blast, creating unique defensive challenges.

The fundamental problem, according to Rubin, is straightforward: ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads must be destroyed before their payload separates and scatters submunitions. After that dispersal occurs, the weapon transforms from a single target into multiple threats, drastically reducing the effectiveness of interception efforts.

Rubin brings extensive credentials to his analysis. He established and directed Israel’s Missile Defense Organization from 1991 through 1999, guiding development of the Arrow system—Israel’s initial national missile defense capability. His subsequent roles included senior positions at Israel’s National Security Council, Israel Aerospace Industries, and the Defense Ministry. He also conducted research at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Arms Control. The Israeli government recognized his contributions with Defense Prizes in 1996 and 2003, while the US Missile Defense Agency honored him with the David Israel Prize.

When describing cluster warhead mechanics, Rubin began with historical context. “What is a cluster warhead?” Rubin said. “A cluster warhead is a class of bombs, which were more famously used in the Vietnam War and other wars. It’s a bomb which contains, instead of one big barrel of explosive, it contains a lot of small bomblets.”

He outlined the weapon’s operation during its final approach. “So a cluster warhead for a missile is the same thing,” Rubin said. “The tip of the missile, instead of containing a big barrel of explosives, contains a mechanism which holds on to a lot of small bombs. And when the missile approaches the target, it opens its skin, it peels off, and it spins around, and the bomblets are released and released into space and fall on the ground.”

Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal encompasses various systems developed over many years, with most capable of carrying different warhead configurations, Rubin noted. “Every one of their missiles, and they have several types, heavier ones, smaller ones,” he said. “For each one of them, they have a regular warhead or a cluster warhead.” The quantity of submunitions depends on the specific missile platform and its carrying capacity. “Cluster warheads can contain, let’s say, from 20-30 bomblets to 70-80 bomblets; it depends on the type of the missile.”

Defense systems face a critical timing constraint when engaging these threats. Interceptor missiles must eliminate incoming weapons while their warheads remain consolidated. After cluster mechanisms activate and disperse bomblets, successful interception becomes significantly more challenging since the destructive payload has already separated.

“Interception usually is done if it’s successful,” Rubin said. “It’s not always successful. It’s above the altitude where it opens there, and it disperses the cluster, when it’s still held in one piece.”

Technical analysis indicates cluster warheads typically release their contents at relatively low altitudes compared to ballistic missile flight paths. “In the papers, they say that the opening altitude of clusters is a dispersed altitude of 7 kilometers,” Rubin said. “Seven kilometers is pretty low. Most of the interception is done above that.”

Despite their unique characteristics, cluster warheads don’t require fundamentally different defensive approaches, according to Rubin. The core strategy mirrors that used against conventional ballistic missiles: eliminate the threat as early as possible during its flight path, well before it approaches target areas. “So, there is no difference in intercepting cluster warheads than the regular warhead,” he said. “You have to intercept them well away from the target.”

Below certain altitudes, successful interception becomes extremely difficult regardless of warhead type. “After the cluster has opened, it’s too late,” Rubin said. “But anyway, even if there’s not a cluster, a unitary bombhead, a barrel, below a certain altitude, you cannot intercept it anymore. It’s too late.”

This altitude limitation clarifies a widespread misunderstanding about Israel’s layered defense network. Iron Dome targets short-range rockets, while Arrow systems engage long-range ballistic missiles at high altitudes above Israeli airspace. The internationally recognized Iron Dome system isn’t designed to handle ballistic missile threats. “The Iron Dome is too low for that,” Rubin said. “The Iron Dome is not designed against that. It’s designed against a short-range rocket.”

Cluster and conventional warheads serve distinct tactical purposes, Rubin explained. Cluster munitions distribute damage over broader areas, posing greater threats to exposed personnel and unfortified facilities. “It depends for what use,” Rubin said. “A cluster warhead is very dangerous against troops in the open, against installations which are not protected.”

Traditional warheads focus their destructive force at single impact points. “A unitary warhead is more dangerous to, like you saw what happened last night in that village … that was a unitary warhead,” Rubin said.

Individual bomblets carry relatively modest explosive power compared to full ballistic missile payloads, but their combined impact remains lethal. Rubin likened submunition effects to rockets frequently launched by militant groups from Gaza. “No, it’s a small bomb,” he said. “The effect is like a Grad, a rocket that comes from Gaza. It can be fatal.”

The cluster warheads employed in recent conflicts aren’t new technology, Rubin emphasized. When asked whether versions used in current fighting differed from those fired in previous Iranian-Israeli exchanges, his response was brief. “Same thing,” he said. “They fired less of them, but it’s the same thing.”

For Rubin, the central challenge isn’t technological innovation but the compressed timeframe for effective response. Missile interception depends on altitude and split-second timing. Early destruction prevents warhead deployment; failure shifts the focus from prevention to damage mitigation.

Pakistani officials on Tuesday firmly disputed Afghan Taliban assertions that Pakistan Air Force aircraft bombed a medical facility in Kabul during overnight strikes on March 16. Taliban leaders alleged the attack on a hospital or drug treatment center resulted in 400 patient deaths, though independent confirmation remains unavailable.

Pakistani authorities maintain their aircraft targeted Taliban military installations rather than healthcare facilities, while Taliban representatives characterized the bombing as a mass-casualty assault on civilians.

Security officials from Pakistan stated the location housed weapons and explosives. They cited a large explosion visible throughout Kabul and surrounding areas as proof that significant amounts of combustible materials were stockpiled at the site. A high-ranking security official informed The Media Line that such operations occur only following thorough surveillance and intelligence confirmation from various sources, emphasizing that the air force strikes only validated targets without causing unintended damage.

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar reported that Pakistan’s military conducted targeted airstrikes against Afghan Taliban military bases in Kabul and Nangarhar provinces that were reportedly supporting terrorist activities.

“The strikes targeted two locations in Kabul and four in Nangarhar, including ammunition depots, logistics hubs, and technical infrastructure used to back militant proxies,” he added.

Tarar stated the Nangarhar operations hit facilities and equipment that Pakistan claims the Taliban used to assist proxy militant organizations. He also dismissed Taliban assertions of civilian fatalities.

Taliban representatives provided vastly different details. Kabul deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat alleged that the attack on a drug treatment facility resulted in 400 deaths and 250 wounded.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s primary spokesperson, independently verified that air raids occurred and declared that diplomatic options with Islamabad were exhausted, stating the organization would pursue retaliation.

The core disagreement centers on both the target’s nature and casualty numbers. Taliban officials characterized the location as a treatment facility or medical center. Ahmad Nabizada, a former Afghan intelligence official based in Kabul, informed The Media Line that “PAF jets targeted the former US Phoenix camp, which was used by the regime’s Defense Ministry for storing leftover US ammunition and other explosives.”

Nabizada reported witnessing the camp ablaze and claimed the neighboring medical building was subsequently ignited and destroyed to hide the Phoenix camp’s devastation. He also challenged the reported casualty figures. The Media Line could not independently confirm these assertions.

Khaama Press, an Afghan digital news outlet referencing local sources, also documented that Pakistan conducted multiple air raids throughout the region, striking Jalalabad Airport and the Achin, Khogyani, and Shinwari districts. Regional authorities in Nangarhar have not released official casualty or damage reports from these attacks.

Pakistani representatives said the Nangarhar operations targeted terrorist hideouts, including weapons storage facilities and operational headquarters.

Islamabad reports the campaign extended beyond the disputed Kabul locations to strike central Taliban security infrastructure. During the weekend, Pakistan Air Force jets hit the Badri Unit training facility in Kandahar, the elite forces unit responsible for protecting Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

The heavily protected compound, located near a site associated with deceased Taliban founder Mullah Omar, represents one of the most reliable units under Akhundzada’s personal authority. Afghan news sources reported substantial casualties and destruction of arms and ammunition at the location, though precise numbers remain unverified.

Regional sources informed The Media Line that Akhundzada survived and evacuated to a protected area, contradicting early social media reports claiming his death.

Pakistan describes the current military action as part of a comprehensive campaign initiated after diplomatic efforts failed. Following what it characterized as exhausting all non-military methods to convince the Afghan Taliban to stop sheltering the prohibited Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), associated terrorist networks, the Balochistan Liberation Army, and al-Qaida, Pakistan began Operation Righteous Fury on February 26.

While Pakistan conducted operations along its western frontier, the United States and Israel initiated Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion against Iran on February 28. This timing overlap has complicated mediation efforts, strained diplomatic relations, and diverted international focus across a region already experiencing multiple simultaneous conflicts.

Following Righteous Fury’s launch, Pakistan’s military has executed continuous cross-border missions targeting armed organizations and Taliban-associated locations within Afghan territory.

The Pakistan Army’s communications division reports that air and ground units struck TTP safe houses, training facilities, weapons storage sites, and Taliban installations throughout Kabul, Kandahar, Khost, Nangarhar, Paktia, and Paktika provinces.

Military announcements claim hundreds of terrorists were eliminated, over 600 Taliban fighters died in initial operations, and dozens of outposts, vehicles, and critical attack infrastructure were destroyed. These statistics lack independent verification.

International alarm has increased alongside the escalating conflict. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan, voiced concern regarding recent airstrikes and called on both parties to reduce tensions. “I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and respect international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals,” he said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also advocated for peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute. He cautioned that military force would heighten tensions and endanger regional stability. China has pursued mediation initiatives, with its special Afghanistan envoy actively traveling between Kabul and Islamabad recently.

The Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation has received less international attention than the broader Middle East conflict, yet stems from a persistent disagreement with significant regional consequences. Pakistan has consistently accused Afghanistan’s Taliban administration of sheltering terrorist organizations, especially TTP, which Islamabad blames for cross-border attacks. Kabul rejects these accusations.

Farzana Shah, a Peshawar-based defense analyst and regional armed groups expert, informed The Media Line that “the current Pakistan–Afghanistan confrontation represents the kinetic phase of a long-simmering security rupture centered on cross-border militancy.”

She added that “since early 2026, Pakistan has shifted from defensive to pre-emptive airpower projection inside Afghanistan, targeting TTP sanctuaries and what it frames as enabling infrastructure under Taliban oversight.”

Shah noted the campaign might achieve short-term operational success but has not compelled the Taliban to break connections with TTP. Instead, she explained, Kabul has dismissed the accusations, reframed the situation as sovereignty violation, and transformed a counterterrorism disagreement into direct interstate conflict.

According to her assessment, the conflict will likely develop into an extended, low-level confrontation featuring periodic strikes, revenge attacks, and proxy escalation within Pakistan.

Muhammed Yasir Abassen, an Afghan political analyst and conflict specialist, concentrated on diplomatic prospects. He informed The Media Line that Pakistan will probably continue measured cross-border and remote strikes to discourage armed groups while attempting to prevent broader regional escalation.

Abassen predicted the Afghan Taliban will likely maintain defensive positioning, publicly rejecting the presence of groups like TTP, strengthening internal security, and avoiding direct conventional retaliation. He noted that without reliable verification or political discussions addressing the fundamental disagreement over safe havens, tensions will probably continue or worsen, despite potential temporary relief from regional mediation.

Additional evidence of internal Afghan pressure appeared in local media coverage. Taliban intelligence has cautioned local news organizations against reporting casualties from Pakistani airstrikes, warning such coverage could result in “serious consequences.”

Amu TV, referencing sources, reported Tuesday that the warning was distributed through WhatsApp to journalists, with Taliban intelligence monitoring border area reporting.

The advisory emerged as cross-border fighting with Pakistan reached its 20th day and independent examination of civilian casualty claims became increasingly difficult to maintain.

JERUSALEM – Israeli authorities confirmed Thursday that missiles fired by Iranian forces struck oil refining facilities in the northern coastal city of Haifa, though officials described the resulting damage as minimal.

Israel’s Energy Ministry reported that while the attack affected the Oil Refineries complex in the port city, the impact was not considered substantial. Energy Minister Eli Cohen noted that electrical service was temporarily interrupted but quickly restored for most customers who lost power.

“The damage to the power grid in the north is localized and not significant,” Cohen said. “Also, in the barrage towards the north, there was no significant damage to Israeli infrastructure sites.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for targeting the Haifa refineries, as well as facilities in the southern city of Ashdod, describing strikes on “a range of security targets and military support centres of the Zionist regime” that “were hit by pinpoint missiles.” Officials have not yet confirmed whether the Ashdod facility sustained any damage.

Law enforcement reported that explosive ordnance disposal teams responded to multiple locations throughout Haifa where projectiles had landed. Authorities confirmed no injuries resulted from the attack.

Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection indicated that fragments from an intercepted missile fell within Haifa city limits and are being assessed as potentially hazardous material.

The Israel Electric Corporation confirmed that shrapnel damaged a transmission line serving the Haifa region, leading to temporary power loss. However, electrical service was fully restored to all affected customers within approximately 45 minutes.

This incident follows a previous attack in June when Iranian missiles struck the same Haifa refinery complex, resulting in three fatalities and forcing operations to cease temporarily.

Brazil’s Finance Minister Fernando Haddad officially stepped down from his cabinet position Thursday as he prepares to launch a gubernatorial campaign in São Paulo state, providing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with a crucial political ally during this election year.

During a Thursday event in São Paulo, Haddad formally announced his departure from the finance ministry, followed by President Lula’s confirmation that Deputy Finance Minister Dario Durigan will take over the role in a move that political observers had anticipated.

The 63-year-old Haddad had telegraphed his intentions to leave the ministry position in late 2025, initially indicating he planned to focus on supporting Lula’s reelection campaign scheduled for October.

However, the political landscape has grown increasingly challenging for the leftist president, with recent polling data showing him in a statistical dead heat with Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, whose father, former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, narrowly lost to Lula in the 2022 election.

Speaking to the leftist publication Opera Mundi in a recent interview, Haddad admitted that “the scenario has become more complicated,” while confirming his candidacy plans without explicitly stating his intention to seek the São Paulo governorship.

Both Haddad and Lula are scheduled to appear at a Workers Party gathering at a São Paulo labor union facility at 7 p.m. local time (2100 GMT), a location that holds special significance for the president, who began his career as a metalworker.

The current political environment presents mounting challenges for Lula, complicated by rising oil prices stemming from escalating Middle East tensions that could trigger increased inflation. Haddad’s gubernatorial bid appears even more daunting given the competition he faces.

Polling data indicates that current Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a well-regarded Bolsonaro supporter, maintains a substantial lead in voter preference surveys.

Despite the challenging odds, the Workers Party leadership believes Haddad’s gubernatorial campaign could strengthen Lula’s position in a state that plays a pivotal role in presidential elections.

Should Haddad lose this race, it would extend a series of unsuccessful political campaigns for the attorney, who holds advanced degrees in economics and philosophy.

Following his successful 2012 São Paulo mayoral victory, Haddad suffered a first-round defeat in his 2016 reelection attempt. He also lost the 2018 presidential race after stepping in for Lula, who was prohibited from running due to a corruption conviction that was subsequently overturned on procedural issues.

Haddad’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign in São Paulo also ended in defeat, though party officials credited his candidacy with helping Lula capture a majority of votes in the state capital during that year’s presidential contest.

During his tenure as finance minister, Haddad spearheaded significant reforms to Brazil’s consumption tax system, addressing long-standing complexity issues that economists viewed as obstacles to economic growth.

He also implemented new fiscal guidelines aimed at stabilizing government finances, establishing budget objectives that the administration later modified. Critics targeted Haddad over Brazil’s accelerating public debt levels, primarily attributed to substantial interest payments amid concerns about expanding government expenditures.

Under Haddad’s leadership, Brazil’s income tax structure underwent changes that increased obligations for wealthy taxpayers while providing relief for lower-income citizens, eliminated regressive tax benefits, and promoted various climate-focused financing initiatives.

His tenure also included higher taxes on business credit, foreign currency transactions, and imported goods, reinforcing opposition claims that the leftist administration prioritized generating new revenue over reducing government spending.

BEIT AWA, West Bank — Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank had largely watched from the sidelines as Israel and Iran traded missile strikes over nearly three weeks of conflict. That changed Wednesday when four women lost their lives in a tragic attack.

The victims were gathered inside a small beauty parlor in Beit Awa when an Iranian missile hit just outside the establishment, launching deadly shrapnel through the walls and across shelves filled with nail supplies and colorful polish bottles.

Over a dozen people suffered injuries while four died, including an expectant mother in her sixth month of pregnancy and her daughter, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent and witnesses at the scene.

The day following the attack, the aftermath was devastating — hundreds of coffee cups and artificial nails were strewn across floors stained with blood. The salon, operated from a metal shipping container in a residential yard, was riddled with holes and surrounded by debris near a small impact crater.

Business owner Hadeel Masalmeh mourned the loss of friends and her business partner, Sahera Atileh. She recalled hearing warning sirens from the Israeli settlement of Negohot, located approximately 2 miles away. “We didn’t pay much attention and didn’t expect any shrapnel or anything like that to fall on us,” she said.

Israeli communities have organized their daily routines around such warning systems since hostilities began, with residents frequently rushing to protective shelters multiple times each day. However, Palestinians have continued their normal activities throughout the past three weeks, rarely reacting when distant alarms sound or occasional phones with Israeli networks issue emergency notifications.

Emergency responders faced significant obstacles reaching the wounded. What should have been a 10-minute journey to Beit Awa extended to 25 minutes, depriving victims of critical medical attention, explained Abedullraziq Almasalmeh. He described hearing rockets pass overhead before impact, feeling his home shake as he called for ambulances after 10 p.m.

The Palestinian Red Crescent blamed the delays on Israeli checkpoints surrounding Beit Awa that forced emergency vehicles to use longer alternate paths.

These Wednesday casualties represent the first Palestinian deaths in the West Bank since the current Iran conflict started. The Red Crescent had previously warned that hundreds of newly installed Israeli barriers and checkpoints throughout the region were increasingly blocking their access to Palestinians requiring urgent medical care. Qusai Jabr, who manages the organization’s disaster risk management division, told The Associated Press that during the war’s opening week, delays affected women giving birth, elderly stroke victims, and those injured in escalating Israeli settler violence.

“This forced closure caused significant delays, compelling ambulances to take long, rugged alternative routes, which critically impacted the ‘golden hour’ essential for life-saving interventions,” the Palestinian Red Crescent stated.

Israeli officials have not implemented the comprehensive lockdowns seen during last year’s 12-day Iran conflict. Nevertheless, emergency services like the Palestinian Red Crescent report that travel conditions have not improved, with ambulance crews finding many barriers frequently sealed. Jabr noted that checkpoint numbers increased from roughly 800 during the previous year’s war to approximately 1,100 today, including both staffed and automated installations.

The beauty salon incident highlighted how Palestinians living close enough to view Israel from their neighborhoods lack the protective shelters and emergency medical support that have successfully reduced Israeli casualties and injuries during nearly three weeks of Iranian missile attacks.

Israel maintains an extensive network of warning sirens and mobile alerts that guide citizens to reinforced shelters capable of protecting against incoming projectiles or fragments that fall after interception by Israel’s defensive systems. While shelter access varies across Israel, particularly in Arab-majority communities, construction regulations have mandated them in residential buildings since the first Gulf War, with public facilities available for those without private protection.

Palestinians throughout the occupied West Bank — in both dense urban centers and remote villages — do not have access to such safeguards. Although the West Bank is not an Iranian military objective, the area has previously been struck by shrapnel fragments and falling debris.

The exact nature of Wednesday’s strike remained uncertain. Israeli military officials characterized it as a direct impact rather than intercepted debris from their air defense network, identifying it as a submunition from a cluster weapon. These missiles can detonate in midair and scatter smaller explosive devices over broad areas, sacrificing accuracy for wider coverage.

JERUSALEM, March 19 – The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that the leader will address international media during an evening briefing scheduled for 8:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT).

This will mark Netanyahu’s second media appearance since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran commenced on February 28.

MEXICO CITY – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Thursday that her country has extended an invitation to Spain’s King Felipe VI for the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

During her daily news briefing, Sheinbaum explained that Gabriela Cuevas, Mexico’s official representative for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, distributed invitations to every nation that maintains diplomatic ties with Mexico, which included the Spanish monarch.

Spanish news outlets first broke the story about the royal invitation, which surfaced following King Felipe VI’s unexpected recognition earlier this week of the wrongdoings committed during Spain’s colonial era.

During the 16th through 18th centuries, Spain controlled one of history’s most expansive empires, stretching across five continents and encompassing large portions of Central and Latin America. The colonial period was marked by forced labor practices, seizure of indigenous lands, and widespread violence against native populations.

The king’s recent statements followed remarks made last month by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Munich speech, where Rubio lamented the weakening of “great Western empires” and expressed that Washington preferred allies not to be “shackled by guilt and shame.”

While Sheinbaum characterized the Spanish king’s acknowledgment as a diplomatic overture on Tuesday, she noted that “it wasn’t everything we would have wanted.”

The Mexican president had previously excluded King Felipe VI from her 2024 inauguration ceremony after he refused to issue an apology for the abuses committed during Spain’s colonial rule.

Legislators in Macao, China’s renowned gambling destination, have unanimously approved new legislation Thursday that grants courts the authority to conduct secret trials when public hearings are deemed a threat to national security.

The new law strengthens the role of Macao’s national security committee, which operates in the Chinese special administrative region alongside neighboring Hong Kong. Observers note that officials in both territories have been expanding their control over political discourse in recent years.

The approved legislation requires both judicial officials and the national security committee to agree that public court proceedings could endanger national security before trials can be moved behind closed doors.

The committee’s responsibilities include examining how to execute security directives from China’s central government in Beijing. Currently composed of security personnel, law enforcement leaders, and the territory’s chief executive, the legislation broadens the committee’s composition to include additional municipal officials overseeing cultural matters, education, and youth programs.

The prospect of secret criminal proceedings has generated concern among some watchers, particularly following last year’s detention of former pro-democracy legislator Au Kam San by Macao authorities. Police suspected him of collaborating with external entities in violation of the region’s national security legislation. This marked the first known prosecution under the law since its original passage in 2009 and subsequent revision in 2023.

According to a government statement, Thursday’s legislative approval represents significant progress in protecting national sovereignty, security, and developmental priorities. The law becomes effective one day following its publication in the territory’s official record.

The former Portuguese territory has transformed from a gambling monopoly into a global gaming powerhouse since China regained control in 1999.

Macao’s pro-democracy movement never achieved the prominence seen in Hong Kong, the former British colony that returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. The Macao administration also experienced significantly fewer large-scale demonstrations against its governance compared to Hong Kong.

However, the casino center has seen increased political restrictions in recent years, particularly following the massive anti-government demonstrations that swept Hong Kong in 2019, representing the most significant challenge to Beijing’s authority since the territory’s transfer.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who serves as Iran’s parliament speaker, has emerged as a pivotal figure in Tehran’s leadership structure as ongoing Israeli and American military actions target the Islamic Republic’s top officials, positioning him as a crucial player during this critical juncture.

As Iran loses many of its most influential leaders, the former Revolutionary Guards commander—who previously served as Tehran’s mayor, the country’s national police chief, and multiple-time presidential candidate—has become an essential bridge connecting the nation’s political, security, and religious power structures.

Following the commencement of attacks on Iran approximately three weeks ago, which included the assassination of then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran’s remaining leadership has been locked in an intense struggle of endurance against their attackers.

Long regarded as Khamenei’s protégé and close ally to his son Mojtaba, who has now assumed the supreme leader role, Qalibaf has emerged as a prominent voice of resistance against Israel and the United States, pledging retaliation for their offensive actions.

Following Khamenei’s assassination, Qalibaf directed his words toward U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning of “such devastating blows that you will be begging.”

“I say to these two dirty criminals and their agents: you have stepped on our red line and you have to pay for it,” he stated during a televised address.

This aggressive language exemplifies his enduring commitment as a devoted supporter of the Islamic Republic’s theocratic governance structure, a dedication he has consistently shown through his involvement in suppressing domestic opposition movements.

However, beyond his hardline reputation, Qalibaf has cultivated an image as both a modernizer and pragmatic leader, even featuring himself in pilot uniform during his 2005 presidential campaign advertisements to emphasize his professional qualifications.

Early Revolutionary Involvement

Qalibaf was born in 1961 in Torqabeh, a town in northeastern Iran, and his formative years were influenced by religious teachings he received at local mosques during his teenage years, as the 1979 Islamic Revolution was gaining momentum, according to Iranian media reports.

Following Iraq’s invasion of Iran shortly after the shah’s removal from power, he enlisted with the Revolutionary Guards, a newly formed military organization dedicated to protecting the country’s emerging Islamic government, achieving the rank of general in just three years.

Continuing his military career with the Guards following the war’s conclusion, he earned his pilot’s license and ultimately led the Guards’ aviation division.

During his time with the Guards, he participated in the violent suppression of student demonstrators in 1999 and co-signed a threatening letter to reformist president Mohammad Khatami, warning of a potential coup if he failed to stop the protests.

As Khamenei faced mounting domestic unrest and international pressure regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, he increasingly relied on security hardliners like Qalibaf as the reform movement lost momentum.

In his role as police chief, he demonstrated ruthless tactics—commanding officers to shoot at demonstrators in 2002—while simultaneously attempting to appeal to modernists by updating the police force’s appearance with new uniforms.

During his 2005 presidential bid, despite attempting to connect with middle and lower-class voters, his populist appeal was overshadowed by the charismatic Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, leading Khamenei to shift his backing from his preferred former general to the newcomer.

Qalibaf’s presidential ambitions persisted through unsuccessful campaigns in 2013 and 2024, and he withdrew from the 2017 race to prevent dividing the conservative vote.

He succeeded Ahmadinejad as Tehran’s mayor, serving in that capacity for twelve years and claiming responsibility for helping quell months of civil unrest that challenged the government after his predecessor was declared the winner of a controversial 2009 election.

Following his twelve-year mayoral tenure, he returned to national politics through his parliamentary election and appointment as speaker in 2020, securing one of Iran’s most influential political positions.

MOSCOW – Russian security officials announced Thursday they will enhance protective measures for senior military personnel following multiple targeted attacks that Moscow attributes to Ukrainian operatives.

The announcement comes after Lieutenant-General Vladimir Alexeyev, who serves as deputy chief of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, was wounded by gunfire in his Moscow residential building on February 6. The officer sustained three gunshot wounds during the incident. Ukrainian officials have rejected any connection to the attack.

Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s FSB security agency, told state-run media outlets that Alexeyev is making progress in his recovery. When asked about protective measures for high-ranking military personnel, Bortnikov indicated that security protocols would “of course” be strengthened in response to the recent incidents.

The shooting represents the latest in what Russian authorities describe as a pattern of targeted violence against military leadership figures, though specific details about other incidents were not provided in the announcement.

A French court has ordered billionaire Vincent Bollore to stand trial on bribery and embezzlement charges stemming from his business dealings in West Africa over a decade ago, according to prosecutors in Paris.

The media mogul stands accused of paying bribes to government officials in the Parisian suburb of Puteaux while supporting the presidential campaigns of Faure Gnassingbe in Togo and Alpha Conde in Guinea between 2009 and 2011, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Authorities began formally investigating Bollore in 2018 following accusations that his business empire provided below-market-rate services to political candidates in both African nations as part of a scheme to secure profitable port management contracts.

The Bollore family’s business empire previously controlled extensive shipping and logistics operations across Africa before divesting those holdings to MSC Group in 2022. The family maintains controlling interests in major publicly traded corporations including media giant Vivendi and advertising company Havas.

Two additional defendants will join Bollore in court: former Vivendi board member Gilles Alix and Jean-Philippe Dorent, who currently serves as head of Havas International Consulting, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Neither Bollore nor his legal representatives have issued statements regarding the charges.

MIAMI (AP) — For more than sixty years, Cuba’s Communist Party has demonstrated remarkable staying power through numerous challenges.

From America’s economic embargo following Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, to the devastating hunger during the “special period” after the Soviet Union’s collapse, the island’s government has weathered both external pressure and internal disasters.

However, the current crisis may represent the most serious challenge yet, as the Trump administration implements what amounts to an unofficial naval blockade aimed at forcing governmental change following the recent removal of Cuba’s long-standing ally, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

While engaged in conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump stated this week that he expects to have “the honor of taking Cuba” in the near future. Though his exact intentions remain unclear, the United States is seeking President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s departure through ongoing negotiations with Havana that might prevent potential American military action.

Without formally announcing a blockade, Trump’s administration has severely damaged commercial relations with the Caribbean nation.

During March, deliveries of petroleum, food, and other essential items to Cuba virtually stopped, with no international tankers reaching the island, according to maritime data reviewed by Windward, a shipping intelligence company. Port visits, including vessels moving between Cuban harbors, typically averaged 50 monthly throughout 2025 but dropped to merely 11 in March — all from domestic origins. This marked the lowest figure since 2017. Furthermore, prospects for improvement appear dim: no tankers are currently en route, and only three cargo vessels — from China, India, and the Netherlands — have listed Cuba as their planned destination, though these plans could shift.

This economic stranglehold is severely impacting Cuba’s 11 million people, who face extensive power outages and deteriorating healthcare services due to insufficient fuel for ambulances and hospital backup power systems. The nation, among the world’s most petroleum-dependent for electricity generation, produces less than 40% of its required energy needs domestically.

Ian Ralby, director of I.R. Consilium, a maritime security consulting firm based in the United States, argued that America’s aggressive approach will not win favor among Cubans who have long desired political change.

“Every Cuban resident is suffering the acute inaccessibility to fuel and all the knock-on consequences in terms of access to food, hospitals and free movement,” he said.

This dramatic reduction in commerce has occurred without the White House reinstating export limitations to Cuba that were previously relaxed under the Biden presidency. Actually, shipments of American-produced chicken, pork, and other food products to Cuba — representing most U.S. exports to the island — reached $490 million last year, the highest level since 2009. Non-farming exports and charitable contributions, largely benefiting Cuba’s growing private economy, more than doubled.

However, encouraged by America’s capture of Maduro, Trump has progressively intensified his statements regarding Cuba, initially proposing a “friendly takeover” of the nation and recently telling conservative Latin American partners that he would “take care” of Cuba after concluding the Iranian conflict.

Though neither Trump nor his administration has explained precisely what this commitment entails, the ongoing presence of U.S. naval vessels in the Caribbean used during the Maduro operation has prompted companies and nations conducting business with Cuba to exercise self-restraint.

“Nobody wants to be on the radar of Trump’s Truth Social account,” said John Kavulich, president of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.

Leading up to the American military’s removal of Maduro during a nighttime operation on January 3, Trump announced that the U.S. would prevent all Venezuelan petroleum deliveries to Cuba and actually captured several tankers to enforce what it termed a “quarantine,” using language from President John F. Kennedy’s response during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Later that month, Trump issued an executive directive threatening tariffs against any nation providing oil to Cuba. This warning concerned Mexican officials, who have historically opposed American policy toward Cuba and whose government-owned petroleum company Pemex became an important supply source last year as Venezuelan oil exports decreased.

Cuba has increased its criticism of what it describes as a “fuel blockade” by America. However, the Trump administration has rejected this characterization, likely recognizing that under international law, any naval action viewed as punishing civilians constitutes an illegal act of aggression outside wartime.

“Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign state — nobody dictates what we do,” Díaz-Canel said in a social media post in January. “Cuba does not attack; we are the victims of U.S. attacks for 66 years and we will prepare ourselves to defend the homeland with our last drop of blood.”

Facing growing criticism that American actions are causing starvation in Cuba, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun moderating some of the administration’s warnings. In January, the State Department delivered $3 million worth of food packages, water purification supplies, and other humanitarian aid to the island. Then last month, the White House announced it would permit American companies to deliver fuel — including Venezuelan petroleum — to private Cuban enterprises.

According to Rubio, the objective is to support the growth of the country’s small private business sector.

“The reason why those industries have not flourished in Cuba is because the regime has not allowed them to flourish,” Rubio said when announcing the private sales.

However, it remains uncertain whether any companies have begun fuel deliveries, and critics argue the approach is impractical since most Cuban businesses lack funding and the Cuban government controls gasoline distribution.

John Felder, owner of Premier Automotive Export, a Maryland-based company that has sold electric vehicles and scooters to Cuba since 2012, said most Cubans, despite their current suffering, worry about future developments.

“U.S. policies have created the most resilient people in the world and yet all they want to do is buy things in Miami like you and me,” said Felder, who recently returned from a four-day business visit to Havana and reports never witnessing worse conditions. “They want change but they don’t want to be controlled by the United States.”

FRANKFURT, Germany — European monetary officials decided Thursday to maintain current interest rate levels while expressing concern that ongoing conflict in Iran could drive up consumer prices through elevated energy costs, though officials acknowledged the long-term economic effects remain unclear.

The European Central Bank’s governing council kept its primary deposit rate steady at 2%, a level maintained since June 2025.

Bank officials stated the conflict “has made the outlook significantly more uncertain, creating upside risks for inflation and downside risks for economic growth.” Their post-meeting announcement indicated that long-term inflation forecasts stayed “well anchored” and future rate decisions would depend on economic data as it becomes available.

The Iranian conflict presents a challenge for global monetary policymakers: rising energy costs may push inflation higher in coming months, while prolonged energy market disruption could eventually slow economic expansion. Typically, central banks increase rates to combat rising prices and reduce them to encourage growth.

The European decision came after Britain’s central bank earlier Thursday chose to maintain its primary rate at 3.75% as dramatic increases in oil and natural gas prices following the Iran conflict’s onset have reignited inflation worries.

This follows Wednesday’s announcement by America’s Federal Reserve to maintain its benchmark rate unchanged.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell emphasized the growing uncertainty facing America’s economic and inflation outlook due to the Iran conflict, indicating the Fed may maintain current policy for an extended timeframe.

European inflation has declined from double-digit highs to 1.9% in February, aligning with the central bank’s 2% objective.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities in Hubei province have detained seven individuals and closed more than 200 websites as part of an intensified enforcement effort targeting fentanyl trafficking, according to state media reports released Thursday.

The enforcement action addresses a major source of friction between Washington and Beijing. President Donald Trump has imposed trade penalties on China in an effort to compel stronger action against the export of fentanyl precursor chemicals — the raw materials used to create the deadly synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of fatal overdoses each year in America.

According to the Hubei Daily News online report, a specialized task force created in December has examined 22 cases throughout the province by February’s end. Along with the seven detainees, twelve additional individuals have faced “coercive measures,” a term that encompasses various forms of detention and questioning. Four businesses have also received penalties, the publication reported.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency published a corresponding report stating the task force was created following orders from China’s Ministry of Public Security. This enforcement campaign stems from China’s October commitment to combat precursor trafficking in exchange for reducing fentanyl-related trade penalties on Chinese imports from 20% to 10%.

In one investigation, intelligence provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency assisted Wuhan police in identifying a company that was distributing precursor chemicals along with stimulants, according to the Hubei Daily News. The company’s operator was taken into custody in early December with assistance from law enforcement in Shandong province, the report stated.

Another case resulted in two arrests involving suspects accused of creating front companies to distribute drugs and drug-manufacturing chemicals to international buyers, according to the report.

Trump initially imposed a 10% trade penalty on China citing fentanyl concerns after taking office last year, subsequently increasing it to 20%. He added further penalties on China and other nations beginning in April. China responded with its own trade measures in an escalating dispute. Both countries agreed to a one-year pause and the reduction of fentanyl-specific penalties to 10% following Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea at October’s end.

Preparations were in progress for a second face-to-face meeting in Beijing scheduled for early next month when Trump announced earlier this week that his administration was coordinating with China to postpone the visit, stating he would travel in approximately five to six weeks, placing the new timeframe in late April.

The high-profile rape trial of the Norwegian Crown Princess’s eldest son concluded Thursday with defense attorneys requesting his complete acquittal, wrapping up six weeks of court proceedings that have brought unwanted attention to Norway’s royal family.

Earlier this week, prosecutors requested a prison term of seven years and seven months for 29-year-old Marius Borg Høiby, who has denied all rape charges. The court’s decision will be announced at a future date.

Borg Høiby, who is Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son from an earlier relationship and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, faces a total of 40 criminal charges. Among these are four rape counts allegedly committed between 2018 and 2024, with prosecutors claiming the victims could not provide consent due to being unconscious or otherwise unable to resist.

His defense team, representing the man who holds no royal titles or formal responsibilities, argued that no evidence exists to support any of the rape accusations.

The proceedings at Oslo District Court have generated significant media attention both domestically and internationally, casting an uncomfortable spotlight on the royal family and revealing aspects of Norway’s upper-class social environment rarely seen publicly.

Adding to the royal family’s troubles, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has recently faced questions about her past associations with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, though she faces no criminal allegations herself.

The trial featured testimony from approximately 70 witnesses, with prosecutors presenting hundreds of text messages and digital evidence pieces, including photographs and videos retrieved from Borg Høiby’s mobile device.

Throughout the proceedings, Borg Høiby has maintained his innocence regarding sexual activity with unconscious women, insisting all encounters were mutually agreed upon. However, he has acknowledged guilt on several minor charges, including drug possession, transporting 3.5 kilograms of cannabis in 2020, traffic infractions, and violating restraining orders against a former girlfriend. He has also partially accepted responsibility for violence and threat-related charges while disputing crucial elements, particularly regarding his intentions.

His legal team contended that Borg Høiby has endured exceptional media scrutiny because of his royal family ties, which they claim has influenced both public opinion and the case’s circumstances.

During testimony, Borg Høiby described how the intense public attention had “erased him as a person,” explaining that he had been rejected by most of his friends and was battling depression.

“My whole life is common property,” he testified. “I am no longer Marius, I’m a monster.”

Defense attorney Petar Sekulic stated Thursday that media attention “bordered on the insane, but almost exceeded anything one could have feared beforehand.”

The investigation into Borg Høiby’s activities began in 2024 when authorities responded to reports of a violent incident at an apartment in Oslo’s affluent Frogner district. Following his initial arrest and release, the case grew as additional women stepped forward with accusations.

The four rape charges form the core of the trial, with each allegedly occurring following consensual sexual activity. The key legal questions focus on whether the women were able to resist and whether Borg Høiby recognized their condition.

Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø argued Wednesday that Borg Høiby should be evaluated “not for who he is, but for what he has done,” describing what he characterized as consistent behavioral patterns throughout the charges. He highlighted repeated rule violations and boundary crossings, including police interactions, restraining order breaches, and what he termed disregard for women’s consent to sexual activity or being recorded.

“The rules are designed so that one cannot evade guilt by getting high or drunk,” Henriksbø argued, urging the court to evaluate the case from the perspective of how a sober individual would have interpreted the circumstances.

“Rape and abuse in close relationships are among the most serious acts one can expose others to, and that must be reflected in the punishment,” Henriksbø told the court.

In Thursday’s defense closing arguments, Sekulic maintained that no evidence substantiated the rape allegations and that none of the images or videos presented during trial demonstrated criminal activity. He challenged the alleged victims’ reliability.

While Sekulic admitted that certain aspects of Borg Høiby’s conduct had been “unsympathetic,” he argued this should not influence the court’s decision.

“What can be described as bad behavior, bad morals, which cannot be punished under the criminal law, should be disregarded,” he told the court. “It is irrelevant.”

LONDON — A London courtroom saw two defendants Thursday facing serious allegations of conducting intelligence operations targeting Jewish community sites on behalf of Iran’s government.

The accused include 40-year-old Nematollah Shahsavani, who holds both Iranian and British citizenship, along with 22-year-old Iranian national Alireza Farasati. Both face charges of participating in activities designed to benefit a foreign intelligence operation during a five-week period from July 9 through August 15 of the previous year.

Prosecutor Louise Attrill outlined the allegations during the Westminster Magistrates’ Court proceeding, stating the pair “are suspected of assisting the Iranian intelligence service by conducting hostile surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Israeli and Jewish community.”

Attrill detailed how the surveillance operation allegedly focused on multiple sensitive locations throughout London, including the Israeli diplomatic mission, Jewish community facilities, an educational institution, and the nation’s most historic synagogue.

The court session did not require either defendant to formally respond to the charges, though Farasati’s legal representative indicated his client plans to contest the allegations.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled both suspects must remain in custody pending their upcoming appearance at London’s Central Criminal Court, scheduled for April 17.

Authorities took both London residents into custody on March 6. The investigation also led to the arrest of two additional individuals with British-Iranian dual citizenship, though they have since been released with no charges filed.

Britain’s domestic intelligence chief Ken McCallum revealed in October that security services had successfully prevented more than 20 “potentially lethal Iran-backed plots” during the preceding year.

Nations across Asia are implementing emergency measures to safeguard energy supplies and shield citizens from rising costs as military conflicts involving Iran severely impact oil and gas deliveries through crucial shipping routes.

The energy shortage is affecting Asia more severely than other regions due to the continent’s dependence on imported fuel, with much of it transported via the Strait of Hormuz — a vital waterway now facing significant disruption. Since hostilities between Israeli and U.S. forces against Iran, along with Iranian counterattacks on Israel and Gulf states began on February 28, fewer than 90 ships — primarily from India, Pakistan, and China — have successfully navigated the strait.

“The countries that are exposed to that supply disruption are not so much in Europe, or in the Americas, they’re actually really in the Asia region,” said Michael Williamson of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Ramnath Iyer from the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns Asia should brace for “cascading impacts into all economic activities.”

Japan faces particularly severe exposure to strait disruptions, depending on the passage for approximately 93% of its petroleum imports. Fuel costs are already rising sharply — regular gasoline reached about 175 yen ($1.09) per liter on Thursday, climbing from roughly 144 yen ($0.91) just one month earlier.

Japanese authorities have responded by releasing 15 days worth of private oil stockpiles, then tapping a month’s supply from government reserves. Ministry officials report the nation maintained approximately 250 days of reserves at the close of last year.

However, public anxiety is increasing. Experts caution about potential parallels to the 1970s oil crisis — also sparked by Middle Eastern turmoil — which caused severe shortages and lengthy fuel lines. Pressure is mounting to accelerate renewable energy adoption, as Japan trails other developed countries in wind and solar capacity.

South Korea receives roughly 70% of its oil and 20% of its liquefied natural gas from Middle Eastern sources. Higher petroleum costs have created lines at discount fuel stations, while delivery personnel, truck drivers, and greenhouse operators struggle with increased expenses. Nevertheless, supply interruptions remain contained, and government representatives say reserves could sustain the country for approximately seven months.

Seoul is implementing additional measures to strengthen energy security by removing national restrictions on coal power generation, planning nuclear output increases, and evaluating potential resumption of Russian crude oil and naphtha purchases — essential for plastics production.

While China relies heavily on strait shipments — the world’s largest by volume — the nation remains relatively protected. Substantial strategic oil and gas stockpiles, combined with expanding renewable sources now comprising about 30% of its energy portfolio, have helped China weather immediate impacts.

Chinese citizens are nonetheless experiencing higher travel and fuel expenses. Airlines are increasing international route fares to counter soaring fuel costs, with some budget carriers doubling ticket prices on busy routes, according to domestic media reports.

Vietnam’s export-focused manufacturing sector faces rising fuel and shipping costs that are increasing production expenses. Government media reported steel, textile, and footwear producers confronting higher input prices, while retailers indicate suppliers are requesting price hikes or temporarily halting deliveries.

Climbing diesel costs are also elevating transportation and farming expenses. Tourism and passenger travel face mounting pressure. Officials warned of potential jet fuel shortages in April, encouraging airlines to review schedules and prepare for possible service reductions.

Vietnamese authorities say they are employing price controls to prevent sharp fuel cost increases and maintain market stability.

Energy supply interruptions have also affected Thailand, where LNG generates more than half of electricity, with approximately 40% imported from Middle Eastern countries.

Thailand’s emergency energy strategy halted petroleum exports, increased coal production and hydroelectric generation, and instructed government facilities to reduce energy usage.

As Thailand turns to spot markets for expensive LNG purchases, specialists warn energy costs will climb as national subsidy funds are exhausted.

Indonesia has managed to avoid raising energy prices thus far, but this protection may end after Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic celebration concluding Ramadan.

With the conflict continuing, analysts predict Indonesia will soon confront a challenging decision: maintain expensive subsidies protecting consumers from higher prices, or reduce them to remain within budget constraints — risking increased inflation.

The Philippines has distributed cash payments of 5,000 pesos ($83) to approximately 139,000 tricycle taxi operators in Manila to help counter rising fuel expenses. The initiative will expand nationally to include other public transport drivers, while fuel subsidies will extend to fishermen and farmers.

Government offices have also adopted four-day work schedules to reduce energy consumption, and proposals are under consideration to lower biofuel costs.

To address the energy shortage, Pakistan mandated two-week school closures and reduced government vehicle fuel allowances by 50% for two months.

Officials report alternative oil supply channels are being investigated, including imports from Saudi Arabia. Energy shipments are also arriving through the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

For conservation purposes, next week’s Pakistan Day parade was cancelled. The anniversary will be observed with a simple flag ceremony instead.

India has increased domestic cooking gas production and prioritized household distribution. Industry associations say this action has reduced supplies for commercial users including hotels and restaurants.

Nearly half of India’s crude oil imports and LNG transit through the strait. LPG serves as the primary cooking fuel for millions of households, making reliable supplies essential for daily life and broader economic stability.

Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers have crossed the strait since fighting began, easing some supply pressure.

Nepal’s only petroleum distributor, the government-operated Nepal Oil Corporation, began rationing cooking gas by filling cylinders to only half capacity — approximately 7.1 kilograms (15 pounds) — to extend supplies to more families.

Gasoline prices increased by roughly 10% and authorities encouraged households to adopt induction cookers to reduce gas consumption.

Scotland’s parliament has turned down proposed assisted suicide legislation following an extensive period of deliberation and strong advocacy efforts from pro-life organizations. The measure was defeated by a vote of 69 to 57.

Simon Calvert, representing the Christian Institute, expressed gratitude for the outcome. “We thank God that lawmakers got the message,” Calvert stated. “So many colleges of medicine and disability groups expressed concern about the risks to the vulnerable and the sheer unworkability of the proposals.”

Meanwhile, similar assisted suicide legislation remains under consideration in England.

Slovenia’s citizens head to the polls Sunday for a parliamentary election that will determine whether liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob retains power or loses to populist challenger Janez Jansa, a Trump supporter, following a contentious campaign shadowed by claims of international interference and corruption allegations.

Polling data shows conflicting results, but political experts anticipate a close contest between Jansa’s Slovene Democratic Party (SDS) and Golob’s Freedom Movement (GS). Neither party appears positioned to secure a majority in the 90-member parliament, meaning smaller coalition allies may ultimately decide the winner.

The election results will shape both domestic and international policy directions for this European Union and NATO member nation of 2 million citizens, which declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

During Golob’s leadership, Slovenia became among the rare European nations to acknowledge Palestinian statehood and implemented an arms embargo against Israel during its Gaza military operations last year. These positions would likely reverse under Jansa, the former prime minister who supports Israel and maintains close ties with Hungary’s longtime nationalist leader Viktor Orban.

Jansa has pledged to completely restructure Golob’s domestic policies by implementing business tax reductions while slashing government support for civil society organizations, social programs and media outlets.

“These are … perhaps the most important elections ever in Slovenia because they will decide if Slovenia remains a democratic welfare state or it aligns with illiberal democracies,” said Robert Botteri, a long-time editor at the Mladina weekly.

Slovenia’s strong industrial foundation helped it transition more successfully after Yugoslavia’s collapse compared to other former Yugoslav republics like Serbia or Bosnia, which struggled with warfare, economic penalties and political discord.

However, challenges persist. While Golob’s GS achieved an overwhelming victory in 2022, public support has declined partly due to voter perceptions that his administration failed to deliver promised improvements to public services, particularly healthcare.

The campaign intensified this month when anonymous online videos surfaced allegedly revealing government corruption, claims that Golob refutes.

Additionally, reports emerged this week suggesting Jansa held meetings with representatives from Israeli private intelligence company Black Cube, sparking concerns about foreign electoral interference. Jansa acknowledges meeting with a Black Cube consultant but denies any misconduct.

Golob indicated he has addressed these concerns with fellow European leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron informed reporters Thursday that he was aware of what he characterized as “clear and documented interference, disinformation and meddling from third countries” before Slovenia’s election.

“Europeans must absolutely mobilise to protect our democracies from this kind of interference,” he said.

Throughout the campaign, Golob’s party and supporters have also reported incidents of dead animals being suspended from their campaign materials nationwide. Reuters could not verify the perpetrators of these acts.

“This has certainly been a dirty campaign,” said Tereza Novak, a GS lawmaker campaigning on the main square in the capital Ljubljana.

Miha Kovac, a university lecturer, expresses concern that the circulating allegations may discourage voter participation.

“At the end of the day nobody will believe anybody. There will be a huge erosion of trust in society,” he said.

FRANKFURT, Germany — A crucial Iranian natural gas facility that suffered an attack earlier this week serves as a vital energy source for the nation and represents part of the globe’s most extensive gas field complex.

Following Israel’s strike on the South Pars facility, Iran launched counter-attacks against energy installations throughout the Middle East, creating fresh turbulence across the region and international markets.

The ongoing Iranian conflict has delivered severe energy disruptions to worldwide markets by blocking most crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has also launched strikes against vessels and critical export terminals belonging to Persian Gulf neighbors, driving energy costs higher despite these nations — including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates — remaining uninvolved in U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran.

Following Wednesday’s assault, President Donald Trump announced Israel would refrain from future South Pars attacks, while cautioning through social media that continued Iranian strikes on Qatar’s energy systems would prompt U.S. retaliation to “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.

Regarding South Pars specifically, the focus centers not on Iranian exports but rather the nation’s primary domestic energy supply in a country that frequently faces electricity generation challenges.

This Persian Gulf gas field — the planet’s largest — spans both Iranian and Qatari territories. Iranians call their portion South Pars while Qataris refer to their section as the North Field.

Key details about the South Pars installation:

Tehran depends extensively on natural gas for electricity generation and residential heating. Despite having a significantly smaller economy, Iran ranks as the world’s fourth-largest natural gas consumer, trailing only the United States, China and Russia, according to Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.

Unlike neighboring Middle Eastern nations, Iran utilizes gas for heating purposes due to colder weather conditions, with much consumption receiving government subsidies that discourage conservation efforts. South Pars provides the primary supply.

While South Pars primarily serves Iranian domestic requirements, global oil costs increased and European gas prices surged following news of the attack — largely due to concerns about Iranian counter-strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure. The assault represented “a serious escalation” given potential Iranian retaliation threats, stated Andres Cala, a geopolitical analyst with energy intelligence company Montel News.

Iran has experienced electrical shortages from gas supply disruptions despite possessing substantial energy reserves on paper. During July, government buildings closed when extreme heat overwhelmed the power system.

However, both nations have utilized the shared underground reserves quite differently.

Qatar, with its much smaller population, has invested billions developing the field for liquefied natural gas production, which it exported from the Ras Laffan facility before the conflict began. At that location, gas undergoes cooling to liquid form before loading onto tankers bound for Asian customers who convert it back to gas. This profitable operation has established Qatar as supplier of approximately one-fifth of global LNG.

Ras Laffan ceased operations March 2 following an Iranian attack and sustained another strike Thursday. Damage extent remains uncertain, but the closure and assault have driven up natural gas prices across Asia and Europe.

Thursday’s strikes represented part of “a dangerous escalation” in the conflict and “a grim warning” for LNG markets, according to data and analytics company Energy Intelligence.

Iran presents a different situation. Sanctions and insufficient investment mean Iran channels its gas through domestic pipeline networks for cooking, home heating, electricity production, and industrial raw materials. Iranian exports remain relatively modest at approximately 9 billion cubic meters compared to Qatar’s exceeding 120 billion cubic meters. Iran’s export destinations include Turkey and Armenia, both capable of securing alternative supplies.

Iran previously planned three LNG export facilities along its Persian Gulf coast, including partnerships with Total Energies and Shell. However, nuclear program sanctions have blocked these projects by preventing necessary technology imports and investment. A third facility at Asulayeh — located near the attack site — reportedly nears completion after beginning construction nearly two decades ago.

Estonian officials called in Russia’s top diplomatic representative on Thursday following an unauthorized incursion by a Russian military aircraft into the Baltic nation’s sovereign airspace earlier this week.

According to Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, a Russian SU-30 fighter aircraft illegally crossed into Estonian territory on March 18 in the vicinity of Vaindloo Island, located in the Gulf of Finland off the country’s northern coastline. The military aircraft spent approximately one minute within Estonian borders before departing, the foreign ministry reported.

“The violation was responded to by a unit of the Italian Air Force, and there was no threat to Estonia’s security,” Tsahkna stated.

The diplomatic summons of Russia’s charge d’affaires represents Estonia’s formal protest of the airspace violation, which occurred amid ongoing tensions in the region.

MOSCOW – Russian government officials on Thursday accused Ukrainian forces of escalating strikes against natural gas infrastructure that supports crucial export pipelines to Europe.

State energy giant Gazprom reported that Ukrainian forces had launched multiple attacks this week targeting three facilities that support the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipeline systems, though the company stated all assaults were successfully defended against.

These pipeline networks transport Russian natural gas underneath the Black Sea to Turkey, where portions of the supply continue onward to European nations such as Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.

The infrastructure represents Moscow’s final remaining pipeline connections to European markets during a period when energy costs have surged due to ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately respond to the allegations. Throughout the ongoing four-year war, Ukraine has consistently struck Russian energy facilities as part of efforts to weaken Moscow’s military capabilities and reduce war funding.

Russia has similarly targeted Ukrainian power infrastructure, including electrical systems, regularly disrupting electricity and heating services.

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov stated that the recent Ukrainian operations posed additional risks to energy markets during what he termed “extreme destabilisation” from Middle Eastern warfare.

“Our military is doing everything possible to eliminate this threat. But this is a threat to critical infrastructure. It is a threat to international energy routes,” Peskov told reporters.

“And at a time when global energy markets are feeling, to put it mildly, uneasy, such irresponsible, thoughtless actions by the Kyiv regime are capable of further destabilising the situation.”

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Representatives from Congo and Rwanda participated in meetings held on U.S. soil this week, reaching agreement on coordinated measures designed to reduce escalating tensions in eastern Congo, where government forces continue battling Rwanda-supported rebel fighters, according to a joint government statement.

The announcement, released jointly by Congo, Rwanda, and the United States, revealed that officials from both African nations conducted talks Tuesday and Wednesday aimed at advancing peace initiatives in eastern Congo. These discussions came as diplomatic efforts spearheaded by the U.S. and partner nations like Qatar have reached an impasse while fighting persists.

Eastern Congo, a region abundant in valuable minerals, has endured ongoing conflict for decades as government military units clash with over 100 different armed factions. The most formidable of these groups is M23, a rebel organization receiving support from Rwanda. Last year, M23 launched an extraordinary offensive throughout the area, capturing important urban centers while rapidly expanding territorial control.

President Donald Trump has positioned himself as a central mediator in peace negotiations, working to secure commitments from both nations for a lasting ceasefire while simultaneously creating opportunities for U.S. businesses to access Congo’s mineral resources, which are essential components in global technology ranging from aircraft to smartphones.

During this week’s discussions, both Congo and Rwanda pledged to pursue initiatives based on the framework that Trump helped broker between the two countries’ leaders in the previous year.

The parties reached consensus on particular measures, though unspecified in the statement, designed to uphold mutual sovereignty and territorial boundaries. Additionally, they endorsed the “planned withdrawal of military forces along with Rwanda’s removal of protective measures” within designated areas of Congolese territory.

While neither Rwanda nor M23 has openly confirmed the deployment of Rwandan military personnel, United Nations investigators have documented proof of their participation. Rwanda characterizes its involvement as protective actions necessary to safeguard its borders from Hutu militants who carried out the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The American-mediated discussions resulted in Congo’s commitment to “enhanced operations” targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), according to the statement. This militant organization consists primarily of Hutus who escaped to Congo following the genocide.

Chinese officials have taken their most significant enforcement action yet against fentanyl-related trafficking, announcing the arrest of seven individuals and subjecting 12 others to what state media described as “criminal compulsory measures” in a targeted operation against those dealing in precursor chemicals.

The enforcement campaign represents a major shift for Beijing, which had previously responded to years of American pressure with only industry advisories and website shutdowns rather than arrests of those selling the chemicals used to manufacture the lethal synthetic drug responsible for tens of thousands of overdose fatalities annually in the United States.

According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, the specialized operation conducted in Hubei province resulted in 22 criminal cases involving fentanyl precursor chemicals. The comprehensive effort targeted every aspect of the supply network, from manufacturing facilities to storage operations and export activities.

Chinese authorities launched this initiative in December following orders from the public security ministry, the news agency reported. The timing coincides with ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Beijing on trade and security issues.

The enforcement action comes as the first widely reported legal proceedings resulting in arrests of fentanyl traffickers in several years. President Donald Trump had previously implemented 20% tariffs on Chinese goods, citing Beijing’s lack of action on fentanyl networks, though those tariffs were later reduced by half following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

This development follows recent trade negotiations between American and Chinese officials as both nations work to address various bilateral concerns, including the ongoing fentanyl crisis that has devastated communities across the United States.

A resourceful Cuban mechanic has turned to an unconventional fuel source to keep his car running amid severe gasoline shortages on the island nation.

Juan Carlos Pino, 56, has successfully converted his 1980 Polish-made Fiat Polski to operate on charcoal rather than gasoline, demonstrating the type of creative problem-solving that many Cubans have mastered during decades of US economic sanctions. The mechanic, who completed only eighth grade, developed this solution after Washington halted oil deliveries to the Caribbean nation in January.

Working from his repair shop in Aguacate, a community of 5,000 residents located approximately 45 miles east of Havana, Pino has become a local sensation. The town previously prospered around a sugar refinery that has since closed, leaving the area surrounded by cattle ranches and stone quarries where workers carry long hand saws as they walk to their jobs.

Residents now flock to see Pino’s modified two-cylinder Polski as it travels through the town’s damaged streets, easily recognizable by its custom-built 15-gallon fuel container welded to the rear. People stop to photograph themselves with the vehicle, with some expressing amazement while others inquire about having their own cars converted.

“In a crisis like this, it’s the best option we have,” said Pino, who wants to modify a tractor next. “We need mobility, we need to be able to plant crops.”

INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION

Pino constructed his charcoal-burning system entirely using salvaged materials and discarded parts. The charcoal combusts within a repurposed propane cylinder that he sealed using a transformer cover. His filtration system consists of a stainless steel milk container packed with worn clothing.

Material shortages have been a persistent challenge in Cuba under its government-controlled economy. Conditions have deteriorated further since the US removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, eliminating Venezuelan petroleum supplies while warning other nations against providing fuel to Cuba.

Rolling electrical outages have become routine occurrences. Gasoline distribution is severely limited through rationing. Black market fuel now costs $8 per liter, equivalent to $30 per gallon in US currency – six times higher than government-set prices.

This situation sparked Pino’s innovation. The inventor previously designed a motorcycle-based apparatus capable of milking three cows simultaneously. He explained that he had been considering the charcoal vehicle concept for years, initially inspired by his deceased uncle. Pino also acknowledged assistance from open-source technology shared by Edmundo Ramos, an Argentine inventor who operates DriveOnWaste.com.

During a separate interview, Ramos revealed that additional Cubans have contacted him seeking guidance, including someone operating a 50-kilowatt generator to supply electricity to an entire neighborhood.

“An ice maker contacted me first and said he cannot make ice. Then an ice-cream guy contacted me, then a shop owner,” Ramos said.

According to Ramos, virtually any motor can be adapted to burn charcoal by redirecting heated gas rather than gasoline into the carburetor system.

‘INVENTION OF THE YEAR’

Pino unveiled his charcoal-fueled Polski on March 4. During an initial road test, the vehicle successfully completed a 53-mile journey and achieved maximum speeds of 43 mph.

Fellow Cubans have reacted with astonishment.

“This is amazing. It’s left me speechless,” said Yurisbel Fonseca, 27, who stopped his motorcycle to get a closer look and take pictures.

Narvis Cruz, 53, called it “the invention of the year.”

Cruz understands Cuban mechanical improvisation well. He operates a 1953 Pontiac powered by a 1940s Perkins motor combined with a Mercedes transmission, steering components from Czech manufacturer AVIA, and a differential produced by East German company Ifa.

“That’s Cuba,” Cruz said. “A salad made of everything.”

BRUSSELS — European Union officials delivered sharp criticism Thursday toward Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, claiming he’s exploiting Ukraine’s desperate need for assistance to boost his domestic political standing.

In an unusual public confrontation among EU leadership, officials demanded that Orbán honor the bloc’s December commitment to provide financial support to Ukraine’s military and devastated economy over the coming two years. The Hungarian leader had initially backed what many consider essential support for the war-torn nation.

“He’s using Ukraine as a weapon in his election campaigning, and it’s not good. We had a deal, and I think that he betrayed us,” Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated to media during the Brussels summit gathering.

Ukraine faces economic collapse, with EU officials warning that a substantial portion of the 90-billion-euro ($103-billion) loan package must reach the country before May begins. Meeting this timeline requires advancing the EU agreement within the next two to three weeks.

Orbán — widely regarded as Vladimir Putin’s strongest European ally and a nationalist figure praised by Donald Trump — currently lags in polling before Hungary’s April 12 elections. His campaign strategy includes depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a fundamental danger to Hungarian interests.

The Hungarian prime minister has claimed that Zelenskyy, working alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, seeks to pull Hungary into the conflict with Russia, now entering its fifth year. Orbán maintains his electoral victory represents the sole path to maintaining peace and stability.

Other EU leaders are now challenging Orbán directly, dismantling his narrative that Brussels institutions oppose him.

“I have the impression that this is part of his electoral campaign, but in any case we have to respect the decisions that were taken here,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever explained to reporters. “It’s unacceptable to decide with the leaders and then after say ‘but I’m not ready to execute what I decided.’”

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized that “what we decide — and what he has agreed to —must be implemented.” He added that using elections as justification “is not a valid argument given the situation in Ukraine, the plight of the people in Ukraine, and what we ourselves have decided.”

This dispute exposes significant flaws in EU decision-making systems, which frequently demand complete consensus among all 27 member nations. Hungary represents nearly 10 million residents within the bloc’s total population of 450 million.

Relations between Ukraine and Hungary have deteriorated since January, when Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia stopped due to Druzhba pipeline damage in Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian authorities attribute the pipeline damage to Russian drone strikes, while Orbán claims Zelenskyy intentionally disrupted oil deliveries. Hungary has not only rejected the loan agreement but also prevented new EU sanctions targeting Russia.

Attempting to resolve the impasse, von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa proposed this week to fund pipeline repairs. An EU technical delegation remains in Kyiv awaiting security approval to examine the damaged site.

However, Orbán pledged to maintain his loan blockade until Hungarian oil deliveries resume.

“What we are talking about is not politics, it is existential for Hungary. To get the oil is existential for the Hungarians,” declared Orbán, who has led Hungary since 2010 and is pursuing a fifth term. “It’s not a joke, it’s not a political game. Zelenskyy should understand it.”

Iranian officials are exploring new legislation that would charge transit fees to ships navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements from a member of parliament on Thursday. The move would capitalize on Iran’s strategic control over the crucial shipping corridor that handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transportation.

Tehran has already been interfering with ship movements through the waterway since the current Middle East conflict began, targeting vessels it believes are connected to opposing nations and their supporters.

The Iranian Students’ News Agency reported that parliamentary members are reviewing proposed legislation requiring nations that use the strait for commercial shipping, energy transportation, and food deliveries to pay fees and taxes to Iran.

A senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader indicated that once the current war concludes, Tehran plans to implement “a new regime for the Strait of Hormuz” that would allow the country to impose maritime limitations on nations that have imposed sanctions against it.

“By using the strategic position of the Strait of Hormuz, we can sanction (the West) and prevent their ships from passing through this waterway,” Mohammad Mokhber stated on Thursday, as reported by the Mehr news agency.

Food delivery driver Hamza Hareb has developed a new survival strategy while working the streets of Beirut: he avoids any vehicle with darkened windows. Word on the street suggests Hezbollah operatives travel in such cars, and Hareb doesn’t want to be nearby when Israeli forces launch their next attack on the militant organization.

Israeli military operations have intensified across previously untouched areas of Beirut over recent days, demolishing apartment complexes and leveling entire structures in what officials describe as targeted operations against Hezbollah. The armed group dragged Lebanon into the broader regional conflict on March 2 when it began launching attacks into Israeli territory.

Wednesday’s strikes hit multiple districts in central Beirut, creating massive debris piles just hundreds of meters from government offices, dining establishments and typically busy thoroughfares.

While frightened residents remain indoors, they’re increasingly relying on food delivery services for their evening meals — creating dangerous working conditions for drivers like Hareb who must traverse the hazardous urban landscape.

“Of course, we are afraid. That is ever-present,” Hareb explained. He’s among 3,000 delivery workers employed by Toters, one of Lebanon’s leading food delivery platforms. Like other gig economy workers, Toters drivers earn money based on completed deliveries.

For many workers, these jobs represent crucial income sources in the debt-ridden nation, which has endured years of economic turmoil and governmental instability since its financial system collapsed in 2019.

“You don’t know when the strikes will come, so we have adapted to everything,” Hareb noted.

Israeli forces occasionally broadcast evacuation alerts before conducting strikes, instructing civilians to evacuate targeted zones. However, three of Wednesday’s four Beirut attacks occurred without any advance warning.

“Right now they’re increasingly striking without warning, and of course this is instilling a sense of fear among us (since) we spend most of our time out in the street,” Hareb told reporters.

When unexpected explosions rock Beirut, drivers immediately stop to determine which area was hit and modify their delivery routes accordingly. When evacuation notices are issued, workers share the information through company communication systems so colleagues can stay away from dangerous zones.

Roland Ghanem, Toters’ operations director, confirmed the company suspends deliveries to any neighborhoods covered by Israeli evacuation orders and prohibits drivers from using potentially dangerous routes near likely targets.

“These drivers navigate into uncertainty… just to make sure that others can still have access to food and basic needs,” Ghanem stated. “They understand that behind every order, there is a family that has been displaced, or an elderly person that cannot go to the store and get some food, or just a regular person trying to get through the day.”

Lebanese officials report that Israeli military actions have resulted in nearly 1,000 deaths and forced another million people from their homes across Lebanon.

Some delivery workers have experienced the conflict’s impact directly on their personal lives.

Mahmoud al-Benne, 34, was forced to abandon his residence in Beirut’s southern suburbs earlier this month after Israeli forces issued comprehensive evacuation orders for the entire district and commenced intensive bombing campaigns.

Despite his displacement, he continues working.

“Whether you are displaced or not displaced, you need to earn money,” Benne explained. “You have responsibilities. We are in a state of war, but at the end of the day we want to work.”

Marie Katanjian represents an unusual presence among her peers as one of the few female delivery drivers. Her spouse also works for Toters, inspiring her to join the profession.

“We have to work in this situation because we have families. We’re helping each other out, hand in hand,” she said.

Nevertheless, she dreams of returning to normal conditions in her city.

“We want the war to end, so we can take a breath.”

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A prominent banned Pakistani militant organization responsible for multiple armed attacks and bombings declared a three-day halt to hostilities early Thursday before an important Muslim celebration, coming just hours after Pakistan and Afghanistan also announced a temporary suspension of intensifying combat. Officials reported no gunfire exchanges, representing the first quiet period since fighting broke out again in late February.

Mohammad Khurasani, speaking for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), explained the halt in fighting was designed to enable people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking Ramadan’s conclusion.

The TTP operates independently from Afghanistan’s Taliban while maintaining an alliance, and has increased violent operations within Pakistan following the Afghan Taliban’s 2021 return to control. Both the United States and United Nations have classified the TTP as a terrorist entity. Pakistani officials claim Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership provides sanctuary to TTP commanders and thousands of fighters who launch attacks across the border, while Kabul rejects these accusations.

The organization stated their ceasefire will begin on Eid’s opening day, anticipated to start Friday in Pakistan depending on moon visibility.

Pakistan and Afghanistan revealed Wednesday their plans for a temporary combat suspension lasting through Monday evening.

Both nations indicated the truce came following appeals from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. These three countries have worked as intermediaries to halt the conflict since cross-border combat restarted in February and previously helped negotiate a ceasefire in October.

The declarations came after a large funeral service for casualties from a Pakistani military strike on a drug treatment facility in Kabul this week. Afghan Taliban officials reported the assault caused 408 deaths and injured 265 people, though independent confirmation of these numbers was not possible.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated Wednesday that military forces did not attack any medical facility, explaining the Kabul strikes targeted an ammunition storage site. Tarar simultaneously announced the temporary fighting suspension with Kabul.

BRUSSELS — Top officials from the 27-nation European Union convened Thursday in Brussels to address mounting concerns over escalating oil and gas costs triggered by ongoing conflict in critical Middle Eastern energy regions and shipping corridors.

Most European leaders have resisted calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to deploy military resources to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global oil, gas and fertilizer shipments. The combination of surging energy costs from the conflict and concerns about potential refugee flows has elevated Middle Eastern issues to the forefront of the summit agenda.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed significant concern before the European Council gathering, stating: “We are very worried about the energy crisis.” He noted that energy costs were already elevated prior to the conflict, but the fighting “created another spike.”

“If that becomes structural, we’re in deep trouble,” De Wever continued. “At a European level, some measures can be taken to address the problem of the high energy prices.”

The European Commission has presented leaders with various financial mechanisms that individual member states could implement to reduce energy expenses, which will be a key discussion topic. Officials acknowledge that no single approach will likely be sufficient to address the economic disruption across the diverse markets spanning from Romania to Ireland.

European officials have found it challenging to establish a unified position regarding the conflict involving Iran and Lebanon. Though they have criticized Iran’s government, they have not offered military assistance.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten characterized the situation, saying: “This is a war that was started by the United States and Israel against Iran on reasons that I can understand because the Iranian regime is brutal not only for its own people, but also for the broader region and a security threat for Europe.”

“But it’s not a war that we are part of,” Jetten added, advocating for increased sanctions against Iran and greater support for opposition movements.

A diplomatic mission aimed at freeing political prisoners brought President Trump’s special envoy John Coale face-to-face with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in the capital city of Minsk on Thursday.

Coale’s assignment from Trump focuses on securing freedom for what human rights organizations estimate to be more than 1,100 individuals currently imprisoned in Belarus due to their political activities or human rights work.

The Lukashenko government shared a photo from Thursday’s diplomatic meeting through its official Telegram account.

Earlier negotiations between the two men have yielded significant results, with dozens of political detainees freed last September followed by another 123 releases in December. Among those freed were Nobel Peace Prize recipient Ales Bialiatski along with opposition leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka.

These prisoner releases prompted the United States to lift sanctions on Belarus potash exports, a crucial component for fertilizer production. Washington is also considering reopening its Minsk embassy, which shuttered in 2022 following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s use of Belarusian territory to launch his Ukraine invasion.

Lukashenko has maintained power since 1994 and was previously shunned by Western nations due to his human rights violations and support for Russia’s military actions. However, Trump’s diplomatic approach has provided the Belarusian leader with opportunities to reduce his international isolation.

American officials recognize the strategic value in building relationships with Lukashenko, particularly given his close connections to Putin, and credit him with providing valuable counsel as the United States works toward ending the four-year conflict in Ukraine.

Reuters reports that U.S. officials hope their engagement strategy might gradually distance Lukashenko from Putin’s influence.

Belarus opposition leaders living in exile dismiss such efforts as futile, arguing that Lukashenko relies too heavily on Putin’s political and economic backing. Nevertheless, they have thanked Trump and Coale for their work in securing prisoner releases.

In December, Lukashenko indicated that Belarus was working toward a comprehensive agreement with the United States to restore diplomatic relations. He mentioned this could include a presidential summit with Trump, while emphasizing it would not compromise his alliance with Russia.

Under normal circumstances, Lilian Jamaan would be busy purchasing new outfits for her daughter and stocking up on meat and sweets to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic festival that concludes the holy month of Ramadan.

Instead, speaking from a converted school shelter in Sidon, Lebanon, where her family has taken refuge, Jamaan expressed her despair: “there’s no joy for Eid or for Ramadan or for anything.”

“Everything is difficult,” she added.

While Muslims around the globe prepare for what is traditionally a celebration filled with happiness, Lebanon has reached a devastating threshold. More than 1 million residents have been forced from their homes due to Israeli military strikes, Lebanese officials report.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, 968 individuals have lost their lives in Israeli attacks since fighting resumed between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant organization.

The Iranian-supported Hezbollah joined the broader regional conflict by launching rocket attacks against Israel, prompting intense Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern districts, forcing countless families to abandon their residences.

“A lot of the kids that I at least spoke to, their biggest wish was to just spend Eid at home,” explained Basma Alloush, who speaks for the International Rescue Committee. “Eid is a time where all families come together, people celebrate with their relatives, and it usually brings a lot of peace and joy to families. … It could be that many of them just spend Eid in shelters, in displacement.”

The crisis has unfolded throughout Ramadan, with images of families fleeing their residences and resorting to sleeping in street tents or vehicles. While some found space in schools converted to shelters or stayed with family members, many others struggled to secure temporary arrangements. Approximately 130,000 people are currently housed in official shelters.

For Jamaan, the difficult displacement conditions prevented her from maintaining many Ramadan observances—typically a period of fasting, enhanced prayer, and festive community meals with family.

At her home, she explained, she would fast, pray, and study the Quran, Islam’s sacred text.

Currently, she has discontinued fasting and plans to compensate for missed days upon returning home. “Some people fast and some are unable to fast; there’s psychological stress and we’re not sleeping well. … Food is the last thing on my mind, but the circumstances are difficult.”

She described how she and her daughter share sleeping space with others in the school building while her husband sleeps in their car. “There’s no stability.”

She yearns for her family and her usual Ramadan practices. “We would break our fast, pray, make and drink coffee and I would go to the neighbors or they would come over after iftar,” she remembered, referring to the evening meal that breaks the daily fast.

Asmahan Taleb, another displaced person in Sidon, said the approach of Eid has been overshadowed by suffering.

“How can we celebrate Eid when we’re displaced from our homes and our land? Where is the Eid? Where is the happiness?” she questioned. “It will be Eid when we can return to our homes.”

This displacement marks a repeated experience for Jamaan and many others. Her daughter was born during a previous displacement period from earlier fighting that ended with a fragile ceasefire in November 2024. Israel has continued conducting almost daily strikes in Lebanon after the ceasefire, claiming these target Hezbollah’s rebuilding efforts.

“Lebanon for us is really now the epicenter of the more immediate humanitarian fallout of this broader regional crisis,” stated Carl Skau, deputy executive director and chief operating officer of the U.N. World Food Program. “People here have endured crisis after crisis. They’ve been displaced before. But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

He noted that people he encountered appeared exhausted and hadn’t recovered from previous displacements.

“There was this real sense of uncertainty this time. How is this gonna end? When is it gonna end?”

Current conditions present additional challenges beyond previous crises.

“My concern is that the funding is not coming forward like it did last time,” he told The Associated Press. “We know there is less money available. We know there is also competing priorities. … We will need to make an effort that really donors step up.”

The World Food Program has served over half a million hot meals to displaced individuals in Lebanese shelters since March 2 as part of its relief efforts.

Various volunteers, organizations, and businesses have launched online initiatives to prepare, package, and distribute iftar meals while donating essential items including blankets, clothing, baby formula, and medications.

The requirements are extensive and diverse.

“There is a dire need for shelter,” Alloush noted. “There was a massive thunderstorm. We’re just thinking about the people that were sleeping outside, sleeping in tents that are not waterproof, sleeping on the mud.”

The International Rescue Committee has been providing mattresses, pillows, blankets, and coloring books for children.

“People don’t have enough clothes. Children fled with no toys or no activities to kind of get their minds off of the war.”

Eman Abo Khadra, who owns a hair salon in Sidon, attempted to bring some Eid happiness to displaced children through her skills by offering free haircuts.

“It’s a morale thing. What does a child know about war or no war. … It’s just about planting some joy in their hearts.”

Despite her efforts, she recognized the impact of ongoing tensions on young people.

“I was telling them, ‘Come on, clap; be happy; laugh,’ but … tensions are high,” she observed. “People are tired.”

Taking shelter in Sidon, Alia Ismail said maintaining proper Ramadan observance or finding Eid joy has become nearly impossible.

“We no longer can fast or buy anything for Ramadan,” she stated.

Regarding Eid preparations, her children ask for “We want clothes; we want to go out; we want sweets,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I can’t get you that. There’s no money.’”

Under typical circumstances, she would be cleaning her house and purchasing clothing, meat, and sweets for the holiday.

“Can you imagine that we are staying in a school corridor?” she asked during a phone conversation, explaining that she uses clothing as a pillow since none are available.

At a Beirut school housing hundreds of displaced people, some families attempted to recreate Ramadan traditions and remember their former lives. Corridor walls displayed holiday decorations, and one family arranged desks together to hold a small gas burner and charity meal packages.

Shaker Araqa, staying at the school, mourned how his extended family has been scattered. “We used to gather. We were in one building. Now, everyone is at a different place.”

Nabila Hijazi mentioned that her children ask about Eid, and she promised to purchase clothing for them.

“They want to live their lives,” she said. “We tell them ‘God Willing, Eid comes and we return to our homes.’”

She has managed to observe Ramadan normally at the school and acknowledges her situation is better than many others’.

Back in Sidon, Jamaan said she prays “for God to stop the war, for us to return to our homes and for there to be peace.”

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan joy carries a unique intensity. It resonates more powerfully, sounds more thunderous, and cuts more profoundly than ordinary celebration.

Perhaps this stems from its rarity. Maybe it’s because authorities have suppressed such expressions, forcing citizens to silence themselves to avoid imprisonment. Or it could be that genuine happiness has seemed impossible to achieve, both personally and as a nation.

Yet the entire country experienced this profound emotion Wednesday. Citizens wept, cheered, danced, embraced, and toasted following Venezuela’s stunning 3-2 triumph over the United States in the World Baseball Classic championship the night before.

“We couldn’t express this joy that we wanted to proclaim,” said hairdresser Deyanira Machado while standing outside a Caracas beauty salon.

Unlike many situations in the country, this televised result was definitive. The outcome wouldn’t shift in upcoming hours or days. No one could dispute its meaning. Citizens of all ages, regardless of political involvement or economic status, finally released years of pent-up tension.

“We had that happiness stored away to unleash it properly one day, like last night, and even better than last night,” Machado explained.

This championship came during two turbulent months for Venezuelan citizens.

The year began with their authoritarian leader of nearly 13 years, Nicolás Maduro, being secretly taken by U.S. forces and appearing in handcuffs in New York City. Subsequently, they watched the White House collaborate with government supporters rather than opposition leaders to attempt national reform.

While thousands of Venezuelans living overseas celebrated Maduro’s removal, no one within the country dared publicly show even slight approval. Severe government crackdowns, especially following the 2024 presidential race, had conditioned them to suppress any statements or feelings that might seem hostile.

Joy, like dissent, faced surveillance. Citizens who celebrated what substantial credible proof demonstrated was an overwhelming opposition victory became government targets after election officials proclaimed Maduro victorious without providing supporting evidence. Social media activity and WhatsApp updates were sufficient grounds for imprisonment.

Anxiety, rage, and disillusionment grew. Even local community chats fell silent as conflicts with neighbors became too dangerous.

Venezuelans adjusted once more, constantly anticipating the next crisis. Adults concentrated entirely on “resolver” — managing daily survival by working multiple jobs just to purchase food. Extreme inflation transformed everything beyond basic needs into luxuries.

Acting president Delcy Rodríguez proclaimed a national “day of joy” following the game’s conclusion, establishing a holiday for all except essential personnel. Not that anyone required official permission to skip obligations. The decision was automatic once the final out was recorded and celebrations erupted.

Residents throughout Caracas banged cookware as honking vehicles and motorcycles created chaos on roadways. Venezuelans gathered in public squares sang their national anthem with tears flowing. The capital appeared completely awake long after midnight. Shopping carts at all-night markets overflowed with beer purchases.

Pure elation flooded streets and online platforms well into Wednesday. The national colors of red, yellow, and blue decorated windows, fluttered from motorcycles, and served as makeshift scarves.

“This championship isn’t just about a baseball game, as people may think,” said hospital worker Lanjhonier Lozada while walking to his job Wednesday, carrying a Venezuelan flag and celebrating with equally ecstatic strangers.

“This game is historic. Words fail me,” he continued. “We are world champions! Who would have imagined it?”

Who indeed would have predicted this? The countless young players in community leagues who aspire to Major League careers certainly dreamed of it. However, their parents might have found such possibilities harder to envision. Adults have been worn down by a crisis that forced over 7.7 million Venezuelans to abandon their homeland and led global leaders to use their country’s name as shorthand for disaster.

When the team hoisted their trophy, they elevated Venezuelan spirits worldwide.

“This triumph isn’t just celebrated in Venezuela. In every corner of the world, there is a Venezuelan,” observed Yenny Reyes, mother of two young baseball enthusiasts.

“I’m convinced that this is Venezuela’s year,” she declared. “This is the beginning of many good things to come for Venezuela.”

KARACHI, Pakistan — A devastating storm swept through Pakistan’s most populous city during overnight hours, claiming at least 15 lives and leaving numerous others wounded when structures gave way under intense weather conditions, according to emergency response teams and medical facility representatives who spoke Thursday.

The severe weather event started Wednesday and persisted through nighttime hours across Karachi, which serves as the provincial capital of Sindh in southern Pakistan. Local officials recommended that citizens limit travel to essential trips only.

Medical facilities in the metropolitan area received at least 15 fatalities, while more than 24 individuals required hospital treatment following weather-related accidents, according to statements from police surgeon Summaiya Tariq and emergency response coordinators.

The intense weather system also toppled numerous street-side trees and created significant transportation delays, rescue teams and law enforcement agencies reported.

Weather monitoring officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded sustained winds reaching 90 kilometers per hour (56 miles per hour) that continued for extended periods. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab issued public advisories encouraging citizens to remain in their homes and limit outdoor activities, noting that numerous trees had been downed and repair crews were actively working to restore roadway access.

Weather prediction services indicated that additional precipitation and severe thunderstorms accompanied by powerful winds and potential isolated hail could persist across Karachi and surrounding areas of Sindh province as a western atmospheric system continues moving through the region.

Emergency response agencies documented similar storm conditions and precipitation affecting numerous other regions throughout the nation.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confronts a significant political challenge as citizens prepare to cast ballots in a referendum that could reshape the country’s judicial system and alter the political landscape before next year’s national elections.

The March 22-23 vote centers on whether to divide the roles of judges and prosecutors, creating separate governing bodies for each profession with members selected through a lottery system instead of elections. This would fundamentally restructure Italy’s High Council of the Judiciary, known as the CSM.

What began as a debate over court administration has evolved into a fierce political battle, with Meloni’s administration championing the ‘Yes’ position while opposition parties rally behind ‘No’ votes. Unlike many referendums, this one requires no minimum voter participation to be considered valid.

Political experts believe most citizens will base their decisions on party loyalty rather than understanding the complex legal issues involved, following an intense campaign filled with questionable assertions from both sides.

“Only a small minority of Italians knows much about the issue. Many will look instead to party and coalition leaders, who are all trying to mobilise their voters to win,” explained Fabrizio Masia, who leads the EMG polling organization.

Recent surveys conducted before the mandatory two-week campaign silence showed an extremely tight race, with reform opponents appearing to gain traction as some conservative voters seemed increasingly disengaged.

Meloni has publicly stated she will not step down if voters reject the proposal, a declaration many interpret as strategy to reduce opposition turnout among those hoping to force her from office.

Her governing alliance, which brings together the Brothers of Italy, the League, and Forza Italia parties, maintains stronger overall support than the fragmented left-wing opposition still working to unite the Democratic Party with the 5-Star Movement.

“A ‘no’ win could give fresh momentum to efforts to build a centre-left bloc, also causing trouble within Meloni’s ranks,” Masia noted.

Conversely, approval of the reforms would provide Meloni with crucial political capital as she approaches the final phase of her term while managing challenges from the expanding Middle East conflict and Italy’s sluggish economic performance.

“A government victory would strengthen its longer-term political project, also in view of the 2027 election,” said Emanuele Massetti, who teaches political science at Trento University.

The judicial system has remained contentious in Italian politics since former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who passed away in 2023, faced numerous legal proceedings related to his business operations and frequently criticized judges for alleged political motivations.

Massetti characterized the referendum as the most recent development in an ongoing clash between conservative politicians and the court system, with public opinion split along ideological lines since Berlusconi’s era.

The campaign has also created tension between Meloni and the magistrates’ union ANM, which argues the changes would undermine judicial autonomy and invite greater political meddling.

Government officials dismiss these concerns, contending the reforms are necessary to eliminate partisan politics from CSM member selection following corruption scandals that revealed secret negotiations over high-level prosecutor positions.

“The reform aims to make the justice system more modern, fair, accountable and independent, free from political pressure and from the factionalism that has damaged its credibility and authority,” Meloni stated in an interview with Il Dubbio newspaper this week.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced it will convene foreign ministers from multiple Arab and Islamic nations in Riyadh on Wednesday to address regional security concerns stemming from the ongoing Iran conflict, according to the Saudi foreign ministry.

According to a Turkish diplomatic source, the gathering will include delegates from ten nations: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

The conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has now stretched into its third week with little indication of winding down, creating widespread regional instability and causing major disruptions to worldwide energy markets.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan plans to travel to additional countries following the Riyadh meeting to emphasize the importance of finding a diplomatic resolution to end the hostilities peacefully. The Turkish diplomatic source noted that continued warfare could cause permanent harm to relationships between nations in the region.

Before the conflict erupted, Turkey, which is a NATO member and shares a border with Iran, had attempted to serve as a mediator between Tehran and Washington.

Turkey has denounced both American and Israeli military actions against Iran as violations of international law, while simultaneously criticizing Iran’s strikes against Gulf nations as unacceptable behavior.

LONDON – British authorities have filed espionage charges against two individuals accused of conducting surveillance operations targeting Jewish community sites and individuals on behalf of Iran, according to prosecutors who announced the charges Tuesday.

The defendants, identified as 40-year-old Nematollah Shahsavani, who holds dual Iranian-British citizenship, and 22-year-old Alireza Farasati, an Iranian citizen, face accusations stemming from alleged monitoring activities conducted in northern London during a five-week period spanning July and August of last year.

The case represents part of ongoing concerns about Iranian threats to British security that have been highlighted by government officials and the MI5 intelligence service for years, with multiple arrests and foiled plots uncovered prior to the military operations between the U.S. and Israel that began nearly three weeks ago.

Vicki Evans, who serves as senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Police, emphasized that the investigation demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to protecting Jewish communities from security threats.

“These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act, which have come about following what has been a very complex investigation,” Evans stated.

Both suspects were taken into custody earlier this month and are scheduled for their initial court appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this Thursday.

Authorities also confirmed that two additional men who were detained during the same operation have been released without facing any charges.

DAKAR, Senegal — A young man met with reporters at a high-end hotel in Senegal’s capital city, displaying clear signs of anxiety as he avoided direct eye contact and positioned himself with his back to the wall while watching the entrance. He explained that he had gone into hiding after his family rejected him for being gay and authorities questioned one of his friends.

Originally from Touba, a city that serves as the heart of Senegal’s Sufi Muslim tradition, he now stays with another friend who remains unaware of his sexual orientation. His experience reflects a growing pattern in this nation where same-sex relationships are prohibited by law, and officials are on the verge of implementing extended prison sentences for such conduct.

“There’s a lot of fear,” the young man said.

The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm his story or verify accounts from other individuals who requested anonymity due to concerns about potential retaliation.

Senegal joins a growing list of African nations — where more than half have criminalized homosexuality — that are pursuing stricter punishments for same-sex conduct. Uganda recently implemented capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality,” sparking widespread international condemnation.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced plans earlier this year to enhance penalties for “unnatural acts,” the legal terminology used in Senegalese statutes to describe homosexuality, expanding the maximum sentence from five years imprisonment plus fines to ten years behind bars.

Parliamentary approval came on March 11, and the legislation awaits President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s signature to take effect, with expectations that he will endorse the measure.

Article 319 of the Penal Code currently criminalizes consensual same-sex behavior, prohibiting “acts against nature.” This conservative, predominantly Muslim nation adopted these anti-homosexuality provisions from colonial French legal codes, though enforcement has historically been inconsistent.

Neither Senegal’s justice ministry nor the presidential office provided responses to inquiries regarding the push for harsher sentencing. Multiple local experts declined to discuss the matter, expressing concerns about possible retaliation.

News outlets have documented numerous detentions since early February, including the arrest of well-known local journalist Pape Biram Bigué Ndiaye, who was subsequently freed. Dakar law enforcement officials confirmed they are investigating multiple related cases.

Following the detention of twelve gay men in Dakar, Human Rights Watch documented the escalation of anti-LGBTQ+ messaging, highlighting that Senegalese lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to strengthen homosexuality penalties in both 2022 and 2024.

The human rights organization reported that public hostility toward homosexuality has sometimes turned violent: In October 2023, residents of Kaolack “a mob exhumed the body of a man they believed to be gay, dragged it through the streets, and burned it in the town square.” Video of the incident spread widely online.

During a February demonstration in Dakar protesting what organizers termed the “intentional transmission of HIV,” participants shouted anti-gay chants. “Intentional transmission of HIV” represents a frequent allegation in Senegal targeting any sexual activity involving someone who is HIV-positive.

The organization And Samm Djiko Yi, which translates to “Together for the Preservation of Values,” has coordinated recent demonstrations and spearheaded efforts to extend prison terms.

Organization founder Serigne Ababacar Mboup characterized his opposition to “the homosexual agenda” as crucial, claiming that Western nations and the United Nations are forcing LGBTQ+ acceptance onto Senegal as these entities increasingly embrace gay rights.

“Homosexuality is contrary to our customs, our values, and our beliefs,” Mboup told the AP. “We are not trying to impose anything on you, so in turn, learn to respect people and their positions, especially on societal issues.”

Free Senegal, an organization dedicated to helping relocate LGBTQ+ individuals facing legal action, reported that conditions have worsened. The group maintained a secure residence in Dakar until 2025, when they shut it down over concerns that local residents would alert law enforcement.

A representative for the organization attributed the growth of anti-gay groups and the “freedom to express hatred towards the LGBT community” to politicians courting voter support during campaign seasons.

Free Senegal represents one of several organizations working to safeguard Senegal’s LGBTQ+ population. The spokesperson identified insufficient financial resources as another significant obstacle.

Some individuals choose to leave the country entirely. One man who escaped to France in 2000 after facing backlash for appearing in a gay rights documentary now assists Free Senegal’s operations from abroad.

His voice became emotional during his conversation with the AP as he recalled the confrontation with neighbors and the persistent opposition to LGBTQ+ people in his homeland.

“I cannot return to Senegal,” he said.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Top European Union officials are convening in Brussels Thursday to address the ongoing conflict with Iran, soaring energy costs, immigration concerns, and a massive financial assistance package for Ukraine that Hungary continues to obstruct.

Several European leaders have turned down requests from U.S. President Donald Trump to deploy military resources to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for worldwide shipments of oil, natural gas, and fertilizer. Escalating energy costs due to the conflict and concerns about a potential new wave of refugees have prompted officials to prioritize Middle East issues during this gathering.

The European Commission, which serves as the EU’s administrative arm, has proposed a comprehensive set of strategies to reduce energy costs for discussion among leaders. According to an unnamed senior European diplomat who requested anonymity, no single approach will effectively address the diverse economic challenges across all 27 member countries affected by the conflict.

Thursday’s meeting will also address an ongoing dispute between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the majority of other EU member states.

During the previous EU gathering in December at a Belgian castle, leaders including Orbán approved a 90 billion-euro ($104 billion) financial package to help Ukraine address its budget deficit while continuing its prolonged conflict with Russia.

However, Orbán reversed his position a month afterward when the Druzhba oil pipeline was damaged in January in what Ukrainian authorities described as a Russian drone strike. The pro-Russia leader, who has governed Hungary since 2010, is conducting an intense media blitz criticizing both Brussels and Kyiv while campaigning for reelection next month.

“If there is no oil, there is no money,” Orbán stated in a social media post on Tuesday.

To secure the critical funding for Ukraine, EU officials and diplomats plan to pressure Orbán and Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, whose administration has also adopted pro-Russia positions.

On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that the EU would fund repairs to the Druzhba pipeline and help develop alternative fuel supply routes for Hungary and Slovakia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called any interference with the loan “absolutely unfair” and emphasized that his war-torn nation has “no alternative” to these funds as it confronts a serious budget emergency due to the conflict that started on Feb. 24, 2022.

“There may be alternatives in terms of financing mechanisms, but there is simply no alternative to strengthening our army,” Zelenskyy stated on Wednesday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed lawmakers in Berlin Wednesday, emphasizing that the EU must quickly finalize the 20th round of Russian sanctions and approve the Ukrainian loan.

He promised to “advocate for that emphatically” in Brussels and declared that “we must not take into consideration a single country in the European Union that is currently setting up this blockade in Europe now for domestic political reasons and because of an election campaign that is being conducted there.”

Merz urged additional sanctions, stating that “the needs of the moment call for us to increase the pressure on Moscow together – the U.S. and the European partners together.”

BALTI, Moldova — A Russian military strike on a Ukrainian power facility has left tens of thousands of people in Moldova without access to clean water after oil contamination spread through a crucial river system shared by both nations.

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu has placed blame squarely on Russia for contaminating the Dniester River following the March 7 assault on Ukraine’s Novodnistrovsk hydroelectric facility, stating it poses a danger to Moldova’s water infrastructure in the nation seeking European Union membership.

The Ukrainian facility sits approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) north of Moldova’s border and provides water resources to roughly 80% of Moldova’s 2.5 million residents. Russia has consistently attacked Ukraine’s essential civilian infrastructure, including dams and river facilities, throughout its full-scale invasion that began in 2022.

“Russia bears full responsibility,” Sandu declared Sunday in a social media statement.

Moldovan environmental officials announced a 15-day emergency environmental alert on Sunday, providing legal authority to enhance technical responses and implement temporary water restrictions.

“We are taking this decision to make sure we prevent any risk to the population’s health,” officials stated. “Because of the continuous wave of pollution with oil products, the risk of the pollution spreading, and the exceedance of contaminant levels in the northern area of the Dniester River.”

Although petroleum-based pollutants have been detected in the waterway after the attack, officials have not yet determined the precise origin of the contamination.

The crisis has compelled officials to suspend water service to multiple regions, including Balti, Moldova’s second-most populous city with approximately 90,000 residents. Moldova’s armed forces have deployed 10-tonne water trucks to deliver drinking water to the northern city, supplemented by humanitarian assistance from Romania.

“It’s very hard, very hard,” explained 84-year-old Balti resident Liuba Istrati, who has been hauling water buckets to her apartment. “We live on the fifth floor, it’s just the two of us, old people, my husband is sick in bed.”

Educational institutions have been forced to shut down and transition to remote learning due to the water shortage.

“It’s a complicated situation, I have to come every day to get water,” said Irina Mutluc, an educator from Balti. “Even for one person you need quite an amount of water to consume, for the bathroom and so on, so it’s really complicated.”

Officials are working urgently to eliminate contamination and conduct comprehensive water testing and monitoring. Romania, which maintains strong diplomatic ties with Moldova, has sent specialized teams and equipment including absorbent dam materials to assist with cleanup operations.

“The latest samples taken show an improvement in the water indicators, which confirms the effectiveness of the filters and barriers for the capture and disposal of pollutants,” the Environment Ministry reported Wednesday.

The ministry emphasized that officials are “working at an accelerated pace” to restore water service, “but this decision will be made exclusively on the basis of at least two consecutive sets of analyses, taken on two different days… Protecting the health of citizens remains the absolute priority.”

Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder announced Wednesday during a news conference that three key river monitoring locations had “reached the admissible limit” of oil contamination for the first time since the emergency began.

He noted that if testing shows similar or better results within the next 48 hours, officials may reopen a pumping facility on the northeastern Ukrainian border that serves multiple districts and Balti.

“It is clear evidence that upstream oil diversions have been greatly mitigated, and the absorbing dams have had their effect,” he stated.

The Dniester River begins in southwestern Ukraine and extends over 1,300 kilometers (846 miles), flowing through Moldova before returning to southern Ukraine and reaching the Black Sea.

“Although at some points values may temporarily return within acceptable limits, matter continues to come in waves, making it difficult to accurately anticipate evolution,” environmental officials said.

Moldova’s chief prosecutor announced Tuesday the opening of a criminal investigation into the incident, while the foreign ministry called in Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov to Chisinau, presenting him with a bottle containing brownish water.

In a Wednesday online response, Russia’s embassy in Moldova disputed that Moldovan officials had provided evidence of Russian involvement, dismissing “a container with an unknown murky liquid, with no markings regarding where and when it was obtained,” claiming it “by definition cannot be proof of anything.”

The embassy statement accused Moldovan authorities of “publicly claim a lack of precise information about the nature of the incident, the type, and the amount of pollutants,” while advancing “conflicting theories.”

Ilya Trombitsky, a researcher with Eco-TIRAS, an environmental organization network spanning Moldova and Ukraine, noted that while determining immediate or future impacts remains challenging, the fact that “several cities are without water is an evident social damage.”

“It depends on the nature of the pollutant… we still do not know either the source or the substance of pollution,” he explained to reporters. “It is evident that it is not healthy for birds, wetland birds. It is evident that some invertebrates were killed, especially upstream… crustaceans, but small ones, (which) can be food for fish.”

“Moldova does not have experience in such spills,” he added.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — The bustling capital city of Bangladesh is witnessing a dramatic transformation as its population begins a massive exodus.

Countless internal workers who migrated to the city are now making their way back to their ancestral homes to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the religious celebration that concludes the month of Ramadan.

Striking images show a young child wearing festive bright pink clothing sitting above crowds of people attempting to board ferry vessels. The nighttime boats illuminate the darkness with colorful signage displaying the names of various cities where these travelers originated.

Similar pandemonium unfolds at the capital’s train terminals. Passengers force themselves through small windows while others scale the tops of railway cars. Extended families transport overhead luggage filled with presents intended for relatives and community members back home.

Temporarily, the metropolis experiences a rare stillness. This urban center that continuously grows with workers seeking employment and education opportunities now releases its population annually for spiritual observance and family reunification. The capital attracted these individuals with employment prospects, educational institutions, and advancement possibilities, but now sends them back to rural communities throughout the nation.

Every trip represents both routine travel and remarkable significance.

These striking images document the movement and celebration of Eid as more than just a religious observance, but as a massive reunion for countless people.

NEW YORK (AP) — The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has placed the Strait of Hormuz at the center of international attention once more.

Iran has brought maritime traffic through this vital waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters to a near-complete standstill, blocking a crucial route for global petroleum transport. Commercial vessel attacks and additional strike warnings have prevented most tankers carrying oil, natural gas and other cargo from navigating the passage. Major oil-producing nations have also reduced output since their petroleum products cannot reach markets.

The weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz represents a recurring pattern throughout history. Maritime seizures and regional conflicts have previously created hazardous conditions for commercial vessels, sometimes severely limiting their passage capabilities. Tehran has made repeated closure threats regarding the strait when facing sanctions and diplomatic tensions over many years, though it previously avoided completely blocking maritime traffic. Despite most shipping being suspended during the present conflict, maritime tracking systems show dozens of vessels continue crossing the waterway.

Although both Iran and Oman possess territorial claims within the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lanes are considered international waters open to all maritime traffic. However, Tehran maintains substantial control over the passage through its military installations and authority over strategic islands in the region.

The current confrontation, entering its third week following U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran that resulted in the death of its supreme leader, has created significant energy market impacts: approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments previously transited the Strait of Hormuz before hostilities began, and supply constraints have caused fuel costs to spike dramatically.

Several historical incidents demonstrate previous disruptions or threats to Strait of Hormuz navigation.

Throughout the devastating eight-year conflict between Iran and Iraq during the 1980s, both nations targeted tankers and commercial vessels within and around the Strait of Hormuz, deploying naval mines to block traffic periodically. American forces became involved in what became known as the Tanker War — including a single-day naval engagement with Iran in 1988, followed by the accidental downing of an Iranian passenger aircraft mistaken for a military plane, resulting in 290 civilian deaths.

Complete closure of the strait never occurred. During wartime, American naval vessels provided escort protection for Kuwaiti oil tankers against Iranian assault. Nevertheless, the waterway became extremely hazardous and maritime operations faced significant disruption.

Between late 2011 and early 2012, Iran issued closure threats against the Strait of Hormuz responding to Western sanctions targeting its nuclear activities. The European Union implemented a prohibition on Iranian oil purchases — while the United States similarly sanctioned the nation’s energy industry and blocked central bank transactions. These measures subsequently discouraged other countries from purchasing Iranian petroleum.

Iran eventually softened these threats, and government officials ultimately chose not to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Market instability and supply changes nonetheless caused oil price fluctuations. Brent crude — the global benchmark — traded above $100 throughout December 2011 and much of 2012, reaching peaks exceeding $126 per barrel in March 2012, before declining later that year.

In May 2018, during his initial presidential term, Donald Trump abandoned an Obama administration nuclear agreement with Iran and reimposed sanctions. Despite certain exemptions, Trump pledged to eventually eliminate all Iranian oil exports. Responding to this action, then-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated previous Strait of Hormuz closure threats.

Once again, Iran chose not to close the strait. Although market volatility occurred throughout the year, particularly affecting OPEC producer output, Brent concluded the year trading near $54 per barrel, declining from approximately $75 per barrel when Trump announced the withdrawal in May 2018.

American naval officials attributed a series of limpet mine attacks damaging tankers near the strait in 2019 to Iran, along with a deadly drone strike on an Israeli-connected oil tanker in 2021. Tehran rejected responsibility at the time. Regardless, such conflicts increased insurance costs and heightened shipping company concerns.

Iran also captured multiple vessels in the waterway, including several international oil tankers allegedly transporting smuggled fuel at the end of last year, according to state media reports. The country additionally seized a Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel in 2024 and detained two Greek tankers for months in 2022, among other captures. The strait remained operational throughout these incidents.

Concerns about potential Strait of Hormuz closure also intensified during last year’s 12-day Israel-Iran war, especially after American forces joined the conflict with bombing strikes on three Iranian nuclear and military facilities.

Iran did not close the strait, and oil prices avoided sustained increases. Although costs rose during the conflict’s initial days, petroleum markets actually experienced significant selling as traders questioned the probability of attacks on crude shipments. By the war’s conclusion, Brent was trading below $67 per barrel, several dollars lower than pre-conflict levels.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched an escalated campaign of missile strikes against Gulf Arab energy infrastructure Thursday, igniting blazes at Qatari natural gas facilities in direct retaliation for Israeli attacks on Iran’s primary gas field, marking a significant expansion of Middle East hostilities that has driven worldwide fuel costs dramatically higher.

Maritime vessels caught fire near the United Arab Emirates coastline while another sustained damage off Qatar’s shores, highlighting the persistent threats facing shipping due to Iran’s control over the critical Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar, which serves as a crucial global natural gas supplier, reported that emergency crews extinguished flames at a major LNG plant following Iranian missile bombardment. While production had previously ceased due to earlier strikes, officials said the most recent missile barrage created “sizeable fires and extensive further damage.”

The facility damage could potentially postpone Qatar’s ability to resume market deliveries even following the conclusion of the Iran conflict.

Officials in Abu Dhabi announced the nation was compelled to cease operations at both its Habshan gas facility and Bab field, characterizing Iran’s overnight strikes on these locations as a “dangerous escalation” of the ongoing war.

Air raid warning systems activated across multiple Gulf regions, while Israel issued alerts regarding approaching Iranian missile fire.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all condemned Iran’s attacks, with Saudi Arabia’s chief diplomat stating that assaults on the kingdom meant “what little trust there was before has completely been shattered.”

During early market activity, Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, climbed above $110 per barrel, representing an increase of more than 50% since Israel and the United States initiated the conflict February 28 with strikes against Iran.

Iran’s missile offensive followed Israel’s attack on South Pars, the planet’s largest gas field situated offshore in the Persian Gulf and jointly controlled by Iran and Qatar.

Given that approximately 80% of Iran’s electricity generation relies on natural gas, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the strike directly jeopardizes the nation’s power grid. Natural gas also provides household heating and cooking throughout the Islamic Republic.

Targeting the gas field represents a “clear expansion of the conflict,” the New York-based Soufan Center stated in an analysis.

“Israel’s target selection in this war has heavily focused on the institutions, leaders and infrastructure …” the research organization noted. “It now seeks to inflict additional pressure on the regime by making the living conditions for civilians intolerable.”

Iran denounced the South Pars attack, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioning of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world.”

From Washington, President Donald Trump indicated that Israel would not strike South Pars again, but cautioned via social media that continued Iranian attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure would prompt U.S. retaliation to “massively blow up the entirety” of the field.

“I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran,” Trump posted on social media.

Qatar Energy announced on X that a missile strike on its extensive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility triggered the early Thursday fire.

A vessel also sustained damage off the nation’s coastline, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. Officials remained uncertain whether the ship was intentionally targeted or struck by falling debris as Qatar deployed missile interceptors against incoming Iranian attacks.

Saudi Arabia similarly reported destroying Iranian drones aimed at its natural gas installations overnight, while Abu Dhabi authorities said they were forced to halt operations at the Habshan gas facility and Bab field following interceptions above these sites.

Another vessel ignited early Thursday near the United Arab Emirates coast. The UKMTO indicated uncertainty regarding whether it was deliberately targeted or hit by debris.

The organization said the ship was positioned just off Khor Fakkan in the UAE, close to the Strait of Hormuz entrance, through which one-fifth of global oil typically passes.

More than 20 vessels have suffered attacks throughout the Iran war as Tehran maintains strict control over shipping traffic through the waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters.

Iran maintains the waterway remains open, though not to the U.S. or its allies, and while some ships have successfully transited, the volume has been minimal.

Iran’s judicial system announced Thursday the execution of three individuals detained during January’s nationwide protests, marking the first known implementation of such sentences.

Iran’s Mizan news agency confirmed the executions. Iran typically implements capital punishment through hanging.

Mizan named those executed as Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi and Saeed Davvodi. The agency claimed the three men had fatally stabbed two police officers in Qom, approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of Tehran, during the demonstrations.

Iran’s judiciary had been threatening to execute those arrested during the protests.

Iran suppressed the demonstrations through severe violence that resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of detentions.

Over 1,300 people in Iran have died during the war. Israeli strikes have forced more than 1 million Lebanese to flee their homes — roughly 20% of the population — according to the Lebanese government, which reports 968 fatalities.

In Israel, 14 people have died from Iranian missile attacks. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have been killed.

MOSCOW – Russian state newspaper Izvestia reported Thursday that diplomatic negotiations between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine have been temporarily suspended due to warfare involving Iran, according to Russian government sources.

The Moscow-based publication stated that Kremlin officials confirmed the suspension and suggested that Iran’s military involvement could influence Ukraine to adopt a more flexible negotiating stance.

According to the report, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that while Russian presidential representative Kirill Dmitriev will maintain his focus on investment and economic partnerships, the three-nation diplomatic discussions have been put on hold.

“Kirill Dmitriev continues work. The trilateral group is on pause,” Peskov stated, as reported by Izvestia.

Thailand’s legislative body commenced voting Thursday to select a new prime minister, as Anutin Charnvirakul pursues approval to establish a government that might bring uncommon political stability to the Southeast Asian nation after years of governmental turmoil.

The Bhumjaithai party, led by Anutin, delivered an unexpected and commanding performance in February’s elections, marking a dramatic shift for a political organization that previously held minimal influence in Thai governance. The party’s success stemmed from tapping into nationalist sentiment that emerged following military clashes with Cambodia in the previous year.

Anutin’s political rise largely resulted from strategic maneuvering during the decline of the previously powerful Pheu Thai party. He first withdrew from their coalition government before quickly positioning himself to establish his own administration after judicial decisions removed a second prime minister within just over twelve months.

The Bhumjaithai party has formed an agreement with the weakened Pheu Thai and joined forces with various smaller political groups, creating a coalition that would command 292 out of 499 parliamentary seats.

During a Thursday press conference at parliament, Anutin stated: “The government coalition is ready to perform its duty in the legislature and executive smoothly to bring prosperity to the country.”

He added: “We’ll quickly form a cabinet and give a policy statement to solve the problems of the country.”

To secure the prime ministerial position, the 59-year-old Anutin requires support from more than half the chamber, meaning at least 251 votes are needed for victory.

His competition comes from 38-year-old Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who leads the People’s Party that finished second in the elections.

The extent of Natthaphong’s backing remains uncertain beyond his party’s 120 seats, and whether he has negotiated agreements with other political factions is unknown.

As a devoted royalist, Anutin has maintained a consistent presence in Thai political circles for two decades, successfully navigating periods of instability by strategically positioning Bhumjaithai between competing elite factions locked in ongoing power disputes. This approach secured the party’s participation in multiple coalition governments.

Should Anutin succeed, he would gain his first clear leadership mandate in a nation struggling with economic stagnation, overwhelming household debt, urgent need for structural changes, and challenges from trade uncertainties and consequences of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Political observers suggest Anutin’s adaptability and skill at bridging political divisions could serve as his greatest strengths, noting that Bhumjaithai has avoided confrontation with Thailand’s influential military and judicial institutions, which have previously orchestrated the collapse of numerous governments and parties.

Napon Jatusripitak, a political expert at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, indicated that with Bhumjaithai positioned to influence both parliamentary chambers and Thailand’s institutional power centers apparently supporting Anutin, the outlook for medium-term stability appears positive.

“People have strong reasons to believe that this government can last, particularly because it’s the first time in a long while that the referee and the players are on the same side,” Napon explained.

“There’s control,” he continued. “And we have a highly fragmented opposition.”

Israel has systematically eliminated numerous high-ranking Iranian officials through airstrikes in an effort to destabilize the Islamic Republic. However, defense analysts point to Israel’s historical experience with targeted eliminations, suggesting this approach has limitations and may sometimes produce unintended consequences.

Despite Israel eliminating Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah, the organization continues launching rocket attacks.

Although Israel eliminated Hamas leadership, the organization maintains control over portions of Gaza and continues armed resistance.

Military strategists note that targeted eliminations have seldom been used against nation-states. While such operations may deliver concrete results that officials can present as successes — particularly in conflicts without clear conclusions — they typically fail to resolve the fundamental issues driving these disputes.

Jon Alterman, chair of Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, explained that the effects of targeted eliminations typically diminish over time.

Alterman observed that Iran’s administration and armed forces consist of multiple interconnected organizations that have withstood repeated devastating American and Israeli attacks. “Even dictators need to rely on entire networks that support them,” he said.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was eliminated during the conflict’s initial phase. His successor, son Mojtaba, is considered even more hardline. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has maintained missile barrages against Israel and nearby Gulf nations — and successfully disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — despite losing senior commanders or forcing them into hiding.

Throughout its existence, Israel has conducted numerous targeted eliminations, yet Palestinian and Lebanese militant organizations have frequently survived and sometimes emerged stronger following the deaths of key figures.

Consider Hezbollah’s experience. An Israeli strike eliminated then-leader Abbas Musawi in southern Lebanon during 1992. Under his charismatic successor Nasrallah, Hezbollah developed into the region’s most formidable armed organization and battled Israel to a costly deadlock in 2006.

Nasrallah and virtually all his senior deputies perished during the 2024 Israeli-Hezbollah conflict. The Iran-supported organization sustained additional significant casualties that year, yet renewed missile and drone operations against Israel within days of the current conflict’s beginning.

Hamas has lost multiple leaders. Israel eliminated founder and spiritual guide Sheikh Ahmed Yassin through a 2004 airstrike. Nearly every planner of the organization’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel has subsequently been eliminated.

Both organizations have persevered, driven by longstanding grievances rooted in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

America has similarly employed targeted eliminations against al-Qaida and the Islamic State organization, eliminating Osama bin Laden during a 2011 Pakistan operation and IS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019. While both groups suffered major setbacks, this occurred only after extended conflicts involving ground troops.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu states that eliminating Iran’s leadership aims to weaken the government sufficiently for Iranians to revolt and replace it, preferably with a friendly administration similar to the pro-Western monarchy toppled in 1979.

No such uprising has materialized since the conflict began, following Iranian authorities’ suppression of widespread protests in January.

U.S. President Donald Trump has occasionally indicated the conflict seeks to promote a more moderate leader from within Iran’s administration, though the outcome might be a more radical figure — or complete disorder if the state collapses.

In contemporary times, one nation rarely assassinates another’s leaders.

Congo’s Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was overthrown and killed in 1961 through a CIA and Belgian-supported conspiracy. The African nation subsequently endured decades of authoritarian governance, civil conflict and instability.

NATO’s 2011 Libya intervention enabled rebels to capture and kill longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Following more than ten years of conflict and instability, that nation remains fragmented. Iraq experienced similar turmoil when the 2003 U.S.-led invasion dismantled Saddam Hussein’s administration and resulted in his capture and eventual execution.

Yossi Kuperwasser, former director of Israel’s military intelligence research division, described targeted eliminations as potentially effective tools but not a “cure for all problems.”

“These operations by themselves don’t dramatically change the ability of those organizations to cause damage and to carry out attacks,” he said. “But it’s important for Israel to weaken its enemies.”

Regarding Gaza, Lebanon and now Iran, he noted that Israel has eliminated dozens of officials, permanently altering leadership structures. Concerning Iran, “maybe there’s not ‘regime change’ yet, but there is ‘change in regime.’ The people are not the same people,” he said.

A senior Israeli intelligence official informed The Associated Press that Israel’s leadership elimination strikes in Iran had compromised political leaders’ capacity to command military forces, develop policy and reach decisions. The official requested anonymity to discuss classified evaluations.

However, eliminating leaders may also produce negative consequences, radicalizing supporters, promoting more extreme replacements or transforming deceased leaders into martyrs with lasting influence.

Northeastern University political scientist Max Abrahms noted that data from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel and Palestinian territories demonstrates civilian violence increases following targeted eliminations.

“Leadership decapitation is risky,” he said. “When you take out a leader that prefers some degree of restraint and had influence over subordinates, then there’s a very good chance that, upon that person’s death, you’re going to see even more extreme tactics.”

Targeted eliminations may create leadership gaps and opportunities for change, but only when combined with a comprehensive political approach, explained Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.

“You can decapitate an organization or defeat it militarily, but if you don’t follow through politically, it doesn’t work. And it’s hard to see how this goes much further,” he said.

Following the deaths of thousands of Iranian protesters during a government crackdown in January, Iranian Americans nationwide are observing their cherished spring celebration with heavy hearts this year.

Shima Razavi Gacek, a 46-year-old Los Angeles woman, chose not to host her usual Nowruz house party with its traditional large bonfire. Instead, she coordinated a memorial gathering at a neighborhood park Tuesday evening, where photographs of killed demonstrators were on display and dozens of community members lit candles while participating in a modified version of Chaharshanbe Suri, the customary fire-jumping ritual using small tea lights.

“It is such a beautiful and joyous time of year,” expressed Razavi Gacek, who has called the United States home since age 5. “This year, it’s not, but we need our community more than ever.”

Across the nation, Iranian American communities are observing Nowruz through a combination of mournful remembrances and traditional elements like flowers, music and dancing. Numerous groups have called off their planned celebrations in response to January’s violent suppression of protesters, while others have arranged more intimate, subdued versions of what is typically an exuberant festival.

This year’s observance occurs less than a month following attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Regional conflict has expanded since that time.

The term Nowruz translates to “new day” in Farsi, Iran’s primary language. This celebration, which aligns with the spring equinox, has its origins in ancient Zoroastrian customs spanning thousands of years and extends from Afghanistan through Turkey. Iranians from various religious backgrounds observe Nowruz despite occasional discouragement from Iran’s strict government.

The holiday is also widely celebrated throughout the United States, particularly in Los Angeles, where nearly one-third of America’s 750,000 Iranian Americans reside, and in Nashville, Tennessee, which hosts the nation’s largest Kurdish population.

Numerous communities have called off scheduled Nowruz gatherings and activities following Iran’s violent suppression of protests.

In New York, a group of senior Iranian American women decided against their usual celebration, typically held at a suburban shopping center 25 miles from Manhattan.

“People are not in the mood to celebrate the New Year,” explained Marjan Khalili, who leads the Long Island Ladies Association. “That’s what Nowruz is — we welcome the New Year, and now we really don’t have much to welcome, you know?”

Shani Moslehi, who heads the Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce in Southern California, said her organization abandoned plans for their yearly celebration and instead partnered with a mental health facility to offer assistance to community members struggling with war-related stress and their inability to contact relatives in Iran.

“Everyone I hear from is not doing well,” Moslehi stated. “The dancing and singing lasted a day, and people realized just killing that one guy is not going to solve the problem.”

Several community groups decided to continue Nowruz customs but modified them to reflect current circumstances.

At New York University, the student-led Persian Cultural Society organized a memorial service featuring speeches and poetry instead of their typical Nowruz festivities, requesting participants wear black clothing rather than the bright colors usually associated with the holiday.

In Los Angeles, planners canceled an outdoor festival that normally attracts thousands, replacing it with a concert called “Light Always Prevails.” The event featured an Iranian female singer who was prohibited from performing after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and an Iranian-American artist singing in Persian for the first time, according to Shahab Paranj, who serves as artistic director for the Iranshahr Orchestra.

Celebrating Nowruz now serves as an act of resistance against the Islamic government, according to Hedi Yousefi, who organized a Norooz Bazaar in Manhattan featuring vendors and artists, along with a memorial display listing approximately 3,000 individuals killed in January.

“They want us to be quiet. They want us to shut up and don’t talk and celebrate,” she stated. “But we have to talk about our culture, we have to keep our tradition alive.”

In the Nashville region, where local Kurdish residents come from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey, organizers are preparing an event designed to demonstrate support for people throughout the conflict-affected area.

“It’s not going to be a grief celebration or a sad celebration,” said Tabeer Taabur, who heads the Tennessee Kurdish Community Council.

At the Los Angeles park, dozens of attendees shared meals at picnic tables draped with white linens and decorated with displays of sprouts, fruit and flowers. Participants took turns leaping over small fires burning in containers to mark the year’s transition.

Mojan Gabbay, age 50, placed a candle at the memorial table honoring Iranian protesters, then crossed the patio to jump over an aluminum container filled with burning bark, smiling afterward. She mentioned that while she doesn’t typically observe Chaharshanbe Suri, she felt compelled this year to maintain the tradition for her two children.

“I wanted my kids to know where their roots are from and everything that’s going on has really touched our hearts,” Gabbay said, fighting back tears. “These are your people and when you hear their pain and when you see their suffering, you feel it.”

Citizens across the globe will cast ballots in over 50 nations this year, facing decisions shaped by ongoing conflicts, trade disputes, and economic uncertainty that could send ripples through international financial markets.

Market analysts are keeping close watch on several pivotal elections that could reshape economic policies worldwide:

DENMARK

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen hopes to benefit from increased popularity following her firm response to U.S. pressure regarding Greenland in Tuesday’s parliamentary vote.

Greenland’s election results will indicate residents’ desire for independence and their reaction to Trump’s territorial ambitions. The current governing alliance supports gradual independence while maintaining ties with Denmark, but the opposition Naleraq party seeks complete separation – a division experts believe Washington might try to leverage.

HUNGARY

Viktor Orban faces his most serious electoral challenge in 16 years of leadership during the April 12 vote, with the center-right Tisza party ahead in most surveys.

The nationalist leader has reduced taxes and increased salaries to appease citizens in an economy that has underperformed compared to neighboring countries. His decision to block Ukrainian aid has also frustrated much of Europe.

Goldman Sachs economists stated in their analysis: “Should Tisza prevail, we would expect EU fund inflows to resume swiftly, and the prospect of potential euro membership would likely lead to a notable appreciation of Hungarian assets.”

UNITED KINGDOM

While local elections typically don’t capture international investor interest, the UK’s May 7 contests are an exception. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is falling behind both the populist Reform UK and the left-leaning Green Party in polling, having failed to fulfill promises of economic expansion.

Bond markets are particularly watching for indicators that the fiscally conservative Starmer might face replacement, which could further weaken the pound.

Though the Middle East conflict has reduced speculation about Starmer’s immediate departure, the Polymarket prediction platform shows a 69% probability of his exit before year’s end. The next nationwide election is scheduled by August 2029.

ETHIOPIA AND ZAMBIA

Both Ethiopia and Zambia, having defaulted on their obligations, will conduct summer elections with economic issues taking center stage.

Market watchers have praised Zambia’s economic restructuring and expanding copper output, while Ethiopia’s increasing gold and coffee exports plus currency reforms have improved its outlook.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party appears virtually guaranteed victory in June due to opposition boycotts and security issues that may limit voter participation.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is favored to win in August, though energy and fertilizer cost increases linked to the Iran conflict could pose challenges. S&P ratings agency warns the election threatens policy stability just as government budget tightening begins showing results.

PERU AND COLOMBIA

Colombia’s May presidential contest remains competitive following mixed results in March’s congressional races.

Some investors are encouraged by center-right candidate Paloma Valencia’s improving prospects despite political divisions.

Barclays economist Alejandro Arreaza noted: “We are inclined to hold a constructive view, as political conditions still support a swing toward pro-market policies.”

In Peru, two conservative presidential hopefuls lead polling for April’s election, though Bank of America indicated most candidates “do not seem to represent a major threat” to Peru’s traditional economic approach.

Despite having eight presidents since 2018, growth across nearly all economic sectors has strengthened the country. Bank of America cautioned that election chaos, similar to 2021’s disputed race with turmoil and fraud claims, could prompt capital withdrawal.

ISRAEL

Israel’s parliamentary elections, anticipated in October, are seen as a judgment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The timing could advance if the Knesset fails to approve the 2026 budget by March’s end.

Pre-war polling indicated Netanyahu’s right-wing alliance would face difficulty securing enough seats for government formation.

Tellimer’s Hasnain Malik observed that war casualties and expenses could make it difficult for Netanyahu’s coalition to recover support.

Israel’s economy had recovered in 2025 and was projected to continue improving in 2026 before the conflict began. This uncertainty may increase volatility in the shekel and government securities.

BRAZIL

Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is tied in October’s race with right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Lower house seats, two-thirds of Senate positions, and all 27 state governorships are also contested.

While inflation has decreased and unemployment reached record lows in December, last year’s 2.3% economic growth was the slowest since the COVID pandemic.

Oxford Economics’ Felipe Camargo suggested a center-right Bolsonaro administration could create a “goldilocks scenario for markets” with emphasis on reducing inflation and addressing the rising debt-to-GDP ratio.

UNITED STATES

November’s U.S. midterm elections will decide congressional control, serving as a crucial test for President Donald Trump, particularly if Middle East conflicts continue.

Trump’s foreign policy approach may hurt Republican prospects as voters prioritize cost-of-living issues.

Reuters/Ipsos polling shows Democrats maintain a small advantage over Republicans on affordability matters, prompting the White House to implement measures like credit card interest rate caps.

Peter Ricchiuti, finance professor at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, explained: “The big issue in the mid-terms will be affordability and people in the middle-class income range will be most affected by higher oil prices.”

Experts suggest pre-election uncertainty could pressure the dollar and global equity markets.

HONG KONG (AP) — Evidence hearings have commenced for an independent investigation examining Hong Kong’s most catastrophic fire in recent history, which claimed 168 lives and destroyed seven buildings due to numerous safety breakdowns.

Survivors and families of victims have sought answers since the November 2025 tragedy that devastated Wang Fuk Court, a tightly-knit residential community in Tai Po’s suburban area where thousands resided.

During opening statements Thursday, committee lead attorney Victor Dawes indicated the blaze likely originated on a platform within a light well adjacent to two ground-floor units, where investigators discovered cigarette remnants on both the platform and nearby scaffolding.

According to Dawes, evidence reveals several contributing elements combined to create the disaster, including deactivated fire alarms and water hose systems, along with the installation of flammable scaffolding materials and foam board window coverings.

“On the day of the fire, nearly all fire safety systems meant to protect lives failed because of human factors,” he said.

The November 26 fire rapidly consumed seven of the complex’s eight residential towers. Authorities have detained multiple individuals on charges including manslaughter, fraud, and corruption.

The judge-appointed investigation panel, established in December, will also explore whether systematic issues like contract manipulation affected large construction maintenance and renovation projects. Officials estimated the committee’s work would require nine months to complete.

Following attorney presentations, the panel will collect testimony from witnesses, including Wang Fuk Court residents, with various government agencies participating in the proceedings.

Prior to Thursday’s session, Phyllis Lo, whose mother perished in the fire, expressed hope for hearing diverse perspectives to gain complete understanding of the incident.

Resident Seneca Lee stated her desire to understand how the flames spread across so many structures and caused such extensive loss of life.

Numerous former complex residents currently occupy temporary accommodations throughout the city. Hong Kong authorities recently announced plans to purchase homeownership rights from fire victims based on resident preference surveys, disappointing those hoping to reconstruct their homes on the original site.

Hong Kong leader John Lee announced Tuesday that officials are developing arrangements for affected residents to access their apartments and retrieve personal belongings in April.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The global K-pop phenomenon BTS is set to return to the stage Saturday evening with a highly anticipated performance at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, a historic location that symbolizes South Korea’s royal past and serves as a center for political and cultural activities.

The complimentary performance is anticipated to attract tens of thousands of supporters as the seven-member South Korean group showcases material from “ARIRANG,” their debut album release in almost four years. The album takes its name from Korea’s most cherished traditional folk song.

“‘ARIRANG’ is an album that embodies the origin and identity of BTS and carries the message that they want to convey now,” stated Hybe Corp., BTS’ parent management company, when responding to Associated Press inquiries. “Considering the symbolic significance of the word ‘Arirang,’ we’ve decided to hold a performance at Gwanghwamun, a place that represents Korea.”

The square derives its name from the massive entrance gate to the adjacent Gyeongbokgung palace, which served as the royal residence during Korea’s Joseon dynasty. This dynasty governed the peninsula for over five centuries before ending in 1910.

Situated at Seoul’s center, this expansive plaza regularly hosts artistic and cultural gatherings. Two monumental statues honor Korea’s most revered historical figures: King Sejong, creator of the Korean alphabet in 1443, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin, who successfully repelled Japanese forces during the 16th century.

The location also represents South Korea’s developing democracy, having witnessed large-scale demonstrations during recent political crises.

During late 2024, when former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration created the nation’s most serious democratic crisis in decades, citizens assembled at the square demanding his removal. These political gatherings uniquely merged activism with popular culture, featuring protesters carrying the colorful light sticks typically seen at K-pop events while singing tracks like Girls’ Generation’s “Into the New World.”

Analysts suggest the hour-long Gwanghwamun performance, which Netflix will broadcast live internationally, will reinforce BTS’ status as artists who successfully transitioned from Korean stars to global icons. The group had been inactive while members fulfilled their required South Korean military service.

Cultural analyst Ha Jae-keun noted that regardless of venue choice, any BTS comeback concert would succeed. However, as K-pop’s biggest stars, the group likely chose this symbolic Korean location as the “most meaningful” option, he explained.

Pop culture expert Jung Dukhyun suggested the Gwanghwamun selection reflects the belief that Korean traditional elements can achieve worldwide appeal, similar to the recent success of Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters,” which earned Oscar recognition for best animated feature and best song for “Golden” this week.

Government officials expect the concert will boost South Korea’s global cultural impact.

Extensive security measures are being implemented to avoid crowd-control problems.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung posted on X Wednesday, describing BTS as “a proud artist of the Republic of Korea” and expressing hopes the concert will showcase “our beautiful cultural heritage and the charm of K-culture.”

While approximately 20,000 ticket holders will attend at the square itself, an estimated 240,000 additional fans are expected to gather in surrounding areas to view the performance on temporary screens. Transportation authorities will redirect traffic, modify subway schedules at certain stations, and temporarily close Gyeongbokgung palace.

Some local residents have criticized what they perceive as special treatment for BTS and potential public disruption. However, many specialists emphasize the concert’s significant public benefit.

“BTS is the nation’s band. Now they intend to hold an open performance for the public free of charge. I think it would be very natural for the government to support it,” Ha stated.

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai lawmakers assembled Thursday to select the country’s next prime minister, following a general election held more than a month ago that revealed a notable conservative turn in the nation’s political landscape.

Current Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul appears positioned to gain sufficient backing from the 500-seat House of Representatives to continue leading the government. Securing a prime ministerial position requires a simple majority vote.

Official election results show Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party captured 191 parliamentary seats and has successfully assembled a coalition with multiple other parties to establish a governing majority. The populist Pheu Thai Party, which earned third place with 74 seats, stands among its coalition partners.

The progressive People’s Party, despite finishing in second place with 120 seats, has announced it will not participate in the Bhumjaithai-led administration. The party plans to put forward one of its own candidates during Thursday’s voting process, though it describes this as merely a symbolic challenge.

Anutin assumed the prime ministerial role just last September following his service in the cabinet under his immediate predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office due to ethics violations related to mismanaging relations with Cambodia. Facing the threat of a no-confidence motion, Anutin dissolved Parliament in December to trigger an early election.

His popularity has grown significantly after positioning himself as a national defender during the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, which fueled nationalist feelings among the electorate.

The two nations engaged in territorial conflicts twice during the previous year over disputed border areas.

Following the parliamentary vote, the newly selected prime minister will officially assume duties within days after receiving formal designation from King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Cabinet appointments are anticipated in the subsequent weeks.

The next administration will confront pressing challenges immediately. Middle Eastern warfare that erupted in February has pushed global energy costs higher, inflating commodity prices and sparking worries about potential oil supply shortages.

Additional political uncertainty emerged Wednesday when the Constitutional Court announced it would decide whether to invalidate last month’s election results.

This legal challenge originates from a complaint submitted by the Ombudsman’s Office against the Election Commission, claiming that barcodes and QR codes printed on voting ballots could undermine voter privacy, potentially violating election statutes mandating secret voting procedures.

WASHINGTON — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi heads into what she herself described as a “very difficult” White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday, as tensions mount over Japan’s unwillingness to provide military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

What was initially planned as a strategic discussion before Takaichi’s trip to China has transformed into a potentially confrontational encounter. The ongoing conflict in Iran and Trump’s public frustration with allies who declined to assist in protecting the vital oil and gas shipping route have forced a delay in the China visit.

Trump has openly expressed his displeasure both in public statements and on social media regarding U.S. allies, particularly Japan, turning down his appeals for assistance in securing the strategically important waterway.

“In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!” Trump posted on Truth Social following the rejection of his initial assistance requests.

Before departing Japan, Takaichi conceded she anticipates a challenging discussion with Trump. Japanese officials have maintained that no formal request was made by Washington for Japanese naval vessels to participate in the U.S.-Israeli operation.

Japan stands among the nations Trump specifically criticized Tuesday during his public complaints about the lack of cooperation regarding the Strait of Hormuz, before ultimately stating such assistance was unnecessary.

Kurt Campbell, former deputy secretary of state under the Biden administration and current chair of The Asia Group, predicts Trump will apply “enormous pressure” on Takaichi during their meeting.

Campbell noted he has never witnessed a meeting between American and Japanese leadership carrying such significant consequences. He suggested that for Takaichi to advance Japan’s interests, she must find a method to demonstrate Japan’s participation in U.S. Middle East strategy.

“She’s going to want to come out of that as a partner in this case and realize that if she can do that, that she can translate that potentially into the president listening more to Japanese concerns about Taiwan or other issues,” Campbell explained.

Japan faces constitutional limitations regarding its participation in Iran operations, including post-World War II restrictions that prohibit using force except for territorial defense. The nation’s military operates under the name Self-Defense Force.

Christopher Johnstone, a partner at The Asia Group specializing in defense and national security, indicated Japan could potentially contribute through mine-clearing operations and has maintained “a small naval presence” in the area for anti-piracy efforts spanning over ten years. However, joining the U.S. mission would require Takaichi to overcome “an exceptionally high bar politically to invoke collective self-defense” — something never before accomplished.

Takaichi, who first met Trump in Tokyo last October, holds the distinction of being Japan’s first female prime minister and was mentored by former leader Shinzo Abe, who cultivated a strong relationship with Trump.

As a conservative hardliner and long-time Taiwan advocate, her statements regarding Japan’s potential military support for the island have increased tensions with China.

Prior to her Trump meeting, Takaichi had planned to concentrate discussions on trade relations, strengthening U.S.-Japan ties, and security issues. Japanese representatives indicated both nations would work toward enhanced cooperation in regional security, critical minerals, energy, and China-related matters.

China considers self-governing Taiwan, crucial to U.S. computer chip manufacturing, as its territory and has threatened military action if necessary to claim it.

However, questions surrounding Strait of Hormuz assistance and broader implications of the Iran conflict have placed the Japanese leader in a more challenging position with Trump as she works to secure U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan views China as an escalating security concern and has pursued military expansion on southwestern islands near the East China Sea. Yet the U.S. has relocated some Japan-stationed troops to the Middle East, reducing deterrence against Chinese influence.

Takaichi plans to address troop redeployment concerns with Trump, particularly as these moves coincide with China conducting numerous military exercises around Taiwan.

“This raises the prospect that — once again — the United States will be distracted and bogged down in the Middle East at a time when the deterrence problem in East Asia has never been greater,” Johnstone stated.

President Donald Trump declared that Israel struck Iran’s major South Pars gas facility in what he characterized as an angry and violent response to ongoing Middle East conflicts, but promised no additional Israeli attacks unless Iran strikes back.

The Wednesday assault on the massive gas installation caused oil prices to surge and led Iran to threaten attacks on energy infrastructure throughout the Gulf region, while launching missiles toward Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

This escalation increases the extraordinary disruption to worldwide energy supplies that has created political challenges for Trump, who entered the conflict alongside Israel approximately four weeks ago.

QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company, described “extensive damage” following Iranian missile strikes on the Ras Laffan Industrial City, which handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s gas production.

Saudi officials announced they successfully intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh on Wednesday, along with stopping a drone assault on an eastern gas installation.

Iran continued its attacks Thursday, again striking Qatar’s gas infrastructure while also targeting the Saudi capital with additional missiles.

QatarEnergy reported “sizeable fires” and widespread destruction at multiple liquefied natural gas facilities hit during Thursday’s early morning missile strikes.

The President stated that America had no prior warning of Israel’s strike and emphasized that Qatar was not involved in the initial attack.

“Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran,” Trump wrote on X Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility.

“NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar.

“In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.”

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump had given approval for Israel’s planned assault on Iran’s natural gas infrastructure.

South Pars represents Iran’s portion of the planet’s largest natural gas reserve, shared between Iran and Qatar, a key U.S. partner that hosts America’s largest Gulf military installation.

Throughout this conflict, Tehran has attacked not only Israeli targets but also American diplomatic and military sites across the Gulf while warning neighboring countries against supporting strikes on Iranian territory.

With no signs of de-escalation, Trump is reportedly considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. military personnel to the Middle East, according to officials and sources familiar with the planning.

These forces could help ensure safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway handling one-fifth of global oil commerce.

Foreign ministers from six Islamic nations meeting in Riyadh condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf neighbors and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The ministers stated that Iran’s targeting of civilian areas and critical infrastructure including oil facilities, airports and water treatment plants cannot be justified under any circumstances.

“This pressure from Iran will backfire politically and morally and certainly we reserve the right to take military actions, if deemed necessary,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said during a press conference following the diplomatic meeting in Riyadh.

Defense systems were observed firing interceptors near the Riyadh hotel hosting the conference around the time ministers convened for their consultative session on the Iran conflict.

The UAE closed its Habshan gas facility after intercepting missiles in what its foreign ministry termed a “terrorist attack” by Iran.

The U.S.-based Iran human rights organization HRANA estimates that more than 3,000 people have died in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli attacks commenced on February 28.

Lebanese authorities report 900 deaths in their country and 800,000 people displaced from their homes.

Iranian strikes have caused casualties in Iraq and throughout Gulf states, while at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict.

BEIJING – Top government officials from across Asia are preparing to attend China’s prestigious Boao Forum next week, organizers announced Thursday.

The annual economic gathering, frequently described as Asia’s equivalent to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, will take place from March 24 through March 27 in China’s southern Hainan province.

Among the high-profile attendees will be South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Other notable participants include Sahiba Gafarova, who serves as speaker of Azerbaijan’s National Assembly, and Jagath Wickramaratne, the parliamentary speaker from Sri Lanka. Kazakhstan will be represented by Roman Skylar, the nation’s first deputy prime minister.

The forum traditionally features addresses from senior Chinese leadership. During last year’s event, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang delivered remarks promising enhanced policy measures to support China’s economy, which ranks as the world’s second largest.

A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked investors from searching for Argentine government assets within the United States as they attempt to collect on a massive $16 billion court judgment related to the South American nation’s takeover of its primary energy corporation in 2012.

The asset discovery process will remain suspended while appeals continue in the lengthy legal battle, where U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska previously ruled that Argentina must pay compensation to investors following the government seizure of majority control in YPF Energy.

According to court documents reviewed by The Associated Press, the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New York blocked former shareholders Petersen Energía and Petersen Energía Inversora — supported by litigation financier Burford Capital — from gathering information about Argentine assets located in America, including central bank reserves like gold holdings.

On Wednesday, Argentine President Javier Milei called the court’s decision “historic” and “unprecedented” in favor of his country regarding the YPF litigation.

“This decision represents a historic milestone in the defense of the Argentine Republic in litigation that, for more than 12 years, has imposed enormous economic, legal and reputational costs on the country,” the president said in a statement. According to the government’s announcement, Argentine officials requested the discovery suspension on March 6.

However, a legal expert warned that Argentina’s procedural victory doesn’t guarantee the appeals court will reverse the $16.1 billion judgment — an amount that has grown beyond $18 billion when including interest.

Sebastián Maril, who analyzes Latin American litigation for Latam Advisors, explained to The Associated Press that Wednesday’s ruling merely suspends secondary legal proceedings like asset tracing until the court decides Argentina’s main appeal. Oral arguments took place in October, with a final decision still pending.

Last June, Judge Preska directed Argentina to hand over its 51% majority ownership in YPF as partial payment to the plaintiffs. The appeals court suspended that directive two months later.

President Milei, who faces challenges rebuilding Argentina’s diminished foreign currency reserves and has promised to sell off government-controlled enterprises, has attributed the legal case to his political rivals. In 2012, former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who led the country from 2007 to 2015, supervised the state acquisition of Argentina’s top energy firm, further damaging the nation’s international financial credibility.

The plaintiffs were able to file their lawsuit against YPF in American courts because the company maintains a listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

Following the government takeover, YPF has intensified development of Argentina’s extensive shale gas deposits in the Vaca Muerta region of Patagonia. Oil production from Vaca Muerta has grown consistently, hitting nearly 600,000 barrels daily in January, representing about 68% of the country’s total output. YPF announced a $5 million profit in 2025, marking its best financial performance in a decade.