Category: World News

Financial markets are on edge as tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, with President Trump delivering a stark ultimatum that has traders watching closely for potential conflict.

Trump has given Iran between 10 and 15 days to reach an agreement regarding its nuclear weapons program, warning the country will face “really bad things” if no deal is struck.

The administration has deployed aircraft carriers, naval vessels, and fighter jets to the Middle East region as diplomatic pressure mounts. Iran has indicated it will retaliate if attacked.

Oil markets are already responding to the heightened tensions, with Brent crude prices climbing above $72 per barrel – marking the highest level seen in six and a half months. The U.S. dollar is also strengthening, heading toward its biggest weekly gain in four months as investors seek safe-haven assets.

While many view this as typical Trump-style diplomacy, traders remain ready to push oil and dollar prices even higher should military action occur.

In an unexpected social media post, Trump also announced plans to direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other government agencies to declassify files related to extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena.

Separately, market concerns are growing in the private equity sector after Blue Owl Capital’s recent moves rattled investors. The firm announced it had liquidated $1.4 billion in assets to return money to investors while permanently eliminating quarterly withdrawal options for one of its funds. This decision has intensified existing worries about how private equity funds value their holdings and provide liquidity to investors.

Walmart’s newly appointed chief executive also expressed caution about consumer spending patterns during Thursday’s discussions.

Looking ahead, investors will be monitoring several key economic releases including U.S. personal consumption expenditure data, GDP figures, and purchasing managers’ index surveys from around the globe. Corporate earnings from major companies including Danone, Air Liquide, and Anglo American are also expected.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s iconic kimono, the intricate silk garment once worn by geisha and samurai warriors, is experiencing a modern renaissance focused on environmental sustainability.

These authentic silk garments, whose name translates to “worn thing,” can endure for a century or longer. Within Japanese households, they pass from one generation to the next, much like precious family heirlooms, artwork, and war memorabilia.

Their timeless appeal never fades.

The fundamental structure of kimonos and their accompanying “obi” belts has remained unchanged since Japan’s 17th-century Edo era, the same period featured in classic Akira Kurosawa samurai films.

However, contemporary artisans are embracing innovative approaches, transforming traditional kimonos by deconstructing and reconstructing them into modern jackets, contemporary dresses, and stylish trousers.

“I noticed that a lot of beautiful kimono is just sleeping in people’s closets. That’s such a waste,” said Mari Kubo, who heads a kimono-remake business called K’Forward, pronounced “K dash forward.”

Her company represents part of a growing trend in such services, which also convert vintage kimonos into handbags and decorative figurines.

Kubo’s most sought-after items are “tomesode,” formal black kimonos featuring vibrant embroidered designs of flowers, birds, or plant life along the hem.

She specializes in coordinated outfits, which she refers to as “set-ups.” A tomesode becomes a jacket while preserving its characteristic flowing sleeves, with elaborate designs positioned prominently across the back. She then selects a complementary patterned kimono to fashion matching bottoms. Occasionally, obi fabric serves as collar accents for added visual interest.

According to Kubo, her primary customers are younger consumers seeking to appreciate kimono culture without traditional complications.

Redesigned kimonos at K’Forward range up to 160,000 yen ($1,000) for a “furisode,” the vibrant long-sleeved style traditionally worn by unmarried young women, while black tomesode pieces cost approximately 25,000 yen ($160).

Designer Tomoko Ohkata finds the greatest satisfaction in her vintage kimono creations comes from environmental responsibility rather than guilt over waste.

“I feel the answer was right there, being handed down from our ancestors,” she said.

Japanese recycling centers receive thousands of vintage kimonos daily as families discover them stored away by previous generations. Modern Japanese typically reserve kimono wearing for significant events like weddings. Many brides now choose Western white gowns over traditional kimono, though some opt for both styles.

Ohkata’s customers frequently bring family kimonos seeking transformation. They value the garments’ historical significance, she explained.

Her compact Tokyo shop showcases various figurines, including traditional samurai and wife pairs displayed in Japanese homes during the annual Girls’ Day celebration on March 3rd. Her dolls wear meticulously crafted miniature outfits made from repurposed kimono fabric, priced at 245,000 yen ($1,600) per set.

Traditional kimono wearing is also experiencing renewed interest.

“Unlike the dress, you can arrange it,” says Nao Shimizu, who heads a school in Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto that teaches people how to wear a kimono and how to carry oneself while wearing it.

“In half a year, you can learn how to do it all by yourself,” she said, briskly demonstrating several ways to tie the obi to express different moods, from playful to understated.

Beyond durability, Shimizu emphasizes that this adaptability contributes to kimono sustainability.

Modern Japanese youth adopt more casual approaches, pairing kimonos with boots instead of traditional “zori” sandals, she noted with amusement.

While proper kimono dressing requires technique, instruction is available from teachers like Shimizu, similar to learning musical instruments. Professional assistance can be found at beauty salons, hotels, and specialty retailers.

Though most Japanese wear kimonos only occasionally throughout their lives, the experience remains significant.

Singer Sumie Kaneko, who performs on traditional koto and shamisen instruments, frequently appears in striking dresses created from recycled kimonos. She believes sustainability principles are fundamental to Japanese culture, pointing out that ivory and animal materials for her instruments are increasingly scarce.

She describes this concept as “the recycling of life.”

“The performer breathes new life into them,” says the New York-based Kaneko.

“In the same way, a past moment — and those patterns and colors that were once loved — can come back to life.”

TALLINN, Estonia — As Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine approaches its fourth year, Moscow maintains control over approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian land. Between 3 million and 5 million people still living in these occupied territories struggle with basic necessities including shelter, water, electricity, heating, and medical services.

Even Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted to “many truly pressing, urgent problems” existing in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions that Moscow illegally claimed as its own following the February 24, 2022 invasion.

Authorities impose Russian citizenship, language and cultural practices on local populations, transforming educational curricula and academic materials to reflect Moscow’s agenda.

Residents live with constant anxiety about being labeled as Ukrainian sympathizers, say those who managed to escape. Human rights advocates report widespread imprisonment, physical violence and killings of civilians.

According to Oleksandra Matviichuk, who leads the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Center for Civil Liberties, Russia has created a “vast network of secret and official detention centers where tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians” remain locked up indefinitely without formal charges.

Moscow has declined to address previous accusations from United Nations human rights officials regarding the torture of civilians and captured soldiers.

Inna Vnukova recalls spending the initial period of Russian control in the Luhansk area concealed in a wet basement with her relatives. In her community of Kudriashivka, military personnel intimidated locals, established roadblocks and stole from houses while artillery bombardments continued.

“Everyone was very scared and afraid to go outside,” Vnukova shared with The Associated Press from Estonia, where she currently resides. The forces specifically targeted government workers and public employees like herself and her spouse, Oleksii Vnukov.

During mid-March 2022, she departed the community with her teenage son Zhenya and her brother’s household, despite having to temporarily abandon her husband. They took a dangerous car journey to nearby Starobilsk, displaying a white cloth while mortar rounds exploded around them.

Oleksii Vnukov, who worked in court security, remained almost two additional weeks. Russian troops threatened his life twice before he managed to flee.

“The people there aren’t living, they’re just surviving,” he described regarding the 150 residents — including the family’s elderly parents — who continue living in the community that previously housed 800 people.

The Vnukovs have established themselves in Estonia, where she operates printing equipment and he works as an electrical technician. Their son has reached age 20, and they now have a one-year-old daughter named Alisa.

Russian military units surrounded Mariupol for weeks before capturing the coastal city in May 2022. The destruction of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater on March 16 that year resulted in nearly 600 deaths in and surrounding the structure, according to an Associated Press investigation — representing the conflict’s most devastating single assault on non-combatants.

While most of the approximately half-million residents evacuated, many remained hidden in underground spaces, according to a former theater performer who sheltered for months with his parents.

The former performer, currently in Estonia, requested anonymity to protect his 76-year-old parents who remain in Mariupol. They accepted Russian documentation to access healthcare and received a one-time payment equivalent to $1,300 each as reimbursement for their demolished residence, he explained.

Housing shortages persist despite the population dropping to roughly half its pre-war size. New residential units are marketed to incoming Russians rather than displaced locals, based on video complaints sent to Putin.

Not all residents reject Russian control. The former performer estimates half his previous theater colleagues support the Kremlin. Nevertheless, he noted his parents requested he avoid sending Ukrainian-language postcards because “it could be dangerous.”

Extended warfare and abandonment have left numerous cities with deteriorating public infrastructure.

In Alchevsk, a Luhansk region municipality, more than half the residences lack heating during this harsh winter season. Officials have established five warming centers.

Throughout the Donetsk area, water delivery trucks fill containers outside residential buildings — though they freeze completely in winter, explained a resident who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. “There’s constant squabbling over water,” she noted.

Moscow incentivizes Russian migration to occupied areas through various benefits. Educational staff, medical professionals and cultural employees receive salary bonuses for five-year commitments in these regions.

The northeastern municipality of Sievierodonetsk, previously home to 140,000 residents, sustained extensive destruction and currently houses only 45,000 primarily elderly or disabled people. A single ambulance team serves the entire city, while Russian healthcare workers rotate through its hospital, said a 67-year-old former engineer who spoke anonymously fearing retaliation.

“I know how difficult it is now for the residents of the liberated cities and towns. There are many truly pressing, urgent problems,” Putin stated in September. He mentioned requirements for dependable water systems and healthcare access, announcing a “large-scale socioeconomic development program” for these areas.

Stanislav Shkuta, 25, from Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson area, described barely avoiding detention multiple times before reaching Ukrainian-controlled land in 2023. He remembered traveling on a bus stopped by Russian soldiers, where “men and women were asked to strip to the waist to see if they had Ukrainian tattoos.”

Shkuta, now residing in Estonia, recalled he “turned white with fear, wondering if I’d cleared everything on my phone.”

Contacts remaining in Nova Kakhovka report deteriorating conditions, with suspected Ukrainian supporters detained on streets or during unexpected home searches, he added.

Mykhailo Savva from Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties stated “Russian special services continue to identify disloyal Ukrainians, extract confessions, and continue to detain people,” with locals subjected to identification verification and mass inspections.

Human rights organizations report Russia operated “filtration camps” during the war’s early phase to identify potentially disloyal individuals, along with anyone employed by the government, who assisted Ukrainian forces or had military relatives, plus journalists, educators, researchers and political figures.

Approximately 16,000 civilians face illegal detention, though actual numbers could be significantly higher since many are held without communication access, according to Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

PIROT, Serbia — In the small Serbian town of Pirot near the Bulgarian border, residents have discovered the perfect remedy for harsh winter weather: a distinctive spiced sausage that locals say boosts both energy and morale during the coldest months.

Known locally as “peglana kobasica,” this specialty meat product gets its English name “ironed sausage” from an unusual preparation method that involves flattening the casing with a bottle, creating its characteristic horseshoe appearance. The delicacy combines carefully chosen meats with abundant spices and undergoes natural air-drying.

While this culinary tradition has passed through multiple generations in Pirot, the high-quality, sustainably produced sausage has recently attracted attention far beyond this quiet border community.

Serbian food safety officials recognized the product’s excellence in 2022, granting it a certificate for regional distinction and authenticity. This designation requires manufacturers to adhere to strict production standards to earn the official recognition.

“It is a supreme product,” declared Marjan Savic, who leads a local association of sausage producers, in comments to The Associated Press. “Our sausage is one of the best, if not the best.”

The sausage-making heritage in Pirot stretches back at least 100 years, with some historians suggesting it may have originated during Ottoman rule, which concluded in the Balkans in 1913.

Historical accounts describe early producers using meat from mature livestock to create their sausages, then air-drying them by suspending them on wooden handles in storage buildings and upper floors of homes.

Currently, approximately 35 to 40 licensed manufacturers operate in the region. They source locally raised cattle and goat meat, incorporating garlic, spicy peppers, and herbs gathered from the picturesque Stara Planina mountains in the vicinity.

Creating these ironed sausages requires “hard labor,” according to Savic. The initial step involves completely removing all fatty tissue and connective material from the meat, “which is probably the hardest part of the job,” he noted.

Workers then air-dry and manually flatten the sausages each day to achieve proper flavor and form. The entire process concludes in time for Pirot’s annual sausage festival each January, which draws thousands of attendees, including many visitors from Bulgaria.

However, increasing popularity hasn’t shielded the industry from significant challenges. Local goat populations are shrinking, while recent winters have become warmer and more moisture-laden, conditions that scientists partially attribute to changing climate patterns.

Misa Rajic acquired his sausage-making skills from his grandfather and recalls preparing ironed sausages each winter during his childhood. He currently operates a small production facility at his residence on Pirot’s periphery.

“It takes about a month to get a dry, dehydrated product that is ready for consumption,” Rajic explained while demonstrating how producers press the sausages with glass bottles, working from center to edges.

This technique, he continued, “helps further mix the meat inside the sausage and it helps with the drying because it extracts the moisture.”

Properly dried sausages develop a dark appearance with the grayish exterior of beef intestine casings, which consumers remove before eating. Pirot residents typically enjoy the sausage similar to an after-dinner digestive — following complete meals, including dessert. They slice it paper-thin and chew deliberately while sipping red wine to savor the flavor.

“We recommend red wines that are a bit robust to match the poignant aroma,” Savic advised. “It’s not so good with white wine.”

TALLINN, Estonia — From her safe haven in Estonia, Inna Vnukova still cannot shake the haunting memories of Russian occupation in eastern Ukraine during the early days of the conflict and her family’s desperate flight to freedom.

The family sought shelter in a wet basement for several days in their hometown of Kudriashivka following Russia’s comprehensive assault in February 2022. Armed soldiers terrorized locals in the streets, established military checkpoints, ransacked houses, and maintained constant artillery bombardment.

“Everyone was very scared and afraid to go outside,” Vnukova shared with The Associated Press, explaining how forces targeted Ukrainian supporters and government workers like herself and her spouse, Oleksii Vnukov.

By mid-March, she made the difficult choice to evacuate with her teenage son Zhenya, 16, alongside her brother’s family, despite having to temporarily abandon her husband. Their dangerous automobile journey to nearby Starobilsk required displaying a white flag while dodging mortar attacks.

“We had already said our goodbyes to life, cursing this Russian world,” stated the 42-year-old Vnukova. “I’ve been trying to forget this nightmare for four years, but I can’t.”

Numerous Ukrainians like Vnukova escaped the advancing military. Those who remained faced detention risks or worse outcomes as Russian troops eventually seized approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory and its estimated 3 to 5 million inhabitants.

Following four years of conflict, existence in devastated urban centers like Mariupol and rural communities like Kudriashivka continues to be challenging, with locals confronting issues regarding shelter, water supply, electricity, heating, and medical services. Even President Vladimir Putin has admitted they face “many truly pressing, urgent problems.”

Within the unlawfully seized territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, authorities impose Russian citizenship, language and customs on inhabitants, including through educational materials and classroom instruction. By spring 2025, approximately 3.5 million residents across these four areas received Russian documentation — mandatory for accessing essential services like healthcare.

Residents in these territories report living with constant anxiety about being suspected of Ukrainian allegiance. Numerous individuals have faced imprisonment, physical assault and death, according to human rights advocates.

Oleksii Vnukov, employed as courthouse security, remained in the community for almost two weeks. Russian troops threatened his life twice, including one incident where soldiers forcibly removed him and a companion from the street. However, he survived and eventually fled the village as well.

The family journeyed through Russia before reaching Estonia, where Inna found employment at a printing facility and Oleksii, 43, works as an electrician.

“All life is leaving the occupied territories,” Vnukov explained. “The people there aren’t living, they’re just surviving.”

Mykhailo Savva from Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties described the Russian military’s ongoing practice of maintaining “systemic and total control” throughout these regions.

“Even though a significant number of socially active people have already been detained, Russian special services continue to identify disloyal Ukrainians, extract confessions, and continue to detain people,” Savva explained. “Residents face such practices as document checks, mass searches, and denunciations on a daily basis.”

Human rights organizations report Russian officials utilized “filtration camps” to locate potentially disloyal persons, including government employees, Ukrainian military supporters, those with military family members, plus journalists, educators, researchers and political figures.

Stanislav Shkuta, 25, formerly of occupied Nova Kakhovka in Kherson region, narrowly avoided multiple arrests before reaching Ukrainian-held territory in 2023. He remembered being aboard a bus halted by Russian soldiers.

“It was horrific. Men and women were asked to strip to the waist to see if they had Ukrainian tattoos,” recalled Shkuta, now residing in Estonia. “I turned white with fear, wondering if I’d cleared everything on my phone.”

His friends remaining in Nova Kakhovka describe deteriorating conditions, with suspected Ukrainian supporters detained during street stops or unexpected home inspections.

“Today, my friends complain that life there has become impossible,” he stated.

Russia created a “vast network of secret and official detention centers where tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians” remain held indefinitely without charges, according to Oleksandra Matviichuk, director of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Center for Civil Liberties.

“Everyone knows that if you end up in the basement, your life is worth nothing,” she noted.

Russian representatives have declined to address previous accusations by U.N. human rights officials regarding civilian and prisoner torture.

Approximately 16,000 civilians face illegal detention, though actual numbers could be significantly higher due to incommunicado holdings, stated Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

A U.N. report from last summer revealed that between July 2024 and June 2025, investigators interviewed 57 detained civilians from occupied regions, with 52 reporting severe beatings, electrical torture, sexual assault, humiliation and violence threats.

One notable case involves Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, 27, who vanished in 2023 while reporting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and died while in Russian custody. When her remains were returned to Ukraine in 2025, they showed torture evidence with some organs removed, prosecutors reported.

“Russia uses terror in the occupied territories to physically eliminate active people working in certain fields: teachers, children’s writers, musicians, mayors, journalists, environmentalists. It also intimidates the passive majority,” Matviichuk states.

During the war’s beginning, Russian forces surrounded Mariupol before the coastal city surrendered in May 2022. The Russian attack on the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater on March 16 that year killed nearly 600 people in and surrounding the structure, according to an AP investigation, marking the conflict’s single most deadly civilian attack.

Most of the city’s roughly half-million residents evacuated, but many sheltered in basements, including a former theater performer who spent months hiding with his parents, reporting they nearly died from Russian bombardment.

The former performer, now in Estonia, requested anonymity to protect his 76-year-old parents still in Mariupol. They accepted Russian citizenship to access medical treatment and received a one-time $1,300 payment per person as compensation for their destroyed residence, he explained.

Similar to other occupied cities, Mariupol undergoes Russification through street name changes, Moscow-approved school curricula, Russian telecommunications and television networks, and adoption of Moscow’s time zone.

“But even today, the threat of death has not gone away. Only those who have Russian passports can survive,” the former performer explained, adding his parents requested he avoid sending Ukrainian postcards because “it could be dangerous.”

Putin “openly states that there is no Ukrainian language, no Ukrainian culture, no Ukrainian nation. And in the occupied territories, these words are turning into terrible practice,” Matviichuk observed.

However, not everyone opposes Russian control in Mariupol. The former performer reports half his former theater colleagues now support the Kremlin and believe Kyiv “provoked the war.”

Housing remains problematic in Mariupol, where current population equals roughly half the pre-2022 level. New residential buildings emerged from destruction, but instead of housing displaced residents, they’re sold to Russian newcomers.

Some displaced residents have created video pleas to Putin. “You said we ‘don’t abandon our own.’ Do we not count as your own?” questioned one resident during a large gathering.

At least 12,191 Mariupol apartments were designated as supposedly “ownerless” and abandoned properties for seizure during 2025’s first half. Thousands more face confiscation elsewhere.

Moscow encourages Russian citizens to relocate to occupied territories, providing various incentives. Teachers, medical professionals and cultural workers receive salary bonuses for five-year residency commitments.

Years of warfare and neglect have created serious heating, electrical and water supply challenges in many occupied eastern Ukrainian cities.

The northeastern city of Sievierodonetsk experienced major destruction before falling to Russia in June 2022. Once housing 140,000 residents, only 45,000 remain, primarily elderly or disabled individuals.

A single ambulance crew serves the entire city, with doctors and medical staff rotating from Russian regions like Perm to staff the hospital, according to a 67-year-old former engineer who requested anonymity fearing retaliation.

Despite conditions, she still endorses “the great work Putin is doing,” citing her Soviet Union upbringing.

In Alchevsk, located in Luhansk region, over half the residences have lacked heating for two frigid months. Five warming centers operate while utility companies report over 60% of municipal heating infrastructure requires repair without available funding.

Even pro-Moscow politician Oleg Tsaryov accused authorities of freezing “an entire city.” When heating failed in 2006, he noted on social media that Ukrainian authorities “and the entire country stepped in to help and completely replaced the faulty equipment.” Following Russian takeover, officials “contrived to repeat this Armageddon scenario all over again,” he added.

In Donetsk region, water delivery trucks fill containers outside apartment buildings — but they freeze completely during winter, reported a resident who requested anonymity fearing consequences.

“There’s constant squabbling over water,” she explained, noting “insane” lines for the vital resource, with working people often missing truck arrivals.

Donetsk residents submitted an appeal for Putin’s intervention in what became “a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.”

Putin acknowledged last year the difficulties across the four regions.

“I know how difficult it is now for the residents of the liberated cities and towns. There are many truly pressing, urgent problems,” he stated while marking the third anniversary of incorporating these areas into Russia. He mentioned needs for dependable water supplies and healthcare access, among other concerns, announcing a “large-scale socioeconomic development program” for these territories.

Meanwhile, Inna Vnukova builds her new Estonian life: She and Oleksii now parent 1-year-old daughter Alisa. Their son reached age 20.

Only approximately 150 people — including the couple’s parents — remain in the village that once housed 800, Vnukova reported, expressing hopes to someday show her daughter the family’s native Luhansk region.

“We’ve been dreaming of returning for four years, but we increasingly wonder — what will we see there?” she questioned.

A compelling photo collection from February 13-19, 2026, captures the vibrant cultural celebrations and daily life across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Colorful Carnival festivities filled the streets throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and neighboring countries as communities celebrated with traditional parades and public gatherings. The week-long celebration drew thousands of participants in elaborate costumes and festive displays.

Meanwhile, in Mexico City, the religious observance of Ash Wednesday brought faithful parishioners to local churches where they received traditional ash markings to begin the Lenten season.

The photo series also documents the human impact of upcoming 2026 World Cup preparations in Mexico City. Among those featured is Montserrat Fuentes, who has maintained her work location on the same street corner for two decades. The World Cup infrastructure projects are now disrupting the income sources for sex workers like Fuentes and others in similar situations.

Mexico City-based photo editor Jon Orbach assembled this visual collection, selecting images that represent the diverse experiences across the region during this significant week.

BANGKOK — Authorities in Thailand turned to an unusual disguise when traditional law enforcement tactics failed to capture a repeat offender who kept evading their attempts at arrest.

Officers from Bangkok’s police department donned a colorful red-and-gold lion costume typically used in cultural celebrations to approach their target without detection. Department video shows the disguised officers performing traditional dance moves as they moved closer to the 33-year-old suspect during Wednesday’s Lunar New Year festivities at a Nonthaburi province temple, located adjacent to Bangkok. The operation culminated when the officer positioned inside the costume’s ornate head suddenly broke character and tackled the unsuspecting man.

Authorities report the individual faces charges for repeatedly breaking into a Bangkok police commander’s residence three separate times during January, stealing items valued at approximately 2 million baht, equivalent to $64,000.

According to department statements, previous arrest attempts had failed because the suspect consistently recognized approaching officers and fled before they could apprehend him. Investigators eventually tracked him down by following the trail of stolen religious amulets he had sold, which led them to discover his habit of frequenting temples throughout Nonthaburi.

The timing proved perfect for the unusual operation, as Lunar New Year festivities featuring traditional lion performances are widespread throughout Thailand, despite not being an official government holiday. This cultural backdrop allowed the officers to blend seamlessly into the celebration.

Department officials report the suspect has admitted to the break-ins, explaining he committed the crimes to fund drug purchases and gambling activities. Records show he has prior convictions for both narcotics violations and burglary offenses.

BUENOS AIRES – In the early morning hours of Friday, Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies gave approval to controversial workplace reform legislation championed by libertarian President Javier Milei, despite widespread labor union opposition that resulted in a nationwide work stoppage paralyzing much of the nation.

The legislative measure received backing from 135 lawmakers while 115 voted in opposition. Having previously gained Senate approval last week, the bill underwent several amendments and must now return to the upper chamber for a final determination before it can be enacted into law.

Pakistan and the United States have finalized a partnership agreement to renovate the historic Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, according to official documents and government sources.

The memorandum of understanding was executed on Thursday following approval from Pakistan’s cabinet, sources confirmed. The collaborative arrangement between the two nations will enable Pakistan to maximize returns on what officials consider one of their most valuable international real estate holdings.

The renovation project represents a significant diplomatic and economic partnership between Washington and Islamabad, focusing on revitalizing the Manhattan landmark property.

The downfall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reached a devastating new chapter Thursday when authorities arrested King Charles’ younger brother on suspicions he illegally shared government documents with Jeffrey Epstein.

Law enforcement officials detained the 66-year-old on his birthday while investigating claims he violated his duties as a British trade representative by improperly disclosing official information to the notorious sex trafficker.

Mountbatten-Windsor has maintained his innocence regarding any Epstein-related misconduct and previously expressed remorse for his “ill-judged association” with the deceased American criminal.

His public image was already devastated following his decision to settle a civil case filed by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed he sexually assaulted her as a minor at locations connected to Epstein and his network, allegations he repeatedly rejected.

This latest crisis transforms the individual once considered Queen Elizabeth II’s preferred child and celebrated as a distinguished war hero into essentially a social outcast.

Born as second in the line of succession, he held the title of Prince of the United Kingdom and later became the Duke of York.

Though an arrest doesn’t establish guilt, criminal charges could result in imprisonment if authorities and legal officials determine prosecution is warranted.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” King Charles declared in an official statement.

MILITARY SERVICE AND MARRIAGE

Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor entered the world at Buckingham Palace on February 19, 1960, when his mother was 33 years old, nearly a decade following his older sister Anne’s birth, making him the first royal baby born to a sitting monarch in over a century.

Following the path of his father and elder brother Charles, he enrolled at Gordonstoun, the demanding Scottish boarding school, before entering Dartmouth naval college in 1979.

His naval career began with helicopter pilot training in 1981, and he deployed aboard HMS Invincible during the 1982 Falklands War against Argentina, operating a Sea King helicopter for anti-submarine operations and transport missions that earned him military recognition.

Before his recent troubles, Mountbatten-Windsor was primarily recognized for his 1986 wedding to Sarah Ferguson, popularly called “Fergie.” The queen granted them the titles Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day.

Their marriage ended in separation during March 1992, part of what the queen famously termed her “annus horribilis” due to multiple royal family scandals.

Reports suggested the former prince was heartbroken by his wife’s departure, though Ferguson later characterized him as a kind person worthy of affection.

Their union produced two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and despite divorcing in 1996, the family maintained positive relationships, taking vacations together and cohabiting for extended periods.

TRADE ROLE UNDER SCRUTINY

Mountbatten-Windsor completed 22 years of naval service before accepting the position of UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in 2001, serving until his Epstein connections sparked public outrage.

Investigators are now examining his conduct during this diplomatic assignment.

Following his military retirement, he concentrated on performing ceremonial responsibilities for the queen while working to stimulate economic development and employment opportunities.

Associates portrayed the Duke of York as a straightforward individual whose primary interest was his professional duties. They argued his efforts advancing British commerce internationally received insufficient recognition. However, some diplomatic personnel considered him discourteous, uninformed and crude.

Media attention focused heavily on his romantic relationships. Publications connected him romantically with various women including fashion models and business executives, earning him the nickname “Air Miles Andy” due to his luxury travel habits.

His association with Epstein, who received a 2008 conviction for child sex crimes, ultimately destroyed his career. Public pressure forced him to resign his trade position in 2011, and Giuffre publicly accused him of sexual abuse in 2015.

Palace officials revoked his military appointments, charitable patronages and “His Royal Highness” designation after his disastrous 2019 BBC interview intended to restore his reputation.

In February 2022, he paid an undisclosed sum, reportedly exceeding 10 million pounds ($13.5 million) according to media accounts, to resolve Giuffre’s American lawsuit. She took her own life three years afterward.

“Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty,” her relatives stated Thursday. “He was never a prince.”

Last October, following additional Epstein revelations, King Charles removed his brother’s princely status and evicted him from his Windsor residence.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” according to a Buckingham Palace announcement.

Critics view his destruction as the result of his pride and privileged attitude. A former royal security officer recalled Andrew’s angry outbursts when staff disturbed the stuffed animals arranged on his bed.

Military tensions between the United States and Iran reached new heights Thursday as President Trump delivered an ultimatum to Tehran while a second American aircraft carrier moved closer to Middle Eastern waters.

Speaking to reporters, Trump stated he believes Iran has “10 to 15 days” to negotiate a nuclear agreement, cautioning that without a meaningful arrangement, “bad things happen.”

The warning comes as Iran conducted joint military exercises with Russia in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean. Iranian state media reported the drills focused on improving operational coordination and sharing military expertise between the two nations.

Iran’s vulnerability has increased following what officials describe as 12 days of combined Israeli and American attacks on nuclear facilities and military installations last year, coupled with violent suppression of mass demonstrations in January.

Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani sent a letter to the Security Council Thursday declaring that while Iran “does not seek tension or war and will not initiate a war,” any American aggression would meet a “decisive and proportionate” response.

“In such circumstances, all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran’s defensive response,” Iravani wrote.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier was tracked near Morocco’s coast Wednesday, positioning it to potentially enter the Mediterranean Sea. Military analysts estimate the carrier would need over a week to reach Iranian waters.

Recent Iranian military activities included live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which one-fifth of global oil trade passes. The nation also issued rocket-fire warnings to regional pilots, suggesting plans to test anti-ship missiles.

Nuclear negotiations have remained stalled for years, with Iran refusing to address American and Israeli demands to reduce its missile capabilities and cut connections to armed groups. Recent indirect talks in Geneva showed minimal progress, though Iran agreed to prepare written responses to U.S. concerns raised during discussions.

A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, revealed that national security leaders met Wednesday to review Iran policy. They received briefings indicating “full forces” needed for potential military operations would be positioned by mid-March.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued urgent evacuation orders for Polish citizens in Iran, warning that “within a few, a dozen, or even a few dozen hours, the possibility of evacuation will be out of question.” He provided no additional details.

German military officials confirmed relocating “a mid-two digit number of non-mission critical personnel” from an Iraqi base due to regional circumstances, though some troops remain to maintain operations at the multinational facility in Irbil.

The New York-based Soufan Center noted that 50 additional U.S. combat aircraft, including F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s, were deployed to the region this week, joining hundreds already stationed at Arab Gulf bases.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met with Trump last week, declared Israel ready “for any scenario.” He warned that if Iran targets Israel, “they will experience a response they cannot even imagine.”

Netanyahu has consistently advocated for stronger U.S. action against Iran, arguing any agreement should eliminate Tehran’s nuclear program, restrict its missile arsenal, and force separation from militant organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran maintains its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, though U.S. and international officials suspect weapons development intentions. Tehran claims it ceased uranium enrichment following last summer’s strikes, which Trump said “obliterated” Iranian nuclear sites, though actual damage remains unclear as international inspectors have been barred.

A regional government official, speaking confidentially about diplomatic conversations, said he has warned Iranian leaders that Trump’s threats should be taken seriously, pointing to the president’s track record on international issues. The official suggested focusing negotiations on nuclear matters while postponing discussions about missile programs and proxy group support.

Inside Iran, tensions continue rising as mourners conduct ceremonies honoring protesters killed by security forces 40 days ago. Some gatherings have featured anti-government demonstrations despite official warnings.

Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith revealed plans Thursday evening for a fall referendum that would ask provincial residents whether their government should impose restrictions on incoming international students, temporary foreign workers, and asylum seekers.

The announcement, delivered during a televised speech from Calgary, signals Alberta’s bid to challenge federal authority over immigration matters – an area traditionally controlled by Canada’s national government rather than individual provinces.

The referendum proposal threatens to create new tensions within Canada as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to strengthen relationships with western provinces and counter growing separatist sentiment in Alberta.

During her address, Smith explained that her administration expects to announce a substantial budget shortfall next week, attributing the deficit partially to declining oil revenue from lower global energy prices.

However, the Premier also pointed to Alberta’s unprecedented population surge as a contributing factor to the province’s financial pressures. Statistics Canada reports that Alberta’s population exceeded 5 million residents in 2025, with over 600,000 new arrivals during the previous five years – making it Canada’s fastest-growing province.

“Throwing the doors wide open to anyone and everyone across the globe has flooded our classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems with far too many people, far too quickly,” Smith stated during her televised remarks.

Alberta isn’t alone in experiencing immigration-driven population increases. Following years of expansive immigration policies under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has recently moved to reduce immigration quotas and establish limits on temporary residents due to mounting pressure on housing availability, infrastructure capacity, and social services.

What distinguishes Alberta from other Canadian provinces, according to research from ATB Financial, is its exceptionally high rate of internal migration as Canadians relocate there seeking improved economic prospects and lower housing costs.

Smith noted that recent town hall discussions revealed international immigration as a primary concern among Alberta residents, prompting her decision to pursue referendum authorization for policy changes.

The proposed modifications could include legislation requiring Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or “Alberta approved immigration status” for eligibility to receive provincially funded services including healthcare, education, and social programs.

A court in Tunisia has handed down an eight-month prison sentence to parliament member Ahmed Saidani following his social media posts that ridiculed the country’s president, according to Thursday’s ruling that critics view as evidence of growing suppression of dissent.

Saidani, who previously backed President Kais Saied’s agenda targeting political rivals, has shifted to become an outspoken opponent. He now accuses the president of attempting to control all governmental decisions while shifting responsibility for the nation’s troubles to others.

According to a judicial official, the parliamentarian received his sentence on accusations of using communication networks to insult others.

Authorities detained Saidani earlier this month following a Facebook post where he ridiculed the president, calling him the “supreme commander of sewage and rainwater drainage.”

“This is a violation of the law and an attack on institutions. How can parliament hold the executive authority to account if it carries out an unlawful arrest over critical views,” said Bilel Mechri, who serves alongside Saidani, in comments to Reuters.

Saidani won his parliamentary seat in late 2022 during an election marked by extremely poor voter participation. This vote occurred after Saied disbanded the former parliament and removed the government in 2021.

Since that time, Saied has governed through executive orders, actions that opposition groups have characterized as a coup.

Numerous opposition figures, some members of the press, and other Saied critics have been incarcerated since he consolidated most governmental authority.

Human rights organizations claim Saied has established authoritarian control and transformed Tunisia into an “open-air prison” as part of his campaign against political opponents.

The president maintains he is upholding legal standards and working to “cleanse” the nation.

A drone strike targeting Sevastopol’s port facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea has claimed one life, local officials reported Friday morning.

Regional Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev announced via Telegram that defensive systems successfully shot down 16 Ukrainian drones during the assault.

The governor reported that both apartment buildings and residential properties sustained damage from the overnight strike on the strategic port city.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has launched his nation’s most significant political gathering, where he’s anticipated to outline his policy priorities for the coming five years while solidifying his family’s grip on power.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that the Workers’ Party Congress began Thursday in Pyongyang, with Kim delivering remarks focused on economic development.

According to Kim, the nation has achieved substantial advancement since the previous 2021 gathering, which took place amid the COVID-19 crisis. He pointed to economic improvements and stronger regional positioning that he described as an “irreversible” enhancement of the country’s standing.

“This created favorable conditions and circumstances for giving a greater spur to our socialist construction,” he said. “Our party is faced with heavy and urgent historic tasks of boosting economic construction and the people’s standard of living and transforming all realms of state and social life as early as possible.”

Government media outlets haven’t yet reported whether Kim addressed his ongoing tensions with the United States and South Korea or discussed his nuclear weapons development.

In recent years, Kim has used Russia’s conflict in Ukraine as an opportunity to develop his nuclear and missile programs while building closer ties with Moscow. He has sent thousands of soldiers and significant military supplies to support Russia’s war effort, potentially receiving economic assistance and military technology in return. Kim has also strengthened relationships with China, North Korea’s traditional partner and economic supporter, visiting Beijing last year for a World War II commemoration and holding his first summit in six years.

Although North Korea’s tight control over information makes it difficult to assess the country’s actual economic condition, international analysts believe there has been steady improvement, likely helped by increased trade with China after the pandemic and weapons sales to Russia.

The multi-day congress follows weeks of preparation during which Kim showcased his military strength and visited defense facilities and major construction projects to highlight his claimed accomplishments over the past five years. Kim stated that approximately 5,000 representatives are attending the gathering, including 224 central party leadership members.

Analysts predict Kim will use this opportunity to outline future economic objectives and additional plans to expand his nuclear-equipped military, which already possesses various weapons systems aimed at U.S. partners in Asia and long-range missiles that could potentially reach American territory.

South Korea’s intelligence service informed legislators last week that they’re monitoring whether Kim might use the congress to elevate his teenage daughter — reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and approximately 13 years old — as a possible heir, establishing the regime’s fourth-generation leadership transition.

Diplomatic discussions between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled since 2019, after talks between Kim and President Donald Trump broke down over disputes regarding U.S. sanctions related to North Korea’s nuclear activities. Kim’s administration has rejected American overtures for renewed dialogue since Trump returned to office, insisting that Washington must first drop its demands for North Korea’s nuclear disarmament before any negotiations can proceed.

North Korea has also halted virtually all communication and cooperation with South Korea following Kim’s disagreement with Trump. Tensions between the neighboring countries have intensified in recent years as Kim abandoned North Korea’s historical objective of peaceful reunification and established a confrontational “two-state” framework for the Korean Peninsula, a position he may further embed in the Workers’ Party’s founding document during this congress, according to experts.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued an emergency directive Thursday, calling on all Polish nationals currently in Iran to depart the country without delay as deteriorating security conditions threaten to close evacuation pathways.

“In a few hours, there may be no more possibility to evacuate Poles from Iran,” Tusk declared, emphasizing the urgent need for “all Poles in Iran” to leave immediately.

The Polish government has conducted similar rescue operations in the past during escalating tensions across the Middle East, with previous missions involving Polish nationals traveling through adjacent nations before being transported back to Poland, as reported by Polish government media and diplomatic officials.

The United States issued its second evacuation advisory in early February, with the State Department strongly recommending that American citizens depart Iran immediately. The Virtual U.S. Embassy warned Americans to make departure plans independently without counting on U.S. government support, pointing to escalating security threats, communication limitations, and volatile travel circumstances. The initial American warning was released in January following widespread demonstrations and violent government responses.

According to Israel’s national broadcaster Kan, Israeli officials have elevated their military alert status Thursday and believe a potential conflict with Iran may commence “within days,” possibly extending into a multi-week military operation.

These evacuation warnings align with reports of substantial American military reinforcement throughout the Middle East. Axios reported, referencing flight tracking information and a U.S. official, that the Trump administration deployed a second naval carrier battle group to the area last week. The report indicates over 50 combat aircraft, including F-35, F-22, and F-16 fighters, have been repositioned to Middle Eastern bases in the past day.

The Wall Street Journal characterized the current American air force deployment as the most extensive regional presence since the 2003 Iraq invasion. The publication noted this military buildup would enable extended operations beyond the scope of last June’s U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear installations during the Israel-Iran conflict, which utilized B-2 strategic bombers.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his isolated nation has defeated economic hardship and reached significant milestones during the launch of the country’s most significant political gathering, according to state-run media reports released Friday.

The Ninth Party Congress began Thursday, marking the nation’s most important political assembly that occurs every half-decade to assess progress, establish fresh policy directions, and potentially shuffle leadership positions under supreme leader Kim.

During his opening remarks, Kim stated North Korea had achieved “significant accomplishments” during the previous five-year period across political, economic, defense, cultural and diplomatic areas, strengthening the country’s independence.

Regarding international relations, North Korea has created a “big change” in its connections with other nations and influenced worldwide political dynamics, Kim declared.

Notably absent from Kim’s address were any references to ties with the United States or neighboring South Korea, and he made no mention of his nation’s nuclear weapons development program.

The gathering, drawing 5,000 members of the ruling Workers’ Party, received presentations outlining fresh objectives and strategies across multiple areas for the upcoming five-year period, state media KCNA announced.

Observers expect North Korea to display military strength through parades and announce weapons development targets during the conference.

Political experts are watching closely to see if Kim receives the “president” designation and whether his teenage daughter, Ju Ae, appears publicly or gains an official position.

Growing speculation among researchers and South Korean intelligence suggests Kim may be preparing Ju Ae as his eventual successor.

Kim described conditions during the previous Eighth Congress as “extremely challenging,” pointing to natural catastrophes and a global health emergency, clearly referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. The nation’s economic systems and industries were operating under outdated methods, Kim acknowledged.

North Korea’s economic performance hit its worst decline in over two decades during 2020, hammered by ongoing United Nations sanctions, coronavirus restrictions, and severe weather conditions, according to South Korea’s central banking authority.

However, recent indicators suggest improvement, with the economy expanding 3.7% in 2024, marking the strongest yearly growth in eight years, supported by strengthened economic partnerships with Russia, based on Bank of Korea calculations.

“Everything has changed fundamentally for the past five years,” Kim stated.

He urged party officials to work toward transforming the nation across all areas to boost economic development and enhance citizens’ living standards “as soon as possible.”

This week, Kim celebrated finishing 10,000 new residential units in Pyongyang, fulfilling the 50,000-home construction target established during the Eighth Congress.

The duration of this gathering remains uncertain, though the Seventh Congress lasted four days while the Eighth Congress extended to eight days.

A community south of Tel Aviv continues to process the aftermath of a devastating attack that claimed nine lives and shattered their sense of security.

In Bat Yam, residents are opening up about their experiences following last June’s Iranian missile attack that struck a residential building in their neighborhood. The deadly incident has left survivors grappling with a complex mix of emotions as they try to move forward.

According to reporting by The Media Line, those who lived through the attack describe feelings that range from determination and strength to weariness and doubt about what lies ahead. The community finds itself caught between trying to rebuild normalcy while remaining on edge about potential future conflicts.

The video interviews were conducted close to where the missile struck, serving as a stark reminder of the violence that disrupted their daily lives. As diplomatic tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate, these residents face the challenging reality of living with both the memory of past trauma and anxiety about what tomorrow might bring.

Their stories highlight the human cost of regional conflicts and the lasting impact such events have on ordinary people trying to live their lives in areas affected by geopolitical tensions.

CAIRO — A devastating highway crash in Egypt Thursday afternoon claimed the lives of 18 people and left three others injured when two vehicles collided, according to Egyptian authorities.

The fatal accident took place around 12:30 p.m. on the 30 June Axis highway south of Port Said province, where a truck struck a pickup vehicle carrying fishermen to their workplace. Officials have not yet determined what caused the two vehicles to crash into each other.

The pickup was transporting fishermen to fish farms located in Port Said, a coastal area in Egypt’s northeast known for its thriving fishing sector, when the deadly accident occurred. Authorities believe the workers were likely residents of Matareya, a town and district within Dakahlia province.

Images shared on the Facebook page of Dakahlia’s governor revealed the devastating scene, showing the pickup vehicle completely destroyed between two large cargo trucks with wreckage spread throughout the roadway.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly issued a statement offering sympathy to the bereaved families and directed that financial support be given to them. The Port Said governor also traveled to both the accident location and area hospitals where the injured were being treated to confirm traffic flow had resumed and survivors were getting adequate medical attention, his office announced on Facebook.

Egypt experiences thousands of traffic fatalities annually due to its problematic transportation safety situation. Most accidents result from excessive speed, deteriorating road conditions, and inadequate enforcement of driving regulations.

WASHINGTON — During his visit to the nation’s capital for the first Board of Peace summit, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto finalized a mutual trade agreement with President Donald Trump on Thursday.

While specific terms weren’t immediately disclosed, the nations had previously established a framework agreement last summer requiring Southeast Asia’s biggest economy to remove tariffs on most U.S. products, with America imposing a 19% tariff rate on Indonesian imports — matching rates applied to Cambodia and Malaysia.

This week also saw Indonesian and American businesses finalize 11 separate agreements totaling $38.4 billion, covering purchases of U.S. agricultural products including soybeans, corn, cotton and wheat, along with partnerships in critical minerals, oil field recovery operations, and semiconductor joint ventures.

Speaking to business leaders Wednesday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Prabowo stated: “We have negotiated very intensively over the last few months, and I think we have reached solid understandings on many issues.”

The White House described the agreement as a “great deal” in an official statement.

“The Agreement will help both countries to strengthen economic security, promote economic growth, and thereby continuously lead to global prosperity,” according to the White House announcement.

The trade agreement was finalized on the same day Prabowo, who leads the world’s largest Muslim nation, confirmed his commitment at the Board of Peace gathering to deploy 8,000 troops or “more if necessary” for an international stabilization mission in Gaza.

Indonesia became one of the first nations to make a concrete commitment to a key component of Trump’s post-conflict Gaza reconstruction strategy.

During the Board of Peace session, Trump acknowledged Prabowo, saying: “President Prabowo of Indonesia, thank you very much. It’s a big country you have, and you do a great job.”

Prabowo responded with praise for Trump’s leadership: “We are very optimistic with the leadership of President Trump, this vision of real peace will be achieved. There will be problems, but we will prevail.”

Cambodia and Vietnam represent the other two Southeast Asian nations participating in the board, which initially focused on overseeing the Gaza ceasefire but has expanded to address broader international conflicts.

Leaders from both countries traveled to Washington for the opening session. Cambodia has already completed its trade agreement with the United States, while Vietnam has established a preliminary framework deal.

Indonesian businesses committed this week to purchasing 1 million tons of soybeans, 1.6 million tons of corn, and 93,000 tons of cotton from American suppliers. They also promised to buy up to 5 million tons of U.S. wheat through 2030.

The nations also agreed to collaborate on critical minerals, though specific details remain undisclosed.

Washington seeks Indonesia’s cooperation in removing export restrictions on critical minerals, which the Trump administration believes could protect U.S. manufacturers from supply chain interruptions. The administration aims to reduce dependence on China’s control over essential materials used in products ranging from military aircraft to mobile devices.

During the Chamber of Commerce gathering, Prabowo suggested Indonesia could function as a “bridge” and “honest broker” between major powers, seemingly referencing U.S.-China tensions.

At the Board of Peace meeting, Trump praised Vietnam as “incredible as a country and as a force” and told leader To Lam it was “a really great honor to have you.”

Lam’s U.S. visit marks his first since winning reelection as head of Vietnam’s Communist Party leadership last month. Traditionally, China serves as an initial destination to acknowledge ideological connections and Beijing’s position as Vietnam’s primary trade partner. Lam did travel to China in August 2024 before his first U.S. visit during his initial term.

Political observers note that Lam’s decision to visit America before Beijing represents a significant change in diplomatic sequencing. Hanoi characterizes its international approach as independent and balanced among global powers.

Trade discussions between Vietnam and the United States continue following the Trump administration’s implementation of 20% tariffs on Vietnamese exports. The most recent sixth round of negotiations wrapped up in early February.

WASHINGTON – Iran has issued a stern warning to the United Nations, declaring it would retaliate with force if attacked militarily, according to a letter sent Thursday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In the correspondence, Iranian officials stated that Tehran would view military installations, infrastructure and resources belonging to any “hostile force” throughout the region as valid targets should Iran come under military assault.

The communication from Iran’s permanent UN mission characterized President Donald Trump’s language regarding Iran as creating “a real risk of military aggression,” while emphasizing that Iran does not seek armed conflict.

However, the letter made clear that Iran would react “decisively” if faced with military attacks against its territory.

Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles, was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid allegations he shared classified government materials with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities released him later that day without filing formal charges.

The detention comes after the U.S. Justice Department made public millions of documents connected to Epstein, revealing the extensive connections between the wealthy financier and numerous high-profile political and business leaders. Epstein died while incarcerated in 2019.

The 66-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has already lost his royal titles and been removed from his residence due to his connections with Epstein. Two years ago, he reached a settlement in a civil case filed by an Epstein victim who claimed he sexually assaulted her as a minor. The settlement included no admission of guilt, and Thursday’s arrest was unrelated to those accusations.

Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing and expressed remorse about his association with Epstein. He has maintained he witnessed no sexual crimes.

Representatives for Andrew did not return requests for comment after his arrest, and he has remained silent publicly since the document release.

The following details from the released files reveal the nature of the relationship between Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor:

CLASSIFIED GOVERNMENT MATERIALS

Released correspondence from U.S. authorities appears to demonstrate that Mountbatten-Windsor transmitted official documents and confidential materials to Epstein during 2010, while serving as a government trade representative. Trade representatives typically cannot share such materials due to confidentiality agreements.

One November 2010 correspondence shows Mountbatten-Windsor transmitting four UK government visit reports to Epstein covering Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, which his palace adviser had provided just minutes before following an official trade mission to southern China and Southeast Asia.

That same day, Mountbatten-Windsor also sent Epstein multiple files marked “Overseas Bids 301110,” which he had just received from his private office.

The materials also contain comprehensive expense evaluations related to his commercial and charitable activities.

A December 24, 2010 email reveals Mountbatten-Windsor transmitting what he called a “confidential brief” from Afghanistan’s Provincial Reconstruction Team regarding potential international investment opportunities to Epstein. He requested Epstein’s feedback and suggestions.

A May 2010 message references an earlier private conversation with Epstein about managing “responsibility” for financial matters. The context of whether the former prince was discussing his trade envoy duties or other matters remained unclear.

Mountbatten-Windsor indicated there were “no problems” provided he assigned investment responsibility to trusts, banks, investment vehicles or “trusted individuals.”

Additional messages show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing sensitive internal information with an Abu Dhabi banker, including details about a potential approach to luxury automaker Aston Martin. A former royal aide forwarded that correspondence to Epstein. Other communications include financial discussions and preparations for a planned China trip in his trade envoy capacity.

BUSINESS VENTURES

Other correspondence indicates Mountbatten-Windsor was considering a private business venture with Epstein called the Green Park Group in 2010 while still serving as trade envoy. Separate messages show discussions with a mutual contact about an investment entity called Witan Holdings.

A July 2010 email chain shows Mountbatten-Windsor discussing a proposed $8 billion “cash-for-oil” deal involving contacts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Libya. The messages describe potential roles for senior UAE and Libyan officials, including an introduction to a top aide of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Additional emails show Mountbatten-Windsor discussing China-related business engagement in 2010, including preparations for a Beijing trip and an “exchange deal of private placement for oil.”

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

The documents reveal that Mountbatten-Windsor maintained social contact with Epstein both before and after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

In a 2009 sworn statement, Epstein’s former house manager Juan Alessi testified that Mountbatten-Windsor would stay at the disgraced financier’s property for weeks and received “daily massages.” Alessi could not be reached for comment.

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any improper conduct during his time with Epstein.

In 2010, shortly after Epstein’s house arrest concluded, he emailed Mountbatten-Windsor about a “beautiful” and “trustworthy” 26-year-old Russian woman he thought the then-prince might enjoy dining with. Mountbatten-Windsor replied he would be “delighted” to meet her and asked: “Will she be bringing a message from you?”

The documents also contain photographs of Mountbatten-Windsor lying across the laps of several women, whose faces have been obscured.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared Thursday that his nation has successfully pulled through economic hardships and achieved key financial objectives during the launch of the country’s most important political gathering, according to state-run media reports.

The hermit kingdom kicked off its Ninth Party Congress, a massive political assembly that takes place once every five years to assess the government’s performance, establish new policy directions, and potentially shuffle leadership roles.

During his opening remarks, Kim claimed North Korea had achieved “significant accomplishments” across multiple areas including politics, the economy, military defense, cultural affairs, and international relations over the previous five-year period, while strengthening the nation’s independence.

The North Korean leader also stated that his country has created a “big change” in its relationships with foreign nations and influenced the worldwide political situation.

State media KCNA reported Friday that the gathering drew 5,000 members from the controlling Workers’ Party, who received proposals for new objectives and strategies across different government sectors for the upcoming five-year term.

HAVANA — Seventy-year-old Guillermo Beltrán carried home two hefty bags Thursday filled with crucial supplies his family desperately needed — rice, beans, amaranth, and crackers — along with cooking oil, large tins of sardines, and canned fruit. Each item bore identical markings reading “Made in Mexico.”

Beltrán, a Cuban father of two, joined hundreds of others receiving Mexican humanitarian relief ordered by President Claudia Sheinbaum to assist the struggling island nation battling power outages and critical fuel shortages intensified by U.S. oil restrictions.

“I feel very grateful,” Beltrán expressed. “The Mexican president should be praised to the skies for showing such concern and courage.”

Mexican Navy vessels carrying humanitarian supplies arrived at Cuban ports last week, coming two weeks following U.S. President Donald Trump’s warnings about imposing tariffs on nations that provide oil to the island, further intensifying the Caribbean nation’s already dire economic and energy situation.

The vessels delivered approximately 800 tons of essential items, with an additional 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans scheduled for transport in upcoming days.

Cuban officials announced the assistance will benefit at-risk families with malnourished children or senior citizens in Havana and the Mayabeque and Artemisa provinces. State television broadcast earlier this week showed the materials being distributed to bodegas — government-operated stores that provide basic necessities to citizens using a nationwide rationing system.

The supplies Beltrán received were delivered straight to his residence by his local Havana bodega supervisor.

“People are very grateful for these donations,” 28-year-old manager Roberto Román explained to The Associated Press. His responsibilities include serving 1,780 customers across 850 households.

Cuba’s economic troubles that began in 2020 have worsened due to heightened U.S. sanctions designed to pressure changes in the island’s governing system. These restrictions have created critical supply shortages and devastating power failures that reached their worst point in early 2026.

The island had depended significantly on Venezuelan oil deliveries that stopped when the U.S. launched attacks against the South American nation in early January and detained its leadership.

Since Cuba generates just 40% of its necessary fuel internally, it faces extreme vulnerability to foreign blockades. Although strong supporters like Russia and China have criticized U.S. actions, their assistance has stayed primarily rhetorical so far.

Naval operations in the Pacific Ocean this week resulted in massive cocaine seizures totaling more than 10 tons by Mexican and Salvadoran forces, while U.S. military operations against suspected drug smuggling vessels claimed 11 lives across three separate incidents in Latin American waters.

Mexico’s most recent operation occurred Thursday when authorities intercepted a semi-submersible vessel approximately 250 nautical miles south of Manzanillo port, seizing nearly four tons of suspected narcotics and apprehending three individuals aboard the low-profile craft equipped with three visible engines.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch announced on X that this latest bust pushed the week’s total seizures to nearly 10 tons, though specific details about additional operations were not disclosed.

Intelligence cooperation between Mexican authorities and U.S. Northern Command, along with the U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force South, facilitated the successful interdiction, according to Mexican officials.

El Salvador achieved what officials called the nation’s largest drug seizure in history on Sunday, capturing 6.6 tons of cocaine from a 180-foot vessel flying a Tanzanian flag located 380 miles southwest of the Salvadoran coastline. Naval divers discovered 330 cocaine packages concealed within the ship’s ballast compartments, leading to the arrest of 10 individuals from Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, and Ecuador.

Salvadoran officials displayed the confiscated vessel FMS Eagle at La Union port on Thursday, where more than 200 wrapped drug packages were arranged across the deck for public viewing.

The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Mexico to increase drug interdiction efforts throughout the past year, with President Trump citing fentanyl trafficking as justification for imposing tariffs on Mexican goods.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has adopted a more confrontational approach toward drug cartels compared to her predecessor, including the extradition of dozens of narcotics trafficking suspects to face prosecution in American courts.

However, Sheinbaum has publicly criticized U.S. military strikes against suspected drug-carrying vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters.

Since the U.S. government initiated operations targeting individuals it labels “narcoterrorists” last September, at least 145 people have died in these military strikes.

This week’s U.S. operations targeted three vessels – two boats in the eastern Pacific carrying four people each, and one Caribbean vessel with three occupants aboard. While the administration released images showing the destruction of these boats, no evidence was provided confirming they contained illegal drugs.

VIENNA – A court in Austria has convicted a 37-year-old recreational climber of manslaughter in connection with his girlfriend’s fatal exposure to cold temperatures near the country’s tallest mountain, according to Austrian media outlets.

The tribunal in Innsbruck, located in western Austria, sentenced the man to five months in prison, though the term was suspended. Officials determined he caused the woman’s death through severe negligence when he abandoned her to seek rescue assistance in January 2025.

The tragic incident occurred in the vicinity of Austria’s highest peak, where the woman succumbed to the extreme cold conditions after being left alone during the climbing expedition.

The opera world is mourning the loss of José van Dam, a celebrated Belgian bass-baritone who passed away at 85 years old, according to an announcement Thursday from a Belgian conservatory.

The renowned vocalist died Tuesday while in Croatia, confirmed Natsumi Krischer from Belgium’s Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. Van Dam had established the institution’s voice department in 2004 and served as a master in residence.

The singer was born Joseph van Damme in Brussels on August 25, 1940, and studied at the Brussels Royal Conservatory. He chose José van Dam as his professional name when he first stepped onto the opera stage in 1960, performing Don Basilio in Rossini’s ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ at Belgium’s Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège.

Two years later, van Dam made his Paris Opera debut as Priam and the Voice of Mercury in Berlioz’s ‘Les Troyens.’ His reputation grew significantly during the late 1960s and early 1970s while performing at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper under chief conductor Lorin Maazel, and through his 1971 Salzburg Easter Festival appearance as Don Pizarro in Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’ alongside conductor Herbert von Karajan.

The bass-baritone made his mark at the world’s most prestigious venues by performing Escamillo in Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ – first at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala in 1972, followed by London’s Royal Opera in 1973, and New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1975. He later performed the title character in Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ during a 1976 Paris Opera tour at the Met.

Van Dam earned particular recognition for his portrayals of leading characters in Verdi’s ‘Falstaff’ and ‘Simon Boccanegra,’ Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni,’ Berg’s ‘Wozzeck,’ and Mussorgsky’s ‘Boris Godunov.’ He was also highly praised for his performances as Philipp II in Verdi’s ‘Don Carlo,’ Hans Sachs in Wagner’s ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,’ and Amfortas in Wagner’s ‘Parsifal.’

In a 2010 Opera magazine interview, van Dam reflected on his approach to selecting roles. ‘Before taking on a new role that has interested me, I always looked carefully at the tessitura,’ he explained. ‘At age 20, I was more of a bass; with the help of careful exercises, the voice stretched further at both ends, and especially at the top, I’ve never had any particular vocal difficulties with a role, but I’ve always been careful.’

The singer, recognized for his sophisticated interpretations, revealed his artistic preferences during a 1981 interview, expressing that he favored concert performances over staged operas.

‘When I’m on the stage and I’m acting, I’m singing Figaro or Giovanni or Amfortas,’ he stated. ‘I’m not José van Dam!’

Van Dam originated the demanding title role in Messiaen’s ‘Saint François’ during its 1983 Paris premiere and reprised it at the 1988 Salzburg Festival.

New York Times critic John Rockwell praised his performance during the original production, writing that van Dam was ‘technically and interpretively impressive in his extremely long role.’

The Belgian artist’s final operatic performance came in 2010 when he appeared in Massenet’s ‘Don Quichotte’ at Brussels’ La Monnaie theater.

Throughout his career, van Dam received 10 Grammy nominations and claimed three victories. He won the vocal solo category for his Ravel songs recording with conductor Pierre Boulez in 1984, and earned best opera recording honors for Strauss’ ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’ in 1992 and ‘Meistersinger’ in 1997, both conducted by Georg Solti.

Beyond the opera stage, van Dam appeared in films, including a 1979 adaptation of Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’ directed by Joseph Losey, where he played Leporello. He also starred as opera singer Joachim Dallayrac in 1988’s ‘The Music Teacher,’ which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Former Bolivian President Evo Morales made his first public appearance Thursday after vanishing from public view for nearly seven weeks, putting to rest widespread speculation about his whereabouts and addressing supporters in his political home base.

The extended absence of Bolivia’s longtime socialist leader had generated intense speculation and rumors that he had left the country following the recent U.S. capture of his Venezuelan ally, former President Nicolás Maduro.

Morales’ lengthy disappearance highlighted how little information flows out of the remote Chapare region, where the ex-president has been hiding for the past year while avoiding arrest on human trafficking charges. It also demonstrated the country’s anxiety about potential future foreign policy moves by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Video released by Radio Kawsachun Coca, the media arm of Morales’ coca farmers’ union, showed the former leader wearing dark sunglasses and smiling as he rode a tractor into a stadium in Chimoré, a town in central Bolivia, to speak with his followers.

The 66-year-old Morales, who became Bolivia’s first Indigenous president and governed from 2006 until his controversial removal from power in 2019 followed by self-imposed exile, revealed he had been battling chikungunya, a mosquito-transmitted disease that brings fever and intense joint pain with no available cure, and experienced unexpected complications.

“Take care of yourselves against chikungunya — it is serious,” Morales told the crowd, looking noticeably weaker than in previous public appearances.

He rejected speculation spread by local political figures and amplified on social media platforms suggesting he might attempt to escape Bolivia, promising to stay in the country despite facing potential detention under conservative President Rodrigo Paz, whose victory last October brought an end to nearly twenty years of governance by Morales’ Movement Toward Socialism party.

“Some media said, ‘Evo is going to leave, Evo is going to flee.’ I said clearly: I am not going to leave. I will stay with the people to defend the homeland,” he declared.

President Paz’s restoration of diplomatic relationships with the United States and recent moves to welcome back the Drug Enforcement Administration — approximately 17 years after Morales kicked out American anti-narcotics officers while building closer ties with China, Russia, Cuba and Iran — have created unease in the coca-farming areas that form Morales’ core support base.

On Thursday, Paz announced he will attend a meeting with Trump in Miami on March 7 for a gathering of ideologically similar Latin American leaders, as the Trump administration works to challenge Chinese influence and strengthen U.S. control in the region.

Prior to announcing his endorsed candidates for Bolivia’s upcoming municipal and regional elections next month, Morales delivered an extended address that echoed his previous frequent criticisms of American imperialism.

“This is geopolitical propaganda on an international scale,” he stated regarding Trump’s efforts to revive the 1823 Monroe Doctrine to reestablish American dominance in the Western Hemisphere. “They want to eliminate every left-wing party in Latin America.”

A Palestinian-American teenager has died after being shot by an Israeli settler during a confrontation in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials who announced the death late Wednesday evening.

The victim, identified as 19-year-old Nasrallah Mohammed Jamal Abu Siam, was wounded during the Wednesday incident in Mukhmas village, located near Ramallah.

U.S. embassy representatives have spoken out against the violence. A State Department official told Reuters on Thursday: “The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizen overseas.”

According to a family member who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation from Israeli security personnel, the deadly encounter began when settlers entered the village attempting to steal livestock. The relative explained that when local residents, including Abu Siam, intervened to stop the theft, the settlers opened fire on the group, striking Abu Siam and other villagers.

Palestinian Authority news service WAFA reported that the violence left five individuals injured overall, with three suffering gunshot wounds including Abu Siam. The agency provided no additional information about the remaining injuries.

Israeli military officials have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the shooting.

Such attacks by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians in the West Bank have dramatically escalated since Gaza hostilities commenced in October 2023. United Nations statistics show nearly 700 people have been forced from their homes due to settler violence in 2026.

UN records indicate nine Palestinians have lost their lives in West Bank violence during 2026, while 240 were killed throughout 2025. During that same 2025 period, two Israelis died in West Bank incidents, the data shows.

Prosecutions for settler violence remain uncommon in Israel. Israeli watchdog organization Yesh Din reported that by the close of 2025, just 2% of the hundreds of settler violence cases they tracked since October 7, 2023, led to criminal charges.

Abu Siam joins several other American citizens, including activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who have been killed by Israeli military personnel or settlers in the West Bank over the past two years.

NEW YORK — America has recently delivered roughly $160 million to the United Nations, though this amount represents just a small portion of the almost $4 billion debt the country carries with the international organization, UN officials announced Thursday.

According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the funds from the Trump administration are designated specifically for the organization’s standard operating expenses.

The United Nations reports that America’s total debt includes $2.196 billion owed to the main operational fund — with $767 million of that amount due for the current year — plus an additional $1.8 billion owed to the separate fund that supports peacekeeping missions worldwide.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning last month, stating the organization faces potential financial ruin unless member countries settle their outstanding payments or the financial system undergoes major reforms — a statement widely understood as targeting the United States specifically.

This payment announcement coincided with President Donald Trump launching the inaugural session of his Board of Peace initiative, which observers view as an effort to challenge the UN Security Council’s authority in global conflict resolution.

Trump has previously criticized the United Nations for failing to reach its full potential. His administration made no contributions to the UN in 2025 and has severed ties with multiple UN agencies, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, while cutting financial support to numerous other affiliated organizations.

According to UN leadership, the United States accounts for approximately 95% of all overdue payments to the organization’s primary budget.

Israeli military forces have elevated their state of readiness following intelligence assessments suggesting a potential confrontation with Iran could begin imminently, according to Wednesday reports from Israel’s state broadcaster Kan that cited high-ranking Israeli officials.

The heightened alert status comes as tensions continue to mount across the Middle East region, accompanied by a substantial increase in American military presence. Israeli leadership believes Washington may launch strikes against Iranian targets in the coming days, potentially developing into an extended military campaign spanning multiple weeks.

Sources speaking to Kan indicated that President Donald Trump appears increasingly inclined to approve major military action in the region, leading Israeli defense officials to prepare for hostilities that could commence “possibly within days.” Security agencies throughout Israel are operating under enhanced vigilance protocols.

During a recent parliamentary meeting, Boaz Bismuth, who leads the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “We are facing challenging days in relation to Iran,” Bismuth stated. “The public is preparing, the authorities are preparing,” he added.

Israeli government officials confirmed that a previously scheduled security cabinet meeting has been moved from Thursday to Sunday due to the mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran, along with the expanded American military deployment throughout the region.

According to Axios reporting based on flight tracking data and U.S. official sources, the Trump administration sent a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East last week. The news outlet documented that more than 50 military aircraft, including advanced F-35, F-22 and F-16 fighters, have been repositioned to the region within the past day.

The Wall Street Journal characterized the current American air power concentration as the most substantial Middle Eastern military buildup since the 2003 Iraq invasion. This deployment capability would support a far more extensive operation than the previous U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear installations during last June’s Israel-Iran conflict, which utilized B-2 stealth bombers.

Concurrently, Iran and the United States wrapped up their second session of indirect nuclear negotiations in Geneva this week. These diplomatic discussions took place at Oman’s embassy with mediation provided by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. The initial round of talks occurred in Muscat on February 6.

In a separate development, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued an urgent advisory for Polish nationals to immediately depart Iran, emphasizing that the threat of active military conflict is “very, very real.” Tusk warned that fighting could commence within “a few, a dozen or several dozen hours,” and stressed that evacuation opportunities may soon disappear entirely.

Earlier this year, both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. virtual embassy to Iran issued advisories recommending American citizens leave Iran as widespread protests and government crackdowns intensified throughout the country.

A prominent Belarusian opposition figure has been released from prison following a stroke he experienced while incarcerated, according to exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced Thursday.

Mikola Statkevich, 69, had previously declined deportation to Lithuania following his release in September 2025 and was subsequently jailed again. He was among 52 political prisoners released from Belarus last September following an intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, a group that included journalists and other political adversaries of President Alexander Lukashenko. While all other freed prisoners were transported to Lithuania’s border and crossed into the country, Statkevich alone chose to remain.

“I am relieved that he is free and able to hug his wife, who waited for him for so long,” Tsikhanouskaya posted on X, sharing an image of Statkevich embracing his wife with smiles on their faces. She noted that his speech has been significantly impacted by the stroke.

The veteran politician mounted an unsuccessful campaign against Lukashenko during the 2010 presidential race. Authorities detained him in May 2020, and he received a 14-year sentence to a high-security facility in 2021 on charges of “organising riots.”

Brazilian officials announced Thursday that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has received an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to participate in the G7 summit taking place in June.

The invitation was extended when both world leaders crossed paths during India’s artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi. During their encounter, Macron and Lula engaged in discussions covering various international matters, with a focus on global peace and security concerns.

Brazilian government representatives have not indicated whether President Lula has accepted Macron’s invitation to join the gathering of world leaders.

SANTIAGO – Chilean prosecutors executed search warrants Thursday at the residences of two former high-ranking officials from the state-owned mining company Codelco, as investigators continue examining a fatal mine collapse that occurred last year at the El Teniente facility.

During the operations, authorities confiscated electronic devices from former Chief Operations Officer Mauricio Barraza and ex-mine manager Claudio Sougarret, according to a statement released by Chile’s prosecutor’s office.

The searches extended to Codelco’s corporate facilities, where company officials voluntarily provided additional equipment to investigators. The mining company has refused to provide public comment regarding the ongoing investigation.

Prosecutors revealed that materials connected to Rodrigo Andrades, who previously served as El Teniente’s projects manager, had been collected during a separate operation in October.

All three former executives lost their positions last week following the completion of an internal company review that uncovered irregularities connected to a 2023 rock explosion at El Teniente. The audit specifically identified problems with subsequent safety reports submitted to Sernageomin, Chile’s mining regulatory agency.

Earlier this week, Sernageomin announced plans to submit official complaints to authorities regarding the matter.

The El Teniente mine was the location of a catastrophic collapse in the previous year that resulted in six fatalities.

From her apartment balcony in Tehran, an Iranian teacher called out into the night air: “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the murderer, Khamenei!” Her voice joined a chorus of similar cries echoing from windows and rooftops throughout her middle-class neighborhood.

When a few voices responded with pro-government slogans supporting Iran’s Islamic Republic, neighbors quickly silenced them. “Shut up! Choke on it!” they yelled back, overwhelming the government supporters, the teacher told The Associated Press. She requested anonymity due to safety concerns.

Citizens throughout Iran continue to grapple with trauma, sorrow and terror following the violent suppression of widespread demonstrations – marking the most lethal government response during 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s reign. The crackdown resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

Despite the brutal response, resistance endures. Social media footage and protester interviews reveal deep-seated fury toward Iran’s leadership. However, three demonstrators contacted by the AP also described feelings of hopelessness about achieving change after hundreds of thousands courageously took to the streets, only to face overwhelming government violence. All protesters requested anonymity to avoid punishment or detention.

The situation grows more complex with America’s military threats against Iran. U.S. naval vessels and combat aircraft have been deployed to the region while nuclear negotiations continue between the two nations.

Nighttime rooftop chanting represents one form of ongoing resistance, echoing tactics from previous protest movements.

Another manifestation appears during memorial services for those killed 40 days prior. These ceremonies – called “chehelom,” meaning “the 40th” in Persian – traditionally honor any deceased person. During periods of civil unrest, however, these gatherings take on political significance.

This week commemorates 40 days since January 8 and 9, when the deadliest violence occurred. Multiple online videos show 40-day ceremonies across Iranian towns and cities. Some gatherings attracted hundreds of participants who frequently erupted in anti-government chanting.

Many ceremonies take on celebratory tones, with friends and family members of deceased protesters singing and scattering flowers – deliberately contrasting the somber atmosphere the state promotes at official events. Most participants avoid using “shaheed” (martyr), a term with Islamic religious meaning, instead choosing “javid nam,” a Persian expression meaning “Long live the name.”

AP-verified videos from this week captured hundreds gathered at the central cemetery in Abdanan, a small western Iranian town, chanting “Death to Khamenei” and raising their fists during the chehelom for Alireza Seydi, a 16-year-old killed January 8. The footage shows security forces firing from armored vehicles, releasing clouds of apparent tear gas that scattered the crowd.

During Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the shah and established the current government, 40-day memorials for killed protesters frequently became rallies that security forces attempted to crush, creating new casualties – which would then be commemorated 40 days later with fresh protests.

Social media reports indicate security forces are working to prevent people from attending some chehelom ceremonies.

“For every person killed, a thousand more stand behind him,” several hundred people chanted Tuesday in the eastern city of Mashhad during the chehelom for Hamid Mahdavi, according to AP-verified video. When police officers bothered some people honoring Mahdavi, a firefighter shot dead during January protests, the crowd responded: “Shameless! Shameless!”

The government conducted its own chehelom for the deceased, with the Revolutionary Guard issuing a statement portraying them as casualties of violence by foreign-supported armed “terrorist” organizations that exploited “legitimate public demands.” The statement described the 40-day commemoration as “a chance to renew commitment to national unity.”

“More than sad, people are angry. Everyone is so angry. Everyone is waiting for some kind of explosion,” said a Karaj resident from the city near Tehran.

He participated in street demonstrations on January 8 and 9 and reported that five relatives and family friends died when security forces fired on protesters.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency has documented over 7,000 deaths and believes the actual number is much higher. Iran’s government provided its sole death count on January 21, claiming 3,117 people died while characterizing many protesters as “terrorists.”

“I don’t know anyone around me who doesn’t know someone who was killed, or someone who was arrested or wounded,” the 26-year-old Tehran teacher said. Two of her acquaintances died and her co-worker’s husband was arrested, she reported.

Iranians also face a rapidly deteriorating economy as their currency loses value dramatically.

Prices increase daily, the Karaj resident explained. “We are getting near an economic collapse,” he said. “Buying fruit has become a luxury.”

A north Tehran resident working in tourism who joined last month’s protests noted that with the Persian New Year approaching in March, the bazaar would typically bustle with shoppers, but not currently.

“It’s a combination of grieving, lack of money and inflation,” he said, describing people in the capital as experiencing “mass depression.”

The somber atmosphere has affected Iran’s usually dynamic cultural scene. One prominent actress announced she would no longer accept new roles “in this land that smells of blood.”

Alireza Ostad Haji, who officiates a popular television strongman competition, expressed condolences to “all mourning families” in an Instagram post and resigned from two national athletic committees. He wept while discussing former bodybuilding champion Masoud Zatparvar, who was killed. “He was not a terrorist, he was a protester,” he stated.

Many fear that street demonstrations cannot create change when confronted with the state’s massive use of force.

Both the Karaj resident and the Tehran tourism worker expressed support for Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed shah, who has positioned himself as a leader of Iran’s fractured opposition from exile. Pahlavi has promoted protests and urged the U.S. to attack Iran.

Measuring Pahlavi’s support throughout Iran remains impossible. However, during January’s protest wave, chants supporting him became common – a significant shift from the past when the shah’s son received little attention domestically or was viewed as disconnected.

Some are taking previously unthinkable steps – expressing hope for American military action.

“Every night, every hour, I wish I could hear (U.S.) strikes,” the tourism worker said. “We cannot fight anymore with our fists against machine guns.” He said many friends who demonstrated with him in January refuse to protest again due to state violence.

The teacher, while having joined previous protests, stayed home in January because she opposed expressions of Pahlavi support.

However, she said some friends who also reject the shah’s son participated in January protests and even chanted “Long live the shah!”

“People have become very tired, and they see no alternative,” she explained.

She worries a U.S. attack would bring war, civil conflict and additional bloodshed.

“I am afraid there will be more massacres,” she said.

WASHINGTON — Officials from nearly 50 nations converged on the nation’s capital Thursday for the inaugural gathering of the Board of Peace, marking a significant diplomatic milestone.

The historic summit included 27 countries that have formally joined the board as full members, while additional nations and the European Union participated in an observer capacity.

During opening remarks, President Donald Trump revealed that nine member countries had committed a total of $7 billion in humanitarian assistance for the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The comprehensive list of participating nations included regional powers and allies from across the globe. Full board members in attendance were Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Observer nations that joined the proceedings included Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. The European Union also participated as an observer.

The diverse representation at the summit demonstrates the international community’s commitment to collaborative peace-building efforts across multiple regions and continents.

A Kenyan intelligence assessment delivered to lawmakers this week reveals that more than 1,000 citizens from Kenya have been enlisted to serve with Russian forces in the Ukraine conflict, representing a dramatic increase from earlier government estimates.

The Russian Embassy in Nairobi rejected claims Thursday that Moscow was conducting illegal recruitment of Kenyan nationals for the Ukraine war, while acknowledging that foreign nationals may voluntarily enlist in Russian military service.

Parliament Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah presented the National Intelligence Service findings to legislators Wednesday, outlining how corrupt government employees worked alongside human trafficking operations to enlist Kenyans for Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

The recruitment scheme focused on ex-military personnel, former police officers, and jobless individuals, offering monthly wages of approximately 350,000 shillings ($2,715) plus potential bonuses reaching 1.2 million shillings ($9,309).

“So far over 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited and departed to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war,” Ichung’wah stated.

Kenyan officials reported in November that more than 200 of their nationals were serving with Russian forces in Ukraine.

During that same period, Ukrainian authorities indicated roughly 1,400 people from 36 African nations were fighting with Russian troops on Ukrainian soil, with some enlisted through fraudulent means.

According to the latest intelligence assessment, as of February 2024, 89 Kenyans remained active on Ukraine’s front lines, 39 were receiving medical treatment, and 28 were listed as missing in action.

The report detailed how recruits initially departed Kenya using tourist documentation, traveling to Russia through Turkey or the United Arab Emirates. When Kenyan authorities increased security measures at Nairobi’s airport, the recruitment network shifted operations to routes through Uganda, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The intelligence findings indicated that recruitment organizations worked with dishonest Kenyan airport personnel, immigration officers, and other government employees, along with staff from Russia’s Nairobi embassy and Kenya’s Moscow embassy to enable the recruits’ travel.

The Russian Embassy in Kenya issued a statement declaring: “The government authorities of Russia have never engaged in illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”

Embassy officials stated they had not provided visas to Kenyan nationals seeking to travel to Russia “with the stated purpose of participating in the Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine,” while noting that Russian legislation permits foreign citizens to voluntarily join its armed forces.

A spokesperson for Kenya’s Foreign Ministry was unavailable for immediate comment about its Moscow embassy’s involvement.

Incidents of African men being deceived into traveling to Russia with promises of security work only to end up fighting in Ukraine have increased in recent months, straining diplomatic relations between Moscow and several affected nations.

Four South African nationals who became trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas region returned home Wednesday, representing part of a group of 17 who contacted their government for assistance last year.

Kenya’s foreign ministry announced last week that 27 Kenyan citizens had been rescued after becoming stranded in Russia. Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi has indicated plans to travel to Russia next month for discussions regarding this issue.

President Donald Trump delivered a sharp ultimatum to Iran on Thursday, demanding the nation reach a nuclear agreement or face consequences, while seemingly establishing a 10-day timeframe for action.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, Trump cautioned that negotiations with Iran are progressing but emphasized Tehran must achieve a substantial agreement.

“Otherwise bad things happen,” Trump declared, continuing his pattern of threatening military action against Iran.

The president referenced the June U.S. airstrikes, claiming Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been “decimated,” before adding “we may have to take it a step further or we may not.”

“You’ll be finding out over the next probably 10 days,” he stated, offering no additional details.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of significant U.S. military deployment in the Middle East, raising concerns about potential broader conflict. The buildup has contributed to rising oil prices, while a Russian corvette warship joined scheduled Iranian naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, highlighting the strategic importance of this global energy corridor.

Recent diplomatic efforts show mixed results. Iranian and American negotiators convened on Tuesday, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reporting agreement on “guiding principles.” However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged Wednesday that significant disagreements persist between the parties.

Trump characterized the discussions positively, saying “good talks are being had,” while a senior administration official indicated Iran would submit written proposals addressing American concerns.

The president urged Tehran to embrace the “path to peace” with the United States.

“They can’t have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” Trump emphasized. “You can’t have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon.”

Iran continues to resist major compromises regarding its nuclear activities, maintaining these programs serve peaceful objectives. Both the United States and Israel have previously alleged Tehran seeks to develop nuclear weapons capability.

Russia issued warnings Thursday against an “unprecedented escalation of tension” surrounding Iran, calling for restraint as American military forces continue arriving in the region. A senior U.S. official indicated this military positioning should conclude by mid-March.

Trump has deployed aircraft carriers, naval vessels, and fighter aircraft to the area, heightening possibilities of additional strikes against the Islamic Republic.

Last June, the United States and Israel conducted bombing operations targeting Iranian nuclear installations and select military facilities. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 28 to discuss Iran policy, according to senior officials.

American demands include complete cessation of uranium enrichment activities – a process necessary for nuclear power generation but also potentially for weapons development.

Washington and Tel Aviv additionally seek Iranian abandonment of long-range ballistic missile programs, termination of support for regional militant groups, and ending violent suppression of domestic demonstrations.

Iranian officials reject discussions extending beyond nuclear matters, declaring missile program limitations a non-negotiable boundary.

Satellite imagery has documented Iranian efforts to rebuild and strengthen targeted sites since last summer, revealing activity at both nuclear and missile locations, alongside American base preparations throughout the Middle East in recent weeks.

The Iranian-Russian naval cooperation began during extended Iranian military exercises in the Gulf of Oman, with state television broadcasting footage of special forces operations involving helicopters and naval vessels.

Growing international concern over escalating tensions prompted Poland to become the latest European nation Thursday advising citizens to evacuate Iran, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk warning Poles might have only hours to depart safely.

Trump renewed threats against Iran in January as Iranian authorities violently suppressed nationwide protests, resulting in thousands of deaths across the country.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan lawmakers are scheduled to continue heated discussions Thursday on legislation that would determine who among hundreds of individuals imprisoned on political grounds could receive pardons and freedom.

The proposed legislation could provide relief to opposition figures, activists, journalists, human rights advocates and numerous others who have been prosecuted by the governing party throughout the last 27 years. Legislative discussions halted last week when representatives couldn’t reach consensus on several points, particularly whether individuals who fled Venezuela to escape arrest could receive pardons, revealing opposition from some government supporters to granting clemency to opposition figures.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez introduced the legislation following the dramatic January 3 military operation in which U.S. forces apprehended former President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and transported him to New York to face narcotics trafficking allegations.

The amnesty discussions represent another dramatic shift in Venezuelan policy, as the government has rapidly implemented directives from President Donald Trump’s administration, including recent changes to the nation’s petroleum sector regulations.

While Venezuelan officials have consistently rejected claims of holding political detainees, the proposed legislation essentially confirms their existence.

According to last week’s presentation, the measure aims to provide individuals with “a general and full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed” during designated timeframes beginning in 1999 that featured politically-motivated conflicts in Venezuela, including “acts of politically motivated violence” surrounding the 2024 presidential contest. The election’s aftermath sparked demonstrations and led to over 2,000 arrests, including minors.

Representatives approved the bill’s general framework but suspended discussions due to disputes over coverage, particularly regarding individuals the government has charged with various crimes but who avoided prosecution by remaining hidden within Venezuela or seeking refuge overseas. Government party legislators, including Maduro’s son, argued during last week’s sessions that such individuals must first face the judicial system to qualify for amnesty, since Venezuelan law prohibits trials conducted without the defendant present.

“When one sins, I don’t absolve myself at home; I must go to church, I will go to confession (and say), ‘Father, I confess that I have sinned,” stated Nicolás Maduro Guerra, drawing parallels between religious confession and Venezuela’s legal system. “Therefore, the ritual of saying, ‘I came to the rule of law, and I acknowledge that we are under the law, under strong institutions that have endured and upheld the republic’ … is important.”

His remarks, however, disregard that many accused individuals, including current prisoners, frequently encounter fabricated charges, are refused legal representation and cannot access evidence presented against them. The comments also ignore that cases are handled by compliant judges loyal to the ruling party.

While general amnesty has remained a primary goal of Venezuela’s opposition and human rights organizations, they have approached the proposal with measured hope while expressing multiple concerns regarding qualification criteria and execution.

Foro Penal, a Venezuelan prisoners’ rights organization, calculates that more than 600 individuals remain detained for political reasons.

Following Maduro’s arrest, Rodríguez’s administration announced plans to release a substantial number of prisoners. However, family members and human rights monitors have criticized the sluggish release process. Foro Penal has documented 448 releases.

Relatives awaiting their loved ones’ freedom have maintained vigils outside detention centers for days. Several began hunger strikes on Saturday.

Three commanders from Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces now face U.S. sanctions following their participation in an 18-month assault on the city of al-Fashir, federal officials announced Thursday.

The Treasury Department leveled serious accusations against the RSF, claiming the group conducted what officials described as a brutal campaign involving ethnic-based murders, torture, forced starvation, and sexual assault during their prolonged attack and eventual takeover of al-Fashir.

The city of al-Fashir in Sudan’s Darfur region succumbed to RSF control in October 2025 following the extended siege that resulted in mass casualties.

According to Treasury officials, after securing the city in October, RSF militants intensified their systematic campaign of widespread murders, arbitrary detentions, and sexual assault, with no civilians spared from harm. Federal authorities also allege the organization launched a deliberate effort to conceal evidence of mass murders by burying, incinerating, and disposing of tens of thousands of corpses.

An estimated 100,000 residents evacuated al-Fashir starting in late October once the paramilitary organization assumed control following the 18-month blockade that created famine conditions in the city.

Those who escaped described ethnically-targeted mass executions and widespread imprisonment both during and following the takeover. Numerous individuals remain missing throughout al-Fashir and neighboring regions.

“The United States calls on the Rapid Support Forces to commit to a humanitarian ceasefire immediately. We will not tolerate this ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the statement.

The Treasury Department’s Thursday sanctions include an RSF brigadier general who officials say recorded himself executing defenseless civilians, along with a major general and an RSF field commander.

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan intelligence officials have disclosed that approximately 1,000 citizens from their country were deceived into joining Russian forces in Ukraine through fraudulent job recruitment schemes.

Parliamentary leader Kimani Ichung’wah delivered the intelligence findings to lawmakers on Wednesday, claiming that Russian diplomatic personnel worked alongside employment agencies to trick Kenyans with promises of professional positions in Russia. According to Ichung’wah, these individuals received tourist visas before being deployed to combat zones.

Russian Embassy representatives in Nairobi rejected these claims in a Thursday statement, asserting they never provided visas to individuals planning to participate in the Ukraine conflict. The embassy added: “the Russian Federation does not preclude citizens of foreign countries from voluntarily enlisting in the armed forces.”

The National Intelligence Service findings presented by Ichung’wah revealed that 89 Kenyans were actively serving in combat areas, 39 required medical treatment, 28 were unaccounted for, while others had managed to return home. At least one fatality has been verified. The intelligence document also identified specific recruitment organizations allegedly involved in transporting Kenyans to Russia.

Ichung’wah issued a warning that any Kenyan diplomatic staff in Moscow found to be involved in this operation would face accountability.

Multiple Kenyan families have recently appealed to their government for assistance in retrieving relatives trapped in Russia, with some reportedly compelled to serve in combat roles and others detained as prisoners of war in Ukraine.

Returning Kenyan recruits have described being offered professional positions including electrical and plumbing work. These individuals reported signing agreements written in Russian before being deployed to warfare with minimal or no combat preparation.

Kenya’s foreign affairs department had previously recognized this issue and advised citizens to exercise caution.

Authorities arrested two recruitment agents last year who were subsequently released on bail while awaiting court proceedings.

JOHANNESBURG — Police in South Africa have taken the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late President Robert Mugabe into custody for questioning Thursday following a shooting incident at a Johannesburg residence, according to the country’s public broadcaster.

South African Broadcasting Corporation identified Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe as one of two individuals detained in connection with the incident, which reportedly took place at his residence. He is the younger son of Zimbabwe’s former president, who passed away in 2019, and Grace Mugabe, his second spouse.

Television footage from SABC showed Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe restrained with handcuffs in the property’s driveway following the arrival of law enforcement officers.

According to a police statement, a household worker at the residence located in an upscale Johannesburg neighborhood sustained gunshot wounds and remains in critical condition at a medical facility. While authorities did not identify the two individuals brought in for questioning, they confirmed an attempted murder investigation is underway.

“The motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage and police investigations are underway,” police spokesperson Col. Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said.

The elder Mugabe governed Zimbabwe for nearly four decades until military forces removed him from power in 2017. He passed away in Singapore two years following his ouster at age 95.

This isn’t the first legal trouble for the Mugabe family. Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe’s elder sibling, Robert Mugabe Jr., paid a $300 penalty in Zimbabwe last year following a guilty plea to cannabis possession charges.

Their mother, Grace Mugabe, faced allegations of attacking a model while her sons Robert Jr. and Bellarmine were present at an upscale Johannesburg hotel in 2017. Though she served as Zimbabwe’s first lady during the incident and was initially summoned to court, she ultimately received diplomatic immunity protection.

LONDON — Thames Valley Police officers arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Thursday morning, taking the former British royal into custody on charges of misconduct in public office connected to his relationship with deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The detention occurred at Sandringham, King Charles III’s private estate where Mountbatten-Windsor currently resides. This marks the most significant legal action taken against the former prince following years of scrutiny over his ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019.

Authorities are investigating claims that Mountbatten-Windsor improperly shared classified trade documents with Epstein during his tenure as Britain’s special representative for international trade in 2010.

The charges stem from recently released Justice Department files containing millions of pages of Epstein-related documents. These materials allegedly include email correspondence showing Mountbatten-Windsor forwarding confidential reports about official diplomatic visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore.

One particularly damaging email from November 2010 appears to show Andrew forwarding a message just five minutes after receiving it. Another correspondence from Christmas Eve 2010 allegedly shows him sending Epstein classified information regarding investment possibilities in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province reconstruction efforts.

This development represents one of the most serious challenges facing the British royal family in over a century. Legal experts compare its potential impact to King Edward VIII’s 1936 abdication and Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

The Crown Prosecution Service characterizes misconduct in public office as “serious willful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held.” While this offense theoretically carries a life sentence, legal professionals expect any conviction would result in a shorter prison term.

Criminal defense attorney Sean Caulfield from Hodge Jones & Allen explained the prosecution’s challenge: “Firstly, it must be determined if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was in a role within government that constitutes the title of public officer.”

Legal experts note that proving misconduct in public office cases presents significant difficulties for prosecutors.

British law permits police to detain suspects for up to 24 hours without filing charges, with possible extensions up to 96 hours maximum. Officers have authority to search Mountbatten-Windsor’s properties and conduct formal questioning during this period.

Law enforcement teams are currently searching locations in Berkshire and Norfolk. Windsor Castle, Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence until recently, sits in Berkshire, while his current home at Sandringham is located in Norfolk.

Grosvenor Law partner Andrew Gilmore outlined the prosecution’s next steps, explaining they must apply the “Code for Crown Prosecutors” two-stage evaluation.

“That test is to determine whether there is a more realistic prospect of a conviction than not based on the evidence and whether the matter is in the public interest,” Gilmore stated. “If these two tests are met, then the matter will be charged and proceed to court.”

This arrest marks the first time a senior British royal has faced detention in nearly four centuries, dating back to King Charles I’s arrest that ultimately led to his execution and temporary elimination of the monarchy.

King Charles III responded to his brother’s arrest with a brief statement emphasizing judicial independence. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter,” the king wrote, signing the statement Charles R. “My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”

Queen Camilla declined to respond to reporters’ questions outside a London concert venue, offering only waves to cameras. Sarah Ferguson, Mountbatten-Windsor’s former spouse, has not issued any public statements regarding the arrest. She faces her own allegations concerning Epstein connections.

Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing but has remained silent regarding these latest accusations. The investigation continues as multiple UK police departments conduct their own inquiries into the matter.

BANGKOK — A key figure in Myanmar’s armed resistance movement has given himself up to the country’s military forces after coming under fire from competing opposition groups, according to government media reports released Thursday.

Bo Nagar, who commanded the Burma National Revolutionary Army (BNRA) in Myanmar’s upper-central Sagaing area, made the decision to surrender in what underscores the deep divisions plaguing the armed opposition movement. These internal conflicts have sparked intermittent fighting over territorial control and governance issues.

The Sagaing region has served as a hub for armed opposition since Myanmar’s military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected administration in 2021. When security forces violently suppressed peaceful protests, many civilians joined armed groups, plunging much of the nation into ongoing civil conflict.

According to Thursday’s coverage in the government-controlled Myanma Alinn publication, Bo Nagar — who also goes by Naing Lin — along with relatives reached out to military officials at a base in Pale township within Sagaing Region on Wednesday afternoon to “return to the legal fold.” Government media displayed images of Bo Nagar alongside various weapons he had handed over.

Independent Myanmar news outlets provided extensive Wednesday reports indicating that Bo Nagar and several family members were evacuated by military helicopters from his base of operations in central Sagaing.

The official newspaper stated that additional resistance members who surrender “will be welcomed and accepted, provided with the necessary assistance and support, and cash rewards for any arms and ammunition.”

Bo Nagar’s departure followed assaults on his organization by People’s Defense Force (PDF) units, which operate under the oversight of the shadow National Unity Government. The NUG was formed by democratically elected officials who were removed from power during the 2021 military takeover.

Friction had been building between Bo Nagar’s forces and regional PDF groups since the previous year due to accusations that BNRA fighters were demanding money at roadway checkpoints.

These conflicts reportedly escalated last week when the BNRA acknowledged killing a PDF member during a disagreement over weaponry. On Tuesday, PDF forces responded by attacking MNRA positions.

A Wednesday statement from the NUG maintained that the dispute emerged after BNRA personnel declined to participate in investigations regarding alleged criminal activities, including PDF member deaths and sexual assault. The statement also claimed approximately 150 BNRA members had defected to join PDF ranks.

NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt informed The Associated Press on Thursday that the NUG attempted to address reported criminal behavior by certain BNRA members, but Bo Nagar, who appeared to maintain regular communication with military officials, was extracted by army aircraft.

“We have received reports of child rape and other crimes committed by some BNRA members, including Bo Nagar,” Nay Phone Latt said.

Bo Nagar remained unavailable for response since entering military custody.

During the initial phase of armed opposition, Bo Nagar gained significant recognition as a leading resistance figure after first commanding a locally organized guerrilla unit called the Myanmar Royal Dragon Army, which had partnered with the NUG and became a priority target for Myanmar’s armed forces. He reorganized his forces as the BNRA in September 2023, reducing connections with PDF operations.

A Palestinian committee backed by the United States has launched a recruitment campaign for law enforcement officers in Gaza, marking a significant step as President Donald Trump prepares to present his peace initiative for the region.

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza announced Thursday that it is accepting applications from qualified candidates interested in joining a new police force for the territory. This development comes just ahead of Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington.

During the upcoming meeting, Trump is anticipated to reveal a multi-billion-dollar rebuilding initiative for Gaza and outline plans for a United Nations-authorized peacekeeping force in the Palestinian territory. Creating a stable security environment represents one of numerous significant challenges ahead.

The committee posted on social media platform X that the recruitment process “is open to qualified men and women who wish to serve in the police force.” The announcement directed interested candidates to an online application portal.

According to the application requirements, candidates must be Gaza residents between ages 18 and 35, possess clean criminal backgrounds, and meet physical fitness standards.

Previous Reuters reporting indicated that Hamas, the Islamist organization, has been working to integrate its existing 10,000 police officers into the new U.S.-supported Palestinian government structure. Hamas maintained control before the conflict that began with its assault on Israel and has resumed administrative duties despite Israel’s commitment to eliminate the group.

Following a ceasefire agreement negotiated by President Trump in October, Hamas maintains authority over slightly less than half of Gaza, while Israel occupies more than 50% of the territory.

Israel’s military withdrawal and Hamas’s disarmament remain major obstacles as the United States works to advance its peace strategy for the area.

The comprehensive 20-point peace proposal, currently in its second implementation phase, designates NCAG as Gaza’s governing body, specifically excluding Hamas participation.

In their announcement, NCAG acknowledged “the dedication of the police officers who continued to serve their people amidst the bombardment, displacement, and exceptionally difficult circumstances.”

The committee did not specify whether current Gaza police personnel, who have operated under Hamas authority, would be eligible for positions in the new force.

Neither NCAG nor Hamas provided immediate responses to requests for comment regarding the recruitment initiative.

Hamas representative Hazem Qassem had previously stated to Reuters that the organization stands ready to transfer governmental responsibilities to the 15-member NCAG and its leader, Ali Shaath, without delay.

“We (have) full confidence that it will operate on the basis of benefiting from qualified personnel and not wasting the rights of anyone who worked during the previous period,” Qassem stated, referring to the potential inclusion of more than 40,000 government workers and security staff.

Israel has firmly opposed any Hamas participation in Gaza’s future governance.

More than two years of Israeli military operations have left Gaza severely damaged, with local health officials reporting over 72,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction throughout the territory.

The conflict began when Hamas-led militants launched an attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli government figures.

President Trump held the inaugural session of his newly-formed Board of Peace Thursday, gathering delegates from more than 40 nations along with observers from an additional dozen countries. The first meeting centered on rebuilding efforts in Gaza and establishing an international stabilization force for the territory, where a fragile ceasefire remains in effect.

According to Trump, board participants have committed $5 billion toward reconstruction efforts, though this represents only a small portion of the estimated $70 billion experts say is required to fully restore the Palestinian region. The group is also expected to provide thousands of personnel for international security and police operations, raising concerns that Trump aims to establish an alternative to the United Nations.

Vatican Emphasizes UN’s Primary Role

Earlier this week, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed to reporters that “at the international level it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.”

The Trump administration responded Wednesday with pushback from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt: “This president has a very bold and ambitious plan and vision to rebuild and reconstruct Gaza, which is well underway because of the Board of Peace. This is a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world.”

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz emphasized that the board is “not talking, it is doing.”

“We are hearing the chattering class criticizing the structure of the board, that it’s unconventional, that it’s unprecedented,” Waltz stated. “Again, the old ways were not working.”

Trump’s Perspective on UN Effectiveness

Earlier this week, Trump expressed hope that the board would encourage the U.N. to “get on the ball.”

“The United Nations has great potential,” he commented. “They haven’t lived up to the potential.”

Security Council Criticizes Israeli West Bank Actions

On Wednesday, ahead of Trump’s Board of Peace gathering, United Nations Security Council members demanded that the Gaza ceasefire become permanent while condemning Israeli plans to expand control in the West Bank as undermining the possibility of a two-state solution. The council convened to address the future of Palestinian territories.

Participating Nations

Countries that have announced their participation include Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Expanded Mission Beyond Gaza

The board’s scope has grown since its creation as part of Trump’s 20-point peace proposal to end the Gaza conflict. Following the October ceasefire, Trump envisions an expanded mandate that would not only achieve lasting peace between Israel and Hamas but also help address global conflicts.

Challenges in Hamas Disarmament

Central to ongoing discussions is the question of how to disarm Hamas. Israel has made the creation of an armed international stabilization force a key requirement, viewing it as essential for maintaining security and ensuring Hamas gives up its weapons as part of the ceasefire agreement.

So far, only Indonesia has made a concrete commitment to contribute to Trump’s proposed force. Meanwhile, Hamas has shown little indication of willingness to proceed with disarmament.

ISLAMABAD — Following a devastating suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 11 Pakistani soldiers and a young girl, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has formally confronted Afghanistan’s diplomatic representative with strong objections.

On Wednesday, Pakistani officials called in Afghanistan’s deputy head of mission in Islamabad to deliver an official diplomatic complaint regarding Monday’s deadly assault in the northwestern Bajaur district. Pakistani authorities maintain that militants operating from Afghan territory carried out the attack.

“Pakistan reserves the right to respond and eliminate those who were behind the attack wherever they may be located, to protect its soldiers, civilians and borders,” the ministry declared in its statement. Afghan officials have not yet responded to the accusations.

Relations between the two nations have remained tense following violent border confrontations in October 2025 that resulted in numerous deaths among soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants. Those clashes erupted after explosions rocked Kabul on October 9, which Afghanistan attributed to Pakistani involvement. While a Qatar-brokered ceasefire has maintained relative calm, subsequent diplomatic discussions in Istanbul failed to reach a comprehensive resolution, leaving bilateral relations fragile.

Pakistan has experienced an escalation in militant attacks over recent years, with most incidents attributed to the Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. This group operates independently from but maintains close ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which regained control in 2021. Pakistani officials assert that the TTP conducts operations from Afghan soil without restriction, an allegation that both the militant group and Kabul’s government reject.

President Donald Trump launched his newly-formed Board of Peace Thursday, bringing together delegates from more than 40 nations plus observers from an additional dozen countries. The first-ever gathering centered on rebuilding efforts in Gaza and establishing an international peacekeeping presence in the war-torn region, where a fragile ceasefire remains in place.

According to Trump, board participants have committed $5 billion toward reconstruction efforts, though this represents only a small portion of the estimated $70 billion experts say will be required to fully restore the Palestinian territory. Participants are also expected to provide thousands of personnel for international peacekeeping and police operations, raising concerns among some that Trump aims to establish an alternative to the United Nations.

Earlier this week, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed reservations to reporters, stating that “at the international level it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.”

The Trump administration defended the initiative Wednesday, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responding: “This president has a very bold and ambitious plan and vision to rebuild and reconstruct Gaza, which is well underway because of the Board of Peace. This is a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world.”

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz emphasized that the board “is not talking, it is doing.”

“We are hearing the chattering class criticizing the structure of the board, that it’s unconventional, that it’s unprecedented,” Waltz stated. “Again, the old ways were not working.”

Trump expressed hope this week that his board would motivate the UN to “get on the ball.”

“The United Nations has great potential,” he remarked. “They haven’t lived up to the potential.”

Meanwhile, UN Security Council members gathered Wednesday to advocate for making the Gaza ceasefire permanent and criticized Israeli expansion activities in the West Bank as threatening two-state solution prospects. The high-level UN session was originally planned for Thursday but was rescheduled earlier after Trump announced his board meeting for the same date, creating scheduling conflicts for diplomatic personnel.

This timing issue highlights potential coordination challenges between the UN’s most influential body and Trump’s broader goals to mediate international disputes, which has sparked worry in some nations about possible competition with the UN Security Council.

In related economic news, the Commerce Department announced Thursday that the U.S. trade deficit decreased slightly in 2025 as Trump implemented significant tariff increases on imports from most nations. The trade imbalance dropped to just over $901 billion from $904 billion in 2024, with exports climbing 6% and imports rising nearly 5%.

Countries participating in the Board of Peace include Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The organization has evolved since its creation as part of Trump’s 20-point peace framework to resolve the Gaza conflict. Following October’s ceasefire, Trump envisions an expanded role that would address not only Israeli-Hamas peace efforts but also help mediate conflicts worldwide.

A critical component of both Israeli demands and the ceasefire agreement involves creating an armed international stabilization force to maintain security and ensure Hamas disarmament. So far, only Indonesia has made a concrete commitment to Trump’s proposed force, while Hamas has shown little indication of willingness to proceed with disarmament.

A devastating accident in Santiago, Chile claimed three lives Thursday morning when a tanker truck carrying liquid gas veered out of control and exploded after striking a highway barrier.

The blast left ten additional people wounded in what authorities describe as a tragic incident that occurred in Santiago’s northern district during early morning hours.

During a news briefing, Victor Vielma, who leads the Carabineros police department, explained that the gas transport vehicle lost control before colliding with the guardrail, though investigators have not yet determined what caused the driver to lose control.

The explosion’s impact extended beyond the initial crash, with seven additional passenger vehicles sustaining damage from the incident that unfolded in Chile’s capital city early Thursday.

Extremist groups have launched a series of synchronized assaults across Burkina Faso over the past week, resulting in the deaths of dozens of military personnel and civilians, according to confidential diplomatic reports obtained by Reuters.

The coordinated operations were carried out by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an organization with ties to Al Qaeda, demonstrating the group’s growing capability to organize large-scale attacks across vast areas simultaneously.

Burkina Faso’s current military leadership took control through a coup in 2022, vowing to strengthen the nation’s security situation. However, extremist violence has escalated throughout the West African nation as government forces struggle against an insurgency that has expanded throughout the Sahel region from neighboring Mali.

The synchronized strikes targeted multiple communities in northern and eastern areas, including Bilanga, Titao, Tandjari, and Nare, according to the diplomatic documents. Additional attacks occurred in the eastern city of Fada N’Gourma and the northern Ouahigouya region.

“These attacks, which were almost simultaneous and spread across several provinces, demonstrate unprecedented coordination between jihadists and the junta’s inability to contain the assaults,” stated one confidential report, which estimated casualties at over 180 people.

A second diplomatic assessment provided no casualty figures but confirmed the incidents appeared synchronized and involved several hundred fighters from JNIM and potentially Islamic State-affiliated groups. The militants targeted military installations, civilian transport routes, and marketplace areas.

According to the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, JNIM has claimed responsibility for killing numerous Burkinabe military personnel during last week’s operations.

Government officials in Burkina Faso have not responded to requests for information regarding the attacks or casualty reports.

In the northern community of Titao, militants stormed a military installation and ignited a local market, the confidential reports indicated. One assessment stated that nearly 80 soldiers and pro-government militia fighters were killed, while another reported approximately 10 civilian deaths in the same location.

Ghana’s foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that eight tomato merchants were among the civilian casualties.

SITE reported that JNIM’s media division claimed the insurgents captured military vehicles, weapons, and other equipment during the operations.

More than ten years of armed insurgencies throughout the Sahel have forced millions from their homes and caused economic devastation, with violence spreading southward toward West Africa’s coastal nations.

According to SITE director Rita Katz in a LinkedIn post, JNIM has claimed responsibility for nearly 500 attacks in Burkina Faso during 2025 and almost 300 in Mali.

Workers across Argentina walked off the job Thursday as the nation’s Congress prepared to vote on sweeping changes to employment laws championed by libertarian President Javier Milei.

The Chamber of Deputies was scheduled to consider the controversial workplace legislation late Thursday, while a massive 24-hour work stoppage disrupted transportation, banking, and government services nationwide.

Argentina’s most powerful labor organization, the CGT umbrella union, organized the strike to protest what it calls an attack on decades-old worker rights, including protections for striking employees. The walkout affected bus and train services, banks, and government offices across the South American nation.

Maritime workers had already begun their own 48-hour work stoppage Wednesday, shutting down cargo operations at the port of Rosario, a critical hub for the country’s agricultural exports and one of the world’s busiest grain ports.

Milei’s administration defends the proposed changes as necessary economic reforms that will attract business investment and create more legitimate jobs. The legislation received approval from Argentina’s Senate last week with backing from Milei’s party and centrist coalition partners.

Under the proposed reforms, companies would face restrictions on striking workers’ ability to completely shut down essential services, requiring minimum staffing levels during work stoppages. The changes would also reduce costs for employers when laying off workers by removing certain bonus payments from severance calculations.

Financial markets are closely monitoring whether Milei can successfully advance his free-market economic policies through Congress. If lawmakers modify the legislation during Thursday’s vote, it would return to the Senate for final consideration before becoming law.

LONDON — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles III who was once known as Prince Andrew, was taken into custody Thursday on charges of misconduct in public office. The arrest follows years of mounting allegations concerning his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

The 66-year-old has consistently maintained his innocence regarding any improper conduct in his association with the disgraced financier. His legal troubles intensified after the U.S. Justice Department made public over 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents.

Here’s how Mountbatten-Windsor’s situation unfolded over the years:

His troubles began when he was compelled to step down from his position as Britain’s special trade representative after initial reports emerged about his connections to Epstein, who had previously served time for sex crimes involving minors.

When Epstein faced new sex trafficking charges and subsequently took his own life in a New York detention facility, scrutiny intensified around claims that the royal had engaged in sexual activity with at least one minor who had been trafficked. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently rejected these accusations.

In an attempt to address the growing controversy, he participated in a televised interview with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis. The appearance proved damaging as he defended his association with Epstein while showing little compassion for victims and providing explanations many found unconvincing. During the interview, he claimed he had ended all communication with Epstein in December 2010 — a statement that would later prove problematic.

Shortly after the interview, Buckingham Palace declared that Andrew would step back from all royal responsibilities indefinitely. Within days, he lost his patronage of 230 charitable organizations.

He reached a financial agreement to resolve a civil case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was coerced into sexual encounters with the royal at age 17. Though he admitted no wrongdoing, Andrew acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as an abuse victim. Legal analysts believe the confidential settlement may have cost him up to $10 million, though the funding source remains unclear.

Giuffre later died by suicide in Australia, where she had resided since approximately 2002.

British media later disclosed that Andrew had contacted Epstein via email on February 28, 2011 — more than two months beyond the date he told the BBC he had severed ties. In the message, Andrew indicated they were “in this together” and would need to “rise above it.”

He subsequently announced he would relinquish his royal titles, including Duke of York, stating that ongoing allegations were becoming a distraction for the monarchy and his brother’s reign.

In a book published after her death, Giuffre provided additional details about meeting Andrew in March 2001 and described being forced into sexual encounters with him on three different occasions.

King Charles then removed his brother’s remaining titles and honors, including his birthright as a prince. He became known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and was later required to vacate Royal Lodge, his 30-room residence near Windsor Castle where he had lived for over two decades. He agreed to move to the king’s private Sandringham Estate.

The release of the Epstein documents by the U.S. Justice Department revealed additional troubling information about the relationship between Andrew and Epstein. A particularly disturbing photograph showing Mountbatten-Windsor positioned over an unconscious, unidentified woman in what appeared to be Epstein’s New York residence sparked public outrage. The documents also suggested that Mountbatten-Windsor had provided Epstein with classified reports from a 2010 Southeast Asia trade mission — allegations that ultimately led to his arrest.

After relocating from his Windsor Castle residence to a smaller dwelling on the Sandringham Estate, the situation continued to deteriorate.

King Charles indicated his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement investigating claims that his brother had shared sensitive information with Epstein.

Thames Valley Police, responsible for the area west of London that includes Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence, confirmed they are examining reports that Andrew transmitted trade documents to Epstein in 2010. This investigation culminated in Thursday’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

LONDON (AP) — Once considered Queen Elizabeth II’s favored son, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has become a persistent source of trouble for Britain’s monarchy.

On Thursday, coinciding with his 66th birthday, Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into police custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office connected to his association with Jeffrey Epstein. This detention represents an unprecedented moment, as no senior member of the British royal family has faced arrest in contemporary times.

Born into royalty in 1960 as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s second son, Andrew followed the traditional path for non-heir royals by pursuing military service, while his older brother Charles was groomed for the crown.

Following a distinguished 22-year career with the Royal Navy, where he served as a helicopter pilot in combat during the 1982 Falklands conflict, Andrew received an appointment as Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.

The ongoing police probe relates to this diplomatic period. Recent revelations from newly disclosed Epstein documents indicate that Andrew may have shared official government materials with the deceased financier during his tenure as trade representative. No criminal charges have been filed against the former prince, who has consistently maintained his innocence regarding any Epstein-related misconduct.

Mounting pressure over his connection to Epstein, who received an 18-month prison sentence in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor, forced Mountbatten-Windsor to resign from his trade position in 2011.

Previously known for attracting tabloid attention due to his romantic relationships, earning him the nickname “Randy Andy,” he later became notorious for financial difficulties and associations with controversial figures, particularly Epstein, the American financier and registered sex offender.

Following Epstein’s 2019 re-arrest, Andrew participated in a catastrophic BBC Newsnight interview attempting to distance himself from the scandal. The appearance proved counterproductive, drawing widespread criticism for his implausible explanations and apparent lack of compassion for Epstein’s victims.

The public outcry prompted Andrew to announce on November 20, 2019, his withdrawal from public responsibilities and charitable commitments “for the foreseeable future.”

Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim, filed a lawsuit against Andrew in New York federal court in August 2021, claiming the prince engaged in sexual conduct with her while she was a minor. Though Andrew disputed these accusations, he lost all military honors and royal charitable positions.

The case concluded with Andrew agreeing to an undisclosed financial settlement. While not admitting guilt, Andrew did recognize Giuffre’s trauma as a trafficking victim. Giuffre took her own life in April 2025 at age 41.

The controversy continued when correspondence surfaced last year revealing Andrew maintained contact with Epstein beyond what he had previously disclosed. This led King Charles III to revoke his brother’s princely title, other ceremonial positions, and his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

His current arrest adds another chapter to his downfall.

Despite everything, he retains his position as eighth in succession to the British throne.

BUDAPEST – Opposition leader Peter Magyar spoke out Thursday against a controversial campaign advertisement released by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, which features an emotionally charged scene of a young girl crying at a window while witnessing her father’s wartime execution.

With Hungary’s parliamentary election scheduled for April 12, Orban has framed the contest as a decision between “war and peace,” claiming that Magyar’s center-right Tisza party would force Hungary into Ukraine’s conflict with Russia under pressure from the European Union.

The Tisza party has maintained its commitment to peace, stating it would not provide weapons or military personnel to Ukraine.

The brief 33-second advertisement, shared on the Budapest branch of Fidesz’s Facebook page, shows a blindfolded Hungarian soldier kneeling on a rain-soaked battlefield before being shot. Text accompanying the video states: “This is only a nightmare now, but Brussels is preparing to make it a reality … Let’s not take risks. Fidesz is the safe choice!”

Magyar issued a statement describing the video as “sickening, unforgivable and deeply outrageous.” “This is not politics, this is soulless manipulation,” he declared.

During a press conference, Orban’s chief of staff noted that more than one thousand casualties occur daily in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.

“What we see is the reality of the war,” stated Gergely Gulyas.

Gulyas did not dispute that artificial intelligence technology was used to create the video, which enables the production of realistic, complex scenes without traditional filming methods or performers.

Last October, Magyar submitted a criminal complaint alleging that one of Orban’s senior political advisors used deepfake technology to create a false representation of him in another campaign advertisement without proper disclosure.

The ruling Fidesz party has frequently employed AI-created election content in recent months, with some videos properly labeled and others not identified as artificially generated. The European Union’s upcoming AI Act will require mandatory disclosure of such content.

Reuters verified that Google’s AI technology was utilized in creating the war-themed video.

A Thursday poll from the 21 Research Centre revealed that 23% of voters think Tisza would involve Hungary in the Ukraine conflict if elected.

Among Fidesz supporters, 57% agreed with this assessment, while virtually no Tisza supporters shared this view.

Current polling shows Tisza maintaining an 8-12 point advantage over Orban’s Fidesz party, although government-affiliated pollsters continue to report the ruling party in the lead.

STOCKHOLM – Swedish officials announced Thursday a substantial new military assistance commitment to Ukraine valued at 12.9 billion crowns, equivalent to $1.42 billion.

The aid package will provide Ukraine with air defense systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, and long-range missile capabilities, according to Swedish authorities.

Defence Minister Pal Jonson revealed during a news briefing that this latest commitment is part of a broader 40 billion crown framework designated for Ukrainian military assistance through 2026.

With this new package included, Sweden’s total military assistance to Ukraine has reached 103 billion Swedish crowns since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, Jonson stated.

An 83-year-old congressman from Peru’s left-wing Peru Libre party has taken control of the country’s government following the congressional ouster of the previous interim leader.

Jose Balcazar assumed the interim presidency after Peru’s Congress voted Wednesday evening to install him in the position, defeating three other candidates including center-right legislator Maria del Carmen Alva. The veteran politician will hold office until the winner of April 12 general elections and a likely June runoff takes power on July 28.

The transition comes after lawmakers removed interim President Jose Jeri on Tuesday following just four months in office. Jeri faced a scandal involving undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, and Balcazar was among those who voted for his removal.

Balcazar brings considerable legal experience to the role, having worked as both a lawyer and former judge. The Cajamarca region native earned a doctorate in law and political science, spent decades teaching at universities, and served on superior courts in Lambayeque before holding a temporary position on Peru’s Supreme Court.

However, his appointment comes with significant controversy. During 2023 legislative discussions about prohibiting child marriage, Balcazar made statements suggesting sexual relationships among minors were commonplace, referencing situations involving students and teachers. These remarks drew immediate criticism from human rights groups and government officials.

The new interim president also faces ongoing legal challenges. Prosecutors are investigating him for alleged influence peddling, and the Lambayeque Bar Association permanently removed him from membership in 2024 over suspected fund misappropriation. Balcazar maintains his innocence regarding these allegations.

Since winning his congressional seat in 2021 representing Lambayeque, Balcazar has held prominent positions including leading the special committee responsible for choosing Constitutional Court magistrates and serving in key roles on justice and education committees.

Following his swearing-in ceremony, Balcazar outlined his priorities: “We are going to work to make the elections cleaner and to have new representatives.”

The interim president inherits a nation experiencing severe political instability and widespread public skepticism toward government institutions. His primary responsibilities include maintaining order, supervising elections characterized by voter uncertainty and political fragmentation, and ensuring a smooth power transition in July.

Peru’s latest leadership change represents another test of whether the country’s political framework can prevent further deterioration during this period of crisis.

A 19-year-old Palestinian-American man died Wednesday night during violent confrontations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials.

Palestinian Health Ministry officials identified the victim as Nasrallah Muhammad Jamal Abu Siyam, who they say was fatally shot by settlers in Mukhmas village, located north of Jerusalem.

Israeli military officials provided a different account, stating that their forces responded to violent disturbances in the region and worked to break up rioting. Military representatives said unidentified individuals opened fire on several Palestinians, who were then transported for emergency medical care.

Abu Siyam’s mother confirmed to The Associated Press that her son possessed U.S. citizenship. The American Embassy has not responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.

Extremist settler violence throughout the West Bank has dramatically increased over recent years.

Palestinian communities and human rights organizations maintain that Israeli authorities consistently fail to bring settlers to justice or hold them responsible for acts of violence. Data from Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din shows that investigations into settler attacks have dropped significantly under National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s leadership.

Israeli prosecutors made an unusual announcement earlier this week, revealing plans to file charges against a settler for killing a Palestinian activist during an altercation that was recorded on video.

The occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem house more than 3.4 million Palestinians alongside 700,000 Israeli settlers. Israel seized these territories during the 1967 war, and Palestinians view them as essential for establishing a future independent state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlement expansion in these areas as violating international law and hindering peace efforts.

A new report from the Committee to Protect Journalists reveals that dozens of Palestinian journalists detained by Israel during the Gaza conflict endured harsh treatment, including beatings, forced uncomfortable positions, isolation tactics, sexual abuse and inadequate medical attention.

The organization has verified the detention of at least 94 Palestinian journalists and one media worker throughout the Gaza war. This includes 32 journalists and one media worker from Gaza, 60 from the West Bank, and two from Israel. Thirty journalists remain imprisoned, according to CPJ findings.

The investigation revealed that half of the detained journalists never faced formal charges and were imprisoned through Israel’s administrative detention system, which permits holding individuals considered security threats for six-month periods that can be extended without limit.

Israeli prison authorities have not yet responded to requests for comment about the report, though they previously dismissed a similar January report about Palestinian prisoner conditions as containing “false allegations,” maintaining they operate within legal bounds, face proper oversight and investigate complaints.

The extensive damage throughout Gaza will require a minimum of seven years just to clear away debris, according to United Nations Development Program estimates.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who recently visited Gaza, reported that UNDP workers have cleared only 0.5% of the rubble, and Gaza residents are living in “the worst living conditions that I have ever seen.”

De Croo described how 90% of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are living in “very, very rudimentary tents” surrounded by debris, creating serious health risks and dangers from unexploded ordnance.

He noted that UNDP has constructed 500 improved temporary housing units with 4,000 more prepared for deployment, but estimates show the actual need ranges from 200,000 to 300,000 units. These temporary structures are designed to provide shelter during the reconstruction process. He urged Israel to allow greater access for reconstruction materials and goods, and called for private sector involvement in development efforts.

LONDON — British authorities have taken Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor into custody Thursday, charging the former royal with suspected misconduct in public office.

Following standard UK procedures, Thames Valley Police did not publicly identify the detained individual by name. However, when questioned about Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, officials referenced their statement about apprehending a man in his sixties. The former Prince Andrew is currently 66 years old.

Thames Valley Police released the following official statement:

“During our ongoing investigation, we detained a man in his sixties from Norfolk today (19/2) under suspicion of misconduct in public office. We are currently conducting searches at properties located in both Berkshire and Norfolk.”

“The detained individual continues to be held in police custody.”

“In accordance with national protocols, we will not be disclosing the identity of the arrested individual. We also remind everyone that this matter is now an active case, so caution must be exercised in any reporting to prevent contempt of court violations.”

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright provided additional details about the investigation:

“After conducting a comprehensive review, we have initiated a formal investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.”

“Maintaining the integrity and impartiality of our investigation is crucial as we collaborate with our partners to examine this alleged violation.”

“We recognize the considerable public attention surrounding this matter, and we will share additional information when it is appropriate to do so.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Major labor organizations across Argentina launched a country-wide work stoppage Thursday in opposition to President Javier Milei’s proposed changes to workplace regulations, escalating tensions between the libertarian president and influential union groups while lawmakers consider the controversial legislation.

The strike brought widespread disruption as financial institutions and government schools shuttered, public transit systems halted operations, air carriers grounded hundreds of scheduled flights, and medical facilities delayed non-critical procedures. The work stoppage coincided with legislative discussions in Argentina’s lower chamber, occurring one week following the Senate’s preliminary endorsement of the workplace reform measure.

This demonstration of union strength — encompassing employees from transit, building trades, food industry, and other essential sectors — reflects growing discontent with Argentina’s unsteady economic progress under Milei’s administration. While his government has achieved monetary stability in a nation previously troubled by soaring prices, challenges remain with joblessness, wage stagnation, and sluggish economic expansion.

The president views updating Argentina’s five-decade-old employment regulations as essential for attracting international investment, enhancing worker productivity, and generating employment opportunities in a nation where approximately 40% of the workforce operates in the informal economy.

Labor organizations contend the proposed changes would erode established worker safeguards by diminishing severance compensation, limiting strike rights, simplifying employee termination procedures, and permitting extended 12-hour shifts.

“The labor reform project is entirely regressive,” stated Cristian Jerónimo, a prominent figure within the General Confederation of Labor, Argentina’s primary union alliance, during a media briefing about the strike. “The only thing it prioritizes is the restriction of workers’ rights.”

Strong union resistance has previously blocked government initiatives to modernize Argentina’s outdated employment framework, which experts consider among Latin America’s most expensive for businesses to navigate.

The labor reform’s outcome represents Milei’s first major political challenge since his emerging libertarian movement, La Libertad Avanza, secured victory in Argentina’s recent midterm contests with support from key partner U.S. President Donald Trump.

The timing proved awkward for the Argentine leader, who was attending Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace gathering in Washington during the strike.

Should the workplace legislation survive Thursday’s lower house proceedings, it requires Senate approval next week before enactment into law.

This additional step became necessary after a last-minute provision reducing wages by half for workers on medical leave for non-workplace injuries sparked outrage among opposition legislators, forcing government modifications to the Senate-approved version.

Union data indicates roughly 40% of Argentina’s 13 million documented workers maintain union membership, with many connected to the labor-focused populist Peronist movement that controlled the previous administration and influenced national politics for generations.

LONDON — British law enforcement officials took Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor into custody Thursday, charging him with misconduct in public office.

Thames Valley Police, which serves regions west of London including where Mountbatten-Windsor previously resided, announced they are examining allegations that the former royal family member shared confidential trade information with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, back in 2010.

The investigation began after authorities reviewed extensive documentation from a U.S. probe into Epstein’s activities. Mountbatten-Windsor’s name appears multiple times throughout these released documents.

Following standard British legal protocol, police did not publicly identify the arrested individual by name. However, when questioned about Mountbatten-Windsor specifically, officials referenced their announcement about detaining “a man in his 60s.” Mountbatten-Windsor is currently 66 years old.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” the statement said. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently rejected any allegations of improper conduct regarding his connections to Epstein. In recent months, King Charles III removed Andrew’s royal designations, including his princely status, as the monarchy sought to distance itself from ongoing scandals surrounding the king’s brother and his ties to Epstein. These controversies have cast a shadow over the British royal family for more than ten years.

Social media posts showed what appeared to be unmarked law enforcement vehicles stationed at Mountbatten-Windsor’s residence, Wood Farm located on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, with investigators visible near the property.

WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Thursday that his nation will have the capability to install anti-personnel mines along its eastern frontier within just two days once it formally exits the Ottawa Convention, a move set to take effect shortly.

Poland’s departure from the international treaty comes as nearly all of Russia’s European neighbors, with the exception of Norway, are moving to abandon the agreement that prohibits the manufacturing and deployment of anti-personnel mines. The country intends to use these weapons as part of its comprehensive ‘East Shield’ initiative designed to fortify its boundaries with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad territory.

‘We are in the process of finalising this mine project, which is crucial for our security, for the security of our territory and border,’ Tusk stated during a press briefing.

Back in December, Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Zalewski revealed to Reuters that Warsaw plans to restart anti-personnel mine manufacturing for the first time since the Cold War era, with intentions to place them along the eastern frontier and possibly supply them to Ukraine.

The withdrawal process from the Ottawa Convention began in August, with Poland set to formally leave the agreement after completing a six-month exit period that concludes on February 20, 2026.

Northern Kenya is confronting a devastating return of drought conditions, leaving communities struggling with severe food shortages as international relief organizations face significant funding cuts that limit their ability to provide assistance.

Just four years following a catastrophic dry period that ravaged the region, insufficient rainfall has once again brought widespread hunger to northern Kenya, with humanitarian groups forced to reduce operations and serve fewer people in need.

In Turkana county’s desolate landscape, 76-year-old widow and grandmother Echakan Amaja endures harsh conditions outside her earthen dwelling in Loperot village, relying on wild gingerbread fruit she gathers and minimal relief supplies.

Her family’s situation became even more dire two weeks ago when cattle thieves killed her son during a livestock raid and made off with all their animals. “When my livestock were stolen by bandits, all my grandchildren came back home,” Amaja explained to Reuters, describing how she now bears responsibility for feeding her five daughters and seven grandchildren.

The household depends on gathered wild fruit and approximately 43.2 kilograms of food supplies plus 3.2 liters of cooking oil provided monthly through the United Nations’ World Food Programme.

According to Kenya’s National Drought Management Authority, more than nine counties throughout the nation – primarily in northern and eastern regions – were experiencing developing drought conditions as of December, potentially severely impacting food availability, water supplies, and grazing land.

Officials have cautioned that repeated dry periods are intensifying competition over limited resources and heightening the potential for violent disputes as the emergency extends into previously unaffected areas.

Sarah Ayodi, who leads the WFP’s Turkana field operations, stated that 333,000 county residents need food assistance, but warned the organization cannot continue supporting them beyond next month.

Save the Children reported last August that at least four African nations, Kenya among them, would exhaust their supplies of specialized nutrition products for severely undernourished children due to shortages resulting from aid reductions.

The United States has dramatically reduced humanitarian funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, while other Western countries have similarly decreased their contributions as part of broader long-term cuts.

Families in Turkana report that even wild fruits, which have historically sustained them during difficult periods, are vanishing or withering due to the extreme dry conditions. Asinyen Akol, 81, characterized the current drought as unlike anything she has witnessed.

“This year is so bad that this is the worst drought I have ever experienced. You can’t survive here because of drought … even trees and wild fruits are nowhere to be seen, not even a green leaf,” Akol stated.

The drought has created a visible path of destruction throughout Kenya, with dead cattle scattered across pastoral lands.

The emergency has also impacted other Horn of Africa nations, with Somalia announcing a national drought emergency in November following consecutive seasons of poor precipitation.

The WFP issued a warning last month that millions of Somalis are confronting acute hunger, with nearly half of all children suffering from malnutrition and requiring immediate medical intervention.

BAGHDAD – A representative from the Kurdistan Workers Party described Turkey’s parliamentary commission decision to endorse a peace plan as a significant breakthrough that signals a major shift in Turkish government policy, according to statements made to Reuters Thursday.

The commission delivered an overwhelming endorsement Wednesday of the comprehensive report, which outlines legal changes paired with the dissolution of the PKK militant organization, moving forward a peace initiative aimed at concluding decades of warfare.

“The vote is considered an achievement and an important step toward consolidating democracy in Turkey,” said the PKK source.

The PKK – classified as a terrorist entity by Turkey, the United States and European Union – suspended its attacks in the previous year and announced in May its intention to dissolve and abandon armed resistance.

Wednesday’s parliamentary decision moves the peace initiative into the legislative arena, as President Tayyip Erdogan, who has led Turkey for over twenty years, works to conclude a conflict responsible for more than 40,000 deaths, creating significant internal division and extending violence beyond Turkey’s borders into Iraq and Syria.

LONDON – British law enforcement officers made an appearance Thursday at the home of Prince Andrew, brother to King Charles III, according to reports from The Daily Telegraph.

The publication reported that half a dozen unmarked police vehicles along with approximately eight officers in civilian clothing were observed arriving at Wood Farm, located on the Sandringham royal estate in eastern England, during Thursday morning hours.

This development follows earlier announcements from Thames Valley Police in February regarding their examination of claims that Prince Andrew provided classified government materials to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, based on information from recently disclosed documents.

The Duke of York has rejected any allegations of misconduct and has expressed regret over his association with Epstein. However, he has remained silent regarding specific inquiries following the release of the most recent files by United States authorities.

When contacted about Thursday’s reported police presence, Thames Valley Police declined to provide immediate commentary on the matter.

SEOUL, South Korea — Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was handed a life sentence Thursday by a Seoul court for his December 2024 martial law declaration, which judges determined amounted to rebellion against the state.

The historic ruling concluded nearly a year of intense legal battles, throughout which Yoon showed no remorse and continued defending his actions as proper presidential powers used to fight his political opponents. The sentence brings closure to South Korea’s worst political upheaval in recent memory.

Below is a timeline of critical moments leading to Yoon’s unprecedented conviction:

According to prosecutors, Yoon instructed Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun about plans for “emergency measures” targeting liberal opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, following their majority votes to impeach government officials and slash budgets.

Around 10:30 p.m., Yoon shocked the nation with a televised martial law announcement, calling the opposition-led legislature a “den of criminals” that was crippling government operations. He promised to “eradicate” what he termed “anti-state” liberal opponents. Armed forces and police quickly surrounded the National Assembly building.

Just after midnight, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik announced via YouTube that lawmakers would use “constitutional procedure” to counter Yoon’s declaration. By 1 a.m., 190 legislators—including 18 from Yoon’s own People Power Party—unanimously voted to end martial law. Military and police forces withdrew from the assembly grounds. At 4:30 a.m., a Cabinet meeting officially terminated martial law.

An impeachment attempt against Yoon failed when most ruling party members refused to participate in the vote.

Authorities arrested former Defense Minister Kim for his involvement in planning and implementing the martial law order.

The Justice Ministry prohibited Yoon from leaving the country as multiple agencies launched competing investigations into rebellion and related charges.

Kim received formal arrest on charges of conspiring with Yoon and others in the martial law plot. Officials revealed Kim attempted suicide hours before a Seoul court approved his detention warrant.

Yoon characterized his martial law order as legitimate governance and rejected rebellion accusations, promising to “fight to the end” against impeachment efforts.

Lawmakers successfully impeached Yoon with a 204-85 vote, elevating Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to acting president.

The National Assembly also impeached acting President Han for refusing to appoint Constitutional Court justices before the court’s decision on Yoon’s removal.

Seoul Western District Court authorized Yoon’s detention for questioning.

Investigators attempted to arrest Yoon at the presidential residence but were prevented by security personnel and physical barriers.

Anti-corruption officials and police successfully raided the presidential compound and detained Yoon, marking the first arrest of a sitting South Korean president.

Seoul Western District Court issued Yoon’s formal arrest warrant over evidence tampering concerns. His arrest sparked violent protests by supporters who stormed the courthouse, breaking windows and damaging equipment. Police arrested approximately 90 rioters.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office charged Yoon with orchestrating attempted rebellion, alleging he illegally tried to control the legislature and election facilities while planning to arrest political rivals.

Seoul Central District Court ordered Yoon’s release from custody due to unresolved questions about investigators’ detention authority. He was freed the next day.

The Constitutional Court reversed Prime Minister Han’s impeachment, reinstating his role as acting leader.

The Constitutional Court confirmed Yoon’s impeachment and presidential removal, mandating an election within 60 days. Officials set June 3 as the election date.

Seoul Central District Court conducted the initial hearing for Yoon’s rebellion case.

Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae Myung, Yoon’s liberal opponent, won the presidential election.

Seoul Central District Court approved Yoon’s re-arrest after special prosecutors argued he might destroy evidence.

Authorities arrested Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, as investigators prepared bribery and other criminal charges.

Special prosecutors charged Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han with assisting Yoon’s martial law declaration, document falsification and destruction, and perjury.

Investigators added charges against Yoon for allegedly ordering drone flights over North Korea to increase tensions and justify martial law plans.

A special prosecutor requested the death penalty for Yoon on rebellion charges.

Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon to five years for resisting arrest and fabricating the martial law declaration in the first verdict against him.

Seoul Central District Court gave Han a 23-year sentence for supporting Yoon’s martial law and other offenses.

Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon’s wife Kim to 20 months in jail on corruption charges.

Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon’s former interior minister Lee Sang-min to seven years for supporting the martial law decree.

Seoul Central District Court imposed a life sentence on Yoon for rebellion charges. His attorneys expressed disappointment with the verdict and said they would consider whether to file an appeal.

Security officials in the nation of Georgia have taken two foreign nationals into custody after they attempted to buy nuclear materials worth $3 million, including uranium and a dangerous radioactive substance used in nuclear weapons programs, authorities announced Thursday.

The arrests took place in Kutaisi, where the State Security Service apprehended the suspects from undisclosed countries, according to an official statement.

“They were planning to illegally purchase nuclear material uranium and radioactive substance Cesium 137 for $3 million and illegally transport it to the territory of another country,” the security service stated.

Officials revealed that additional foreign individuals have been coming to Georgia in recent weeks with similar intentions to buy and smuggle nuclear and radioactive substances, though they provided no further details about these activities.

Authorities did not disclose how much material the suspects were trying to obtain, nor did they reveal where the substances came from or their intended final destination.

Cesium 137 represents a particularly dangerous radioactive material that typically appears following nuclear weapons tests and nuclear power plant disasters, including the catastrophic Chernobyl accident that occurred in what was then Soviet Ukraine in 1986.

Nuclear material security became a major international concern following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, when Georgia was still part of the former communist bloc. The country has experienced multiple serious cases involving illegal nuclear material trafficking over the past several decades.

In the most recent previous incident, authorities in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi arrested three Chinese nationals who were attempting to purchase two kilograms of uranium described as “nuclear material.”

A devastating gas cylinder explosion brought down a multi-story residential building in Pakistan’s largest city Thursday, leaving at least 13 people dead, according to local authorities.

The deadly blast occurred on the ground level of the residential complex located in Soldier Bazaar, a neighborhood on the eastern side of Karachi, the major southern port city, officials reported.

Among the fatalities were seven children, with the youngest victim being just two years old, according to police official Summaiya Syed.

Authorities are still working to determine what caused the gas cylinder to detonate, police stated.

Rescue teams pulled more than a dozen injured survivors from the wreckage, though emergency responders warn additional victims may still be trapped beneath the debris.

This tragedy follows another deadly incident in Karachi just last month, when a massive blaze at a shopping mall claimed more than 70 lives.

SEOUL – Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol received a life prison sentence Thursday from a Seoul court for orchestrating an insurrection during his short-lived martial law declaration in December 2024.

The dramatic events began on December 3, 2024, when Yoon announced on national television just before 10:30 p.m. that he was implementing martial law to eliminate what he called “anti-state forces” and break through political gridlock.

Within an hour, military orders banned all political party activities and legislative functions. Security forces surrounded the opposition-controlled parliament building, where staff members fought back using barricades and fire extinguishers against special operations troops. Lawmakers climbed over fences to bypass security barriers as demonstrators gathered outside.

By early December 4, with 190 legislators in attendance, parliament unanimously rejected Yoon’s martial law order, prompting military forces to withdraw. Approximately 3.5 hours later, Yoon reversed his decision. The entire martial law period lasted roughly six hours.

Opposition lawmakers immediately filed impeachment proceedings against Yoon. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell stated that Yoon had “badly misjudged” his martial law decision.

On December 7, Yoon delivered a public apology to the nation, stating he would leave his political future to his ruling People Power Party (PPP), though he stopped short of announcing his resignation. An initial impeachment vote failed due to a PPP boycott that prevented the required quorum.

Criminal investigations began December 8, with prosecutors targeting Yoon over the martial law incident. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was taken into custody that same day.

Army Special Warfare Command leader Kwak Jong-geun testified before parliament on December 10 that Yoon had instructed him to “drag out” legislators from the parliament building following the martial law announcement.

Yoon declared he would “fight to the end” on December 12, making accusations that North Korea had infiltrated South Korea’s election systems and questioning his party’s significant electoral losses in April.

Parliament successfully impeached Yoon on December 14 with support from 204 out of 300 lawmakers, including at least 12 members from his own PPP. His presidential authority was immediately suspended, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepping in as acting president.

The Constitutional Court started examining the impeachment case on December 16. However, parliament also impeached acting President Han on December 27, leading Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok to assume acting presidential duties.

A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon on December 31 after he failed to appear for questioning. Yoon’s legal team denounced the warrant as illegal and claimed investigators lacked proper authority.

Between January 3-15, 2025, authorities made unsuccessful attempts to arrest Yoon during confrontations with presidential security and military personnel at his residence. Yoon eventually surrendered after a local court extended his arrest warrant.

During his Constitutional Court impeachment hearing on January 21, Yoon refuted claims that he had ordered military leaders to remove lawmakers from parliament by force.

Prosecutors formally charged Yoon with insurrection on January 26 and requested his continued detention.

A court canceled Yoon’s arrest warrant on March 9, leading to his release from custody.

The Constitutional Court ruled on April 4 that Yoon had breached his constitutional obligations and permanently removed him from the presidency.

The liberal Democratic Party selected former leader and 2022 presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung as their nominee for the special election on April 27.

Lee won the presidency in the emergency election held June 3.

Yoon returned to jail on July 10 after a court granted the special prosecutor’s detention request.

In a historic first for South Korea, Yoon’s wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, was detained on August 13 following court approval of an arrest warrant, making them the first presidential couple simultaneously imprisoned in the nation’s history.

Special prosecutors charged former first lady Kim with bribery and additional offenses on August 29.

On October 10, special prosecutors indicted Han Hak-ja, head of South Korea’s Unification Church, for allegedly orchestrating bribes to former first lady Kim.

Additional charges related to the martial law incident were filed against Yoon on November 10, including accusations of assisting an enemy nation.

Special prosecutors sought a 15-year prison term for former Prime Minister Han on November 26 for allegedly supporting insurrection and committing perjury.

On December 15, special prosecutors claimed Yoon had attempted to provoke North Korea into armed conflict to validate his martial law declaration.

The special prosecutor requested the death penalty for Yoon on insurrection charges on January 13, 2026.

Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon to five years in prison on January 16 for charges including obstruction of arrest attempts.

The same court imposed a 23-year sentence on former Prime Minister Han on January 21 for his central role in the insurrection.

Former first lady Kim received a 20-month jail sentence on January 28 for accepting bribes.

On February 12, Seoul Central District Court sentenced former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to seven years in prison for his involvement in the martial law attempt.

The legal proceedings concluded Thursday with Seoul Central District Court’s life sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol for leading the insurrection.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Military tensions between the United States and Iran escalated Thursday as both countries engaged in shows of naval force while nuclear negotiations remained uncertain, with Tehran conducting joint exercises with Russia as Washington moved an aircraft carrier closer to Middle Eastern waters.

The Iranian military exercise alongside the positioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near the Mediterranean Sea entrance highlight growing tensions between the two nations. Earlier this week, Iran also conducted live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that handles one-fifth of global oil shipments.

The deployment of additional American naval vessels and aircraft doesn’t necessarily signal an imminent U.S. military strike against Iran, but it provides President Donald Trump with operational capabilities should he decide to take such action. Trump has thus far refrained from military action despite establishing clear boundaries regarding the deaths of peaceful demonstrators and Tehran’s mass executions, while attempting to restart nuclear discussions previously interrupted by the Iran-Israel conflict in June.

“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website, seeking to pressure the United Kingdom over its plans to settle the future of the Chagos Islands with Mauritius.

Concurrently, Iran faces domestic turmoil following its harsh response to protests, with families now conducting memorial services for those killed 40 days after their deaths at the hands of security forces. Several of these gatherings have featured anti-government demonstrations, despite official warnings from authorities.

Thursday’s military exercise involved Iranian and Russian naval personnel operating in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean waters, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency. The exercise focused on “upgrading operational coordination as well as exchange of military experiences,” IRNA reported.

While China participated in the “Security Belt” exercise in previous years, there was no confirmation of Chinese involvement in this iteration. Recently, what appeared to be a Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette was observed at Iran’s Bandar Abbas military facility.

Iranian authorities also issued warnings to regional pilots about potential rocket launches, indicating plans to test anti-ship missiles during the exercise.

Tracking information revealed the Ford positioned off Morocco’s Atlantic coast Wednesday afternoon, suggesting the carrier could pass through Gibraltar and potentially deploy to the eastern Mediterranean alongside its escort destroyers.

Stationing the carrier in that region would provide American forces with additional aircraft and defensive missile capabilities to potentially safeguard Israel and Jordan if hostilities with Iran develop. The U.S. employed similar naval positioning during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza to counter potential Iranian attacks.

Memorial ceremonies for protest victims killed by security forces last month have intensified. Iranian tradition calls for commemorating deceased family members 40 days after their passing. Eyewitness accounts and social media footage documented memorial gatherings at Tehran’s expansive Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. Some ceremonies featured participants chanting against Iran’s religious government while performing patriotic songs.

The protest movement started December 28 at Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar, initially triggered by Iran’s currency collapse, then expanded nationwide. Tensions peaked January 8, coinciding with demonstrations organized by Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.

Iran’s administration has provided only one official casualty count for the violence, claiming 3,117 deaths. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has maintained accuracy during previous Iranian unrest periods, estimates over 7,000 fatalities, with additional deaths suspected.

KARACHI, Pakistan — At least 16 people lost their lives Thursday morning when a devastating gas explosion tore through an apartment complex in Karachi, Pakistan’s major port city, causing a partial building collapse that trapped victims under debris, according to police and emergency response teams.

The deadly blast occurred as residents were cooking their pre-dawn meal to mark the beginning of Ramadan in a neighborhood within Karachi, located in Sindh province, local police commander Rizwan Patel reported. Emergency crews continued digging through the wreckage searching for anyone who might still be alive beneath the collapsed sections, Patel explained.

Officials initially confirmed 13 fatalities, but Patel announced the count climbed to 16 after rescue workers recovered three additional bodies from the destruction.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari issued a statement expressing grief and offering sympathy to bereaved families while ordering officials to provide top-quality medical care for those wounded. He also demanded rapid completion of search and rescue efforts and pressed the Sindh provincial leadership to strengthen construction regulations, improve gas cylinder safety measures, and launch a comprehensive investigation to prevent future tragedies.

Throughout Karachi and other Pakistani cities, residential buildings typically receive natural gas service for cooking purposes. Many families supplement this with liquefied petroleum gas tanks due to inadequate natural gas pressure in their neighborhoods.

A similar tragedy struck Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad this past July, when a gas explosion at a wedding celebration claimed eight lives, including the newlywed couple. Officials reported the deadly blast happened while wedding guests had come together to honor the bride and groom.

A former prosecutor turned president has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars after his risky political maneuvers finally caught up with him.

Yoon Suk Yeol, 65, received a life sentence Thursday from Seoul Central District Court for orchestrating an insurrection, marking a dramatic conclusion to his meteoric rise and spectacular collapse from South Korea’s highest office.

The former leader’s reckless decision to impose martial law ultimately sealed his fate, according to those who worked alongside him during his career in law enforcement and politics.

A telling glimpse into Yoon’s mindset emerged from former judge Han Dong-soo, who recalled a 2020 dinner conversation where the then-powerful prosecutor made a startling admission.

“If I had gone to the military academy, I would have staged a coup,” Han quoted Yoon as saying during the evening gathering with flowing alcohol.

The court determined Thursday that Yoon violated constitutional principles by implementing martial law, sending military forces to invade parliament and attempt to arrest his political rivals.

Looking noticeably thinner than when he was arrested a year ago, Yoon appeared pale and shaken as he listened to the verdict while dressed in a dark suit. His legal team expressed opposition to the ruling and indicated they would consider filing an appeal.

Yoon has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming his martial law declaration served as a necessary alert that democratic principles and liberty faced danger from “anti-state” elements attempting to seize control of South Korea.

His path to the presidency began through his work as a prosecutor investigating sitting presidents, which made him widely recognized across the nation.

“Yoon Suk Yeol was the most powerful prosecutor-general ever,” Han observed, having overseen internal affairs at the prosecutor’s office during Yoon’s tenure.

“He used the office to carry out his plan to become president and in doing so, his actions were daring.”

By 2022, following his leadership of a corruption probe involving the justice minister, conservative voters who had grown frustrated with then-President Moon Jae-in’s liberal agenda embraced Yoon as their presidential nominee.

However, his time in office brought constant conflicts with opposition forces, which former prosecution colleague Lee Sung-yoon said revealed the reckless tendencies that had always characterized Yoon’s approach.

When Yoon declared martial law in December 2024, his political standing had severely deteriorated due to controversies surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee, who faced accusations of improperly receiving gifts, though charges weren’t filed initially.

Following Yoon’s removal from office, a special prosecutor’s investigation led to Kim’s bribery conviction in January, resulting in her current 20-month prison sentence.

The year leading up to Yoon’s martial law announcement was marked by continuous opposition battles that prevented his policy initiatives and legislative priorities from moving forward.

Despite domestic struggles, Yoon achieved notable success in international relations.

His efforts to end a longstanding diplomatic dispute with Japan and establish trilateral security partnership with Japan and the United States stand out as among his limited policy victories.

Yoon’s ability to connect personally with world leaders was memorably demonstrated at a 2023 White House gathering, where he surprised then-President Joe Biden and thrilled the audience by performing the 1970s classic “American Pie.”

Coming from a wealthy background, Yoon performed well academically and gained admission to prestigious Seoul National University law school. However, his love of social activities caused him to fail the bar examination multiple times before finally succeeding on his ninth attempt at 30 years old.

During his prosecution career, colleagues knew him for his relaxed demeanor, but associates noted increased ambition following his marriage to Kim, an accomplished art curator.

His presidency began controversially when he relocated the presidential office away from the historic Blue House complex, raising speculation about whether feng shui beliefs regarding the location’s supposed curse influenced the decision.

Yoon rejected claims that he and his wife had any connection to a shaman.

Critics accused him of protecting his “yes men” when he declined to dismiss senior officials after a Halloween crowd disaster claimed 159 lives.

Among those he protected was Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, a fellow graduate of Yoon’s high school, who later received a seven-year sentence for his involvement in the martial law declaration.

Another high school classmate, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, previously served as presidential security chief and now faces insurrection charges for allegedly being the primary advisor who encouraged Yoon to impose martial law. Kim has denied any wrongdoing.

Political science professor Shin Yul from Myongji University believes Yoon’s downfall resulted from following bad advice, suggesting the former president likely “still thinks he did the right thing” regarding his martial law decision.

Four individuals with ties to the Chagos Islands found themselves facing eviction orders from British officials after arriving on a remote atoll earlier this week in what they hoped would disrupt Britain’s plans to hand over the territory to Mauritius.

The group touched down Monday on Ile du Coin, located within the Peros Banhos atoll, with additional people expected to join what organizers described as a permanent community.

A British Foreign Office representative condemned their arrival as an “illegal, unsafe stunt” that would not assist the collaborative efforts between the UK and Mauritius to restart heritage visit programs to the Chagos Islands.

According to a 2025 deal, Britain plans to hand over control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while maintaining authority over the strategically vital U.S.-UK military facility on Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease arrangement.

British politician Nigel Farage, who leads the Reform UK party, described the four as British passport holders attempting to “reclaim their birthright” and indicated he was researching legal options to assist them.

“They were this morning served an eviction notice on behalf of the British government, and told that unless they comply, they could face up to three years in prison,” he stated during a London press conference.

Documents reviewed by Reuters show the eviction notices, sent to each individual by a British Indian Ocean Territory immigration officer, declared their presence unlawful and ordered their departure.

The paperwork cautioned that violating the directive by returning would constitute a criminal act carrying penalties of up to three years behind bars, a fine of 3,000 pounds sterling ($4,060), or both punishments combined.

During the 1960s and 1970s, as many as 2,000 Chagossians were forced from their homes in the archipelago and relocated primarily to Mauritius and Britain.

Some Chagossians have voiced opposition to the sovereignty transfer agreement, claiming Mauritius has ignored their needs for decades, though Mauritius disputes these accusations.

A United Nations investigation has concluded that the brutal takeover of a Sudanese city by paramilitary forces shows clear signs of genocide, according to a report released Thursday.

The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan found that when the Rapid Support Forces seized control of al-Fashir in late October, they systematically murdered members of non-Arab ethnic groups during three horrific days of violence.

Al-Fashir had served as the final government stronghold in Sudan’s western Darfur region before falling to the RSF after an 18-month blockade. During that siege, investigators say the paramilitary group deliberately created living conditions designed to physically destroy the Zaghawa and Fur communities.

According to the UN mission, evidence shows the RSF systematically targeted people based on their ethnicity, gender, and perceived political loyalties. The attacks included mass executions, sexual assault, torture, and other acts that constitute core elements of genocide under international law.

Mission Chairman Mohamad Chande Othman emphasized the organized nature of the violence. “The scale, coordination, and public endorsement of the operation by senior RSF leadership demonstrate that the crimes committed in and around al-Fashir were not random excesses of war,” Othman stated.

“They formed part of a planned and organised operation that bears the defining characteristics of genocide,” he continued.

The report describes how al-Fashir’s population consisted primarily of the Zaghawa people, while surrounding refugee camps housed members of the Fur, Berti, Masalit, and Tama communities before the attack.

Survivors told investigators about explicit threats from RSF forces to “clean” the city. The paramilitary group used drones and heavy artillery to attack displacement camps, community kitchens, and medical facilities while conducting widespread killings, theft, beatings, and sexual violence throughout al-Fashir.

The investigation found that the RSF’s “exterminatory rhetoric” and other violations demonstrated clear intent to destroy the Zaghawa and Fur populations either completely or partially.

“Witnesses heard the Rapid Support Forces saying, ‘Is there anyone Zaghawa among you? If we find Zaghawa, we will kill them all’,” the report documented.

Survivors described point-blank executions of civilians and streets filled with the bodies of men, women, and children. The report also details how women and girls between ages 7 and 70 from non-Arab communities, especially the Zaghawa, were subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence, including whipping and forced nudity.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called for strong international action in response to the findings. “The findings of this UN report are truly horrific — atrocities including systematic starvation, torture, killings, rape and deliberate ethnic targeting used on the most horrendous scale during the Rapid Support Forces siege of al-Fashir,” Cooper said in a statement.

The UN mission received its mandate from Human Rights Council members, including Britain, to urgently examine violations of international law in and around al-Fashir. Investigators shared their final report with Sudan’s government but received no response, while the RSF declined to meet with mission leadership.

Neither the RSF nor Sudan’s Armed Forces immediately responded to requests for comment from Reuters. The RSF has previously rejected similar allegations, claiming such reports are fabricated by opponents while making counter-accusations against their enemies.

Britain’s foreign secretary is strongly denouncing Iran’s decision to hand down decade-long prison sentences to two UK citizens accused of spying, calling the punishment completely without merit.

Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper issued a sharp rebuke Thursday regarding the sentencing of Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who face 10 years in Iranian custody after being accused of collecting intelligence across multiple regions of the country.

“We will pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family,” Cooper declared in her official response.

According to Joe Bennett, who is Lindsay’s son, the pair faced a three-hour court proceeding on October 27 where they were denied the opportunity to mount any defense against the charges.

“We have seen no evidence to support the charge of espionage,” Bennett stated, expressing his family’s serious worries about the couple’s well-being and criticizing the lack of openness in Iran’s legal proceedings.

Violent demonstrations erupted in Albania’s capital last week as citizens threw gasoline bombs at government offices while law enforcement deployed tear gas and water cannons to control the crowds. Protesters could be heard shouting demands for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation, calling his administration corrupt.

The unrest stems from corruption charges filed in December against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by Albania’s special anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, SPAK. Balluku faces allegations of manipulating the bidding process for two major infrastructure projects in 2021 valued at more than 200 million euros.

Balluku, considered a political rising star and potential heir to Rama’s leadership, maintains her innocence. The Prime Minister has continued supporting her despite mounting pressure.

The corruption allegations pose a significant threat to Albania’s European Union membership aspirations, with the country aiming to join the bloc by 2030. The ongoing crisis represents one of the most serious challenges for Rama, who has governed the Balkan nation since 2013 and secured his fourth consecutive term last year.

“Albania has to understand that to become an EU member, respecting the rule of law is a prerequisite,” stated Andi Hoxhaj, a Balkan expert at King’s College London. “That has to hit home, or it will not look good with the EU.”

Rama’s representative Manjola Hasa defended the government’s anti-corruption efforts when contacted by Reuters. “Albania deserves to join (the EU) for many reasons and fighting corruption with no second thoughts is one of them,” Hasa responded.

Following nearly five decades of communist isolation that ended in the early 1990s, Albania experienced widespread corruption issues common throughout post-communist Eastern Europe. The country made significant progress through judicial system overhauls in 2016, establishing SPAK in 2019, and achieving steady economic development.

EU membership negotiations commenced in 2022, and Albania reached a milestone on November 17 when it entered the final phase of accession discussions, positioning itself as a leading candidate in the EU’s Balkan expansion initiative.

Just three days following this achievement, SPAK announced the charges against Balluku.

The accusations center on two 2021 infrastructure projects – a highway tunnel construction contract and a section of Tirana’s ring road development. As infrastructure minister, Balluku allegedly manipulated the tender processes to benefit particular construction companies.

Court documents reviewed by Reuters contain text message exchanges between Balluku and associates, including the Albanian Road Authority director, who also faces charges.

One September 10, 2021 message shows Balluku apparently requesting the director arrange a meeting with a NOVA Construction 2012 representative.

Within four days of this meeting, NOVA partnered with two other firms to create a consortium that subsequently secured the ring road project.

According to SPAK, Balluku “predetermined the winner” and “created unfair advantages and privileges.”

Reuters could not confirm whether the requested meeting occurred. NOVA Construction declined to comment, as did Balluku’s legal counsel.

After an anti-corruption court suspended Balluku in November, she stated she would not address the case or respond to “half-truths and lies.”

Relations between SPAK and Prime Minister Rama have grown increasingly tense. The prosecutor’s office seeks to remove Balluku’s protection from pre-trial detention, but Rama opposes this action and accuses SPAK of exceeding its authority.

During Monday’s parliamentary session, Rama revealed he had rejected Balluku’s resignation attempts three times. “There is no such thing as a resignation under pressure from a power that has stepped outside its territory,” he declared while Balluku observed.

That same day, Rama announced plans to modify legislation protecting ministers from suspension during criminal investigations, a proposal opposition leaders claim is designed to shield him and his political allies.

European Union officials are monitoring the situation closely.

“Rhetoric that sows public mistrust in the judiciary and in the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judicial and prosecutorial systems is counterproductive,” the EU’s Tirana office stated to Reuters.

“Fighting corruption effectively is of paramount importance for Albania’s progress towards EU membership.”

MUNICH – Five senior European intelligence officials are casting doubt on President Trump’s optimistic assessment that a Ukraine peace deal is “reasonably close,” telling Reuters they believe Russia has no intention of ending the conflict anytime soon.

The intelligence chiefs, who requested anonymity when speaking with Reuters recently, indicated that Moscow is primarily using ongoing diplomatic discussions with the United States to pursue sanctions relief and business opportunities rather than genuine peace negotiations.

One European intelligence leader characterized the discussions – including the latest round held in Geneva this week – as “negotiation theatre.”

These assessments reveal a significant divide between European intelligence services and the White House, which according to Ukraine hopes to secure a peace agreement by June, ahead of November’s U.S. congressional midterm elections. Trump has expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in making a deal.

“Russia is not seeking a peace agreement. They are seeking their strategic goals, and those have not changed,” stated one intelligence chief. Moscow’s objectives continue to include removing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from power and transforming Ukraine into a “neutral” buffer zone between Russia and Western nations.

A second intelligence official emphasized that Russia has neither the desire nor the necessity for rapid peace, noting that the Russian economy is “not on the verge of collapse.”

While the intelligence leaders did not reveal their information sources, their agencies employ human intelligence assets, communications intercepts, and various other collection methods. All five confirmed they prioritize Russia as a key intelligence target.

Russia’s foreign ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Putin has indicated willingness to pursue peace, but only under his conditions. Russian officials maintain that European governments have consistently misjudged Russia in their analyses.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE

Ukrainian and Russian representatives conducted their third U.S.-facilitated meeting of 2026 this week without achieving breakthroughs on major disputes, particularly territorial issues.

Russia demands that Ukraine withdraw its military forces from the remaining 20% of eastern Donetsk region not under Russian control, a requirement Ukraine categorically rejects.

According to the second intelligence official, while Russia might accept territorial gains limited to the rest of Donetsk, this would not satisfy Moscow’s broader goal of removing Zelenskyy’s pro-Western administration.

A third intelligence chief warned against assuming that Ukrainian territorial concessions in Donetsk would rapidly produce a comprehensive peace agreement.

“In the case of the Russians getting these concessions, I (think) that this is maybe the beginning of actual negotiations,” the official predicted, suggesting Russia would then present additional demands.

This same official also criticized what they described as “very limited” negotiating expertise regarding Russia throughout the West, including Europe, despite Zelenskyy’s call for active European participation in the talks.

The U.S. negotiating team is headed by Steve Witkoff, a real estate developer and longtime Trump associate, along with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law.

While both men have handled other conflicts for Trump, neither possesses formal diplomatic training or specialized knowledge of Russia or Ukraine.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly responded to the criticism by stating that anonymous complaints do not assist U.S. peace efforts. “President Trump and his team have done more than anyone to bring both sides together to stop the killing and deliver a peace deal,” Kelly said.

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

Two officials reported that Moscow is attempting to divide negotiations into separate tracks – one addressing the war itself and another focusing on bilateral U.S.-Russia agreements that would include sanctions relief.

Zelenskyy revealed that his intelligence services informed him that U.S. and Russian negotiators have discussed bilateral cooperation deals worth up to $12 trillion, proposed by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

The European officials did not elaborate on these discussions.

The second intelligence chief suggested this proposal targets both Trump’s interests and Russian oligarchs who have not benefited from the war due to sanctions but whose support Putin requires as Russia’s economy faces increasing challenges.

This official characterized Russia as a “resilient society” capable of withstanding hardship.

However, the third official identified “very high” financial risks facing Russia in the latter half of 2026, citing factors including Moscow’s restricted capital market access due to sanctions and elevated borrowing costs.

Economic analysts suggest Russia’s economy is experiencing somewhere between stagnation and recession after achieving only 1% growth last year.

Russia’s central bank has set its key interest rate at 15.5%, directly affecting borrowing costs nationwide. The liquid portion of Russia’s emergency fund used to address budget deficits has decreased by more than half since the 2022 invasion began.

SEOUL – Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was convicted Thursday on insurrection charges stemming from his unsuccessful effort to impose martial law on the nation in December 2024.

The court’s decision represents a major legal milestone in the case against Yoon, who was found guilty of orchestrating what prosecutors described as an insurrectionary plot when he attempted to declare martial law last year.

The failed martial law declaration had thrown South Korea into political turmoil before being quickly reversed.

TIVOLI, Italy (AP) — Centuries ago, Roman builders would travel to quarries near Tivoli to extract chunks of porous limestone called lapis tiburtinus — what we now call travertine — then transport the stone blocks on rafts down the river to construction sites.

This ancient process created the iconic Colosseum two millennia ago. The same method was used centuries later for St. Peter’s Basilica and Bernini’s magnificent colonnade.

The identical quarries that supplied Rome’s legendary travertine continue operating today, providing their signature hole-filled stone for modern religious structures, houses of worship, and mosques worldwide — plus banks, cultural institutions, government facilities and residential properties.

Although other nations produce similar sedimentary limestone, Roman travertine stands apart because workers extract it from underground sulfuric springs and pools surrounding Tivoli. Composed primarily of calcium carbonate minerals, this Roman stone developed over hundreds of thousands of years through calcium, sulfur and mineral deposits, displaying the area’s volcanic past, ancient forests and fossil remains in its layered bands.

Architects value the material for multiple qualities: durability, abundance and resistance to various weather conditions and environmental challenges. The cutting method and location determine its appearance, ranging from rough to smooth textures, warm white with irregular dark pockets to sandy tan with gray, brown or green streaks.

The Mariotti Carlo SpA stone-cutting company has shaped travertine to specification for four generations, completing some of the globe’s most notable architectural projects: Los Angeles’ Getty Center, Beijing’s Bank of China headquarters, and the Great Mosque in Algiers, Algeria.

During a recent work session, components for a temple reconstruction by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly called the Mormon church, sat arranged across Mariotti’s Tivoli warehouse floor — travertine chunks extracted from local quarries and shaped into custom puzzle-like sections for assembly at the New York City location.

Following their travertine supply work for the Latter-day Saint temple in Rome, church architects selected Mariotti to renovate the Manhattan Upper West Side temple. This temple stands opposite Lincoln Center and Julliard School, both constructed with Mariotti-processed travertine decades earlier when the stone first entered American markets.

“Travertine represents a classic stone recognized globally. It’s similar to spreading Rome’s illumination everywhere, since travertine’s light reflection qualities are truly unique,” explained Fabrizio Mariotti, who leads the family enterprise.

Throughout the Tivoli quarry areas, sulfur odors fill the atmosphere alongside continuous hammering, chiming and splitting sounds from massive jackhammers breaking ancient rock formations.

At Degemar quarries, excavated 30 meters below sea level, brilliant blue sulfur spring pools collect travertine debris while flatbed trucks transport 33-ton stone slabs to ground level.

This location provided Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the renowned Baroque sculptor and architect, with brilliant white travertine for the 284 columns and 88 pillars forming St. Peter’s Square colonnade, plus his other Catholic and Roman masterpieces.

Bernini visited so frequently to choose his stones that he maintained a residence overlooking the quarry, which remains standing.

Current quarry director Vincenzo De Gennaro points out that Bernini’s tower still contains the pigeon coop that housed homing birds carrying stone measurement orders from Rome to the quarry.

Today, the quarry serves clients across much greater distances: Riyadh’s new airport in Saudi Arabia and the Chinese governing party’s new Shenzhen headquarters, among others.

“This is exceptional, a unique stone because it lives and breathes, born from a mixture of mineral waters,” De Gennaro commented while navigating earth-moving equipment and walking past sulfur pools.

Anyone doubting travertine’s longevity need only examine Rome itself, he noted.

“We have the physical proof of a civilization spanning thousands of years that remains visible today, glowing continuously for 2,000 years,” he stated. “That serves as our warranty.”

Marco Ferrero, civil engineering professor at Rome’s La Sapienza University, explained that travertine’s attraction partly stems from its connection to ancient Rome “and consequently to the enchantment of the classical era.”

He said the stone captures Rome’s character in multiple ways: Travertine demonstrates strength, endurance and dignity without the flashiness of marble, which deteriorates faster when facing weather exposure.

“Here’s an appropriate comparison: Marble communicates in elegant Italian, in literary Italian, while travertine speaks in Roman dialect,” he observed. “It truly represents the Romans’ stone. Similar to Roman cooking, which features simple meals often using leftover ingredients, travertine remains an authentic and traditional material.”

International human rights investigators have concluded that paramilitary forces in Sudan conducted operations in October that exhibit characteristics of genocide against ethnic minority groups in the Darfur region.

The United Nations-supported fact-finding team released findings Thursday showing the Rapid Support Forces executed mass killings and other brutal acts in el-Fasher following an 18-month blockade. The investigators determined these actions were designed to physically eliminate non-Arab populations, specifically targeting Zaghawa and Fur ethnic groups.

According to UN officials, the RSF’s conquest of el-Fasher resulted in several thousand civilian deaths. The city had been the Sudanese military’s final remaining position in Darfur. Of el-Fasher’s 260,000 inhabitants, only 40% successfully escaped the assault, with thousands suffering injuries. The whereabouts of remaining residents is unclear.

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 when tensions between military and paramilitary leadership erupted in Khartoum before spreading to additional areas including Darfur.

This devastating conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives based on UN data, though humanitarian organizations believe the actual death toll could be significantly higher.

The RSF along with allied Arab militia groups called Janjaweed captured el-Fasher on October 26 and conducted widespread violence throughout the area. Their offensive included mass executions, sexual assault, torture, and kidnappings for financial gain, according to the UN Human Rights Office.

Between October 25 and 27, the forces killed more than 6,000 people within the city limits. Prior to the main attack, rebels attacked the Abu Shouk displacement facility near the city, killing at least 300 individuals over two days.

The RSF did not provide a response to requests for comment. Their leader, General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has previously admitted to misconduct by his troops while questioning the extent of reported atrocities.

The international Genocide Convention from 1948 establishes five standards for determining genocide: killing group members; causing severe physical or psychological damage; implementing birth prevention measures; intentionally creating conditions for physical elimination; and forcibly moving children to different groups.

The investigation team found evidence of at least three criteria being satisfied by RSF actions. The convention allows for genocide determination if even one criterion is met.

According to the team, RSF activities in el-Fasher included murdering members of protected ethnic groups, inflicting serious physical and mental trauma, and intentionally creating life conditions designed to destroy the group partially or completely.

The findings cited systematic ethnically-motivated killings, sexual violence, destruction, and public declarations calling for non-Arab community elimination.

Mohamed Chande Othman, the team’s chairman and former Tanzania chief justice, stated the RSF operations were not “random excesses of war” but indicated a deliberate and coordinated effort displaying genocide characteristics.

“Physically exhausted, malnourished, and in part unable to flee, leaving them defenseless against the extreme violence that followed,” the report described el-Fasher residents. “Thousands of persons, particularly the Zaghawa, were killed, raped or disappeared during three days of absolute horror.”

The investigation documented mass killings, extensive rape, sexual violence, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, extortion, and forced disappearances during the RSF takeover in late October.

The report recorded survivor accounts of fighters making statements such as: “Is there anyone Zaghawa among you? If we find Zaghawa, we will kill them all” and “We want to eliminate anything black from Darfur.”

Investigators noted “selective targeting” of Zaghawa and Fur women and girls, “while women perceived as Arab were often spared.”

The Geneva-based Human Rights Council, the UN’s primary human rights organization with 47 member nations, established the fact-finding team in 2023.

The team demanded accountability for those responsible and emphasized that civilian protection is needed “more than ever” as the conflict spreads to additional Sudanese regions.

Throughout the conflict, both sides have faced accusations of international law violations, though most atrocities have been attributed to the RSF. The Biden administration recently declared the group committed genocide in Darfur.

UN experts and rights organizations report that the United Arab Emirates has supported the RSF during the war, though the UAE denies these claims.

The RSF originated from Janjaweed militias that gained infamy for atrocities in the early 2000s during a brutal campaign against people of East or Central African identity in Darfur. That earlier campaign resulted in approximately 300,000 deaths and displaced 2.7 million people.

SYDNEY – Law enforcement officials in Australia have opened an investigation following the delivery of a menacing letter to Sydney’s largest Islamic worship center, marking the third threatening incident as Muslims prepare for their holy month of Ramadan.

The correspondence, delivered Wednesday to Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney, included an offensive drawing of a pig along with death threats targeting what the sender called the “Muslim race,” according to local news outlets.

Authorities have collected the letter for laboratory analysis and announced plans to increase patrols around houses of worship, including the targeted mosque, as well as community gatherings.

This most recent threat follows a previous menacing message delivered to the same mosque several weeks earlier, which showed an image of Muslim worshippers trapped in a burning religious building.

Law enforcement has also apprehended and filed charges against a 70-year-old individual connected to a third threatening correspondence sent to mosque personnel in January.

The organization that operates the mosque, the Lebanese Muslim Association, has contacted government officials requesting additional funding for extra security personnel and surveillance equipment, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

During Ramadan, approximately 5,000 worshippers are anticipated to visit the mosque nightly. Government census data shows that more than 60% of Lakemba’s population identifies as Muslim.

Canterbury-Bankstown council Mayor Bilal El-Hayek, whose jurisdiction includes Lakemba, described the community as feeling “very anxious.”

“I’ve heard first-hand from people saying that they won’t be sending their kids to practice this Ramadan because they’re very concerned about things that might happen in local mosques,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed strong disapproval of the recent series of threats.

“It is outrageous that people just going about commemorating their faith, particularly during the holy month for Muslims of Ramadan, are subject to this sort of intimidation,” he told ABC radio.

“I have said repeatedly we need to turn down the temperature of political discourse in this country, and we certainly need to do that.”

A government-commissioned study indicates that hostility toward Muslims has increased across Australia since the Gaza conflict began in late 2023.

The Islamophobia Register Australia has recorded a 740% surge in incident reports following the December 14 Bondi mass shooting, where officials say two attackers with Islamic State connections killed 15 people at a Jewish holiday gathering.

“There’s been a massive increase post-Bondi,” Mayor El-Hayek said. “Without a doubt, this is the worst I have ever seen it. There’s a lot of tension out there.”

KHENIFRA, Morocco (TV Delmarva) — A man who spent decades building trust as a community helper and educator in Morocco now faces shocking criminal charges that have stunned two North African nations.

Jacques Leveugle, a 79-year-old French citizen, is currently imprisoned and facing formal charges in France for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting 89 boys spanning more than 50 years across multiple countries. French prosecutors revealed the case to the public last week, also stating that Leveugle admitted to suffocating his terminally ill mother and later murdering his 92-year-old aunt.

For years in the Moroccan city of Khenifra, residents knew Leveugle as a skinny French man who cleaned streets before sunrise, provided no-cost language instruction, and arranged educational trips for local students. His fluency in Arabic, Morocco’s local dialect, and Shilha — a regional Berber language — allowed him to become deeply embedded in the community, according to neighbors.

The unassuming man would bicycle to local markets wearing simple jeans and collared shirts, and established a small children’s library in the working-class Lassiri district.

Most of the alleged sexual crimes took place in North Africa, where Leveugle established himself as a dedicated educator and trustworthy individual throughout his lifetime.

Authorities uncovered the alleged crimes after a family member discovered Leveugle’s electronic diary on a USB device and provided it to law enforcement.

Grenoble Prosecutor Etienne Manteaux confirmed to The Associated Press that Leveugle is suspected of victimizing more than a dozen boys in Morocco, where he resided until his 2024 arrest. During his eight-year tenure as a foreign language instructor in Algeria during the 1960s and 1970s, he allegedly abused at least two children.

The disturbing allegations have created widespread shock throughout both nations and brought renewed focus to child exploitation issues in a region where advocates report abuse continues to be widespread and frequently unreported.

“This case demonstrates exceptional gravity and understandably creates profound outrage,” stated Najat Anwar, who leads the Moroccan child protection organization Don’t Touch my Child. “We stand ready to participate as a civil party in legal proceedings if Moroccan witnesses or victims step forward.”

The Associated Press interviewed twelve individuals who personally knew Leveugle, including Moroccan neighbors and former Algerian students, plus Moroccan officials familiar with the investigation. Those acquainted with him characterized a person widely regarded as reserved, supportive, and someone who enjoyed spending time around children.

Throughout the narrow pathways of Khenifra’s Lassiri district, populated by many traditional Moroccans, the pleasant atmosphere of a winter morning stands in stark opposition to what locals describe as deep embarrassment they’ve experienced since prosecutors disclosed Leveugle’s alleged offenses last week.

Community members report feeling disrespected and degraded. Several are now contemplating relocating. All requested anonymity due to concerns about potential harassment or retaliation.

They indicated Leveugle’s residence, an incomplete, unpainted single-level structure encircled by fig trees, positioned beside a river where children frequently play nearby.

Local residents explained that “Monsieur Jacques,” his common nickname, financially supported community initiatives and assisted people in securing employment, occasionally distributing cash directly. Khenifra has historically maintained among Morocco’s highest jobless rates, with many inhabitants working in unofficial employment sectors. Residents frequently relocate seeking improved opportunities.

Community members recalled how Jacques once brought children to Agelmam Agezga, a popular regional lake, and instructed them to swim without clothing, beginning with himself and claiming health benefits. This behavior conflicts with Moroccan cultural norms and broader Islamic customs, which prohibit men from being unclothed in each other’s presence.

One neighbor explained that the revelations have so severely damaged his ability to trust others that he now refuses to allow his 5-year-old son to spend nights at his brother’s home.

According to a knowledgeable Moroccan official, Leveugle was born during the 1940s in Annecy, France, and initially came to Morocco in 1955. His father served at the French Embassy, and Leveugle attended school in Morocco’s capital city during the concluding years of French colonial rule.

A Moroccan justice official confirmed that Leveugle maintained Moroccan residency status and faced no documented criminal complaints within the kingdom. Both officials requested anonymity in accordance with Moroccan governmental protocols.

Neighbors reported that Leveugle relocated to Khenifra’s Lassiri neighborhood during the early 2000s. Local residents noted his regular interactions with teenage boys ranging from 13 to 15 years old.

He operated as a private instructor and, according to community members, provided complimentary lessons, coordinated educational excursions, and occasionally offered financial support to families. Some neighbors reported that he also purchased homes and vehicles for local residents and assisted with European immigration processes.

His extensive time spent with teenage boys sometimes raised questions about his minimal engagement with adult community members.

French investigators identified 89 victims of Leveugle, all boys between ages 13 and 17, through examination of a 15-volume electronic memoir discovered on a USB drive that a relative provided to police, according to the Grenoble prosecutor. He confirmed that Leveugle’s Moroccan victims date to at least 1974.

French authorities believe additional victims exist and have issued a global request for witnesses. The prosecutor informed The Associated Press that French investigators plan to travel to Morocco for evidence collection. Moroccan authorities have not issued public statements.

The French prosecutor did not indicate whether Algeria has opened an investigation, despite Leveugle’s teaching positions at three Algerian schools. The revelations have deeply affected his former students.

“I felt completely shocked upon learning this information,” Ali Bouchemla, who studied French under Leveugle during the late 1960s at a northern Algerian school, told The Associated Press. He remembered a “committed and excellent teacher” who never aroused suspicion.

Lahlou Aliouate, another former student, similarly described a dedicated educator who maintained professional conduct.

Child protection experts say Leveugle’s characteristics mirror patterns observed globally.

“Offenders frequently present themselves through educational or cultural programs, develop respectable reputations and use social or cultural influence to establish trust,” explained Najat Anwar from Don’t Touch my Child. “They subsequently focus on children experiencing vulnerable emotional or social circumstances.”

The militant organization Hamas is strengthening its authority across Gaza by positioning loyal supporters in crucial government positions while resuming tax collection and salary payments, according to Israeli military intelligence documents obtained by Reuters and Palestinian sources within the territory.

This expanding control by Hamas has raised serious questions about the viability of President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace initiative, which demands the organization surrender its weapons in return for Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza.

Trump’s newly formed international Board of Peace, tasked with overseeing Gaza’s transition period, convened its first session in Washington on Thursday.

“Hamas is advancing steps on the ground meant to preserve its influence and grip in the Gaza Strip ‘from the bottom up’ by means of integrating its supporters in government offices, security apparatuses and local authorities,” military officials stated in documentation provided to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during late January.

While Hamas claims readiness to transfer administrative control to a U.S.-supported panel of Palestinian technical experts led by former Palestinian Authority official Ali Shaath, the organization maintains that Israel has prevented committee members from entering Gaza to begin their duties.

Netanyahu’s office did not respond to inquiries regarding Hamas’ territorial control. However, an unnamed Israeli government representative rejected any future involvement by the group as a “twisted fantasy,” declaring: “Hamas is finished as a governing authority in the Gaza Strip.”

Israeli military leadership declined commentary on Hamas’ claims.

Military sources indicate that Hamas, which continues to refuse disarmament, has utilized the October ceasefire agreement to reestablish dominance in regions previously occupied by Israeli forces. While Israel maintains control over more than half of Gaza’s territory, nearly all 2 million residents live within Hamas-controlled zones.

Reuters was unable to verify the complete extent of Hamas’ personnel appointments and revenue collection efforts.

The organization has designated five regional governors, all connected to its military wing known as the al-Qassam Brigades, according to two Palestinian sources with direct operational knowledge. Additionally, Hamas has installed new leadership within Gaza’s economic and interior departments, which oversee taxation and security functions, these sources confirmed.

A newly appointed deputy health minister appeared in ministry footage touring Gaza medical facilities released this month.

“Shaath may have the key to the car, and he may even be allowed to drive, but it is a Hamas car,” one source explained to Reuters.

Israeli military analysis appears to support this assessment.

“Looking ahead, without Hamas disarmament and under the auspices of the technocrat committee, Hamas will succeed, in our view, to preserve influence and control in the Gaza Strip,” the military evaluation concluded, initially reported by Israel’s Channel 13 news.

Ismail al-Thawabta, spokesperson for the Hamas-controlled government’s media department, disputed claims of new appointments, explaining that interim replacements were necessary for positions vacated during wartime to “prevent any administrative vacuum” and maintain essential services for residents while peace negotiations continue.

Neither the U.S. State Department nor Shaath’s National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) immediately provided responses to requests for comment.

A source familiar with the 15-member NCAG indicated awareness of Hamas’ activities and expressed dissatisfaction with these developments.

On Saturday, the committee released a statement calling on international mediators to accelerate resolution of pending issues, noting it cannot fulfill its responsibilities “without the full administrative, civilian, and police powers necessary to implement its mandate effectively.”

The establishment of Shaath’s committee in January initiated the subsequent phase of Trump’s Gaza war resolution strategy, despite incomplete fulfillment of first-phase requirements, including complete cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

The Board of Peace anticipates receiving progress reports on the committee’s activities Thursday.

Trump is also expected to announce participating countries that will provide personnel for a U.N.-authorized stabilization force and assist in training new Palestinian police units, which the NCAG would supervise.

Hamas seeks to integrate 10,000 of its police officers into the new force, Reuters previously reported. This includes hundreds from its influential internal security division, which has merged with police operations, according to two Gaza sources.

Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding this claim.

When asked whether Israel would address Hamas’ entrenchment concerns during Thursday’s meeting, Netanyahu’s office provided no comment.

Israel has repeatedly stated its opposition to any Hamas involvement in Gaza following the group’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed over 1,200 people according to Israeli records. Israel’s subsequent air and ground offensive has resulted in more than 72,000 deaths, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.

“Dismantling Hamas governing capabilities” in Gaza was identified as a primary objective of Israel’s military campaign.

Hamas assumed territorial control following a brief 2007 civil conflict with political rival Fatah. Since then, government ministry and municipal appointments have been determined by Hamas’ political leadership, which also established an independent civil service employing tens of thousands.

Currently, at least 14 of Gaza’s 17 ministries are operational, compared to five during peak warfare, according to Israeli military documentation. Additionally, at least 13 of 25 municipalities have resumed services.

Hamas spokesperson Thawabta characterized “this relative recovery” as unrelated to “political considerations.”

“The organisational measures taken during the past period were necessary to prevent the collapse of the service system and do not conflict with any future arrangements agreed upon,” he stated to Reuters.

According to sources, Hamas appointed five governors and four mayors to replace individuals killed or removed during the conflict. The selection of candidates with armed wing connections for gubernatorial positions was intended to suppress criminal gangs, some of which had received weapons and funding from Israel, sources explained.

Netanyahu acknowledged Israeli support for anti-Hamas tribal groups in June, though Israel has disclosed limited details.

Following a violent crackdown against opponents during the truce’s initial weeks, Hamas has concentrated on maintaining public safety and collecting taxes within its portion of the “yellow line” demarcating Israeli and Hamas territories, according to Israeli military officials and Gaza sources.

“There is no opposition to Hamas within the yellow line now, and it is taking over all economic aspects of daily life,” an Israeli military official told Reuters.

Gaza political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim reported that theft and robbery have ceased.

“Hamas is trying to organise markets and streets through the traffic police,” Ibrahim observed. “Police stations have reopened… The tax department and economy ministry are working and collecting.”

Hamas primarily collects revenue from private sector businesses, according to military documents. This includes fees imposed on Gaza merchants importing smuggled items such as cigarettes, batteries, solar panels, and mobile phones, according to three additional sources, including one merchant.

The organization has generated hundreds of millions of shekels through cigarette smuggling taxes since the war began, according to an Israeli indictment filed this month against a suspected smuggling network that includes Israeli reservists deployed in Gaza.

Hamas has continued salary payments to government employees and fighters, averaging approximately 1,500 shekels (about $500) monthly, according to at least four Hamas sources.

“Every moment of delay in allowing the technocratic committee to enter the Gaza Strip leads to the imposition of a de facto reality,” stated Palestinian political analyst Reham Owda, “increasing the administrative and security control of the Hamas government in Gaza.”

BEIJING — While President Donald Trump implements tariffs against various nations, China is seizing the opportunity to restructure international commerce in ways that could shield its $19 trillion economy from American influence for decades to come.

According to a Reuters investigation, Beijing is taking advantage of the disruption caused by Trump’s policies to integrate China’s massive manufacturing sector into major economic partnerships worldwide, including deals with the European Union, Gulf nations, and trans-Pacific trading groups. This strategy involves fast-tracking approximately 20 trade agreements that have been under development for years, despite global concerns about China’s excess production capacity, limited market openness, and weak domestic consumer spending.

An analysis of 100 Chinese-language publications by government-supported trade experts since 2017 shows a coordinated effort by China’s policy consultants to counter U.S. trade strategies and undermine Washington’s efforts to limit Chinese economic influence.

China is now implementing this strategy. The agreement signed with Canada during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s January trip to Beijing — reducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles — represents the first of multiple deals designed to diminish U.S. economic leverage, according to conversations with 10 sources including Chinese government representatives and trade officials.

“Don’t interrupt your opponent when he is making a mistake,” commented one Chinese official regarding Trump’s disruptive trade policies.

The analysis, based on more than 2,000 trade strategy documents endorsed by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Peking University, which provide guidance to senior leadership, demonstrates that policy experts widely believe that difficult structural adjustments are worthwhile for China’s long-term control of international trade. These document contents are being disclosed publicly for the first time.

If Beijing succeeds, it could overturn more than ten years of American trade policy by positioning itself as the center of a new, Chinese-influenced multilateral system, according to two Western diplomatic sources.

“The Chinese have a golden opportunity now,” stated Alicia Garcia Herrero, senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank.

China’s commerce ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding Beijing’s approach.

When asked about China’s strategy, a U.S. official told Reuters it was predictable that nations with significant trade surpluses would try to preserve globalization.

“President Trump is fixing the problems globalization caused for the United States while other countries are trying to double down on globalization as free market access to the United States goes away,” the official stated.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

The change in China’s messaging reflects its strategic thinking. Twelve months ago, Beijing was using military-style rhetoric, referencing Mao Zedong and China’s resistance against Western forces during the Korean War.

Currently, as China prepares for Trump’s April visit, its diplomats are traveling globally, encouraging trade partners to join in protecting multilateral cooperation and open commerce.

In January, China sent its senior diplomat to small nation Lesotho — initially targeted by Trump with a 50% tariff — to promise development assistance. On Saturday, state media announced China would eliminate tariffs on imports from 53 African nations. Meanwhile, China is promoting AI-enhanced customs technology to neighboring countries and working to modernize digital infrastructure supporting international trade.

These actions highlight an objective outlined in policy documents: to integrate China so thoroughly into global trade networks that partners cannot afford to disconnect under U.S. pressure.

“In countering U.S. strategic competition with China, ‘anti-decoupling’ should become China’s primary focus,” wrote Ni Feng, fellow at CASS’s Institute of American Studies, in 2024.

Chinese representatives are now working to expedite delayed trade negotiations. Since 2017, China has been in discussions with nations including Honduras, Panama, Peru, South Korea and Switzerland.

“We are willing to negotiate bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements with interested countries and regions,” commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian told Reuters during Carney’s visit, without providing details.

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi caught European negotiators off guard in November by suggesting a free-trade agreement with Brussels during discussions with his Estonian counterpart.

One month later, Wang urged the Gulf Cooperation Council to finalize ongoing free-trade negotiations. In January, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to begin a feasibility study for a services trade agreement that could lower barriers for British companies. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced plans to pursue “strategic partnerships” with China during an upcoming trip.

China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao has made membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a top priority. This agreement originated from the U.S.-supported Trans-Pacific Partnership, created partly to counter China before Washington withdrew in 2017.

However, China’s massive trade surplus complicates these efforts. Some member nations worry Chinese manufacturers might use improved market access to export excess low-cost products while China’s domestic consumption remains weak.

Wendy Cutler, chief negotiator during the Obama administration for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, recognized Beijing’s opportunity to promote trade and multilateralism but emphasized China needed to move beyond rhetoric.

“And with its huge trade imbalances, as well as some of the coercive measures it’s now taking against countries like Japan, it’s hard to see how they’re walking the walk,” Cutler told Reuters.

A senior European trade diplomat characterized Beijing’s proposals as “pure Chinese propaganda,” stating Brussels had no intentions for a trade agreement.

Chinese advisers remain determined. Speaking to Reuters, one referenced the EU and China’s landmark 2020 investment agreement negotiated during Trump’s first presidency. However, the deal was suspended in 2021 before implementation due to disputes over human-rights sanctions.

STRATEGIC INSIGHTS

Some Chinese advisers argue in the documents that Beijing should examine how Washington has “weaponized” international organizations to contain China, and take advantage of opportunities created by Trump’s willingness to abandon or marginalize multilateral institutions like the World Trade Organization.

Others suggest Beijing should concentrate on shaping global standards in areas such as intellectual property through programs like Xi’s Belt and Road initiative and China’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, covering approximately 30% of worldwide GDP.

China is now implementing these strategies.

Its recently enhanced agreement with Southeast Asian nations, for instance, emphasizes AI-driven and digital commerce, where China aims to establish early dominance.

China’s customs processing vision is demonstrated at its “Friendship Port” on the Vietnamese border, where state media reports domestically-developed AI technology has reduced waiting times by 20%, enabling faster deliveries. Reuters could not independently confirm this claim.

MASSIVE TRADE SURPLUS

The challenges that China’s $1.2 trillion trade surplus creates for trading partners’ manufacturing industries are difficult to ignore.

Pascal Lamy, former WTO director-general and EU trade commissioner, said Chinese companies are exporting more goods to Europe than the region can handle.

“It’s a mystery how, given the nature of the regime, given the sort of collective cleverness, how is it that they have not succeeded in rebalancing their economic model?” he stated.

Not everyone views closer Chinese relationships as the best method to reduce U.S. dependence.

Stephen Nagy, China project lead at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, said Carney’s tariff-reduction agreement with Xi appears intended to create negotiating power before discussions over the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement.

“I think his bet is wrong,” he added, predicting Trump would not be influenced.

Carney has stated Canada honors its USMCA commitment to avoid free-trade agreements with non-market economies. His office did not respond to comment requests.

Mexico, meanwhile, is cautious about risking U.S. market access by developing closer Chinese ties.

“We see no need for a free-trade agreement with China right now,” said a Mexican trade official. “We are already in the CPTPP and have 60% of world GDP covered.”

Beijing’s trade partners genuinely need China to boost its consumer spending, said Fred Neumann, chief economist for Asia Pacific at HSBC.

Wang, China’s commerce minister, has stated that increasing imports is a priority as Beijing prepares to unveil its next five-year plan in March, consistent with commitments to raise consumption’s portion of GDP.

But economic rebalancing is a long-term undertaking. Trump has three years remaining in office, and the following administration could return to building coalitions to contain China.

China must “study in depth the logic of U.S. actions within international institutions and the possible next steps it may take to better respond to increasingly fierce strategic offensives in the future,” Zhao Pu, then at Renmin University and now a researcher at CASS’s Institute of American Studies, wrote in 2023.

SEOUL, South Korea — Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in a Seoul courtroom Thursday to learn whether he’ll face the ultimate punishment for rebellion charges connected to his failed martial law declaration.

The charges stem from what experts call South Korea’s worst political upheaval in decades, when Yoon declared martial law and deployed military forces to encircle the national legislature on December 3, 2024.

Prosecutors are pushing for capital punishment against Yoon, arguing his actions threatened the nation’s democratic foundations and warrant the harshest available penalty.

However, legal experts widely anticipate a life imprisonment sentence instead, noting that Yoon’s bungled power seizure didn’t lead to deaths. The country hasn’t carried out an execution since 1997, maintaining what’s effectively a freeze on death sentences while abolition advocates push for reform.

Seoul Central District Court Judge Jee Kui-youn was scheduled to announce the ruling and punishment Thursday.

Outside the courthouse, competing demonstrations unfolded as Yoon’s transport arrived under heavy police presence. His backers voiced support while opponents demanded his execution.

The court will simultaneously decide cases against seven former military and law enforcement leaders accused of implementing Yoon’s martial law order, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun.

The conservative leader has justified his martial law declaration as essential to counter liberal opposition lawmakers he branded as “anti-state” forces blocking his political agenda through their parliamentary control.

The emergency order survived roughly six hours before collapsing when enough legislators broke through military barriers and voted unanimously to overturn it.

Parliament suspended Yoon from his presidency on December 14, 2024, following his impeachment, and the Constitutional Court officially ousted him in April 2025. He’s remained in custody since July while battling various criminal cases, with the rebellion charge carrying the severest potential consequences.

A separate court handed Yoon a five-year prison term last month for resisting detention, creating fraudulent martial law documents, and bypassing required Cabinet consultations before announcing the measure.

Seoul Central Court has also found two of Yoon’s Cabinet officials guilty, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received 23 years behind bars for trying to validate the decree through forced Cabinet approval, document falsification, and perjury. Han is challenging that conviction.

KITENGELA, Kenya — In the classrooms of an innovative Kenyan institution, traditional teaching methods have been completely transformed. Rare Gem Talent School has revolutionized education by replacing standard lectures with interactive, sensory-based instruction specifically designed for students living with dyslexia.

While Kenya has made significant strides in expanding educational opportunities, children with learning differences often struggle to keep pace in conventional settings. Rare Gem represents one of only a few educational facilities nationwide that caters specifically to youngsters facing dyslexia and similar learning obstacles, requiring only minor adjustments to standard academic programs.

Research shows dyslexia impacts approximately 10% of all students and creates significant barriers to developing reading skills. Without proper support, this condition could sideline enormous numbers of young people throughout Kenya and the broader African continent.

Student Jason Malak Atati experienced firsthand the difference specialized instruction can make. “Teachers didn’t understand me,” he explained about his previous educational experience. “This school is much better.”

Dennis Omari, who specializes in teaching students with special needs, explained that dyslexic children typically struggle with fundamental literacy skills, often confusing letters such as ‘b’ and ‘p’ or even numbers like ‘9.’ “The early signs to look out for are if children have issues with phonological awareness — not able to listen to exact sounds in a particular language — and when kids fail to read,” Omari noted.

The school tackles these obstacles through what Omari describes as a comprehensive sensory-based teaching strategy, with instructors focusing on different learning preferences. Methods include visual techniques like assigning specific colors to represent different sounds, audio approaches such as teaching spelling through musical patterns, and hands-on activities using physical objects to demonstrate how words are built.

Dorothy Kioko, an instructor at the facility, emphasized the personalized nature of their teaching philosophy. “You teach step by step until the learner gets what you’re teaching, not a lecture method where the teacher stands in front,” she said. “You have to have additional knowledge on how to handle them with patience.”

The institution was established in 2012 by the Dyslexia Organisation Kenya, beginning operations with fewer than 10 pupils. Currently, the school serves approximately 210 students, primarily those with dyslexia, while also supporting children with additional learning differences including autism.

Phyllis Munyi, who founded Rare Gem after witnessing her own son’s struggles with unaddressed dyslexia, stressed the importance of early intervention. “If they are identified early and intervention given early, they improve their skills and learn to identify their talents — and they complete school,” she stated.

Families pay tuition costs of $180 per semester, which falls below fees charged by elite private institutions but remains considerably more expensive than government-funded schools that serve most Kenyan students.

According to Munyi, the primary obstacles preventing children from accessing specialized education like that offered at Rare Gem include social stigma and insufficient awareness, particularly among parents. Additionally, many students arrive having endured harassment at their former schools.

Geoffrey Karani, a Rare Gem graduate who now works as an art instructor there, recalled his own difficult experiences. “In other, normal schools, there was a lot of discrimination, a lot of bullying,” he shared. Karani views mentoring as essential to his current role. “I’m not only teaching, I’m showing kids that I’ve been on the same journey,” he explained.

Kenya has achieved remarkable progress in educational expansion over recent decades, with primary school enrollment climbing from 5.9 million students in 2002 to 10.2 million in 2023—growth that has exceeded population increases.

However, educational opportunities for students with disabilities continue to lag significantly. Despite 11.4% of Kenyan children having special needs, only 250,000 such students participate in the nation’s educational system, according to data from So They Can, a nonprofit organization working to expand educational access across Africa.

Rare Gem potentially demonstrates how to broaden educational access without requiring extensive curriculum overhauls. Rather than creating entirely new academic content, the school adapts Kenya’s standard curriculum to better serve students with dyslexia and other learning challenges, Munyi explained. She emphasized: “The curriculum was not designed as a standalone … nor is it limited to dyslexia.”

KABUL, Afghanistan — A small child struggles as medical staff place an oxygen mask over his face, the green strap wrapping around his hollow cheeks. The 2½-year-old boy has been battling for survival in a Kabul hospital for weeks.

At just 13 pounds — roughly half his healthy weight — severely undernourished Abu Bakar represents one of the fortunate few: his family managed to bring him to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul for critical medical intervention.

However, countless other starving children cannot access such care.

“We have a catastrophic nutritional crisis on our hands with two-thirds of the country in a very serious or crisis level for acute malnutrition,” said John Aylieff, Afghanistan Country Director for the United Nations’ World Food Program. “This is the highest surge in malnutrition ever recorded in the country. And the lives of 4 million children are hanging in the balance.”

Following decades of warfare, Afghanistan has depended heavily on international assistance. However, when the Taliban seized control in 2021, direct foreign support ceased almost immediately, plunging millions deeper into destitution and starvation. The crisis has worsened due to economic collapse, prolonged drought, two major earthquakes in late 2025, and the deportation of 5.3 million Afghans primarily from Pakistan and Iran.

Currently, reduced funding to relief organizations, including suspended U.S. support for programs like the WFP’s food assistance, has eliminated crucial support for countless people.

“The aid cuts have been devastating,” Aylieff told The Associated Press. Regarding the 4 million severely malnourished children, “we are forced now to turn away three out of four of them because we simply don’t have the money.”

He described this situation as “unprecedented and I’ve never seen this in my more than 30-year-old career as a humanitarian.”

Among 17.4 million people experiencing severe hunger, the organization can currently assist only 2 million. Even those receiving help get reduced food portions.

International donors are stretching limited resources across multiple global emergencies, including Sudan’s famine and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. The WFP’s Afghanistan budget reached $600 million in 2024 following “very generous” donor contributions, Aylieff noted.

That amount dropped by half last year, with expectations of receiving even less — approximately $200 million — this year. This funding proves insufficient to address hunger that “is spiraling out of control,” he explained.

Abu Bakar’s family experienced this aid reduction firsthand.

“We once received assistance from an organization that helped us a lot with food,” said his mother, Latifa, 36, who, like many Afghans, goes by one name. However, that support ended three years ago, leaving them with nothing since.

Her construction worker husband has remained jobless for a year. Sometimes, she has absolutely nothing to feed her five sons.

“I am trying to provide food for my kids,” Latifa said, cradling her emaciated toddler in her arms. She doesn’t care if she doesn’t eat, she says. “I can control my hunger. I will handle it. But my child can’t.”

Rising hunger correlates with increased child deaths, Aylieff reported, with the WFP documenting over 500 child fatalities in recent months. He emphasized this figure represents “the tip of the iceberg” since many winter deaths occur in snow-blocked villages and go unreported.

“How many more Afghan children will die here before the world wakes up and realizes that that’s enough? Aylieff asked. “Before the world says, ‘OK, we’ve crossed a threshold, we are not willing to stand by anymore, and we’re coming now to help.’ How many? What is the number? I really don’t know.”

Sharara, 21, struggles to save her 6-month-old son Samir from joining those statistics.

Traveling from remote Badakhshan province, the mother of two moved between hospitals there and in Kunduz as medical staff worked to treat her critically ill infant, who suffers from cardiac issues and severe pneumonia worsened by malnutrition.

Finally reaching Kabul’s Ataturk Hospital malnutrition ward, Sharara, who also uses one name, remains deeply concerned.

“Doctors say his condition is currently critical,” she explained. During Samir’s 13-day hospitalization, he hasn’t gained any weight.

Afghanistan’s leadership acknowledges the nation’s hunger emergency and has increased malnutrition treatment centers from 800 to approximately 3,200, Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman informed the AP. During 2025, about 3 million malnourished children and mothers received treatment, he reported.

“Malnutrition is not a one-day problem. Malnutrition has been a problem in Afghanistan for decades due to poverty, war and other problems,” said Zaman, who is also a medical doctor.

Government officials have engaged with aid organizations, he noted, including those reducing funding or halting operations.

“Health is separate from politics. Providing health services is an inalienable right for all people,” Zaman said.

Women face particularly severe hunger impacts. Prohibited from most employment by the Taliban government’s strict women’s restrictions, widowed mothers are extremely vulnerable.

Many express such desperation they wish for death.

“As WFP, we’re getting more and more suicide calls from women because they just don’t know how to feed their children and they don’t know where to turn,” the WFP country director said.

WFP nutrition programs report a 30% surge in severely malnourished pregnant and nursing mothers, an increase Aylieff said nutrition experts had never witnessed before.

“These are the women to whom the world pledged unwavering solidarity in the aftermath of the takeover of the country in 2021. … Those same women are asking us, where is the solidarity of the international community?” Aylieff said.

“If I had one plea, it’s to not walk away from Afghan women who are now facing abject misery, hunger, malnutrition and watching their children die.”

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un showcased 50 new missile launch vehicles during a military ceremony this week, displaying his country’s growing nuclear threat against South Korea just before a significant ruling party gathering.

Kim’s sister, a senior foreign policy adviser, issued a separate statement acknowledging South Korea’s apology for alleged civilian drone flights over North Korean territory, while warning that the North will strengthen border defenses against what she called the “enemy” South.

Diplomatic ties between the two Koreas have remained frozen since 2019, following the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump over sanctions disputes. Tensions have escalated further as Kim abandoned North Korea’s historic commitment to peaceful reunification, instead promoting a hostile “two-state” approach that may be formally adopted during the upcoming Workers’ Party congress.

Official photographs revealed multiple launcher vehicles positioned outside the April 25th House of Culture, the same location where party congresses took place in 2016 and 2021.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, these vehicles operate 600-millimeter rocket launcher systems. Military analysts note that North Korea’s heavy artillery rockets function similarly to short-range ballistic missiles due to their self-propelled guidance systems. These weapons form part of Kim’s expanding arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range arms intended to overwhelm South Korean missile defense networks.

During his address, Kim described the “wonderful” rocket launchers as featuring artificial intelligence and sophisticated guidance systems designed for “strategic mission” purposes — language typically indicating nuclear capabilities. He announced that the forthcoming congress would outline new strategies to enhance his nuclear-armed forces, which already possess various weapons targeting U.S. regional allies and intercontinental missiles potentially capable of striking American territory.

Kim Yo Jong stated she “highly assesses” South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s apology concerning the alleged drone incidents, but warned of forceful retaliation if similar flights occur again. She confirmed plans to enhance military surveillance along the inter-Korean border.

“The border with an enemy state should naturally be firm,” she said.

Minister Chung announced Wednesday that Seoul was exploring the restoration of a suspended 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing border tensions, including establishment of a no-fly zone, as measures to prevent future drone incidents.

Last month, North Korea issued retaliation threats after claiming South Korea conducted surveillance drone operations in September and January. While Seoul’s government has denied official drone activities during those periods, law enforcement officials are investigating three civilians suspected of operating drones over North Korean territory from border regions.

DHAKA, Bangladesh – The newly installed Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, has committed to keeping food costs under control during Ramadan while working to restore order and rebuild the country’s economy after his party’s overwhelming election win.

The 60-year-old Rahman, whose father was the late President Ziaur Rahman and whose mother is former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, took the oath of office on Tuesday. He inherits a nation facing significant hurdles, including the need to restore political calm, regain investor trust, and revitalize crucial sectors like textile manufacturing following the 2024 unrest that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s administration.

During a broadcast to the nation on Wednesday evening, Rahman offered greetings for the beginning of Ramadan and cautioned merchants against taking advantage of consumers. Food staples including rice, cooking oil, sugar and lentils often see price spikes during the holy month as demand increases.

“Ramadan is a month of self-purification. This period should not increase public hardship,” Rahman said. “Do not treat Ramadan as a month for profit. Ensure essential goods remain affordable.”

The new leader’s comments address ongoing concerns about rising costs. The country’s yearly inflation rate reached 8.58% in January 2026, marking the highest level since May 2025, as food expenses continue pressuring family finances.

Rahman announced his administration would break up market cartels that take advantage of consumers and strengthen protections for both purchasers and vendors.

Establishing better law enforcement and implementing tough anti-corruption policies will top his government’s agenda, he stated. “The rule of law will be the final word in governing the state — not party influence, political power or coercion.”

The prime minister additionally revealed intentions to modernize and expand the country’s railroad system and enhance cooperation between transportation departments to build a unified transit network designed to reduce urban congestion and improve connections throughout the nation.

GENEVA — Diplomatic representatives from Russia and Ukraine wrapped up their latest round of American-facilitated negotiations Wednesday without achieving a major breakthrough, with both delegations characterizing the discussions as challenging as the war nears its fourth anniversary.

The Swiss meetings marked the third series of direct discussions coordinated by the United States, following earlier sessions this year in Abu Dhabi that officials called productive despite yielding limited concrete results. Going into the Geneva talks, anticipation for substantial advancement remained modest.

“The negotiations were not easy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated following the conclusion of talks, speaking by telephone from Kyiv with his diplomatic team.

Zelenskyy previously charged Russia with “trying to drag out negotiations” while continuing its military campaign — a claim he and European officials have consistently voiced before.

Nevertheless, Zelenskyy indicated some advancement occurred regarding military matters, though significant political gaps persist, particularly concerning the fate of eastern Ukrainian territory currently under Russian military control that President Vladimir Putin seeks to retain.

Vladimir Medinsky, who leads Russia’s delegation and serves as a Putin advisor, informed journalists that the two-day Geneva discussions “were difficult but businesslike.”

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov advised reporters it remains “too early” to assess the talks’ results. Putin has been receiving updates about the Geneva proceedings, Peskov noted.

Representatives from both nations confirmed plans for additional negotiating sessions.

Regarding military aspects, Zelenskyy characterized those conversations as “constructive,” noting that both countries’ armed forces examined potential monitoring mechanisms for any future ceasefire agreement.

“Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side,” he stated in an audio message distributed through a WhatsApp media group.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, posted on social media that Washington’s diplomatic efforts toward Ukrainian peace over recent months have “brought about meaningful progress,” though he provided no additional details.

Military forces from both nations continue engaging along the approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle zone, while Russia maintains daily bombardments of Ukrainian civilian locations.

Following Tuesday’s initial negotiating session, Russian drone attacks killed one woman and wounded both a 6-year-old girl and an 18-month-old child in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, according to local authorities.

During the night, Russia deployed one ballistic missile and 126 extended-range drones against Ukraine, Ukrainian air force officials reported.

Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian and American negotiators in Geneva conducted meetings with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

European involvement in diplomatic efforts remains “indispensable,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

European officials, recognizing Putin’s broader territorial ambitions, maintain their security depends on Ukraine’s outcome and have demanded inclusion in peace initiatives.

Russia and Ukraine continue displaying substantial disagreement over settlement conditions.

While Zelenskyy has proposed a ceasefire arrangement and direct discussions with Putin, Moscow demands a complete agreement prior to any truce commitment.

Putin maintains the objectives he announced when Russia began its invasion on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must abandon NATO membership aspirations, significantly reduce military forces, and safeguard Russian language and cultural interests to maintain the country within Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Putin also demands Ukrainian military withdrawal from four eastern regions Moscow occupies but doesn’t completely control.

Zelenskyy maintains Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.

Sources close to the matter reveal that Germany is exploring the acquisition of additional U.S.-manufactured F-35 fighter aircraft, a decision that would strengthen Berlin’s military ties with America while its collaborative European fighter initiative with France struggles to move forward.

According to two informed sources, German officials are engaged in discussions that could result in purchasing more than 35 extra jets. This would supplement the 35 aircraft Berlin ordered in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to commence later this year.

The possible procurement of additional Lockheed Martin stealth aircraft, each carrying a price tag exceeding $80 million, comes amid Washington’s push for European NATO members to boost their defense expenditures.

Should Germany proceed with all potential F-35 acquisitions alongside existing contracts, the nation’s fleet could reach approximately 85 aircraft. However, sources emphasize that the final decision remains undetermined.

Germany’s Defense Ministry has not provided immediate response to inquiries, while Pentagon officials directed questions back to German authorities. A Lockheed Martin representative stated the company remains focused on fulfilling Germany’s current F-35 orders.

Parliamentary sources indicated in October that Germany’s defense minister planned to order 15 additional F-35s, with an announcement expected in the near future, according to one source.

Growing Germany’s F-35 inventory would represent a notable strategic pivot toward enhanced military cooperation with the United States, moving away from European defense independence that France, a fellow EU member, strongly advocates.

Berlin and Paris find themselves at an impasse regarding their Future Combat Air System (FCAS) initiative, a troubled 100-billion-euro undertaking launched in 2017 to develop next-generation aircraft replacing French, German, and Spanish jets beginning in 2040. The emerging situation suggests both nations may ultimately abandon the FCAS effort.

Germany’s commitment to expanding its F-35 capabilities would carry significant implications for NATO, as the aircraft serves a crucial function in the alliance’s nuclear deterrent strategy.

Additional F-35 purchases would provide Germany breathing room to determine its approach to developing or partnering on future aircraft programs.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz raised questions Wednesday about whether his nation’s air force still requires a piloted sixth-generation fighter jet, as FCAS has attempted to create.

“Will we still need a manned fighter jet in 20 years’ time? Do we still need it, given that we will have to develop it at great expense?” Merz stated during Wednesday’s Machtwechsel podcast.

Germany’s 2022 F-35 purchase decision stemmed from NATO requirements to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons housed in Germany when necessary. The F-35 remains the sole Western fighter aircraft authorized to carry the latest B61 nuclear weapons and is essential for replacing Germany’s outdated Tornado jets currently performing this mission.

While defense insiders anticipate Germany and France will discontinue their joint fighter project, they expect continued collaboration on unmanned systems and digital warfare capabilities.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius indicated last week that FCAS’s future would be determined within days.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio will journey to Israel next week for discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, according to two Trump administration officials.

The meeting between Rubio and Netanyahu is scheduled for Feb. 28, the officials revealed Wednesday while requesting anonymity since the travel arrangements haven’t been formally announced.

The United States and Iran have conducted two rounds of indirect negotiations concerning the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities. Representatives from both nations have expressed cautious hope about potential progress this week, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that “a new window has opened” for achieving an agreement.

“In some ways, it went well,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance commented about the discussions during a Tuesday Fox News Channel interview. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”

Netanyahu traveled to the White House last week to press President Donald Trump to guarantee that any nuclear agreement with Iran would also address Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities and halt its support for proxy organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Trump is considering military strikes against Tehran while the administration increases military presence in the region, sparking worries that any assault could escalate into broader Middle Eastern warfare.

During a Friday press briefing, Trump told journalists that regime change in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” He continued, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”

The Trump administration has sent the USS Gerald R. Ford, the globe’s largest aircraft carrier, from Caribbean waters to the Middle East to accompany a second carrier along with additional warships and military equipment already positioned in the area.

Numerous U.S. fighter aircraft, including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s, have departed American and European installations in recent days bound for the Middle East, the Military Air Tracking Alliance reports. This organization consists of approximately 30 open-source intelligence specialists who regularly monitor military and government aviation movements.

The group indicates it has also documented more than 85 refueling tankers and over 170 transport aircraft moving toward the region.

Steffan Watkins, a Canada-based researcher and MATA member, reported observing support aircraft including six military early-warning E-3 planes heading to a Saudi Arabian installation.

These aircraft serve crucial roles in coordinating large-scale aviation operations. According to Watkins, they were relocated from installations in Japan, Germany and Hawaii.

Russia’s top diplomat issued a stern warning Wednesday against potential American military action targeting Iran, cautioning that such strikes could trigger severe repercussions across the region.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made his remarks during a televised interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya network, which aired one day following indirect negotiations between American and Iranian representatives in Geneva aimed at preventing further escalation between Washington and Tehran.

“The consequences are not good. There have already been strikes on Iran on nuclear sites under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency. From what we can judge there were real risks of a nuclear incident,” Lavrov stated during the interview, which appeared on his ministry’s official website.

“I am carefully watching reactions in the region from Arab countries, Gulf monarchies. No one wants an increase in tension. Everyone understands this is playing with fire.”

The Russian minister emphasized that escalating hostilities could reverse recent diplomatic progress, particularly the improved relationship between Iran and regional neighbors like Saudi Arabia.

According to a high-ranking American official who spoke with Reuters Wednesday, Iran is anticipated to provide a written response outlining potential solutions to end the diplomatic impasse with the United States following the Geneva discussions.

The same official revealed that White House national security advisers convened Wednesday and received briefings indicating all American military assets sent to the region should be positioned by mid-March.

Washington continues demanding Iran abandon its nuclear activities, while Tehran has consistently rejected these demands and maintains it is not pursuing atomic weapons development.

Lavrov noted that Middle Eastern nations are communicating with Washington “clearly calling for restraint and a search for an agreement that will not infringe on Iran’s lawful rights and … guarantee that Iran has a purely peaceful nuclear enrichment programme.”

The foreign minister added that Moscow maintains consistent communication with Iranian leadership “and we have no reason to doubt that Iran sincerely wants to resolve this problem on the basis of observing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

GENEVA — Wednesday marked the end of another round of American-facilitated peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, with both nations characterizing the discussions as challenging and yielding no major breakthroughs as the conflict approaches its fourth anniversary next week.

The Switzerland meetings represented the third series of direct negotiations organized by the United States, following earlier sessions in Abu Dhabi this year that officials called productive despite limited concrete results. Going into the Geneva talks, expectations for substantial progress remained modest.

“The negotiations were not easy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated following the conclusion of talks, speaking by telephone from Kyiv with his negotiating representatives.

Zelenskyy previously criticized Russia for “trying to drag out negotiations” while continuing its military campaign — a charge he and European officials have made repeatedly throughout the conflict.

However, Zelenskyy acknowledged that some advancement occurred on military matters, though significant political divisions persist, particularly regarding the fate of eastern Ukrainian territories currently under Russian military control that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to retain.

Vladimir Medinsky, who leads Russia’s delegation and serves as a Putin advisor, informed journalists that the two-day Geneva discussions “were difficult but businesslike.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated to reporters that discussing the talks’ outcomes remains “too early.” He noted that Putin has been receiving updates about the Geneva proceedings.

Both delegations confirmed plans for additional negotiation rounds.

Regarding military discussions, Zelenskyy characterized them as “constructive,” noting that both countries’ armed forces examined potential ceasefire monitoring mechanisms.

“Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side,” he stated in a voice message distributed through a media WhatsApp group.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, posted on social media that Washington’s year-long peace efforts in Ukraine have “brought about meaningful progress,” though he provided no specific details.

The opposing forces continue fighting along an approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle line, while Russia maintains daily bombardments of Ukrainian civilian areas.

Following Tuesday’s initial day of talks, Russian drone attacks killed one woman and wounded a 6-year-old girl and 18-month-old child in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, according to local officials.

During the overnight hours, Russia deployed one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones against Ukraine, Ukrainian air force reports indicated.

Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian and American negotiators in Geneva conducted meetings with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

European involvement in the negotiation process remains “indispensable,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

European officials, concerned about Putin’s broader territorial ambitions, maintain that their own security depends on Ukraine’s outcome and have demanded inclusion in peace discussions.

Russia and Ukraine continue to maintain significantly different positions regarding settlement terms.

While Zelenskyy has proposed a ceasefire and direct meeting with Putin, Moscow demands a comprehensive agreement prior to any truce commitment.

Putin’s primary objectives remain unchanged from Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion: Ukraine must abandon NATO membership aspirations, drastically reduce military forces, and safeguard Russian language and cultural interests to maintain the country within Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Putin also demands Ukrainian military withdrawal from four eastern regions that Moscow occupies but doesn’t completely control.

Zelenskyy maintains that Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.

CARACAS, Venezuela — A top U.S. military commander traveled to Venezuela’s capital this week for extensive discussions with the country’s acting leadership, marking another significant diplomatic development following the recent capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Marine General Francis Donovan, who leads U.S. Southern Command overseeing military operations across Latin America, spent several hours Wednesday in meetings with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and key cabinet officials. The Venezuelan government and American military command each confirmed the high-level visit through their respective social media channels.

According to Venezuelan officials, Donovan held talks with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during his time in Caracas.

The diplomatic engagement follows just weeks after U.S. military forces conducted a dramatic operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and subsequent transport to America, where he now faces charges related to drug trafficking.

“During this meeting, both countries agreed to work on developing a bilateral cooperation agenda to combat illicit drug trafficking in our region, terrorism, and migration,” Rodríguez’s press office stated in a social media post. “The meeting reaffirms that diplomacy should be the mechanism for resolving differences and addressing issues of binational and regional interest, of interest to all parties.”

The U.S. delegation included Laura Dogu, America’s senior diplomatic representative in Venezuela, along with Joseph Humire, who serves as acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas affairs.

American military officials described the talks as centering on regional security matters affecting Venezuela and the broader Western Hemisphere, plus discussions about implementing President Donald Trump’s gradual approach toward the South American nation.

This represents the most recent in a series of high-profile American visits to Venezuela. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to meet with Rodríguez just two weeks following Maduro’s removal from power, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright conducted meetings with Venezuelan leadership last week as part of an evaluation of the nation’s petroleum sector.

Canada announced significant changes to its immigration framework on Wednesday, establishing new priority pathways for skilled professionals in crucial sectors including healthcare, research, aviation, and military service.

The revamped system supports Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strategy to decrease overall permanent residency numbers while strategically recruiting qualified workers and academics, along with strengthening defense capabilities to reduce reliance on the United States.

Officials stated the modifications aim to return immigration levels to manageable numbers while addressing workforce gaps in essential industries. The Canadian government has been working in recent years to lower immigrant numbers to alleviate pressure on housing markets and public services.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab explained that the 2026 modifications to the Express Entry program will help draw talent capable of making immediate contributions as Canada confronts worker shortages in vital areas.

The updated priority categories encompass researchers, executive-level managers, transportation industry professionals including pilots and aircraft technicians, and foreign physicians with Canadian work experience. The system will also welcome skilled international military candidates recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces, such as military medical professionals, nurses, and aviators.

“Canada’s future depends on a workforce ready for a changing economy,” Diab stated.

In an effort to decrease dependence on the United States, Carney unveiled a comprehensive defense plan on Tuesday targeting the next ten years. The strategy seeks to increase government defense research and development investment by 85%, expand defense industry revenue by over 240%, grow defense exports by 50%, and generate as many as 125,000 high-quality employment opportunities.

Following other NATO alliance members, Canada has committed to increasing defense expenditure to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035.

Current Express Entry invitation rounds for existing categories — covering French-speaking applicants, healthcare professionals, and skilled trade workers — will remain active alongside these new focused programs.

A critical verdict awaits former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday as the Seoul Central District Court prepares to determine whether he orchestrated an insurrection through his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.

The ruling represents the most significant legal challenge yet for the deposed leader, whose emergency rule attempt sparked a nationwide political upheaval and put the nation’s democratic foundations to the test.

In January, prosecutors demanded the ultimate punishment, stating “his unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law undermined the function of the National Assembly and the Election Commission… actually destroying the liberal democratic constitutional order.”

Under South Korean legal statutes, orchestrating an insurrection can result in either capital punishment or life behind bars. The country’s last death sentence was issued in 2016, though no executions have occurred since 1997.

Heavy security surrounded the Seoul Central District Court Thursday, with law enforcement vehicles creating a protective barrier around the courthouse.

Beyond the insurrection allegations, the court will address accusations that Yoon overstepped his authority by commanding military forces to invade parliament and arrest political rivals, while also deploying personnel to restrict access to opposition party headquarters.

The 65-year-old defendant has rejected all accusations. The former prosecutor with conservative leanings maintained he possessed presidential powers to enact martial law, claiming his actions were meant to highlight how opposition groups were blocking governmental functions.

Currently held at Seoul Detention Centre, the former president will likely stay incarcerated whatever Thursday’s outcome brings. A guilty verdict would prompt an expected appeal, while acquittal wouldn’t end his extensive legal troubles.

Yoon confronts eight different court cases and already received a five-year prison term in January for charges including interfering with arrest efforts following his martial law announcement. He has challenged that conviction.

Though Yoon’s emergency rule lasted merely six hours before massive public demonstrations and parliamentary rejection ended it, the incident shocked South Korea – Asia’s fourth-largest economic power, a crucial American security partner, and a nation long viewed as having one of the world’s strongest democracies.

Current President Lee Jae Myung, who assumed office through a special election in June after Yoon’s removal, praised Korean citizens on social media platform X Thursday for stopping the martial law implementation.

“It was possible because it was the Republic of Korea,” Lee stated, referencing the country’s formal name and adding that the Korean people would stand as an inspiration throughout human history.

His message accompanied a news report discussing academic proposals to nominate the Korean public for a Nobel Peace Prize for their peaceful resistance against military and police forces during the martial law crisis.

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The memories of better times weigh heavily on Waleed al Zamli’s mind as he reflects on what Ramadan used to mean for his family. Traditional lanterns brightening his children’s faces. Sweet treats shared among loved ones. Elaborate meals prepared with care.

“We used to welcome this holy month with such joy,” said al Zamli, a father of eleven children now living in the overcrowded Muwasi tent settlement after being forced to abandon their home during Israel’s military campaign.

Those days of celebration feel like a distant memory now, he explained.

The weight of being unable to care for his large family in their current circumstances brings al Zamli deep sorrow. His workplace was demolished during the conflict, leaving him without employment, he explained.

When it came time for Wednesday’s first iftar meal to break the daily fast, al Zamli’s wife collected food from a charitable kitchen that has become their lifeline. She prepared soup as an accompaniment to stretch the donated meal.

“Joy has abandoned us this year,” al Zamli stated.

The holy month of Ramadan has begun in Gaza during a tentative ceasefire agreement, yet Palestinian residents report that the season’s traditional celebratory atmosphere remains absent as they navigate ongoing hardships and mourn losses from the prolonged conflict.

The struggles were evident at the charitable kitchen location, where crowds of people pressed forward with outstretched hands, clutching empty containers in hopes of receiving food. The desperate group included young children, mothers, and senior citizens all competing for assistance.

Throughout Ramadan, practicing Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset each day. The period emphasizes enhanced prayer, spiritual contemplation, and charitable giving. Under typical conditions, the month creates opportunities for families and communities to gather for celebratory fast-breaking meals.

However, conditions in Gaza remain anything but typical. The Israeli military campaign has resulted in over 72,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while causing extensive infrastructure damage and forcing most residents from their homes. Israel initiated this offensive following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters that killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and resulted in 251 individuals being taken hostage.

Al Zamli identifies securing adequate nutrition for his family as his greatest Ramadan challenge. He reports receiving minimal humanitarian assistance. Essential foods including meat and poultry now cost significantly more than before the conflict began, he noted, making many necessities impossible to afford without steady income.

“My children long to experience the same happiness as other kids – to dress nicely and enjoy clean, special food,” he shared.

These economic pressures become particularly intense during Ramadan, al Zamli observed. Normally, families flood marketplaces to purchase food supplies, decorative items, and other seasonal necessities. Food takes on special significance as the daily fasting period transitions into nourishing iftar dinners that can be quite elaborate for some families. Muslims also consume a pre-dawn meal called suhoor to sustain themselves through the fasting hours.

Gaza residents shopping at markets this week expressed frustration over how financial difficulties have dampened the month’s spirit.

Nevertheless, despite these challenges, some Gaza Strip residents have made efforts to recreate elements of traditional Ramadan celebrations – including displaying decorative strings among damaged buildings. At al Zamli’s displacement camp, his children created makeshift Ramadan lanterns using discarded soda cans.

The October 10 ceasefire agreement, facilitated by the United States, aimed to end more than two years of warfare between Israeli forces and Hamas. Although major combat operations have decreased, the ceasefire period has still witnessed near-daily Israeli military action.

Israeli military units have conducted multiple aerial bombardments and regularly opened fire on Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas, resulting in over 600 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that United Nations agencies and independent analysts generally consider credible. However, their records do not separate civilian and combatant deaths.

Armed groups have launched attacks against Israeli military personnel, with Israel claiming its strikes respond to these and other ceasefire violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died during this period.

Even with some relief provided by the unstable ceasefire arrangement, numerous daily challenges continue affecting residents.

Al Zamli explained that the war has taken many precious things from his family. A son-in-law was killed shortly after marrying his daughter, who is now a widow, he said.

During this Ramadan season, his prayers focus on ending “the violence and bloodshed” and experiencing “security, peace, and calm,” along with gaining “the ability to provide quality food and clothing for our children.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Javier Milei departed Wednesday for his fourteenth visit to the United States, where he will participate in President Donald Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace initiative session. Milei is also scheduled to join Trump’s regional gathering in Miami on March 7, bringing together Latin American leaders who support the White House’s political direction.

These diplomatic missions occur as Trump works to strengthen partnerships aimed at reducing Chinese influence across Latin America, while Milei navigates delicate international relations — aligning his nation’s foreign policy with Washington’s vision while simultaneously deepening economic connections with Beijing, Argentina’s primary trade partner.

Despite calling Beijing’s Communist leadership “assassins” during his campaign, political analysts note that after two years in office, Milei clearly cannot sever ties with China.

Benjamin Gedan, who leads the Latin American program at the Wilson Center, explained: “Argentina relies on China’s insatiable demand for South America’s energy, food and minerals, and the United States will never replace that market.”

Recent government statistics show China became Argentina’s primary trading partner this past December, surpassing neighboring Brazil three months prior. Argentine shipments to China jumped 125% compared to the previous year, while imports increased 26%.

Mariano Turzi, an international relations professor at Austral University near Buenos Aires, described the situation as paradoxical: “It’s the great irony of Milei’s administration. Milei rhetorically seeks to distance himself from China. But it was under Milei’s anti-communist libertarian government that China gained greater ground in the Argentine market.”

Milei’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Business leaders have praised Milei’s efforts to control runaway inflation and ease strict capital restrictions. However, his elimination of tariff protections and reduction in public infrastructure spending have damaged domestic manufacturers in this historically protectionist country. Argentine producers, facing some of Latin America’s heaviest tax burdens, express concerns about unfair international competition, especially from China.

The recent arrival of Chinese electric vehicles at an Argentine port last month ignited heated discussions, coinciding with multiple factory shutdowns and contrasting with other nations like Mexico, which imposed steep tariffs on Chinese EVs to align with Washington’s stance.

Major tire producer Fate ceased operations Wednesday, eliminating over 900 jobs. The company blamed “changes in market conditions,” which local news outlets widely understood as referring to Chinese competition among other challenges.

Labor ministry officials ordered a 15-day halt to the layoffs Thursday, providing time for company-union negotiations, though the company indicated it would close permanently regardless.

Chinese investment has funded hydroelectric dam construction and solar energy facilities throughout Argentina, with significant stakes in crucial sectors including the nation’s rapidly developing mining operations. Chinese corporation Ganfeng Lithium has invested billions in lithium reserves located in Argentina’s northern regions.

A Chinese space installation in southern Neuquen province, which US officials claim could serve military functions and represents China’s first such overseas facility, has operated for several years.

During Milei’s most challenging presidential period — approaching October 2025 midterm elections amid market instability — Washington provided $20 billion in financial assistance to support the Trump ally’s political future and prevent further peso devaluation.

This significant intervention reflects the Trump administration’s implementation of what it calls a contemporary version of the Monroe Doctrine — the 1823 declaration warning European nations about American authority in the Western Hemisphere.

Following Trump’s controversial Argentine financial rescue, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Fox News that Milei was “committed to getting China out” of the South American country.

However, months afterward, little evidence supports this claim, as Argentine officials emphasize that their nation’s strong US relationship does not damage ties with China.

Despite Argentina and the US signing an extensive trade agreement this month, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno recently informed Buenos Aires reporters that the agreement “does not imply that China cannot participate or will not participate in investments in Argentina.”

Wilson Center’s Gedan noted that despite Milei’s frequent visits to Mar-a-Lago and Washington, Argentina demonstrates “a great example of the limitations of the Monroe Doctrine.”

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un announced that his government will establish fresh defense objectives during a major political assembly scheduled for this week, according to state-controlled media reports released Thursday.

The announcement came as Kim participated in a presentation ceremony for 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers being delivered to the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, along with a groundbreaking event for a construction initiative in Pyongyang’s Hwasong District on Thursday.

Leading up to this month’s Ninth Congress, Kim has been highlighting achievements from various national initiatives. This political assembly represents the nation’s most significant governmental meeting, where officials evaluate past performance, establish future policy objectives, and potentially implement leadership transitions.

During his remarks at the rocket launcher presentation, Kim stated, “The Ninth Congress of our Party will declare the next phase of self-reliant defence’s initiative and goal,” as reported by state news agency KCNA.

He continued, “The project of constantly renewing our military capabilities that can strongly subdue any threats and challenges from outside forces will accelerate.”

According to Hong Min, a researcher with Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification, the Ninth Congress could begin as early as Thursday or Friday of this week.