Category: World News

While prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians appear bleak, business entrepreneurs from both communities are forging partnerships that demonstrate cooperation remains possible despite deep divisions.

The 50:50 Startups program continues to bring together Arab and Jewish business founders who collaborate on ventures that span the conflict lines. However, this year’s group of participants is notably smaller than in previous years due to travel limitations caused by the ongoing war.

Program co-founder Amir Grinsteen established the initiative seven years ago with the belief that joint business ventures could create enduring connections between the two communities, potentially advancing peace efforts through economic collaboration.

The entrepreneurs’ willingness to work together offers a glimpse of what cooperation might look like, even as broader political reconciliation efforts have stalled.

Citizens of Cyprus headed to voting stations Sunday for a parliamentary election anticipated to strengthen anti-corruption advocates and far-right movements while diminishing centrist political parties that support President Nikos Christodoulides.

The election, being monitored closely as an indicator of public opinion before the 2028 presidential race, saw more than half a million eligible voters choosing 56 legislators from an unprecedented pool of 753 candidates.

While Cyprus operates under a presidential government structure, Sunday’s election serves as a measure of support for Christodoulides, who lacks his own political party and depends on other parties’ support to advance legislative initiatives.

Voting concluded at 1500 GMT, with definitive results anticipated approximately two hours afterward.

Political newcomers appeared positioned to make advances as three centrist parties – Diko, Dipa and EDEK – that currently back the president faced weakening voter support for at least two of them, according to recent polling data.

The nation’s established political organizations, including right-wing DISY and Communist AKEL parties, have similarly been ceding influence to emerging political movements.

Polling data indicated advances for far-right ELAM party, along with political newcomers ALMA and Volt, which have focused their campaigns on improved transparency and eliminating corruption – a concern ranking high among voter priorities.

Sunday’s election results may compel Christodoulides to pursue backing from different sources, according to political observers, with some indicating that ELAM and DISY might be potential partners. Neither Christodoulides nor the two parties have made statements regarding potential post-election partnerships.

The election occurred amid ongoing cost-of-living challenges, housing affordability issues and migration concerns – topics that have shaped political discussion in the European Union member nation during recent months.

MOSCOW, May 24 – Russian military forces launched overnight strikes against Ukrainian targets using four different missile systems – Oreshnik, Iskander, Kinzhal and Zircon weapons – according to reports from Russian state media outlets on Sunday.

Moscow characterized the attacks as a response to Ukrainian strikes against civilian areas within Russian territory, state news agencies reported.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, as quoted by the Interfax news agency, the missile strikes successfully targeted Ukrainian military command centers, air bases and facilities connected to Ukraine’s defense manufacturing sector.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the military claims from the battlefield.

BEIJING, May 24 – Fatal flooding in China’s Chongqing municipality has claimed three lives while 17 individuals remain unaccounted for, according to reports from China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.

The casualty count was updated as of 2:30 pm (0630 GMT) on Sunday, following intense rainfall that struck Chongqing’s Yongchuan district beginning Saturday evening and continuing into the early morning hours of Sunday, Xinhua reported.

Emergency rescue operations are currently in progress.

China’s national planning agency has designated 20 million yuan ($2.94 million) from central government funds to support disaster recovery efforts and rebuild damaged infrastructure and public services in Chongqing, according to an announcement made Sunday on the National Development and Reform Commission’s official WeChat platform.

($1 = 6.7945 Chinese yuan renminbi)

A deadly blast along railway tracks in Quetta, Pakistan has claimed the lives of at least 24 individuals, according to reports from Al Arabiya news outlet on Sunday, which cited official sources.

The explosion also left more than 50 people wounded and caused a cargo train to derail, with gunshots heard following the initial blast, Al Jazeera reported.

Maritime tensions escalated for a second consecutive day as Taiwanese and Chinese coast guard vessels maintained a tense face-off near the Pratas islands in the South China Sea, Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported on Sunday.

Beijing considers democratically ruled Taiwan part of its territory, a claim that the government in Taipei disputes. Over the last five years, China has intensified military activities around the island as part of its pressure campaign against Taiwan.

The Pratas islands, positioned between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong under Taiwanese control, are considered by security analysts to be particularly susceptible to Chinese assault given their remote location more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Taiwan’s main island.

According to Taiwan’s Coast Guard, they detected a Chinese Coast Guard vessel approaching the Pratas on Saturday and quickly deployed their own ship, which issued warnings. The two vessels then “engaged in an intense verbal confrontation over sovereignty via radio.”

The Chinese vessel announced it was conducting routine operations and declared that China possessed sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Pratas, Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported.

“Please do not destroy peace. You should return and strive for democracy. That is the correct way to serve your country,” the Taiwanese ship responded, according to footage released by Taiwan’s coast guard.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not provide a response when contacted for comment.

A Taiwan Coast Guard official informed Reuters that the Chinese vessel remained positioned 21 nautical miles northeast of the Pratas, with the standoff ongoing as of Sunday afternoon.

The official, who requested anonymity due to the delicate nature of the situation, noted that China’s language regarding jurisdiction and sovereignty was uncommon, as was the extended duration of its presence in waters so near the Pratas.

The Pratas, which form an atoll that also serves as a Taiwanese national park, receive minimal defense coverage from Taiwan, with coast guard units rather than military forces responsible for protection.

Earlier this year in January, Taiwan reported that a Chinese surveillance drone momentarily flew over the Pratas, which Taiwan’s defense ministry characterized as a “provocative and irresponsible” action.

Polish authorities are investigating a fraudulent emergency call that led firefighters to break into a Gdansk apartment belonging to a relative of President Karol Nawrocki on Saturday, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The prime minister convened an emergency meeting of the Government Security Center on Sunday following the bogus report, which he described as part of an escalating pattern of fake emergency calls targeting the country.

According to the interior ministry, emergency dispatchers received a report claiming there was a fire at the apartment. First responders were deployed to the scene, where firefighters forced entry into the residence of Nawrocki’s family member.

“The apartment was inspected and found no fire hazard or injured persons, as the premises were empty. Due to the situation, the police are conducting an investigation to identify the perpetrators,” a spokesperson for the interior ministry stated.

Prime Minister Tusk characterized the event as “another telephone provocation” and acknowledged that while emergency responders acted appropriately, officials must examine current protocols for detecting such hoax calls and work swiftly to catch those responsible.

“The provocateurs’ actions are aimed at national security. At all of us. We will use all available methods to identify and apprehend the saboteurs, regardless of where they come from or who directs them,” Tusk posted on the social media platform X.

QUETTA, Pakistan — An explosive device detonated alongside railroad tracks in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday as a passenger train traveled through the area, injuring more than 30 people, according to local authorities.

Video footage posted online showed the blast’s impact caused two train cars to flip over and ignite, creating dense black smoke that billowed into the sky.

The bombing occurred in a location where security personnel are typically positioned, severely damaging multiple nearby structures and destroying over a dozen parked cars along the street, witnesses and social media images revealed.

Medical staff at area hospitals reported treating more than 30 injured victims, with several patients in critical condition.

Balochistan government official Babar Yousafzai confirmed that authorities were continuing their investigation into the explosion but declined to provide additional information.

Quetta serves as the provincial capital of Balochistan, a region plagued by ongoing insurgent activity.

The province, rich in oil and mineral resources, has experienced a prolonged low-intensity insurgency led by separatist organizations like the banned Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, which seeks independence from Pakistan’s federal government. These militant groups regularly attack security personnel, government facilities and civilians throughout the province and other parts of the nation.

While no organization has yet taken credit for Sunday’s bombing, investigators will likely examine the BLA’s involvement, as the group has accepted responsibility for comparable incidents previously.

Despite Pakistani officials’ claims of successfully suppressing the insurgency, attacks in Balochistan continue to occur.

Earlier in 2024, a suicide bombing at a Balochistan railway station claimed at least 26 lives, including military personnel.

Emergency teams in northern China continued their search for survivors Sunday following a catastrophic gas explosion that claimed at least 82 lives at a coal mining facility, marking the nation’s most devastating mining disaster in recent years.

The deadly incident occurred Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine situated in Qinyuan county within Changzhi city. An Associated Press journalist observed law enforcement and security personnel stationed at the mining site’s entrance while emergency response vehicles remained positioned throughout the area.

State media outlets reported that hundreds of emergency responders and medical staff were deployed to assist in the ongoing rescue operations.

Following the tragic gas explosion in Shanxi province, Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded a complete investigation and called for holding accountable all parties responsible for the disaster.

During a Saturday evening press briefing, local authorities confirmed that two individuals remain unaccounted for while numerous miners received hospital treatment. Officials revised the fatality count downward from an initial report of 90 deaths, citing confusion at the scene and incorrect information supplied by the mining company as reasons for the earlier discrepancy.

According to state media accounts, some hospitalized miners remembered observing smoke during the incident before losing consciousness.

Local authorities stated the coal mining operation had committed “serious” legal violations, though they declined to specify the exact nature of these infractions. China’s state broadcaster CCTV previously reported that facility blueprints submitted by the Liushenyu coal mine failed to accurately represent the actual underground structure, creating obstacles for rescue teams.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that individuals responsible for the company operating the mine had been “placed under control.”

In response to the tragedy, local government officials announced plans for a “comprehensive, blanket” examination of the coal mining industry, including evaluations of gas drainage systems, ventilation equipment, safety monitoring technology, and underground facility layouts.

Shanxi province, an inland region situated southwest of Beijing with approximately 34 million residents, serves as China’s primary coal-producing area where hundreds of thousands of workers are employed in mining operations.

An extensive review of coal mining operations could impact the province’s capacity to maintain its yearly output of roughly 1.3 billion tons of coal, representing nearly one-third of China’s total production.

Despite the country’s push toward renewable energy sources, coal continues to play a significant role in China’s energy portfolio due to its abundant supply and affordability. While mining incidents have historically been frequent, government officials have introduced various safety improvement measures in recent years.

An explosive device detonated close to railway tracks in Pakistan’s Quetta as a passenger train traveled through the area, injuring more than 30 people, according to a report from the Associated Press on Sunday that cited local officials.

Medical personnel reported that area hospitals treated over 30 injured individuals, with multiple victims in serious condition, according to the report.

Authorities in Australia report that a 39-year-old man lost his life following a shark encounter at the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday, marking the nation’s second deadly shark incident within the past month.

According to a Queensland Police Service spokesperson, the victim suffered bite injuries near Kennedy Shoal, a reef area located approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Queensland’s coastline in northeastern Australia. Emergency responders transported the man to shore where medical personnel were waiting.

Despite immediate medical attention upon reaching land, the man succumbed to his injuries, officials confirmed. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity.

This tragedy comes just over a week after another fatal shark encounter that claimed the life of a 38-year-old individual near Perth in Western Australia on May 16.

While Australia experiences approximately 20 shark encounters annually, conservation data shows most incidents do not result in death. Beach drownings claim significantly more lives than shark attacks across the continent.

Earlier this year in January, authorities temporarily shut down numerous beaches along Australia’s eastern coastline, including those in Sydney, following four shark encounters within a 48-hour period. Officials attributed those incidents to heavy rainfall that created cloudy water conditions, which tend to draw sharks closer to shore while limiting their ability to see clearly.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted diplomatic discussions with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday as both nations work to stabilize relations that have deteriorated to their worst state in more than twenty years.

The diplomatic mission occurs amid significant economic and political tensions between Washington and New Delhi, primarily caused by tariff measures implemented by President Donald Trump that increased import duties on numerous Indian products.

Rubio landed in India on Saturday for his inaugural official diplomatic visit to the country, scheduled ahead of Tuesday’s gathering with officials from India, Australia and Japan – the four nations comprising the Indo-Pacific coalition called the Quad.

“India is at the cornerstone of how the United States approaches the Indo-Pacific, and not just through the Quad, but bilaterally,” Rubio said in New Delhi.

The Secretary of State’s four-day diplomatic mission includes visits to multiple cities and attendance at a formal celebration in New Delhi commemorating America’s 250th independence anniversary.

“In the past one year, statements and rhetoric coming from Washington on some of India’s most sensitive security concerns and trade matters have not been helpful and have created a trust deficit,” said Ashok Malik, a former policy adviser in India’s Foreign Ministry.

“Certain misgivings will remain,” Malik added, noting Rubio’s visit will be considered an achievement if the talks somewhat stabilize the relationship and check further deterioration.

Policy analysts note tensions between America’s worldwide strategic objectives and India’s goals as a developing regional power. With historical connections to Russia, India has consistently displayed reluctance as it develops closer American ties, demonstrating India’s persistent skepticism of U.S. motives based on cultural distinctions and Cold War-period attitudes.

Nevertheless, Indian-American relations gradually strengthened over twenty years into an extensive strategic alliance, increasingly influenced recently by mutual concerns regarding China’s expanding aggression in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed diplomatically through Quad discussions.

The Quad alliance has consistently criticized China for demonstrating military strength in the South China Sea and forcefully advancing its ocean territory demands. Beijing argues its military operations are entirely defensive to safeguard what it describes as China’s legitimate territorial rights and characterizes the Quad as efforts to limit its economic development and regional power.

Following the presidential inauguration in January 2025, Rubio’s initial formal overseas diplomatic activity involved conferences with Quad nation foreign ministers in group and individual meetings.

Nevertheless, multiple incidents since the previous year have pushed diplomatic relations to their current low point.

Despite strong connections and frequent perception as political partners, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi minimized Trump’s contribution in negotiating a ceasefire following brief India-Pakistan military hostilities sparked by the April 2025 attack on predominantly Hindu visitors in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Meanwhile, Pakistan actively pursued Trump’s support and even promoted him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Economic disputes emerged subsequently, with the Trump administration implementing tariffs against India regarding its reduced-price Russian oil purchases that further damaged relations between both countries.

“In India, there is some skepticism about U.S. policy and predictability,” said Malik, who heads the India chapter of The Asia Group advisory firm in the U.S. He said what has happened in the past year between India and the U.S. “can’t be forgotten or erased easily.”

When conflict erupted in Iran during February, America increased cooperation with Pakistan, which presented itself as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, heightening concerns in New Delhi. Trump’s recent prominent diplomatic visit to China has further increased India’s uneasiness.

Indian-American relations face challenges “due to a few structural tensions and Trump only brought them to the fore,” said Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

“New Delhi’s foreign policy, increasingly colored by its domestic politics, has become more black-and-white in the last decade, as evidenced by its deep discomfort with the U.S.’s ties with Pakistan and its moves toward detente with China,” Donthi said.

Policy experts suggest these developments demonstrate the increasing complexity of Indian-American relations founded on mutual strategic objectives, yet progressively influenced by conflicting priorities and an evolving global political environment.

“New Delhi is likely to exercise strategic patience and wait for Trump to leave office,” Donthi said. “India would hope that the bipartisan consensus on India in the U.S. survives his term and that it can start building on that again.”

Iranian officials carried out the execution of an individual accused of espionage activities involving the United States and Israel, according to reports from the country’s judicial authorities on Sunday.

The executed person, named as Mojtaba Kian, had been convicted of transmitting sensitive information about Iran’s military defense capabilities to what officials described as “the enemy,” the judiciary’s Mizan news agency stated.

The charges were connected to alleged intelligence sharing that occurred during wartime operations, Iranian judicial sources reported.

The United States and Iran are reportedly nearing completion of an agreement that would extend a ceasefire for two months while reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Saturday report from Axios citing a U.S. official.

The news outlet reports that under the proposed 60-day arrangement, the Strait of Hormuz would operate without tolls, and Iran would commit to removing mines it has placed in the waterway to ensure safe passage for vessels.

As part of the arrangement, the United States would end its blockade of Iranian ports and provide certain sanctions exemptions to permit Iran’s unrestricted oil sales, according to the report.

The potential agreement would also require Iran to pledge never to develop nuclear weapons and to enter discussions about halting its uranium enrichment activities while eliminating its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Axios reported.

Two sources informed Axios that Iran has provided verbal assurances through intermediaries regarding the extent of concessions it would make concerning enrichment suspension and surrendering nuclear materials.

The United States would also commit to discussions about removing sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets during the two-month timeframe, according to the Axios report.

The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment from Reuters regarding the report.

Chinese authorities have revised downward the number of fatalities from a catastrophic coal mine explosion, announcing Saturday evening that 82 people died in what officials are calling the country’s most devastating mining incident in nearly two decades.

The deadly gas explosion occurred Friday night at the Liushenyu coal mine located in China’s northern Shanxi province. Early reports from government media outlets had indicated that at least 90 workers lost their lives in the blast.

Despite the reduced casualty count, this tragedy still stands as China’s most fatal mining incident since 2009, when 108 workers perished in a gas explosion at the Xinxing Mine in Heilongjiang province.

Authorities explained during Saturday’s press briefing that confusion following the disaster resulted in the original incorrect fatality count.

“After the incident the scene was chaotic, the company’s count of the number of workers was not clear, which led to the initial inaccurate number,” said Guo Xiaofang, the head of Shanxi’s Qinyuan county, where the mine is located.

At the time the explosion occurred, 247 workers were performing their duties below ground.

According to Guo, two individuals remain missing, while 128 workers sustained injuries requiring hospitalization and 35 escaped without harm.

The mining facility operates under the ownership of Shanxi Tongzhou Coal Coking Group, and authorities have shuttered all four of the company’s mining operations while detaining corporate leadership, officials announced during the news briefing.

A front-page editorial appeared Sunday morning in the state-controlled People’s Daily newspaper, demanding increased focus on workplace safety and urging officials to “completely reverse the tendency to prioritise development over safety.”

According to Xinhua news agency, President Xi Jinping issued orders Saturday for authorities to “spare no effort” in providing medical care to survivors and continuing search and rescue efforts. The president also mandated a full investigation into the disaster.

Officials revealed during the press conference that the mining operation has an annual coal production capacity of 1.2 million tons. China extracted 4.83 billion tons of coal last year, which serves as the foundation of the nation’s electrical power generation.

President Donald Trump came to the defense of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping at their summit earlier this month, according to a report from Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper published Sunday. The report cites unnamed government sources.

Relations between Japan and China have grown tense since Takaichi made comments last November suggesting that if China were to hypothetically attack Taiwan – the democratically ruled island that China considers its territory – Japan might respond militarily.

During the summit meeting in Beijing, Xi told Trump that both Takaichi and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te represent dangers to peace in the region and asked Trump not to back them, according to the Yomiuri’s reporting.

Trump reportedly replied that he believes Takaichi is not the type of leader who should face such criticism.

Representatives from the Japanese prime minister’s office, Japan’s foreign ministry, and the U.S. embassy in Tokyo were not available to provide comment outside of normal business hours.

Following his two-day China visit, Trump spoke by telephone with Takaichi. During that conversation, both leaders confirmed their “ironclad” partnership between their nations, according to Takaichi’s previous statements.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces faced a relentless overnight bombardment as Russian missiles and drones targeted the capital in a severe assault that rattled structures throughout the downtown area, striking near government facilities, homes, and educational institutions.

Local officials reported at least 10 wounded individuals based on initial counts. Warning sirens wailed throughout the evening hours while smoke clouds drifted over the city following the strikes. News correspondents on the ground documented thunderous blasts occurring close to the downtown core and government facilities.

The bombardment continued into Sunday morning, with additional missiles and drones anticipated to strike the capital.

Destruction was documented throughout no fewer than nine districts of the capital, including residential structures, according to Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko in a Telegram post.

Within Kyiv’s Shevchenko district, an educational facility sustained damage during the assault while civilians took shelter inside, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said. City officials confirmed that grocery stores and storage facilities throughout the area also suffered damage.

Numerous neighborhoods experienced destruction across the broader Kyiv region, regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported.

Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia intended to deploy the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, based on intelligence from the U.S. and Western partners. Ukraine’s Air Force subsequently issued warnings about a potential Oreshnik launch.

Officials could not immediately confirm whether this missile system was deployed during the nighttime assault.

Russian forces initially deployed the multiple-warhead Oreshnik against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. The weapon was employed for a second time in January targeting the western Lviv region.

President Vladimir Putin described the Oreshnik, which translates to “hazelnut tree” in Russian, as traveling at 10 times sound speed, or Mach 10, with the capability to demolish underground bunkers “three, four or more floors down.”

The weapon moves “like a meteorite” and cannot be stopped by any missile defense system, Putin claimed, stating that multiple such missiles, even equipped with conventional warheads, could match the destruction of a nuclear attack.

ANGELES CITY, Philippines — A construction project spanning nine floors crumbled in the early morning hours of Sunday in Angeles City, located in Pampanga province north of the Philippine capital. Twenty-two workers successfully escaped the collapse while others remain unaccounted for, according to police reports.

The structure came down before sunrise amid a severe thunderstorm. More than 100 police officers and government officials are working frantically to locate and rescue individuals believed to be buried beneath the debris, stated police Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez.

Speaking from the collapse site, Mendez reported no confirmed fatalities at this time, though he noted that several of the 22 workers who managed to flee the building sustained injuries.

The exact number of trapped workers remains unclear. However, Jay Pelayo, who heads Angeles City’s information office, estimated that approximately 30 workers could still be buried in the wreckage, based on information from a construction foreman who escaped as the building fell.

Angeles City previously housed one of the most significant U.S. Air Force installations outside American territory before its closure in the early 1990s. This military presence helped transform Angeles and surrounding communities into major entertainment and business centers within Luzon, the Philippines’ primary northern region.

The former military installation, now known as the Clark Freeport Zone, sits approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Metro Manila.

Emergency crews are working to locate survivors after a nine-story construction project collapsed in Angeles City, located north of Manila in the Philippines, according to a local government official who spoke Sunday.

Jay Pelayo, the Angeles City information officer, reported to DZBB radio that eight individuals in the surrounding area have been pulled to safety, while 11 others successfully escaped on their own, including the site foreman.

The site foreman provided information indicating that approximately 30 to 40 individuals remain unaccounted for, Pelayo told DZBB.

Rescue teams continue their efforts to locate survivors, Pelayo confirmed. The cause of the structural failure remains unknown at this time, though the city engineer is examining the project’s construction records, he noted.

The concrete construction of the collapsed structure presents significant challenges for rescue workers attempting to clear away debris, Pelayo explained.

Photos released by DZBB revealed the building had been reduced to rubble consisting of concrete chunks and bent steel, with green safety mesh visible throughout the wreckage.

“The assessment is not yet finished. The unified command system is still working on it, and it is too early to determine the cause of the collapse, which is still being evaluated,” Pelayo said.

“Power lines were hit and were now being secured. We are calling on residents in the area to cooperate with authorities so rescue operations for those trapped are not delayed, and no one else is put at risk,” he said.

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a peace agreement with Iran has been mostly finalized, stating the deal would restore access to the Strait of Hormuz, though Iranian media sources are challenging his assertions.

The president shared on social media that the developing agreement would restore operations at the critical shipping corridor, whose blockade has disrupted worldwide energy markets since hostilities began in February following U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran. Trump did not elaborate on other components of the potential agreement.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

However, Fars reported early Sunday that the agreement would permit Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz and described Trump’s statements about the strait as “inconsistent with reality.”

Iran announced Saturday it was pursuing a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict following meetings between its senior officials and Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief.

Pakistan’s military described the negotiations as yielding “encouraging” developments. Two Pakistani officials familiar with the discussions characterized the potential deal as “fairly comprehensive to terminate the war.”

A message posted on Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s X account commended Trump for his “extraordinary efforts to pursue peace.”

Reuters sources indicate the proposed framework would proceed through three phases: officially concluding the war, addressing the Strait of Hormuz situation, and establishing a 30-day negotiation period for a more extensive agreement, with possible extensions.

One Pakistani official noted that if the U.S. endorses the memorandum, additional discussions could occur following the conclusion of the Eid holiday on Friday.

The president, whose public support has suffered due to the war’s effect on domestic energy costs, said Friday he would skip his son’s wedding this weekend, citing Iran among his reasons for remaining in Washington.

Trump posted on Truth Social about Saturday phone conversations with officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. Axios reported these leaders urged Trump to accept the developing framework.

A separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proceeded “very well,” Trump noted.

Pakistan has worked to bridge the gap between Iran and the U.S. following weeks of warfare that have kept the essential Hormuz passage closed to most maritime traffic despite an uneasy ceasefire.

Trump has consistently stated that U.S. military action against Iran aimed to prevent nuclear weapons development. Iran has rejected claims it seeks nuclear weapons and maintains its right to uranium enrichment for peaceful uses.

“The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei.

Iran has insisted on strait oversight, termination of the U.S. port blockade, and removal of sanctions on Iranian oil exports.

Baghaei indicated that while the U.S. shipping blockade issue matters, Iran’s main concerns are stopping potential new U.S. attacks and resolving the ongoing Lebanese conflict, where Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters are battling Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon.

Pakistan’s army chief Munir departed Tehran Saturday after discussions with Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Qalibaf stated Iran’s military had restored its strength during the ceasefire and warned that if the U.S. “foolishly restarts the war,” the results would be “more forceful and bitter” than when the conflict began.

Throughout weeks of fighting, Iran has maintained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium along with its missile, drone and proxy force capabilities.

British naval personnel aboard the RFA Lyme Bay, currently stationed near Gibraltar, are standing by for a potential mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz, though the mission remains uncertain pending ongoing peace negotiations.

Following criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump that allies haven’t contributed enough to America’s military efforts against Iran, which has effectively blocked the crucial shipping route and caused energy costs to spike globally, Trump challenged NATO partners in March to “go get your own oil” and secure the waterway independently.

From Gibraltar, a British territory at the southern edge of the Iberian Peninsula, the Royal Navy is making preparations for exactly that mission — though deployment will only occur after a peace settlement is finalized. Trump announced Saturday that negotiations with Iran have been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and regional partners, though final details remain outstanding.

Armed Forces Minister Al Carns brought a select group of journalists to tour the RFA Lyme Bay while it prepares for a potential multinational operation, spearheaded by Britain and France, to restore security to the strait. During Carns’ briefing, crews were loading the amphibious vessel with munitions and sonar-equipped underwater drones designed for mine detection.

The RFA Lyme Bay, carrying several hundred crew members, will eventually leave Gibraltar to rendezvous with the destroyer HMS Dragon and partner vessels for aerial support before transiting the Suez Canal toward the Persian Gulf.

“Which other country can pull together 40 nations and come up with a solution to deal with a complex problem that we couldn’t predict because we weren’t involved?” Carns responded when The Associated Press questioned what Trump expects from Britain as an ally.

Following the U.S.-Israeli military action that commenced February 28, Iran responded by essentially sealing off the strait, a vital passage for regional oil, natural gas and fertilizer exports, creating worldwide economic disruption. Britain has particularly faced Trump’s criticism, with the president calling the British fleet “toys” and comparing Prime Minister Keir Starmer unfavorably to “Winston Churchill.”

According to Carns, no fewer than 6,000 vessels have been prevented from transiting the strait since hostilities started.

Cmdr. Gemma Britton, who leads the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, explained that Iran might have deployed a “huge” array of explosive devices throughout the waterway. These weapons could include rocket-powered mines, tethered explosives, or seabed devices activated by acoustic signals, motion, or illumination.

Journalists were shown unmanned systems capable of mapping the ocean floor and water column using sonar technology in roughly half the time required for manned vessels to survey and chart potential hazards. These robotic craft generate detailed images of underwater objects, from commercial fishing equipment to infrastructure pipelines. These visuals help identify explosive devices that can then be investigated using sophisticated sound-based detection and camera systems, Britton explained.

Several systems aboard the RFA Lyme Bay can be deployed on smaller craft that launch and operate independently from the main vessel, which serves as a command platform positioned safely away from suspected minefields, according to Britton. This approach minimizes personnel exposure to danger.

Traditional mine disposal involves divers manually attaching explosive charges to detected mines before retreating to trigger detonation. However, the RFA Lyme Bay is testing remote-controlled submersibles that can descend and position charges near mines before activating them from a safe distance, Britton noted.

The immediate objective will focus on establishing a clear transit corridor through the strait to enable approximately 700 stranded ships to depart. Subsequently, crews will open a reverse-direction lane for incoming vessels, though Britton cautioned that completely clearing the entire waterway could require months or even years.

Whether mines actually exist in the strait — or whether Britain and its partners will ultimately deploy to remove them — remains unclear.

When AP asked if the British preparations were primarily theatrical, intended to improve relations with America, Carns acknowledged that some mines may have already exploded or drifted away, but noted that such uncertainty fails to satisfy commercial insurance providers. These companies require “absolute certainty” before authorizing vessel passage through the strait again.

“That’s what this capability will provide,” he stated.

The multinational strait security mission would only proceed after fighting concludes.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump posted Saturday on social media, without specifying a timeline.

Recent weeks have seen multiple claims that an agreement was near completion.

“We don’t know when the Americans, Iranians and Israelis are going to come up with a suitable solution,” Carns acknowledged.

Until then, the RFA Lyme Bay and its personnel will remain on standby and will be “really, really ready,” Carns assured.

Ukraine’s capital city faced a large-scale assault involving missiles and drones during the early morning hours of Sunday, following warnings from Ukrainian air forces about a potential hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile launch by Russia.

The city experienced multiple explosions just after 1 a.m. local time, occurring shortly after military officials announced the possibility of an Oreshnik missile strike through their Telegram communications channel. The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, reported via Telegram that no fewer than three individuals sustained injuries and multiple residential structures suffered damage throughout the capital. He also noted that burning debris was discovered on the grounds of a centrally-located school.

On Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had issued a warning that Russia was planning to use the Oreshnik missile system against Ukraine, based on intelligence gathered from Ukrainian, American, and European sources. Ukrainian air force officials have not yet provided confirmation regarding whether an Oreshnik missile successfully struck any targets during the attack.

This marks the third time Russia has deployed the Oreshnik weapon system against Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has previously claimed this missile cannot be intercepted due to its reported speed exceeding ten times the velocity of sound.

The president’s earlier warning followed Putin’s directive to his armed forces to develop retaliatory options against Ukraine in response to a drone attack on student housing facilities in the Russian-occupied Luhansk area of eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian military officials stated their forces had aimed at a Russian drone operations center during that strike.

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) — Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado declared Saturday her intention to seek the presidency once more and expects to return to Venezuela by the close of 2026.

Speaking during a gathering with other Venezuelan opposition figures in Panama, Machado’s announcement comes over four months following the White House’s surprising choice to distance itself from her and instead collaborate with a loyalist from Venezuela’s ruling party after the U.S. military detained former President Nicolás Maduro.

Machado has remained in exile since December, after surfacing from nearly a year of hiding within Venezuela and departing for Norway to receive the Nobel prize.

During her remarks to journalists in Panama City, she stated that she and fellow opposition leaders present continue their dedication to achieving a democratic transition “through free and fair presidential elections, where all Venezuelans inside and outside the country vote.”

However, the timing of Venezuela’s next presidential election remains uncertain.

U.S. President Donald Trump and top administration figures have commended acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who succeeded Maduro and has opened Venezuela’s petroleum sector to American investment during a period of rising oil costs linked to conflict in Iran.

The Trump administration has also reduced discussion of elections, despite Venezuela’s constitutional requirement for such contests within 30 days when a president becomes “permanently unavailable.”

According to Machado, organizing an election under democratic standards would require seven to nine months of preparation. Essential reforms include selecting impartial electoral officials, updating voter registration systems, and ensuring opposition candidates can campaign without government obstruction.

Machado emerged as Maduro’s most formidable challenger in recent years, though his administration prevented her candidacy in the 2024 presidential race, prompting her to select former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia as her ballot representative.

Ruling party officials proclaimed Maduro victorious just hours after voting ended, yet Machado’s organized campaign gathered documentation demonstrating González had won against Maduro by more than a 2-to-1 ratio.

On Saturday, she informed reporters of her readiness to face any presidential contender in “an impeccable election.”

“I will be a candidate, but there may be others, of course,” she said. “I would love to compete with everyone, with anyone who wants to be a candidate.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent diplomatic tour across five nations from May 15 to 20 included stops in the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy, but his visit to Rome delivered the most significant strategic outcomes. The Italian leg of the journey demonstrated how New Delhi is expanding its global partnerships by integrating commerce, technology, defense, connectivity, and corridor development into a unified diplomatic strategy.

During the Rome meetings, India and Italy upgraded their relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership and signed a comprehensive joint declaration covering commerce, investment, supply chains, critical minerals, clean technologies, semiconductors, ports, maritime security, defense industrial cooperation, innovation, space, migration, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Both nations also confirmed their goal of increasing bilateral trade to €20 billion by 2029.

This enhancement positions Italy as more than just a ceremonial diplomatic partner in India’s European strategy. Italy represents a major EU economy, a Mediterranean nation, a NATO ally, and one of the Western governments demonstrating significant political commitment to IMEC. For India, Rome serves as a valuable European bridge and potential Mediterranean gateway that New Delhi seeks to develop as a strategic advantage.

The official India-Italy declaration contained remarkably detailed practical commitments. Both governments expressed their intention to establish resilient supply chains, expand industrial and technology partnerships, and enhance cooperation across multiple sectors including textiles, clean technologies, semiconductors, automotive, energy, tourism, pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, digital technologies, steel, ports, and infrastructure. They also advocated for stronger connections between stock exchanges, investment funds, banks, insurers, and other financial institutions.

The partnership is being institutionalized beyond mere public announcements. The leaders committed to annual meetings, including during multilateral events, and agreed to utilize the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 as their primary operational framework. This plan was initially adopted in 2024, but the Rome declaration provided renewed political momentum and positioned it as the centerpiece of bilateral follow-up efforts.

IMEC occupied a central position in the discussions. Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reconfirmed their dedication to the corridor, described its transformational possibilities, and urged the first IMEC ministerial meeting to take concrete actions in 2026. The declaration characterizes the project as a pathway not only for goods, but for broader commercial, digital, and strategic connections linking India, the Gulf, and Europe.

The maritime component proved equally significant. India and Italy endorsed a memorandum of understanding on maritime transport and ports and instructed their ministries to establish a joint working group for implementation. They also agreed to initiate a Maritime Security dialogue to enhance cooperation, coordination, information sharing, and best practices. The message was unmistakable: connectivity is being approached not as a separate technical matter, but as an integral part of a security framework.

The technology agenda followed similar patterns. The leaders announced the establishment of INNOVIT India, an innovation hub in India designed to strengthen both countries’ innovation ecosystems, support startup acceleration, improve market access and business matching, and deepen university collaboration and talent mobility. The declaration identifies fintech, healthcare, semiconductors, logistics and supply chains, agritech, energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence as priority areas.

They also emphasized cooperation in supercomputing, renewable energy, green hydrogen, the sustainable blue economy, and space. This breadth explains why the meeting held significance: it represented more than symbolic diplomacy. It constituted a practical effort to integrate industrial policy, advanced technology, and strategic geography into a unified relationship.

According to Rajat Ganguly, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, the Rome visit reflects a broader transformation in Indian foreign policy. “I see this as India’s growing confidence in what I call a polyalignment foreign policy,” he told The Media Line. “What this effectively means is that India does not want to get pushed into one particular corner or another. A lot of people are saying that India should be more strongly in favor of BRICS against the US. This is not India’s approach to foreign policy right now. India wants to be a good partner with multiple actors.”

BRICS represents a coalition of major emerging economies pursuing greater economic and diplomatic influence in an increasingly multipolar global system. It began with Brazil, Russia, India, and China holding their first formal leaders’ summit in 2009; South Africa joined in 2010, and the bloc expanded again in 2024 and 2025 to include countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.

Ganguly explained the logic is apparent in India’s capacity to maintain separate relationships, even when they point in conflicting directions. “You could have India-US on one side, India-Russia on one side. … India is very close to Israel, but India is also very close to Iran,” he said. “From India’s point of view, that is probably the most useful thing: to have multiple partners, multiple friends, and not allow the difficulties between friends, let’s say, to affect their relationship with India. Iran and Israel are a classic example. India wants to have beneficial relations with both.”

This reasoning helps clarify why Italy holds importance for New Delhi. Ganguly characterized Italy as a significant trade partner and a pro-India advocate within the European Union. “Italy is a very important trade partner, and you may remember this new trade route from India to the Gulf, then on to Israel, then Greece and Italy into Europe,” he said. “If you look at it from that point of view, then obviously Italy is very, very important for India. Italy is also a voice within the European Union that is very pro-India.”

The personal rapport between Modi and Meloni also contributes, in Ganguly’s assessment. “I think Meloni’s position on many different things probably aligns quite well with Modi and his ideas,” he said. “As two prime ministers, they are probably quite aligned in terms of their political ideology, in terms of their outlook for the world, for Europe, and for India. From Modi’s point of view, Europe is very important as an alternative power center.”

He also contended that Meloni has attempted to demonstrate independence even from leaders she previously strongly supported. “Meloni used to be a very big Trump supporter,” Ganguly said. “But what she is also asserting is that she is autonomous. She supports Trump when it is good for Italy. But if she is required to criticize Trump because Trump is doing things that are not good for Italy, she will do that,” adding, “What it shows is that she has got a spine, that she is not going to bend backward for anybody.”

Leo Goretti, associate dean at Rome Business School, positions India in a somewhat different but complementary framework. He characterized the country as a “swing country” in the global system, positioned between the democratic West and a broader coalition of states seeking to reshape the international order from outside its traditional center.

He described India as “halfway between the link with the democratic and Western world and the positioning within a front of countries that somehow claim a reform of the multilateral system, of the international liberal order, starting from the outside, like the BRICS.” In his perspective, India represents a key nation, and maintaining dialogue, partnership relationships, if not friendship or even alliance with India, remains crucial for Western countries.

For Goretti, the India connection also provides Meloni an opportunity to position Italy as more than a reactive European middle power. “All this means that at this moment India can actually represent an interlocutor through which Meloni can try to relaunch the country’s foreign policy, which in recent months has seen Italy in a rather difficult situation, more reactive than proactive,” he told The Media Line.

He was cautious not to characterize this as a departure from the West. “In my opinion, this Italian government also contains different positions on this issue,” Goretti said. “I believe that the perspective of Prime Minister Meloni is a perspective that she has coherently carried out over time: the search for a united Western front. I consider it an extremely complicated perspective, if not impossible, with Trump actually translating it into concrete politics.”

Goretti added that Meloni’s approach remains connected to a Western framework even if Washington no longer appears fully committed to the same concept. “My impression is that Meloni’s position tends to be continuous in this effort to keep the Western front united,” he said, “while emphasizing the fact—and this is the paradox—that the main exponent of that front, the United States, does not seem at this moment to be interested in this type of politics, and hence all the frustrations and failures of the case.”

He also identified pressure points within the Italian right, where some smaller factions favor a more openly multipolar interpretation of world politics. “There are minority components, let’s say, in the area of the radical right, both inside and outside the government, that probably have a perspective much more linked to this ideal of a multipolar world, in which … one tries to navigate between the Russian power policy, the American one, potentially also the Chinese one, etc.,” he said. “But I believe that this is a component that, at this moment, is quite a minority, which, however, is destined to become more and more noisy before the next elections.”

The Rome meeting occurred during the same week that BRICS foreign ministers convened in New Delhi and failed to produce a joint statement due to disagreements over the Middle East. Reuters reported that rivals Iran and the UAE were among the countries unable to reach consensus on a common text, and India issued only a chair statement that referenced “differing views among some members” on West Asia and the Middle East.

This incident highlighted the limitations of viewing BRICS as a unified anti-Western alliance. “India, as one of the founding members, is the classical balancer,” Ganguly said, adding that “India is basically saying that BRICS should not be like a Cold War institution, where it is almost zero-sum politics: that BRICS is anti-America, anti-West, and therefore BRICS is in conflict with the West and with the US. We do not want that.”

He observed that the bloc’s internal disagreements are becoming more difficult to manage as membership expands. “Right now, there are 10 members, and it was not possible to get all 10 members to agree on a joint communique at the end of the meeting, particularly because the UAE and Iran did not see eye to eye,” he said. “Therein lies the problem: India’s perception of BRICS is very different from Russia’s and China’s. It is also very different from Iran’s and the UAE’s, for example.”

For Goretti, this broader uncertainty is encouraging both India and Europe to diversify their partnerships. He argued that the transatlantic relationship no longer appears as stable or automatic as it once did, which explains why countries such as Italy are examining India and other middle powers more closely. The solution, in his view, is not to abandon the West but to avoid overdependence on a single power axis.

This is where the India-EU relationship becomes relevant to the Italy narrative. The European Commission states that negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded on January 27, 2026, and that the agreement would eliminate or reduce tariffs on over 96% of EU goods exports while saving approximately €4 billion annually in duties. The commission also indicates the EU and India relaunched negotiations in 2022 for a separate Investment Protection Agreement and an Agreement on Geographical Indications.

The Rome declaration incorporated this broader European track into the bilateral relationship by welcoming the conclusion of the FTA negotiations and the India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda. It also supported the India-EU Trade and Technology Council as a platform for cooperation in trade, critical technologies, and economic security.

Despite all this ambition, IMEC remains the most challenging component of the arrangement. India and Italy both characterized the corridor as transformational, but the project relies on stability across the Gulf and the eastern Mediterranean, where conflict and disruption remain active threats. The declaration expressed deep concern over the situation in West Asia and the Middle East, welcomed the ceasefire announced on April 8, 2026, and called for de-escalation, dialogue, diplomacy, freedom of navigation, and the resumption of global flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Goretti stated that if instability persists across Yemen, Hormuz, and Iran, the corridor will remain challenging to implement. “It is certain that if there is an arc of instability and war that involves Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran, this represents a huge problem for such an ambitious project,” he said. He also noted that current disruptions already impact routes between India and Europe.

This represents the fundamental tension at the core of the Modi-Meloni meeting. The strategic direction is evident. The relationship is more comprehensive than previously. The institutional framework is more substantial than in earlier phases. However, the route on which much of the broader vision depends still passes through one of the most volatile regions globally. Italy can help provide political support for the project, but it cannot independently supply the stability necessary to make it function at full capacity.

Ganguly argued that India’s westward expansion will continue through a network of relationships rather than a single corridor. “India’s presence in the Middle East is going to grow through the UAE, through Israel, and through very, very good ties with Saudi Arabia now,” he said. “From the Middle East, there will be Cyprus and Greece, and then into Italy and into Europe.”

He stated the common element is that India does not view these relationships as mutually exclusive. “India would say, no, no, no, each relationship is completely independent,” he said. “What we use to judge each relationship is whether it is good for India. And only India will decide what is good for India.”

This explains why the Rome visit was notable. It was not simply a cordial meeting between two leaders with some political chemistry. It represented a practical step in a larger strategy of diversification, corridor-building, and strategic autonomy. India and Italy are attempting to connect trade, technology, defense, mobility, and maritime security within a single framework, while also fitting that framework into broader India-EU and Indo-Mediterranean politics.

What remains unclear is how much of this ambition can be realized in a geopolitically strained environment. The declaration is comprehensive. The objectives are specific. The cooperation is extensive. However, the stability required to support IMEC, facilitate smooth trade flows, and ensure sustained maritime access still depends on a region where conflict can rapidly spread across borders and disrupt plans.

For Europe, this represents part of a larger transformation. Goretti said the past year and a half has served as a wake-up call for those who believed the transatlantic relationship would remain the unquestioned foundation of foreign and security policy. He argued that Europe now needs to expand its portfolio of partners, including India, the Gulf states, Brazil, and other middle powers, to avoid being forced into a pure US-China rivalry.

This broader logic provides the real context for Modi’s tour. The Gulf remains important for energy and connectivity. The Netherlands remains significant for trade and technology. Sweden and Norway remain valuable for innovation and green transition. Italy matters because it connects all of these themes to the Mediterranean and to the question of how Europe and Asia will link in the coming years.

The meeting in Rome, therefore, was less about one friendship than about an emerging pattern. India and Italy are both attempting to hedge against uncertainty by deepening ties, expanding options, and building practical cooperation around supply chains, advanced technology, and connectivity. Whether this framework becomes a functioning alternative to older routes and older assumptions will depend less on diplomatic declarations than on the ability of the wider region to avoid another round of disruption.

The Israel Defense Forces announced that Staff Sgt. Noam Hamburger, a 23-year-old soldier from Atlit, died Friday when a drone operated by Hezbollah from Lebanon hit Israeli forces positioned near the northern border within Israeli territory.

The fallen soldier worked as a combat specialist focusing on technology and maintenance within the 9th Battalion of the 401st Brigade.

Military officials reported that the attack left one soldier with serious injuries and a noncommissioned officer with minor wounds. Medical teams transported both injured personnel for treatment while their families received notification.

The IDF stated that approximately 25 minutes following the initial strike, another explosive drone touched down in the identical location. This second incident resulted in no casualties.

In an interview with Ynet, Liat Hamburger, the victim’s mother, shared memories of her son: “Noam was pleasant and kind, he was simply a great gift to any mother. He always had a big smile, was an excellent student and loved to learn.”

The family had maintained contact with him just before the fatal incident occurred. “He managed to speak with us the day before the tragedy, he wished us a happy Shavuot holiday. We planned to come to him the next day with treats he loved, but then he didn’t answer us and it was very strange, we had a feeling that something happened,” she explained.

Liat Hamburger revealed that her son was looking forward to completing his military service and returning to civilian life. “He was about to be discharged soon with many plans. It’s simply incomprehensible that our Noam with his big heart, his heart of gold, won’t return anymore,” she stated.

American military forces carried out a training exercise above Venezuela’s capital city on Saturday, marking the first such operation in the South American country since U.S. forces launched an assault on Caracas and detained President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife Cilia Flores on January 3.

According to Venezuelan officials, that January assault resulted in the deaths of no fewer than 100 individuals.

Saturday’s training operation, which Venezuelan leadership said they had approved as preparation for potential medical crises or natural disasters, featured a pair of MV-22B Osprey aircraft that touched down close to the American embassy, along with naval vessels that moved into Venezuelan Caribbean waters.

Venezuela’s information ministry has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

In an official statement, the U.S. embassy expressed its continued dedication to “ensuring the implementation” of President Donald Trump’s three-part strategy, “particularly the stabilization of Venezuela.”

Embassy officials confirmed that Francis Donovan, who leads the U.S. Southern Command responsible for American military activities throughout the Americas, was present in Caracas during the exercise.

“This keeps us on guard,” said Evelyn Rebolledo, 57, an administrator living in the capital.

“A foreign country flying over the city itself, this is new to us and more so coming from the United States, given the current situation and all the turmoil in the country. It leaves us in a state of uncertainty.”

The Trump administration has endorsed the leadership of Delcy Rodriguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, and her government has enacted legislation allowing American companies access to Venezuela’s extensive petroleum and mineral resources.

An expert from a nonpartisan policy organization weighed in on the uncertain situation surrounding modifications to American military positioning across Europe, as Secretary Rubio engaged in discussions with NATO partners.

Kristine Berzina, who serves as a Senior Fellow at The German Marshall Fund think tank, addressed the unclear circumstances involving evolving strategies for U.S. military presence in European nations.

The discussions come at a time when questions have emerged about potential changes to how American forces are positioned throughout the region, creating uncertainty among alliance members about future military arrangements.

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement with Iran has been mostly completed and would result in opening the Strait of Hormuz, with final details expected to be revealed in the near future.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Trump Social.

The president made his announcement following individual phone conversations with leaders from Muslim majority countries and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he believes there’s an equal likelihood the United States will either negotiate a diplomatic solution with Iran or launch renewed military operations, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened security meetings over concerns about proposed agreement terms.

Speaking with Axios reporter Barak Ravid, President Trump described the odds as a “solid 50/50” chance of either achieving what he called a “good” deal or to “blow them to kingdom come.” Trump indicated the proposed deal should tackle uranium enrichment and Iran’s current stockpile, though Axios noted these matters likely wouldn’t be immediately resolved under the current memorandum being considered.

The president announced plans to meet with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Vice President JD Vance.

“I think one of two things will happen: either I hit them harder than they have ever been hit, or we are going to sign a deal that is good,” he said.

Trump also noted that some administration officials favor diplomatic solutions while others support renewed military operations. He rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was “worried,” but acknowledged the Israeli leader was “torn” about the proposed deal.

On Saturday, President Trump conducted a phone conference with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey to discuss the revised memorandum of understanding. Pakistan also joined the conversation, according to Reuters, while Israel did not participate.

Israeli broadcaster N12 reported that Netanyahu called together his security cabinet regarding what he considered a proposal that would disadvantage Israel.

An Israeli official quoted in the report stated that Witkoff was heavily promoting the agreement and “wants a deal at almost any price, and is placing immense pressure on Trump not to resume the war.”

The report indicated the proposed conditions would require Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in return for economic incentives, while talks about Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium reserves would occur at a later time. Iran’s ballistic missile program was reportedly excluded from the negotiations.

CANNES, France – Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu claimed the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday for his latest work “Fjord.”

This marks Mungiu’s second victory at the festival’s highest honor, following his 2007 triumph with “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.”

The film features performances by Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve and explores the cultural tensions that arise when a devout family from Romania settles in a small Norwegian community.

Violent confrontations between law enforcement and demonstrators broke out in Serbia’s capital Saturday as massive crowds gathered demanding immediate elections and calling for President Aleksandar Vucic to step down after more than ten years in power.

Tens of thousands of people packed Slavija Square, a major intersection in Belgrade, continuing a wave of unrest that began 18 months ago following a fatal building collapse that sparked a student-driven campaign against alleged government corruption and poor oversight.

Riot police surrounded Belgrade’s city hall, located about a kilometer from the demonstration site, before scattered confrontations erupted between demonstrators and officers near the presidential complex and outside a park where Vucic’s backers have maintained an encampment since March of last year.

Law enforcement deployed teargas and stun grenades while forcing protesters back down the street. Demonstrators responded by igniting trash-filled containers.

Numerous rally participants displayed pins featuring red handprints with the message “Your hands are bloody,” while carrying signs declaring “The students are winning.”

The anti-establishment demonstrations began following the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, a northern Serbian city, on November 1, 2024. Opposition figures, demonstrators, and civil rights organizations claim the incident reflects widespread governmental incompetence.

Vucic and his political allies reject claims of corruption and suppression of dissent, stating they have pursued accountability for those responsible for the building failure.

Speaking to the enthusiastic crowd before violence erupted Saturday, Mirjana Nikolic, who serves as rector at Belgrade’s University of Arts, declared: “This government is … afraid of those who are defending their dignity and their rights.”

Law enforcement officials estimated attendance at the square and nearby streets at 34,300 people. However, the Archive of Public Gatherings, an organization that tracks public demonstrations, calculated participation at approximately 100,000.

“I came here to show how many of us there are, how many unhappy citizens are and that it is a high time to organise election to make things better,” said Dragan Djuric, a 55-year-old farmer from the town of Sabac who attended the demonstration.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Activists from South Africa who were taken into custody after their vessels were stopped while attempting to break through Israel’s Gaza blockade claimed Saturday that Israeli forces beat and tortured them while in detention.

The Global Sumud Flotilla consisting of 50 ships was stopped Monday in international waters approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Israel’s coastline as participants attempted to break the blockade and bring humanitarian supplies to Palestinians in Gaza. The detained individuals reported being confined for multiple days at Israel’s K’tziot prison, where several claimed they received electric shocks during questioning about their involvement in the flotilla operation.

Israeli officials have rejected claims of abuse against the detained flotilla participants, stating the allegations were “false and entirely without factual basis.” No immediate response was available regarding Saturday’s accusations.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators and family members welcomed the activists as they returned to South Africa from Turkey on Saturday morning.

The activists reported experiencing particularly brutal treatment once Israeli forces discovered their South African nationality, given that South Africa has brought Israel before the International Court of Justice with genocide accusations regarding Gaza.

“Water was withheld from us for extended periods. The food they provided was unfit for human consumption. Bathroom access was denied for many hours, and when we began to object, rubber bullets were fired at us,” activist Faizel Moosa stated.

Moosa, who previously fought against apartheid during South Africa’s struggle against white minority governance, described the detention conditions as the most severe he had ever endured.

“Having been detained under the apartheid system during our liberation fight, this experience was significantly worse. This demonstrates the daily reality that Palestinians face,” Moosa explained.

Dr. Margaret Connolly, who participated with an Irish group in the flotilla, described never feeling such terror while detailing the dehumanizing detention conditions.

She reported witnessing people being struck with firearms. Prisoners who had their clothing removed and were refused blankets were forced to crowd together in cold temperatures to avoid hypothermia.

Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, was part of 15 Irish participants who received enthusiastic welcomes from supporters and relatives upon arriving in Dublin on Saturday.

She stated that Israeli personnel failed to supply adequate water or hygiene supplies, and her medical equipment was seized, preventing her from delivering appropriate medical treatment. She noted that bread packaging and clothing fabric used for bandages and arm supports were subsequently confiscated.

“Their intention was for us to endure suffering,” Connolly stated. “Many soldiers speaking with American accents yelled down: ‘You should have thought of this before you came.’”

Three Chilean citizens who were held by Israel during their attempt to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid also returned home Saturday, where they condemned the Chilean government for what they characterized as failure to act in securing their freedom.

Víctor Chanfreau, Claudio Caiozzi and Carolina Eltit participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla. A substantial crowd of supporters welcomed the three at Santiago’s airport with Palestinian flags, protest signs and cheering.

“The Chilean government performed terribly, which was expected,” Chanfreau informed reporters at the airport, describing the Chilean Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic response during their detention as “negligent.”

Eltit described being assaulted and confined “under terrible conditions, without toilet paper, one restroom for 190 individuals, lying in the sun, bound at hands and feet.”

Connolly criticized the Irish government for declining to impose sanctions on Israel.

Activist Qutb Hendricks urged the South African government to increase pressure on Israel by prohibiting coal sales and other supply exports to the nation.

A conservative presidential candidate in Colombia has experienced a significant boost in voter support during the final week before the country’s upcoming election, positioning him as the likely winner should a runoff become necessary.

According to the most recent AtlasIntel survey published Saturday – the final polling data before Colombia’s May 31 election – leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda maintains a narrow advantage with 38.7% support, while right-wing businessman Abelardo De La Espriella follows closely at 37.3%.

Despite trailing in the initial vote count, polling data suggests De La Espriella would prevail in a head-to-head runoff scenario, capturing 50% compared to Cepeda’s 41.3%.

The polling results come from 4,531 interviews conducted from May 18 through May 21. During the campaign’s final week, De La Espriella experienced a notable 4-point increase from the previous AtlasIntel survey, while Cepeda saw a modest 1-point rise.

Centro Democratico Party candidate Paloma Valencia, representing the right-wing faction, holds third place with 14.3% of voter preferences, dropping slightly more than 2 points. Polling indicates she would also defeat Cepeda in a runoff matchup, earning 44.6% versus his 41.5%.

Different Paths Forward for the Nation

Cepeda has committed to building upon the policies established by current President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first leftist leader, by expanding social programs aimed at addressing inequality and continuing diplomatic efforts with illegal armed organizations.

In contrast, De La Espriella has promised to halt such negotiations while adopting an aggressive approach toward criminal activity and narcotics trafficking, providing support for private investment and business development, and strengthening the nation’s mining and energy industries.

Valencia has outlined plans to increase military and police forces, initiate aggressive campaigns against criminal organizations and guerrilla groups, support business growth, and reduce taxation.

These opposition campaign platforms would represent a significant departure from Petro’s current administration. The former M19 rebel leader halted new petroleum and natural gas exploration permits as part of his initiative to transition the nation toward more environmentally sustainable energy alternatives.

Petro’s four-year presidency concludes in August. Should no candidate secure more than half of the valid ballots from the 41 million registered voters, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on June 21.

The Trump administration finds itself at a crossroads in its three-month standoff with Iran, alternating between threats of military action and attempts at diplomatic engagement. Both strategies have failed to produce a decisive outcome in the escalating tensions.

The administration’s approach has been marked by inconsistency, swinging between aggressive posturing and diplomatic outreach as officials search for an effective strategy to resolve the conflict.

BELGRADE, Serbia — Massive crowds converged on Serbia’s capital Saturday for a demonstration organized by protesting university students, despite the authoritarian government’s attempts to prevent large-scale gatherings that have challenged President Aleksandar Vucic’s strongman leadership over the past year.

Demonstrators flooded into Belgrade’s central square from multiple routes, with many displaying banners and wearing shirts bearing the youth movement’s “Students win” slogan. Earlier that day, vehicle convoys had arrived in Belgrade from towns across Serbia.

“Students managed to gather us here with their youth and wonderful energy; I really believe that we have right to live normally,” said demonstrator Maja Milas Markovic.

The student movement sparked a countrywide surge of anti-corruption street demonstrations seeking justice for a November 2024 railway station disaster in northern Serbia that claimed 16 lives. The protests resulted in the resignation of then-Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, though Vucic later launched a harsh crackdown on demonstrators.

In an apparent effort to limit attendance from other regions of the Balkan nation, Serbia’s state railway company suspended all train service to and from Belgrade on Saturday.

Vucic supporters, meanwhile, assembled at a park encampment outside the Serbian presidency building — a setup he established before a major anti-government demonstration last March to serve as a barrier against protesters. Loud folk music played from the fenced compound, which was surrounded by fully equipped riot police.

Student organizers emphasized their rally would remain peaceful. However, concerns about potential violence persist given Vucic’s supporters — who often wear hoods and masks — have previously assaulted student demonstrators.

The Serbian president has drawn international criticism for his harsh response to the protest movement. Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned Serbia’s government in a report this week and stated he “will monitor the situation closely” on Saturday.

While Serbia officially pursues European Union membership, it has maintained strong relationships with Russia and China. The EU’s chief enlargement official warned last month that the democratic deterioration under Vucic could result in Serbia losing approximately 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) in European Union funding.

Saturday’s demonstration took place at Belgrade’s Slavija Square, which hosted a massive anti-government protest in March 2025. That gathering ended abruptly amid what experts later claimed — though the government disputed — was the deployment of a sonic weapon against peaceful protesters.

Student leaders now indicate they intend to challenge Vucic in upcoming elections this year or next, hoping to remove the right-wing populist administration from power. Vucic announced this week that voting could occur between September and November this year.

Vucic, his administration, and pro-government media outlets have labeled opposition figures as terrorists and foreign operatives seeking to harm the nation — language that has intensified political divisions.

CARACAS, Venezuela — American military personnel carried out a rapid response training drill at the United States Embassy in Venezuela’s capital on Saturday, more than four months following the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro from office.

A pair of Marine Corps Osprey aircraft — dual-purpose vehicles that function as both helicopters and traditional airplanes — circled above the recently reopened American diplomatic facility in Caracas. The aircraft touched down in the embassy’s parking area, with powerful air currents from their rotors causing nearby tree limbs to sway as military personnel emerged from the vehicles.

“Ensuring the military’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world,” the embassy said on Instagram.

Venezuelan officials had previously disclosed plans for the training exercise earlier in the week. Foreign Minister Yván Gil explained that American forces would perform the drill as preparation “in the event of medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies.”

The military exercise occurred nearly two months following the formal reopening of the American embassy in Caracas. The diplomatic facility’s restoration came after the United States reestablished complete diplomatic ties with the South American nation following Maduro’s removal in early January.

Several Caracas residents assembled near the embassy grounds on Saturday to observe the military aircraft, while dozens of others congregated in different parts of the city to demonstrate against the exercise. Those protesting displayed a Venezuelan flag bearing the words “No to the Yankee drill.”

American military aircraft previously appeared over Caracas on January 3, when specialized forces descended from helicopters on ropes and apprehended Maduro along with his wife. The pair were transported to New York to face charges related to drug trafficking. Both have entered not guilty pleas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced Saturday that Russia is gearing up to launch an attack against Ukraine utilizing a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, based on intelligence gathered from Ukraine, the United States, and European sources.

This alert follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s directive to his armed forces on Friday to develop retaliatory options against Ukraine following a drone attack that hit a student dormitory in the Russian-occupied Luhansk area of eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian military officials have rejected any involvement in that dormitory attack.

“We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry. The specified intermediate-range weapons could be used in such a strike,” Zelenskiy wrote in a post on X, without referencing the drone incident.

Moscow has previously deployed the Oreshnik weapon against Ukraine on two occasions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed this missile cannot be intercepted due to its reported speed exceeding 10 times the velocity of sound.

Russia initially launched an Oreshnik at what it described as a Ukrainian military manufacturing facility in November 2024. Ukrainian officials reported that the weapon carried non-explosive dummy warheads during that strike, resulting in minimal destruction.

A second strike occurred in January 2026, with the missile hitting the Lviv region in Ukraine’s western territory.

“We are drawing the attention of our partners in the United States and in Europe to the fact that the use of such weapons and the prolongation of this war also sets a global precedent for other potential aggressors,” Zelenskiy stated.

In January, the leaders of Britain, France and Germany characterized Russia’s deployment of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine as “escalatory and unacceptable.”

Zelenskiy emphasized that Kyiv expects a global response and seeks “a response that is not post factum, but preventive.”

He added that international pressure must be applied to Moscow to prevent the conflict from expanding further.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump indicated Saturday that American and Iranian negotiators are making significant progress toward reaching an agreement to end their ongoing conflict, based on his remarks to CBS News.

According to CBS, Trump stated that any final deal must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and guarantee that Iran’s enriched uranium materials are “satisfactorily handled.”

“I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want,” Trump stated in the interview.

Officials from Iran, the United States, and mediating nation Pakistan all confirmed Saturday that meaningful progress has occurred during negotiations aimed at ending nearly three months of warfare.

In a separate conversation with Axios, Trump indicated he plans to review the most recent Iranian proposal with his advisers Saturday and could decide by Sunday whether to return to military action.

“Either we reach a good deal or I’ll blow them to a thousand hells,” Trump told Axios.

The president has shifted between diplomatic engagement and threats of military force since a ceasefire began six weeks ago, allowing negotiators time to address Iran’s nuclear activities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas shipping corridor currently under Tehran’s control.

Officials from Iran and the United States are reporting advancement in diplomatic discussions Saturday, with Pakistan’s top military commander facilitating additional meetings in Tehran while the Trump administration considers launching fresh strikes against Iran.

Speaking to reporters in India, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed “there’s been some progress made” and indicated “there may be news later today.”

Following discussions with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that Iran has reconstructed its military capabilities following weeks of conflict and a tenuous ceasefire, according to state television coverage.

Qalibaf, who served as Iran’s primary representative during landmark direct discussions with American officials last month, warned that any resumption of attacks by President Donald Trump would result in consequences “more crushing and more bitter” than those seen at the conflict’s beginning.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported comments from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, who clarified that nuclear matters remain outside the scope of current discussions. Tehran prioritizes ending the ongoing conflict before addressing its nuclear activities, which have been central to international disputes.

According to Baghaei, negotiators are working to complete a memorandum of understanding, with both sides’ positions drawing closer in recent discussions.

“Over the past week, the trend has been toward narrowing differences,” he stated. “We will have to wait and see what happens over the next three or four days.”

Rubio emphasized ongoing diplomatic efforts, saying “even as I speak to you now there is some work being done. There is a chance that whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days we may have something to say.”

The Secretary of State reiterated America’s position that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons, must surrender its highly enriched uranium stockpiles, and must ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains accessible to international shipping.

Trump previously announced he was postponing military action against Iran due to “serious negotiations” taking place and at the urging of regional allies. The president has established multiple deadlines for Tehran before retreating from those positions.

The conflict began when American and Israeli forces launched attacks on February 28, interrupting ongoing diplomatic discussions with Iran. Iran responded by essentially blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for regional oil, natural gas, and fertilizer shipments, creating worldwide economic disruption.

The United States subsequently imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that American forces have redirected over 100 commercial ships and disabled four vessels since the blockade’s implementation on April 13.

Two officials in Islamabad described positive developments in discussions between Pakistan’s army chief and Iranian leadership, characterizing the talks as heading “in the right direction.” The officials requested anonymity as they lacked authorization for public statements.

Munir conducted meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and additional high-ranking officials, according to the two sources, who noted that Islamabad remains committed to facilitating another round of direct negotiations.

It remains unclear whether Pakistan’s army chief met with Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, who has emerged as an influential voice in shaping Iran’s hardline negotiating position.

Diplomatic negotiations between Iran and the United States showed meaningful advancement Saturday, with all parties including mediator Pakistan reporting significant headway toward ending nearly three months of warfare.

Iran’s foreign ministry announced its focus on completing a memorandum of understanding following meetings between Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi with Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir in Tehran.

Munir also conducted discussions with President Masoud Pezeshkian before departing the Iranian capital, according to Iranian state media. Pakistan’s military described the past day’s negotiations as producing “encouraging” advancement toward reaching a final agreement.

Speaking from India during his visit, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed diplomatic advancement and suggested Washington might issue statements on the matter soon.

“There’s been some progress done, some progress made, even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated: “The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days.”

BOTH NATIONS MAINTAIN CORE POSITIONS

Pakistan’s diplomatic intervention seeks to bridge gaps between Iran and America following weeks of warfare that resulted in the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping lane to most vessels despite an unstable ceasefire, disrupting worldwide energy markets.

Negotiations reportedly focused on a 14-point proposal from Iran, which Tehran views as the primary framework for discussions, along with communications passed between both nations.

Baghaei emphasized that while America’s shipping blockade against Iran remained significant, Tehran’s main concerns were stopping potential new American military actions and resolving the continuing Lebanese conflict, where Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters are battling Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon.

Rubio restated Trump administration requirements: “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits need to be open without tolls. They need to turn over their enriched uranium.”

Qalibaf declared Iran would continue defending its “legitimate rights” through both military and diplomatic means, while expressing distrust toward “a party that has no honesty at all,” repeating previous Iranian accusations.

He warned that Iran’s military had strengthened its capabilities during the ceasefire period and that if America “foolishly restarts the war,” the results would be “more forceful and bitter” than when fighting initially began.

U.S. President Donald Trump, facing political pressure due to war-related energy price increases affecting American consumers, announced Friday he would skip his son’s wedding this weekend, citing Iran among his reasons for remaining in Washington.

Throughout weeks of fighting, Iran has maintained its stockpile of weapons-grade enriched uranium along with missile, drone and proxy military capabilities that both America and Israel seek to eliminate.

Ukrainian forces launched successful strikes against Russian energy infrastructure on Saturday, targeting the Sheskharis oil terminal and Grushova oil depot near the Black Sea, according to military officials.

The nighttime assault ignited flames at the Sheskharis facility, described as among the Black Sea’s most significant oil terminals, Ukraine’s general staff reported via the Telegram messaging platform. Military officials also confirmed that a vessel called Chrysalis sustained damage during operations in the Black Sea.

These attacks represent part of Ukraine’s expanded offensive strategy against Russian petroleum processing and transport infrastructure over recent months, aimed at cutting Moscow’s oil and gas export income that funds its military operations.

Robert Brovdi, who leads Ukraine’s drone operations, reported Saturday that Ukrainian unmanned aircraft had targeted 13 significant Russian oil installations during May’s first 23 days.

Brovdi stated earlier this week that Ukrainian strikes had forced six out of Russia’s ten primary oil refineries to halt crude oil processing operations.

Reuters was unable to confirm these military claims independently.

In additional operations, Ukrainian leadership announced drone strikes against Metafrax Chemical, a major Russian industrial facility in the Perm region that provides materials to Moscow’s defense sector. Officials said the plant ceased operations following the attack.

Brovdi reported through Telegram that Ukrainian drones also struck a Russian military frigate and hovercraft missile vessel near the Novorossiysk naval installation on Saturday morning.

“The extent of the damage is unknown,” Brovdi added.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Fourteen garment factory workers lost their lives and 93 others sustained injuries in two separate vehicle crashes that occurred Saturday across Cambodia, with the majority of victims being women.

Cambodia’s textile industry serves as the nation’s primary source of export revenue, relying on affordable labor costs to remain competitive. Workers typically earn between $200-300 monthly, including overtime pay.

The deadlier of the two accidents took place in Kampong Chhnang province, situated roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Phnom Penh, the capital city. A large cargo truck collided with an open-bed truck that was transporting employees to their workplace, resulting in nine fatalities and 53 injuries, the Labor Ministry reported in an official statement.

The second tragedy unfolded in Svay Rieng province in the southeastern region, an area known for its concentration of garment manufacturing facilities. A worker transport bus left the roadway and rolled over, claiming five lives and injuring 40 additional passengers.

Open-bed trucks serve as the standard transportation option for factory employees. These vehicles typically provide no seating or bench arrangements, leaving riders to remain standing throughout their commute, which dramatically elevates the potential for serious injuries or fatalities during accidents.

In response to the incidents, the Labor Ministry expressed being “deeply shocked by two horrific traffic accidents that occurred simultaneously” and urged rigorous adherence to traffic regulations to avoid future tragedies.

Data from the Transport Ministry reveals that traffic collisions claimed 1,467 lives in 2025, establishing vehicle accidents as the predominant cause of accidental deaths throughout the Southeast Asian country.

The nation’s textile manufacturing sector, which includes apparel, footwear, and travel goods production, provides employment for approximately 800,000 to 1 million workers across roughly 1,900 manufacturing facilities. According to the country’s Ministry of Commerce, this industry generated over $15.5 billion in export revenue during the previous year.

MADRID, May 23 – Authorities arrested several masked individuals Saturday after they attempted to breach security barriers surrounding the official residence of Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during a large demonstration demanding his resignation over multiple corruption allegations.

Law enforcement officers detained the group on the primary roadway leading to Madrid’s Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s family residence, according to footage broadcast on Spanish television networks.

Massive crowds of protesters displayed signs reading “Resignation of the socialist mafia” along with other critical messages, while waving numerous Spanish national flags during the March for Dignity event, coordinated by the Spanish Civil Society association.

Representatives from the opposition People’s Party and the far-right Vox party participated in the demonstration, which remained mostly peaceful throughout.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, a Spanish court revealed that former Spanish Socialist prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is under investigation for allegedly orchestrating an influence-peddling and money-laundering operation, adding to the current leftist administration’s mounting corruption troubles.

Zapatero, who serves as a crucial supporter of the sitting prime minister, rejected all allegations of misconduct on Tuesday.

Event coordinators claimed 80,000 participants joined the demonstration, while the Spanish government’s Madrid representative estimated attendance at approximately 40,000 people.

Tehran’s lead negotiator delivered a firm message during weekend diplomatic meetings, declaring that Iran will not yield on its core national interests while pursuing peace talks with Washington.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf made the statement Saturday during discussions with Pakistani army chief Asim Munir in Tehran, according to state television coverage. The Iranian official characterized the United States as an unreliable negotiating partner.

Pakistan is spearheading regional diplomatic efforts to bridge the gap between the two nations following weeks of warfare that forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to most commercial vessels. The shipping disruption has created instability in global energy markets, despite a fragile ceasefire currently in place.

The Pakistani military leader also held meetings with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during his Tehran visit before departing, Iranian state media reported.

Discussions focused on a 14-point proposal from Iran that serves as the primary framework for negotiations, along with messages passed between both sides.

Qalibaf emphasized Iran’s commitment to defending its “legitimate rights” through both military action and diplomatic channels, while expressing distrust toward “a party that has no honesty at all” – a criticism Tehran has voiced repeatedly.

The Iranian speaker warned that the country’s military forces have strengthened their position during the current ceasefire. Should the United States “foolishly restarts the war,” he cautioned, the results would be “more forceful and bitter” than when fighting initially began.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Friday that some advancement toward an agreement has occurred, though significant work remains. Iran’s foreign ministry countered that substantial disagreements persist between the parties.

Throughout the weeks of conflict, Iran has maintained its stockpile of highly enriched uranium approaching weapons-grade levels, along with its missile, drone and proxy force capabilities that both the United States and Israel seek to restrict.

Denmark’s King Frederik on Saturday requested that caretaker Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen make another attempt at forming a government following the breakdown of center-right negotiations headed by Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.

This development provides Frederiksen, whose Social Democrats continue to hold the position as Denmark’s largest political party even after significant electoral setbacks, with an opportunity to claim a third straight term leading the country.

Earlier this month, Poulsen, who heads the right-wing Liberal Party, had been tasked with investigating potential government arrangements after Frederiksen’s initial coalition discussions fell apart when the centrist Moderate Party withdrew from negotiations.

Frederiksen will likely need to offer compromises to Moderate Party leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen, whose backing is considered crucial following the March election that resulted in parliament being divided between 12 different parties.

The Social Democrats secured 38 seats in Denmark’s 179-member parliament, a decline from their previous 50 seats in 2022, marking their poorest electoral performance since 1903.

These extended negotiations have hindered government operations during a critical period for Denmark, as the country works to address tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration regarding Greenland.

PARIS, May 23 – France announced Saturday it will prohibit Israeli far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country, according to Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who said the move represents mounting international frustration over how Gaza flotilla activists were handled.

“As from today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory,” Barrot posted on X.

“Along with my Italian counterpart, I am asking the European Union to also take sanctions against Itamar Ben-Gvir,” he continued.

International leaders expressed fury after Ben-Gvir shared footage showing himself mocking activists bound to Gaza who were being restrained on the ground, with several later claiming they suffered physical abuse while in custody.

Ben-Gvir’s actions drew criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as the United States, Israel’s closest supporter. Netanyahu described Ben-Gvir’s behavior as “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”

The activists, whose ship was seized earlier this week in international waters by Israeli naval personnel while attempting to transport humanitarian supplies to Gaza, were eventually expelled from Israel after being initially held in custody.

At least 90 workers lost their lives in a devastating gas explosion at a coal mining facility in China’s Shanxi province, according to state media reports released Saturday.

The deadly incident occurred Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine located in Changzhi city, China’s official Xinhua News Agency confirmed. Approximately 247 workers were present during their shifts when the explosion took place.

The province of Shanxi serves as China’s primary coal-producing region. This area, which exceeds Greece in land mass and houses roughly 34 million residents, employs hundreds of thousands of miners who extracted 1.3 billion tons (1.17 billion metric tons) of coal during the previous year – representing almost one-third of the nation’s entire coal production.

Such tragic incidents occur regularly throughout China, where fast-paced industrial development has resulted in aggressive resource extraction, substandard workplace safety measures, and insufficient oversight systems.

Mine operators and regional government officials often face criticism for prioritizing financial gains over worker protection. These underground catastrophes typically stem from inadequate ventilation systems needed to remove dangerous gases that naturally emerge from coal deposits. Over the last twenty years, Chinese authorities have worked to decrease mining fatalities through enhanced safety protocols and shutting down certain smaller operations.

2023: 53 people were killed after a collapse at an open-pit mine in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region.

2009: 108 miners died as a result of a gas explosion at the state-run Xinxing mine in Heilongjiang province near the border with Russia. State broadcaster CCTV displayed a diagram showing the miners trapped about a third of a mile underground. Footage showed one entrance was blocked and rescuers in orange suits with breathing equipment attempting to enter through another.

2005: 171 people died in a blast at the Dongfeng coal mine in Qitaihe in Heilongjiang province.

2005: 214 miners were killed following a gas explosion at the Sunjiawan coal mine in the Liaoning province in China’s northeast.

2004: 166 died in a gas explosion at the Chenjiashan coal mine in the Shaanxi province, in China’s northwest.

2004: 148 people were killed in a gas explosion at the Daping coal mine in China’s inland Henan province.

2000: 162 people died after an explosion at the Muchonggou coal mine in the mountainous Guizhou province in China’s southwest.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced Saturday that three volunteers have died from Ebola after being exposed to the virus while conducting body management work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The volunteers – Ajiko Chandiru Viviane, Sezabo Katanabo, and Alikana Udumusi Augustin – were working with the Mongbwalu branch in Ituri province in the northeastern part of the country when they contracted the disease on March 27. They passed away on May 5, 15, and 16.

According to the IFRC, the three workers were engaged in body management duties as part of humanitarian operations that were not connected to Ebola response efforts. The current outbreak had not been detected when the exposure occurred.

The World Health Organization has classified the current outbreak as an international emergency. This particular strain, known as Bundibugyo Ebola, currently has no licensed vaccine or therapeutic treatment available.

Deceased Ebola patients remain extremely contagious, and improper burial practices where relatives touch bodies without adequate protection are a major source of virus spread. Red Cross teams are actively working in affected areas to prevent such unsafe practices.

“These volunteers lost their lives while serving their communities with courage and humanity,” the IFRC said.

Red Cross workers are currently conducting house-to-house visits in outbreak zones to counter false information about the disease circulating in affected communities.

Five Palestinian police officers died Saturday when Israeli missiles struck their security post in northern Gaza, according to local police authorities, marking an escalation in attacks against the Hamas-controlled security force.

Gaza’s police directorate reported that two missiles struck the facility in the Tawam area, killing at least five officers and injuring additional personnel. The directorate oversees security operations in Gaza territories that came under Hamas administration after a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement in October.

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

The role of Hamas’ approximately 10,000 police officers has become a major obstacle in negotiations surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza strategy. While Hamas seeks to incorporate these officers into a future security force outlined in the proposal, Israel opposes including any personnel with Hamas connections.

The diplomatic discussions have reached an impasse due to Hamas’ unwillingness to surrender its weapons and continued Israeli military operations throughout the territory. Health authorities report that more than 880 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began, while at least four Israeli soldiers have been killed in militant operations during the same timeframe.

KYIV, May 23 – A deadly drone attack by Russian forces targeted mourners attending a funeral service Saturday in the vicinity of Sumy, a northeastern Ukrainian city, leaving one person dead and nine others wounded, according to a top regional authority.

Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration, offered no additional information about the incident. Media outlets in the area reported that an attack drone with guidance capabilities struck the roadway close to a bus.

The city of Sumy sits approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from the Ukrainian-Russian border and has faced repeated strikes from Russian missiles and drone attacks throughout the ongoing conflict.

Local Russian authorities reported Saturday that a Ukrainian drone strike ignited a blaze at an oil facility in the Krasnodar region during overnight hours, marking another assault on Russia’s crucial petroleum infrastructure.

Officials from Novorossiysk reported that debris from the downed drone caused the fire at the oil terminal, resulting in injuries to two individuals. The authorities did not identify which specific facility was targeted.

According to Russia’s Astra news outlet, the attack hit the Sheskharis oil terminal and depot, which serves as the endpoint for the state-controlled pipeline company Transneft’s primary oil transportation lines in the area. Astra published images that seemed to display smoke billowing from the terminal, though the photos’ authenticity could not be confirmed. Ukrainian officials have not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.

Ukrainian forces have broadened their capacity for medium and long-distance strikes, utilizing drone and missile systems developed within the country to combat Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Strikes against Russian petroleum facilities that provide crucial funding for the invasion have become nearly routine events.

In related developments, Moscow-appointed officials announced that the fatality count from a Ukrainian drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobilsk, located in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of Ukraine, has climbed to 11 following the overnight strike into Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the dormitory attack on Friday as a “crime” and directed military leaders to present options for response. He stated that no military or law enforcement installations were located near the educational facility.

During an emergency U.N. Security Council session requested by Russia to address the strike, Ukrainian Ambassador Melnyk Andrii rejected his Russian colleague’s war crimes allegations, characterizing them as a “pure propaganda show” and maintaining that the May 22 operations “exclusively targeted the Russian war machine.”

Turkish intelligence operatives have successfully detained 10 individuals suspected of Islamic State involvement during an operation in Syria, according to security sources who spoke to the Anadolu news agency on Saturday.

The operation was conducted jointly with Syrian intelligence services, with sources indicating all detained suspects have Turkish citizenship and are believed connected to previous terrorist incidents within Turkey’s borders.

According to the state-run Anadolu agency, one detainee allegedly maintained ties to those responsible for the devastating 2015 bombing at Ankara’s train station, an attack that claimed over 100 lives.

Security sources revealed that among those captured was an individual who reportedly functioned as the terrorist organization’s intelligence leader overseeing Turkey-related operations.

The detained suspects face accusations of participating in weapons training, conducting propaganda activities, and either organizing or providing support for terrorist attacks, sources stated.

A devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has resulted in the deaths of at least 90 people, representing the country’s most catastrophic coal mining incident in over 16 years.

The deadly blast occurred late Friday evening, adding to China’s lengthy record of fatal mining accidents spanning several decades.

China’s mining industry has experienced numerous tragic incidents throughout its history:

In 1950, a mining accident at the Yiluo Mine in Henan province claimed at least 174 lives.

A decade later in 1960, a methane explosion at the Laobaidong Coal Mine in Shanxi province resulted in 684 fatalities.

The 1990s brought another tragedy when a gas explosion at the Sanjiao River coal mine in Shanxi province killed 147 workers in 1991.

The year 2000 saw a gas explosion at the Muchonggou Coal Mine in Guizhou province that took 162 lives.

Multiple disasters struck in 2004, including a gas explosion at the Daping Coal Mine in Xinmi, Henan province, killing 148 people, and another gas explosion at the Chenjiashan Coal Mine in Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, that claimed 166 lives.

The following year proved particularly deadly with several major incidents: a gas explosion at the Sunjiawan colliery of state-owned Fuxin Coal Industry Group in Liaoning province killed 214 people, flooding at the Daxing Mine in Guangdong province resulted in 123 deaths, and an explosion at the Dongfeng Coal Mine in Qitaihe, Heilongjiang province, killed approximately 170 people.

In 2007, heavy rainfall caused flooding in two mines in Shandong province, leading to 181 fatalities.

The most recent major incident before this week occurred in 2009, when a gas explosion at the Xinxing Mine in Heilongjiang province killed 108 people.

The current disaster at the Liushenyu Coal Mine represents the deadliest coal mining accident China has experienced since that 2009 incident.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Taiwan’s capital Saturday, calling for lawmakers to approve the complete defense budget package after parliament only authorized a portion of the requested funds.

The opposition-controlled legislature approved just two-thirds of the $40 billion supplementary defense budget that President Lai Ching-te had sought. The president’s proposal included funding for American-made weapons systems as well as domestic military equipment like drones, aimed at strengthening defenses against China, which considers the island part of its territory.

Parliamentary opposition members, holding the majority of seats, passed their own modified version of the spending plan this month, authorizing funds only for American arms purchases. They argued the administration’s proposals lacked clarity and risked enabling corruption.

Multiple human rights organizations and pro-independence advocacy groups organized the demonstration in the capital, with participants displaying flags and chanting in favor of increased defense expenditures.

“True peace requires national defence. Only by strengthening our national defence can we ensure Taiwan’s freedom,” Wang Hsing-huan, chairman of the small Taiwan Statebuilding Party, which has no lawmakers in parliament, told the crowd.

Government officials are now working to secure approval for the remaining funds, including money for a new “T-Dome” integrated air defence system.

“We need to protect ourselves against China’s expansion,” said civil engineer Angela Yen, 34. “China and Taiwan are two different countries.”

Leaders from both major opposition parties maintain they support defense investments but refuse to approve “blank cheques” for military spending.

During remarks in southern Taiwan earlier Saturday, Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the largest opposition party the Kuomintang, stated that no one wished to see military conflict with China emerge.

Her party reported she emphasized that Taiwan possesses adequate resources but must avoid wasteful expenditures. Taiwan should invest in peace, not war, and not send the next generation to serve as soldiers and fight, added Cheng, who last month met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The island’s government continues to reject Beijing’s territorial claims, maintaining that only Taiwan’s citizens can determine their political future.

Officials appointed by Russia report that fatalities from a drone attack on a student dormitory in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region have increased to 10, up from an earlier count of six deaths.

Moscow blamed Ukraine for what it called an intentional drone attack on the town of Starobilsk on Friday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin directing his military to develop retaliatory options.

According to Leonid Pasechnik, who leads the Russian-appointed regional administration, the strike resulted in 10 deaths, left 48 people wounded, and 11 individuals remain missing.

Ukrainian military officials rejected Russia’s claims and stated they had targeted an elite drone command unit in that location. They maintained that Kyiv operates within international humanitarian law guidelines.

ISTANBUL, May 23 – Authorities in Turkey have arrested 13 individuals as part of an investigation into the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s 2023 leadership congress, according to state media reports released Saturday. The arrests come after a court decision earlier this week removed party leader Ozgur Ozel from his position, escalating a significant political crisis.

An appeals court in Turkey ruled Thursday to invalidate the congress where Ozel won his leadership role, pointing to unspecified voting irregularities. The court’s decision restored former CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu to the leadership position – a controversial figure who previously lost to President Tayyip Erdogan in that year’s elections.

Party officials strongly criticized the court’s decision, with the CHP calling it a “judicial coup.” Ozel vowed to challenge the ruling through the legal system and declared his intention to stay “day and night” at the party’s Ankara headquarters.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office announced that suspects were apprehended across seven provinces on accusations of tampering with delegate voting during the 2023 congress.

The detained individuals are facing multiple charges including “violating the law on political parties,” “accepting bribes,” and “laundering assets derived from crime,” prosecutors stated. Law enforcement conducted search and seizure operations at locations in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Sanliurfa, Kahramanmaras, Kilis and Malatya provinces.

Political experts described this week’s court ruling as a crucial test of Turkey’s fragile democratic institutions amid concerns about authoritarian governance. They suggest the decision could extend Erdogan’s 23-year presidency even as the nation struggles with persistent inflation challenges.

While the next scheduled national election is 2028, an earlier vote might be necessary if the 72-year-old Erdogan, who faces term limitations, decides to seek reelection. Political observers believe the court ruling increases the likelihood of an early election. Government officials reject accusations that courts are used to suppress political opponents, maintaining that the judicial system operates independently.

Above the countryside of western Ukraine, an interceptor drone shaped like a bullet plunged toward its objective while dozens of military personnel watched from below. Soldiers erupted in celebration as the aircraft successfully severed a cable connecting another drone to a balloon, sending it floating into the distance.

This week, Ukraine’s top military drone operators faced off in an unusual competition – not battling Russian forces, but competing against fellow pilots for recognition and advanced equipment for their respective units.

Unmanned aircraft have revolutionized warfare in Ukraine. Young soldiers operating explosive-laden strike drones through video game controllers – often from command posts well behind battle lines – have become a source of terror for opposing forces.

The “Wild Drones” competition took place in open fields near the resort community of Truskavets, bringing together operators from 19 of Ukraine’s premier units alongside manufacturers of frontline drone equipment.

“This is an opportunity for them to communicate with each other a little, to learn something or share something with someone, and to see from manufacturers what new products are available,” said “Grey”, the sergeant major of the Black Raven drone battalion of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, an organizer of the event. He asked to be identified by his military call sign.

Ukraine has embraced the “gamification” of warfare. The previous year saw implementation of a scoring system for confirmed drone eliminations. Military units can exchange these points for gear through the armed forces’ DOT-Chain and Brave1 Market digital platforms, dubbed “Amazon for war”.

“It’s a bit like choosing a car. They all do different things,” said one soldier from the first battalion of the 22nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, who asked not to be identified.

Military leaders say this approach boosts soldier morale through competitive elements while ensuring top-performing pilots receive resources most effectively.

While Russia’s monetary reward system focuses on equipment destruction, Ukraine’s point structure also incentivizes targeting personnel, as Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov aims to inflict 50,000 casualties monthly on Moscow’s forces. Ukrainian officials estimate current Russian military deaths and serious injuries at approximately 35,000 per month, though Moscow disputes these numbers.

The competition, established two years prior, provided respite for participants who have served on the front since Russia’s 2022 invasion. The atmosphere remained casual, featuring barbecue meals and social gatherings, with some attendees accompanied by spouses and children.

Multiple officers reported their units maintain regular communication with drone producers to suggest enhancements.

“It’s a constant, ongoing process,” said “Dym”, the call sign of the commander of the about 400-strong Black Raven unit. “If we have one version of a drone today, in three months it could be a completely different drone.”

The expanding operational range of drones continues to widen the “Kill Zone” – presently extending roughly 15 kilometers (nine miles) on either side of battle lines – where personnel and vehicles face rapid drone strikes.

Multiple competitors noted that aircraft like the Vampire heavy bomber – manufactured by Ukrainian defense technology firm Skyfall – now transport food, water and medical equipment into dangerous areas to minimize human presence.

Category champions at the competition earned three Vampire drones along with batteries and operating systems.

A company representative, using the call sign “Ares”, stated Skyfall maintains capacity for producing over 10,000 drones daily while continuously incorporating battlefield feedback.

“The biggest demand is automisation, so fewer people can operate more drones,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected a German proposal for associate European Union membership, calling the plan unjust in a letter sent to top EU officials on Friday.

The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had put forward the idea of allowing Ukraine to attend EU meetings without voting privileges as a transitional measure toward complete membership. Merz suggested this approach could help broker an agreement to conclude the four-year conflict that began with Russia’s invasion.

However, Zelenskiy argued in his correspondence, which Reuters obtained, that recent electoral changes removing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – a strong critic of Ukraine’s EU bid – now open the door for meaningful advancement in membership discussions.

“It would be unfair for Ukraine to be present in the European Union, but remain voiceless,” Zelenskiy wrote in his message. “The time is right to move forward with Ukraine’s membership in a full and meaningful way.”

The Ukrainian leader directed his letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency.

In his correspondence, Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to European officials for their wartime assistance and emphasized Ukraine’s role as a shield protecting the entire 27-member union from Russian attacks.

“We are defending Europe – fully, not partially, and not with half-measures,” he stated. “Ukraine deserves a fair approach and equal rights within Europe.”

Japan’s Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa confirmed Saturday that he engaged in an informal conversation with China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during international meetings, though he emphasized no official bilateral discussions took place between the two nations.

The Japanese official made his comments to media representatives following his participation in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial sessions held in Suzhou, located in eastern China.

This interaction represents the most significant contact at the senior official level between Japan and China since tensions between the countries escalated in November.

“Before the dinner began on Friday, I approached Minister Wang and had a brief conversation,” Akazawa stated, explaining that he couldn’t provide specifics since the exchange involved diplomatic matters.

According to Kyodo news agency, Akazawa had expressed hope on Friday that he might have the chance to address various topics with Wang should the circumstances allow.

When asked whether Japan had made an official request for bilateral meetings, a trade ministry representative chose not to provide comment.

Any formal meeting between Akazawa and his Chinese counterpart would have represented the most substantial diplomatic engagement since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sparked the current dispute by stating that a theoretical Chinese military action against Taiwan might prompt a Japanese response.

Following those remarks, Beijing implemented various countermeasures, including advising Chinese nationals against traveling to Japan and restricting exports of certain rare earth materials essential for manufacturing electric vehicles, military equipment and other goods.

While participating in the APEC ministerial sessions, Akazawa urged countries that export materials to address unreasonable restrictions on rare earth exports, though he refrained from identifying specific nations, according to the ministry representative.

China has blocked Japan’s access to multiple heavy rare earth elements and other critical materials for a minimum of four months, timing that aligns with the diplomatic disagreement and indicates Beijing may be leveraging its mineral resources for diplomatic purposes.

ISHØJ, Denmark (AP) — A Danish artist who specializes in creating sculptures from recycled materials has spent more than ten years placing giant wooden troll figures across the globe. Thomas Dambo has constructed nearly 200 of these creations spanning 19 nations.

The former hip-hop performer and poet is now moving his fairy tale-inspired works indoors for his inaugural museum exhibition.

“The Garbage Man” exhibition at the Arken Museum of Contemporary Art, located outside Copenhagen, presents a narrative about playful trolls who secretly enter the museum, assume control, and transform the space.

“They build and leave a giant human made of trash … as a lesson for the humans to behave better and don’t put their trash where everybody else lives,” Dambo explained from his workspace near Denmark’s capital city.

The 46-year-old creator began installing his troll sculptures in 2014 when he constructed two pieces for a music festival in Denmark.

In 2016, he concealed six massive trolls throughout forested locations surrounding Copenhagen. This initiative became an internet sensation, attracting millions of online viewers.

“I was like, if I tell a story that combines them all, then when I’ve done this (for) 10 years, I will probably have made over 100 sculptures and … I have made the world into my stage,” he explained.

After twelve years of work, Dambo has completed nearly 200 sculptures. He and his crew construct approximately 25 new troll figures each year. His tallest creation, “Long Leif,” measures 13 meters (43 feet) in height and is located in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Typically, Dambo’s creations function as both treasure hunts and artistic displays. His storybook-inspired sculptures are positioned in remote locations including woodlands, mountainous regions, tropical areas, and meadows worldwide, with visitors able to locate them through a digital “Troll Map.”

Examples include “Little Lisa” concealed within a forest in Germany and “Happy Kim” relaxing in a botanical garden in South Korea.

Young visitors climb on the sculptures while adults marvel at discovering the trolls. Dambo calculates that approximately 5 million people encounter his works each year.

“The sculptures bring people out to experience things that they would otherwise have been too lazy or maybe not creative enough to go and visit,” he noted. “My trolls, they bring people to all these small, little corners of the world.”

Every troll created by Dambo features distinct naming and styling. In the Arken exhibition, launching Sunday and continuing through Nov. 29, his latest pieces draw inspiration from childhood companions.

These sculptures possess “personalities of a late teenage, young 20s type of group of boys that are causing havoc, and the type of gang that would break into a museum and fill it up with trash,” Dambo described.

While trolls frequently feature in Nordic legends, Dambo selected these mythological beings as a means to communicate themes about waste management and recycling.

The environmental artist’s sculptures consist almost completely of waste materials and abandoned items, including wooden shipping pallets, used furniture, and old whisky containers.

He explained that working within a museum setting allows him to incorporate materials unsuitable for outdoor conditions, such as abandoned electronics, cardboard, and clothing items in large quantities.

In one section, a troll called “Dyna Dee” rests atop a 6-meter (nearly 20-foot) pile of donated clothing from a neighborhood recycling group.

Dambo aims for museum attendees to depart with motivation to reduce their purchasing habits.

“It’s not really about recycling, it’s about you probably have enough clothes in your cabinet to wear for the rest of your life,” he stated. “This is not my recycling project, this is my stop buying stuff project.”

WASHINGTON – Three months following President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, questions emerge about whether battlefield successes can convert into meaningful strategic achievements.

Despite winning numerous tactical engagements, Trump now confronts a more complex challenge as Iran continues controlling the Strait of Hormuz while showing minimal willingness to compromise on nuclear issues, leaving the theocratic regime fundamentally unchanged.

Multiple analysts suggest Trump’s declarations of total success appear unconvincing as both nations navigate between uncertain diplomatic efforts and his intermittent threats to renew military strikes, which would likely trigger Iranian counterattacks throughout the region.

The president now risks a scenario where America and its Gulf Arab partners conclude the confrontation in a weaker position, while Iran, despite suffering military and economic damage, potentially gains increased influence after demonstrating its ability to disrupt one-fifth of global oil and gas flows.

Though the crisis continues, some experts suggest Trump might discover a face-saving resolution if negotiations develop favorably, while others anticipate a troubling post-conflict landscape.

“We’re three months in, and it’s looking like a war that was designed to be a short-term romp for Trump is turning into a long-term strategic failure,” said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for Republican and Democratic administrations.

This situation particularly concerns Trump, given his well-known aversion to appearing unsuccessful – a characterization he frequently applies to political rivals. In this Iranian crisis, he leads the world’s most powerful military against a secondary power that seemingly believes it holds advantages.

This predicament could make Trump, who hasn’t established clear end goals, more resistant to compromises that might appear as retreats from his maximum demands or resembling the 2015 Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran that he abandoned during his first presidency, according to analysts.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the U.S. has “met or surpassed all of our military objectives in ‘Operation Epic Fury.’”

“President Trump holds all the cards and wisely keeps all options on the table,” she added.

Trump sought reelection promising to avoid unnecessary military interventions but has created an entanglement that could permanently harm his foreign policy legacy and international credibility.

The ongoing confrontation occurs as he encounters domestic criticism over elevated U.S. gasoline costs and declining approval numbers after initiating the unpopular conflict before November’s midterm elections. His Republican Party struggles to retain Congressional control.

Consequently, more than six weeks into a ceasefire, some analysts believe Trump confronts a difficult decision: accept a potentially imperfect agreement as an exit strategy or escalate militarily while risking an extended crisis. Should diplomacy fail, his options might include launching focused but limited strikes, declaring final victory, and moving forward.

Another possibility involves Trump potentially redirecting attention toward Cuba, as he has indicated, hoping to change the conversation and pursue a potentially simpler victory.

Such a move might lead him to underestimate Havana’s challenges, similar to how some Trump aides privately admit he incorrectly assumed the Iran operation would mirror the January 3 raid that captured Venezuela’s president and resulted in his replacement.

Nevertheless, Trump maintains supporters.

Alexander Gray, a former senior adviser in Trump’s first term and now chief executive officer of the American Global Strategies consultancy, rejected the notion that the president’s Iran campaign was on the ropes.

He argued that significant damage to Iranian military capabilities represented a “strategic success,” that the conflict brought Gulf states closer to America while distancing them from China, and that Iran’s nuclear program’s future remains undetermined.

However, signs suggest Trump’s frustration with his inability to shape the narrative. He has criticized opponents and accused news media of “treason.”

The conflict has continued twice beyond the maximum six-week timeline Trump established when joining with Israel to begin the war on February 28. While his MAGA political supporters have remained loyal regarding the war, fractures have emerged in his previously nearly unanimous Republican lawmaker support.

Initially, extensive airstrikes rapidly weakened Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, destroyed much of its naval fleet, and eliminated numerous senior leaders.

But Tehran responded by closing the strait, causing energy prices to surge, and attacking Israel and Gulf neighbors. Trump then ordered Iranian port blockades, but this has also failed to force Tehran’s compliance.

Iranian leaders have countered Trump’s victory claims with their own propaganda characterizing his campaign as a “crushing defeat,” though Iranian officials have clearly exaggerated their own military capabilities.

Trump stated his war objectives included preventing Iran’s nuclear weapons development, ending its regional and U.S. interest threats, and facilitating Iranian citizens’ efforts to overthrow their government.

No evidence suggests his frequently changing goals have been accomplished, and many analysts consider achievement unlikely.

Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East, said that while Iran suffered devastating damage, its leaders view mere survival of the U.S. assault as success while learning their control extent over Gulf shipping.

“What they discovered is they can exercise that leverage and with few consequences for them,” said Panikoff, now at the Atlantic Council think tank, adding that Iran appeared confident it could endure more economic hardship than Trump and outlast him.

Trump’s primary stated war goal – Iran’s denuclearization – remains unachieved, and Tehran has demonstrated little willingness to substantially limit its program.

Highly enriched uranium stockpiles are believed to remain buried following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes last June and could be retrieved and further refined to weapons grade. Iran claims it wants America to acknowledge its uranium enrichment rights for stated peaceful purposes.

Complicating matters further, Iran’s supreme leader has issued orders that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium cannot be exported, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters.

Some analysts have suggested the war could increase, rather than decrease, Iran’s likelihood of accelerating nuclear weapon development efforts for protection similar to nuclear-armed North Korea.

Another Trump declared objective – forcing Iran to cease supporting armed proxy groups – also remains unmet.

Adding to Trump’s challenges, he now confronts new Iranian leaders considered more hardline than their eliminated predecessors. Post-conflict, they are widely expected to retain sufficient remaining missiles and drones to continue threatening neighbors.

He also faces consequences from further deteriorating relationships with traditional European allies, who have largely declined his assistance requests for a war they weren’t consulted about.

China and Russia, meanwhile, have observed lessons about U.S. military limitations against asymmetric Iranian tactics and how some weapons supplies have become depleted, analysts said.

Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, has argued that the outcome will represent an even more decisive blow to U.S. standing than its humiliating withdrawals from much longer, bloodier conflicts in Vietnam and Afghanistan because those countries “were far from the main theaters of global competition.”

“There will be no return to the status quo ante, no ultimate American triumph that will undo or overcome the harm done,” he wrote in a recent commentary entitled “Checkmate in Iran” on the Atlantic magazine’s website.

A knowledgeable source is pushing back against claims that America’s weapons transfers to Taiwan have been delayed because of the ongoing Iran conflict, stating that such military sales require years to complete and have no connection to the current war.

The island nation of Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, continues to await American approval for a weapons package that could reach $14 billion in value, according to previous reports.

Uncertainty emerged in Taipei after President Donald Trump indicated following his recent meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping that he remained undecided about approving the military package.

During a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao stated that weapons sales to Taiwan had been temporarily halted to ensure America maintained sufficient munitions for Operation Epic Fury, the military operation targeting Iran.

However, a source with knowledge of the situation noted that Trump has indicated a decision on Taiwan’s weapons sales would come soon.

“These sales take years to process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury,” the source explained, referencing the military campaign that America and Israel began in February. “The United States Military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s strategic goals and beyond.”

The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act legally requires America to supply Taiwan with defensive capabilities, and officials have maintained since Trump’s meeting with Xi that Taiwan policy remains consistent.

Taiwan’s leadership stated Friday that they had received no notification regarding any delays in American weapons sales.

Beijing has consistently demanded that America cease all military sales to the island.

Taiwan’s administration dismisses China’s territorial claims, maintaining that only Taiwan’s citizens have the authority to determine the island’s destiny.

A deadly gas blast at a mining facility in China’s Shanxi province has resulted in eight fatalities and left 38 workers trapped beneath the surface, according to state media reports released Saturday.

The incident occurred Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine located in Changzhi city, as reported by the official news agency Xinhua. At the time of the blast, approximately 247 workers were operating below ground. By early Saturday morning, rescue teams had successfully evacuated 201 workers to safety.

Authorities are currently investigating what triggered the deadly explosion, Xinhua stated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered comprehensive rescue efforts for the missing workers and demanded a thorough investigation into what caused the tragedy, with accountability measures for those found responsible, according to the news agency.

The affected province serves as China’s primary coal mining region. Despite being larger than Greece with approximately 34 million residents, Shanxi’s extensive mining workforce of hundreds of thousands extracted 1.3 billion tons (1.17 billion metric tons) of coal during the previous year, representing nearly one-third of the nation’s total coal production.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in India Saturday, beginning a crucial four-day diplomatic visit designed to rebuild a relationship strained by trade conflicts and President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

This marks Rubio’s inaugural journey to India, with scheduled visits to Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi. According to the State Department, discussions will center on trade partnerships, energy collaboration and defense cooperation.

American leaders, including Trump during his initial presidency, have consistently worked to draw the historically neutral nation closer as a balance against Russian influence and China’s expanding presence in the Indo-Pacific region. However, these diplomatic efforts suffered a significant setback when Trump imposed some of America’s steepest tariffs on Indian goods last year.

While many of these trade penalties were reduced through a temporary agreement, both nations have yet to reach a final comprehensive trade deal.

Indian officials had pushed for a Trump visit connected to a Quad summit involving the United States, India, Japan and Australia, but experts indicate this proposal was shelved due to trade disagreements and other pressing matters, including the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Meanwhile, America has strengthened relationships with India’s neighboring rival Pakistan, with Islamabad playing a crucial role in peace negotiations, creating additional friction in U.S.-India relations.

The energy emergency triggered by the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has also hindered American attempts to reduce India’s dependence on Russian oil.

Speaking Thursday, Rubio identified energy as a primary focus, noting ongoing discussions to increase America’s portion of India’s energy imports.

“We want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy,” he said. “There’s a lot to work on with India. They’re a great ally, a great partner. We do a lot of good work with them.”

For Indian officials, Trump’s recent visit to Beijing this month heightened worries about American commitments, according to Basant Sanghera, a former State Department South Asia policy expert now with The Asia Group consultancy.

Sanghera explained that Trump’s strategy had “created a perfect storm of anxiety” in India regarding the U.S. relationship, “but ties have stabilized and both sides are trying to build momentum in the areas that there is convergence.”

The previous Biden administration prioritized India as a crucial strategic ally and honored Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 2023 state visit. Trump also hosted Modi at the White House early in his second term before implementing harsh tariffs that derailed diplomatic progress.

U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor, nicknamed “the India whisperer” by Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council think tank, began his duties in New Delhi in January and has worked to restore relations. Gor maintains a personal friendship with Trump and previously served as a White House adviser.

In February, both countries established a “framework for an interim agreement” on trade, reducing Trump’s tariffs on Indian products to 18% from a severe 50%, with half previously tied to India’s earlier Russian oil purchases.

However, negotiations to complete the agreement stalled after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Trump’s tariffs in late February.

This decision effectively lowered duties on Indian goods to 10%, but New Delhi continues evaluating its options as the Trump administration pursues investigations under unfair trade practices laws expected to reinstate much of the previous levies.

A source familiar with the negotiations revealed American disappointment with India’s perceived delays and apparent expectation of securing favorable terms without significant concessions, a sentiment likely to complicate Rubio’s efforts to stabilize relations.

“I do not expect Secretary Rubio will have much impact in changing the downward trajectory,” said Richard Rossow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

“The lack of a trade agreement – more than three months after the announcement of the ‘interim deal’ – clouds other areas of engagement.”

India’s requests for the White House to arrange a Trump visit for a Quad summit, designed to counter China’s growing influence, remain unanswered, according to another source familiar with the discussions.

Rubio’s upcoming meeting with fellow Quad foreign ministers in Delhi will mark the third such gathering without leader-level participation and represents an “unannounced downgrade” of the alliance, Rossow noted.

Despite this, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi posted on X emphasizing the Quad’s significance, stating it stands “together for a free and open Indo-Pacific… From supporting regional security to diversifying critical minerals supply chains.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in India Saturday, preparing for crucial discussions next week with officials from India, Australia, and Japan – the four nations that make up the Indo-Pacific coalition called the Quad.

The diplomatic mission comes as the United States works to repair damaged relationships with India following tensions created by President Donald Trump’s trade policies, which imposed higher tariffs on various Indian goods.

During his four-day stay, Rubio plans to travel to multiple cities and attend a celebration in New Delhi commemorating America’s 250th year of independence.

“There’s a lot to work on with India, they’re a great ally and partner. We do a lot of good work with them so this is an important trip,” Rubio said ahead of his visit to India.

Rubio landed in Kolkata Saturday morning and plans to tour Mother House, the central operations of the Missionaries of Charity established by Mother Teresa. His itinerary includes stops in Agra and Jaipur, cities famous for their historic landmarks and royal architecture.

The Secretary of State will conduct one-on-one discussions with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and is anticipated to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tuesday’s Quad ministerial gathering in New Delhi will bring together officials from the alliance that has consistently criticized China for demonstrating military strength in the South China Sea and aggressively advancing its territorial maritime demands.

China argues its military presence serves purely defensive purposes to safeguard what it considers legitimate territorial rights, characterizing the Quad as an effort to limit its economic expansion and global influence.

Following his swearing-in ceremony in January of last year, Rubio’s initial official overseas commitment involved conferences with foreign ministers from the remaining Quad nations, conducted both collectively and individually.

A Japanese nurse who holds the distinction of being the only woman to successfully climb the world’s second-tallest mountain, K2, on three separate occasions has accomplished something even more remarkable: reaching the top of all 14 of Earth’s highest peaks.

However, for 44-year-old Naoko Watanabe, mountaineering represents much more than accumulating achievements. She views it as pursuing adventure, finding happiness, and discovering new cultures, people, and cuisines. This June, she plans to guide a team of amateur climbers back to Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat, dubbed the “killer mountain,” which remains her preferred destination.

“I’m just an ordinary person who has happened to achieve records while climbing the Himalayas during my vacations,” Watanabe explained during a recent Associated Press interview conducted in Tokyo. “I don’t consider myself a mountaineer.”

Watanabe’s high-altitude journey began in 2006 during her nursing school years when she successfully ascended Cho Oyu, standing at 8,201 meters (26,906 feet) as the world’s sixth-tallest mountain along the Nepal-China border.

This marked her inaugural climb of one of the globe’s 14 mountains that rise above 8,000 meters (26,246 feet).

Following her transition to full-time nursing at a university hospital in 2009, she found it challenging to juggle her career with her climbing passion, ultimately choosing temporary nursing positions to allow more frequent expeditions.

She now regularly ventures into the Himalayas as an escape from Japan’s demanding, conformity-focused society, using these climbs to restore her mental equilibrium. Her current mission involves introducing others who need respite to the happiness that mountain climbing can provide.

Watanabe is currently organizing a June expedition to Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-tallest peak, which she successfully summited on her second try in 2022. For this upcoming journey, she intends to accompany amateur climbers, with most participants remaining at base camp.

“The Nanga Parbat base camp is extremely scenic and it’s my favorite among the 14 peaks,” Watanabe explained. “I want everyone to see that.” She encourages participants to move at their preferred speed, take breaks freely, capture photographs, and engage with Sherpa guides.

“They are not supposed to be working hard,” Watanabe emphasizes. “I want (the climbers) to be free from the stereotypes and realize that the Himalayas can be fun … and to know there are more important things than reaching the summit.”

Born in Onojo City in southern Japan in 1981, Watanabe began her adventure journey at age 3 when her mother enrolled her in a children’s adventure program. Her early experiences included island camping in China, expeditions across Mongolian grasslands with other youngsters, and climbing a snow-covered Pakistani mountain at age 12.

Throughout her youth, she credits her love for adventure and climbing with helping her navigate challenging periods as she wrestled with Japan’s cultural expectations to participate in group activities while avoiding individual distinction.

Her healthcare background has proven invaluable during her 31 expeditions spanning the last two decades.

“The experience (as a nurse) has become useful in the mountains when I face emergencies and need to make a quick decision on the spot about the weather or my own health conditions.”

During her initial Everest attempt in 2011, with only 150 meters (160 yards) remaining to the summit, she chose to retreat when weather conditions rapidly declined. Her emotional Sherpa objected, insisting they were merely one hour from the peak. However, Watanabe foresaw potential oxygen supply issues if deteriorating weather caused delays. During their descent, she temporarily lost her vision. They returned safely, though she developed pneumonia.

Returning to Everest in 2013 on an exceptionally windy day, conditions appeared more favorable. While other climbers withdrew, she proceeded cautiously and successfully reached the summit.

Watanabe achieved the milestone of becoming the first Japanese woman to conquer all 14 of the world’s tallest mountains in October 2024, when she summited the 8,027-meter (26,335-foot) Mount Shishapangma in China.

In July 2024, she also earned recognition from Guinness World Records as the first woman to reach the summit of the 8,611-meter (28,251-foot) K2, the world’s second-tallest mountain, on three occasions.

Watanabe intends to continue climbing for the pure enjoyment it provides.

“I will probably end up climbing (mountains in the Himalayas) about 100 times,” she projects. “It would be fun if that eventually becomes a record that I set in my own unique way.”

A month-long United Nations gathering focused on examining the global nuclear nonproliferation agreement concluded Friday without reaching consensus, as disputes between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s atomic activities derailed negotiations.

The conference chair, Vietnam’s U.N. Ambassador Do Hung Viet, declared that the 191 nations party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty could not agree on even a diluted concluding statement. He declined to identify which nations prevented consensus.

This marks the third consecutive unsuccessful review of the NPT, widely regarded as the foundation of worldwide efforts to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation and promote disarmament. During the previous treaty assessment in August 2022, Russia prevented consensus on a concluding document due to its February 2022 Ukraine invasion and mentions of Moscow’s control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, Europe’s largest.

Disputes regarding Tehran’s atomic activities intensified before the Iran war, which commenced with U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Feb. 28. President Donald Trump has stated the conflict aimed to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Iran has processed uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade purity but maintains its program serves only peaceful purposes.

The U.S. and Iran have confronted each other since the review conference began on April 27. The U.S. has charged Iran with displaying “contempt” for its treaty obligations, while Iran has claimed U.S. and Israeli attacks on its atomic installations breached international law.

Iran participates in the NPT, which mandates nations allow the U.N. nuclear oversight body to inspect all atomic facilities. However, Iran has denied International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors entry to nuclear locations bombed by the U.S. last June.

During closing remarks, the United States labeled Iran a “prolific treaty violator” and accused it of “shirking accountability for its grotesque violations” throughout the conference. Iran charged the U.S. and its partners with waging a “relentless campaign” to justify their “unlawful attacks” on the nation and its nuclear infrastructure.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said the conference “showed that rhetorical support for the NPT is strong, but the foundations of the NPT are cracking due to inaction, inattention, and intransigence on the part of the major powers.”

“Much more enlightened, engaged, and pragmatic leadership and diplomacy will be needed to guard against the growing risks of an unconstrained nuclear buildup, threats to resume nuclear testing, and the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran,” Kimball said.

Britain’s Rebecca Johnson, founding executive director of the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, delivered sharp criticism of both the U.S. and Russia, the world’s two largest nuclear powers, which she said “double down on nuclear threats, blame others and try to undermine or ignore the NPT’s nuclear disarmament commitments and related agreements.”

An internal World Bank document obtained by Reuters shows that 27 nations have taken steps to secure rapid access to emergency funding through existing bank programs following the start of the Iran war.

The confidential document did not identify which specific countries are involved or reveal the total dollar amounts they are seeking. World Bank officials declined to provide comment on the matter.

According to the document, three nations have successfully established new funding mechanisms since the Middle East conflict started on February 28, while the remaining countries continue working through the approval process.

The ongoing conflict has created widespread disruption in global energy markets, damaging supply chains worldwide and blocking critical fertilizer deliveries to developing nations.

Government officials from Kenya and Iraq have publicly confirmed their efforts to obtain emergency World Bank assistance to address war-related impacts, including Kenya’s struggle with rising fuel costs and Iraq’s significant decline in oil revenues.

These 27 nations are part of a larger group of 101 countries that have access to various pre-established financing tools for crisis situations. This includes 54 countries enrolled in the Rapid Response Option, which permits nations to utilize up to 10% of their unused financing.

World Bank President Ajay Banga announced last month that the institution’s emergency response tools would enable countries to access between $20 billion and $25 billion through pre-arranged emergency financing, existing project funds, and rapid-disbursement programs.

Banga indicated the bank could redirect portions of its investment portfolio to reach $60 billion within six months, with potential long-term adjustments bringing the total to approximately $100 billion.

During the same period, International Monetary Fund head Kristalina Georgieva predicted that up to 12 countries would request between $20 billion and $50 billion in immediate assistance from the global lending institution. However, according to three informed sources, few formal requests have been submitted.

“Countries are definitely in wait-and-see mode,” one source said, requesting anonymity.

Kevin Gallagher, director of the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University, explained that nations prefer World Bank funding over IMF negotiations because IMF programs typically mandate austerity policies that could worsen social unrest already occurring in countries like Kenya.

A deadly gas explosion at a coal mining facility in northern China’s Shanxi province has claimed eight lives, with 38 workers still trapped underground, according to Saturday reports from state news agency Xinhua, which cited the local emergency management authority.

The blast happened late Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine located in Qinyuan county, where 247 employees were working below ground when the explosion occurred, Xinhua stated.

Rescue teams had successfully evacuated 201 individuals to safety by early Saturday morning, which included the eight fatalities, according to the news report.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A man from Argentina who was held in Venezuelan custody for 448 days issued an appeal Friday for global leaders to intensify efforts pressuring the administration of interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez to free other detainees.

Nahuel Gallo, age 35, gained his freedom on March 1 following his arrest on spy-related charges leveled by the administration of former President Nicolás Maduro, who has since been removed from power.

“I think we’re still imprisoned until our fellow inmates are freed,” Gallo told The Associated Press.

Throughout his nearly 15-month incarceration, Gallo reported suffering physical assaults, inadequate healthcare, and relentless mental torment while confined at Rodeo I facility.

Since assuming the role of acting president following Maduro’s January apprehension by U.S. forces, Rodríguez has pledged democratic changes, and Venezuelan officials have previously rejected accounts of prison mistreatment. However, opposition voices maintain that hundreds continue to be held on political grounds.

According to Gallo, these ongoing imprisonments demonstrate that Venezuela’s oppressive apparatus continues to function.

During a Thursday meeting in Buenos Aires with U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas, the diplomat issued a statement declaring that “the Maduro regime in Venezuela used the arbitrary detention of foreign citizens as a tool of political repression.”

Earlier this week, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez — who is the interim president’s brother — revealed intentions to free 300 prisoners, including some whom human rights organizations view as politically motivated cases.

Gallo’s arrest occurred on Dec. 8, 2024, during his attempt to cross into Venezuela for a visit with his Venezuelan partner, María Alexandra Gómez García, and their child, who was under 2 years old at the time.

While passing through border control, Venezuelan officials examined his mobile device and discovered WhatsApp messages between him and his partner discussing Venezuela’s political and economic circumstances.

“You’re criticizing my president,” Gallo recalled officers telling him.

He was subsequently taken to the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, where he reported being restrained, struck, and kicked during questioning sessions.

Following this, he was placed in a truck where agents persisted with interrogation after discovering contacts connected to Argentine legal institutions on his phone.

“You are a spy. You work for the government,” he recalled them saying while threatening to throw him from the vehicle, pressing a gun against his head and pointing a Taser at him.

Almost three weeks following his detention, then-Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab charged Gallo with engaging in “terrorist actions” against Venezuela.

Throughout his nearly 15-month stay at Rodeo I, Gallo reported having zero communication with Argentine representatives and receiving no updates about potential release discussions.

Gallo painted a picture of brutal circumstances within the facility. Healthcare was severely restricted. Prisoners received only brief daily periods for bathing, laundering, and restroom use. Guards regularly deployed pepper spray against inmates.

His foreign status prohibited him from receiving visitors. His first conversation with his wife occurred only after a full year behind bars and following his decision to begin a hunger strike.

The experiences that continue to trouble him most involve witnessing guards assault prisoners in adjacent cells.

“I think the greatest torture is seeing something being done to someone else and not being able to do anything,” Gallo said.

He currently utilizes social media platforms to expose Venezuelan prison conditions and campaign for those who remain incarcerated.

“The person who’s still inside is waiting for the one who got out to do something,” he said.

Gallo continues to recall the words his fellow prisoners shared as he departed Rodeo I: “Gallo, don’t forget about us.”

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — In a dramatic late-night announcement on Friday, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko following prolonged political friction between the two leaders.

Government Secretary General Oumar Samba Ba made the announcement during a nighttime television broadcast, revealing the end of a partnership that had brought their party to power.

The dismissal marks the climax of escalating disputes between these once-allied leaders from the Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité (Pastef) party, which had successfully ousted the previous administration.

According to Ba, the prime minister’s removal triggered the resignation of all government ministers and led to the cabinet’s complete dissolution.

The Pastef party had secured victory following an aggressive political battle against the previously governing Alliance pour la République party. This came amid widespread concerns that former President Macky Sall might exploit a 2016 constitutional amendment to extend his presidency. Sall, who governed from 2012 to 2024, ultimately chose not to seek reelection, leading to his party’s defeat.

Sonko, who leads the Pastef party, was prohibited from seeking the presidency after courts upheld a defamation conviction and the Constitutional Court rejected his candidacy. Faye stepped in as the party’s candidate in Sonko’s place.

Following his dismissal, Sonko posted a brief message on X, stating: “Praise be to Allah. Tonight I will sleep with a light heart in the Keur Gorgui neighborhood.”

Wreckage from unmanned aircraft sparked a blaze at an oil facility in Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, leaving one person hurt, authorities reported in the early hours of Saturday, May 23.

According to the General Headquarters of southern Krasnodar Region in a Telegram post, multiple technical and administrative structures were engulfed in flames. The falling wreckage also struck the facility’s oil storage terminal.

WELLINGTON, May 23 – The New Zealand government announced a major defense investment of NZ$1.58 billion ($924.62 million) as part of its 2026 budget, with maritime security taking center stage, according to Defence Minister Chris Penk on Saturday.

The country’s naval combat operations currently rely on two Anzac-class frigates, HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Te Mana, which entered service in 1997 and 1999 respectively. These vessels, along with most of the nation’s fleet, are projected to reach their operational limits by the mid-2030s. Last year, the government committed to doubling defense expenditures to approximately 2% of GDP over an eight-year period to strengthen the nation’s military capabilities.

The funding breakdown includes NZ$880 million for additional operational expenses and NZ$700 million in capital investment for defense initiatives and priority projects outlined in the Defence Capability Plan.

Under the Maritime Fleet Renewal initiative, resources will support the development of two distinct drone platforms: extended-range surveillance aircraft for intelligence gathering across the South-West Pacific region, and specialized polar-capable units designed to operate from Royal New Zealand Navy ships in Southern Ocean missions.

The budget allocation will also support essential repairs and upgrades to the Anzac-class frigates and HMNZS Canterbury, extending their service life until replacement vessels become operational.

Penk noted that combined defense investments have totaled NZ$5.8 billion since the Defence Capability Plan’s introduction just over twelve months ago.

The complete budget details are scheduled for public release on May 28.

Bolivian officials announced Friday that law enforcement and military personnel will establish humanitarian corridors Saturday in the La Paz region to allow essential goods to bypass protest blockades that have disrupted supply chains.

The demonstrations have escalated over recent weeks as various groups including labor unions, mining workers, transportation employees, and rural communities demand that President Rodrigo Paz reverse austerity policies and tackle increasing costs of living. Several groups have demanded the president step down, signaling growing opposition to the current administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The current White House approach toward Cuba mirrors the tactics used against Venezuela: petroleum sanctions, increased American naval presence, criminal indictments and ongoing intervention warnings.

However, analysts caution that identical pressure strategies don’t guarantee identical outcomes, despite President Donald Trump frequently stating that “Cuba is next.”

“President Trump viewed the Venezuelan intervention as a fantastic success,” said Brian Finucane, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group and a former State Department lawyer. “And he’s sought to replicate the Venezuela model elsewhere, including in Iran. But obviously, Cuba, like Iran, is a very different country than Venezuela.”

Should Washington succeed in removing Cuba’s current government, no clear replacement exists who would collaborate with the Trump administration, Finucane noted. This contrasts sharply with Venezuela, where American forces apprehended leader Nicolás Maduro in January, allowing his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control with Washington’s backing.

Cuban officials, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public statements, assert “there is no Delcy in Cuba.”

Current American military deployment in Caribbean waters remains significantly smaller and less intimidating compared to the extensive naval buildup preceding Maduro’s removal, Finucane observed. Additionally, prosecuting 94-year-old former Cuban leader Raúl Castro carries less weight than charging Venezuela’s active president with narcotics crimes to justify his detention.

The following outlines key parallels and contrasts between Washington’s pressure strategies targeting Venezuela and Cuba:

Following his established pattern, Trump established groundwork for American involvement in Venezuela — and potentially Cuba — through escalating warnings months ahead of any military intervention.

The president has cautioned Caribbean nation leaders to comply or confront American military power. Prior to the bold operation that removed Maduro from office, Trump appeared alongside senior national security officials in Florida, delivering what became his final public warning to the authoritarian ruler.

“If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough,” Trump declared in December. Following Maduro’s transport to America for prosecution, Trump redirected attention toward regional targets, particularly Cuba.

“Cuba is ready to fall. Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall. I don’t know if they’re going to hold out,” he informed reporters on Jan. 5.

Trump proceeded to threaten trade penalties against nations selling or providing petroleum to Cuba, suggesting America might have “the honor of taking Cuba” after military actions in Venezuela and Iran.

Thursday brought renewed warnings, with Trump labeling Cuba “a failed country.”

“Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years, doing something,” Trump stated. “And, it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.”

American petroleum sanctions targeting Cuba and Venezuela aim for identical outcomes: applying severe pressure on governing authorities through completely opposite approaches.

Regarding Venezuela, the administration focused on blocking the nation’s oil sales to deprive Maduro’s regime of income. Post-Maduro, efforts shifted toward preventing Venezuela from shipping oil to specific nations — especially Cuba, which provided no monetary compensation — while demanding compliance with American terms for such exports.

Most Venezuelan crude now flows through American refineries.

Cuba faces restrictions on oil imports, though Washington has permitted limited shipments to reach the island nation, which recently announced depleted reserves. These petroleum sanctions, expanding the decades-old American trade embargo, have severely hampered the government’s ability to supply electricity and fuel to citizens.

Such measures risk going too far, Finucane warned, potentially driving many Cubans to attempt the 90-mile journey to Florida in improvised vessels, similar to 1990s exodus patterns.

“President Trump especially cares about immigration. And if they push too hard on Cuba and destabilize the island, there’s the possibility of some kind of a refugee crisis,” he explained.

Federal prosecutors charged Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy and additional counts during Trump’s initial presidency in 2020.

These charges justified Maduro’s capture, leading to his current detention in New York where he awaits trial after entering not guilty pleas. This action transformed Venezuela’s relationship with America, permitting previously banned Venezuelan oil sales to American companies and international markets — a dramatic reversal after years of blocked government and petroleum sector dealings.

The indictment targeting Castro for the 1996 destruction of civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles represents another escalation step in the administration’s pressure strategy, according to William LeoGrande, an American University professor specializing in Latin American politics.

However, he noted that apprehending Castro on murder and aircraft destruction charges wouldn’t alter Cuban government operations.

Castro “still has influence and the leadership seeks his opinion on major decisions, but he is not running the government on a day-to-day basis,” LeoGrande explained.

Months before Maduro’s capture, Washington deployed naval vessels near Venezuelan waters in what became the largest Latin American military buildup in decades.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, America’s most sophisticated warship, was redirected from European operations to participate. Three amphibious assault vessels transported Marine expeditionary forces along with helicopters and Osprey aircraft.

American forces spent months targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters — operations that continue — while fighter aircraft conducted flights over the Gulf of Venezuela.

Maduro’s actual capture involved over 150 aircraft deployed throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Current Caribbean Sea military presence remains smaller, including two amphibious assault ships carrying Marines. Officials highlighted the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier’s arrival with accompanying vessels coinciding with this week’s Castro charges announcement.

However, the Nimitz is conducting final regional maritime exercises before decommissioning.

“They’re very different situations, and it’s very difficult to see similar outcomes,” Finucane concluded. “A snatch-and-grab raid against Raúl Castro or someone who’s actually in a leadership position doesn’t seem like it’s going to have the same outcome in Cuba as in Venezuela.”

A new survey from pollster Datafolha reveals Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has opened up a lead over opposition Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in this year’s presidential race, with the incumbent benefiting from recent news stories connecting his right-wing opponent to a discredited banking figure.

According to the poll released Friday, the leftist president would capture 47% of the vote compared to 43% for Flavio in a hypothetical second-round matchup. This marks a shift from a survey conducted May 16 that showed the two candidates in a dead heat.

The polling was conducted in Sao Paulo and released on May 22.

ISTANBUL — Internal turmoil within Turkey’s primary opposition political organization intensified Friday following a court decision that has created competing claims to party leadership.

A judicial panel in Ankara ruled Thursday to invalidate the Republican Peoples’ Party’s November 2023 leadership convention, where Ozgur Ozel won election to succeed former party head Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The court’s action has temporarily removed Ozel and current executive committee members from their positions. Kilicdaroglu and officials who served prior to the November 2023 gathering will assume control on an interim basis.

Party officials contend the judicial ruling stems from political interference.

Previously, a trial court had dismissed challenges regarding voting irregularities and improper conduct during Ozel’s selection, but Thursday’s appellate decision reversed that earlier judgment.

Government representatives supported the legal challenge against the Republican Peoples’ Party, stating that party members themselves raised the corruption allegations. The most prominent complainant was former Antakya Mayor Lutfu Savas, who faced party expulsion for disciplinary violations in December 2024 before filing his lawsuit two months afterward to invalidate the leadership convention.

The party quickly challenged Thursday’s decision, but the court denied their request Friday. An evening appeal to the Supreme Election Council also failed, though the Supreme Court agreed to hear Ozel’s petition.

Friday saw Kilicdaroglu dismiss three party attorneys who had submitted the appeals. News outlets reported he began contacting previous associates to form his leadership team and updated his social media profile from “7th chairman of the CHP” to “chairman of the CHP.”

The 77-year-old Kilicdaroglu stepped down after 13 years leading the organization during which it never secured national electoral victory. In contrast, Ozel achieved significant success against Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party in his first major test during 2024’s municipal contests.

Thursday’s decision represents another significant challenge for the struggling party as it confronts numerous legal proceedings targeting its members and elected representatives.

The country’s next presidential contest is scheduled for 2028, though Erdogan retains authority to schedule an earlier vote. His primary political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from the Republican Peoples’ Party, has been incarcerated since March and faces corruption trial proceedings.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek, who previously handled multiple cases against the party as Istanbul’s top prosecutor, characterized the court’s action as strengthening “our citizens’ trust in democracy.”

Political analysts widely view the legal actions against the Republican Peoples’ Party — primarily involving corruption accusations — as politically driven efforts to weaken the organization before upcoming elections. Government officials maintain that Turkish courts operate independently without political influence.

Erdogan has governed Turkey since 2003, serving first as prime minister then president. His electoral dominance faced challenges in 2019 when the opposition captured control of several major urban areas. Imamoglu’s victory in Istanbul established him as an appealing leader whom many believed capable of defeating Erdogan.

BOGOTA, Colombia — More than 500 Colombian military personnel flooded into the southwestern municipality of Silvia on Friday after deadly fighting erupted between two Indigenous communities over disputed land, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 100 others.

Military officials announced on social media that over 500 troops, supported by air units, would be sent to the region to secure the communities and stop further violence from breaking out.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez told reporters Friday that preliminary casualty figures show at least seven fatalities and more than 110 wounded — the majority suffering gunshot wounds. “This figure could rise,” he warned.

The violent confrontation occurred in a rural section of the Cauca department, where the Misak and Nasa Indigenous communities are fighting over the same piece of land that both groups say belongs to them.

According to a statement from Colombia’s government-run National Land Agency, officials have been working since April when conflicts first began to help resolve the dispute through mediation meetings and technical committees aimed at “providing clarity regarding the territorial boundaries of the two groups.” The agency called on both communities to continue participating in negotiations.

On Thursday, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia released a statement calling for peace between the communities and demanding that government officials investigate and bring charges against those who caused the deaths and injuries.

Criminal armed organizations operate throughout the area, including breakaway groups from the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, that refused to accept the historic 2016 peace deal with the government.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia — Slovenia’s legislative body voted Friday to install right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the nation’s new prime minister, marking a political transition for the small European Union member previously led by a liberal administration.

Parliamentary members supported Jansa by a margin of 51-36 in the 90-seat legislature. The newly appointed prime minister must return to Parliament in the coming 15 days for an additional vote to approve his proposed Cabinet.

Jansa’s selection ends a political deadlock in Slovenia following parliamentary elections two months prior that resulted in virtually even results. Previous liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob’s Freedom Movement secured victory by a narrow margin, but he could not secure enough parliamentary support to govern.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party finalized a coalition deal this week with multiple right-wing organizations. The incoming administration also receives support from a nonestablishment Truth party that originated as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This upcoming term marks the fourth time in office for the experienced Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and maintained close ties with former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who suffered a decisive electoral defeat last month.

During his address, Jansa outlined the economy, anti-corruption efforts, reducing bureaucracy, and decentralization as primary objectives for his upcoming administration. He has pledged to reduce tax burdens for wealthy citizens and boost private education and healthcare sectors.

Criticizing what he called the outgoing government’s “inefficiency,” Jansa stated his new administration would transform Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted.”

Similar to Orban, Jansa maintained strong anti-immigration positions during Europe’s major migration crisis in 2015. Also resembling Orban, Jansa has encountered criticism for allegedly restricting democratic institutions and media freedoms during his previous 2020-2022 tenure. These actions sparked public demonstrations and drew European Union oversight.

In his remarks, Golob characterized Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy.”

Claiming that Jansa had made threats of arrest against him, Golob stated that Jansa’s “idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, who supports Israel, has also been a vocal opponent of the Golob government’s 2024 decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

The March 22 election faced claims of foreign interference and corruption. The approximately 2 million residents of the Alpine country remain sharply split between liberal and conservative viewpoints.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for renewed diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict with Russia during his Friday evening video address, stating he anticipates American suggestions for new negotiation formats.

During his nightly remarks following a virtual conference with leaders from Britain, France and Germany, Zelenskiy emphasized that current battlefield conditions favor Ukraine.

“Right now everything must be done to intensify diplomacy,” Zelenskiy said. “I am also expecting a response from the American side regarding possible formats and the schedule of meetings.”

The Ukrainian leader described the military situation as unfavorable for Russian forces, stating the battlefield trend was “not in the interests of the occupier. We continue to increase the rate at which we are destroying Russian personnel. This, together with sanctions of all forms, is forcing Russia towards choosing diplomacy.”

Zelenskiy reported that he briefed French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on current military developments along the front lines.

According to the Ukrainian president, his country has regained control of 590 square kilometers (228 square miles) of previously occupied land since January began.

A statement from Britain indicated that Zelenskiy updated the three leaders about “the progress made by Ukraine’s military in recent weeks, as it continues to ramp up its defence in the face of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s continued attacks.”

The British statement noted that all three leaders “confirmed they would double down on their support in the coming months” and reached consensus that “standing up to Russian aggression remains vital for European and global security.”

Officials in Taiwan stated Friday they have received no notification regarding potential delays in American weapons sales, following comments from a high-ranking U.S. official who indicated such sales were temporarily halted.

The island nation, which Beijing considers part of its territory, has been anticipating approval of a new weapons package from Washington that could reach $14 billion in value, according to previous reports.

President Donald Trump indicated uncertainty about approving the package after meeting with China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing the previous week.

During a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing Thursday, U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao addressed questions about future weapons sales to Taiwan.

“We have done some foreign military sales to them. It’s just right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury – which we have plenty,” he stated, referencing American operations against Iran.

“But we’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary,” he added, noting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would determine approval of Taiwan sales.

Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo addressed reporters in Taipei, acknowledging the official’s comments.

“However, at present we have not received any relevant information about the U.S. adjusting these military sales,” she stated.

Taiwan’s defense ministry also confirmed no notification of weapons sale delays had been received.

The ministry continues to “monitor U.S. security cooperation policy” and maintain close coordination and communication with the U.S. to ensure that arms sales proceed according to plan, according to their statement.

American law requires the U.S. to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities. Beijing has consistently demanded Washington cease weapons sales.

Taiwan’s leadership disputes China’s territorial claims, maintaining that only Taiwan’s citizens can determine the island’s future.

Slovenia’s legislative body confirmed Janez Jansa as the country’s prime minister-designate on Friday, breaking a political stalemate that has persisted since March elections failed to produce a clear majority winner.

The right-leaning politician, who is pursuing his fourth term in office, obtained 51 votes from the 90-member parliament on May 22, clearing the path for establishing a new administration committed to business-friendly policies and tax reductions.

The coalition supporting Jansa consists of five center-right political parties that have outlined key objectives including financial relief for companies and families, assistance for emerging businesses and rapidly expanding enterprises, plus establishing a special fund to support the nation’s retirement system. The alliance has also promised to reduce bureaucratic obstacles, address government corruption, and transfer greater authority to municipal governments.

“Our goal is Slovenia as a highly developed, competitive, and socially cohesive state based on knowledge, innovation, fairness, and quality of life,” Jansa told lawmakers.

During the March 22 parliamentary contest, Jansa’s Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) finished in second place with 28 seats, trailing the liberal Freedom Movement (GS) led by former prime minister Robert Golob, which captured 29 seats. Golob’s political organization moved into opposition status last month following unsuccessful attempts to build a governing majority.

On Thursday, the SDS joined with four other center-right organizations – New Slovenia, Democrats, Slovenian Peoples Party and Focus – to finalize their governing partnership agreement.

This five-party alliance holds 43 parliamentary seats and gained extra support from the right-wing Resnica party, though that group will remain outside the formal government structure. Representatives of national minority groups also endorsed Jansa’s selection as prime minister-designate.

Ten people died Friday in Israeli military strikes targeting southern Lebanon, with six paramedics and a Syrian child among the casualties, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported. The deadly attacks represent the most recent violence in ongoing cross-border hostilities that persist despite a fragile, U.S.-negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The ministry detailed that the initial strike targeted Hanouiyeh village, resulting in four deaths among paramedics employed by Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Association. Two additional paramedics sustained injuries in that attack.

A second Friday morning strike hit Deir Qanoun al Nahr village in the coastal Tyre province, claiming six lives including a Syrian child and two paramedics from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association, a medical group connected to Amal movement, which allies with Hezbollah. Six others suffered injuries, among them three paramedics and a Syrian woman.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry characterized both strikes as violations of international law.

The U.N. World Health Organization reported Thursday that 169 documented attacks against healthcare personnel and medical facilities have occurred in Lebanon since the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict started, causing 116 fatalities.

Israeli military officials did not provide responses to requests for comment. The military has previously claimed that the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant organization uses ambulances to conceal military operations, though no supporting evidence has been presented.

Cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah continues despite the U.S.-negotiated ceasefire agreement.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced earlier this week that casualties from the most recent round of Israel-Hezbollah fighting in Lebanon have exceeded 3,000 deaths.

The current Israel-Hezbollah conflict commenced on March 2, following Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on northern Israel two days after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, a primary supporter of the Lebanese militant organization.

Friday also saw statements from Lebanon’s army and General Security Directorate emphasizing their officers’ discipline, professionalism and exclusive loyalty to their institutions and country.

These declarations followed Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposing sanctions on multiple Hezbollah-connected legislators, state security personnel and militant group allies for allegedly working to maintain the Iran-supported organization’s control over Lebanese government institutions while hindering disarmament initiatives.

Washington sanctioned sitting Lebanese state security officials for the first time, targeting one official from the General Security Directorate and another from military intelligence. Both face accusations of supplying Hezbollah with unauthorized support and intelligence throughout the current conflict.

Lebanon’s health ministry announced Friday that six emergency medical workers lost their lives in two separate Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon over a 24-hour period, denouncing the strikes as breaches of international law.

The ministry reported that four paramedics with the Islamic Health Association died in an Israeli attack that occurred overnight from Thursday into Friday in Hanaway, a town in southern Lebanon. A second strike Friday morning claimed the lives of two emergency workers from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association in Deir Qanoun En-Nahr, according to ministry officials.

Israeli military officials did not immediately respond to Reuters’ inquiries about the attacks.

The ministry released video footage purportedly from Deir Qanoun En-Nahr showing two individuals wearing yellow vests assisting someone along a roadside. As an ambulance draws near the pair, a bright flash appears followed by a loud explosion. The same two men are subsequently visible lying on the ground.

Reuters verified the video’s location as the western perimeter of Deir Qanoun En-Nahr by comparing buildings, vegetation and street patterns with archived satellite images of the region.

Ministry officials stated that six people total perished in Deir Qanoun En-Nahr, including the two medical workers and a Syrian child. The community had already suffered an earlier airstrike this week that claimed 14 lives, marking the most deadly single attack since a fragile ceasefire was declared last month.

Since March 2, when the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in the initial phase of renewed conflict, more than 3,100 people have died in Lebanon.

The casualties include 123 medical personnel, along with over 210 children and nearly 300 women, based on data released by the health ministry Friday.

International humanitarian law provides special protections for emergency responders, medical staff and civilian infrastructure, particularly healthcare facilities.

The World Health Organization reports that multiple hospitals in southern Lebanon have sustained damage or been completely disabled by Israeli strikes.

Thursday saw an Israeli attack near Tebnine Hospital in southern Lebanon that caused damage across all three levels of the facility, affecting the emergency department, intensive care unit, surgical wing and ambulances stationed outside, the health ministry reported.

Thousands of seafarers continue to endure harsh conditions aboard vessels trapped in the Gulf as Iran strengthens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil shipping route.

Approximately 20,000 maritime workers remain stranded on roughly 2,000 ships in the Gulf, with many unable to disembark and facing shortages of food and fresh water while living in fear of potential attacks in what has become a war zone.

Recent interviews conducted by Reuters with affected sailors have revealed the severe hardships and anxiety they face daily, with a maritime workers’ federation warning of desperate circumstances.

“The only thing we do here is plan how to spend the night and pray to God that we do not get hit during an attack,” said Indian sailor Salman Siddiqui during a phone call from his trapped vessel last month.

For almost three months, these maritime workers have lived in isolation with small groups of crewmates, confined to cramped living spaces, shared dining rooms, and blistering hot decks under the scorching sun.

The waterway was shut down by Tehran after U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran commenced on February 28. With thousands of ships now trapped and peace talks at a standstill, Iran continues to strengthen what amounts to an effective maritime blockade.

On Wednesday, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an organization established by Iran to handle transit requests, released a map reinforcing Tehran’s territorial claims over extensive waters surrounding the strategic chokepoint.

Vessel operators attempting to free their ships and valuable cargo must work through a complex web of fees and approvals established by Iran, according to a Reuters investigation.

“Seafarers’ vulnerability and exposure is more, let’s say, extreme because of the war,” explained Mohamed Arrachedi, network coordinator for the Arab World and Iran at the International Transport Workers’ Federation.

Arrachedi outlined numerous problems including delayed wages, refusal to assist with sailor repatriation, insufficient supplies, and constant fear of missile and drone attacks. He noted that some seafarers have contacted him while crying.

Since the conflict began, the ITF has received contact from over 2,000 Gulf sailors requesting assistance or guidance with various issues including abandonment, wage delays, and supply shortages, according to Arrachedi.

From the Saudi port of Dammam, approximately seven large vessels could be seen anchored offshore – an unusually high number under normal circumstances. As a supply boat approached a tanker amid strong winds, crew members shouted across the water while loading large bags of medical supplies.

Mohit Kohli, captain of a large freight ship caught in the Gulf when hostilities erupted after departing Singapore, said when he initially learned the Strait might close he “could not even fathom that this was remotely possible.”

While his German-owned vessel secured safe anchorage near Dammam, just over a week into the conflict, the crew began witnessing and hearing missiles and drones that Iran was launching at Gulf nations.

“The crew who was usually loud and happy were now silent. Meals got shorter. Conversations were more guarded,” he explained, describing the ship’s atmosphere during a Reuters interview this month following his return to India.

Kohli and his fellow crew members were fortunate to be on a vessel whose operators arranged for replacement crew, he noted.

Many sailors endure far worse conditions, Arrachedi explained. In cases he’s handling, some sailors haven’t received their modest salaries of $100 to $200 monthly since last year, and ship operators refuse repatriation assistance or only provide it if workers surrender back wages.

Some mariners report surviving on just one daily meal of rice or lentils and having only brief internet access to reach family members or request outside assistance, Arrachedi added.

“They need a collective intervention because they are key for our economies, for the supply chains, but also because they are active seafarers and they are civilians,” he stated.

Gulf nations are making efforts to support sailors by enabling supply deliveries and crew transfers.

“Seafarers stuck on a vessel in uncertain waters, the most important thing in the world is knowing that there is a shore open to reach,” said Suliman Almazroua, president of the Saudi Ports Authority.

The authority has assisted hundreds of vessels with resupplying food, fresh water, fuel, and medical supplies, while helping more than 500 sailors transfer from their ships, Almazroua said, describing thank-you messages from sailors he’s helped evacuate as the most fulfilling aspect of his work.

Family members of a detained Belarusian journalist are sounding the alarm about his deteriorating health condition, demanding his immediate release from prison to prevent his death.

Kiryl Pazniak, age 49, has been held in custody since authorities arrested him in September on extremism-related charges, which critics say are commonly used to silence opposition voices. The former YouTube show host could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.

His 20-year-old daughter has also been detained on similar extremism charges. Human rights defenders have classified both as political prisoners.

According to his former wife Elena, Pazniak is battling pneumonia and COVID-19, and was transferred to a prison medical facility this month in critical condition. She contends that authorities have failed to provide him with appropriate medical treatment, putting his life at serious risk.

Government officials in Belarus have not yet responded to reports about Pazniak’s medical status or allegations of inadequate healthcare.

“Freedom of speech in Belarus has a specific price, and today 21 journalists behind bars, including Pazniak, are paying for it with their health and ruined lives,” said Andrei Bastunets, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. “Belarus has already become a black hole of Europe and leads the continent in the number of arrested journalists.”

The nation’s authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has maintained strict control over the country of 9.5 million people for over thirty years. Western countries have imposed multiple sanctions on Belarus for its human rights violations and for permitting Moscow to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian territory starting February 24, 2022.

Mass demonstrations erupted following the 2020 presidential election, with hundreds of thousands of citizens protesting what they believed was a fraudulent vote. The government responded with widespread arrests, detaining tens of thousands of people and subjecting many to police violence. Key opposition leaders either fled abroad or were jailed.

After U.S. President Donald Trump resumed office in January 2025, Lukashenko freed hundreds of political detainees through agreements negotiated by American officials, which resulted in the removal of certain U.S. sanctions as the isolated leader seeks better relations with Western nations.

Despite these releases, human rights organizations report that Belarusian officials continue suppressing opposition activities. The Viasna human rights center reports that 841 political prisoners remain in custody throughout Belarus.

Crowds of demonstrators in Ireland are demanding accountability following the death of a Congolese man who became unresponsive after being held down by security personnel outside a major Dublin retail establishment.

Community advocates say troubling footage showing Yves Sakila in obvious distress while being pinned down on the pavement brings back memories of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police in 2020.

The 35-year-old Sakila was pursued and apprehended on May 15 by multiple security officers who believed he had stolen merchandise from Arnotts, Ireland’s oldest and largest department store, located in central Dublin. When police officers arrived at the scene, he was already unresponsive and was subsequently declared dead at a medical facility.

“Yves Sakila was a man who did not deserve to die,” Suzie Tansia, of the Congolese Community Ireland, said at a demonstration Thursday. “He was a human being, like you and I. He was somebody’s son, and that could have been any one of us.”

According to attorney John Gerard Cullen, who is representing Sakila’s relatives, the man had allegedly taken a bottle of perfume from the establishment.

Security personnel chased Sakila as he attempted to escape, during which he collided with an elderly man in his 80s who required hospital treatment for his injuries, according to law enforcement.

Footage from the confrontation, which the Irish Network Against Racism characterized as “very disturbing,” depicts a man identified as Sakila fighting and screaming in distress while being restrained by multiple individuals for approximately five minutes.

During the restraint, another individual wearing a gray suit can be seen placing his knee on Sakila’s neck, according to the organization. The video concludes with him lying still.

“We are very concerned that this case appears to have the hallmarks of a case of excessive use of force,” said Shane O’Curry, director of the network. “The death of a Black man in such circumstances is extremely worrying, and we urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate all of the circumstances leading to this man’s death, in order to ensure minority ethnic community confidence in the criminal justice system.”

The retail establishment expressed being “deeply saddened” by Sakila’s death and announced it was reviewing its private security contractor arrangements. The store confirmed it was assisting with the police inquiry.

Prime Minister Micheál Martin has requested a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

“My deepest sympathies go out to his family, and to the wider Congolese community,” Martin said. “I don’t want to prejudice the outcome of that investigation but I think a lot of people are clearly very concerned about what has transpired here.”

Law enforcement officials are examining the death while simultaneously facing their own internal review by the ombudsman regarding their handling of the situation.

Media outlets reported that the initial responding officers placed handcuffs on Sakila before discovering he was unresponsive and beginning CPR.

While a post-mortem examination has been conducted, authorities have not disclosed the cause of death, citing operational considerations.

Cullen stated that Sakila’s relatives are disappointed with the limited information they have received.

Authorities are requesting witnesses to step forward with information.

Sakila had relocated from Congo to Galway during his teenage years and had resided in Ireland for over two decades. He had been employed in the technology sector but had been without housing in recent times. Cullen noted that Sakila battled substance addiction.

Walter Kabangu, the director of the Congolese Chamber of Commerce in Ireland who attended school with Sakila, characterized him as a “very down-to-earth young man.”

A memorial gathering took place Tuesday in front of Arnotts, and hundreds of demonstrators assembled peacefully Thursday outside Parliament.

Participants carried signs reading “Black lives matter here too,” and chanted, “Justice for Yves, dignity for all,” and “No justice, no peace.”

Prior to the demonstration, the Black Coalition Ireland conducted a press briefing and presented five requirements: a transparent examination of the death; racial sensitivity training for law enforcement; legislation against excessive force in civilian arrests; cessation of “demonizing rhetoric” toward ethnic communities; and equal treatment for all in reality — not merely in policy.

“We are demanding this because our lives matter,” said Yemi Adenuga, a Meath County councilor who is a spokeswoman for the coalition. “It would be sad to see this happen again on the streets of Dublin.”

TORONTO (AP) — Following Alberta’s announcement of a planned independence vote, Prime Minister Mark Carney declared Friday his commitment to strengthening Canada for all provinces.

The leader of Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith, revealed Thursday that citizens will vote October 19th on whether the province should remain part of Canada or pursue constitutional measures leading to a binding separation referendum. This approach disappointed independence advocates who had demanded an immediate referendum on leaving Canada entirely.

Speaking for the first time since Smith’s declaration, Carney acknowledged Alberta’s significant contributions to the nation.

“Canada is the greatest country in the world, but it can be better and we are working on making it better. We’re working with Alberta on making it better,” Carney stated during a tour of Parliament buildings currently undergoing renovations.

The Prime Minister highlighted his administration’s efforts to construct a new oil pipeline connecting Alberta to Canada’s Pacific coastline. Albertans have historically criticized Ottawa for insufficient action in bringing the province’s extensive oil resources to global markets.

Smith emphasized Thursday her preference for Alberta to stay within Canada. Political observers have drawn parallels between her position and former British Prime Minister David Cameron’s approach before the Brexit vote, where he supported the referendum to manage party factions while opposing actual departure from the European Union.

Even if voters approve a referendum, independence would not automatically follow. Federal government negotiations would be required.

Ian Brodie, who previously served as chief of staff to former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and currently teaches political science at the University of Calgary, believes Smith is taking a cautious approach.

“A vote to see if people even want a vote. It’s a good way to let the swing voters swing against separation,” Brodie explained.

Jeff Rath, representing Stay Free Alberta, the organization that gathered petition signatures demanding a separation referendum, condemned the decision as disrespectful to independence supporters. Cam Davies, who leads the pro-independence Republican Party of Alberta, shared this criticism and labeled Smith’s referendum proposal “spineless.”

Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, suggested Smith aims to satisfy pro-referendum members within her party. Béland predicted a future referendum would likely fail since separation support remains below 30%, though he acknowledged campaigns can influence outcomes.

Candace Laing, who serves as president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, condemned Smith’s choice, emphasizing that businesses throughout Canada, including Alberta, require stability for investment, job creation, talent recruitment, and major project development.

“Prolonged uncertainty around constitutional or political separation brings real risks for investor confidence, economic growth, and Canada’s global competitiveness at exactly the wrong time,” Laing stated.

James Moore, a former federal Conservative Cabinet minister, also expressed opposition.

“A referendum that will divide your party and make the province look unstable for investment, all to ultimately affirm the constitutional status quo, is an odd choice,” Moore wrote on social media.

French officials announced Friday they have prepared an alternative UN Security Council resolution aimed at establishing an international mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while a competing US-Bahrain proposal faces significant opposition that could prevent it from coming to a vote.

The strategic waterway’s effective blockade has become a central issue in the ongoing three-month conflict between the United States and Iran, with the closure causing oil prices to skyrocket as the narrow passage serves as a crucial route for global energy shipments.

The American-Bahraini proposal has been under consideration for over two weeks, but voting has been repeatedly postponed due to signals from China and Russia that they may block the measure.

The US-Bahrain draft calls for Iran to stop attacks and mining operations in the waterway. Both China and Russia previously blocked a similar American-supported measure in April, claiming it unfairly targeted Tehran.

According to two European diplomats, Washington has gained support from nearly 140 nations to co-sponsor their proposal in an attempt to prevent a veto.

France, which also holds veto power, has declined to support the American proposal.

“There is a draft resolution between the U.S. and Bahrain currently under discussion. This forms the basis of the current discussions. The date for the vote has not yet been announced,” stated France’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux.

French President Emmanuel Macron has indicated Paris plans to advance its own UN initiative, building on Franco-British cooperation to establish an international mission for restoring navigation freedom in the strait when circumstances allow and following discussions with both Washington and Tehran.

“We are working on an international mission to restore freedom of navigation. We have also prepared, as a permanent member, a draft resolution that could be discussed if the conditions are right,” Confavreux explained.

The American diplomatic effort at the United Nations marks a notable shift from recent months, during which Washington primarily operated outside UN structures, conducting military operations against Iran without council approval and encouraging allies to participate in informal naval patrols to maintain navigation rights.

Officials announced Friday that the Royal International Air Tattoo, recognized as among the globe’s premier defense exhibitions, will not proceed as planned due to military activities related to the Iran conflict.

The event had been set for July 17-19 at RAF Fairford, an operational Royal Air Force installation located in England’s southwest region.

“This has not been an easy decision. It follows extensive discussions with the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force regarding uncertainty over access to RAF Fairford, given the ongoing situation in the Middle East,” RIAT said on its website.

Event organizers indicated they plan to resume the exhibition in 2027.

A heartbroken father mourned as he carried his deceased 6-year-old son Amir, covered in a yellow and brown blanket, through northwest Syria.

Idris al-Ridah broke down and fell to the earth as he buried his child, placing the small body in a grave alongside two other young victims who were brother and sister, Aya al-Fankih, 4, and Rayan al-Fankih, 6.

All three youngsters died Thursday in Abu Habbah village, located in the rural areas of northwestern Idlib province, after an abandoned landmine from Syria’s ongoing conflict detonated as they played close to a water well.

These fatalities serve as another tragic example of the ongoing threat from unexploded military devices spread throughout the nation years following the start of the war.

Explosive devices and hidden traps have caused death and serious injuries to hundreds of Syrian citizens since the nation’s civil war started in March 2011, resulting in approximately half a million total deaths.

According to the Syrian Civil Defense, four additional children who were in the vicinity of the well sustained injuries from the explosion.

“We heard a very loud explosion next to our house,” said one resident, Mahmoud al-Aleiwi. He added that “when we got to the location there were a number of children’s bodies thrown around the well.”

He reported that the blast hurled one child 300 meters (984 feet) from the site, and the victim was discovered on a house rooftop.

At a local medical facility, injured children wailed while relatives cared for them. One youngster suffered shrapnel injuries covering his face and torso, with his legs bound in medical wrapping. Another patient remained bedridden with blood seeping through head bandages.

Ten-year-old Ibrahim al-Suwadi suffered injuries in a different incident last month when unexploded military ordnance detonated inside a damaged school building in al-Habit town, located in southern Idlib countryside.

Speaking from his family’s residence while his father sat nearby, al-Suwadi recounted how he and friends were playing at the school when they entered a room and discovered the explosive device.

“Two brothers picked it up and took it to the bathroom,” the boy said. “We thought it was an exploded mine so we started throwing rocks at it. All of a sudden, an older boy grabbed my hand and we ran, the mine exploded and I lost consciousness then I don’t remember anything.”

The boy’s father explained that their family escaped their home village in 2013 during combat operations and lived for years in refugee camps before returning following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s administration in December 2024.

Relief organizations identify unexploded military ordnance as among the most dangerous remnants of Syria’s armed conflict.

“Syria has ranked among the top contaminated countries around the world over the past years,” said Jakub Valenta, head of humanitarian disarmament and peace building for the Danish Refugee Council in Syria. He added that according to the data from the United Nations, around 14.3 million people are in danger of explosive ordnance in the country.

Valenta explained that the explosive threats include anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines and other unexploded devices left behind in residential and agricultural areas.

“We’re estimating that around 1,200 people and probably more have been affected by explosive ordnance accidents directly,” he said. “Out of those 1,200 people there were around 740 fatal casualties. The vast majority of these people are men and children.”

The Danish Refugee Council reports that approximately 60% of contaminated zones in Syria consist of farming land, creating additional challenges for displaced families attempting to return home and restart their lives.

In the Damascus southern suburb of Kisweh this month, Syrian trainees collaborated with Danish Refugee Council teams to carefully locate and eliminate unexploded ordnance during practice sessions designed to expand local bomb disposal capabilities.

The organization reports it has hired and prepared new Syrian explosive ordnance disposal teams to assist in clearing dangerous areas and teaching communities about the hazards.

“The number of the casualties is among the highest worldwide in terms of explosive accidents and victims,” Valenta said.

“These people suffer lifelong injuries, physical like losing a limb or their vision and suffer mental health problems,” he said. “These people also lose their jobs and livelihoods.”

KYIV, Ukraine — Hundreds of Ukrainian families took to the streets of the capital Friday, calling on government leaders to reject proposed legislation they worry could result in missing military personnel being prematurely declared legally deceased.

The demonstration focused on opposing Bill No. 13646, legislation that deals with the legal status of people who have gone missing. Those who participated in the march expressed concern that specific parts of the proposed law might enable courts to legally declare missing Ukrainian service members dead without confirmation of what actually happened to them.

“Today all the families came out so that the missing are not equated with the dead,” said Mariana Yatselenko, 27, who took part in the Kyiv march.

According to the country’s commissioner for missing persons, Artur Dobrosierdov, more than 90,000 individuals are currently listed as missing in Ukraine’s unified registry of persons who disappeared under special circumstances.

Both Russia and Ukraine refrain from releasing regular casualty figures from the ongoing conflict, though military analysts believe hundreds of thousands have been killed or wounded in the fighting.

Ukraine’s missing persons registry includes individuals who vanished during military operations, due to armed aggression, or in territories under occupation, with most cases occurring after Russia’s full-scale invasion started on Feb. 24, 2022. However, some entries go back to 2014, when Russian forces invaded the Crimean Peninsula and pro-Russia groups began fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The registry started functioning in May 2023, at which time data about both military personnel and civilians from earlier years was added to the system.

Previous protests have taken place regarding this legislation, showing increasing pressure from family members of missing soldiers.

Ukrainian drones hit a college dormitory building in Starobilsk, a city in Ukraine’s Russia-occupied Luhansk region, killing four people and wounding 39 others, Russian authorities said. Up to 18 people could be buried under the rubble, officials said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the strike as a “heinous crime.” Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Friday said that it intercepted 217 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions, including the Moscow region and St. Petersburg, the country’s second-largest city.

For the fourth time this month Ukraine struck Russia’s Yaroslavl oil refinery, around 700 kilometers (440 miles) from the border, in an overnight operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.

Ukraine has been pounding Russian oil facilities in an effort to deny Moscow funding for its invasion.

U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting have brought no significant results and recently appeared to peter out.

“They were not fruitful, unfortunately,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of negotiations over the past year with Russia and Ukraine.

No talks are happening now, he said during a trip to Sweden, although they could resume if Washington sees an opportunity for progress.

Ukraine’s air force said that it shot down or jammed 115 of 124 Russian drones that were launched overnight, in regular bombardments of civilian areas that in recent months have escalated.

Eleven people, including a child, were wounded in Russian attacks across the northern Sumy region, the National Police said. Also, a man was killed by a Russian drone in the city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, according to the region’s military administration chief.

The number of Ukrainian civilian casualties verified by the United Nations increased by 21% in the first four months of this year, compared with the same period last year, with 815 civilians killed and 4,174 wounded.

In Washington, the Trump administration approved a modest $108 million arms sale to Ukraine that will help the country sustain its midrange air defense missile system.

The U.S. State Department announced the sale of ground-to-air Hawk missile components, spare parts and logistic support late Thursday. Under U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington has slashed military support for Ukraine.

On the battlefield, Ukrainian counterattacks have driven the Russian army out of more than 400 square kilometers (150 square miles) of southern Ukraine since the end of last year, Western analysts say.

Those successes are attributed to Ukraine’s increasingly homegrown drone and missile technology, as well as Russian forces being denied access to Starlink satellite services used to steer drones toward targets.

Zelenskyy said that Russia could be planning new attacks on northern Ukraine, launched from Belarus.

Moscow “is eager to draw (Belarus) deeper into this war,” Zelenskyy said on social media, warning that “there will be consequences” for the Belarusian government, if it provides a platform for strikes on Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha alerted allies at a NATO meeting in Sweden about what Ukrainian intelligence services say are growing threats from Belarus. Sybiha urged partners to take unspecified deterrence measures against Minsk.

Russia and Belarus held joint nuclear exercises earlier this week.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, underscored “Russia’s ability to leverage Belarus for future Russian military operations and Russia’s deepening de facto control over Belarus.”

Diplomatic representatives from Qatar traveled to Iran’s capital on Friday as part of a coordinated effort with Washington to facilitate negotiations aimed at ending the current conflict and addressing unresolved disputes, according to a knowledgeable source who spoke with Reuters.

The Gulf nation, which has previously served as an intermediary in the Gaza conflict and other international disputes, had initially kept its distance from mediating in the Iran situation after suffering attacks from Iranian missiles and drones during recent hostilities.

“A Qatari negotiation team is in Tehran on Friday,” the source confirmed, explaining that the delegation had coordinated their visit with Washington and aimed to help “reach a final deal that would end the war and address outstanding issues with Iran.”

Officials at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

Although Pakistan has been serving as the primary mediator since hostilities commenced, Qatar’s renewed involvement highlights its established position as a Washington ally in the region and its history as a reliable communication channel between the U.S. and Tehran.

A fragile truce currently exists in the conflict that started with joint U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran on February 28, though significant progress has been limited due to America’s naval blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran’s effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz creating complications for talks.

A high-ranking Iranian source informed Reuters on Thursday that while no agreement has been finalized, differences have been reduced, with Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and its control over the waterway remaining as key obstacles.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged some advancement on Thursday, stating: “There’s some good signs. I don’t want to be overly optimistic … So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”

When questioned Friday regarding Qatar’s diplomatic team in Iran, Rubio addressed reporters during a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden, emphasizing that Pakistan remained the main negotiating partner in the Iran discussions and had performed an “admirable job.”

He continued: “Obviously other countries have interests, because especially Gulf countries that are, you know, in the middle of all this — they have their own situation going. And we talk to all of them. I would just say that the primary country we’ve been working with on all of this, is Pakistan, and that remains the case.”

Qatar’s return to diplomatic involvement occurs despite Iran having launched hundreds of missiles and drones against the nation, striking civilian infrastructure and its crucial liquefied natural gas production facility at Ras Laffan. Those attacks eliminated approximately 17 percent of Qatar’s LNG export capabilities. The country had previously suspended LNG operations on March 2 after Iranian strikes.

Prior to the conflict, roughly 20% of worldwide LNG commerce passed through the Strait of Hormuz, mainly from Qatar — Iran’s effective blockade of the waterway has eliminated nearly all of its LNG export capabilities.

Qatar holds the status of a designated major non-NATO ally of the United States and is home to Al Udeid Air Base, America’s largest military facility in the Middle East.

OTTAWA, May 22 (Reuters) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized the significance of Alberta to the nation on Friday, one day following the petroleum-rich province’s declaration of a non-binding vote on whether citizens wish to stay part of Canada.

This mostly ceremonial action could present a significant obstacle for Carney, who is promoting national cohesion while facing U.S. trade penalties and President Donald Trump’s annexation rhetoric.

“Canada is the greatest country in the world, but it can be better …we’re working with Alberta on making it better,” Carney told reporters.

“We’re renovating the country as we go. And Alberta being at the center of that is essential,” said Carney, who did not specifically mention the referendum announcement.

Separation advocates express dissatisfaction with the environmental policies of Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau, claiming these measures damaged the province’s petroleum and natural gas sector.

Carney assumed leadership in March 2025 and later reversed multiple environmental initiatives implemented by Trudeau.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — European Union leaders announced Friday that citizens across Europe should prepare for energy costs to stay well above pre-Iran war levels through at least the end of 2027, with additional goods expected to see price increases as well.

According to EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, elevated energy costs are the main driver behind inflation projections of 3.1% for this year and 2.4% for 2027. These figures represent a substantial increase from the previous 1.9% projection for this year.

“We expect that this energy inflation will gradually also trickle down to different sectors of the economy,” Dombrovskis said after a meeting of the 21-member eurozone’s finance ministers, who make up the Eurogroup.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, warned that even if Middle Eastern conflicts were to cease immediately, “lagging effects” would continue to drive up commodity prices.

“And it’s probably a fact that price levels will be higher at the end of this crisis, when we see the end of the crisis,” Lagarde said.

Lagarde indicated the ECB would implement “all the necessary measures” to maintain price stability at 2% by closely monitoring the ongoing economic impacts from the energy price surge. She also referenced the EU’s oil reserves as a factor in meeting potential demand.

Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis explained that crisis resolution for the EU would require restored free passage without tolls through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments.

Pierrakakis confirmed that eurozone economic expansion would hit 0.9% this year and 1.2% in 2027, representing a downward revision from earlier projections, “but clearly far from a recession scenario.”

While increased inflation forecasts have sparked speculation about potential ECB interest rate increases to counter rising prices, Lagarde provided no specific guidance on future bank actions.

“We will continue to follow a data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach in order to determine the most appropriate monetary policy stance in order to deliver on our 2% medium-term target,” Lagarde said.

ATHENS, Greece — An 82-year-old man who headed a Greek extremist organization responsible for 23 deaths has walked free from a maximum-security facility, according to officials who announced the development Friday. The release is now under review by a high-ranking prosecutor.

Alexandros Giotopoulos, who led the militant organization November 17, left an Athens detention facility on Thursday.

A court panel granted his conditional freedom based on his elderly status, declining health, and positive conduct while imprisoned.

However, the ruling has sparked fresh examination. A prosecutor with Greece’s highest court is studying the decision and may attempt to overturn it.

The November 17 organization stayed hidden from law enforcement for over 25 years while conducting bombings, killings, and financial institution robberies. Their initial documented strike occurred in 1975 with the deadly shooting of Richard Welch, who served as the CIA station chief in Greece, in Athens.

The group’s careful concealment fell apart following a failed 2002 bombing that severely wounded a member, allowing investigators to discover the organization’s activities and participants.

Giotopoulos, born in Paris and who spent years living with a false identity, had been serving 17 life terms plus 25 years. His 2003 conviction was confirmed during a 2007 appeal for directing numerous killings, bombings, and thefts, along with criminal organization membership.

He has rejected all accusations, claiming that fellow defendants were coerced by officials into making untrue statements against him in return for lighter punishments.

Officials weighing his freedom observed that Giotopoulos finished university correspondence education during imprisonment and followed the conditions of temporary releases given to him recently.

The November 17 name comes from the 1973 date when student protesters opposing Greece’s military government were violently suppressed by police and military forces, resulting in multiple fatalities.

The organization took credit for strikes against business leaders, diplomatic personnel, and high-ranking judges, including the deaths of two Turkish Embassy workers and Stephen Saunders, Britain’s defense attache in Athens, in 2000.

Of the 15 original November 17 members found guilty in the case, three remain imprisoned.

Humanitarian volunteers who were recently released from Israeli detention have made serious allegations of mistreatment while in custody, according to organizers who spoke out on Friday. The activists were among 430 individuals arrested on Tuesday when Israeli forces intercepted 50 vessels attempting to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza in international waters.

Reuters has not been able to independently confirm these allegations at this time.

Israeli prison officials have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding these accusations on Friday, which is a holiday in Israel. When contacted, the Israeli military directed inquiries to the Foreign Ministry, which then referred questions back to the prison service.

On Thursday, the prison service had stated: “All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law, with full regard for their basic rights and under the supervision of professional and trained prison staff.”

“Medical care is provided according to professional medical judgment and in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines,” the statement continued.

These new allegations are expected to intensify scrutiny of Israeli authorities regarding how the detainees were treated, particularly following international condemnation of a video showing an Israeli cabinet minister mocking some of the activists in prison. Italy has indicated that European Union members are considering sanctions against the minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“At least 15 cases of sexual assaults, including rape. Shot with rubber bullets at close range. Tens of people’s bones broken,” organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla wrote on the Telegram messaging platform.

“While the world’s eye is trained on the suffering of our participants, we cannot emphasize enough that this is a mere glimpse of the brutality Israel imposes daily on Palestinian hostages.”

Luca Poggi, an Italian economist who was among those detained on the flotilla, described his experience upon arriving in Rome: “We were stripped, thrown to the ground, kicked. Many of us were tasered, some were sexually assaulted, and some were denied access to a lawyer.”

Sabrina Charik, who coordinated the return of 37 French citizens from the flotilla, reported that five French participants required hospitalization in Turkey, with some suffering broken ribs or fractured vertebrae. She noted that some individuals have provided detailed accounts of sexual violence, including rape.

In a social media post verified by Reuters, French national Adrien Jouen displayed bruises covering his back and forearms.

According to activists, some of the alleged mistreatment occurred at sea following their interception by Israeli naval forces, while other incidents reportedly happened after their arrest and imprisonment in Israel.

Volunteers from multiple European nations were scheduled to return home on flights from Turkey after being deported from Israel on Thursday.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares informed reporters that 44 Spanish flotilla participants were expected to arrive on Friday via flights from Istanbul to Madrid and Barcelona. He noted that four of them had received medical treatment for injuries.

Western governments expressed outrage on Thursday after Ben-Gvir shared a video of himself taunting activists who were restrained on the ground in a prison facility.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said during the NATO meeting in Sweden that he was coordinating with all his EU colleagues “so that there may be a quick decision to impose sanctions” on Ben-Gvir.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had proposed sanctions against Ben-Gvir and another Israeli minister last year, but the proposal failed to receive the required unanimous support from all 27 EU member countries.

“EU sanctions are discussed and adopted by the 27 EU Member States and this is in unanimity,” EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said during the European Commission’s daily press briefing on Friday, noting that he could not discuss confidential sanctions deliberations.

Gabriel Attal, who previously served as France’s prime minister, officially announced his presidential campaign on Friday, adding his name to an already packed list of moderate candidates competing in next year’s election.

The contest to replace President Emmanuel Macron — who is constitutionally barred from seeking another term — appears increasingly divided, with polling data showing the far-right National Rally (RN) holding a commanding position while numerous candidates create the possibility of a final round dominated by political extremes.

At 37 years old, Attal became a household name during Macron’s presidency, though some observers suggest his close association with the unpopular incumbent could hurt his chances. He must also persuade fellow moderate candidates that he represents their strongest option against extremist opponents from both sides of the political spectrum.

During remarks delivered in the town square of Mur-de-Barrez, a small community in central France, following conversations with residents, Attal expressed an upbeat vision for the country’s future, vowing to transform France into “the leading European power.”

“I’ve had enough of French politics being about 50 shades of managing decline,” he declared to journalists. “So because I love France with a passion and love the French passionately, I’m a candidate for the presidency.”

Attal’s political ascent was swift, earning widespread recognition as the government’s spokesperson throughout the COVID-19 crisis before being appointed as the nation’s youngest-ever prime minister.

His time in the top government role lasted only seven months, ending suddenly when Macron decided to call an unexpected parliamentary election — a move Attal had advised against — creating tension between the two leaders.

Following his departure from the prime minister’s office, Attal assumed control of Macron’s Renaissance party, positioning himself to leverage the organization’s substantial financial resources and established infrastructure for a nationwide presidential campaign.

His primary challenge within the moderate coalition comes from Edouard Philippe, another former prime minister who has spent months establishing himself as the centrist movement’s leading figure.

Recent polling indicates Attal could capture up to 14% of first-round votes, while Philippe appears capable of securing as much as 25%. Current survey data suggests Philippe, who serves as mayor of Le Havre, holds the strongest position among moderate candidates to challenge the RN.

The central concern for moderate politicians is the risk of vote splitting. A fractured center could create opportunities for far-right and far-left candidates to advance to the decisive second round of next year’s presidential election.

Numerous figures within France’s political establishment worry about a final round featuring far-right leaders Jordan Bardella or Marine Le Pen facing off against hard-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Earlier this month, Attal revealed he had discussed this potential scenario with Philippe, and both men have established a process to determine by early 2027 which candidate is better positioned to unify centrist supporters, with the possibility that one might withdraw from the race.

The two candidates present markedly different approaches to campaigning.

Philippe has maintained a reserved, almost severe public presence since announcing his candidacy, keeping his private life away from media attention. Attal has chosen the opposite strategy, embracing a more intimate and highly visible campaign style.

He has traveled extensively throughout France while promoting his autobiography, which explores his childhood experiences, his father’s death, being targeted for bullying due to his sexual orientation, and his romantic relationship with European Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, his partner.

Although Attal began his political career within the Socialist party, he has developed his public image by supporting stricter approaches to criminal justice and immigration policy.

While serving as education minister, he gained national recognition by prohibiting abayas — loose-fitting, full-length robes worn by some Muslim women — in schools, citing France’s commitment to secularism.

Mexico and the European Union will finalize a comprehensive trade agreement Friday as both regions work to reduce their economic dependence on the United States and shield themselves from tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

The agreement builds upon a 2000 trade deal between Mexico and the EU that only covered industrial products. This expanded version includes services, government procurement, digital commerce, investment opportunities and agricultural goods.

The signing ceremony in Mexico City will bring together Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa for their first summit in more than ten years.

“This summit means more than trade; it’s a geopolitical statement,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, on Thursday in Mexico City before the signing ceremony.

Both regions are working to expand their export markets beyond the United States.

The European Union faced extensive new tariffs through Trump’s “Liberation Day” duties in April 2025 and developed retaliatory measures, though these were suspended while both sides pursued negotiations. Despite a tariff ceasefire and July agreement that reduced some tensions, U.S. duties on EU products remain higher than previous levels.

Mexico has similarly faced significant U.S. tariffs on car manufacturing, steel and aluminum shipments, with trade relationships between the nations remaining unstable during Trump’s second presidency.

Officials from Mexico’s economy ministry project the agreement could boost Mexican shipments to the EU from approximately $24 billion annually to $36 billion by 2030. The EU currently sends roughly $65 billion worth of products to Mexico each year.

Commerce between Mexico and the EU has grown 75% over the past decade, primarily consisting of transportation equipment, machinery, chemicals, energy products and mining materials.

The updated agreement eliminates tariffs on nearly all products, including agricultural items like Mexican poultry and asparagus alongside European dairy powder, cheese and pork, though some quantity restrictions will apply.

Despite being completed, the enhanced trade agreement has taken more than a year to reach the signing stage. The EU focused on completing a trade deal with the Mercosur South American alliance and finished trade negotiations with Indonesia, India and Australia over the past eight months.

Mexico has been careful about actions that might provoke the Trump administration during delicate discussions to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. More than 80% of Mexico’s current exports are shipped to the United States.

The European Parliament will vote on the trade agreement and is expected to approve it within several months.

BEIJING, May 22 (Reuters) — Chinese authorities announced new policy guidelines Friday designed to broaden access to essential public services for workers who lack official household registration in their employment cities, potentially helping millions of migrant laborers obtain urban services.

These policy shifts could strengthen social protections for families and may boost consumer spending in China’s export-dependent economy.

The new directives urge government departments and municipal officials to deliver public services such as schooling and essential healthcare based on where individuals actually live, rather than their official household registration status, which typically reflects their birthplace.

China’s household registration system, known locally as hukou, ties access to public services primarily to a person’s place of birth. Officials implemented this framework during the 1950s to control internal population movement, particularly migration from countryside to urban centers.

Workers with rural registration from their home regions frequently face barriers when trying to access public services in urban areas where they live and work. Officials have attempted to modify this system for over ten years.

POLICY CHANGES TARGET EDUCATION AND HOUSING ACCESS

“Providing basic public services by the place of residence, gradually eliminating the link between basic public services and household registration, and promoting equal access to basic public services … are conducive to meeting people’s growing needs for a better life,” China’s State Council stated in the guidelines.

The new directives encourage municipal governments to help more children of migrant families — those who relocate to cities with their parents — enroll in public schools and allow qualified students to take entrance examinations where they currently live.

Additional cities should broaden public housing rental programs to include families with steady jobs but lacking local registration, and workers should gain access to social insurance programs at their work locations, according to the guidelines.

The policy recommendations also suggest loosening registration requirements in areas including childcare, senior care and disability services, while encouraging provincial governments to increase financial support for regions experiencing population growth to fund public services.