Category: World News

Australian government officials are disputing weekend news reports suggesting the country is making arrangements to bring home dozens of citizens currently held at a Syrian detention facility housing relatives of suspected Islamic State fighters.

The controversy centers around 34 women and children who were briefly freed from the northern Syrian camp on Monday, only to be sent back to the detention facility because of logistical complications. According to reports, the group was expected to travel through Damascus on their way back to Australia, though politicians from both major parties have voiced opposition to their return.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke directly challenged the Sunday Telegraph’s reporting during a television interview, denying that his government is orchestrating any homecoming efforts.

“In that report, it makes a claim that we are conducting a repatriation. We are not,” Burke stated during his appearance on Australian Broadcasting Corp television.

“It claims we have been meeting with the states for the purposes of a repatriation. We have not,” Burke continued.

Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who heads Australia’s Labor Party administration, made clear his government would not assist in bringing the group back to Australian soil.

The debate over whether to allow family members of suspected IS fighters to return home has become a contentious political topic in Australia, particularly as the right-wing One Nation party, headed by Pauline Hanson, has gained traction with its anti-immigration platform.

Australian law treats Islamic State as a designated terrorist organization, with membership carrying potential prison sentences of up to 25 years. The country also maintains authority to revoke citizenship from dual nationals who join the Sunni Muslim extremist group.

Pakistani military forces launched early morning strikes Sunday against militant strongholds positioned along the Afghanistan border, officials announced, following a deadly wave of terrorist attacks within Pakistan’s borders.

Government officials in Islamabad withheld specific location details of the military operations and did not elaborate on the scope of the strikes. Afghan authorities in Kabul have not yet responded to the reported attacks, while unverified social media posts indicate the operations took place within Afghan territory.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced via social media platform X before sunrise Sunday that Pakistani forces executed what he termed “intelligence-based, selective operations” targeting seven facilities operated by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, along with associated groups. Tarar noted that forces also struck a camp belonging to an Islamic State affiliate in the border region.

This marks the second time Pakistan has conducted such cross-border operations, with similar strikes launched deep into Afghanistan in October to eliminate militant positions.

“Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region,” Tarar stated, while emphasizing that protecting Pakistani citizens remains the government’s highest priority.

The military action follows a devastating suicide attack earlier this week when an explosive-laden vehicle, supported by armed militants, crashed into a security facility’s perimeter in Bajaur district within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border. The explosion brought down sections of the compound, resulting in the deaths of 11 military personnel and one child. Intelligence sources later identified the attacker as an Afghan citizen.

Just hours before Sunday’s border operations, another suicide bomber struck a security patrol in the neighboring Bannu district, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. Following Saturday’s violence, Pakistan’s military leadership declared they would not “exercise any restraint” and promised continued operations against those responsible “irrespective of their location,” signaling escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

According to Tarar, Pakistan possesses “conclusive evidence” linking recent terrorist incidents, including a mosque bombing in Islamabad that claimed 31 lives earlier this month, to militants operating under direction from “Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.”

Pakistani officials say they have repeatedly called on Afghanistan’s Taliban government to take concrete, verifiable measures preventing militant organizations from using Afghan soil as a launching pad for attacks against Pakistan, but claim no meaningful action has resulted.

Tarar appealed to the global community to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership to honor their Doha agreement commitments prohibiting the use of their territory for attacks against neighboring nations.

Pakistan has experienced an escalation in militant violence over recent years, with much of the bloodshed attributed to the TTP and banned Baloch separatist organizations. The TTP operates independently from but maintains close ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban, who regained control in 2021. Pakistani authorities accuse the TTP of maintaining bases inside Afghanistan, allegations both the militant group and Kabul’s government reject.

Diplomatic relations between the two neighboring nations have deteriorated since October, when fatal border confrontations resulted in dozens of casualties among soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. The violence erupted following explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials attributed to Pakistani involvement.

While a Qatar-brokered ceasefire has generally held, diplomatic talks in Istanbul failed to produce a formal resolution, leaving relations between the countries strained.

Authorities in Libya discovered the remains of five migrants along a coastal area east of Tripoli on Saturday, according to local police officials.

The bodies, which included two women, were found on the shoreline at Emhamid Al-Sharif in the coastal community of Qasr al-Akhyar, located approximately 45 miles east of the capital city.

Hassan Al-Ghawil, who leads investigations at the local police station, reported that residents in the area also spotted a child’s body that had washed ashore, but strong waves carried it back out to sea. Officials have requested the coast guard to conduct a search for the missing child.

According to Al-Ghawil, local residents discovered the bodies and immediately contacted police. Photos circulating online, which Reuters has verified, show the deceased migrants on the beach, with some still wearing black inflatable life preservers.

“We reported to the Red Crescent to recover the bodies,” Al-Ghawil stated. “The bodies we found are still intact and we think there are more bodies to wash ashore.”

The North African nation has served as a major pathway for people fleeing violence and economic hardship, seeking passage to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. This migration route became heavily trafficked following the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi during a NATO-supported rebellion. Political divisions have fractured the country between competing eastern and western governments since 2014.

This tragedy follows another recent maritime disaster earlier this month when 53 migrants, including two infants, died or went missing after their rubber vessel capsized near Zuwara, a town west of Tripoli, according to the International Organization for Migration.

A recent United Nations assessment highlighted the severe dangers facing migrants in Libya, including young girls who face threats of murder, torture, sexual assault, and forced domestic servitude. The report recommended halting the return of migrant vessels to Libya until basic human rights protections can be guaranteed.

The Islamic State has announced what it calls an escalated campaign against Syrian government forces after claiming responsibility for dual attacks that left military personnel dead on Saturday.

According to the terror group’s Dabiq media outlet, militants used a handgun to target “an individual of the apostate Syrian regime” in Mayadin, located in Deir al-Zor province, while separately attacking two other government personnel with automatic weapons in the northern city of Raqqa.

Syria’s Defense Ministry confirmed in an official statement that one army soldier and one civilian lost their lives Saturday in attacks carried out by “unknown assailants.” A military source speaking to Reuters identified the fallen soldier as a member of the army’s 42nd Division.

These violent incidents occur as ISIS has dramatically increased attacks against Syria’s government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously commanded al Qaeda forces before splitting from that organization in 2016 and ultimately spearheading the Islamist coalition that toppled President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.

In a recorded message released Saturday evening, ISIS spokesman Abu Hudhayfa al-Ansari declared that Syria had “moved from Iranian occupation to Turkish-American occupation.”

The terrorist organization proclaimed it had launched a “new phase of operations” within Syria, labeling Sharaa as a “watchdog” of the international coalition and threatening that his destiny would mirror Assad’s downfall.

During his November visit to the United States, where he met with President Donald Trump, Sharaa formalized Syria’s participation in the global coalition fighting ISIS.

Saturday’s violence follows another ISIS attack just two days earlier in Deir al-Zor that claimed the life of an Interior Ministry internal security officer and left another wounded.

Pro-ISIS social media accounts and messaging channels have recently urged supporters to intensify attacks using motorcycles and small arms.

Since Assad’s government collapsed, ISIS has conducted six separate attacks against Syrian government forces.

A United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism report published last week revealed that ISIS has attempted to assassinate Sharaa and two top cabinet officials on five separate occasions, though all plots were unsuccessful.

A medical emergency aboard an American submarine in Arctic waters prompted an international rescue mission Saturday, according to Danish military officials.

The Danish Defence’s Joint Arctic Command coordinated the evacuation of a U.S. Navy crew member who needed immediate medical attention while the submarine operated in waters near Greenland, approximately seven nautical miles from the capital city of Nuuk.

Military officials used a Danish Defence Seahawk helicopter to transport the sailor from the submarine to medical facilities on shore. The rescued crew member was subsequently handed over to Greenland’s healthcare system and admitted to Nuuk’s hospital for treatment.

The Joint Arctic Command released details of the rescue operation in an official statement but did not provide information about the nature of the medical emergency or the current condition of the evacuated sailor.

SEOUL – Saturday marked the third day of North Korea’s Workers’ Party Ninth Congress, where leader Kim Jong Un delivered an extensive presentation evaluating his party’s performance and setting future directions, according to state media reports released Sunday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim’s comprehensive address examined the party’s accomplishments during the previous five-year period while establishing fresh strategic objectives and priorities for upcoming years. The plan encompasses initiatives across multiple areas designed to strengthen socialist development throughout the nation.

Conference attendees indicated that Kim’s presentation provided both strategic and tactical guidance for what officials characterized as an emerging phase of national progress, while reinforcing optimism about the country’s prospects ahead, state media reported.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officers have assumed direct command of Hezbollah’s military operations in Lebanon, according to intelligence sources cited by Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya. The development coincides with Israeli military strikes over the weekend that eliminated three high-ranking Hezbollah commanders.

Al-Arabiya’s sources indicate that IRGC personnel, including officers who recently traveled from Iran to Lebanon, have taken charge of reconstructing Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. These Iranian commanders are conducting personal briefings with fighters across Lebanon and preparing the organization for potential conflicts with Israel and the United States.

The intelligence report revealed that IRGC officials were conducting meetings with Hezbollah’s missile division at a location in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley when Israeli forces launched overnight strikes on the facility. These attacks were part of extensive aerial operations that left at least 50 people injured and resulted in 12 fatalities, including a high-ranking Hezbollah official.

Saudi television network Al-Hadath confirmed that Israeli Defense Forces operations resulted in the deaths of three Hezbollah commanders: Ali Zeid al-Mousawi, Muhammad Ibrahim al-Mousawi, and Hussein Yaghi. Lebanese publication An-Nahar identified Hussein Yaghi as the son of Muhammad Hassan Yaghi, a former Hezbollah parliamentary representative and founding member who previously served as an assistant to Hassan Nasrallah.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that Israeli bombardments in Baalbek within the Beqaa Valley resulted in 10 deaths and 24 wounded, including three minors. Israeli military officials stated their forces targeted Hezbollah headquarters facilities in the region. Additional reports suggested that six of the casualties were Hezbollah operatives.

Israeli military spokespersons confirmed additional strikes targeted a Hamas command facility in southern Lebanon’s Ein al-Hilweh region, along with multiple Hezbollah command positions in Baalbek.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun criticized the Israeli military actions, stating that “the continuation of Israeli strikes undermines diplomatic efforts to stabilize the country.” He further declared that “the airstrikes reflect contempt for the will of the international community and UN resolutions regarding Resolution 1701.”

Aoun’s statements represent the first official response from Lebanon’s senior leadership following this latest series of Israeli military operations in Lebanese territory.

The Islamic State terrorist organization has launched a verbal assault against Syria’s new interim leader, branding him a Western-controlled “puppet without a soul” and predicting he will meet the same downfall as former dictator Bashar Assad.

The extremist group’s spokesman, identifying himself as Abu Musab al-Furati, delivered the harsh criticism in an audio recording distributed Saturday evening. During the message, he encouraged ISIS supporters across the globe to launch strikes against Jewish and Western locations, echoing previous calls for violence.

Al-Furati conveyed messages from the organization’s current leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi, who assumed control of the group three years ago, to ISIS operatives worldwide.

This marks the terrorist organization’s first public statement in several months, emerging after ISIS was held responsible for multiple deadly incidents across Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and other regions that killed and injured dozens of people.

Last December, the group orchestrated a deadly assault in Syria’s central region that claimed three American lives, prompting extensive U.S. military strikes against suspected ISIS strongholds throughout the nation.

Although ISIS suffered major defeats in Iraq during 2017 and Syria two years afterward, dormant terrorist cells continue executing fatal attacks in both nations where they previously established their so-called caliphate.

A United Nations report released this month revealed that Syria’s current president, along with the interior and foreign ministers, were targeted in five unsuccessful assassination plots during the previous year.

In December 2024, rebel forces under current interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organization advanced into Damascus and toppled Assad’s government, significantly weakening Iran’s regional power in the conflict-ravaged nation. Assad represented the minority Alawite community in Syria’s Sunni Muslim-majority population.

Following these events, al-Sharaa, who previously commanded al-Qaida’s Syrian branch, has strengthened ties with Western nations and made history as the first Syrian leader to travel to Washington since the country gained independence in 1946.

Al-Furati declared that Iran and Assad’s administration had been “replaced with a regime that is subjected to American influence.”

“Syria today is ruled by the Crusaders after they placed a leader who is a puppet without a soul,” al-Furati stated. He promised renewed violence in the region, declaring that “Syria has entered a new era of defense and the convoys of jihad will eventually march in Syria.”

The recording, timed to coincide with the start of Ramadan, made no reference to the recent transfer of 5,704 suspected ISIS prisoners from northeastern Syrian detention facilities to Iraq over recent weeks. Al-Furati only mentioned that authorities fear these detainees, with American, Shiite, and Kurdish forces working to prevent any escapes.

The spokesman also avoided discussing al-Hol refugee camp, which previously sheltered over 24,000 individuals, primarily women and children connected to ISIS. The facility now sits nearly vacant after government troops seized control from the U.S.-supported, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces last month.

Al-Furati admitted that ISIS has lost personnel over the past two years due to strikes by the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition. Syria’s government officially became part of this coalition in November.

The United Arab Emirates successfully prevented a series of coordinated cyber attacks aimed at the nation’s digital systems and critical sectors, according to an announcement from the country’s state news agency on Saturday, February 21.

Officials reported that the cyber offensive “included attempts to infiltrate networks, deploy ransomware and conduct systematic phishing campaigns targeting national platforms.” The attackers reportedly utilized artificial intelligence technology to create sophisticated offensive cyber tools.

The state news agency did not identify which group or nation was responsible for orchestrating these digital attacks against UAE infrastructure.

Two of the world’s largest developing economies have forged a new partnership centered on critical minerals and rare earth elements, as both nations work to expand their global trade relationships beyond traditional powers.

During a state visit to India on Saturday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indian officials finalized a memorandum of understanding that creates a cooperation framework between the nations. The agreement covers mutual investment opportunities, resource exploration, mining operations, and artificial intelligence development.

Brazil holds the planet’s second-largest deposits of rare earth minerals, which are essential components in smartphones, electric cars, solar energy systems, and aircraft engines.

“Increasing investments and cooperation in matters of renewable energy and critical minerals is at the core of a pioneering agreement that we have signed today,” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told journalists.

The countries also established legal frameworks covering entrepreneurship, healthcare, scientific research, and educational initiatives.

Lula’s diplomatic mission to India began Wednesday and continues through Sunday, marking an effort to strengthen relationships with India, which like Brazil belongs to the BRICS+ alliance of developing countries. The Brazilian leader also took part in an artificial intelligence conference during his visit.

This follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil in July of the previous year, making Lula’s current trip his second state visit to India.

Eleven Brazilian ministers joined Lula’s delegation, including the heads of foreign affairs, finance, health, and agriculture departments, along with numerous business executives. Lula described it Saturday as potentially his largest overseas delegation to date, demonstrating his dedication to the India relationship.

According to Oliver Stuenkel, who teaches international relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank, this rare earths agreement represents part of a larger plan by both India and Brazil to gain strategic independence from China and the United States through partnership diversification.

Stuenkel noted that Brazil has pursued this approach for several years, enabling Lula to resist pressure from President Donald Trump when the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods following legal proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro, Trump’s political ally.

“The reading is that, given how turbulent and unpredictable things have become, the more partners, the better,” Stuenkel said.

The United States subsequently lifted most Brazilian tariffs and sanctions against the judge handling the case.

Roberto Goulart Menezes, who teaches international relations at the University of Brasilia, explained that Brazil’s confrontation with the U.S. sparked the concept of leveraging rare earths and critical minerals in diplomatic negotiations.

“Brazil began to reposition its understanding of the importance of these elements beyond their commercial dimension, recognizing their geopolitical relevance,” said Goulart.

Lula plans to meet with his American counterpart in Washington D.C. in the coming months. “For Brazil, this agreement represents a kind of pilot before negotiating with a country with which Brazil has an asymmetrical relationship,” Goulart said.

More than 1,550 applications have been submitted under Venezuela’s newly enacted amnesty legislation, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez during a Saturday broadcast on government television.

Rodriguez announced that hundreds of detainees are currently being freed through this law, which the ruling party-dominated legislature approved on Thursday. However, human rights advocates argue the legislation doesn’t provide adequate assistance for the numerous political detainees held throughout the nation.

Since assuming office last month following the U.S.-backed removal of President Nicolas Maduro, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has complied with Trump administration requirements regarding petroleum exports and freed hundreds of individuals whom human rights organizations classify as political detainees. Venezuelan officials reject claims of holding political prisoners, maintaining that incarcerated individuals have been convicted of criminal offenses.

Juan Pablo Guanipa, an opposition figure and close associate of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado, had his home detention order revoked, according to his brother, legislator Tomas Guanipa, who spoke with Reuters on Thursday evening.

Italy’s national television network RAI found itself issuing public apologies Saturday following an embarrassing broadcast mishap that aired discriminatory remarks about Israel’s Olympic bobsled team during Winter Games coverage.

The controversy erupted when viewers unexpectedly heard an off-air instruction from a RAI journalist telling production staff to “Let’s avoid crew number 21, which is the Israeli one” followed by “no, because…” before audio was quickly terminated during Four-Man bobsleigh competition coverage.

This latest blunder comes as RAI’s sports department continues dealing with fallout from previous Olympic coverage problems. The sports division chief had already stepped down earlier this week following heavily criticized commentary during the Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremonies just two weeks prior.

Israel’s ambassador Jonathan Peled took to social media to express strong disapproval of the incident, stating: “I firmly condemn the statements made today by a RAI journalist regarding the Israeli bobsleigh delegation at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.”

“There should be no room in sport for incitement to hatred, discrimination based on national, cultural, or religious beliefs, and any offensive rhetoric,” Peled continued.

“We are confident that the RAI management will take all necessary measures to ensure that similar incidents are not repeated,” he said.

RAI’s chief executive Giampaolo Rossi characterized the broadcast error as a “serious” violation of core broadcasting values including neutrality, dignity and inclusiveness that should define public media operations. Rossi announced the launch of an immediate internal investigation to identify those responsible and determine appropriate disciplinary action.

The broadcaster’s board of directors issued their own statement calling the aired comment “unacceptable” while extending formal apologies to Jewish communities, affected athletes and any viewers who experienced offense from the broadcast.

RAI serves as Italy’s primary media company, managing nationwide television programming, radio broadcasts and online news platforms.

The journalist union representing RAI staff, known as Usigrai, had previously criticized former sports chief Paolo Petrecca’s opening ceremony performance as inflicting “a serious blow” to the organization’s professional reputation.

Petrecca’s commentary errors included incorrectly naming Olympic venues and prominent figures, plus making widely condemned observations about competing national teams.

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pushing for Britain and European partners to immediately station non-combat military personnel in Ukraine as a demonstration to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Western countries remain genuinely dedicated to Ukraine’s sovereignty.

In remarks made before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s comprehensive assault on Ukraine, Johnson spoke with the BBC about positioning troops in stable areas for non-combat duties. Johnson, who served as one of Ukraine’s most vocal advocates during his tenure as Britain’s leader when the conflict began, shared these views in interview segments scheduled to air Sunday.

Should this recommendation be implemented, it would represent a significant departure from current UK and allied policy. Although the “coalition of the willing” is developing plans for troop deployment to Ukraine, such forces would only be sent following a peace agreement and would serve to monitor any ceasefire.

“If we are willing to do it in the context of a ceasefire, which of course puts all the initiative, all the power, in Putin’s hands, why not do it now?” Johnson said. “There is no logical reason that I can see why we shouldn’t send peaceful ground forces there to show our support, our constitutional support for a free, independent Ukraine.”

Western defense strategists have refrained from publicly addressing such deployment options due to fears that Russia would interpret this as conflict escalation.

Putin dismissed Western peacekeeping proposals for Ukraine in September, declaring that any military personnel sent to the country would become “legitimate targets.”

However, Johnson maintained that Putin should not be permitted to set conditions for Ukraine and its supporters.

“It’s about whether Ukraine is a free country or not,” he said. “If it’s a vassal state of Russia, which is what Putin wants, then obviously it’s up to Putin to decide who comes to his country. If it’s not, then it’s up to the Ukrainians.”

Responding to Johnson’s statements, Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the government continues collaborating with the coalition of willing nations to prepare for post-ceasefire troop deployment to Ukraine.

“The multinational force Ukraine under UK leadership will secure peace for the long term, with the Prime Minister being clear that we will put British troops on the ground following the end of hostilities,” the ministry said in a statement.

Johnson attributed the Ukrainian conflict to Western inaction following Russia’s 2014 Crimea invasion, along with the failure to hold Bashar al-Assad accountable for chemical weapon attacks on Syrian civilians and the chaotic US Afghanistan withdrawal.

“I think Putin was emboldened by a Western failure in Syria to punish Assad for using chemical weapons,” he said.

“I think Putin was further emboldened in February 2022 by what he’d seen in Afghanistan, and a sort of general sense that the West was on the back foot. He’d seen those appalling pictures of Americans being forced to flee Afghanistan and the UK pulling out as well, and that really did embolden him.”

Campus demonstrations erupted at multiple Iranian universities Saturday as students returned for the start of their new academic semester, with some encounters turning violent between protesters and government supporters, according to local media reports and social media documentation.

The university unrest took place during traditional memorial services held 40 days after deaths, honoring victims killed by government security personnel during January’s widespread anti-regime demonstrations. Those protests represented the most significant domestic upheaval Iran has experienced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, resulting in thousands of casualties.

Footage allegedly captured demonstrators at Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology marching in formation while denouncing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “murderous leader” and advocating for Reza Pahlavi, the former shah’s exiled heir, to assume leadership as monarch.

Government-aligned news outlets including SNN broadcast footage showing confrontations where demonstrators reportedly injured volunteer student Basij militia members by hurling stones at the prestigious engineering institution. These pro-government Basij forces frequently support security personnel during protest suppression efforts.

Additional demonstrations occurred at Beheshti and Amir Kabir universities in Tehran, as well as Mashhad University in northeastern Iran, based on footage released by rights organization HAALVSH, though Reuters was unable to independently confirm these reports.

In Abdanan, a western community that has been a focal point for demonstrations, protesters shouted “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to the dictator” following the detention of an activist educator, as documented by rights group Hengaw and social media accounts.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan officials announced that 379 individuals imprisoned on political grounds will walk free this weekend following the implementation of a newly passed amnesty law.

The legislation, which became official on Thursday, is designed to help opposition figures, political activists, human rights advocates, journalists and others who have spent months or years behind bars.

This development represents a significant policy change for Venezuelan leadership, which has historically rejected claims of detaining political prisoners. The move comes after last month’s dramatic U.S. military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Jorge Arreaza, who heads the special committee managing the amnesty process, announced Friday evening on government television that officials had processed 379 applications for release, with prisoners expected to be freed between Friday and Saturday. He indicated additional releases could occur over the next two weeks.

Gonzalo Himiob from the Venezuelan prisoners’ rights organization Foro Penal confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that some individuals had already been freed in Barinas state in the country’s southwest region, though verification of all releases was still underway.

The amnesty legislation specifically excludes individuals convicted of murder, narcotics trafficking, severe human rights abuses and military insurrection.

Human rights advocates are pushing for broader application of the law to cover all politically motivated detentions, regardless of current eligibility restrictions.

“It is discriminatory and unconstitutional to exclude imprisoned military personnel and persecuted political figures,” Foro Penal president Alfredo Romero posted on X Saturday. He argued that without broader inclusion, “there can be no talk of national coexistence.”

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has led Venezuela since January 5, described the law’s signing as evidence that the nation’s leadership was “letting go of a little intolerance and opening new avenues for politics in Venezuela.”

The amnesty covers “crimes or offenses committed” during designated time periods beginning in 1999 when Venezuela experienced politically motivated conflicts, including violence related to the disputed 2024 presidential election. Post-election demonstrations resulted in more than 2,000 arrests, including minors.

Following Maduro’s January 3 arrest, Rodríguez’s administration promised to free substantial numbers of prisoners. However, family members and human rights monitors have expressed frustration with the gradual pace of releases and strict conditions imposed on those who have been freed.

The Venezuelan nonprofit Justice, Encounter and Forgiveness documented 459 releases of political detainees between January 8 and February 20.

A deadly vehicle bombing in northwest Pakistan claimed the lives of two Pakistani military personnel on Saturday when an attacker drove an explosive-packed car into a security patrol, according to Pakistani military officials.

The assault occurred in Bannu, located within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, where government forces have engaged in ongoing battles with insurgent groups for many years.

Military officials stated that Pakistan will not “exercise any restraint” and vowed that military operations targeting those behind such violence will persist “irrespective of their location,” words that suggest growing friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While no organization has taken credit for the bombing, investigators will likely focus on the Pakistani Taliban, who have been linked to similar previous incidents. Afghan government representatives have not yet issued any response.

This deadly incident follows Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry calling in a high-ranking Afghan official just two days earlier to formally protest another fatal assault on a security outpost that resulted in the deaths of 11 Pakistani troops and one young girl in the Bajaur area along the Afghan frontier.

According to local law enforcement, the individual who conducted the Bajaur attack was identified as an Afghan citizen.

Both Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued individual statements denouncing the bombing while honoring the fallen servicemen, Lt. Col. Shehzad Gul and Sepoy Karamat Shah, for their ultimate sacrifice.

Pakistan has experienced an increase in extremist attacks in recent times, with many incidents attributed to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and banned Baloch organizations. The TTP operates independently from but maintains close ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, who regained control in 2021. Pakistani officials claim the TTP conducts operations from Afghan territory, an allegation that both the militant group and Kabul reject.

Diplomatic ties between the two nations have deteriorated since October, when fatal border confrontations resulted in casualties among troops, civilians and alleged militants. These clashes followed bombing incidents in Kabul that Afghan authorities attributed to Pakistan. While a Qatar-brokered truce has mostly prevented further violence, subsequent negotiations in Istanbul have not yielded a formal peace accord, leaving relationships strained.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Trade officials in South Korea held emergency weekend discussions to evaluate how a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down certain Trump-era tariffs will affect their economy, while governments and businesses worldwide analyzed potential consequences from Washington’s latest trade policy shifts.

The urgent session called by Seoul’s Trade Ministry occurred as representatives from South Korea to South America recognized that duties will continue on particular U.S.-bound exports, including cars and steel products, which remain unaffected by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.

The development represents another dramatic shift in America’s tariff approach since President Donald Trump resumed office 13 months ago, disrupting numerous trade partnerships with the world’s largest economy.

Speaking at an agricultural exhibition in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated America’s system of checks and balances, commending the “rule of law” during his appearance. “It’s a good thing to have powers and counter-powers in democracies. We should welcome that.”

However, Macron warned against celebrating too early.

Government representatives examined the specific wording of recent bilateral and multilateral agreements with the United States while preparing for additional policy changes. Trump announced Friday his intention to implement new 10% worldwide tariffs under different regulations.

“I note that President Trump, a few hours ago, said he had reworked some measures to introduce new tariffs, more limited ones, but applying to everyone,” Macron stated. “So we’ll look closely at the exact consequences, what can be done, and we will adapt.”

Referencing Trump’s latest 10% tariff proposal, Sergio Bermúdez, who leads an industrial parks company in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, near the Texas border, commented that Trump “says a lot of things, and many of them aren’t true. All of the businesses I know are analyzing, trying to figure out how it’s going to affect them.”

Ciudad Juárez could face particularly significant consequences since much of its economic activity relies on manufacturing facilities that produce goods for American consumers, built through decades of free trade between the United States and Mexico.

The repeated policy reversals from the United States over the past year have created widespread caution among international business executives, who find it difficult to make predictions and have seen investments suffer as a result.

Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Friday that his country was monitoring the tariff situation with a “cool head,” pointing out that 85% of Mexican exports remain tariff-free, primarily due to the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement. He has scheduled meetings with U.S. economic officials for next week.

Alan Russell, CEO of Tecma, which assists American companies in establishing Mexican operations, has watched his responsibilities become increasingly complex over the past year — his organization’s workload has increased up to four times as it handles new import regulations. He fears recent U.S. actions will create additional complications.

“We wake up every day with new challenges. That word ‘uncertainty’ has been the greatest enemy,” Russell, who is American, explained. “The difficult part has been not being clear what the rules are today or what they’re going to be tomorrow.”

Some American importers who may have paid excessive tariffs are exploring potential refunds — likely through a very complicated procedure — and some international companies may also seek compensation.

Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, stated on Deutschland radio that excessive tariffs “must be refunded.” He calculates that German businesses or their American importers alone overpaid more than 100 billion euros ($118 billion).

Swissmem, a leading technology industry group in Switzerland, praised the Supreme Court’s “good decision” on X, noting that Swiss exports to America dropped 18% in the fourth quarter alone — during a time when Switzerland faced significantly higher U.S. tariffs than most other European nations.

“The high tariffs have severely damaged the tech industry,” Swissmem President Martin Hirzel wrote on X, while recognizing the situation remains unsettled. “However, today’s ruling doesn’t win anything yet.”

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Regional tensions escalated Saturday as Arab and Muslim countries strongly criticized remarks made by Mike Huckabee, the United States ambassador to Israel, regarding Israeli territorial claims across much of the Middle East.

During a Friday broadcast interview with conservative host Tucker Carlson, Huckabee addressed biblical references to land promised to Abraham’s descendants, which Carlson described as encompassing virtually the entire Middle East region. When questioned about Israel’s entitlement to this territory, Huckabee stated: “It would be fine if they took it all.” The ambassador qualified his statement by noting that Israel isn’t seeking territorial expansion and deserves security within its current legitimate boundaries.

The controversial statements immediately drew fierce opposition from Egypt, Jordan, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the League of Arab States, all issuing separate condemnations describing the remarks as radical, inflammatory, and inconsistent with official U.S. policy.

Egyptian foreign ministry officials characterized Huckabee’s position as a “blatant violation” of international law, emphasizing that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands.”

The League of Arab States declared: “Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions.”

Neither Israeli nor American officials provided immediate responses to the growing diplomatic backlash.

Israel’s borders have remained undefined since the nation’s founding in 1948, with boundaries changing through military conflicts, territorial annexations, ceasefire agreements, and peace treaties with neighboring countries.

The 1967 Six-Day War marked a significant territorial shift when Israeli forces seized the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem from Jordan, captured Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and took control of Syria’s Golan Heights. Israel later returned the Sinai Peninsula through peace negotiations with Egypt after the 1973 conflict and voluntarily left Gaza in 2005.

Recent months have seen Israel intensify its control over the occupied West Bank through expanded Jewish settlement construction, legitimizing unauthorized outposts, and implementing major administrative policy changes. President Donald Trump has publicly stated his opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank, providing strong guarantees to prevent such actions.

For generations, Palestinians have advocated for an independent nation encompassing the West Bank and Gaza, with eastern Jerusalem serving as their capital — a position supported by most of the international community.

Huckabee has consistently rejected the concept of a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. During a previous interview, he expressed disagreement with using the term “Palestinians” to describe Arab descendants of those who lived in British-administered Palestine.

In the recent discussion, Carlson questioned Huckabee about biblical passages from Genesis, where he claimed God promised Abraham and his offspring territory stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates.

“That would be the Levant, so that would be Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon. It would also be big parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” Carlson explained.

Huckabee responded: “Not sure we’d go that far. I mean, it would be a big piece of land.”

Israel has expanded its territorial presence since beginning its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

The current ceasefire agreement requires Israeli forces to pull back to a designated buffer zone, though they maintain control over more than half of Gaza’s territory. While the ceasefire mandates further Israeli withdrawal, no specific timeline has been established.

Following the late 2024 overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli military forces took control of a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria established under a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials described the occupation as temporary and necessary for border security.

Additionally, Israel continues to occupy five strategic hilltop positions within Lebanese territory following its brief 2024 conflict with Hezbollah.

Ukrainian military forces launched a successful attack against a Russian missile manufacturing facility located deep inside Russian territory, according to statements from Ukraine’s General Staff released Saturday.

The targeted facility in Votkinsk produces ballistic missiles for Russia’s military, including short-range Iskander missiles and intercontinental Topol-M weapons systems. The plant sits approximately 800 miles from Ukraine’s border, positioned east of Moscow in Russia’s remote Udmurtia region.

Ukrainian officials reported their military used domestically manufactured Flamingo cruise missiles launched from the ground to carry out the operation. The strike resulted in fires breaking out at the targeted location, according to Ukrainian military sources.

Regional Governor Alexander Brechalov confirmed that an overnight drone attack had occurred in the Udmurtia area, though he described the assault differently than Ukrainian reports.

“There has been damage and injuries as a result,” Brechalov stated in a video message shared through the Telegram platform, though he declined to provide additional specifics about the incident.

Flight operations were temporarily halted at the airport serving Izhevsk, Udmurtia’s primary city, along with airports in surrounding regions, according to Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsiya.

Local residents in Votkinsk reported hearing multiple explosions and drone activity during the overnight hours, according to the Russian Telegram channel SHOT, which frequently cites security service contacts.

Russian forces have been deploying these ballistic weapons alongside drone swarms to target Ukraine’s power grid and energy facilities, leaving millions of civilians without electricity and heating during winter months.

Ukrainian strategy has increasingly focused on striking military production sites and energy infrastructure located far inside Russian borders. Ukrainian leadership maintains that attacking weapons manufacturers and the energy systems supporting Russia’s war effort represents their most effective approach to gaining strategic advantage against their larger adversary as the conflict approaches its fifth year.

Ukrainian forces also reported striking a natural gas processing facility in Russia’s Samara region, though Russian regional authorities have not confirmed any such attack occurred.

Indonesia’s leader expressed readiness Saturday to handle whatever comes next following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Donald Trump’s worldwide tariff initiative.

President Prabowo Subianto traveled to Washington D.C. this week alongside his cabinet members for Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace gathering and a one-on-one meeting with the American president. During that visit, the two nations finalized a trade agreement reducing tariffs on goods from Indonesia from 32% down to 19%.

“We are prepared for all possibilities. We respect the domestic politics of the United States, and we will monitor the developments,” Prabowo stated to media in a recorded message.

Meanwhile, Airlangga Hartarto, who leads Indonesia’s negotiations on U.S. tariffs, announced Saturday that his nation has asked America to preserve existing tariff waivers for key Indonesian products including palm oil, coffee and cocoa.

Hartarto emphasized that Friday’s trade agreement between the two countries remains valid regardless of recent Supreme Court actions, noting that nations with signed trade deals will receive different consideration from Washington.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Saturday his belief that his nation’s economy will experience reduced trade pressures following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that eliminated significant portions of President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

During an interview with Germany’s ARD television network, Merz indicated that discussions with Washington officials must occur before German businesses can recover billions in losses. He emphasized that European Union member nations plan to present a unified approach during his planned visit to the United States.

“We will have a very clear European position on this, because tariff policy is a matter for the European Union, not individual member states, and I will go to Washington with a coordinated European position,” Merz stated.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared Saturday that his nation will resist yielding to international pressure during ongoing nuclear discussions with the United States.

During a televised address broadcast live on state television, Pezeshkian stated: “World powers are lining up to force us to bow our heads… but we will not bow our heads despite all the problems that they are creating for us.”

The Iranian leader’s remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue between Tehran and Washington regarding nuclear negotiations.

Germany’s governing political party has approved new restrictions that would block children under 14 from using social media platforms, marking a significant step toward implementing youth digital protections in Europe.

During a party gathering in Stuttgart on Saturday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union endorsed the proposal, which would also require stricter age verification processes for teenagers. The plan includes financial penalties for online platforms that don’t comply with these restrictions and calls for unified age standards across the European Union.

Multiple European countries are exploring comparable social media limitations or access restrictions for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, including Spain, Greece, France, and Britain. These efforts mirror Australia’s groundbreaking approach, as that nation became the first to mandate that platforms block access for young users last year.

European governments are increasingly pressuring social media companies, potentially creating tension with the United States. President Donald Trump has warned of possible tariffs and sanctions if EU nations implement new technology taxes or online rules that impact American companies.

The approved motion stated: “We call on the federal government to introduce a legal age limit of 14 for the use of social networks and to address the special need for protection in the digital sphere up to the age of 16.”

Merz’s coalition partners, the Social Democrats, have also supported social media restrictions for children. With both coalition parties backing these measures, federal government action on restrictions appears increasingly probable.

Germany’s federal structure means media oversight falls under state jurisdiction, requiring individual states to coordinate and establish uniform national guidelines.

Students at Cardinal Frings Gymnasium in Bonn offered mixed reactions to the potential restrictions. Thirteen-year-old Moritz, who primarily uses YouTube, shared his perspective: “I think it’s fair, but I think it should be up to the parents to decide whether to forbid it, not the state. For children under 12 it should be forbidden, but from age 12 onwards I think children can already distinguish between what is fake news and what is not.”

Emma, also 13, mainly uses Snapchat with parental time limits on her device. She described how a ban would feel “kind of unusual, because you get used to sending your snap in the morning before school, or what my friends do, like just scrolling through Instagram or TikTok for a bit.”

Twelve-year-old Ella, who uses social media multiple times daily, acknowledged the addictive nature of these platforms. “So I have TikTok and Instagram myself, but I understand that it’s all addictive, and the more you scroll, the more you want to see,” she explained.

Teacher Till Franke predicted that while the restrictions “would be a shock at first, because of this daily use of social media,” students would eventually adapt “because they would find other niches where they could communicate with each other.”

Native protesters have taken control of a major grain export facility owned by American company Cargill in Brazil’s Para state, forcing a complete shutdown of operations at the river port terminal, the company announced Saturday.

Workers at the private terminal were forced to leave the facility Friday night after demonstrators occupied the site, according to Cargill officials. The company stated it is working with local law enforcement to have the protesters removed “in an orderly and safe manner.”

The Santarem terminal plays a crucial role in Brazil’s agricultural exports, handling over 5.5 million metric tons of soybeans and corn in the previous year based on port industry records. That shipment volume, primarily sourced from Brazil’s Center West farming region, accounted for more than 70% of all grain moved through Santarem.

Company officials report “strong evidence of vandalism and damage to assets” has occurred at the facility during the takeover.

The dramatic escalation stems from an ongoing dispute between indigenous groups and the grain company regarding proposed river dredging projects along waterways like the Tapajos, which serve as transportation routes for agricultural products heading to international markets.

Cargill maintains it has no authority over the river dredging proposals.

The protesters had been preventing truck access to the terminal since January 22, though this caused minimal disruption to operations since most grain arrives via barge before being loaded onto export vessels.

Following their occupation of the facility, the demonstrators issued a letter calling on Brazil’s federal government to reverse a decree they claim would allow widespread dredging of Amazon waterways.

“Rivers are not export channels: they are a source of life, sustenance, memory, and identity for thousands of families,” the protesters wrote, explaining that dredging operations would harm water quality and destroy the fishing resources their communities depend on for survival.

Brazilian government officials have not yet responded to requests for comment on the occupation. Previously, authorities have defended dredging as standard practice needed to maintain river navigation during periods of low water levels.

Ukrainian forces launched a long-range strike against a Russian missile production facility deep within Russian territory, according to officials in Kyiv on Saturday.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that their domestically-manufactured Flamingo missiles successfully targeted the facility during overnight operations in Votkinsk, a city situated in Russia’s distant Udmurtia region approximately 800 miles from the Ukrainian border.

According to military officials, the targeted facility manufactures both intercontinental ballistic missiles and short-range ballistic missiles for Russian forces. Ukrainian forces also conducted a separate strike against a gas processing facility located in Russia’s Samara region during the same operation.

The attacks represent some of the deepest strikes Ukrainian forces have conducted into Russian territory since the conflict began.

RAYAK, Lebanon — Eight Hezbollah militants died in Israeli military strikes in eastern Lebanon late Friday, according to two officials from the militant organization who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported a higher casualty count of 10 deaths and 24 injuries, though their figures did not separate combatants from civilians.

The strikes targeted an area close to Rayak village in northeastern Lebanon, where Associated Press journalists observed significant damage to a three-story structure, with the upper level completely destroyed.

Israeli military officials confirmed Saturday that they had “eliminated” multiple Hezbollah missile unit personnel across three separate command facilities in the Baalbek region.

According to the Israeli army, those killed were “operating to accelerate readiness and force build-up processes, while planning fire attacks toward Israel.”

A Hezbollah source identified three of the deceased as regional commanders: Ali al-Moussawi, Mohammed al-Moussawi and Hussein Yaghi.

Hussein Yaghi was the son of Mohammed Yaghi, a founding member and prominent Hezbollah figure who passed away in 2023. The elder Yaghi had served as a trusted associate of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in September 2024.

Ali Abdullah, who heads Rayak Hospital, confirmed to AP that his facility treated 10 fatalities and 21 wounded from the post-sunset attack. Among the dead were two foreign nationals — one Syrian man and one Ethiopian woman. The injured included five Syrians and three Ethiopians.

The current conflict traces back to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 assault on Israel that sparked the Gaza war. Hezbollah subsequently launched rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israel, expressing solidarity with Hamas and Palestinian forces.

Israel retaliated with aerial bombardments and artillery fire. This limited engagement expanded into comprehensive warfare in September 2024, which was later curtailed by a U.S.-mediated truce agreement two months afterward.

Following the ceasefire, Israel has maintained that Hezbollah continues reconstruction efforts, prompting almost daily Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory targeting what it describes as Hezbollah operatives and installations. Hezbollah has acknowledged conducting one attack on Israel since the ceasefire took effect.

Friday’s casualty numbers represent an unusually severe toll and occur amid heightened regional tensions, as the United States has warned of potential military action against Iran — which supports both Hezbollah and Hamas — should diplomatic efforts regarding Tehran’s nuclear activities fail to achieve results.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungarian officials announced they will prevent a massive $106 billion European Union aid package from reaching Ukraine unless Russian oil deliveries through a critical pipeline are restored.

Oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia came to a halt on January 27th when Ukrainian authorities reported that a Russian drone strike had damaged the Druzhba pipeline. This key energy artery transports Russian crude oil across Ukrainian soil into Central European nations.

Both Hungary and Slovakia have temporary waivers allowing them to continue importing Russian oil despite broader EU restrictions. These countries now claim, without offering proof, that Ukraine is intentionally preventing the restoration of oil supplies.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó released a social media video Friday night, claiming Ukraine was engaging in “blackmail” by not restarting the oil flow. He announced his nation would obstruct the interest-free loan that EU leaders approved in December to support Ukraine’s military and economic requirements over the coming two years.

“We will not give in to this blackmail. We do not support Ukraine’s war, we will not pay for it,” Szijjártó said. “As long as Ukraine blocks the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary, Hungary will block European Union decisions that are important and favorable for Ukraine.”

This financial blockade follows Hungary’s decision earlier this week to halt diesel shipments to Ukraine until Druzhba pipeline operations restart. The escalation comes just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s large-scale military assault on Ukraine.

While virtually all European nations have dramatically cut or completely eliminated Russian energy purchases since Moscow began its war on February 24, 2022, Hungary continues as both an EU and NATO member to maintain and expand its Russian oil and gas imports.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his nationalist policies, has consistently maintained that Russian energy sources are essential for his country’s economic stability. He argues that transitioning to alternative energy suppliers would trigger immediate economic disaster, though several experts challenge this assessment.

Orbán is widely regarded as Moscow’s strongest supporter within the European Union and has repeatedly resisted the bloc’s sanctions against Russia following the invasion. He has also criticized measures targeting Russian energy profits that help fund the military campaign, and his administration has regularly threatened to veto EU assistance to Ukraine.

The $106 billion loan package did not receive unanimous support from all 27 EU member nations. Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic initially opposed the proposal, but an agreement was eventually reached where these countries agreed not to block the funding in exchange for guarantees protecting them from potential financial consequences.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces launched a long-range drone assault on Saturday targeting a Russian defense manufacturing facility located deep within Russian territory, according to reports from Russian officials and media outlets.

The drone operation hit a facility in Russia’s Udmurt Republic, resulting in injuries to 11 individuals, with three requiring hospital treatment, local health minister Sergei Bagin reported via Telegram.

Regional leader Alexander Brechalov confirmed in a Telegram message that “One of the republic’s facilities was attacked by drones” launched by Ukrainian forces. Brechalov noted the assault resulted in both casualties and property damage, though he declined to identify the specific location or provide additional information.

The unofficial Russian Telegram news outlet Astra identified the target as the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a significant state-run defense contractor. Astra based this assessment on video evidence obtained from local residents.

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

Located more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from Ukraine’s borders, the Votkinsk facility manufactures Iskander ballistic missiles frequently deployed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, along with nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Russian media outlets shared video footage and photographs allegedly taken by Votkinsk residents, displaying dark smoke billowing from an industrial complex and shattered windows on nearby structures.

SHOT, another unofficial Russian Telegram channel known for citing security service sources, reported that Votkinsk residents heard no fewer than three explosions overnight, accompanied by sounds they believed were drone engines.

CARACAS – Cuban security personnel and medical staff are withdrawing from Venezuela as the nation’s interim leadership confronts escalating demands from Washington to dissolve one of Latin America’s most significant leftist partnerships, according to eleven sources with knowledge of the situation.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has shifted to Venezuelan bodyguards for her personal security, four sources confirm, breaking from the pattern established by ousted leader Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, who both depended on elite Cuban protection forces.

The January 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture claimed the lives of 32 Cubans, the Cuban government reported. These personnel were integral to an extensive security partnership between Caracas and Havana that took shape in the late 2000s, with Cuban intelligence operatives integrated into Venezuela’s military structure and the powerful DGCIM counterintelligence agency, which played a crucial role in suppressing internal opposition.

Alejandro Velasco, a New York University history professor specializing in Venezuelan affairs, emphasized the significance of this relationship: “The Cuban influence was absolutely essential” to the survival of the Chavista government.

Within DGCIM, certain Cuban advisers have been dismissed from their positions, a former Venezuelan intelligence official revealed. Multiple sources indicated that Cuban medical personnel and security consultants have departed Venezuela for Cuba on recent flights.

A source connected to Venezuela’s governing party indicated the Cubans are leaving under Rodriguez’s directive due to American pressure. Other sources remained uncertain whether the departures resulted from Venezuelan leadership demands, voluntary Cuban decisions, or recall orders from Havana.

This move to exclude Cubans from presidential protection and counterintelligence operations has not been publicly disclosed before.

TRUMP SEEKS TO END VENEZUELA-CUBA ALLIANCE

Before the operation removing Maduro, thousands of Cuban healthcare workers, nurses, and athletic instructors served in Venezuela through social programs initiated under Chavez. Venezuela reciprocated by supplying Cuba with essential oil resources.

After the U.S. intervention, President Donald Trump pledged to terminate the security partnership between Venezuela and Cuba. On January 11, he posted on Truth Social: “Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

When asked about U.S. pressure on Venezuela to sever Cuban ties, a White House representative stated the U.S. maintains “a very good relationship with the leaders of Venezuela” and believes Rodriguez’s “own self-interest aligns with advancing our key objectives.”

Breaking Venezuela’s Cuban connection forms part of Washington’s comprehensive approach to undermining Havana’s communist administration. Since mid-December, Washington has prevented Venezuela from delivering oil to Cuba, creating severe economic hardship for the island nation.

The U.S. government is “talking to Cuba, whose leaders should make a deal,” the official stated.

Cuban leadership has expressed willingness for dialogue on equal footing while denouncing the oil embargo and pledging to resist American interference.

Both Cuban and Venezuelan governments declined to respond to comment requests. The nations have publicly reaffirmed their ongoing partnership.

Rodriguez, whose father was a former Marxist revolutionary, has maintained long-standing ties with Maduro and membership in Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party. She also maintains personal connections with Cuban leadership, ten U.S. and Venezuelan sources confirmed.

On January 8, Rodriguez joined Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez at a flower-covered memorial ceremony in Caracas honoring victims of the U.S. operation.

Bruno Rodriguez declared at the gathering: “To the brave Venezuelan people, we express Cuba’s deepest solidarity,” before invoking the famous words of Cuban revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara: “Hasta la victoria siempre.”

Later that month, Delcy Rodriguez conducted a phone conversation with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, afterward stating the nations remained “united.” Following the same call, Diaz-Canel expressed Cuba’s commitment to “continue strengthening the historic relations of brotherhood and cooperation.”

Addressing the bilateral relationship, the White House official commented: “President Trump understands that they have to make certain statements for domestic political reasons.”

RETURN FLIGHTS TO CUBA

A source knowledgeable about Cuban government perspectives revealed that some military personnel wounded in the U.S. operation have returned to Cuba, while others continue serving in Venezuela. The source also noted that numerous Cuban physicians remain active in Venezuelan healthcare.

Cuban state media reported in early January that suspended commercial flights and closed Venezuelan airspace created delays preventing Cuba from repatriating doctors from leave or completing their Venezuelan assignments. These flights restarted the week following the January 3 U.S. operation, according to those reports.

A U.S. source familiar with developments indicated that while Cuban presence is decreasing, some covert intelligence operatives likely remain to monitor the evolving political landscape.

Frank Mora, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States during the Biden presidency, observed that “Rodriguez is treading very carefully.”

“She wants to keep the Cubans at a distance until this situation calms down, until her hold on power is clear, but not entirely throw them under the bus, either,” Mora explained.

At least some Cuban military consultants continue operating in Venezuela, four informed sources confirmed. Cuban educators also maintain their teaching roles at UNES, the state university for police and security personnel, according to a former police officer.

John Polga-Hecimovich, a U.S. Naval Academy professor in Maryland who has researched Cuban security advisers’ role in Venezuela, noted that the impact of Cuban counterintelligence efforts remains visible in Caracas, where Maduro’s key supporters retain power.

Polga-Hecimovich observed: “The Cubans didn’t manage to protect Maduro, but they played a key role in keeping the Chavista government in power. The coup-proofing worked brilliantly.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced he will convene ministerial meetings next week to examine violent political organizations, following the death of a far-right university student who succumbed to injuries sustained during a brutal attack in Lyon. The incident has intensified political divisions as France approaches its upcoming presidential election.

While addressing attendees at the Paris agriculture fair, Macron urged citizens to “remain calm” before Saturday’s memorial events planned by far-right organizations to honor Quentin Deranque, the 23-year-old victim who died from severe head trauma at a local hospital. Authorities will maintain heightened security during these gatherings.

“This is a moment of remembrance and respect for this young compatriot who was killed, for his family and loved ones. That must come first. And then it is a moment of firmness and responsibility,” Macron stated.

Prosecutors have filed preliminary charges against seven individuals. Lyon’s public prosecutor sought intentional homicide, aggravated violence, and criminal conspiracy charges for all suspects. Six defendants received charges on all three counts, while the seventh faces complicity in intentional homicide along with aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy charges.

The fatal assault occurred when violence broke out between far-left and far-right supporters on the sidelines of a student gathering featuring far-left legislator Rima Hassan as the main speaker.

The French president indicated his administration will conduct a thorough examination of all violent activist organizations connected to political parties, suggesting some groups may face dissolution.

“In the Republic, no violence is legitimate,” he declared. “There is no place for militias, wherever they come from. We must be absolutely uncompromising.”

Lyon was set to host the primary memorial service for Deranque on Saturday, in a city where confrontations between far-right activists and far-left organizations have become commonplace. Intelligence agencies consider Lyon the birthplace of far-right activism in France, with newer far-left militant organizations forming in response to established far-right groups that have operated for decades.

Deranque’s family has also appealed for peaceful conduct and will not participate in the tribute, which French officials have chosen not to prohibit.

The young man’s death has sparked intense political finger-pointing, with much criticism directed at France Unbowed and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Among those charged is a parliamentary assistant to France Unbowed legislator Raphaël Arnault, who established the anti-fascist organization The Young Guard.

Political adversaries accuse France Unbowed of encouraging violence and unrest through its aggressive far-left positions. Mélenchon has denounced the violence while maintaining his party bears no responsibility for the tragic outcome.

Mélenchon previously sought the presidency in 2012, 2017, and 2022, failing each time to reach the final runoff stage. He is positioning himself for another anticipated campaign next year when Macron’s second and final term concludes.

With municipal elections approaching next month, right-wing political forces have seized upon this incident to attack France Unbowed. National Rally leader Jordan Bardella has advocated for a unified opposition against Mélenchon’s party, while criticism has also emerged from notable left-wing figures.

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron is urging citizens to remain peaceful as memorial demonstrations are set to take place Saturday honoring a far-right activist who was fatally beaten last week.

The French leader announced plans to convene with his prime minister and cabinet members next week to address concerns about violent extremist organizations.

Speaking at Saturday’s opening ceremony of the nation’s annual agricultural exhibition, Macron declared: “In the Republic, no violence is legitimate. In the Republic, only Republican forces can act because they protect the Republican order. There is no place for militias.” He emphasized that his administration remains vigilant to ensure the day’s demonstrations proceed without incident.

The memorial events honor 23-year-old Quentin Deranque, who died after being brutally attacked in an altercation that was recorded on video, sending shockwaves throughout France. Law enforcement officials worry the gatherings could escalate into violent confrontations between rival political factions.

The primary demonstration is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Lyon, where Deranque lost his life and where significant numbers of both far-right supporters and anti-fascist activists are present. French interior ministry officials project attendance between 2,000 and 3,000 participants. Additional smaller memorial marches are organized across various French municipalities.

Pakistani military officials reported Saturday that seven people died during armed conflict in the northwestern city of Bannu, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The deadly encounter claimed the lives of two Pakistani soldiers and five insurgent fighters, according to army statements released over the weekend.

Bannu sits in the southern portion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region that has experienced ongoing security challenges along Pakistan’s border areas.

KYIV, Ukraine — In a rehearsal room one day before their debut performance, Ukrainian military veterans joined drama students in a circle, practicing lines from a script with centuries of history behind it.

Director Olha Semioshkina guided the group through her version of “Eneida” by Ivan Kotliarevskyi — an 18th-century Ukrainian retelling of Virgil’s ancient “Aeneid.” However, this theatrical work carries a contemporary message about perseverance amid the ongoing conflict approaching its fourth year since Russia launched its full-scale assault on Ukraine.

The cast members, ranging from their twenties to sixties, included Ukrainian military veterans who had come back from combat zones with missing limbs, serious burn injuries, and vision loss. Others had experienced the war from civilian perspectives. Most had no previous acting experience before joining this production.

The show was developed by Theater of Veterans, a group established by Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces members that offers acting instruction and performance opportunities to help former military personnel with their transition back to civilian life and healing process.

Preparation for Thursday’s opening night at Kyiv’s National Academic Molodyy Theatre required over a year of work.

“We understood these individuals had recently returned from medical treatment, so we needed to begin at square one,” Semioshkina explained.

“We dedicated approximately four months just learning basic communication, how to fall safely, form groups, roll, and work together,” she continued. “After that, we focused on physical development, removing prosthetic devices and learning to function without them.”

The 51-year-old director’s vision was straightforward: “Every male performer represents Aeneas. Every female performer embodies Dido.”

In Virgil’s ancient tale, Aeneas roams following Troy’s destruction, seeking a new home. Kotliarevskyi’s comedic version transforms the Trojan warrior into a Cossack character, rough and down-to-earth.

On this Kyiv stage, Aeneas displays artificial limbs and battle wounds from the conflict that started with Russia’s February 24, 2022, attack on Ukraine.

“Aeneas represents a warrior who endures tremendous hardship while seeking his homeland,” Semioshkina noted. “He maintains his sense of humor and passion, experiences setbacks and terrors, celebrates and mourns. But he remains human with a mission — to discover his place and protect his loved ones.”

She connects the combat veterans who survived warfare with the role they portray. “Aeneas is someone who went to battle. True, he came back damaged and wounded,” she said, but the performers bringing this version to life “are discovering how to live” once more.

During practice, Yehor Babenko, a Ukraine Border Service veteran who sustained serious burns early in Russia’s invasion, spoke a line with a smile: “Feeling burned out at work? We have a lot in common.”

Later in the performance, his solo speech struck a personal note as he discussed fire destroying his hands, ears and nose. “I won’t be able to show children a trick with a missing finger,” he says. “Maybe the one when all 10 fingers disappear.”

The chance to act on stage, Babenko explained, has provided therapeutic benefits.

“For me, theater serves as both mental and physical therapy. I’ve observed that I’m more aware of my body, feel more comfortable around people, and communicate my ideas more clearly.”

For Babenko, Aeneas’s journey connects with current reality. “It’s about finding your homeland,” he said. “And for our nation, that’s extremely meaningful right now.”

The performance’s closing section moved away from classical poetry entirely as the performers came forward to share their personal experiences — discussing combat wounds, fallen comrades, forced relocation, and existence under enemy control.

One veteran described losing his leg in a drone attack and using a machine gun as support to reach safety. A female performer told of surviving Russian occupation with her two daughters.

Another participant, who served as a volunteer medic starting in 2014 when Russia illegally seized Crimea and pro-Russian fighters took control of parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk areas, and again following the 2022 Russian invasion, discussed returning to war in her sixties.

Andrii Onopriienko, who became blind from a Russian artillery attack near Avdiivka in the Donetsk area in 2023, provided narration throughout much of the show with his powerful, rich voice. During one moment he performed: “Let our enemies dig up holes, install crosses, and lie down on their own,” while other cast members sang along.

Onopriienko originally declined to participate in the project. “I couldn’t comprehend what I would contribute on stage without sight,” he said. He was eventually convinced that a meaningful role existed for him.

“It brings positivity, joy, and encouragement,” he said about rehearsals. “Regardless of your mood when you arrive, you depart with a broad grin. Here you escape from current reality. You step into a different realm.”

During the performance, artificial legs and arms were taken off and reattached as elements of the production’s visual storytelling. Extended metal poles served multiple purposes as weapons, rowing oars, and walking aids — functioning both as artistic props and practical support tools for performers with amputations.

The ongoing conflict interrupted even before Thursday’s curtain call. An announcement requested the audience follow standard theater etiquette and turn off their phones — then cautioned that during air raid warnings, they should proceed to the basement shelter. If electrical power failed, it noted, the performance would halt while backup generators activated.

As Babenko presented his monologue moments before the show concluded, the electricity indeed failed.

Semioshkina walked onto the stage carrying a flashlight, with others following with their own lights. Babenko continued his lines illuminated by the makeshift spotlight. The audience, some quietly crying, others laughing through tears, remained seated.

When the final speech ended and the curtain dropped and lifted again, the performers received a standing ovation. As they took a second bow, power returned, and the applause grew louder.

For Semioshkina, the significance of veterans performing extends beyond classical literature and theater boundaries.

“I want to communicate to all veterans who are staying home: Come out,” she said. “Come out. You have capabilities. Live. Don’t isolate yourself. Live every single moment.”

Four years after fleeing her homeland, Maryna Bondarenko keeps three packed suitcases in her Polish apartment, ready for the day she can return to Ukraine.

The 51-year-old journalist escaped Kyiv alongside her son and mother when Russia began its invasion on February 24, 2022. Initially, she expected their exile would last just a month or two.

Today, Bondarenko remains in Poland, employed at a Ukrainian-language media outlet serving over 1.5 million Ukrainians now residing in the country.

“There were so many moments when we thought: ‘This is it, we’re finally going back.’ We went to the post office several times, packed our belongings into boxes, absolutely certain that we were going back,” she said.

The Russian invasion has created Europe’s most significant refugee emergency since World War Two, displacing more than 5 million Ukrainians throughout the continent, particularly in Central and Eastern European nations, according to United Nations data.

Women and children comprise approximately three-quarters of these refugees, as Ukraine’s martial law prevents military-age men from departing the country.

Bondarenko yearns to reunite with her spouse, Andrij Dudko, a 44-year-old former television cameraman now operating drones at the front lines. However, continuous Russian bombardments that have left thousands without electricity in Kyiv during harsh winter conditions have persuaded her to remain abroad.

“We get ready to leave, and then there’s another massive attack. We get ready again, and then cold winter comes and there is no heating, no power, no water. And I just can’t bring my child there, under the rockets.”

Major Polish cities like Warsaw and Krakow now host substantial Ukrainian populations, occasionally creating friction with locals who express concerns about newcomers accessing social services and employment opportunities.

“I want to go home, I really do. I know it won’t be easy,” said Bondarenko, acknowledging that her homeland will be dramatically transformed upon her return.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration anticipates 70% of overseas Ukrainians will return post-war, polling indicates a decreasing percentage express desire to go back as time passes.

Many younger Ukrainians abroad, including Bondarenko’s 11-year-old son Danylo, have limited recollection of their birth country.

Despite encountering some anti-Ukrainian sentiment at school, Danylo enjoys life in Poland.

“I don’t really remember anyone from Ukraine. I remember I had one friend, but I do not really remember him and I’ve lost contact with him,” he said. “I don’t think that I will return to Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, childhood friends Iryna Kushnir and Olga Yermolenko from Kharkiv have reconnected in Istanbul, joining the smaller Ukrainian refugee community in Turkey.

“I thought the war would end quickly, so I didn’t plan to stay in Istanbul for long,” explained 42-year-old Kushnir, who left her 19-year-old daughter Sofia in Ukraine to continue her studies.

Four years later, Kushnir has wed a Turkish citizen and secured a teaching position in Istanbul University’s Ukrainian program.

“Like all Ukrainians, I planned to return home, but life turned out differently,” said Kushnir, expressing pride that her daughter chose to stay in Ukraine.

Her companion Yermolenko, 43, provides remote financial services to Ukrainian clients from Istanbul while maintaining constant communication with her 73-year-old mother Tetyana in Kharkiv.

“I cannot say I am involved 100% in Turkish life. It is a bit strange feeling to be caught between your previous life and a possible future life,” said Yermolenko, who has begun studying Turkish while closely monitoring Ukrainian developments.

“I open the news — there’s a Telegram channel that reports what’s happening in Kharkiv in real time — and I see a missile flying toward my home,” she said. “In that moment, the feeling is terrifying. I’m very scared. And of course, I immediately call my mom to make sure she’s okay.”

ISTANBUL – Turkish regulators announced Friday they are conducting an official investigation into how six major social media companies collect and manage personal information from children who use their platforms.

The Personal Data Protection Authority released a statement explaining that this investigation focuses on safeguarding young people from dangers they may encounter in online spaces. Officials will scrutinize the data collection methods and protective protocols implemented by TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Discord.

The regulatory review represents Turkey’s effort to ensure these popular digital platforms maintain appropriate standards when processing information belonging to minors.

HONG KONG (AP) — Authorities in Hong Kong announced Saturday a comprehensive resettlement strategy for thousands of residents forced from their homes following last November’s catastrophic fire, the region’s most fatal in decades. The plan centers on purchasing property ownership rights directly from those affected by the tragedy.

Nearly three months have passed since the devastating fire consumed seven residential towers at Wang Fuk Court, leaving former residents in limbo about their housing future. These displaced families continue adapting to temporary living situations spread throughout different neighborhoods, supported by government rental assistance to help property owners cover interim housing costs.

During Saturday’s press briefing, authorities outlined how property owners from the affected buildings can transfer their ownership rights to the government for monetary compensation, allowing them to secure new housing of their choosing or purchase units through designated government programs. Those preferring to avoid large cash transactions can opt for direct apartment exchanges through the same policy framework.

Administrative officials calculate the buyback program for approximately 1,700 residential units will require roughly 6.8 billion Hong Kong dollars ($870 million), with public funding covering about 4 billion Hong Kong dollars ($512 million) and relief contributions making up the remainder.

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong indicated the administration favors tearing down all seven structures, with no plans to rebuild residential housing at the location. The site could instead become green space or community amenities, he noted.

Wong explained that restoring the fire-damaged structures would neither be practical nor economically feasible, and without government action, property owners would struggle to find market buyers for their units.

“In other words, the funds they have invested in these units over the years could turn to nothing,” he said.

The timeline calls for reaching out to property owners in March, with compensation payments targeted for the third quarter of this year, Wong stated.

These proposals emerged following surveys of affected residents regarding their preferences. Wong reported that 74% of survey participants expressed willingness to consider transferring their ownership rights to the government. Meanwhile, approximately 9% of respondents indicated they would only accept on-site redevelopment, a process the government estimates would require roughly ten years to complete.

The November 26, 2025 fire claimed 168 lives and devastated a tight-knit community in Tai Po’s suburban area. Officials determined that inferior scaffold netting and foam materials used during maintenance work caused the flames to spread rapidly. While several arrests have occurred, an independent panel continues examining the incident’s underlying causes.

French President Emmanuel Macron weighed in Saturday on a recent United States Supreme Court decision involving former President Donald Trump’s trade policies, praising the judicial system’s role as a check on executive authority.

Speaking at Paris’s annual agricultural exhibition, Macron responded to questions about Friday’s Supreme Court decision that declared certain Trump-era tariffs unconstitutional, saying the ruling demonstrates the value of judicial oversight in democratic nations.

“It is not bad to have a Supreme Court and, therefore, the rule of law,” Macron stated during the agricultural event. “It is good to have power and counterweights to power in democracies.”

The French leader’s comments came after the high court determined that tariffs Trump had implemented using emergency economic powers violated federal law.

Macron also addressed how France plans to respond to Trump’s proposed 10% universal tariff, stating his country will evaluate the impact and adjust accordingly while continuing to promote French exports across multiple sectors, including farm products, luxury items, fashion, and aerospace manufacturing.

The president emphasized the need for measured responses and advocated for “reciprocity” as the most equitable approach, rather than accepting “unilateral decisions” from other nations.

HONG KONG – Government officials in Hong Kong announced Saturday they will allocate approximately $512 million (HK$4 billion) to purchase apartments from residents of a tower complex where a catastrophic fire claimed more than 160 lives last November.

During a press conference, authorities detailed compensation rates of HK$8,000 per square foot for units without land premium requirements, while properties subject to land premium payments will receive HK$10,500 per square foot.

“We believe the proposed price is sufficient for the affected residents to relocate and secure long-term housing,” said Wong Wai-lun, Hong Kong’s deputy financial secretary.

Beyond the buyout program, government representatives announced an apartment swap initiative targeting the 4,600 displaced residents who occupied nearly 2,000 units within the Wang Fuk Court complex.

While the complete financial commitment reaches an estimated HK$6.8 billion, officials explained that a relief fund contribution will reduce costs by HK$2.8 billion, with additional savings expected once insurance settlements are processed.

KYIV, Ukraine — Severely wounded veterans from Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia have discovered a path to recovery through theatrical performance, staging a moving adaptation of Ivan Kotliarevskyi’s “Eneida” — Ukraine’s version of Virgil’s ancient “Aeneid.” The amateur acting group, made up of soldiers bearing serious injuries from the Russian invasion, recently debuted their production at Kyiv’s National Academic Molodyy Theatre after spending almost a year in preparation.

Under the guidance of director Olha Semioshkina, these veterans have woven together classical epic poetry with comedy, determination, and their own battlefield experiences to create a unique theatrical experience. The performance represents how art can serve as a healing force, allowing these wounded warriors to transform their personal struggles into compelling drama that resonates with audiences.

The production showcases the veterans’ journey from trauma to artistic expression, demonstrating the therapeutic power of creative storytelling in the face of war’s devastating physical and emotional toll.

LONDON (AP) — While King Charles III’s brother faced arrest and police searched royal estates, Britain’s monarchy attempted to project normalcy during what experts describe as their most serious crisis in nearly a century.

As news outlets dissected details of a sex scandal reaching Buckingham Palace’s doorstep, the royal family maintained their scheduled appearances Thursday. Charles attended London Fashion Week’s opening day, Queen Camilla participated in a midday musical performance, and Princess Anne conducted a prison visit.

This commitment to routine royal obligations represents more than traditional British resilience — it marks the Windsor family’s strategic battle for institutional survival as Andrew’s detention threatens to erode public confidence in the crown.

Following his promise to cooperate with law enforcement regarding his brother’s connections to deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the monarch emphasized his commitment.

“My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all,” Charles declared in an official statement bearing his signature “Charles R.,” utilizing the Latin Rex abbreviation for king.

The mere necessity of Charles issuing such a declaration reveals the severity of problems created by his 66-year-old sibling’s arrest. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he’s now known, endured 11 hours of detention before release under investigation — neither formally charged nor cleared.

The situation proved so extraordinary that analysts referenced the 1640s execution of King Charles I during England’s Civil War to find historical comparison.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s detention on suspected misconduct in public office charges represents the monarchy’s gravest crisis since Edward VIII’s 1936 abdication to wed American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

That previous scandal damaged royal popularity for 15 years, only recovering when Edward’s replacement, King George VI, remained in Britain throughout World War II, showing solidarity with citizens enduring Nazi bombardment.

Before her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II embraced her father’s example, publicly dedicating her existence to British service.

However, while Edward’s abdication crisis peaked within days and offered a straightforward resolution — Edward’s departure allowing his brother’s succession — the current Mountbatten-Windsor situation continues indefinitely without clear resolution.

Today’s crisis originated from revelations about the former prince’s Epstein relationship, exposed when the Justice Department released millions of investigation documents last month.

Authorities previously referenced reports suggesting Mountbatten-Windsor provided trade intelligence to Epstein, a wealthy financier, during 2010 when serving as Britain’s international trade special representative.

At least eight UK police departments are examining issues highlighted in these documents.

Unlike previous royal controversies, “this time there doesn’t seem to be any clear route forward,” observed Ed Owens, who authored “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?” “There’s no blueprint to follow” regarding how the institution should address these allegations.

The monarchy last navigated similar challenges following Princess Diana’s death, Charles’ former wife. Elizabeth and Charles faced criticism for inadequately responding to massive public mourning as thousands gathered at Kensington Gardens, placing flowers outside the late princess’ residence. Some demanded Charles relinquish his heir status to son William.

The queen subsequently organized focus groups to gauge public sentiment and understand people’s intense connection to someone they’d never encountered. This crisis taught royals that Diana’s relatability had touched people in ways the House of Windsor hadn’t grasped.

These insights later influenced other royals, including Diana’s sons William and Harry, toward more casual and accessible approaches.

Yet this moment differs partly due to rapidly evolving media landscapes and increased demands for leadership transparency.

Progress requires confronting difficult questions about institutional knowledge — and family awareness — regarding Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct. The palace has attempted clear separation between the former prince and remaining monarchy by removing his titles, including princely designation.

Adding to the former prince’s troubles, the British government considers formally eliminating him from crown succession. Despite losing status and honors, Andrew remains eighth in line, changeable only through legislation.

Charles becomes the first monarch “that has to meet our expectations of figures in public life, which is to be accountable and to explain yourself,” stated Craig Prescott, a royal authority at Royal Holloway, University of London. “And you always have to work to earn the support of the public. And that is a particular challenge when you’re facing a controversy such as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.”

Critics contend the monarchy responded slowly to mounting pressure, considering Mountbatten-Windsor’s Epstein connections have been public knowledge for over ten years.

The optimal outcome involves police investigation focusing exclusively on Epstein file information and its connection to Mountbatten-Windsor, according to Peter Hunt, former BBC royal correspondent. The worst scenario would involve expanded inquiries into broader institutional knowledge and timing.

“Were questions raised about his behavior as a trade envoy over those 10 years? Were they answered? What did people do about them?” Hunt questioned on BBC.

Additional revelations may emerge.

“Will there be files?” he wondered.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — A pizzeria in Hungary’s capital has created an unusual culinary experiment that takes diners on a journey back 2,000 years, long before ingredients like tomatoes and mozzarella ever reached European shores.

Neverland Pizzeria’s owner Josep Zara and his culinary team have developed a special pizza recipe that exclusively uses ingredients that ancient Romans would have recognized, creating a dish from an era when modern pizza didn’t exist.

“Curiosity drove us to ask what pizza might have been like long ago,” Zara explained. “We went all the way back to the Roman Empire and wondered whether they even ate pizza at the time.”

Technically, ancient Romans didn’t consume pizza as we understand it today. Tomatoes didn’t arrive in Europe until centuries later from the New World, and mozzarella cheese hadn’t been developed yet. Historical accounts suggest that mozzarella’s creation directly led to pizza’s invention in Naples during the 18th century.

However, Romans did consume flatbreads baked in ovens and topped with various herbs, cheeses and sauces — the true predecessors of today’s pizza — commonly sold at ancient Roman food stalls known as thermopolia.

The inspiration for Zara’s creation came from a 2023 archaeological find in Pompeii, where researchers discovered a fresco showing a focaccia-style flatbread garnished with what appeared to be pomegranate seeds, dates, spices and a sauce resembling pesto. This discovery captured international attention and sparked Zara’s creativity.

“That made me very curious about what kind of flavor this food might have had,” he noted. “That’s where we got the idea to create a pizza that people might have eaten in the Roman Empire, using only ingredients that were in wide use at the time.”

Zara dove into extensive research on Roman food culture, working with a German historian and studying the ancient cookbook De re coquinaria, believed to have been written around the 5th century. His research produced a comprehensive list of historically authentic ingredients for the restaurant’s head chef to work with.

“We sat down to imagine what we might be able to make using these ingredients, and without using things like tomatoes and mozzarella,” Zara said. “We had to exclude all ingredients that originated from America.”

Head chef László Bárdossy explained that these limitations led to months of testing and several unsuccessful attempts.

“We had to discard a couple ideas,” Bárdossy said. “The fact that there wasn’t infrastructure like a water system at the time of the Romans made things difficult for us, since more than 80% of pizza dough is water. We had to come up with something that would have worked before running water.”

Their breakthrough came from using fermented spinach juice to help the dough rise. The base incorporates ancient grains like einkorn and spelt, which were commonly grown during Roman times, resulting in a denser texture than contemporary pizza dough.

The completed pizza features toppings associated with wealthy Roman dining, including epityrum (an olive paste), garum (a fermented fish sauce that was essential in Roman cuisine), duck leg confit, toasted pine nuts, ricotta cheese, and a grape reduction sauce.

“Our creation can be called a modern pizza from the perspective that we tried to make it comprehensible for everyone,” Bárdossy explained. “Although we wouldn’t use all its ingredients for everyday dishes. There is a narrow niche that thinks this is delicious and is curious about it, while most people want more conventional pizza, so it’s not for everyday eating. It’s something special.”

According to Zara, this experimental dish embodies Neverland Pizzeria’s overall approach to food.

“We’ve always liked coming up with new and interesting things, but tradition is also very important for us, and we thought that these two things together suit us,” he said.

Despite their willingness to experiment, Zara noted there’s one modern ingredient the restaurant refuses to use.

“We do a lot of experimentation with our pizzas. But of course, we definitely do not use pineapple,” he said.

Five major European countries have launched a collaborative effort to develop affordable air defense technology by tapping into Ukraine’s extensive battlefield experience gained during four years of conflict with Russia.

The initiative, announced Friday, involves France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy working together through what they call the E5 partnership. This represents one of several European defense initiatives aimed at strengthening border security, including plans for a “drone wall” designed to better monitor and stop unauthorized aircraft from entering European airspace.

Both Russia and Ukraine have developed advanced drone warfare capabilities through the harsh realities of combat, where battlefield innovations have transformed modern military tactics. Poland has already begun collaborating with Ukraine on drone technology through joint training exercises and manufacturing partnerships.

These collaborative efforts gained momentum following multiple incidents where unauthorized drones have challenged European borders and disrupted airport operations. While Russia has been accused of involvement in some cases, Moscow denies any intentional actions or participation.

“The UK and our E5 partners are stepping up — investing together in the next generation of air defense and autonomous systems to strengthen NATO’s shield,” said Luke Pollard, Britain’s minister for defense readiness and industry.

“We have some of the best kit on the entire planet for shooting down air threats. The problem is to be effective at shooting down relatively low-cost missiles, drones, and other threats facing us,” he said. “We need to make sure that we’re matching the cost of the threats with the cost of defense.”

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz explained that the participating nations signed an agreement for shared investment in manufacturing and purchasing drone-based attack systems and affordable defense technologies through a program titled Low-Cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms, or LEAP.

“Combat technologies and techniques are changing rapidly — ​​we must respond quickly and appropriately,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. “We also signed a crucial commitment regarding the joint development of drone-based strike capabilities, low-cost joint production, and joint procurement of drone effectors, i.e, combat payloads, using artificial intelligence.”

The cost-effectiveness issue became apparent when Russian drones violated Polish airspace in September 2025, prompting Warsaw and NATO allies to deploy multimillion-dollar fighter jets against drones worth only thousands of dollars that ultimately crashed in Polish rural areas. Affordable kinetic or electronic countermeasures would enable drone detection and elimination at significantly reduced costs.

European nations have rushed to strengthen their military capabilities following President Donald Trump’s harsh criticism of NATO, European defense expenditures, and previously solid alliances. The European Union has increased defense spending and is considering more extensive military cooperation projects.

“Europe’s security is more uncertain than it has been in decades,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, pointing to Russian aggression, Middle Eastern instability, China’s influence, and a “redefined” relationship with the United States. She described the affordable interceptor program as evidence of Europe’s dedication to self-defense.

“If we want to keep our country safe, we must strengthen our hard power. The good news is that we are already investing record sums in defense. Europe is stepping up. but it’s not about competing with NATO. It’s about making Europe stronger within NATO. A stronger Europe makes the alliance also stronger.”

However, the 32-member military alliance faces challenges from Trump’s second presidency. His recent threats regarding Greenland, a semi-independent Danish territory and NATO ally, along with critical comments about NATO forces in Afghanistan, have created additional friction.

Although Greenland tensions have temporarily cooled, the internal disputes have significantly weakened the world’s largest security alliance’s capacity to discourage potential adversaries.

The company responsible for creating ChatGPT announced Friday that it had flagged suspicious activity from a user who would later become responsible for one of Canada’s most devastating school attacks.

OpenAI revealed that in June of last year, their monitoring systems detected concerning behavior from Jesse Van Rootselaar’s account, specifically activities that appeared to promote violence.

The artificial intelligence firm, based in San Francisco, weighed whether to notify the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about the account but ultimately decided the user’s actions fell short of their criteria for contacting authorities. The company terminated Van Rootselaar’s access to their platform in June 2025 due to policy violations.

Last week, the 18-year-old perpetrator took the lives of eight individuals in a secluded area of British Columbia before taking her own life with a firearm.

According to OpenAI, their standard for involving law enforcement requires evidence of immediate and believable threats of severe physical violence against others. Company officials stated they found no concrete or urgent planning at that time. This information was initially disclosed by The Wall Street Journal.

Following news of the tragic incident, OpenAI personnel contacted the RCMP to share details about the shooter and how ChatGPT had been used.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy. We proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT, and we’ll continue to support their investigation,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark verified through email Friday that the AI company had made contact with law enforcement following the shooting incident.

Clark explained that investigators are conducting a “thorough review of the content on electronic devices, as well as social media and online activities” related to Van Rootselaar. He noted that “digital and physical evidence is being collected, prioritized, and methodically processed.”

Authorities report that Van Rootselaar began the attack by killing her mother and stepbrother at their residence before proceeding to assault the local school. The perpetrator had previously been in contact with police regarding mental health issues.

Investigators have not yet determined what motivated the shooting.

The remote community of 2,700 residents sits in the Canadian Rockies, located over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, close to the Alberta provincial boundary. Law enforcement confirmed the casualties included a 39-year-old teaching assistant and five students between the ages of 12 and 13.

This incident represents Canada’s most lethal mass violence event since 2020, when an individual in Nova Scotia murdered 13 people and started fires that claimed nine additional lives.

SÃO PAULO (AP) — Despite Bad Bunny’s worldwide chart dominance, the reggaeton superstar has faced challenges breaking through in Brazil, where audiences traditionally show strong loyalty to homegrown musical talent over international acts.

However, momentum that started building with his Grammy-winning release “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” could gain significant traction following his historic debut concerts in São Paulo on Friday and Saturday.

The Puerto Rican artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, arrives in Brazil during his career’s highest point, riding the wave of massive attention from his recent Super Bowl halftime show appearance.

“This represents the optimal moment to crack a market like Brazil, coming when he’s achieved dominance across virtually every other region globally,” explained Felipe Maia, an ethnomusicologist working on his doctorate in popular music and digital technologies at Paris Nanterre University.

Despite ranking among the world’s most-streamed performers for years, the artist and his music failed to appear among Brazil’s top-played content in 2024, based on Spotify data. Brazilian artists claimed all the leading streaming positions in the country last year.

In a nation celebrated for samba, funk, bossa nova, choro, sertanejo, forró and pagode musical styles, domestic artists capture 75% of streaming activity, according to entertainment data specialist Luminate’s 2025 midyear report. Brazil leads all countries in consuming its own musical content, the study found.

Nevertheless, excitement surrounding Bad Bunny has gained momentum in Brazil, especially following “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” Originally planning just one show at Allianz Parque arena, rapid sellout conditions forced organizers to add a second date, which also reached capacity.

By Friday afternoon, extensive lines had developed outside the venue. Brazilian supporters mingled with fans traveling from El Salvador, Colombia and Venezuela. Many attendees sported straw hats — a signature Bad Bunny accessory traditionally worn by jíbaros, Puerto Rico’s rural farming community.

Official Ticketmaster prices ranged from $50 to $210, though scalpers demanded over $830 for Friday’s performance — exceeding 2.5 times Brazil’s monthly minimum wage.

Flávia Durante, a São Paulo DJ focusing on Latin American music, noted that some Brazilians previously viewed Spanish-language music as outdated due to associations with Mexican soap operas, but Bad Bunny’s recent album changed perceptions.

“Currently everyone recognizes his entire catalog, singing along enthusiastically. I typically feature his music during peak evening hours. Audiences request his songs even at rock or 80s pop-themed events,” Durante observed.

His Super Bowl appearance accelerated this popularity surge. Bad Bunny’s Brazilian Spotify streams jumped 426% in the week following his halftime performance compared to the previous period. Individual tracks saw dramatic increases, with “Yo Perreo Sola” leading at 2,536% growth.

During Brazil’s Carnival season, Bad Bunny-inspired costumes became common sights at Rio’s vibrant street celebrations.

Nicole Froio, a Colombian Brazilian writer covering Latin American cultural topics, participated wearing a straw hat and artificial tropical plants mimicking his latest album artwork. This marked Froio’s third consecutive Carnival honoring the Puerto Rican performer — she has two Bad Bunny tattoos with plans for a third.

Previously, Froio stood alone among her Brazilian friends in appreciating Bad Bunny’s music. She attributes this to Brazilians struggling to embrace their Latino identity.

“Significant bias exists against Hispanic music, with prejudices stemming from his Puerto Rican accent and comprehension difficulties,” she explained.

While Brazil’s Latino identity exists, it remains scattered and elusive given the continent-sized nation’s diversity, Maia noted. Bad Bunny successfully highlights this connection, particularly in metropolitan areas like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

During his Super Bowl performance, Bad Bunny mentioned Brazil alongside other American nations, emphasizing that “America” encompasses two continents rather than serving as a U.S. synonym.

Bad Bunny’s worldwide success, including his Brazilian breakthrough, “confirms our inclusion — that we belong,” said 22-year-old longtime fan Diogo da Luz before Friday’s concert. “He demonstrates our unity as one people.”

For Froio, who waited six years to see him perform live and attended Saturday’s show, Bad Bunny “embodies Latino resistance.”

She highlighted how other Latin American stars like Anitta, Shakira, and Ricky Martin have recorded complete songs in different languages, while Bad Bunny maintains his music almost exclusively in Spanish.

“His sound contains genuine authenticity that encourages me to remain true to myself regardless of others’ opinions,” Froio concluded.

Emergency officials in Australia’s Victoria state have issued the most urgent evacuation warning possible as an uncontrolled wildfire threatens residents near a remote mining community, according to Saturday reports from Sydney.

The emergency alert covers areas around the A1 Mine Settlement in Gaffney’s Creek, located approximately 31 miles northeast of Melbourne, the state’s capital city.

Victoria Emergency posted on their website that “Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” while confirming that firefighters have not yet gained control of the flames.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., the challenging mountainous landscape is preventing ground crews from effectively fighting the fire.

The threatened region has a rich history of gold mining dating back to the 1860s and remains sparsely populated, though it draws campers and visitors seeking outdoor recreation.

Victoria Emergency reported that three additional wildfires were active on Saturday, all classified at the “watch and act” level, which represents the second-most serious threat category.

Australia’s southeast region faced devastating wildfire conditions in January, when thousands of emergency responders fought blazes that destroyed residential properties, left thousands without electricity, and consumed vast areas of natural landscape. Those fires marked the most severe since the catastrophic Black Summer fires of 2019-2020, which burned an area equivalent to Turkey’s size and claimed 33 lives.

Security officials confirmed Friday that Israeli military operations in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley resulted in six deaths and left 21 people injured, according to two sources who spoke with Reuters.

The strikes targeted the mountainous region that runs along Lebanon’s border with Syria, marking the latest escalation in regional tensions.

The casualty figures were provided by security sources familiar with the situation in the area.

HAVANA — American sanctions targeting Cuba’s fuel supply are driving the island nation’s healthcare system toward complete breakdown, according to Cuba’s top health official who spoke out Friday.

Cuba’s medical infrastructure was already facing severe challenges alongside the nation’s struggling economy, with shortages of equipment, personnel, and medications being commonplace. However, the situation has deteriorated dramatically in recent weeks. Emergency vehicles are running out of fuel needed for critical calls. Power failures are repeatedly striking aging medical facilities. Aircraft delivering essential medical supplies have been grounded because Cuba’s government reports it cannot provide fuel for planes at its airports.

International experts and foreign government officials have cautioned that the Caribbean island may be approaching a humanitarian emergency.

During a conversation with The Associated Press, Cuba’s Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda stated that American sanctions have moved beyond merely damaging the island’s economic foundation and are now endangering “basic human safety.”

“You cannot damage a state’s economy without affecting its inhabitants,” Portal said. “This situation could put lives at risk.”

Portal indicated that 5 million Cuban citizens living with long-term medical conditions will experience disruptions to their medications or care. Among these are 16,000 cancer patients who need radiotherapy and an additional 12,400 receiving chemotherapy.

Heart-related medical care, bone and joint treatments, cancer services, and care for severely ill patients dependent on electrical power backup represent the most severely affected specialties, according to the minister. Treatments for kidney conditions and emergency transportation services have also joined the roster of compromised medical services.

The power shortage that Cuba has been battling for years reached unprecedented levels last month following U.S. President Donald Trump’s signing of an executive directive imposing tariffs on nations that sell or supply oil to Cuba. This action followed Trump’s removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by just weeks, along with his declaration that Venezuelan petroleum exports to Cuba would cease.

The island nation, which generates just 40% of its fuel domestically and relies heavily on petroleum for power generation, has historically counted on partnerships with countries like Venezuela, Mexico, and Russia to meet its energy needs. However, these supply lines have now been cut off.

Trump has publicly stated that his broader objective involves forcing governmental change in Cuba through increased economic pressure on the island, which has already endured decades of American sanctions.

Cuban citizens — whom the American government claims to support — are experiencing the severe consequences of the U.S. fuel embargo as daily hardships intensify. Public transportation has reduced service, gasoline is under tight restrictions and available only for foreign currency, and widespread power outages have reached unprecedented levels.

“There’s been a drastic change since January,” said Aniliet Rodríguez, a 25-year-old pregnant woman who was admitted that month to a maternal care center for an extreme case of anemia. “There’s no bread, no milk for nutrition … . There are no medicines.”

Cuba’s medical system operates on a universal, no-cost basis, offering neighborhood clinics throughout communities and government-subsidized pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, it has fallen into crisis mode in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 outbreak. Thousands of physicians earning government salaries insufficient to purchase basic necessities like eggs have left the country, while medical facilities have rapidly declined.

Medication shortages have compelled many citizens to purchase drugs through illegal markets.

These issues are anticipated to intensify in upcoming weeks despite Cuba’s government attempting to adapt to current circumstances, Portal explained. Solar energy systems have been installed at medical facilities while officials focus resources on pediatric and geriatric care.

However, he also noted they have implemented limitations on energy-intensive equipment such as CT scanners and laboratory diagnostics, explaining that physicians must depend on more fundamental treatment approaches, essentially denying many patients access to advanced medical care.

“We are facing an energy siege with direct implications for the lives of Cubans, for the lives of Cuban families,” Portal said.

Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran appear to be crumbling as both nations move toward potential military confrontation over Iran’s nuclear activities, according to government sources and international diplomats.

Officials from neighboring Gulf states and Israel now believe armed conflict has become more probable than a negotiated settlement, with the Biden administration assembling one of its largest military presences in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Sources with knowledge of Israeli planning indicate that Jerusalem views the situation between Iran and America as deadlocked and is preparing for potential joint military operations with the United States, though no final decisions have been reached about executing such plans.

This development would mark the second instance of coordinated US-Israeli military action against Iran within twelve months, following joint airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear installations last June.

Gulf nation officials report that oil-producing countries in the region are bracing for possible military action that could spiral beyond control and create widespread Middle Eastern instability.

Two Israeli government sources informed Reuters that they view the divide between Washington and Tehran as impossible to bridge, with the likelihood of immediate military escalation being substantial.

Certain regional authorities suggest Iran is making a dangerous error by continuing to demand concessions, while President Trump finds himself constrained by his own military positioning – unable to reduce forces without appearing weak unless Iran provides concrete commitments to end its nuclear weapons pursuits.

Former US diplomat and Iran expert Alan Eyre observed that “Both sides are sticking to their guns,” noting that meaningful progress cannot occur “unless the U.S. and Iran walk back from their red lines – which I don’t think they will.”

Eyre added, “What Trump can’t do is assemble all this military, and then come back with a ‘so-so’ deal and pull out the military. I think he thinks he’ll lose face. If he attacks, it’s going to get ugly quickly.”

Negotiations between the two nations have reached an impasse across fundamental issues including uranium enrichment, missile programs, and sanctions relief.

During mediation efforts by Oman, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi declined to even examine an envelope containing US missile-related proposals, immediately returning it unopened, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Following Tuesday’s Geneva meetings, Araqchi stated that both sides had established “guiding principles,” while the White House maintained significant gaps remained between the parties.

Iran is anticipated to present a written response soon, a US official confirmed, with Araqchi announcing Friday that he expected to have a draft counterproposal prepared within days.

However, Trump, who has deployed aircraft carriers, naval vessels, and fighter jets to the Middle East, cautioned Iran Thursday that it must reach an agreement on its nuclear program or “really bad things” will happen.

The president seemed to establish a 10 to 15-day timeline, prompting Tehran to threaten retaliation against US regional bases if attacked. These escalating tensions have driven oil prices higher.

US officials indicate Trump has not yet decided on military action, though he acknowledged Friday that he might order limited strikes to pressure Iran into negotiations.

“I guess I can say I am considering that,” he told reporters.

The potential timing for any attack remains uncertain. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 28 regarding Iran. A senior US official noted that all American forces would not be positioned until mid-March.

European and regional authorities believe the magnitude of US military deployment would allow Washington to strike Iran while simultaneously protecting its bases, allies, and Israel.

America’s primary requirement remains constant: complete cessation of uranium enrichment on Iranian territory. Iran maintains it must preserve its nuclear capabilities and refuses to negotiate regarding its ballistic missile program, while denying intentions to develop nuclear weapons.

Should negotiations collapse, defense expert David Des Roches explained that current US Gulf activities already indicate how strikes would commence: disabling Iran’s air defenses before targeting the Revolutionary Guards Navy, the force responsible for years of tanker attacks and threats to block the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil passes.

However, some Arab and European officials express uncertainty about Trump’s ultimate objectives, with European governments wanting America to clarify what military strikes would accomplish – whether to weaken Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, prevent escalation, or pursue more ambitious goals like “regime change.”

Various regional and European officials question whether military action could alter Iran’s governing structure, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and defended by the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Some argue that without clear alternative political forces in Iran and with the leadership’s resilience largely unchanged, assuming strikes could trigger “regime change” would be dangerous.

Military operations may prove easier to initiate than control, and much more difficult to convert into strategic success, they warn.

Compromise indicators have been minimal. Ali Larijani, a key Khamenei adviser, told Al Jazeera TV that Iran was prepared to accept comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring to demonstrate it is not pursuing nuclear weapons. Tehran has subsequently notified IAEA director Rafael Grossi of this decision.

A source knowledgeable about the talks revealed that Iran’s support for regional militias had not been formally discussed, but Tehran had no fundamental opposition to addressing US concerns about proxy forces.

Three regional officials reported that Iranian negotiators had clarified that any meaningful concessions require Khamenei’s approval, as he considers enrichment and missile development sovereign rights.

Washington Institute analyst David Makovsky noted that each side is testing the other’s boundaries.

Washington believes overwhelming force will force Tehran to surrender, while Tehran believes Trump lacks commitment for prolonged conflict and Israel considers the differences too substantial to resolve, making confrontation nearly unavoidable, he explained.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un spent Saturday examining his nation’s accomplishments over the past half-decade, which he described as bringing “great transformation” to the country, according to state-run media reports from Seoul.

The Workers’ Party’s Ninth Congress kicked off Thursday and is anticipated to continue for several more days. This major political gathering, held once every five years, represents North Korea’s most significant governmental event, establishing future policies and potentially reshuffling leadership positions under Kim’s supreme authority.

State media outlet KCNA reported that the ruling party celebrated “remarkable successes” across multiple sectors including politics, economics, cultural affairs, military defense, and international relations throughout Kim’s leadership over the previous five years.

According to KCNA, the party’s Central Committee initially concentrated on identifying areas needing improvement before turning attention to achievements, though the report did not specify what deficiencies were discussed.

Friday’s reports indicated that 5,000 Workers’ Party members are participating in the congress. While no major international officials appear to be in attendance, KCNA noted that congratulatory messages arrived from Russia, China, Vietnam, and Laos.

Analysts expect North Korea to display its military strength through a parade and outline weapons development objectives as components of the ongoing meeting.

WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders have been notified that the Trump administration plans to move forward with preparations to potentially reopen America’s embassy in Damascus, Syria, after a 14-year closure that began during the nation’s civil conflict in 2012.

According to documentation received by The Associated Press, lawmakers were informed earlier this month about the State Department’s plan to “implement a phased approach to potentially resume embassy operations in Syria” through a notice sent to congressional committees.

The February 10 communication indicated that funding for these preparations would commence within 15 days, beginning next week, though no specific timeline was provided for completion or the return of American diplomatic staff to Damascus on a permanent basis.

Embassy reopening discussions have been ongoing since last year, gaining momentum after longtime ruler Bashar Assad was removed from power in December 2024. The initiative has received strong support from President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Turkey and Syria special envoy, Tom Barrack.

Barrack has championed extensive diplomatic reconciliation with Syria’s new government led by former opposition leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, successfully promoting the removal of American sanctions and Syria’s return to regional and global diplomatic circles.

Speaking to media on Friday, Trump praised al-Sharaa’s leadership performance. “He’s doing a phenomenal job,” Trump stated. “He’s a rough guy. He’s not a choir boy. A choir boy couldn’t do it. But Syria’s coming together.”

During a Damascus visit last May, Barrack ceremonially raised the American flag at the embassy location, though formal operations had not yet resumed.

On the same date as the congressional notification, Barrack celebrated Syria’s decision to join the coalition fighting Islamic State militants, despite ongoing U.S. military withdrawal from a strategically important southeastern base and continuing tensions with Kurdish populations.

“Regional solutions, shared responsibility. Syria’s participation in the D-ISIS Coalition meeting in Riyadh marks a new chapter in collective security,” Barrack commented.

State Department officials declined to provide specific details about the classified embassy reopening strategy beyond acknowledging the congressional notification was delivered.

The department has employed comparable “phased” methodology for plans to reestablish the American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, following military action that removed former President Nicolás Maduro in January, utilizing temporary personnel operating from provisional locations.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump acknowledged Friday that he’s contemplating limited military action against Iran, even as Tehran’s foreign minister indicated a nuclear agreement could be finalized within days.

When asked by reporters whether the United States might pursue limited military strikes while diplomatic negotiations continue, Trump responded, “I guess I can say I am considering that.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told television interviewers that Tehran plans to complete a draft agreement “in the next two to three days” before sending it to Washington.

The contrasting messages highlight growing tensions between the two nations as the Trump administration demands concessions from Iran. The U.S. has assembled its most substantial military deployment in the Middle East in decades, with additional naval vessels and aircraft en route to the region.

Both Washington and Tehran have indicated their readiness for military conflict should diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program collapse. Recent indirect negotiations have shown minimal apparent advancement.

The standoff reflects the longstanding adversarial relationship between the two countries, with military preparations intensifying even as diplomatic channels remain active.

PUTLOS, Germany (AP) — A massive multinational military training operation brought together thousands of service members from over a dozen countries in northern Germany for NATO exercises dubbed Steadfast Dart 2026.

The training marked a historic milestone as NATO’s rapid response spearhead force conducted its inaugural European deployment, incorporating naval vessels, military aircraft, and ground forces from 13 participating countries: Italy, Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, and Turkey. Additional logistical and operational support came from France, Belgium, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

The images were compiled by Associated Press photography staff.

MADRID – Spain’s top diplomat called on the European Union Friday to remove sanctions targeting Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, following the South American nation’s passage of a prisoner amnesty measure.

Rodriguez assumed leadership last month following the U.S.-backed removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Since taking power, she has complied with Trump administration oil policy requirements and freed hundreds of individuals that human rights organizations consider political detainees, working toward improved U.S.-Venezuela relations.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares argued the EU should “send a signal that (Venezuela) is heading down the right path in this new phase.”

“Sanctions are never an end in themselves. They are a means to achieve ends so that this broad, peaceful and democratic dialogue can take place,” Albares told reporters in Barcelona.

When asked about Spain’s request later Friday, EU Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni avoided directly responding to Madrid’s suggestion, stating: “We do stand ready to use every tool at our disposal in our toolbox to support a transition towards democracy in Venezuela.”

The European Union first implemented various sanctions against Venezuela in 2017, including restrictions on arms sales and surveillance technology, after regional voting processes the bloc deemed flawed and irregular.

The following year, the EU expanded its punitive measures to include economic sanctions against 11 high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president. The bloc cited their role in human rights abuses and efforts to weaken democratic institutions and legal frameworks.

Human rights advocates argue the amnesty legislation passed unanimously Thursday by Venezuela’s ruling party-dominated parliament doesn’t provide adequate relief for the hundreds of political prisoners still detained. Venezuelan authorities have consistently rejected claims they hold political prisoners, maintaining that all incarcerated individuals have been convicted of criminal offenses.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — During the first session of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace held in Washington, the administration highlighted commitments of billions in funding to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and envisioned a “new and harmonious” Middle East emerging from conflict. Presentation materials displayed at the session featured visions of sparkling skyscrapers and fresh athletic facilities.

However, such hope remains absent among Gaza’s population, where Palestinians enduring months or years in overcrowded temporary settlements or destroyed neighborhoods express little faith in promised changes.

“Since the beginning of the war, we’ve been hearing about conferences and meetings. They say there’s a solution and peace, but it’s all a joke. They’re all liars,” said Faraj Abu Anze, who is among tens of thousands of Palestinians living in a sprawling tent camp on the Mediterranean coast.

“We see nothing of that on the ground. There is no hope. Education and health care are gone. There is no life,” he said.

The president revealed that nations participating in his comprehensive peace initiative had committed $7 billion toward rebuilding efforts and agreed to deploy thousands of military personnel as part of an International Stabilization Force.

However, officials provided no specific schedule, and rebuilding activities have not yet commenced.

Israeli authorities maintain that Gaza reconstruction cannot proceed until Hamas surrenders its arsenal, a provision within the October ceasefire agreement that has become a significant obstacle.

International organizations including the United Nations, European Union and World Bank have calculated reconstruction costs at $70 billion — potentially ten times Thursday’s announced commitments. Clearing enormous amounts of debris containing unexploded weapons alone could require multiple years.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that over 72,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict that began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel. Though part of the Hamas-controlled administration, the ministry’s casualty figures are considered generally accurate by the United Nations and independent analysts.

Palestinian fighters killed approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, during their initial assault and captured 251 others as hostages. While the ceasefire agreement halted major combat operations and secured the freedom of all remaining captives, it left crucial questions about Gaza’s governance unresolved.

“There are meetings every day, but we see nothing,” said Ahmad Abu Selme, who has been displaced twice during the war. “There are tents everywhere and people are frustrated. We are tired.”

“I hope a real peace takes place and that we can go back to our homes,” he added. “I know there are no homes anymore, but we still want to return.”

American officials plan to initiate reconstruction efforts in Rafah, located along Gaza’s Egyptian border. The community suffered extensive destruction and population exodus during fighting, and currently sits within the Gaza territory under complete Israeli military authority.

Ruwayda Dheir, displaced from Rafah along with tens of thousands of others, doubts she and fellow residents will benefit from the promised funding.

“The most important thing is that they put the money where it belongs and give it to the people,” she said. “They’ll say they spent it on infrastructure, but we won’t see it.”

WASHINGTON — President Trump acknowledged Friday that he’s weighing limited military action against Iran while diplomatic negotiations over the country’s nuclear program remain ongoing.

When asked by reporters whether the United States might pursue targeted military strikes during ongoing talks, Trump responded, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” His comments came the same day Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Tehran plans to complete a draft agreement within “the next two to three days” for submission to Washington.

“I don’t think it takes long, perhaps, in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi stated during his appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program.

The escalating rhetoric comes as the Trump administration has assembled the most substantial U.S. military deployment in the Middle East seen in decades, with additional naval vessels and aircraft heading to the region. Officials from both nations have indicated readiness for armed conflict should nuclear negotiations collapse.

“We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace,” Araghchi declared Friday.

Earlier this week, Trump stated he believes Iran has “enough time” over the next 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement following recent indirect diplomatic sessions in Geneva that showed minimal progress. However, these discussions have remained at an impasse for years, with Iran rejecting broader American and Israeli demands to curtail its missile capabilities and end support for militant organizations.

During Friday’s interview, Araghchi claimed his American negotiating partners haven’t demanded complete cessation of uranium enrichment in current discussions, contradicting statements from U.S. officials.

“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever,” he explained.

The Iranian diplomat added that his country would implement trust-building measures in exchange for sanctions relief.

A White House official, speaking anonymously, countered Araghchi’s assertions by reaffirming Trump’s position that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons capabilities or enrich uranium.

Iranian officials have maintained that discussions should focus exclusively on nuclear matters and claim they’ve halted uranium enrichment since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities last June. While Trump described those attacks as having “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, the actual extent of damage remains unclear as Tehran has blocked international inspection teams.

Iran continues to assert its nuclear activities serve peaceful purposes, while the United States and other nations suspect the program aims toward weapons development.

KYIV, Ukraine — Despite numerous challenges blocking a peace agreement in Ukraine, diplomatic negotiations represent the sole realistic pathway forward, according to the newly named leader of the United Nations refugee agency who issued this warning Friday while highlighting how humanitarian efforts worldwide are becoming dangerously overextended due to simultaneous global emergencies.

Barham Salih, the former Iraqi president who assumed the role of UNHCR high commissioner following his December election, conducted his inaugural Ukraine visit since beginning his tenure.

Following trips to Ukrainian frontline communities such as Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, Salih held discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about current peace negotiation efforts. Their talks also covered future UNHCR operations as Ukraine faces continued Russian strikes against its power infrastructure throughout this brutal winter season.

“You have to be hopeful, but I do understand the difficulties in the situation, and it’s clear, of course, there are many, many impediments along the way, but at the end of the day, there is no military solution. There needs to be peace, a durable and just peace so that people can go back to their lives,” Salih told The Associated Press during a Kyiv interview.

“Things are not necessarily easy, definitely not easy, but let’s redouble the effort to make sure that diplomacy has a chance and really bring about a durable and just peace to this war that has been going on for far too long,” he continued.

International donors have committed just $150 million toward the organization’s $470 million Ukraine funding request. This significant gap demonstrates widespread reductions throughout humanitarian sectors, creating mounting challenges for aid distribution across numerous global emergencies.

According to Salih’s figures, approximately 3.7 million Ukrainians remain internally displaced while nearly 6 million Ukrainian refugees have settled in European nations and other countries.

“This tells you the gap between what is needed and what is available,” he explained. “My appeal to the international community is, really, this is not the moment to walk away, this is not a moment to look the other way round. These vulnerable populations need support. We should deliver this help to them.”

UN agency projections indicate 10.8 million Ukrainians will require humanitarian support by 2026, based on recent organizational reports. The most urgent requirements remain concentrated near combat zones in eastern and southern Ukraine, plus northern border areas. Escalating fighting continues generating additional displacement waves.

Ukraine’s funding appeal faces competition from major conflicts in Sudan and Gaza. Since his appointment, Salih has spent merely one week at Geneva headquarters, instead traveling to Kenya, Chad, Turkey and Jordan before reaching Ukraine.

Severe reductions in U.S. humanitarian funding under President Donald Trump have accelerated the deterioration of global humanitarian systems and significantly weakened organizations’ capacity for aid delivery.

Worldwide, 117 million people face displacement, including at least 42 million refugees, Salih reported. Two-thirds experience prolonged displacement while remaining reliant on humanitarian support.

Choosing priorities amid declining resources proves “difficult,” he acknowledged.

“It’s really very difficult to prioritize given the scale of the problem. I was in Kenya and I was in Chad recently and I was in Turkey and in Jordan talking to refugees from Syria. And of course, now in Ukraine, these are all pressing issues, pressing requirements,” he said.

“We need to be there to help people, but also I have to say we really need to look at durable solutions too as well. It’s not a matter of sustaining dependency or humanitarian assistance,” he added.

During his Zelenskyy meeting, Salih said they explored focusing on the “recovery phase and sustainable solutions and self reliance as we go forward.”

LONDON – Sarah Ferguson’s decades-long role as a steadfast supporter of her former husband Prince Andrew has come to an abrupt end as her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein have surfaced, leaving both royal figures isolated and disgraced.

Ferguson, widely recognized by her nickname ‘Fergie,’ wed Prince Andrew in an elaborate Westminster Abbey wedding in 1986, later welcoming daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Though the couple separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce four years afterward, they maintained their bond and continued living together in a 30-room estate until recently.

However, damaging revelations regarding both Ferguson and Andrew’s association with the convicted American sex offender have emerged, particularly through the January publication of over 3 million pages of government documents, leaving their reputations in ruins with little chance of recovery.

The released files indicate Ferguson brought her daughters, ages 20 and 19 at the time, to meet Epstein in America just one week following his 2009 prison release for charges related to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.

Prince Andrew, King Charles’ younger sibling, faced arrest Thursday as authorities investigate potential criminal activity involving leaked government documents provided to Epstein during Andrew’s tenure as a trade representative.

While no formal charges have been filed, Andrew appeared worn and troubled when photographed leaving the police facility after a full day of questioning. He maintains his innocence and has expressed regret over his association with Epstein.

Ferguson has remained absent from public view for several months now.

Email correspondence reveals Ferguson maintained both emotional and financial relationships with Epstein.

In messages signed by ‘Sarah,’ she described Epstein as “the brother I have always wished for” and wrote “I am at your service. Just marry me,” while proposing she could help manage his properties.

Multiple charitable organizations severed connections with Ferguson in September following earlier document releases that demonstrated her continued friendship with Epstein despite his criminal conviction.

Ferguson’s representatives did not respond to Friday requests for comment.

Ferguson continued residing at Andrew’s Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, until October of last year, when mounting Epstein-related revelations prompted King Charles to revoke Andrew’s princely title and demand his departure from the property.

Palace insiders indicated at that time that Ferguson would need to secure alternative living arrangements.

Hello! magazine documented her time in the United Arab Emirates, while additional reports suggest she may be staying with her daughters.

Both princesses maintain London apartments and divide time between secondary residences in England’s Cotswolds region and Portugal.

Each daughter maintains employment and supports various charitable endeavors.

“If I was to advise this to them, I would say keep the lowest of profiles, get on with your day job,” a former senior royal aide told Reuters.

Before these latest disclosures, Ferguson had been gradually attempting to improve her standing within the extended royal family.

Shortly after her 1992 separation from Andrew, tabloid publications printed photographs showing Ferguson topless while having her toes kissed by American financial consultant John Bryan.

This scandal compounded existing media coverage of her excessive spending patterns. During the couple’s separation, the late Queen Elizabeth declared Ferguson responsible for settling her own financial obligations.

In subsequent years, Ferguson authored multiple publications, including the children’s book series “Budgie the Little Helicopter” and her personal memoir, while earning substantial income as a Weight Watchers representative.

Another controversy emerged in 2010 when tabloid journalists exposed Ferguson offering access to her former spouse for £500,000. She issued an apology for what she called a “serious lapse in judgement.”

During a 2011 London Evening Standard interview, Ferguson characterized her Epstein involvement as a “gigantic error of judgement on my behalf.”

Despite public statements, private communications continued, with Ferguson even denying to Epstein that she used the word “paedophilia” during the interview, according to released documentation.

“As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you but understand it was reported that I did,” she wrote to him in emails.

“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”

Ferguson’s spokesperson claimed last September that she made those remarks to prevent potential litigation from Epstein.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek officials have reached a preliminary agreement with a Belgian collector to acquire rare World War II photographs that document the execution of 200 Greek political prisoners by Nazi forces, the country’s Culture Ministry announced Friday.

The collector, Tim de Craene, had listed the historic images for sale on eBay but has now removed them from the auction site following the agreement with Greek authorities.

Greek officials are working to secure the photographs after designating them as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni revealed the preliminary deal after government experts traveled to Belgium on Friday to meet with de Craene and confirm the authenticity of the images. Mendoni did not reveal specific terms of the agreement or explain how Greece plans to obtain the photographs.

The dozen images, which surfaced on eBay last Saturday, capture 200 political prisoners during their final moments on May 1, 1944. These photographs represent the only known visual documentation of an execution that holds deep significance in Greece’s World War II experience.

The killings occurred at a shooting range located in Athens’ Kaisariani neighborhood. The images depict men walking through a gate and along a pathway, with several prisoners looking directly toward the camera. One photograph shows the group positioned against a wall before their execution.

Greek cultural ministry specialists who examined the collection in Belgium discovered the photos were part of a much larger archive of 262 images captured by Wehrmacht Lieutenant Hermann Heuer during his deployment in Greece from 1943-44 throughout the Nazi occupation. The experts confirmed the authenticity of the complete collection, which also includes related documents.

The mass execution at Kaisariani of 200 communist political prisoners stands among the most horrific crimes committed during Nazi Germany’s occupation of Greece and continues to hold profound meaning in the nation’s historical narrative.

Following World War II’s conclusion, Greece was torn apart by a brutal civil conflict between communist forces and Western-supported government troops that continued until 1949. The divisions from that period continue to influence Greek society today.

Soon after the photographs appeared online for sale, vandals attacked the memorial at the Kaisariani execution site, destroying plaques that bore the victims’ names.

“Historical memory will not be erased, no matter how much it bothers some people,” the Kaisariani municipality declared in an official statement, promising to restore the damaged monument. The municipality described the photographs as evoking “a chill of emotion for the heroic, valiant stance of the 200 communist heroes who stood up against the firing squad.”

HAVANA – As power outages plague Cuba, residents across the island nation are turning to solar energy solutions to keep their lights on and businesses running while Washington’s sanctions continue blocking crucial oil deliveries.

The combination of longstanding US economic restrictions and Cuba’s ongoing financial troubles has prevented the government from securing adequate fuel supplies for years. Recent threats of American tariffs have further reduced oil shipments from key allies Venezuela and Mexico, intensifying the energy shortage.

With support from Chinese funding and equipment contributions, Cuban authorities have added more than 1,000 megawatts of solar capacity over the past year and plan to expand that figure twofold in coming years. However, many citizens aren’t waiting for government solutions.

Havana resident Roberto Sarriga explained his decision to invest in solar technology: “Given the frequent outages, which pretty much stop you from doing anything, a friend offered to help me invest in panels and set everything up.”

Sarriga noted that his solar setup allows him to maintain internet access, keep his phone charged for communication, and operate a television for his elderly mother’s entertainment. “The idea was to at least have the basics covered,” he added.

While the dollar-priced imported panels remain financially out of reach for most Cubans, they’ve become increasingly popular among private entrepreneurs and those receiving financial support from overseas family members.

To boost renewable energy adoption, Cuban officials announced Thursday evening new tax incentives that eliminate personal taxes for up to eight years for business owners pursuing clean energy projects.

Solar installation specialist Raydel Cano, who services residential and commercial properties throughout Havana, reports growing customer interest as fuel becomes scarcer. Recent weeks have left owners of gas and diesel generators without viable alternatives.

“Private businesses see themselves obligated to install panels,” Cano observed, explaining that renewable energy has become the primary option as the electrical grid continues deteriorating.

Despite higher initial investment costs, Havana cafe manager Dariem Soto-Navarro considers solar the superior choice given diesel’s increasing unavailability. “In addition to being clean, green energy, it optimises operating costs,” he stated. “It is without a doubt one of the best solutions for entrepreneurs and private businesses.”

Even transportation workers are adapting to the energy challenge. Tricycle-taxi operator Alejandro Arritola installed rooftop solar panels to extend his vehicle’s range when gasoline runs out.

“It extends my range and I don’t have to use any gasoline,” Arritola explained, emphasizing how his family maintains mobility despite widespread shortages. “If there’s no public transportation, it doesn’t matter.”

The Trump administration maintains that its restrictive policies create pressure for political reform in Cuba. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Wednesday that Cuba should consider making “very dramatic changes very soon” in its own interests.

United Nations officials have cautioned that failing to address Cuba’s energy requirements could trigger a humanitarian emergency. The island already faces severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies, prompting authorities to implement rationing programs protecting essential services.

According to recent reports from Izvestia newspaper, Russia – among Cuba’s few remaining oil suppliers – is preparing future crude shipments, though no specific timeline was provided.

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi disclosed Friday that recent nuclear negotiations in Geneva did not involve American demands for a complete halt to uranium enrichment activities, while Tehran made no proposals to pause its enrichment operations.

During a Friday interview on MS NOW, Araqchi stated: “We have not offered any suspension and the U.S. side has not asked for zero enrichment.”

The Iranian diplomat explained that current discussions center on different objectives. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever,” Araqchi remarked.

According to Araqchi, both nations are exploring technical and political “confidence building measures” designed to guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities. In return, some form of sanctions relief would be provided, though he declined to elaborate on specific details.

While Araqchi did not provide exact timelines for Iran’s response to U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, he expressed optimism about reaching an agreement. He indicated that a diplomatic resolution could be accomplished “in a very short period of time” and anticipated presenting a draft proposal within the next two to three days, followed by additional discussions approximately one week later.

This diplomatic activity comes as tensions escalate following President Donald Trump’s Thursday ultimatum to Tehran. Trump established a 10-15 day timeframe for reaching an agreement, warning of “really bad things” if negotiations fail. This warning coincides with increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East, raising concerns about potential broader regional conflict.

Prince Andrew, the younger sibling of King Charles, was taken into police custody this week amid accusations that he provided sensitive British government materials to the late Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced American financier.

Investigators from Thames Valley Police spent an entire day Thursday interviewing the 66-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor about claims he transmitted classified documents to Epstein, who was later convicted as a sex offender, during his tenure as a trade representative.

Documents from U.S. files connected to Epstein indicate that Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared reports in 2010 regarding business prospects in locations he had toured while serving as the Special Representative for Trade and Investment.

The former prince, who celebrated his 66th birthday on Thursday, has consistently maintained his innocence regarding any connections to Epstein. Authorities released him from detention Thursday evening as their investigation moves forward.

The potential criminal charge Andrew faces is misconduct in public office, a serious offense rooted in centuries of judicial precedent rather than written statutes. This crime can result in a life sentence upon conviction.

Law enforcement officials have noted that this type of case involves “particular complexities” requiring thorough evaluation, though they declined to provide additional specifics.

Britain’s chief prosecutor Stephen Parkinson stated earlier this month that regulations surrounding misconduct in public office are “quite clear.”

However, legal experts note this charge has typically been applied to lower-level officials such as police officers and correctional staff. Research from the anti-corruption organization Spotlight on Corruption suggests prosecutors may find it challenging to pursue such complex cases against high-ranking individuals.

One notable example involved a former police officer who received a 10-month prison term in 2013 for providing information to The Sun newspaper and attempting to sell another story involving celebrity children to the now-closed News of the World.

The Law Commission proposed in 2020 to replace the current misconduct statute, and legislation to implement this change is currently under parliamentary review, though it would not apply retroactively.

Tom Frost, who teaches law at Loughborough University, explained that misconduct in public office “remains a difficult offence to prove in relation to senior executives or senior political figures.”

Prosecutors must first demonstrate that the accused held a public position and was “acting as, not simply whilst, a public official” when the alleged misconduct occurred.

Since Mountbatten-Windsor’s trade envoy position was voluntary without salary compensation – though he did receive travel expenses and lodging – establishing his status as a public official may prove more complex. However, Crown Prosecution Service guidelines indicate that payment is “not determinative” in such cases.

Additionally, prosecutors must prove the defendant intentionally engaged in misconduct “to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust.”

The Court of Appeal established in 2003 that this standard is demanding, requiring conduct that was “not merely negligent but … an affront to the standing of the public office held.”

The charge also requires proving the conduct lacked reasonable justification or excuse.

Given the intricate nature of misconduct in public office cases, investigators and prosecutors will likely need several weeks or months before deciding whether to file formal charges.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who has maintained his innocence regarding Epstein connections but has remained silent since additional documents became public, may face additional questioning sessions.

Should charges be filed, the former prince would initially appear before a magistrates’ court.

Cases involving misconduct in public office must be heard by a judge and jury, meaning Andrew’s trial would move to Crown Court, which handles the most severe criminal matters. His case would most likely be heard at the renowned Old Bailey courthouse in central London.

While Britain’s criminal court system currently faces significant scheduling delays, with some trials scheduled as late as 2030, a case involving the monarch’s brother would likely receive priority scheduling.

PARIS – American diplomatic officials are keeping a watchful eye on the death of a French far-right activist at the hands of alleged hard-left extremists, raising the possibility that the incident could be classified as terrorism in remarks that may escalate ongoing friction between the United States and France.

The State Department’s counterterrorism division announced Thursday on social media platform X that it was tracking the situation, cautioning that “violent radical leftism was on the rise” and should be considered a threat to public safety. The bureau added: “We … expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”

Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers, a public diplomacy leader who has spearheaded multiple criticisms of European administrations, posted on X Friday that she was also closely following developments in the case.

“Democracy rests on a basic bargain: you get to bring any viewpoint to the public square, and nobody gets to kill you for it. This is why we treat political violence – terrorism – so harshly,” Rogers stated.

Neither the U.S. State Department nor France’s Foreign Ministry provided responses to requests for comment.

The counterterrorism bureau at the State Department holds significant responsibility in creating terrorist designations and implementing related sanctions measures.

Tensions between Washington and Paris have persisted for months across issues including trade policies, freedom of expression, and international relations. Rogers has consistently criticized France regarding its stance on technology oversight and speech regulations.

Deranque lost his life last Saturday following brutal confrontations between extreme-left and extreme-right factions in Lyon.

Legal authorities reported that six individuals are being investigated for murder, while a former aide to a France Unbowed (LFI) hard-left party representative is facing charges of complicity through incitement.

The event has caused significant upheaval in French political circles, damaging the LFI party while strengthening the far-right National Rally in advance of upcoming presidential elections next year, according to political observers. The incident also sparked a diplomatic disagreement between Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The British Royal Family is grappling with what experts are calling their most devastating crisis since the 1930s, following the shocking arrest of Prince Andrew in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

King Charles received devastating news Friday morning as images of his younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor exiting a police station dominated newspaper headlines worldwide, marking an unprecedented moment for the thousand-year-old monarchy.

Andrew faces charges of misconduct in public office related to his controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased American financier convicted of sex trafficking. The situation has sparked questions about whether this scandal could threaten the future of the entire royal institution.

Graham Smith, who leads the anti-monarchy organization Republic, initiated the police complaints that led to Andrew’s arrest. Smith used the moment to renew his calls for abolishing the monarchy entirely.

“I think it’s incredibly bad for the monarchy,” Smith stated.

Andrew has consistently denied any criminal behavior regarding Epstein while expressing regret about their association.

UNPRECEDENTED ROYAL TURMOIL

While the Windsor family has weathered numerous controversies throughout the decades, this situation represents uncharted territory for the monarchy.

Previous royal scandals included Princess Diana’s divorce and tragic death in 1997, which generated significant public backlash, along with more recent turmoil when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle abandoned their royal responsibilities and later publicly criticized the institution from America.

However, no senior royal has ever faced criminal investigation and arrest before, creating the monarchy’s most serious existential threat since King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

“It’s certainly the worst crisis since the abdication, and it’s particularly bad because it’s not a crisis over which they can really exercise any control,” explained a former senior royal advisor who maintains close ties to King Charles.

“They have been sort of predominantly on the back foot throughout because they’ve had to react to information emerging, and they still don’t know what else is in the files,” the advisor revealed to Reuters under anonymity conditions.

ROYAL FAMILY CUTS ALL TIES

The central concern for King Charles, Prince William, and their advisors involves determining whether Andrew’s scandal will inflict permanent damage on the monarchy or simply reinforce existing negative public perceptions of the disgraced former prince.

The royal family has already implemented maximum separation from Andrew, removing all his official titles, taking away his residence, and eliminating any public role within the family structure.

King Charles, currently receiving treatment for undisclosed cancer, and Queen Camilla have publicly expressed support for abuse victims. Prince William and Princess Kate have stated they feel “deeply concerned” about revelations contained in the Epstein documents.

Following Andrew’s arrest, King Charles issued an unusually direct public statement: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” demonstrating his commitment to further distancing the monarchy from his brother.

“The institution has taken every step that it can to distance itself from him and his actions,” confirmed Julian Payne, Charles’ former communications director.

“The hope is that by doing so, they can create some clear blue water between the working members of the family and what they exist to do on behalf of the UK and the other countries around the world where he is king, and this person and the actions that they are responsible for answering.”

PUBLIC SUPPORT REMAINS STRONG

Recent polling data from YouGov in January, conducted before the U.S. government released millions of Epstein-related documents that triggered the British investigation, revealed that only 3% of British citizens view Andrew favorably, while 90% hold negative opinions of him.

However, other royal family members maintain significantly higher approval ratings. Prince William enjoys positive support from 77% of the public, while King Charles receives approval from 60% of citizens.

The monarchy as an institution, despite facing challenges with younger demographics, continues receiving majority support from the British population.

“It’s challenging and it doesn’t reflect well on the family as a whole, but I think they’ll survive,” commented Jeremy Paul, a 59-year-old accountant, while heading to work Friday morning.

Republic’s Smith warned the situation would become “game over” for the royals if investigations revealed that King Charles or Prince William possessed knowledge about Andrew’s Epstein connections and failed to take appropriate action.

Currently, no evidence suggests either Charles or William had such knowledge.

INVESTIGATION CENTERS ON TRADE ROLE

While the royal family remains concerned about potential future revelations from Epstein documents, the former advisor believes nothing will likely implicate King Charles or Prince William directly.

Andrew’s arrest stems from allegations that he shared confidential government information with Epstein during his tenure as a trade envoy for Britain.

Notably, King Charles had originally opposed his brother receiving the trade position that now forms the basis of the criminal investigation, while Prince William maintains no relationship with his uncle, according to the former advisor.

“It’s not existential … I don’t think it’ll bring the monarchy down, I know quite a few people are thinking about that,” the advisor explained.

“I think it’ll do significant harm that will be quite lasting. But I think in the king and in the Prince of Wales, the right people are there to maintain and restore sufficient trust and respect.”

Three people lost their lives and four aid workers sustained injuries Thursday when drones targeted a humanitarian convoy transporting essential supplies through Sudan’s conflict-torn Kordofan region, according to medical monitoring groups.

The Sudan Doctors Network reported on social media that the vehicles were delivering food and emergency aid to Kadugli city and Dilling town in South Kordofan when the attack occurred in the Kartala area. The medical group attributed the drone assault to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), though the specific aid organization operating the convoy remains unknown.

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, with fighting between the RSF and government military forces spreading nationwide. The World Health Organization reports that the conflict has claimed at least 40,000 lives and forced 12 million people from their homes. Aid organizations warn the actual casualty count may be significantly higher due to limited access to remote combat zones.

The Kordofan region has become the latest battleground, where humanitarian groups and security analysts document increasing drone attacks that disrupt relief efforts and harm civilians. This occurs despite military claims of regaining control and lifting sieges in Kadugli and Dilling. February alone saw 77 civilian deaths from drone warfare across Kordofan.

United Nations agencies announced Wednesday that a convoy successfully reached Dilling and Kadugli with assistance for over 130,000 residents – marking the first substantial aid delivery in three months. Nevertheless, relief workers express growing alarm over the intensifying violence.

This marks the second assault on humanitarian convoys within a month, the Sudan Doctors Network noted. Earlier in the month, attackers struck a World Food Program convoy in North Kordofan.

Meanwhile, a UN-supported investigative team released findings Thursday concluding that RSF actions in el-Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, during late October displayed “hallmarks of genocide.” In response to these findings, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three RSF commanders involved in el-Fasher operations and demanded the group agree to an immediate ceasefire.

A prominent British lobbying company has ceased operations and entered bankruptcy proceedings following damaging revelations about its co-founder’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

Global Counsel announced Friday it has halted business activities and dismissed approximately 80 employees in the United Kingdom after numerous clients severed relationships with the firm. The exodus occurred after documents exposed the depth of Peter Mandelson’s connection to Epstein, who died while imprisoned in New York during 2019. The company employs roughly 130 people across the globe.

Mandelson, who established Global Counsel in 2010 following the Labour Party’s electoral defeat, stepped down from the company’s board last year and divested his ownership stake this month in what appeared to be an effort to shield the business from the growing controversy.

Interpath, a consulting company, has assigned administrators to explore possibilities for the enterprise and examine its holdings.

“While Global Counsel had grown over the past 15 years to become one of the U.K.’s leading public affairs consultancies, the rapid and sudden loss of clients over recent weeks has had a monumental impact on the business,” said Will Wright, U.K. chief executive of Interpath and joint administrator.

Among the extensive collection of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department, correspondence revealed that Mandelson shared confidential government intelligence with the financier he called his “best pal” during 2009, while serving as a senior Labour government official.

The files also contained evidence of $75,000 in payments during 2003 and 2004 from Epstein to financial accounts connected to Mandelson or his spouse, Reinaldo Avila da Silva. Mandelson has challenged the validity of these banking records. In his resignation letter to Labour, Mandelson stated he had no memory of receiving such funds and pledged to investigate the matter.

After the Epstein documents became public, law enforcement officers conducted searches at Mandelson’s London residence and another property associated with him.

British authorities are investigating Mandelson for possible misconduct while in public service, though he faces no allegations of sexual crimes. On Thursday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into custody on similar suspicions related to his tenure as a UK trade representative.

Mandelson’s selection for the prestigious diplomatic position nearly ended Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s career as critics questioned his decision-making abilities. Mandelson’s extensive political history has been marked by scandal, including two departures from Tony Blair’s administrations around 2000.

Less than a year after the appointment, Starmer dismissed Mandelson in September when earlier email releases demonstrated he maintained his friendship with Epstein following the financier’s 2008 conviction for sexual offenses involving a minor.

The government intends to publish records from the screening process, hoping to clear Starmer’s name and demonstrate that Mandelson was dishonest.

A prominent Belarusian opposition figure who made headlines for rejecting forced exile has been freed from prison following a medical emergency that left him with lasting health complications.

Mikola Statkevich, 69, was released after experiencing a stroke while serving his sentence, according to his wife Maryna Adamovich. Speaking to reporters Friday from Belarus’s capital city, she explained that her husband continues to experience speech difficulties as a result of the medical episode. “Now he’s recovering and gaining strength,” Adamovich stated during a telephone conversation.

The veteran politician’s release came after he made a dramatic stand in September when dictator Alexander Lukashenko granted pardons to 52 political detainees. While other prisoners accepted transport to Lithuania’s border as part of the U.S.-negotiated agreement, Statkevich denounced the arrangement as “forced deportation.” He dramatically exited the transport vehicle and remained in the border zone for hours before Belarusian authorities arrested him and returned him to custody.

Statkevich had been serving a 14-year sentence following his 2020 arrest on accusations of inciting mass disorder, charges that international human rights organizations like Amnesty International have condemned as politically driven.

Government spokesperson Natalia Eismont announced Friday that Lukashenko authorized Statkevich’s freedom due to his medical situation, responding to appeals from his family members.

The authoritarian leader, often called “Europe’s last dictator,” has controlled Belarus for more than 30 years through systematic suppression of opposition voices. After massive demonstrations erupted following disputed 2020 elections, authorities detained over 65,000 individuals, physically assaulted thousands, and shuttered hundreds of independent news organizations and civil society groups.

International sanctions and diplomatic isolation have pressured Belarus for years due to human rights violations and its support for Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion. Recently, Lukashenko has attempted to improve Western relations by freeing hundreds of imprisoned dissidents.

Statkevich’s initial release occurred following discussions between Lukashenko and then-President Donald Trump in August, which led to the lifting of restrictions on Belarus’s national carrier, Belavia. An additional 123 political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski, gained freedom on December 13 when the U.S. removed certain trade penalties.

However, government persecution of critics continues despite these prisoner exchanges. The Viasna human rights organization reports that 1,146 political prisoners remain in Belarusian custody.

“It’s still unclear what Statkevich’s legal status is and whether the authorities have cleared the accusations against him,” explained Pavel Sapelka from Viasna. “Political repressions in Belarus are continuing, and it means that no government critic can feel secure.”

According to Sapelka, Statkevich required more than a month of intensive medical treatment at a prison hospital following his stroke.

Throughout his lengthy political career, Statkevich, who ran against Lukashenko in the 2010 presidential race, has faced imprisonment three times and spent over 12 years in detention facilities.

Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus in 2020, expressed her emotions about the development. “I feel immense relief that Statkevich is finally free and at home,” she told reporters. “With his courage and bravery, he won a huge moral victory, for which he paid a high price.”

PARIS – French officials have approved the killing of roughly 200 wolves after the animals began expanding into agricultural regions and venturing close to major metropolitan areas, the nation’s Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard announced Friday.

With approximately 1,000 wolves currently living throughout France, government officials raised the permitted killing threshold to 21 percent – totaling just over 200 animals – up from the previous 19 percent limit. Genevard indicated the percentage could climb as high as 23 percent if needed.

“The wolf is causing increasing damage to our livestock farms, plunging farmers into a state of stress and even terrible pain,” Genevard stated during an interview with France Inter radio.

The decision follows a heated dispute last year between agricultural groups and wildlife advocates regarding wolves, whose population and livestock attacks have both increased significantly. The conflict concluded with European Parliament members voting to support farmers’ concerns.

In May, European legislators decided to reduce the wolf’s classification from “strictly protected” to “protected” status. This change permits EU member nations to authorize wolf hunting while still requiring measures to prevent the species from becoming endangered.

The European Commission justified the status change by citing comprehensive research showing wolf numbers are growing throughout the EU, with approximately 20,300 wolves documented in 2023. This population increase has resulted in greater livestock damage across member countries.

Within France, wolf numbers continue climbing as the animals return to territories they abandoned hundreds of years ago, when they retreated to isolated locations like remote Alpine valleys.

Genevard pointed to the Haute-Marne region in central France as an example, located just 60 kilometers from cities including Nancy, Dijon and Troyes, where agricultural producers reported wolves killed 850 sheep during the previous year.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany is preparing for his inaugural diplomatic journey to China next week, marking his first official visit to the Asian nation since assuming leadership of Europe’s largest economy earlier this year.

According to government spokesperson Sebastian Hille, Merz is scheduled to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. The German leader will also travel to Hangzhou in China’s southeastern region during his diplomatic mission.

Hille explained to reporters in Berlin that the central focus of the visit will revolve around “competition” and finding “the right balance of cooperation” with China. “We want cooperation where it is necessary and in our mutual interest,” the spokesperson emphasized.

For several years, Germany has worked to preserve strong diplomatic and economic relationships with China while simultaneously expressing concerns about Beijing’s increasingly aggressive international stance and its reluctance to condemn Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. The European nation has also been working to reduce its economic dependence on China by expanding trade relationships with other countries and diversifying its supply chains for essential goods.

New statistics released Friday by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office reveal that China has once again become the country’s largest individual trading partner in the previous year, with combined imports and exports reaching 251.8 billion euros (approximately $297 billion). China previously held this distinction from 2016 through 2023 before being overtaken by the United States in 2024. While commercial activity with China increased last year, trade volume with America fell to 240.5 billion euros.

Speaking at a Christian Democratic Union party gathering in Stuttgart, Merz, who assumed the chancellorship in May, stated that “we need business ties in the whole world, and that of course also includes a country like China.” He added that “China is an important trading partner for us, so I will go to China next week with a large business delegation.”

Details about the composition of the accompanying business delegation were not disclosed by either Merz or his spokesperson.

However, the chancellor cautioned against having any “illusions” regarding China, describing the nation as one that “asserts the claim to define a new multilateral order according to its own rules.”

During his Stuttgart address, Merz reinforced his belief that the traditional rules-based international system has fundamentally changed, noting that “a new world order, an order of great powers, is taking shape at high speed.” He stressed the importance of Europe strengthening both its economic capabilities and military capacity while actively pursuing additional trade agreements with diverse international partners.

President Donald Trump is expected to make his own visit to China in April.

Spain’s Constitutional Court has denied a father’s legal challenge to prevent his 25-year-old daughter from proceeding with medically assisted death, according to a court announcement released Friday.

The young woman became paralyzed from the waist down following a suicide attempt in October 2022, when she jumped from a fifth-story window. Court documents reveal she had previously made multiple suicide attempts using drug overdoses while battling psychiatric illness.

Spain legalized medically assisted death and euthanasia in 2021, becoming the fourth nation in the European Union to permit the practice for individuals facing terminal or severely debilitating medical conditions. Government statistics show 426 people utilized assisted dying services in 2024.

A specialized medical panel in Catalonia granted approval for the woman’s euthanasia request in July 2024, with the procedure originally set for August 2nd. However, her father’s ongoing legal battles have prevented the process from moving forward.

Medical documentation indicates the patient experiences severe, ongoing, and disabling pain from her injuries, with medical professionals stating no possibility exists for improvement in her condition.

The father received backing from Abogados Cristianos, an ultra-conservative advocacy organization known as “Christian Lawyers,” who contended that the woman’s psychiatric condition might compromise her capacity to make a rational, well-informed choice regarding ending her life.

Multiple lower courts had previously sided with the woman’s position, and Friday’s ruling by Spain’s highest court determined no fundamental rights violations had occurred.

While Spanish citizens generally support assisted dying rights, the euthanasia legislation passed only after prolonged resistance from conservative political parties and the Catholic Church, which has traditionally influenced Spanish perspectives on end-of-life decisions.

The Christian Lawyers organization announced Friday they plan to escalate the matter to the European Court of Human Rights.

“We will not abandon these parents. We will continue to fight to the end to defend their right to save their daughter’s life,” stated Polonia Castellanos, who leads the advocacy group.

STUTTGART, Germany – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a forceful message on Friday, reaffirming his commitment to prevent any collaboration between his conservative party and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Speaking to members of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) during their national party gathering in Stuttgart, Merz made his position crystal clear regarding the controversial political group.

“We will not allow these people from the so-called Alternative for Germany to ruin our country,” Merz declared to his fellow conservatives assembled in the southwestern German city.

The chancellor emphasized his unwavering stance, stating: “And that is why I say with full conviction: this party cannot be a partner of the CDU.” He further warned that the AfD should prepare for strong resistance from conservative forces.

The AfD’s growing influence has sparked significant concern among German citizens, with many drawing uncomfortable comparisons to the Nazi Party’s rise to power during the 1930s, when democratic institutions were dismantled through seemingly legitimate political processes.

Germany’s established political parties have maintained a unified front against the AfD, refusing to offer their representatives key parliamentary roles or include them in governing coalitions. The AfD has criticized this coordinated exclusion as a violation of democratic principles.

Massive crowds of Muslim worshippers converged on Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Friday for the opening Friday prayers of Ramadan, marking the first such gathering since the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October.

The historic religious site welcomed tens of thousands of faithful, including Palestinians who traveled from the West Bank under tight security measures. For many, this represented their first chance to worship at the Jerusalem Old City location since Ramadan a year ago.

Israeli authorities implemented strict limitations, permitting only 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank to enter Israel on Friday. Access was restricted to men aged 55 and older, women over 50, and children under 12 – similar age-based restrictions previously imposed for security reasons.

The compound holds profound significance for both faiths: Jews revere it as the Temple Mount, Judaism’s most sacred location and site of the ancient biblical temples, while Muslims know it as the Noble Sanctuary, housing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site.

This religiously significant area has repeatedly become a source of tension in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

More than 3,000 Israeli police officers were stationed throughout Jerusalem, according to authorities who emphasized their deployment was designed for emergency assistance rather than intimidation.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, Jordan’s religious authority overseeing the compound, reported 80,000 attendees. During typical years, Ramadan Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa can attract as many as 200,000 worshippers.

West Bank Palestinian Ezaldeen Mustafah expressed disappointment with the attendance limitations. “We need more people than this,” Mustafah said.

Many Palestinian worshippers described how the month’s usual celebratory atmosphere feels diminished as they cope with sorrow and devastation from the two-year Gaza conflict.

Gaza resident Ramiz Firwana, participating in Friday prayers held in a schoolyard, reflected on the destruction. “Previously, there were mosques, but today all the mosques have been bombed,” Firwana said.

Thursday evening saw families breaking their fast with Iftar meals surrounded by debris and ruins.

Mohammad Kollab from Khan Younis expressed resilience despite the circumstances. “Despite the displacement, the pain, and the destruction, we want to rejoice and live,” he said. “We are a people who want to live, we are not a people destined only for destruction and killing.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports Israel’s military campaign has resulted in over 72,000 Palestinian deaths, along with extensive destruction that has displaced most residents. Israel initiated this offensive following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages.

The U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement from October 10 sought to end more than two years of warfare between Israel and Hamas. Although major combat operations have decreased, the ceasefire period has witnessed nearly daily Israeli military actions.

The Turkish government has forced dozens of Christian missionaries to leave the country, stating these religious workers pose risks to national security. In response, the European Union’s legislative branch has passed a formal resolution demanding that Turkey safeguard religious liberty and fulfill its duties as a participant in the global community.

While Turkey officially maintains a secular government structure, President Erdogan has increasingly championed Islamic practices in recent years. This shift has coincided with growing harassment and persecution targeting Christian communities within the nation.

Britain’s Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper is scheduled to sit down with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this Friday, as tensions escalate following President Trump’s repeated attacks on London’s decision regarding the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal.

The controversy centers around an agreement reached last year by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to hand over sovereignty of the Indian Ocean island chain to Mauritius. However, Britain retained control of Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease arrangement that allows continued U.S. military operations at the strategic air base.

While the Washington administration initially supported the arrangement last year, Trump has since flip-flopped on the issue multiple times. The president called the decision an act of “great stupidity” in January, then seemed to soften his stance earlier this month by saying he understood it was the best deal Starmer could negotiate, only to resume his attacks this week.

Cooper’s Washington meeting with Rubio will focus on defense and security matters, coming at a time when Trump is also escalating pressure on Iran, demanding Tehran reach a nuclear agreement within 10 to 15 days or face consequences he described as “really bad things.”

The Diego Garcia facility has played a crucial role in recent Middle East operations, including missions against Yemen’s Houthis and humanitarian assistance efforts to Gaza.

Despite Rubio’s State Department expressing support for the Chagos agreement on Tuesday, Trump reversed course the following day, declaring Britain was making a serious error.

“DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” Trump posted on Truth Social, emphasizing the base’s importance for potential future military actions to “eradicate a potential attack” from Iran.

The current arrangement requires Britain’s advance approval for any operations launched from Diego Garcia, a condition that may be complicating U.S. military planning.

According to a Thursday report in Britain’s The Times, Trump’s renewed criticism stems from Britain’s reluctance to authorize the base for potential Iranian strikes due to concerns about violating international law.

When questioned about The Times’ reporting, Britain’s Ministry of Defence declined to discuss operational details Thursday, stating only that Britain supports ongoing diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran.

Norwegian military officials announced Friday they are repositioning several of their approximately 60 troops currently deployed in Middle Eastern countries due to escalating security concerns in the region.

The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s Thursday warning to Iran demanding a nuclear agreement within 10 to 15 days, threatening that “really bad things” would occur otherwise. Iran responded by threatening to strike back at American military installations throughout the region if attacked.

Norwegian defense officials refused to disclose the exact number of personnel being moved or specify which locations are being evacuated.

“These are soldiers who have jobs like training local forces and other missions,” Lieutenant Colonel Vegard Finberg from the Norwegian Joint Headquarters told Reuters.

“The way the situation is now, it’s not possible for them to do their primary tasks, and that’s why we are relocating them,” Finberg explained, noting that several other countries have implemented comparable troop movements in recent days.

Norway maintains military personnel at multiple installations throughout Iraq and surrounding nations in the region.

ABUJA, Nigeria — Law enforcement officials in Nigeria report that coordinated strikes by Islamic militants have claimed the lives of at least 33 individuals in the country’s northwestern region.

The deadly assault occurred Wednesday in Kebbi state’s Biu community, according to a statement released Thursday evening by police spokesman Bashir Usman.

Usman explained that the attackers traveled from neighboring Sokoto state, where portions of the territory are controlled by the militant organization known as Lakurawa.

“Preliminary investigations confirm that armed Lakurawa militants entered the area to rustle cattle,” Usman stated, noting that law enforcement officers have been sent to the region to reestablish peace and security.

The Lakurawa organization maintains a presence across several areas of northwestern Nigeria, with significant activity concentrated near communities throughout Sokoto state. This militant faction is notorious for livestock theft, village raids, and abducting victims to demand ransom payments.

Nigeria’s northern territories face an ongoing and complicated security emergency involving both extremist religious groups and criminal organizations that capture individuals for financial gain.

The West African country has recently strengthened security partnerships with the United States following earlier diplomatic disagreements. This week, Nigerian military officials confirmed that 100 American soldiers have arrived in the country to provide training assistance in combating armed militant organizations.

A court in Austria has found a 37-year-old man guilty of manslaughter through gross negligence following the death of his girlfriend during a mountain climbing expedition last year.

The Innsbruck state court handed down a five-month suspended prison term along with a 9,600-euro ($11,300) financial penalty following Thursday evening’s single-day trial, according to Austria Press Agency reports. Court officials withheld the defendant’s identity following standard local privacy protocols.

The tragic incident occurred when the couple embarked on an expedition to scale Grossglockner, Austria’s tallest mountain located in the country’s western region, during January 2025. According to prosecution testimony, the 33-year-old woman perished from freezing temperatures approximately 50 meters (164 feet) from the summit of the 3,798-meter (12,460-foot) mountain after her partner abandoned her position. The accused maintained his innocence throughout proceedings.

Presiding Judge Norbert Hofer determined that while the defendant made poor decisions regarding the mountain conditions, he did not intentionally abandon his companion. The judge noted the woman’s mountaineering experience was significantly inferior to her partner’s capabilities. The imposed sentence fell considerably below the potential three-year maximum imprisonment.

“I don’t see you as a murderer, I don’t see you as a cold-hearted man,” the judge stated, referencing online commentary surrounding the case. “I see you as the one who ultimately tried to call help and stand by his girlfriend.”

Nevertheless, Judge Hofer criticized the defendant for failing to fulfill his “leadership responsibility.” The court determined the victim likely would have survived “if the appropriate measures had been taken,” such as placing emergency calls sooner or deciding to retreat from the climb.

During testimony, the defendant expressed being “endlessly sorry,” as reported by APA. He maintained that both climbers participated equally in planning their expeditions, including the fatal Grossglockner attempt.

The man disputed claims about the experience gap, stating he lacked formal Alpine instruction and argued his girlfriend’s mountaineering knowledge wasn’t substantially less than his own. He testified she appeared healthy when a police helicopter passed overhead earlier during their climb and couldn’t account for her sudden decline. He claimed he descended seeking assistance only after discussing the plan with her.

The court’s decision remains subject to appeal.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Two reporters from Cambodia are challenging their treason convictions and 14-year jail sentences after sharing Facebook images connected to last year’s border fighting with Thailand, according to a family member and court representative who spoke Friday.

Battambang Post TV Online’s Phorn Sopheap and TSP 68 TV Online’s Pheap Pheara were taken into custody at different locations on July 31 as they returned from assignment coverage. Officials claim the pair captured images within a forbidden military area, including one that displayed landmines, seemingly contradicting Cambodia’s official statements denying the deployment of such devices.

The Siem Reap Provincial Court found them guilty and imposed sentences in December under accusations of “providing foreign nations with details harmful to national security.” Treason guilty verdicts result in prison terms ranging from seven to 15 years.

According to the Paris-headquartered organization, Cambodia placed 161st among 180 nations and regions in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, “positioning it within countries where media freedom conditions are deemed ‘extremely grave.’”

“Cambodia’s government must not contest Pheap Phara and Phorn Sopheap’s challenge to these shocking guilty verdicts and should cease employing unclear national security statutes to make legitimate journalism a crime,” stated Shawn Crispin, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ senior Southeast Asia representative from New York, in Friday’s announcement.

The Cambodian rights organization Licadho reported that based on details the Siem Reap court shared in September, the accusations stemmed from social media posts the journalists published during their coverage of Cambodia-Thailand confrontations.

Both men faced arrest on allegations of information collection and photography within a restricted military area close to combat zones, with the court asserting their behavior could compromise national security, the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association reported.

Thai news organizations widely circulated the photograph, claiming it depicted multiple unused landmines visible in the frame’s background.

Cambodia had formally rejected accusations of landmine deployment during the dispute, stating its compliance with international treaties prohibiting such weapons. Thailand claimed Cambodia planted new mines near the boundary that injured Thai patrol units, while Cambodian officials suggested any mines could be remnants from conflicts spanning decades that concluded in the late 1990s.

Om Sarath, Pheap Pheara’s wife, informed The Associated Press that her spouse never intended to compromise national security in any way.

“This treatment of my husband is unjust, since he only brought supplies to give frontline troops and photographed himself with them as a keepsake without realizing a landmine was visible behind them,” she explained during a telephone conversation from her residence in northwestern Banteay Meanchey province. “Had he understood that his picture with the frontline personnel was taken in a forbidden zone, he probably wouldn’t have shared it publicly.”

She mentioned submitting an appeal through legal counsel on Monday and expressed hope that a superior court would deliver justice for her spouse and clear both him and Phorn Sopheap.

Yin Srang, representing the Siem Reap Provincial Court, verified the 14-year sentences imposed on both journalists and confirmed that both families had submitted appeals.

The July and December border confrontations forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in Thailand and Cambodia and resulted in approximately 100 military and civilian deaths. No additional combat has occurred following December’s ceasefire agreement, though regional tensions continue.

MOSCOW – Eight people are missing and presumed dead after a tour bus carrying Chinese visitors broke through ice and sank into Russia’s Lake Baikal on Friday, according to regional officials.

The tragic incident occurred when the vehicle was traveling across the frozen surface of the massive Siberian lake, regional governor Igor Kobzev announced through his Telegram channel. Among those missing are seven Chinese tourists and the bus operator.

A single tourist successfully escaped the freezing waters, Kobzev reported, while rescue teams continue their search efforts for the remaining passengers.

Lake Baikal, situated north of Mongolia, holds the distinction of being the world’s deepest freshwater lake and attracts visitors from around the globe.

The prosecutor’s office in the Irkutsk region has launched a criminal investigation to determine what led to the deadly accident.

Chinese visitor numbers to Russia have dramatically increased in recent years following improved diplomatic relations between the nations and their declared strategic partnership with “no limits” announced last year. The countries have also established visa-free travel arrangements, making tourism more accessible.

AMSTERDAM – Rodrigo Duterte, the former leader of the Philippines, will be absent from crucial International Criminal Court proceedings scheduled for next week, officials announced Friday from the Netherlands-based tribunal.

The 80-year-old ex-president’s legal team successfully petitioned to excuse him from the pre-trial sessions, citing concerns about his mental capacity. However, court officials described the reasoning behind his absence as “speculative.”

His defense attorneys argued that Duterte’s deteriorating cognitive condition would prevent him from participating in the proceedings.

Just last month, judges at the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague determined that Duterte was mentally capable of attending the hearings. This decision came after independent medical professionals concluded he possessed sufficient mental faculties to comprehend and engage with his legal case.

Duterte, who led the Philippines between 2016 and 2022, was apprehended and transported to The Hague in March of last year.

International prosecutors allege that Duterte established, financed, and equipped vigilante killing units as part of his anti-narcotics campaign, during which thousands of suspected drug dealers and users lost their lives.

The former president has consistently maintained that he only authorized law enforcement to use lethal force when defending themselves, and continues to justify his aggressive drug enforcement policies.

Next week’s court sessions are designed to formally validate the murder charges related to crimes against humanity that prosecutors want to bring against Duterte.

Within the International Criminal Court’s legal framework, judges must approve these charges before any trial proceedings can begin.

Official police records indicate that 6,200 suspects died during narcotics enforcement operations while Duterte held office. However, human rights advocates contend the actual death toll was significantly higher, with ICC prosecutors suggesting that up to 30,000 individuals may have perished.

Peru witnessed another dramatic change in leadership this week when lawmakers removed the nation’s seventh president in fewer than ten years, yet financial markets have remained remarkably stable as investors appear accustomed to the country’s political instability.

Congress unexpectedly voted Tuesday to remove President Jose Jeri from office due to corruption allegations, ending his presidency after just four months and with elections scheduled for April 12th approaching.

On Wednesday, lawmakers selected far-left representative Jose Balcazar as temporary president, who will hold the position until the newly elected leader assumes office on July 28th.

While political chaos typically sends markets into turmoil across Latin America, Peru stands as a notable exception. This week’s governmental upheaval has barely registered with investors, as the nation once again shows its ability to weather crises that would cause significant market drops elsewhere.

“Portfolio investors have become desensitized to Peru’s political drama,” said Eileen Gavin, head of sovereign analysis at Verisk Maplecroft. “The mining-focused economy’s macro and credit risk metrics have remained fairly exemplary throughout a near decade of instability.”

Financial experts continue to regard Peru as among the region’s most secure investment destinations. The country ranks close behind Chile for having the smallest gaps between its government bond yields and U.S. Treasury rates, indicating investors consider Peru a relatively safe bet.

Peru’s long-term government bonds due in 2060 dropped modestly Thursday, trading at approximately 56 cents per dollar, according to emerging market specialists. Meanwhile, the nation’s dollar-based bonds maturing in 2032 remained unchanged, data from Refinitiv indicated.

Following his Wednesday inauguration, Balcazar promised to conduct “unquestionable” elections in the world’s second-largest copper producing nation and committed to avoiding “experimenting” with economic policies — a message of stability directed specifically at the investment community.

Market experts attribute Peru’s economic resilience to its commodity-based economy and faith in its experienced central bank leadership, which have historically protected markets from political disruptions.

“The combination of a copper-dependent economy and a highly credible central bank has cushioned Peru from politics before,” said Jo-Marie Burt, a Peru specialist at George Mason University.

However, the 2026 elections will present another major challenge for Peru’s democratic systems, and experts warn that Balcazar’s surprise rise to power could further complicate an already divided political landscape.

At 83 years old, Balcazar brings a troubled history to the presidency. Prior to joining Congress in 2021, he was removed from his role as an interim Supreme Court justice for professional misconduct and subsequently lost his law license.

Local news outlets have also revisited his 2023 controversial statements that many interpreted as supporting child marriage, creating additional scrutiny around his leadership.

Adding to the complexity, a historic number of candidates are competing in April’s presidential race, while voters will simultaneously choose representatives for a new 60-member Senate as part of the restored two-chamber Congress system.

“I see a lack of time for voters to coalesce around a good candidate,” said Cynthia McClintock of George Washington University.

“There’s already a feeling of, ‘There are so many candidates — how are we supposed to cope?’” she added.

Recent polling by Ipsos revealed that roughly 42% of survey participants remain undecided, plan to invalidate their ballots, or intend to abstain from voting entirely.

McClintock explained that the constant presidential turnover stems from Congress using its removal authority too aggressively, a strategy that has left voters feeling disconnected from the political process.

Jeri had taken over from Dina Boluarte, who served as a placeholder following the impeachment of leftist President Pedro Castillo after his brief and turbulent 17-month administration.

Political tensions between congressional parties may influence the approaching presidential election, where right-wing Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga currently leads polling but faces challenges securing broader conservative backing needed for a potential runoff victory.

Trailing in second place is Keiko Fujimori, whose father Alberto Fujimori previously served as Peru’s president.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, if the upcoming elections maintain their credibility, “the market will likely keep looking past the politics,” Gavin concluded.

A top United Nations official disclosed devastating casualty figures from Ukraine’s ongoing war during a press conference in Berlin on Friday.

Sofia Calltorp, who leads UN Women’s operations in Geneva, revealed that the death toll among Ukrainian women and girls has surpassed 5,000 since Russia launched its comprehensive military assault in February 2022. The conflict has also left approximately 14,000 women and girls wounded, according to her statement to journalists.

The sobering statistics highlight the severe human cost of the war that has now stretched across two years, with women and children bearing a significant portion of the casualties from the sustained military campaign.

LONDON (AP) — Investigators extended their search Friday at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s previous residence, following his historic detention Thursday on allegations of official misconduct connected to his relationship with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

After experiencing one of the most dramatic episodes in recent British royal history, the former Prince Andrew has returned to his current residence at the Sandringham estate, King Charles III’s private property located approximately 115 miles north of London.

Authorities have wrapped up their examination at his current location but continue investigating Royal Lodge, his previous 30-room residence situated within Windsor Castle’s grounds, located west of the capital.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who was photographed appearing dejected in his driver’s vehicle after his Thursday evening release, stays under active investigation by Thames Valley Police, meaning he faces neither formal charges nor clearance at this time.

His detention stems from longstanding accusations regarding his connections to Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York detention facility in 2019. The central allegation involves Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly Prince Andrew before his brother removed his royal titles in October — allegedly providing sensitive trade intelligence to the disgraced financier while serving as Britain’s trade representative.

Recent emails disclosed by the U.S. Department of Justice last month seemingly demonstrate Mountbatten-Windsor transmitting official visit reports from Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.

One November 2010 message appears to show Andrew forwarding information within five minutes of receiving it. Another document from weeks later seemingly shows him providing Epstein with classified briefings about investment prospects in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province reconstruction efforts.

Additional British law enforcement agencies are pursuing separate investigations into Mountbatten-Windsor’s Epstein connections.

While Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly rejected wrongdoing claims regarding his Epstein association, he has remained silent about recent accusations emerging from the released “Epstein files.”

Officers arrived at Mountbatten-Windsor’s property for his 8 a.m. Thursday arrest — coinciding with his 66th birthday — before transporting him to a local station for interrogation.

His responses during questioning remain unknown. He potentially remained silent or responded “no comment,” which represents his legal right.

Legal professionals noted that proving misconduct in public office presents significant challenges.

“Initially, authorities must establish whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held a governmental position qualifying as a public officer,” explained Sean Caulfield, a criminal defense attorney at Hodge Jones & Allen. “No standardized definition exists for clear reference.”

The Crown Prosecution Service will determine whether to file formal charges.

Andrew Gilmore, a Grosvenor Law partner, explained that prosecutors will implement the two-part “Code for Crown Prosecutors” evaluation.

“This assessment determines whether evidence suggests a realistic conviction possibility and whether prosecution serves public interest,” he stated. “Meeting both criteria results in formal charges and court proceedings.”

Mountbatten-Windsor represents the first royal arrest since King Charles I nearly four centuries ago. That incident became a pivotal British historical moment, triggering civil conflict, Charles’ execution, and temporary monarchy dissolution.

His arrest undoubtedly constitutes one of the most serious crises facing the House of Windsor since its founding over a century ago. Arguably, only King Edward VIII’s 1936 abdication and Princess Diana’s 1997 death have presented comparable institutional threats to the modern British monarchy.

Despite the ongoing investigation, the king and royal family will maintain their regular responsibilities, though questions about Mountbatten-Windsor will persist throughout the lengthy investigation process.

In Thursday’s statement, the king declared the “law must take its course,” adding that “as this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.”

Thursday’s investigated allegations differ from Virginia Giuffre’s claims, who alleged being trafficked to Britain for sexual encounters with the prince in 2001 at age 17. Giuffre died by suicide last year.

Nevertheless, Giuffre’s sister-in-law Amanda Roberts expressed overwhelming joy receiving a 3 a.m. phone call about the arrest news. However, her celebration became bittersweet realizing she couldn’t share these “vindication” feelings with Giuffre.

“We can’t tell her how much we love her, and that everything that she was doing is not in vain,” Roberts said through tears.

A mysterious benefactor has made an extraordinary contribution to help address a Japanese city’s infrastructure crisis, delivering gold bars worth $3.6 million specifically designated for water system repairs.

The remarkable donation of 46 pounds of gold, valued at 560 million yen, was presented to Osaka’s water department in November by an unidentified individual concerned about the city’s deteriorating pipe network, according to Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama’s announcement to media on Thursday.

“It’s a staggering amount and I was speechless,” Yokoyama said. “Tackling aging water pipes requires a huge investment, and I cannot thank enough for the donation.”

City officials confirmed they will honor the contributor’s specific request and dedicate the funds toward waterworks infrastructure improvements.

Infrastructure concerns in Osaka intensified following a tragic incident last year when a large sinkhole claimed a truck driver’s life after swallowing his vehicle, an event connected to deteriorated sewer systems in nearby Saitama. The city documented 92 instances of pipe failures beneath roadways during the fiscal period concluding in March 2025, according to waterworks administrator Eiji Kotani.

Osaka, home to 2.8 million residents and Japan’s third-most populous metropolitan area, faces significant infrastructure challenges as a major commercial center in western Japan.

The nation’s essential public works systems were constructed during the post-war economic boom period, but Osaka’s earlier urban expansion means its infrastructure is deteriorating ahead of other municipalities, Kotani explained.

City engineers estimate they must replace 160 miles of water lines throughout the metropolitan area. The cost to renovate just 1.2 miles of piping reaches approximately $3.2 million, according to Kotani’s estimates.

The world’s governing body for soccer announced Thursday it has formed a partnership with a board created by President Donald Trump to channel investments toward rebuilding war-torn areas using sports development.

FIFA has teamed up with the Board of Peace, which Trump established and which convened its inaugural session to address funding for Gaza’s rebuilding efforts. The board’s mission centers on reconstructing the region following the disarmament of Hamas forces.

Experts anticipate major obstacles ahead for the board’s success, including ensuring Hamas militants lay down weapons, coordinating Israeli military withdrawal, determining reconstruction funding levels, and managing humanitarian assistance delivery to Gaza’s devastated population.

Under the soccer partnership, FIFA outlined plans to construct 50 smaller playing fields positioned close to schools and neighborhoods throughout Gaza, along with five regulation-sized soccer fields spread across different areas. The initiative also calls for establishing an advanced FIFA training facility and constructing a new stadium capable of seating 20,000 spectators.

Trump announced that FIFA will secure $75 million in funding specifically for soccer-related development projects in the territory.

“Today, FIFA and the Board of Peace have signed a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas,” stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“Together with the support of the Board of Peace, FIFA will drive this partnership which is built to deliver impact at every stage,” Infantino added.

According to FIFA, the comprehensive program will prioritize employment opportunities, engaging young people, establishing organized soccer leagues for both male and female players, building community connections, and boosting local business activity.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish officials announced Friday that the nation has formally exited an international agreement that prohibited antipersonnel mines, with plans to manufacture and deploy these weapons along its eastern frontier as protection against potential Russian threats.

The Ottawa Convention of 1997, which forbids member nations from producing or deploying antipersonnel mines, lost Poland as a signatory after the country determined these weapons were essential for border security. These explosive devices have historically caused significant civilian casualties in post-conflict regions across Cambodia, Angola, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, often remaining dangerous long after wars end.

After joining the agreement in 2012 and eliminating its entire stockpile of antipersonnel mines by 2016, Poland reversed course and officially departed the treaty Friday, announcing intentions to restart weapon production.

Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski explained to The Associated Press that “These mines are one of the most important elements of the defense structure we are constructing on the eastern flank of NATO, in Poland, on the border with Russia in the north and with Belarus in the east.”

Zalewski justified the decision by pointing to Russia’s hostile behavior, describing it as a nation with “very aggressive intentions vis a vis its neighbors” that never agreed to the international mining prohibition.

Following Russia’s comprehensive attack on Ukraine, neighboring nations have reconsidered their commitment to the mining ban. Warsaw joined Finland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, along with Ukraine, in announcing their departure from the treaty last year.

Russia remains among approximately three dozen nations, including the United States, that never joined the Ottawa agreement.

According to Zalewski, Poland will launch domestic manufacturing of both antipersonnel and anti-tank explosive devices, working alongside Polish companies to achieve independence in mine production.

These weapons detonate when individuals or vehicles pass over them, with anti-tank versions specifically engineered to avoid triggering from human weight alone. The Ottawa Convention permits anti-tank mines.

During a Thursday presentation of the Bluszcz, an automated vehicle created by Polish firm Belma S.A. and military researchers to distribute anti-tank mines, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Poland would “soon” possess the capability to mine its eastern boundaries within two days if threatened.

Considering the extensive length of Poland’s eastern frontier, Tusk noted that substantial quantities of mines would be required.

The mining initiative forms part of Poland’s Eastern Shield project, a comprehensive fortification system the country began constructing along its Belarus and Russia borders in 2024, Zalewski explained.

However, he emphasized that mine deployment would occur only “when there is a realistic threat of Russian aggression.”

“We very much respect our territory and we don’t want to exclude it from day to day use for the Polish citizens,” Zalewski stated.

Human rights organizations have criticized nations abandoning the Ottawa Convention, warning that antipersonnel mines pose excessive risks to civilian populations.

Zalewski countered that Poland maintains balance by keeping mines in storage unless facing attack.

“We are not an aggressive country,” he declared, “but we have to use all means to deter Russia.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is walking a political tightrope, using his opposition to Trump administration policies to boost his standing at home while risking damage to Spain’s relationship with its powerful American ally.

The Socialist leader has openly challenged Washington on multiple fronts – criticizing U.S. involvement in Venezuela, advocating for tighter social media regulations, and refusing to meet NATO’s defense spending requirements. His approach has drawn sharp warnings from political advisers connected to the White House.

Sanchez, representing one of Europe’s few remaining left-wing voices in leadership, has deliberately positioned his policies as alternatives to President Trump’s approach. In a New York Times opinion piece, he accused “MAGA-style leaders” of misleading the public about immigration dangers and described his social media proposals as “making social media great again.”

His supporters argue he’s maintaining popular positions that resonate with voters and allies in the Global South, where Europe seeks stronger partnerships to reduce reliance on both the United States and China.

However, Trump administration advisers warn that Sanchez is taking dangerous risks, particularly regarding defense spending, which has repeatedly drawn Trump’s criticism.

Benjamin Leon, the newly confirmed U.S. ambassador to Madrid and longtime Republican donor, told senators during his confirmation that he would pressure Spain to meet NATO’s 5% GDP spending target – a commitment Sanchez has consistently rejected.

Spain’s decision to ban weapons shipments to Israel from using its ports has triggered a U.S. investigation that could lead to restrictions on Spanish shipping to America.

When asked about relations with Sanchez, a State Department representative emphasized Leon’s appointment and expressed hope for cooperation on “common challenges.”

“I want to get along with Spain,” said Wilson Beaver, a senior defense adviser at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank aligned with Trump. “It’s Prime Minister Sánchez getting in the way.”

Joshua Trevino from the America First Policy Institute said Spain “nearly stands alone in its willingness to be on the wrong side of the U.S. on all these issues.”

While most European nations have chosen to accommodate Trump privately to advance their interests, some have grown frustrated with Sanchez, particularly his refusal to match their defense spending commitments.

“He’s playing to a domestic anti-Trump and anti-American audience to great effect, leaving both transatlantic and European solidarity at the wayside,” said one unnamed European diplomat.

Domestically, Sanchez faces political pressure from scandals and disputes with coalition partners that have blocked his legislative priorities. Foreign policy offers him a chance to demonstrate leadership, according to analysts and pollsters.

His stance taps into historical Spanish resentment toward America, rooted in U.S. support for dictator Francisco Franco after World War II in exchange for military base access.

A recent YouGov survey showed 66% of Spaniards view the U.S. unfavorably, up from 45% before Trump’s second term started.

Sanchez’s other international positions enjoy widespread domestic support. Polling shows most Spaniards consider Israel’s Gaza actions genocidal – which Israel disputes – and oppose U.S. intervention in Venezuela. An Ipsos poll found over 80% backing his proposal to prohibit social media use for children under 14.

Defense spending divides Spanish opinion, but left-leaning voters support his lower spending pledge, surveys indicate.

“These are areas where he can set the agenda, offsetting the image of paralysis and reinforcing his profile as a bulwark against the far right,” said Paula Canas, an analyst at GAD3.

Conservative opposition members blame Sanchez for Spain’s exclusion from a U.S.-led critical minerals trading group and preparatory sessions for December’s G20 summit.

Despite criticism, Sanchez appears undeterred. Someone familiar with his policy-making process said he has strong instincts for international affairs and, while willing to speak boldly, understands diplomatic boundaries.

Three sources close to Sanchez maintain that U.S.-Spain relations remain solid, with diplomatic communication continuing normally.

His allies point to Greenland, where Trump’s annexation threats prompted European leaders to take a firm stance that ultimately forced a retreat.

“The current administration will respect you if you defend your interests, not if you project weakness and pretend to be what you are not,” said Arancha Gonzalez Laya, dean at Paris’s Sciences Po university and Sanchez’s former foreign minister.

“Many European leaders have tried to appease Trump. Spain has no desire to change or hide its policies … That stands out because of the silence of others.”

Spain’s trade deficit with the U.S. also provides protection against punitive tariffs compared to major exporters like France or Germany, said Ignacio Molina, senior fellow at Spain’s Royal Elcano Institute.

“Sanchez has an incentive to continue this path. It’s very difficult for the U.S. to punish Spain,” Molina said. “He has more to gain than to lose.”

British authorities conducted searches at royal properties Friday as their investigation continues into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III.

The 66-year-old former royal was taken into custody Thursday on his birthday, facing allegations of misconduct in public office related to claims he transmitted sensitive government materials to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a trade representative.

Following more than 10 hours in police custody, Mountbatten-Windsor was freed pending further investigation. No formal charges have been filed against him, though Reuters captured a striking image of the visibly shaken man sitting in the rear of a Range Rover following his release, appearing exhausted with reddened eyes and a stunned expression.

The dramatic photograph showing the once-prominent naval officer and reported favored child of the late Queen Elizabeth made front-page headlines globally, with publications using words like “Downfall” to describe his situation.

While Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently rejected any allegations of improper conduct regarding Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 after his conviction as a sex offender, he has expressed regret about their association. However, recently released U.S. government documents revealed he maintained contact with Epstein well beyond the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

These records indicated that Mountbatten-Windsor had shared British government intelligence with Epstein, including reports on investment prospects in Afghanistan and evaluations of Vietnam, Singapore and other nations he visited in his role as the government’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment.

The detention of such a high-ranking royal family member, who stands eighth in succession to the throne, marks an extraordinary moment in modern British history. The last royal arrest in Britain dates back to Charles I, who faced execution in 1649 after his treason conviction.

King Charles, who previously removed his brother’s princely title and evicted him from his Windsor residence last year, responded to Thursday’s arrest with what he called “deepest concern.”

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the monarch declared. “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.”

The dramatic events began Thursday morning when six unmarked police vehicles and approximately eight plainclothes investigators arrived at Wood Farm, located on the king’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, where Mountbatten-Windsor currently lives.

Thames Valley Police officers simultaneously conducted searches at the mansion on the king’s Windsor estate west of London, the former residence of Mountbatten-Windsor before his forced departure following the Epstein scandal.

By Thursday evening, authorities announced the royal’s release under investigation. While the Sandringham searches had wrapped up, operations at Windsor continued.

An arrest indicates police have reasonable grounds to suspect criminal activity and believe the individual may be involved in an offense, though it does not establish guilt.

If convicted of misconduct in public office, the penalty could include life imprisonment, with such cases handled by Crown Courts that deal with the most severe criminal matters.

VIENNA – Heavy snowfall forced Vienna Airport officials to extend their flight suspension until noon on Friday, with airport operations severely disrupted by the winter weather conditions.

Airport representatives announced that the original flight halt has been pushed back by three additional hours until 1100 GMT, with operational disruptions anticipated to persist well into the afternoon hours.

According to airport officials, limited departures may resume starting at midday, while incoming aircraft could begin landing operations around 1 p.m. The severe weather conditions have resulted in significant schedule disruptions, with approximately 150 flights canceled out of the 232 that were originally planned for Friday morning operations at the Austrian airport.

Arms control specialists are expressing alarm over a potential nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia that could permit uranium enrichment operations within the kingdom, according to congressional documents and nonproliferation organizations.

Both former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden have pursued nuclear cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia to share American atomic technology. However, nonproliferation specialists caution that allowing centrifuge operations in Saudi Arabia might create opportunities for a weapons program, particularly since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has indicated he might pursue nuclear weapons if Iran develops them.

The situation became more complex last year when Saudi Arabia and nuclear-capable Pakistan established a mutual defense agreement following Israel’s strike on Qatar that targeted Hamas leaders. Pakistan’s defense minister subsequently stated his country’s nuclear capabilities “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if necessary, which many interpreted as a message directed at Israel, widely considered the Middle East’s sole nuclear-armed nation.

Kelsey Davenport, who serves as director for nonproliferation policy at the Washington-based Arms Control Association, emphasized the complexity of such arrangements. “Nuclear cooperation can be a positive mechanism for upholding nonproliferation norms and increasing transparency, but the devil is in the details,” Davenport stated.

She added that the documents raise “concerns that the Trump administration has not carefully considered the proliferation risks posed by its proposed nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia or the precedent this agreement may set.”

Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to inquiries from The Associated Press regarding these concerns.

Congressional documentation reviewed by the AP reveals that the Trump administration sought to establish 20 nuclear commerce agreements with countries worldwide, including Saudi Arabia. The potential Saudi agreement could generate billions of dollars in revenue.

The documentation argues that finalizing an agreement with the kingdom “will advance the national security interests of the United States, breaking with the failed policies of inaction and indecision that our competitors have capitalized on to disadvantage American industry and diminish the United States standing globally in this critical sector.” Nations including China, France, Russia and South Korea currently dominate the international nuclear power plant technology market.

The proposed agreement would require both America and Saudi Arabia to establish safeguard arrangements with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear monitoring organization. This would include supervision of the “most proliferation-sensitive areas of potential nuclear cooperation,” with enrichment, fuel fabrication and reprocessing identified as possible areas of cooperation.

The Vienna-based IAEA has not responded to requests for comment. Saudi Arabia maintains membership in the IAEA, which supports peaceful nuclear development while conducting inspections to prevent secret weapons programs.

Davenport warned that “This suggests that once the bilateral safeguards agreement is in place, it will open the door for Saudi Arabia to acquire uranium enrichment technology or capabilities — possibly even from the United States.” She continued, “Even with restrictions and limits, it seems likely that Saudi Arabia will have a path to some type of uranium enrichment or access to knowledge about enrichment.”

While uranium enrichment doesn’t automatically lead to nuclear weapons development — nations must also master additional technologies including synchronized high explosives — it does create weaponization possibilities, which has driven Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s neighbor, established what’s known as a “123 agreement” with the U.S. to construct its Barakah nuclear facility with South Korean support. However, the UAE proceeded without seeking enrichment capabilities, which nonproliferation experts consider the “gold standard” for countries pursuing atomic energy.

This push for a Saudi-U.S. agreement occurs as Trump has threatened military intervention against Iran unless it negotiates regarding its nuclear program. These military threats follow widespread Iranian protests that resulted in a violent government crackdown killing thousands and reportedly detaining tens of thousands more.

Iran has consistently maintained its nuclear enrichment activities serve peaceful purposes. Nevertheless, Western nations and the IAEA assert Iran operated an organized military nuclear program until 2003. Tehran has also enriched uranium to 60% purity, requiring only a brief technical step to reach weapons-grade levels of 90% — making it the only nation worldwide to achieve this level without an acknowledged weapons program.

Iranian officials have long referenced 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s statements as a binding fatwa, or religious ruling, prohibiting Iran from developing nuclear weapons. However, Iranian representatives have increasingly threatened to pursue weapons development as U.S. tensions have escalated.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who manages the kingdom’s daily operations, has stated that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, “we will have to get one.”

Turkish law enforcement officials have taken into custody a seasoned journalist working for Deutsche Welle, Germany’s state-funded international news organization, on charges of spreading false information and insulting the country’s president.

According to a statement released Thursday evening by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, authorities arrested Alican Uludag and opened a criminal case against him based on content he posted on social media platforms. Officials plan to bring him before prosecutors on Friday.

The German broadcasting company, known as DW, confirmed that their correspondent, who has worked with the organization for multiple years, was taken into custody in Ankara on Thursday before being transported to Istanbul for questioning.

Barbara Massing, who serves as Director General of Deutsche Welle, dismissed the charges as unfounded and described the detention as “a deliberate act of intimidation and shows how severely the government is suppressing press freedom.”

According to DW officials, the charges against Uludag stem from his public criticism of Turkish government policies that resulted in the release of individuals suspected of having ties to the Islamic State. The journalist made these comments in a post on the social media platform X approximately 18 months ago.

The news organization also reported that authorities conducted a search of Uludag’s residence and seized computer equipment and other technology devices during the investigation.

BANGKOK – A Bangkok court has imposed an additional prison term of two years and eight months on activist attorney Arnon Nampa for making statements against Thailand’s monarchy during a November 2020 demonstration, according to a human rights organization that announced the decision Friday. This latest conviction pushes his total prison sentence beyond 30 years.

The 41-year-old Nampa played a key role in the historic youth-driven pro-democracy demonstrations that swept through Bangkok in 2020, which boldly demanded changes to the country’s monarchical system.

Thailand enforces strict lese-majeste legislation that shields the royal family from any criticism, with violators facing potential prison terms of up to 15 years for each instance of perceived disrespect toward the monarchy. International human rights organizations have widely criticized these penalties as excessive.

Nampa has remained imprisoned since September 2023 due to violations of the royal insult statute related to his public addresses at political gatherings and content he posted on social media platforms during 2020 and 2021.

The court ruling announced Friday represents the 11th conviction out of 14 total royal insult charges pending against him.

Data from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights indicates that no fewer than 291 individuals have faced lese majeste charges since 2020.

LUSAKA, Zambia — Eight months have passed since former Zambian President Edgar Lungu died, yet his body remains stored in a South African funeral home, caught in the middle of a bitter feud between his family and his political successor.

The disturbing conflict has created a haunting image: an empty grave the size of a coffin sits unfilled in a Lusaka cemetery, where current President Hakainde Hichilema planned to hold a state funeral. However, Lungu made his final wishes clear to relatives before his death — his longtime political opponent should never be allowed near his remains.

Courts have consistently ruled in favor of Zambian government officials against Lungu’s family’s desires. Despite these legal decisions, the deceased president’s relatives continue fighting for a burial ceremony that would exclude Hichilema entirely.

The corpse remains preserved in South Africa, where Lungu passed away, while Zambia faces a shocking controversy that violates cultural customs and sparks numerous concerns in a nation where failing to bury deceased individuals quickly and respectfully is considered deeply offensive.

This standoff stems from years of animosity between two political enemies. Religious leaders and academics who spoke with The Associated Press describe it as a supernatural conflict between Hichilema, who faces reelection in August, and Lungu, who appears to be continuing his fight beyond death.

“It has shifted from the physical, it has shifted from politics, and it is now a spiritual battle,” said Bishop Anthony Kaluba of Life of Christ congregation in Lusaka.

Those who support Hichilema view Lungu’s final instructions as placing a hex on the current leader, while they argue that allowing Hichilema to attend a state funeral would demonstrate kindness toward Lungu and his relatives.

While the battle over a deceased person’s body may appear strange to outsiders, Lungu’s final command strikes a chord with many Zambians.

Citizens sometimes prevent their adversaries from participating in their funeral services, frequently holding them responsible for their troubles. These conflicts typically remain personal matters, unlike this public spectacle involving a former president who, while dying, struck back at his opponent using the powerful words of ancestral tradition.

Throughout Africa, final statements carry “vital force” that can either promote life or obstruct it, explained Chammah J. Kaunda, a Zambian professor of African Pentecostal theology who leads the Oxford Center for Mission Studies as academic dean.

Elderly people approaching death possess the power to place curses or offer blessings, and Lungu’s situation demonstrates that curses “can acquire a life of their own,” he noted.

Zambia operates as a thriving democracy. The nation’s first president was the cheerful, handkerchief-waving Kenneth Kaunda, who lost power through elections in 1991, despite his reputation as a hero of independence.

Similar to Kaunda, later presidents have been civilians without the military backing of various dictators found elsewhere across Africa, providing Zambia’s presidential candidates the chance to campaign based on their individual qualifications.

Nevertheless, many believe that certain political figures — like numerous fellow citizens — fear they could fall victim to witchcraft. This concern is common in a country where ancestral beliefs flourish alongside Christianity, and verbal curses are feared by many as spiritually binding when triggered by unfairness.

“It is a weapon,” said Herbert Sinyangwe of WayLife Ministries in Lusaka. “We believe in our culture that curses work.”

Regarding three recent presidents — Michael Sata, Lungu and Hichilema — mistrust was widespread. The official presidential residence is now believed by many to be cursed with death because all six former presidents have died. Hichilema conducts business there but spends nights elsewhere.

Sata, who served as president from 2011 to 2014, feared that Hichilema, then in opposition, was targeting him while claiming that protective charms from his own area were more powerful. Zambian officials convicted and imprisoned two men last year for allegedly attempting to assassinate the president through magical means. Lungu’s family remains suspicious of Hichilema.

The burial site in Lusaka intended for Lungu was rapidly excavated and prepared before officials learned of the family’s objections, stated cemetery caretaker Allen Banda. He cautioned that a tomb lacking a body was like digging “your own grave.”

“If nobody goes there, culturally it’s your body that’s going to go there,” he said.

Hichilema’s willingness to risk public backlash by opposing Lungu’s family has strengthened the beliefs of those who perceive a supernatural conflict between him and Lungu.

“On the one hand, nearly everything done by the Lungu family so far seems to have been designed to deny Hichilema access to Lungu’s body,” said Sishuwa Sishuwa, a Zambian historian who is a visiting scholar at Harvard. “On the other, Hichilema’s conduct so far suggests that he will do whatever it takes to secure access to Lungu’s corpse, perhaps because the president sees the issue as a matter of life and death.”

Lungu passed away on June 5, 2025, from complications following surgery. He was 68 years old and had received treatment for esophageal narrowing.

To arrange a state funeral, Zambian officials needed to take possession of Lungu’s body until burial. However, Lungu’s relatives opposed Hichilema’s plans during discussions about funeral arrangements.

They wanted to transport the remains via private aircraft and hoped to keep the body at Lungu’s home overnight. They selected three individuals to oversee it during the state funeral that ultimately never occurred.

After Lungu’s family realized their requests would likely be denied, they chose to hold a private funeral in South Africa. They were proceeding with that ceremony when they discovered Zambian authorities had prevented it.

A South African court decided in August that Zambian officials could bring Lungu’s body back home for burial.

Bertha Lungu, the former president’s sister, became distraught in the courtroom following the decision, crying and cursing at Mulilo Kabesha, Zambia’s attorney general, who stated it was time to bring the body home. She claimed that Hichilema wanted the corpse for ceremonial purposes.

Hichilema denies any ill intentions toward Lungu, and has stated his Christian beliefs prohibit acceptance of traditional religious practices.

Lungu assumed power following Sata’s death in 2014. Sata’s vice president, Guy Scott, was unable to run for president in a 2015 election, and Lungu was chosen to complete Sata’s term.

His primary challenger was Hichilema, a successful businessman. The race was extremely tight — Lungu prevailed by fewer than 28,000 votes.

Following the 2016 election, which Lungu won again, Hichilema faced treason accusations and spent four months in prison for allegedly refusing to give way to the presidential convoy.

Five years later, Lungu was defeated by Hichilema and announced his political retirement. He reversed this decision in 2023, and Zambian authorities revoked Lungu’s retirement benefits.

Lungu faced additional pressure when his wife and daughter were detained in 2024 on fraud charges related to property purchases.

When Lungu became ill, he struggled to leave Zambia. The government limited his travel. He managed to escape to South Africa early in 2025, purchasing a ticket at the airport counter. Local media reported this incident as a security failure that resulted in an airport manager’s dismissal.

Lungu is “still influencing our politics from the grave,” said Emmanuel Mwamba, a Zambian diplomat who represents Lungu’s party. “His issues remain. How he was treated in life and how he was treated in death.”

SEOUL, South Korea — Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol showed no signs of backing down Friday after a Seoul court sentenced him to life in prison for rebellion charges stemming from his failed martial law attempt.

Through a statement issued by his legal team, Yoon continued to defend his controversial December 2024 martial law declaration, claiming it was implemented “solely for the sake of the nation and our people.” He also criticized the Seoul Central District Court, alleging it held prejudice against him.

The former president, who lost his position during the political turmoil that followed his unsuccessful power grab, has consistently fought back against eight separate criminal charges that prosecutors say amount to an attempted coup and other offenses.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Yoon has taken an combative approach — holing up in the presidential compound for weeks, refusing to cooperate with investigators after his detention, failing to show up for court hearings, and confronting witnesses during his rare appearances.

When delivering Thursday’s rebellion conviction, Judge Jee Kui-youn criticized Yoon for displaying “no sign of apology for the staggering social costs incurred by the emergency martial law” and noted he “refused to appear in court without any justifiable reason” on multiple occasions.

Outside the courthouse, hundreds of police officers kept opposing groups of demonstrators apart as Yoon’s conservative backers voiced frustration and anger over the decision, while his critics celebrated the outcome in nearby areas. No significant confrontations occurred between the groups.

Yoon’s Friday statement challenged the legitimacy of the court’s decision.

“In a situation where the independence of the judiciary cannot be guaranteed and a verdict based on law and conscience is difficult to expect, I feel deep skepticism whether it would be meaningful to continue a legal battle through an appeal,” the 65-year-old said from jail, where he has been held since last July.

However, attorney Yoo Jeong-hwa clarified that Yoon was “merely expressing his current state of mind” and wasn’t suggesting he would give up his appeal rights. The former president has one week to challenge Thursday’s ruling.

While expressing regret for military personnel, law enforcement officers and government workers now under investigation or facing charges related to his martial law order, Yoon also told his supporters “our fight is not over.”

The court determined Yoon was guilty of leading a rebellion by deploying military and police units in an unlawful attempt to take control of the liberal-controlled parliament, detain political rivals and create unlimited authority indefinitely. Yoon has justified his authoritarian actions as necessary to combat the opposition-dominated legislature, which he characterized as “anti-state” elements.

The independent counsel team, which had sought the death penalty for Yoon, may also file their own appeal and has the authority to request a higher court modify the punishment. Investigation team member Jang Woo-sung told media following the verdict that prosecutors have “reservations” about the court’s factual conclusions and the punishment’s severity.

The Seoul court additionally found five former military and police leaders guilty for their roles in implementing Yoon’s martial law order. Among them was former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who received 30 years in prison for his key involvement in developing the plan, deploying troops and directing military intelligence agents to detain prominent politicians, including current liberal President Lee Jae Myung. Kim has filed an appeal.

Conservative People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk argued at Friday’s press briefing that the court didn’t make a compelling argument that Yoon’s martial law constituted rebellion and, alluding to a potential appeal, emphasized that “the right to be presumed innocent applies to everyone without exception.”

Yoon’s martial law announcement, made during late evening hours on December 3, 2024, remained in effect for roughly six hours before lawmakers managed to penetrate military barriers and voted unanimously to reverse it, compelling his administration to rescind the order.

Legislative action suspended Yoon from his duties on December 14, 2024, following his impeachment, and the Constitutional Court officially terminated his presidency in April 2025. He has been defending himself in several criminal proceedings while in custody, with the rebellion charge carrying the harshest potential consequences.

Despite its brief duration, Yoon’s martial law declaration triggered South Korea’s most serious political upheaval in decades, bringing government functions and international relations to a standstill while disrupting financial markets. The leadership crisis ended when Lee secured victory in an emergency election held in June of last year.

NEW DELHI (AP) — In a significant diplomatic development on Friday, India became part of an American-led coalition focused on enhancing technology partnerships among key allies, highlighting the improving relationship between the two nations following recent tensions over New Delhi’s continued acquisition of discounted Russian petroleum.

This partnership brings India into alignment with Washington’s strategy to establish reliable supply networks for computer chips, cutting-edge manufacturing, and vital technologies as global rivalry with China grows more intense. The move also represents a restoration of diplomatic relations after disagreements over energy purchases and trade duties.

Other countries participating in the Pax Silica program include Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Israel.

“Pax Silica will be a group of nations that believe technology should empower free people and free markets. India’s entry into Pax Silica isn’t just symbolic. Its strategic, its essential,” stated U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor during remarks made before the agreement was officially signed.

The Pax Silica program focuses on enhancing collaboration between member nations regarding semiconductor development, manufacturing, research initiatives, and supply network stability. The program aims to decrease reliance on Chinese-controlled production centers while fostering dependable manufacturing partnerships among democratic nations and strategic allies.

This announcement at New Delhi’s artificial intelligence conference follows India and America reaching a preliminary trade agreement several weeks ago to lower tariffs and increase market access for both countries, helping to resolve disputes that had threatened to weaken bilateral progress.

President Donald Trump revealed earlier this month that America would reduce mutual import duties on India from 25% to 18% and eliminate an extra 25% charge that was imposed for purchasing Russian oil, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to halt such purchases.

India had increased its Russian petroleum imports following Moscow’s military action in Ukraine in 2022, prompting disapproval from Western allies while New Delhi justified the transactions as essential for controlling domestic price increases and safeguarding consumers.

India’s participation in Pax Silica, along with trade benefits, represents a strategic alignment that goes beyond economic matters to encompass extended technology and security collaboration, strengthening India’s position as an important American ally in the Indo-Pacific region.

“From the trade deal to Pax Silica to defense cooperation, the potential for our two nations to work together is truly limitless,” Gor remarked.

DZENZELIVKA, Ukraine – At 65 years old, Halyna Popriadukhina has been forced to abandon her home three separate times as Russian forces have advanced through eastern Ukraine over four years of conflict. Weary from constant displacement, she now prays Ukraine can find a way to stop their advance.

“I’m afraid there’s nowhere else to escape,” she said, her voice heavy with fatigue as she described how one son has disappeared in combat while the other is believed to be in Russian custody.

Popriadukhina represents just one of nearly 4 million internally displaced Ukrainians, in addition to over 5 million who have sought refuge across Europe, as the conflict approaches its fifth year next week. Many harbor deep fears they may never return to their homes or reunite with missing family members.

The fate of her native Donbas region – encompassing Ukraine’s industrial eastern areas of Donetsk and Luhansk – remains central to ongoing U.S.-supported peace negotiations aimed at ending Europe’s largest military conflict since World War Two.

Moscow is insisting that Kyiv surrender the remaining 20% of Donetsk territory that Russian forces have failed to capture – a demand Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected despite reportedly being told privately by U.S. negotiators that such concessions could secure peace.

“We can’t just withdraw,” Zelenskiy stated this week. “We have to understand that Donbas is a part of our independence … It’s not about the land. It’s not only about territories: it’s about people.”

INVASION BEGAN DURING MORNING CHORES

Popriadukhina recalled she was tending to her cows alongside a friend when rockets started falling on February 24, 2022, marking the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Despite her reluctance, she eventually heeded her son’s pleas to evacuate, abandoning her home and the livestock that provided her livelihood.

“I tried to make it so that I had everything (in life),” said Popriadukhina, who previously worked on a collective farm.

“I didn’t take anything from there. Everything was lost.”

Following several months in western Ukraine, she returned to the Donetsk area during summer 2022 – but was compelled to flee once more last March as Russian troops continued their offensive. When enemy forces pushed further west into the Dnipropetrovsk region, she relocated yet again.

She currently resides in central Ukraine, hundreds of kilometers from her original hometown of Vremivka in the east, which Russian forces now control. Ukrainian officials provided her with a deteriorating, vacant house in Dzenzelivka village.

Similar to numerous communities throughout Ukraine, this village displays a memorial called an “Alley of Heroes” featuring photographs of deceased soldiers. Local residents gather there each morning to pay their respects with a quiet moment of remembrance.

Popriadukhina’s repeated relocations mirror Russia’s steady territorial gains throughout the war. Moscow now controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory following what Ukrainian officials describe as extremely costly attacks across battle-damaged plains that have completely destroyed entire communities.

“I don’t need their little Russia,” she said, employing a dismissive term Ukrainians use to mock their larger neighbor’s territorial ambitions.

Although Kyiv’s outnumbered and outgunned forces have prevented any major enemy breakthrough, the Norwegian Refugee Council has cautioned that internally displaced persons face increasing survival challenges as humanitarian assistance decreases and personal resources are exhausted.

“Many families are now forced to live in precarious conditions, often resorting to risky or unsustainable solutions to cope, including reducing their health or heating expenses,” the organization reported Thursday.

Popriadukhina mentioned being offered safe passage to Poland but responded: “But I said I won’t leave my country.”

She remains tormented by uncertainty regarding her two sons’ whereabouts.

One was receiving medical care at a Mariupol hospital when Russian forces captured the besieged city. The other followed his brother into military service before disappearing in 2023.

According to Kyiv, more than 70,000 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians remain unaccounted for in Vladimir Putin’s war, beyond the tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops confirmed killed.

“Honestly, if I could, I would tear him apart with my own hands, that Putin,” said Popriadukhina. “He brought suffering to so many people.”

From her current living room, she remembers discovering a young man outside her Vremivka residence who had been killed by explosive fragments earlier in the conflict. As a mother, the sight particularly devastated her.

“Please tell me,” she said. “How can you forgive this?”

Ukraine has given the green light to resume military equipment exports for the first time since Russia’s invasion began, with a top defense official projecting sales could reach multiple billions of dollars in 2024.

Davyd Aloian, who serves as deputy secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, revealed that government commissioners recently approved most requests from 40 defense companies seeking permission to sell military products and services internationally.

The war-torn nation completely stopped all weapons exports when Moscow launched its full-scale attack in February 2022, instead focusing entirely on securing arms from international partners to fight off Russian forces.

During this period, Ukraine significantly ramped up its domestic weapons production, especially in drone and missile technology. The country’s extensive combat experience has sparked a major surge in defense innovation and manufacturing.

When asked about this year’s export possibilities, Aloian explained: “Taking into account ready-made products, spare parts, components, and services that can be provided, it amounts to several billion dollars.”

He noted the export potential now “significantly higher” compared to pre-war levels.

However, Aloian cautioned against expecting an immediate surge in weapons sales, emphasizing that Ukraine’s own military requirements remain the top priority as Russian forces continue pushing forward in eastern regions while launching strikes across the country.

Meanwhile, U.S.-mediated peace negotiations have stalled over Russia’s insistence on territorial concessions.

International allies have shown strong interest in acquiring Ukraine’s advanced military technology, according to Aloian. He identified Germany, Britain, the United States, Nordic nations, three Middle Eastern countries, and at least one Asian nation as particularly eager buyers.

One Middle Eastern country with historical defense trade ties to Ukraine is examining opportunities in drone technology and heavy military vehicles, though Aloian declined to specify which nation.

Ukraine plans to prioritize sales to countries providing the strongest wartime support, Aloian said.

The government also wants to emphasize joint ventures and collaborative partnerships with foreign nations to bring in investment capital, establish new weapons supply routes to combat zones, and gain access to cutting-edge technologies. This approach takes precedence over simply selling finished products, Aloian added.

Defense companies have been urging Ukraine to restart exports, warning the country risks missing opportunities in the global arms marketplace. Several manufacturers have already established overseas subsidiaries.

“There is no desire or goal to lock all manufacturers in here and just keep our own… There is an approach, and it is focused on making a system that prioritises the frontline and national interests,” Aloian stated. “And then come commercial interests.”

Ukrainian officials are also weighing the implementation of export taxes on defense producers.

While no final decision has been reached, Aloian believes such taxes would help justify resuming exports by generating revenue for Ukraine’s underfunded military needs.

Among the approved applications, none involve selling complete weapons systems ready for immediate use, Aloian clarified. Most applications actually focus on reimporting military equipment back to Ukraine for frontline use.

Some approvals relate to equipment for the Ukraine-U.S. FrankenSAM initiative, which creates surface-to-air missile defense systems by combining Ukraine’s Soviet-era equipment with Western missiles.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an apology on Friday following his life imprisonment sentence for his brief martial law declaration last December, which a Seoul court ruled constituted insurrection.

Through a statement from his legal team, Yoon expressed regret for the “frustration and hardship” his martial law order caused citizens, though he defended the “sincerity and purpose” of his decisions.

The former president criticized Thursday’s life sentence from the Seoul Central District Court as “predetermined” and claimed the ruling represented political revenge against him.

“Forces that seek to smear a decision made to save the nation as an ‘insurrection’ and to use it beyond political attacks as an opportunity to purge and eliminate their opponents will only grow more rampant going forward,” Yoon stated.

He expressed doubt about whether filing an appeal would be worthwhile in what he characterized as a system lacking judicial independence, while encouraging his supporters to “unite and rise.”

However, his legal representatives clarified that the statement did not indicate he would abandon his right to appeal the verdict.

Yoon’s martial law order remained in effect for approximately six hours before lawmakers rejected it, triggering nationwide demonstrations and political upheaval throughout South Korea.

The court determined Yoon violated constitutional principles by sending military forces to occupy the parliament building and attempting to arrest political rivals, marking a stunning downfall that resulted in his removal from office and imprisonment.

The former career prosecutor maintained his innocence, contending he possessed constitutional power to impose martial law and that his actions were intended to highlight opposition parties’ interference with governmental operations.

Prosecutors had requested capital punishment for Yoon, although South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997.

On Thursday, a prosecutor indicated the prosecution team felt some “regret” about the sentence but would not confirm plans for an appeal.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered a stark warning about China’s military expansion during her inaugural parliamentary address on Friday, describing the current security situation as Japan’s most dangerous since World War II.

Speaking to lawmakers after her coalition’s decisive electoral victory this month, Takaichi outlined sweeping changes to Japan’s defense posture in response to what she characterized as Beijing’s increasingly aggressive regional behavior.

“Japan faces its most severe and complex security environment since World War Two,” Takaichi declared, citing China’s military buildup, its strengthening defense partnership with Russia, and North Korea’s advancing nuclear weapons program.

The Prime Minister’s four-month administration has already sparked tensions with Beijing after she stated Japan might use military action if a Chinese attack on Taiwan posed threats to Japanese territory.

Following her party’s transformation of a narrow majority into an overwhelming mandate in recent lower house elections, Takaichi now controls more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats, giving her broad authority to implement her security agenda.

“China has intensified its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion in the East China Sea and South China Sea,” she told the legislative body.

Takaichi announced her government will update Japan’s three fundamental security policy documents this year, creating a fresh defense framework while accelerating reforms to military export regulations that will boost overseas arms sales and support domestic defense manufacturers.

The Prime Minister is accelerating a military expansion program that began in 2023, pushing Japan’s defense budget to 2% of gross domestic product by March’s end – a spending level that will rank Japan among the world’s top military powers despite its pacifist constitutional principles.

She also revealed plans for a new national intelligence coordination body under her direct leadership, bringing together information from various agencies including law enforcement and military intelligence. Unlike the United States’ CIA or Britain’s MI5, Japan currently lacks centralized foreign or domestic intelligence services.

Beyond military matters, Takaichi proposed establishing a Japanese equivalent to America’s Committee on Foreign Investment to examine foreign investments in sensitive industries, while announcing a review of regulations governing land purchases by non-Japanese buyers.

The Prime Minister committed to reinforcing supply networks to decrease reliance on “specific countries” and collaborate with allied nations to secure essential materials, including rare earth elements, near Minamitori, a distant Pacific territory.

Takaichi also pledged to accelerate the reopening of nuclear power facilities that have remained shuttered since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

“A nation that does not take on challenges has no future,” she concluded. “Politics that only seeks to protect cannot inspire hope.”