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Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam delivered a stark warning Thursday that the devastating conflict gripping his nation appears far from over, with more than one million residents already forced to abandon their homes during the past month of fighting.

The country has now entered its second month of warfare between Israeli forces and the Iran-supported militant organization Hezbollah, with Israeli leaders declaring their intention to control large portions of southern Lebanon to establish what they call a protective buffer zone for their northern communities.

“Lebanon has become a victim of a war – one whose outcomes and end date no one can predict,” Salam declared during a press conference following his cabinet’s Thursday session.

The prime minister expressed grave concerns about Israel’s long-term objectives, stating: “The positions of Israeli officials, and the practices of their army, reveal far-reaching goals, including a significant expansion in the occupation of Lebanese territories, dangerous talk about establishing buffer zones or security belts, and the displacement of more than one million Lebanese.”

Israeli declarations about maintaining military control over southern Lebanon have sparked widespread anxiety about a prolonged occupation, reminiscent of Israel’s two-decade presence in the region that concluded in 2000.

Salam announced his administration’s commitment to intensifying diplomatic and political initiatives to bring the hostilities to a close. Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s proposal for direct negotiations with Israel has yet to receive any acknowledgment.

The current escalation began after a brief ceasefire from 2024 collapsed, with Israeli forces maintaining positions at five elevated locations throughout southern Lebanon while continuing aerial bombardments.

The full-scale military campaign commenced following Hezbollah’s March 2 rocket attacks into Israeli territory, launched in support of Iran amid growing tensions between Tehran and the U.S.-Israel alliance.

Without directly mentioning Hezbollah by name, Salam criticized the coordinated military actions conducted alongside Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The human toll has been severe, with Israeli airstrikes claiming more than 1,300 lives while displacing approximately 20 percent of Lebanon’s entire population. Israeli evacuation directives now cover roughly 15 percent of Lebanese territory.

“I want to direct the biggest salute to our people who are staying in their hometowns and villages in the south, and want to reiterate that we stand by them,” the prime minister emphasized.

Despite the advancing military operations, tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens have chosen to remain in their southern communities, even as Lebanese military units retreat to avoid direct confrontations with Israeli troops. Among those staying are approximately 9,000 Lebanese Christians residing in border communities who have expressed their determination to remain despite the escalating danger.

The prime minister also highlighted the importance of maintaining domestic unity as the ongoing conflict puts pressure on Lebanon’s delicate sectarian political structure. Some communities have shown reluctance to welcome displaced families, prompting the government to explore long-term housing solutions as the war continues.

Mohammad al-Badran, a Syrian resident of Beirut’s southern suburbs for many years, described being rejected when his family sought shelter in mountainous areas outside the capital. Now living in a temporary tent settlement with his wife and four children – including a newborn born just two weeks before fighting began – Badran represents thousands facing similar hardships.

His 10-year-old daughter Nour can hear the explosions from nearby Israeli strikes. “The sound is loud, the children are crying, and I feel like the missiles are flying above us,” she explained.

Ali al-Aziz, another resident who fled the southern suburbs, called for Israeli withdrawal to enable peace and his return home. “We want the war to end once and for all. Not for a war to happen every year or every ten years,” he said.

CAIRO — Libyan officials announced Thursday that severe weather has derailed attempts to safely tow a crippled Russian gas tanker that has been floating adrift in Mediterranean waters since sustaining damage months ago.

The vessel, known as the Arctic Metagaz, belongs to Russia’s unofficial fleet of ships that transport oil and gas products despite international restrictions imposed over the conflict in Ukraine. The tanker suffered damage in what officials believe was a sea drone assault back in March.

According to Libya’s coast guard, crews had been working to pull the liquefied natural gas carrier toward a secure area near Zuwara, a town along Libya’s western shoreline.

But Libya’s Ports and Maritime Transport Authority reported that the rescue mission collapsed at 4 a.m. local time Thursday when brutal weather and powerful winds sent the vessel spinning beyond anyone’s control.

“The tanker is unable to return to redo the towing operation under these dangerous weather conditions,” officials stated, warning all maritime traffic to stay at least 10 nautical miles away from the wayward ship.

Malta Today newspaper indicated the tanker had been pulled to the edge of Malta’s maritime rescue territory.

Libyan port authorities are asking nearby ships to immediately report any changes to the tanker’s condition, particularly if they spot any leaks or smoke coming from the vessel.

Back in March, maritime officials said the Arctic Metagaz had suffered “sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire” roughly 240 kilometers (150 miles) from Libya’s coastal city of Sirte.

The World Wide Fund for Nature, an international environmental group, confirmed the ship stayed afloat after the incident and began floating toward Libya’s coastline.

Libya’s National Oil Corp. revealed last month it had partnered with Italian energy firm Eni to safely guide the compromised tanker to shore and prevent a potential environmental disaster.

MOSCOW, April 2 – Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for high-level diplomatic discussions, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

The meeting agenda will center on the ongoing conflict involving Iran and broader regional tensions throughout the Middle East, Peskov announced. The two officials will also address bilateral diplomatic relations between Russia and Egypt during their talks.

The scheduled diplomatic session comes amid continued instability across the Middle East region, highlighting Russia’s ongoing involvement in regional affairs.

Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian oil infrastructure are forcing the country toward inevitable production cuts, according to three industry insiders who spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity.

The coordinated attacks have damaged Russia’s export capabilities by approximately 1 million barrels daily, representing about 20% of the nation’s total capacity, the sources revealed. This disruption comes as global oil markets already face strain from ongoing Middle East conflicts.

Over the past month, Ukraine has escalated its assault on Russia’s oil export facilities, launching some of the most intensive drone operations of the four-year conflict. The strikes have particularly focused on the Baltic Sea ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk as part of Ukraine’s strategy to weaken Russia’s economic foundation.

The damaged infrastructure represents a significant portion of Russia’s export system, which peaked at 40% disruption in March before improving to the current 20% level. Despite this improvement, the sources indicate the damage remains severe enough to impact production from the world’s third-largest oil producer, trailing only the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Russia’s critical Ust-Luga Baltic port halted oil shipments one week ago following extensive drone bombardment and subsequent fires. The combination of export facility damage and domestic refinery attacks has created severe congestion throughout Russia’s pipeline network, with storage facilities rapidly approaching capacity limits.

This backup is compelling some oil fields to consider reducing output to prevent system overflow, industry sources explained.

While Russia has benefited from rising oil prices since late February conflicts began involving U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran, any production cuts would still inflict economic damage given that energy sales comprise 25% of the state’s budget revenue.

Russia’s export challenges existed even before the recent Baltic port attacks. The Druzhba pipeline, which delivers oil to Hungary and Slovakia, has remained suspended since January, further constraining export options.

State-controlled Transneft operates more than 80% of Russia’s oil pipeline infrastructure. Neither Transneft nor Russia’s energy ministry responded to requests for comment.

According to the sources, Transneft has informed exporters that Ust-Luga cannot accommodate oil loading according to original schedules due to recent damage. The company also indicated it cannot accept full oil volumes from producers that were designated for Ust-Luga exports.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reported Russian oil production at 9.184 million barrels daily in February. The sources could not specify potential cut amounts.

Loading schedules from Ust-Luga for early April are not expected to be fulfilled, though allocations for the month’s second half remain tentatively scheduled pending further developments.

Despite Western sanctions and Ukrainian refinery attacks, Russian oil output declined only 0.8% to 10.28 million barrels per day last year, maintaining roughly 10% of global production according to Russian statistics.

The Ust-Luga bottleneck affects not only Russian exports but also Kazakhstan, which ships between 200,000 and 400,000 metric tons of KEBCO oil through the facility monthly.

Seasonal refinery maintenance compounds the surplus oil problem within Transneft’s system, sources noted. As refineries process reduced volumes during maintenance periods, excess crude accumulates more rapidly.

While Russia typically increases crude exports during March and April maintenance seasons, this year’s refinery shutdowns may instead force additional oil into storage facilities.

Official storage capacity figures remain unavailable, though one source estimated current reserves could last weeks rather than months.

ATHENS – Violent weather conditions across Greece have claimed one life and caused extensive flooding damage to residential areas, with emergency responders working around the clock to address the destruction left in the storm’s wake.

Fire department officials confirmed Thursday that rescue teams recovered the body of a victim in Nea Makri, a coastal resort community located approximately 21.75 miles northeast of Athens. According to local news reports, the individual was swept away by rushing floodwaters and became pinned beneath a vehicle while trying to navigate a waterlogged roadway.

Emergency services reported fielding hundreds of distress calls as the weather system known as Erminio pounded Athens and multiple Aegean Sea islands on Wednesday. Rescue teams worked to extract residents from rising waters and clear roadways blocked by toppled trees throughout the affected regions.

Recovery efforts continued into Thursday morning as work crews focused on debris removal, water extraction from inundated structures, and infrastructure repairs in areas east of the Greek capital. Transportation officials also suspended ferry operations from Piraeus harbor near Athens to various Greek islands as a safety precaution.

The Mediterranean island of Crete experienced unusual atmospheric conditions Wednesday when powerful winds reaching force 9 intensity transported sand particles from North Africa, creating an otherworldly orange sky and causing flight disruptions.

Located at the southern edge of Europe, Greece has experienced increasingly severe flooding and wildfire events in recent years, which climate experts link to accelerating global temperature increases.

LONDON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have launched sharp attacks on Britain’s naval strength, delivering criticism that has resonated painfully in a nation known for its storied maritime legacy, though experts say their comments contain elements of truth.

Britain has become a primary target of Trump’s criticism following the Iran conflict that began February 28, after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially denied U.S. forces access to British military installations.

While that stance has been partially modified to allow American use of British facilities, including the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, for what officials term defensive operations, Trump remains convinced he was betrayed. The president has consistently attacked Starmer and dismissed the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers as mere playthings.

“You don’t even have a navy,” Trump stated to Britain’s Daily Telegraph in remarks released Wednesday. “You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work.”

Hegseth added his own mocking commentary, suggesting sarcastically that the “big, bad Royal Navy” should step up to help secure the Strait of Hormuz for merchant vessels.

While the Royal Navy no longer commands the seas as it did during Britain’s imperial peak, it remains more capable than Trump and Hegseth suggest, with strength comparable to France’s naval forces.

“There’s validity to the criticism, as the Royal Navy has shrunk to its smallest size in centuries,” explained Professor Kevin Rowlands, who edits the Royal United Services Institute Journal. “However, the navy would point out it’s experiencing its first expansion since World War II, with more vessels planned for construction than we’ve seen in decades.”

Britain once assembled an impressive armada of 127 vessels, including two aircraft carriers, for the journey to the South Atlantic following Argentina’s seizure of the Falkland Islands. That 1982 operation, which received tepid support from then-President Ronald Reagan, represented the last demonstration of Britain’s naval supremacy.

Today’s Royal Navy could never mount such an operation. Since World War II, Britain’s battle-ready fleet has shrunk dramatically, driven by evolving military technology, strategic shifts, and the dissolution of the British Empire.

Analysis of Ministry of Defense and House of Commons Library data by The Associated Press shows combat vessels in the Royal Navy fleet, encompassing aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates, have dropped by two-thirds from 466 ships in 1975 to just 66 in 2025.

While Britain operates two aircraft carriers currently, the nation went seven years in the 2010s without any. Destroyer numbers have been cut in half to six vessels, while the frigate fleet has plummeted from 60 ships to merely 11.

The Royal Navy drew criticism for the lengthy deployment time of HMS Dragon destroyer to the Middle East after the Iran war erupted. Despite round-the-clock efforts by naval personnel to prepare the ship for an unexpected mission change, many viewed the delay as evidence of how severely Britain’s military capabilities have been reduced since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

Throughout much of the Cold War era, Britain allocated between 4% and 8% of its national income to military spending. Following the Cold War’s conclusion, this percentage steadily declined to just 1.9% of GDP by 2018, providing ammunition for Trump’s criticisms.

Similar to other nations, Britain, particularly under Labour Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, attempted to capitalize on the “peace dividend” after the Soviet Union’s collapse by redirecting defense funds to other areas like healthcare and education.

Budget cuts implemented by Conservative-led administrations following the 2008-9 financial crisis prevented any increase in defense spending, despite clear evidence of Russia’s growing aggression, particularly after Moscow’s seizure of Crimea and portions of eastern Ukraine.

After Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, combined with ongoing Middle East conflicts, there’s growing bipartisan recognition that military cuts have been excessive.

The Conservative government began reversing military spending reductions following the Ukraine invasion. Since Labour regained power in 2024, Starmer has worked to increase British defense expenditures, partially by reducing the country’s historically significant foreign aid budget.

Starmer has committed to increasing U.K. defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027, with an updated target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035, fulfilling a NATO agreement championed by Trump. This translates to tens of billions of additional pounds in military equipment and capabilities.

Government officials face pressure to accelerate this timeline. However, with public finances already strained by the Iran war’s economic impact, finding additional funding sources remains unclear.

The criticism will likely continue despite being unfair and inaccurate, according to RUSI’s Rowlands, a former Royal Navy captain.

“We are dealing with an administration that doesn’t do nuance,” he observed.

Pakistani officials confirmed Thursday that diplomatic representatives are engaged in peace negotiations with Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership in China, where Beijing is working to facilitate a lasting ceasefire following weeks of deadly border conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives and severely impacted regional commerce and cross-border movement.

The acknowledgment of these renewed diplomatic efforts came one day after sources from both nations informed The Associated Press that delegations had traveled to Urumqi in northern China for initial discussions.

The specific identities of those representing Pakistan and Afghanistan in these latest Chinese-hosted negotiations remain undisclosed.

During a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed the ongoing nature of the discussions. “Yes, Pakistan has sent a delegation to Urumqi, in line with its consistent position and longstanding practice of supporting a credible process that can help find a durable solution to cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan,” he stated.

Andrabi emphasized that the responsibility for meaningful progress rests primarily with Kabul.

“The burden of a real process lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable action against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan,” he declared.

The spokesperson stressed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomatic solutions while outlining specific demands. “We remain engaged with the Chinese leadership on this issue and other relevant international partners,” Andrabi noted, while insisting that Pakistan requires written guarantees from Kabul preventing the use of Afghan territory for attacks against Pakistan.

Afghan officials have not yet responded to requests for comment.

While China has not formally acknowledged hosting the talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated Thursday that President Xi Jinping’s administration has been “actively mediating and facilitating the resolution of conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that China has “always supported both sides in resolving their differences through dialogue and negotiation.”

Andrabi indicated that Pakistan’s military operations targeting the Pakistani Taliban and other militant organizations along the Afghan border will persist despite the diplomatic discussions.

On Wednesday, Farid Dehqan, a police spokesperson for Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province, reported that Pakistani forces had launched mortar attacks into Afghan territory late Wednesday, resulting in two civilian deaths and six injuries, including four children. He noted the bombardment continued for over two hours.

Andrabi rejected these allegations, asserting that Pakistan conducts anti-militant operations with careful consideration to prevent civilian casualties.

Pakistan frequently alleges that Afghanistan provides sanctuary to militants conducting attacks within Pakistani territory, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. This organization operates separately from but maintains ties with the Afghan Taliban, which assumed control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the turbulent departure of U.S.-led forces. Kabul consistently denies these allegations.

The current violence represents the most severe fighting since February, when Afghanistan’s Taliban government reported Pakistani strikes in Kabul and other locations, primarily causing civilian casualties. Pakistan maintained it targeted TTP strongholds.

Pakistani officials have declared the country is in “open war” with Afghanistan.

Tensions escalated significantly last month when Afghanistan claimed a Pakistani airstrike on a drug treatment facility in Kabul killed over 400 people. This death toll remains unverified independently, and Pakistan disputes the claim. Pakistani officials denied targeting civilians, stating they struck an ammunition storage facility in Kabul.

These current Chinese-mediated discussions follow previous negotiation rounds in Qatar and Turkey, where both parties reached ceasefire agreements that remained largely effective until Pakistan conducted strikes in Kabul and other Afghan locations in late February, sparking border conflicts that have recently diminished.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban maintain a history of strained relations, but the current violence has concerned the international community, particularly given the regional presence of various militant groups including the outlawed TTP, al-Qaida, and the Islamic State group, which continue efforts to reorganize.

PARIS – French authorities have placed one adult and three minors in pre-trial custody following their arrests in connection with a thwarted bombing attempt targeting Bank of America’s Paris headquarters last month, officials announced.

According to anti-terrorism prosecutors, the explosive device discovered was the most potent ever found on French soil and “could have generated … a powerful fireball several metres in diameter and spread a fire,” prosecutors stated Wednesday evening.

The suspects – one adult and three teenagers ages 16 and 17 – face formal charges including creating, transporting and handling explosive materials, along with attempting to destroy property while operating as part of a terrorist organization, prosecutors said.

All four individuals have denied any terrorist motivations, according to the official statement. The adult suspect claimed he was approached through social media by someone claiming to be a middleman who then provided him with the explosive device.

The teenage suspects admitted they understood their target was not a residential structure, authorities noted. Legal representatives for the suspects have not yet issued public statements.

Under French law, formal investigation status does not indicate guilt but signals that judges believe sufficient evidence exists to continue the inquiry. Such investigations may continue for years before proceeding to trial or being dismissed.

French officials believe the pro-Iranian organization HAYI may have orchestrated the failed March 28 attack, though this connection has not been definitively proven, prosecutors revealed earlier this week.

HAYI had published a social media video on March 23 that specifically identified Bank of America’s Paris headquarters as a target.

Through surveillance video analysis, cellular phone records and police questioning, investigators determined the adult suspect had enlisted the three teenagers during the nights of March 26-27, compensating them between 500 and 1,000 euros ($580-$1,160) to position the device, ignite it and record the incident, the prosecutor’s office reported.

The three minors had clean criminal records while the adult had a prior drug-related conviction in 2025, according to authorities. A fifth individual was taken into custody and questioned by police but was subsequently released due to insufficient evidence.

PARIS, April 2 – Major financial institutions Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have authorized their Paris employees to work from home this Thursday after French authorities prevented a terrorist bombing targeting Bank of America’s Paris location last Saturday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

French law enforcement has detained four individuals suspected of orchestrating the attack plot, which authorities believe may have connections to Iran.

Neither the Paris police department nor the prosecutor’s office provided immediate responses when contacted for additional information.

Citigroup described their remote work policy as a safety precaution in a statement provided to Reuters via email. The bank’s Frankfurt location is also operating under similar remote work arrangements.

French counterterrorism officials announced Wednesday evening that the four detained suspects – three minors between ages 16 and 17, plus one adult – now face formal charges related to creating, moving, and possessing explosive materials, as well as attempting property destruction while operating within a terrorist organization.

According to the counterterrorism prosecutor’s office, the explosive device consisted of a five-liter gasoline container attached to a substantial pyrotechnic charge containing 650 grams of active explosive material. Officials described it as the most potent device of its type ever discovered in France, capable of creating “a powerful fireball several meters in diameter.”

Investigation findings reveal the adult suspect hired the three teenagers, compensating them between 500 and 1,000 euros ($580-$1,160) to position and record video of the device. All four suspects have rejected claims of terrorist motivations.

French intelligence agencies suspect connections to HAYI, a pro-Iranian organization that released a video on March 23 specifically targeting Bank of America’s Paris headquarters, although prosecutors note this connection remains under investigation and has not been definitively confirmed.

Iranian military forces launched fresh ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf region countries on Thursday, defying previous warnings from the United States about escalating regional tensions.

The renewed offensive prompted the American Embassy in Baghdad to release a security advisory cautioning about possible attacks from militia groups backed by Iran.

The strikes come amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf region, with Iran demonstrating its willingness to continue military operations despite diplomatic pressure from Washington.

Thursday’s attacks mark the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict, raising concerns about broader regional stability and the safety of American personnel and interests in the area.

BELGRADE, Serbia — Global media watchdog organizations have sounded the alarm alongside Serbian reporters about deteriorating conditions for press freedom in the Balkan nation, citing unprecedented levels of physical assaults, digital harassment campaigns, and death threats targeting journalists.

Media freedom advocacy groups partnered with the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists and the Media Freedom Rapid Response coalition issued a warning this week stating that “the past year had seen a continued deterioration, leaving the country in a prolonged and worsening press freedom crisis.”

The organizations cautioned that “chances of further escalation in the severity of attacks against journalists remain dangerously high.”

Representatives from these groups conducted a fact-finding mission in Serbia from March 26-27, meeting with both news media professionals and government officials.

“The mission came at a time of unprecedented physical attacks on journalists and rampant online smear campaigns, led or amplified by influential members of the ruling party,” the coalition stated. “The delegation is fearful that journalists are caught in a spiral of violence with few protections in place.”

Serbia’s information ministry did not immediately respond when contacted by The Associated Press for comment.

On Wednesday, dozens of Serbian reporters staged a traffic-blocking demonstration outside populist President Aleksandar Vucic’s office, protesting a recent wave of assaults documented during Sunday’s violence-plagued municipal elections.

According to the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia, 20 news workers faced attacks during Sunday’s voting, contributing to approximately 100 documented incidents targeting media personnel this year alone.

International election monitors who observed the polling reported witnessing both violent incidents and voting irregularities. The elections took place across 10 Serbian municipalities and were viewed as a crucial test for Vucic following more than a year of youth-driven protests that began after a November 2024 train station disaster that claimed 16 lives.

Despite officially pursuing European Union membership for Serbia, the increasingly authoritarian Vucic administration faces accusations from human rights organizations of undermining democratic institutions, particularly press freedoms.

The international media coalition noted in their statement that harassment and violence against news workers have intensified since the Novi Sad station collapse and the emergence of student-led mass protests. They highlighted “alarming levels of impunity” with virtually no accountability for those responsible for attacks.

“Clear political will is needed to break the downward spiral and ensure all attacks on the media are properly sanctioned under the law,” the statement concluded.

Iranian authorities executed a protester Thursday who was convicted of attacking a military installation during the country’s January anti-government demonstrations, according to the judiciary’s news agency Mizan.

Amirhossein Hatami was put to death after Iran’s Supreme Court rejected his appeal and confirmed his death sentence. Officials said he was found guilty of breaking into a restricted military installation in Tehran, setting fires that damaged the facility, and trying to steal weapons and ammunition. According to Mizan, Hatami confessed to these actions while being questioned.

Last month, Hamzeh Khalili, the judiciary’s first deputy chief, announced that legal proceedings related to January’s protests had concluded and punishments were being carried out. The January demonstrations represented a nationwide anti-government uprising that Iranian officials suppressed in what they called the most severe crackdown since the Islamic Republic was established.

Human rights organization Amnesty International had previously identified Hatami as one of 11 individuals facing imminent execution risk. The group stated these men had been “subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in detention, before being convicted in grossly unfair trials that relied on forced confessions.”

Iran previously executed three other men in March who were convicted of killing two police officers during the January protests. This has prompted concern from human rights organizations like Hengaw, who worry that Tehran is escalating executions of political prisoners and demonstrators as the country faces increased military and international pressure.

Azerbaijan’s highest court has denied an appeal from a veteran opposition figure currently serving a lengthy prison term, according to his legal representative.

The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down the appeal filed by Tofig Yagublu, a 65-year-old member of the Musavat opposition party who is serving nine years behind bars, his attorney confirmed to Reuters.

Over the past three decades, Yagublu has faced multiple imprisonments for demonstrating against the government in the South Caucasus nation. Authorities took him into custody in December 2023, and he received his conviction in March of last year on charges including fraud and falsifying documents.

While his backers argue the prosecution is driven by political motives, government officials insist the conviction was justified based on legitimate criminal conduct.

Defense attorney Nemat Karimli stated that significant procedural errors plagued the initial proceedings, and the legal team intends to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The oil-rich nation has faced mounting Western criticism regarding its treatment of human rights, particularly following a wave of detentions targeting independent media professionals and political dissidents in recent years.

Azerbaijan’s leadership dismisses such criticism and characterizes Western diplomatic calls for prisoner releases as improper meddling in the country’s justice system.

Universities throughout Russia are enticing college students with substantial monetary rewards to enlist in unmanned aircraft units operating in Ukraine, according to official documents reviewed by Reuters.

The targeted recruitment campaign unfolds as Russian military operations continue advancing in Ukraine during the conflict’s fifth year, with Moscow seeking to expand its drone capabilities through a specialized military branch established in late 2023 under President Vladimir Putin’s directive.

Russian officials maintain this represents standard volunteer recruitment rather than widespread mobilization. Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of the Security Council, announced Friday that more than 400,000 individuals enlisted last year, with an additional 80,000 joining so far this year through the country’s ongoing volunteer system.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the student recruitment efforts when questioned by reporters Thursday, stating: “This (recruitment) offer exists; it is, as they say, on the market, and it applies equally to everyone: to workers, to students, to the unemployed, and so on and so forth. This is a completely open offer, an offer to join a new type of unit.”

The Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok presents students with comprehensive packages including guaranteed academic leave for one year minimum, complete tuition exemption upon return, complimentary housing, educational grants, and coverage for all required military gear.

Financial compensation reaches impressive levels by regional standards: initial yearly wages starting at 5.5 million rubles (approximately $68,433), plus a 2.5 million ruble signing bonus following training completion, monthly stipends of 240,000 rubles, and an additional 200,000 ruble payment directly from the university.

“This is not only an opportunity to prove yourself, but also a unique platform for social and career advancement, backed by unprecedented support measures,” the university declared in documentation released March 19.

Similar attractive offers emerge from Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, which promotes opportunities for students to become drone operators, engineers, or technical specialists through announcements on its official website.

The Russian State Hydrometeorological University in St. Petersburg also actively encourages student participation, advertising drone operator positions with annual compensation reaching 7 million rubles (roughly $87,000).

This academic recruitment strategy coincides with new advertising campaigns featuring billboard imagery of young drone operators wearing high-tech eyewear under the slogan “the new indispensables,” specifically targeting students in technical fields such as engineering and aeronautics.

Separately, Pavel Malkov, governor of the Ryazan region housing over one million residents, has mandated recruitment quotas for both private and public companies. His official decree requires businesses with up to 300 employees to provide two military recruits, companies with 500 workers to supply three recruits, and larger enterprises with over 500 staff members to contribute five recruits.

The quota system operates from April through September, with Malkov personally monitoring compliance, though the decree does not specify penalties for companies failing to meet requirements.

These recruitment efforts highlight Moscow’s emphasis on strengthening drone capabilities, as unmanned aircraft operations have become increasingly crucial in the prolonged conflict. Drone operators typically work away from front-line positions but face significant risks as high-priority targets when their locations become known to opposing forces.

A coalition of eight Muslim-majority nations has issued a joint declaration criticizing Israel’s recent legislation that establishes execution by hanging as the standard punishment for Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks in military tribunals, according to a statement released Thursday by Pakistan.

The countries participating in the joint declaration – Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – expressed their opposition to the new law and called for restraint from actions that could worsen regional tensions. The nations emphasized the “urgent need to refrain from measures” that risk further inflaming tensions on the ground.

The statement was issued from Islamabad on Thursday, marking a coordinated diplomatic response to Israel’s controversial new death penalty legislation targeting Palestinians convicted in military court proceedings.

Officials in Lithuania are planning to formally request assistance from the United States as they continue investigating suspected human trafficking activities connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein, according to the Baltic nation’s top prosecutor.

Prosecutor General Vita Grunskiene announced Thursday that her office is working on submitting an official request for legal assistance from American authorities. “We are preparing to send a request for legal aid to the U.S.,” Grunskiene stated during an interview with Lithuania’s Ziniu radio station.

The investigation has involved questioning approximately 20 individuals so far, though no criminal charges have been filed against anyone at this time, Grunskiene explained. She also made a public appeal encouraging any potential victims of the alleged trafficking operations to contact law enforcement officials.

Iran’s top military commander has issued orders for the nation’s armed forces to closely watch adversary activities and prepare for potential hostile actions, according to reports from Iranian state media on Thursday.

Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami instructed military operational centers to observe “enemy movements with utmost pessimism and accuracy” while maintaining readiness to defend against any form of assault, state outlets reported.

The directive comes as tensions continue in the region, with President Donald Trump recently stating that the Iran conflict is “nearing completion” and could conclude in the coming weeks. However, the deployment of additional American forces to the Gulf area has sparked speculation about possible ground military action.

“No enemy troops should survive if adversaries attempt a ground operation,” Hatami was quoted as saying by state media.

Iranian state television broadcast silent video showing Hatami meeting with three fellow army commanders in person while conducting a video conference with approximately twelve other military officials. Reuters was unable to immediately confirm when the recording was made.

Military officials in Moscow announced Thursday that Russian strategic nuclear forces completed training exercises in Siberia featuring Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads.

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, military personnel practiced various tactical maneuvers, including concealing and disguising the movement of land-based missile systems during field operations.

The training also included exercises simulating responses to enemy attacks and defending against aerial assault weapons. Defense officials noted that no actual missile launches occurred during these drills.

These military exercises are part of Russia’s routine testing of its strategic nuclear capabilities, designed to evaluate combat readiness while sending messages to Western nations amid ongoing tensions with NATO allies regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

A frustrated mother in Athens has exhausted every strategy she can think of to reduce her teenage son’s obsession with social media platforms. Georgia Efstathiou, 43, has attempted intimate conversations, designated screen-free periods, and even taking away her 14-year-old’s device entirely, but battles continue to erupt over his attachment to online videos and messaging.

Relief may soon arrive for Efstathiou and countless other struggling parents. Greece’s government is preparing to implement a social media prohibition for youth under 15, adding the country to a growing list of nations attempting to protect children from digital dependency and online harm.

“Ban them, shut them down. We’ve reached our limits… We parents need help,” Efstathiou stated while clutching her son’s device in her Athens home.

The overwhelmed mother represents a widespread sentiment across Greece. A February survey conducted by ALCO revealed approximately 80% of respondents supported such restrictions. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ administration has previously prohibited mobile devices in educational settings and established parental oversight systems to restrict adolescent screen exposure.

Government officials have refused to discuss specifics about the proposed ban or reveal implementation details and timing.

Reuters initially covered the proposal in February, with sources indicating an official announcement remains forthcoming. Mitsotakis recently informed a Greek-Australian publication that Greece would proceed “in a similar direction to that of Australia,” referencing December legislation requiring social media corporations to exclude users under 16 or face financial penalties.

Greece confronts the same challenges with platforms like Meta’s Instagram, TikTok, and gaming websites that nations worldwide are grappling with.

The EU-supported Greek Safer Internet Centre in Athens has documented alarming trends. George Kormas, who operates their support hotline for young cyberbullying victims, reported that calls more than doubled from 2024 to 2025. Additional concerns include minor exploitation, false information distribution, and hostile online communication.

Center statistics show 75% of Greek children accessing social media are elementary school age.

“This undoubtedly worries us, because they cannot handle social media or protect themselves,” Kormas explained.

Athanasios Theocharis, director of the National Organization for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions, noted that roughly 48% of teenagers have experienced harmful effects from social media usage.

“Clearly (the ban) has the potential to provide a significant degree of protection,” Theocharis stated.

However, parents interviewed by Reuters expressed mixed feelings about losing oversight of their children’s online activities and worry that youth will circumvent restrictions. Some oppose any government involvement entirely.

“I’d prefer a different approach, limiting mobile phone use within the family,” explained Dimitris, 44. “But where that’s not possible, perhaps a ban would work as the extreme remedy.”

His 14-year-old daughter Catherine represents a generation that has never experienced life without digital connectivity.

“It is the way we learned since we were born,” she shared while playing basketball near the Acropolis with her father.

“I can control it — but then again I usually get carried away.”

In the small Hungarian village of Malyinka, 72-year-old Sandor Toth operates a local pub where he’s served customers for over four decades, watching his country transform from communist rule through multiple election cycles that have consistently favored Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party.

Toth’s establishment recently benefited from Orban’s village pub initiative, receiving 3 million forints (approximately $9,000) in government funding that enabled him to upgrade with new windows and air conditioning systems. This program distributed grants to hundreds of rural pubs under the government’s philosophy that these establishments represent “the soul of the villages.”

Rural communities like Malyinka have formed the backbone of support for Fidesz, the ruling nationalist and socially conservative party, largely through community development programs funded by party-controlled local governments. In many regions, the distinction between Fidesz and government services has become blurred, with the party serving as the primary source of employment and financial assistance.

Media landscape considerations also play a role, as Fidesz supporters control significant portions of Hungary’s private news outlets, while state media functions primarily as a government communications tool. Officials reject claims that press freedom has been compromised.

Orban’s messaging emphasizing “Hungarian interests” in opposition to European Union policies and his stance against providing aid to war-affected Ukraine has found particular resonance among older, more traditional voters in countryside areas.

The upcoming April 12 election presents Orban with his most challenging re-election campaign in over a decade and a half. Rural constituencies hold decisive importance, comprising 88 of 106 total districts, with these constituency races determining 106 of parliament’s 199 seats.

While serving sour cherry beer at 800 forints ($2.38) per pint—roughly half the cost found in Budapest—Toth expressed confidence that most residents in his village of 450 would continue supporting Orban.

“I believe generally here people vote for Fidesz as they help pensioners and also young people,” he explained, noting that “not all parties” would have provided the financial assistance his pub received.

Toth’s establishment, called Sanyi pub and decorated with 1980s memorabilia and featuring a 1990s jukebox, has evolved into Malyinka’s social hub, strategically positioned beside the soccer field and licensed for tobacco sales.

“The village, our direct connection to nature, the land … these are essential parts of human life that must be preserved,” Orban stated during a January campaign appearance.

In the electoral district encompassing Malyinka and 81 additional villages, Fidesz representative Zoltan Demeter secured victory in 2022 with more than 54% of votes cast. However, this election cycle presents increased competition.

Orban now faces opposition from the center-right Tisza party, established in 2024 under Peter Magyar’s leadership. Magyar, who previously admired Orban, now seeks to remove him from the prime minister’s office.

Current polling data indicates Tisza holds a national advantage, though significant numbers of voters remain uncommitted. Research conducted by the 21 Research Institute in early March showed Tisza leading among all voter demographics under age 50, while Fidesz maintained clear support among those over 65.

Tisza has intensified rural campaigning efforts, attempting to address a 16-year pattern of opposition parties struggling to present viable alternatives to Fidesz in countryside areas.

Magyar has spent two years traveling to towns and villages, pledging employment opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced healthcare access. Leading up to election day, his campaign schedule includes events in 5-6 different locations daily across the nation.

The 21 Research Institute survey indicated Fidesz maintained a 37% to 33% advantage over Tisza in village areas.

“The mood in small rural towns and villages is different from earlier elections, when the public quickly lost interest at events. Now they turn up and listen to what Magyar has to say,” noted Eurasia Group analysts, suggesting Magyar was gaining ground in rural districts.

Tisza’s local representative and campaign workers conduct door-to-door outreach throughout villages in Toth’s constituency, attempting to attract voters by proposing support for road repairs and improvements to healthcare facilities and educational institutions.

“This is key, I think this was missing badly from previous campaigns, that we must go to each street,” stated Tisza candidate Csaba Hatala-Orosz.

“We can promise to support local small- and medium-sized businesses, rebuild roads … I’ve been doing field work here for almost two years, and I got to know these 82 villages, and I have really put my heart into this.”

Military forces in two West African nations have caused more civilian casualties than the terrorist groups they’re fighting, according to new research from Human Rights Watch released Thursday.

Data compiled by the human rights organization reveals that since 2023, government troops and their allies in Burkina Faso have been responsible for more than double the civilian deaths caused by Islamic extremist groups.

Similar patterns emerge in neighboring Mali, where Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) statistics show government forces and their partners have killed three to four times more civilians than jihadist fighters over the past two years.

Both countries are currently under military rule following recent coups, and both have experienced escalating violence from terrorist organizations since 2021, transforming the Sahel region into a major global terrorism concern.

Experts warn that extensive civilian killings by government troops may strengthen terrorist groups politically and help them recruit new members. These developments could also hinder U.S. efforts to rebuild relationships with Sahel governments that removed French and other Western military forces after their coups.

Ilaria Allegrozzi, Human Rights Watch’s senior Sahel researcher, stated that Burkina Faso’s security forces and allied militias “appear to be more brutal and violent” than extremist organizations like the regional al Qaeda branch, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

She explained that the behavior of Burkinabe forces reflects a broader regional trend that raises serious questions about military discipline and its impact on anti-insurgency operations.

Neither Mali nor Burkina Faso government representatives immediately responded to requests for comment. Both nations have previously rejected accusations of unlawful killings, claiming their forces have eliminated “terrorists.”

The Human Rights Watch investigation examined the timeframe from January 2023 through August 2025, recording 57 incidents that resulted in at least 1,837 civilian fatalities. Government forces and their allies carried out 33 of these incidents, causing 1,255 civilian deaths.

ACLED figures show that in 2025 alone, Burkina Faso’s military and the pro-government Homeland Defence Volunteers militia killed 523 civilians, while JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province killed 339.

In Mali during 2025, the military working alongside Russian paramilitary units Wagner and Africa Corps killed 918 civilians, compared to 232 killed by JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province.

Russia’s defense ministry, which oversees Wagner and Africa Corps, did not respond to comment requests. JNIM representatives could not be contacted.

ACLED gathers information from social media, news reports, and official statements from governments, armed groups, and non-governmental organizations. The organization acknowledges its fatality counts are conservative estimates. Human Rights Watch based its findings on 450 interviews and verified social media content and satellite images, noting their documented incidents don’t represent the complete picture.

Allegrozzi explained that because JNIM controls extensive territory, security forces often escort humanitarian and supply convoys through rural areas, but frequently kill civilians they encounter during these operations.

An eastern Burkina Faso resident, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, described witnessing such an incident while traveling in a civilian convoy with military protection in July 2024. Many villages they passed appeared deserted until they reached Sakoani village, located 30 kilometers west of Kantchari town.

“When the army arrived in this village and saw that it was populated, they surrounded the entire village and they exterminated everything – every living being,” the witness told Reuters. “People tried to flee, but if you run, they shoot at you.”

The witness estimated seeing at least 100 bodies.

Mali has increasingly relied on drone attacks for many civilian killings, according to ACLED data. Drone operations expanded dramatically after the government started buying Turkish-manufactured drones in 2022. Civilian casualties from Mali’s drone or air attacks increased from four incidents in 2022 to 66 incidents in 2025, killing 155 people.

Government drone strikes in July 2024 killed at least 50 civilians at the Inatiyara artisanal gold mining location in northern Mali, ACLED reported. Three eyewitnesses provided accounts to Reuters.

A 30-year-old gold miner from Niger who worked at Inatiyara and requested anonymity said, “We were surprised by the strikes, we were so scared.”

“It was pure panic… I’m still reeling from the shock,” he added.

Human Rights Watch and ACLED also documented serious crimes by JNIM, including the deaths of at least 133 civilians in Barsalogho, Burkina Faso, during August 2024 and 19 civilians in Diallassagou, Mali, in May 2024.

Despite these actions, the group has successfully presented itself as a protector of marginalized communities like the Fulani, a nomadic herding group whose members are frequently suspected of JNIM connections, according to analysts.

Heni Nsaibia, ACLED’s senior West Africa analyst, noted, “As state responses increasingly rely on retaliation and collective punishment, more civilians find themselves trapped in areas under jihadist control, where JNIM is consolidating its influence through coercion and strategic engagement with local populations.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tehran launched fresh missile strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab nations Thursday as President Donald Trump delivered remarks about concluding the Middle East conflict, demonstrating Iran’s rejection of Washington’s ceasefire overtures while continuing to control the Strait of Hormuz.

British officials scheduled a Thursday conference call with nearly three dozen nations to address reopening the strategic waterway, which handles 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments during normal operations. The 35 participating countries, encompassing all G7 developed nations except America, plus the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, endorsed a declaration last month calling on Iran to stop obstructing the strait. Thursday’s discussion will focus on “diplomatic and political measures” to restore maritime traffic after hostilities end.

While Washington demands Iran permit unrestricted vessel passage through the strait, Trump recently stated America shouldn’t be responsible for forcing compliance, urging nations dependent on Hormuz oil shipments to “build some delayed courage” and “take it.”

During his remarks, Trump declared the U.S. would strike Iran “extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” while claiming American “core strategic objectives are nearing completion.”

Iranian military officials responded defiantly Thursday, asserting their weapons facilities remain concealed and beyond reach of Israeli or American strikes.

“The centers you think you have targeted are insignificant,” declared Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

Explosions echoed through Dubai just before Trump’s nearly 20-minute Wednesday address as air defense systems engaged incoming Iranian missiles. Within 30 minutes of the president’s conclusion, Israel reported intercepting additional incoming projectiles.

Warning sirens activated in Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, immediately following the speech.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper hosted Thursday’s virtual meeting among the 35 signatories who issued a March joint statement condemning Iranian attacks on civilian commercial ships and demanding Tehran “cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the strait.”

Despite most Strait of Hormuz oil and gas typically serving Asian markets, only Japan and South Korea from that region participated in the discussions.

“Trump’s message was that the United States can sustain its own economic and energy ecosystem, while countries dependent on regional exports will either have to buy from the United States or manage the Strait themselves,” analyzed the New York-based Soufan Center think tank following the address.

“While Trump explicitly thanked U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf for their cooperation and allyship, an expedited U.S. withdrawal without securing the strait will leave many of these countries, whose economies are dependent on energy exports, in the lurch.”

No nation appears prepared to forcibly reopen the strait during ongoing warfare. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the coalition “will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and to resume the movement of vital commodities.”

Bahrain, currently holding the UN Security Council presidency, has worked to bring the crisis before the international body.

While Iran permits limited vessel transit through the strait, the passage remains mostly blocked. Tehran continues targeting Gulf Arab energy infrastructure, driving oil prices higher and creating widespread economic disruption.

After Trump’s address, Brent crude prices climbed to $108 in early trading, representing a nearly 50% increase since February 28 when Israel and America initiated military action against Iran.

Rising energy costs and market volatility have intensified domestic pressure on Trump, who used his address to defend the military campaign while suggesting its conclusion approaches.

Acknowledging fallen American service members, he stated: “We are going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast. We’re getting very close.”

Washington has presented Tehran with a 15-point ceasefire proposal, though Trump made no mention of diplomatic efforts or his April 6 deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe American retaliation.

Combat casualties include more than 1,900 Iranian deaths and 19 Israeli fatalities. Over two dozen people have perished in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, with 13 U.S. service members killed.

Lebanese authorities report more than 1,200 deaths and over one million displaced residents, while ten Israeli soldiers have died in that country.

Pakistan has undergone a stunning diplomatic reversal, transforming from an isolated nation just twelve months ago into a key regional power broker mediating between the United States and Iran in efforts to resolve Middle East conflicts. This dramatic shift has been orchestrated primarily by the country’s influential military leader, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Munir has established close relationships with President Donald Trump, including an extraordinary private lunch meeting at the White House. Additionally, Pakistani authorities captured and transferred to U.S. custody an Islamic State operative responsible for attacks on American military personnel.

The Islamic republic has launched an extensive diplomatic campaign, with officials reaching out to global leaders while simultaneously strengthening bonds with key ally China.

“Pakistan’s civil-military leadership has been on a charm offensive primarily balancing relations between the U.S. and China as it seeks to employ a diversified foreign policy,” explained Arsla Jawaid, a global risk analyst at Control Risks, in comments to Reuters.

“All these efforts are beginning to show some signs of success.”

Relations between Pakistan and Western nations had deteriorated significantly after U.S. Navy SEALs eliminated Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil in 2011. The situation worsened with the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Washington’s allegations that Pakistan secretly aided the Taliban throughout the two-decade Afghanistan conflict.

Economically, the country teetered on the brink of defaulting on its debts until securing a new International Monetary Fund agreement following difficult negotiations approximately 18 months ago.

Government officials and experts point to two pivotal moments that helped Pakistan regain Washington’s confidence.

The initial breakthrough occurred in March of the previous year when Pakistan assisted in apprehending an individual connected to the 2021 Kabul airport attack that claimed the lives of 170 Afghan civilians and 13 American service members. This cooperation earned public recognition from Trump and restored intelligence cooperation between the nations.

Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States Maleeha Lodhi described this collaboration as “critical” in overcoming decades of mutual suspicion.

The second turning point came in May during a confrontation with longtime rival India.

Foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi noted that the 90-hour military engagement significantly enhanced Pakistan’s international standing because the nation’s “military leadership showed tremendous restraint after successfully downing Indian fighter jets.”

Pakistan promptly involved the United States in diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Subsequently, both Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif put forward Trump’s name for Nobel Peace Prize consideration.

Throughout Pakistan’s history, military leaders have wielded significant influence even during civilian rule, making Munir’s support crucial for any governmental policy decisions.

The unprecedented White House meeting between Trump and Pakistan’s military commander, conducted without civilian officials present, demonstrated Trump’s understanding of Pakistan’s actual power dynamics.

Pakistani military officials declined to provide comments for this report. Government representatives attribute the country’s diplomatic renaissance to effective cooperation between civilian and military leadership and skillful management of relationships spanning Gulf nations, the United States, and China.

“If there is one factor above all that has fuelled the widening of diplomatic opportunity for Pakistan, it is the trust and symbiosis between the field marshal and prime minister,” stated Mosharraf Zaidi, Sharif’s spokesperson, in remarks to Reuters.

Both Zaidi and Andrabi emphasized their offices’ diplomatic initiatives, including numerous meetings and near-daily communications with international leaders.

This past Sunday, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed his counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt for discussions centered on ending the Iranian conflict.

“Because of Mr. Dar’s frequent interactions with these foreign ministers, they can share intimate comments as well as a solemn moment,” Andrabi observed.

Washington’s relationship with Pakistan has strengthened through regular engagement between Pakistani civilian and military officials and the White House.

Munir and Sharif have conducted discussions with U.S. officials covering investment possibilities, cryptocurrency agreements involving Trump family-associated enterprises, and Middle Eastern security matters, establishing Pakistan’s diplomatic comeback through a combination of commercial partnerships and strategic alliances.

Trump has referred to Munir as his “favourite field marshal,” and the Pakistani leader was the sole active military commander attending this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. Sources indicate he conducted additional meetings with Trump at the event and has maintained regular contact with Vice President JD Vance since the Iranian conflict commenced.

As recently as Tuesday, Vance communicated through Pakistani intermediaries regarding the Iranian situation, with a source familiar with the discussions confirming Trump’s openness to a ceasefire under specific conditions.

Prime Minister Sharif has maintained ongoing dialogue with Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Pakistan formalized a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia in the previous year.

Pakistan’s growing international prominence has created concerns in India, which traditionally maintained superior diplomatic standing between the two adversaries. Indian opposition politicians have criticized their government’s passive stance regarding the Middle East crisis, while analysts suggest Pakistan’s emergence threatens to marginalize New Delhi in regional diplomatic efforts.

“I have been calling for almost three weeks now for India to take a leading stand, leveraging its good relations with both sides into a peace initiative,” stated opposition legislator Shashi Tharoor. “Now, apparently, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have done it. Good luck to them…but India gets no credit while Pakistan is holding the peace talks.”

Despite diplomatic gains, Pakistan’s economy continues struggling, and experts warn the nation risks military involvement due to its defense treaty with Saudi Arabia, potentially triggering domestic unrest among Pakistan’s Shiite population, the world’s second-largest after Iran.

Pakistan also faces ongoing tensions with neighboring Afghanistan, which intensified shortly before U.S. and Israeli military actions against Tehran.

“Pakistan has to continue to look inwards to bolster its own pillars of national power, especially its economy,” advised Uzair Yunus from strategic consulting firm The Asia Group.

“It also needs to build an integrated defence industrial complex in partnership with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.”

Pakistan requires a comprehensive long-term approach to manage relationships with Iran, its defense partnership with Saudi Arabia, and ties with Washington during an uncertain and potentially extended conflict, according to Control Risks analyst Jawaid.

“The civil-military leadership will need to be very careful of the role and extent of Pakistan’s involvement. Overplaying the mediator card could prove to be more damaging if not managed astutely.”

TULKARM, West Bank – The Ghanem family huddles in a makeshift shelter with only thin metal sheeting overhead as Iranian missiles streak across the sky above them, a stark reminder of their vulnerability since being forced from their longtime home in a Palestinian refugee camp.

This family represents thousands among approximately 32,000 residents whom Israeli forces removed from their homes across three established refugee settlements in the occupied West Bank during the past year.

Their dangerous circumstances intensified following the February 28 strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, which left the West Bank exposed to falling wreckage from Iranian missiles destroyed by Israeli defense systems.

“The children were terrified by the sound of the rockets,” explained Madleen Ghanem, who shares a single-room shelter with her four youngest children ages three, eight, 11 and 14, while her older offspring live in separate locations.

Palestinian Civil Defence rescue services report that more than 270 fragments of missile wreckage have crashed into the West Bank since hostilities began.

The contrast with Israel is stark – while bomb shelters are commonplace there, the West Bank offers virtually no protective facilities, leaving families like the Ghanems with nowhere to seek safety.

Although Iran has not been documented as intentionally striking Palestinian areas, four Palestinian women died last month when an Iranian missile struck the West Bank city of Hebron.

“We don’t have shelters, the space where we stay is the same space we hide in. There are no shelters and no place to run to,” Madleen stated.

Israeli military officials did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment.

During early 2025, as a temporary ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza took effect, Israeli forces initiated demolition operations targeting homes and infrastructure in the Tulkarm camp, the adjacent Nur Shams camp, and the Jenin refugee camp throughout the northern West Bank.

Israeli officials justified these operations as necessary to eliminate civilian infrastructure that could potentially be used by militant groups. Human Rights Watch condemned these forced relocations as war crimes and crimes against humanity in a displacement report released last year.

Several members of Israel’s governing coalition have repeatedly advocated for annexing the West Bank, a territory spanning roughly 100 kilometers that Palestinians envision as central to their future sovereign state, alongside Gaza.

Israel points to historical and biblical connections to the West Bank territory, which it occupied during the 1967 conflict.

Before their displacement, the Ghanems occupied a three-story residence within the densely populated Tulkarm camp, where the family’s women had cultivated trees, flowers and climbing vines that adorned their porches for decades.

Areej Ghanem, Madleen’s sister-in-law, recalls Israeli troops forcing entry into their family residence without advance notice during nighttime hours last year.

“We didn’t take clothes, nothing at all. They made us leave. Our father can’t get up or down…He’s an old man, he can’t walk. We left, dragging him,” Areej recounted.

Israeli military representatives did not respond to inquiries regarding the Ghanem family’s specific situation.

Following the destruction of their home along with numerous others in the camp, Areej relocated with her sister, niece and their 89-year-old father Mahmoud Ghanem to a cramped rented room in nearby Tulkarm town.

As the sole income earner working as a domestic worker, Areej supports the family in their small quarters that lack kitchen facilities, forcing her to wash dishes in the bathroom. Financial constraints have prevented them from purchasing meat for over a year.

“Honestly I have no hope for the future. We can’t even provide basic food,” Areej shared.

Separately, Madleen relocated with her husband Ibrahim – Areej’s brother – and their children to another section of Tulkarm, where they had purchased a small parcel of land in 2023, shortly before the Gaza conflict erupted.

Ibrahim previously worked in construction, joining thousands of Palestinians authorized to enter Israel for employment. However, following the Hamas-led attacks in 2023 that triggered the Gaza war, Israel revoked work permits for most Palestinians, leaving Ibrahim without employment since then.

Ibrahim explains that he and his wife sometimes cannot afford cooking gas, instead preparing meals over outdoor fires.

Despite living approximately an hour’s walk from each other, the family attempts weekly gatherings to maintain some sense of normalcy.

During a recent Friday afternoon at a dusty roadside playground, Areej and Madleen laid out a picnic blanket over worn synthetic grass while their children played nearby.

Madleen expressed her dream of completing the house construction they began and hopes the family can eventually reunite in a single home. Areej emphasized that staying together remains the priority.

“Either we die together or we live joyfully together,” she concluded.

BASRA, Iraq — What were once bustling Iraqi oil facilities filled with workers have become nearly empty landscapes. Shipping terminals that formerly hummed with commercial activity now sit quiet, with only the gentle sound of water lapping against empty docks.

Four weeks into the Iranian conflict, employees at petroleum facilities and shipping terminals throughout Basra province—which handles nearly all of Iraq’s crude oil production and shipments—have become familiar with missiles flying overhead toward American military installations and other strategic targets.

The conflict, which started with strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces, is severely damaging Iraq’s financial foundation. The nation depends on petroleum income for approximately 90% of its government funding, and the majority of its crude oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial Persian Gulf passage where Iran has essentially blocked commercial shipping during the fighting. The conflict has also dramatically reduced imported merchandise arriving at Iraq’s southern shipping facilities, while military strikes have shut down movement along the Iranian border.

Iraq finds itself in a unique position among Middle Eastern nations affected by the war, hosting both deeply embedded pro-Iranian forces and substantial American interests, making it vulnerable to strikes from either side. Since hostilities began, petroleum output in Iraq’s southern region has plummeted more than 70%, while imported goods reaching the nation’s ports have been reduced by half. Unmanned aircraft and rocket strikes have hit American corporations and military installations. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have also attacked petroleum facilities and energy infrastructure. Numerous international workers have evacuated.

Financial experts believe the Iraqi government has sufficient reserves to operate until mid-May without fresh oil income, but will need to seek loans after that point.

“After that, the government would resort to issuing bonds,” said Ahmed Tabaqchali, an expert in Iraq’s economy. “But not without consequences.”

Throughout southern Iraq, the Strait of Hormuz blockade has forced petroleum facilities to reduce output and prioritize domestic requirements, while global oil costs have increased. The Zubair oil field near Basra, previously generating approximately 400,000 barrels daily, has experienced production falling to about 250,000, according to officials.

Iran has provided guarantees that Iraqi petroleum can move safely through the strait, according to Bassem Abdul Karim, who leads the government-operated Basra Oil Company overseeing provincial production. Nevertheless, since Iraq doesn’t own its shipping vessels and relies on leased tankers, deliveries depend entirely on whether ship operators will accept the increased dangers of the voyage. Most refuse.

At a processing facility in Zubair where crude oil is refined, operations have also slowed significantly. “It’s quiet now because of the reductions,” said chief engineer Ammar Hashim. “Of course we are worried.”

The slowdown at Zubair mirrors a widespread decline throughout Basra. Production has fallen from 3.1 million barrels daily to approximately 900,000 across the entire province, Abdul Karim reported.

“Exports are currently completely halted. At the moment, we are considering alternative loading areas, but none are fully operational,” he told The Associated Press.

That same day, an unmanned aircraft crashed at the Majnoon oil field north of Basra without exploding. A security official described this as an increasingly frequent event, noting the drone was probably targeting American bases in Kuwait. Operations at the facility have been suspended because of how often these incidents occur. The official requested anonymity since he wasn’t authorized to speak with reporters.

Hundreds of workers from American, British, Italian, French and other international petroleum companies have departed Iraq because of the war. The exodus intensified following a March 6 drone attack on the Burjisiya complex in Basra, a vital logistics center for Iraq’s oil sector used by multiple companies. The assault targeted American oil services firm KBR, hitting its chemical storage area.

Another drone hit the British Petroleum-managed Rumaila oil field, causing some foreign personnel to evacuate, Abdul Karim said. The facility continues operating, he noted. On Wednesday, several drones struck a fuel storage facility connected to BP in northern Iraq.

Attempts to redirect Iraq’s oil face significant obstacles: The nation lacks capacity to increase shipments through its northern pipeline, and truck transport through Jordan and Syria is expensive and ineffective, Abdul Karim explained.

Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main deep-water shipping facility, was previously so loud with cargo operations that it could cause headaches, workers recalled.

Currently, with the Strait of Hormuz blocked, large cargo vessels bringing supplies to Iraq cannot reach the port. Instead, they dock in the United Arab Emirates, where merchandise is transported by trucks and smaller vessels to reach Umm Qasr—an expensive alternative.

The facility’s loading areas are operating far below previous levels, with cargo volumes cut in half by the war, according to port director Mohammed Tahir Fadhil.

During the AP’s visit, only one cargo vessel from the U.A.E. was docked.

The danger to shipping routes increased after Iran sank two tankers on March 11 in Iraqi waters—the Marshall Islands-registered Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-registered Zefyros.

“Today, our only gateway for goods is the United Arab Emirates,” said Farhan Fartousi, director of the Iraqi Ports Company.

Sunday morning found Haidar Abdul-Samad, assistant director of Basra’s Shalamcha border crossing with Iran, speaking by phone with an Iranian official, protesting power outages that had stopped trade and requesting immediate repairs. The electrical failures followed an airstrike that damaged the Iranian side of the crossing.

Local officials say such interruptions have become commonplace.

Before the conflict, the crossing experienced continuous activity, reflecting strong family and business connections between Iranians and Iraqis in the region. It also serves as an important route for merchants and religious pilgrims traveling to Shiite sacred sites in central Iraq.

That morning, trucks were lined up for miles.

“Priority is given to food supplies to prevent price increases,” Abdul-Samad said. “Passenger movement is not at the same level as before; activity has declined due to the war in Iran.”

After power was restored, 30-year-old Iranian merchant Atefa Al-Fatlawi arrived with her husband and young son. She purchases merchandise at reduced prices in Basra to sell back home.

“We are scared because of the bombings,” she said. “Shalamcha was targeted. Today, there were no transport vehicles at the garage because of the attack.”

KAJIADO, Kenya — During her school break, 19-year-old Valerie Wairimu doesn’t have a moment to spare. She quickly grabs something to eat before heading to the on-campus nursery that sets Kenya’s Greenland Girls School apart from any other educational institution in the country.

At the nursery, a group of caregivers hand over her baby son Kayden, allowing Wairimu to nurse him before returning to her afternoon classes.

Greenland Girls School stands as Kenya’s sole educational facility specifically designed for teenage mothers, providing care for their children while the young women pursue their studies. The institution serves 310 students and more than 80 children ranging from newborns to toddlers, offering these families an opportunity to continue their education in an environment free from judgment — something education specialists view as an exemplary approach to bringing young mothers back into the classroom.

“When I found that I was pregnant, I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” said Wairimu, who has placed near the top of her class in exams at Greenland and hopes to become a doctor.

Established in 2015 as a residential facility, the institution has successfully guided hundreds of young women through their secondary education while providing support for their children. Many graduates have advanced to prominent careers in fields such as government service and healthcare.

The nonprofit organization Shining Hope for Communities operates the facility, with numerous students receiving financial assistance through scholarship programs.

Most enrolled students originate from Kajiado County, located south of Nairobi, where the school maintains a team of community outreach workers who identify and refer expectant mothers to the program.

The institution has also established connections with social service agencies and educators throughout Kenya, including remote western regions like Wairimu’s hometown. Coming from a household led by a single father with a younger sibling, she lacked the resources to support a newborn. Her grandmother learned about the school and arranged for Wairimu’s enrollment.

A significant portion of the student body comes from challenging circumstances, with some pregnancies resulting from sexual violence or arranged marriages.

According to Paul Mukilya, the school’s administrative manager, families frequently withhold support, leaving outreach staff to negotiate with local community leaders for permission to enroll students.

“Some of the challenges which the students encounter are the family and the community. Most of them have failed to accept them the way they are,” Mukilya said. “When they come here, we take them through psychological counseling and mentorship.”

Kenyan law prohibits sexual activity involving anyone under 18, though the legal framework only holds males criminally responsible. Underage pregnancies frequently result in court proceedings, and Greenland assists its students while coordinating with law enforcement, particularly in situations involving child marriage.

During classroom hours, the school’s staff assumes responsibility for childcare while providing guidance and support to the young mothers.

“Some of the mothers view their children as a burden,” said Caroline Mumbai, a caregiver at Greenland who has two children of her own. “So we also teach them how to mother.”

Ensuring educational access for teenage mothers presents a significant challenge in Kenya, particularly as the nation grapples with a rapidly expanding youth demographic. Government statistics indicate that more than 125,000 babies born in 2024 were delivered by mothers under 19 years old.

Research conducted by the Population Council, a health and development organization, revealed in 2015 that two-thirds of teenage mothers identified pregnancy as their primary reason for leaving school. More recent 2022 findings by research group IDinsight showed that unplanned pregnancy ranked as the second-leading factor preventing girls from returning to education, surpassed only by financial constraints.

To address growing demand from Kenya’s coastal areas, Greenland Girls School plans to launch a second location in Kilifi County.

“Every girl who gets pregnant and drops out during their school time must be allowed reentry,” said Dr. Githinji Gitahi, chief executive of development agency Amref Health Africa. “Special schools are important in supplementing the general scalable policy framework. We should focus on these schools that are helping to close the equity gap.”

Students at Greenland express gratitude for an atmosphere that eliminates social stigma and promotes academic achievement.

“People used to judge me because I got pregnant,” said Mary Wanjiku, 20, whose son is almost 18 months old. She now hopes to become a lawyer.

“The moment I came here, I was received with love,” she said.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Marine archaeologists working in Copenhagen Harbor have located the remains of a Danish warship that went down more than two centuries ago during a fierce battle with Admiral Horatio Nelson’s British naval forces.

Divers are racing against time to excavate the wreckage of the Dannebroge, working through thick mud and near-zero visibility conditions 49 feet below the surface. The excavation site will soon become part of a massive housing development project along Denmark’s coastline.

Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum, overseeing the extensive underwater dig, revealed their discovery on Thursday – marking exactly 225 years since the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen took place.

“It’s a big part of the Danish national feeling,” said Morten Johansen, the museum’s head of maritime archaeology.

While much has been documented about the historic confrontation “by very enthusiastic spectators, but we actually don’t know how it was to be onboard a ship being shot to pieces by English warships and some of that story we can probably learn from seeing the wreck,” Johansen explained.

During the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson’s British forces launched an assault on Denmark’s naval defenses that had formed a protective barrier around the harbor entrance.

The devastating maritime confrontation lasted several hours and resulted in thousands of casualties, earning recognition as one of Nelson’s most significant victories. Britain’s goal was to break up Denmark’s participation in a coalition that included Russia, Prussia and Sweden.

The Danish flagship Dannebroge, under the command of Commodore Olfert Fischer, found itself at the heart of the intense fighting.

Nelson’s forces concentrated their attack on the 157-foot vessel. Artillery bombardment devastated the ship’s upper sections before explosive rounds ignited fires throughout the vessel.

“(It was) a nightmare to be on board one of these ships,” Johansen noted. “When a cannonball hits a ship, it’s not the cannonball that does the most damage to the crew, it’s wooden splinters flying everywhere, very much like grenade debris.”

The confrontation reportedly gave rise to the expression “to turn a blind eye.” Nelson, who had lost vision in his right eye, allegedly stated after choosing to disregard orders from a commanding officer: “I have only one eye, I have a right to be blind sometimes.”

Nelson ultimately proposed a temporary halt to fighting, and Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik later agreed to end hostilities.

The badly damaged Dannebroge floated northward before a massive explosion destroyed what remained. Historical accounts describe the blast as creating thunderous noise that echoed throughout Copenhagen.

Underwater excavation teams have recovered two artillery pieces, military clothing, rank insignia, footwear, glass containers and even a portion of a sailor’s jawbone – possibly belonging to one of 19 crew members still listed as missing from that fateful day.

The archaeological site will eventually be covered by construction activities for Lynetteholm, an ambitious development plan to create a new residential area within Copenhagen Harbor, with completion scheduled for 2070.

Maritime archaeology teams started surveying the location in late 2023, focusing on an area believed to correspond with historical records of the flagship’s final resting place.

Researchers confirm that recovered timber dimensions align with historical ship blueprints. Tree ring analysis of the wood samples corresponds to the vessel’s original construction date. The excavation area contains numerous cannonballs, creating additional challenges for divers working through murky water filled with disturbed sediment.

“Sometimes you can’t see anything, and then you really have to just feel your way, look with your fingers instead of with your eyes,” explained diver and maritime archaeologist Marie Jonsson.

The 1801 naval engagement has become a cornerstone of Danish historical identity, documented extensively in literature and artwork.

Research teams believe their findings could provide fresh perspectives on this pivotal moment in Scandinavian history while revealing intimate details about the individuals who participated in the battle two and a quarter centuries ago.

“There are bottles, there are ceramics, and even pieces of basketry,” Jonsson observed. “You get closer to the people onboard.”

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A defense and security agreement signed Thursday between New Zealand and Cook Islands has resolved more than a year of diplomatic friction stemming from the smaller nation’s growing relationship with China.

The diplomatic dispute that led Wellington to temporarily halt millions in aid funding to Avarua may have involved nations of vastly different sizes — New Zealand’s 5 million residents versus Cook Islands’ 15,000 — but Pacific region watchers closely followed the standoff as it highlighted the challenging position facing small island nations. These countries must navigate between longstanding Western partnerships with nations like New Zealand and Australia while considering new opportunities from Beijing.

Under the newly signed declaration, Cook Islands committed to making New Zealand its “partner of choice regarding defense and security matters,” effectively eliminating Wellington’s concerns about China potentially filling that role. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated the agreement addressed “ambiguity” in the two nations’ existing relationship.

The tensions began in February 2025 when Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a comprehensive strategic partnership with China during a Beijing visit, causing concern in Wellington after Brown declined to share the agreement’s details beforehand. New Zealand officials worried this refusal could create security risks. Cook Islands operates as a self-governing territory under a 60-year free association arrangement with New Zealand, meaning New Zealand provides military protection while Cook Islands citizens can freely live and work in New Zealand.

This relationship requires Cook Islands leadership to consult Wellington on international agreements that might impact New Zealand’s interests. Brown justified his decision to keep the China deal private, arguing disclosure wasn’t required under existing agreements with Wellington.

New Zealand, serving as Cook Islands’ primary financial supporter, suspended millions in aid during the dispute, though this represented only a portion of total Wellington funding. Peters announced during his Thursday visit to Cook Islands that this assistance would resume following the signing of the new accord.

“This declaration seeks to remove previous ambiguity about the nature of the relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, especially as it pertains to defense and security,” Peters stated.

Cook Islands, consisting of 15 islands scattered across the South Pacific, represents one of numerous small regional nations receiving attention from Beijing through aid offers, loans, and development deals designed to expand Chinese influence. The sparsely inhabited South Pacific holds strategic significance, and many countries there, including Cook Islands, control extensive and valuable exclusive economic zones where Brown is investigating deep-sea mineral extraction possibilities.

“The strategic environment we face is more complex and contested today than at any other point since New Zealand and the Cook Islands formed our free association relationship in 1965,” Peters said Thursday.

The China agreements particularly troubled Wellington because Cook Islanders carry New Zealand passports, raising security concerns. In October 2024, Brown suggested creating separate Cook Islands passports, though he later abandoned this idea after stating New Zealand had “bared its teeth” over the proposal.

“It’s no secret that our two governments have had a series of serious disagreements since late 2024,” Peters acknowledged Thursday.

When questioned about how the New Zealand-Cook Islands declaration affects the earlier Beijing agreement — which addressed deep-sea mining, infrastructure development, and educational scholarships without explicit security components — both leaders deflected. Brown told reporters the New Zealand agreement wouldn’t impact his country’s other international partnerships.

However, New Zealand would serve as “our first port of call on anything to do with defense and security,” Brown confirmed.

Eastern Libya’s military commander Khalifa Haftar has obtained what experts identify as Chinese and Turkish combat drones, violating a United Nations weapons embargo that has been in effect since 2011, according to new Reuters reporting.

Satellite imagery reveals at least three unmanned aircraft stationed at Al Khadim airbase, positioned approximately 62 miles east of Benghazi in the desert. The drones appeared at the facility between late April and December, marking the first time their presence has been disclosed publicly.

Three weapons specialists who examined the satellite photographs confirmed that ground control equipment for operating the aircraft remained visible into this year.

During Libya’s civil conflict from 2014 to 2020, drone warfare became a defining feature as Haftar’s Libyan National Army attempted to remove the UN-backed government in Tripoli. Haftar justified his campaign by claiming the western administration was sheltering armed militias and extremist groups, allegations the government rejected.

The conflict drew international involvement, with UAE, Egypt and Russia backing Haftar’s forces while Turkey supported the Tripoli administration, according to UN investigators. China maintained neutrality during the fighting.

Although the opposing sides reached a ceasefire agreement in 2020, Libya continues to operate under divided rule, with Haftar controlling the east and Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah’s government governing from Tripoli in the west.

Anas El Gomati, director of the Sadeq Institute, a Libyan research organization, described the new drone acquisitions as potentially “a huge symbolic win” for Haftar. The weapons would strengthen his control over eastern Libya and significant southern oil facilities while enhancing his position in talks aimed at establishing a unified national government.

El Gomati suggested the drones could also protect supply routes to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces militia, though Haftar has rejected claims of supporting that group.

A critical question remains unanswered, according to Gomati, who noted that Haftar’s forces lack the technical knowledge to operate such advanced equipment. “The question remains: who’s operating them?” he told Reuters.

Weapons experts who analyzed the satellite images identified one drone as likely being a Chinese-manufactured Feilong-1, an advanced surveillance and attack aircraft. The remaining two appear to be less powerful Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, though experts acknowledged other models couldn’t be completely ruled out.

Reuters was unable to determine the source of the drones or their delivery timeline. The Libyan National Army, Chinese and Turkish governments, and the manufacturers – Xi’an-based Zhongtian Feilong and Istanbul-based Baykar – did not respond to detailed inquiries. The Tripoli government also declined to comment.

The news organization could not confirm whether China, Turkey or other UN member nations requested exemptions to supply drones to eastern Libya. The Security Council committee responsible for handling such requests did not answer questions about the aircraft.

The UN peacekeeping department referenced a Security Council resolution from last year expressing serious concerns about ongoing embargo violations. The embargo requires UN approval for all weapons transfers to Libya.

The arms restrictions were implemented in 2011 following a NATO-supported uprising that removed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. However, sophisticated military equipment continued flowing into the country during subsequent fighting, with UN monitors noting that Libya became Africa’s first major battlefield for drone warfare.

While current tensions have decreased, evidence suggests both sides are working to strengthen their air capabilities, according to five Libya analysts, weapons experts and UN investigators.

In December, the LNA signed a $4 billion military equipment agreement with Pakistan, including JF-17 fighter aircraft developed in partnership with China, as Reuters previously reported.

Pakistani officials maintained the agreement didn’t violate the embargo, though UN sanctions officials and Pakistan’s foreign and defense ministries haven’t responded to questions about these claims.

The new Chinese and Turkish drones would significantly enhance LNA capabilities following the 2020 removal of Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones that had been stationed at Al Khadim, as documented by UN investigators.

The UAE, viewing Haftar as protection against Islamist organizations, assisted in building LNA air power, including supplying and “most probably” operating the Wing Loong aircraft, according to a 2017 UN panel report.

Abu Dhabi has consistently denied providing military assistance to the LNA. The UAE foreign ministry didn’t respond to questions regarding the new drones.

Turkey provided the UN-recognized government with TB2 drones and air defense systems that helped repel Haftar’s 2020 Tripoli offensive, creating a stalemate that largely continues today.

The air power balance shifted further toward Tripoli in October 2022 when the western government agreed to acquire more advanced Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drones, capable of carrying nearly triple the payload and reaching higher altitudes than Wing Loong II aircraft.

However, Turkish-Haftar relations have recently improved as Ankara seeks to protect economic and energy interests in Libya and secure eastern parliament approval of a controversial 2019 maritime boundaries agreement with western authorities.

Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization chief, met with Haftar and his son Saddam in Benghazi last August to explore enhanced cooperation on intelligence and security issues, according to an LNA statement.

Saddam, serving as LNA deputy commander, visited Ankara three times last year for meetings with senior officials including Defense Minister Yasar Guler. Turkey’s defense ministry characterized its LNA engagement as progress toward a “unified Libya.”

Reuters couldn’t establish whether these discussions included drone provisions.

Satellite imagery shows a previously unseen drone type appeared at Al Khadim between late April and July last year, parked outside a hangar on the northern section. The same aircraft also appeared on the runway in a May 3 image from Vantor, a U.S. satellite company, suggesting active use, according to Wim Zwijnenburg, a military technology expert with Dutch peace organization PAX.

While the aircraft’s dimensions and shape resemble a Wing Loong II, the wing configuration suggests it’s more likely a Feilong-1, Zwijnenburg explained. Jeremy Binnie from defense intelligence firm Janes and Joseph Dempsey from London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies agreed with this assessment.

Limited available photographs and lack of previous satellite imagery make definitive identification challenging.

A new protective shelter was constructed in November over the drone’s parking location, which Binnie suggested might explain its absence from later imagery. A truck carrying satellite equipment, likely used for aircraft control, remained near the area as recently as January 12.

Justyna Gudzowska, executive director of watchdog organization The Sentry, said Haftar has apparently sought Chinese military drones for years, citing international law enforcement operations targeting sanctions violations.

Chinese drones were connected to two alleged attempts to smuggle unauthorized military equipment into eastern Libya since 2019, according to U.S., Canadian and Italian investigators.

In June 2024, Italian authorities acting on U.S. intelligence seized drone components traveling from China to Benghazi. UN experts who examined the parts determined they matched components from two Feilong-1 drones, concluding the model falls under embargo restrictions, according to a draft 2025 panel report reviewed by Reuters.

China has disputed the parts’ military classification, previously informing the UN panel they appeared to come from a discontinued model used for emergency rescue and disaster response operations.

Two smaller drones appeared on the same Al Khadim section in a December 17 Vantor image. Their length, wingspan and twin-boom tail configuration match Turkish TB2 drones, said Dempsey, who brought the image to Reuters’ attention.

The model gained recognition when Ukraine deployed them against Russian invasion forces and has been exported to numerous countries, including the UAE.

Defense manufacturers in China, UAE and Belarus have also produced similar-appearing models. However, two ground control units with distinctive double-antenna configurations, visible in satellite imagery between July and March, strongly indicate TB2 operations in the area, all three experts agreed.

California-based Planet Labs satellite images show Al Khadim has undergone extensive renovations since early last year, including addition of at least three new hangars in the area where drones were observed.

Another structure under construction in the analyzed images is likely designed for “stationing and launching of Turkish Bayraktar UAVs,” according to the UN panel’s draft report.

Russian forces, who use Libya as a base for operations across West and Central Africa, maintain a presence at Al Khadim. However, experts who spoke with Reuters don’t believe they’re operating the drones in the imagery.

Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar told CNN in a 2022 interview that his company would never provide drones to Russia because “we support Ukraine, support its sovereignty.”

While Moscow is known to use some Chinese-made surveillance drones and components, there’s no record of it deploying fully assembled Chinese combat drones, military expert Zwijnenburg noted.

Russia’s defense and foreign ministries didn’t respond to comment requests.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on lawmakers Thursday to swiftly approve an emergency spending package worth 26.2 trillion won, equivalent to $17.3 billion, as the nation faces what he described as an unprecedented energy security crisis stemming from Middle East conflicts.

Speaking to parliament in a nationally broadcast address, Lee warned that energy supply disruptions will persist long after current hostilities end. “Even if the war ends tomorrow, it will take a considerable period of time for the destroyed energy infrastructure facilities in the Middle East to be restored and supplies to run as smoothly as before,” the president stated.

Legislative leaders anticipate the emergency budget will receive parliamentary approval by April 10th. Once lawmakers give their backing, government officials plan to begin implementing the economic support measures immediately.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — In the early morning hours within the cramped pathways of Mathare, a sprawling settlement in Kenya’s capital city, Agnes Mbesa switches on a lone light bulb suspended from her metal ceiling. The mother of three previously depended on smoky kerosene lamps for years. Today, electrical power illuminates her dwelling and operates the modest retail business she operates from her front porch.

“Before the power came, we closed early because it was too dark,” Mbesa said. “Now people come even at night, and I can earn something.”

Several hundred kilometers away in the western Kenyan village of Sori, fisherman Samuel Oketch shares a comparable account. When a solar mini-grid system arrived in his community, he purchased a freezer to preserve his daily catch. Fish that previously required immediate sale at reduced prices can now be kept fresh and transported to neighboring markets.

“These small changes mean a lot,” Oketch said. “Electricity gives us options. My wife can now sell (fish) without being taken advantage of by brokers who had the freezers.”

These stories of electrification supported by charitable organizations and government funding demonstrate how expanding energy access can revolutionize daily life and enhance economic opportunities. Over 730 million individuals globally remain without electrical power, with approximately 600 million residing in Africa. Insufficient access limits healthcare delivery, educational advancement, digital connections and employment opportunities.

Fresh financial commitments seek to speed up advancement. In March, the European Investment Bank committed over $1.15 billion toward renewable energy developments throughout sub-Saharan Africa, encompassing hydroelectric, solar, wind and electrical grid expansion projects.

“This funding is Europe’s commitment to provide cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy for hundreds of millions of people in Africa,” said European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño.

The Rockefeller Foundation also revealed in March during the Africa Energy Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa, its plan to contribute an additional $10 million supporting electrification efforts in no fewer than 15 African nations. These funds will be distributed through the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet to bolster national programs and assist government policy changes.

“African governments are choosing to transform their energy sectors by committing to national energy compacts and investing in African-led solutions,” said William Asiko, senior vice president at the Rockefeller Foundation.

These investments back the Mission 300 program spearheaded by the World Bank and African Development Bank, targeting electrical connections for 300 million sub-Saharan African residents by 2030 using grid extensions and decentralized approaches like mini-grids and independent solar systems. Throughout much of Africa, where national power grids frequently prove unreliable, mini-grids have become a crucial alternative. These compact, community-based networks, usually solar or hybrid-powered, produce and deliver electricity within local areas.

Independent systems, in contrast, function autonomously at individual household levels. These encompass standalone solar packages that supply direct power access, helping close electricity shortfalls in distant and underserved regions.

The program provides governments in Malawi and Liberia with technical guidance to advance national energy strategies, extend transmission infrastructure and enhance distribution system reliability and effectiveness. Work in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal incorporates local currency funding and collective purchasing assistance.

Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of the Mission 300 Accelerator at RF Catalytic Capital, emphasized that expanding access requires ongoing funding and enhanced implementation capabilities, including better monitoring and more coordinated support to speed connections.

“Energy access is key to unlocking human potential and economic development,” Herscowitz said.

Kenya has obtained funding since 2017 from the World Bank, African Development Bank and partners through Mission 300 to advance its Last Mile Connectivity initiative, which focuses on households near existing electrical equipment, especially in countryside areas and informal communities, while working toward complete electricity coverage by 2030. Countryside access increased to roughly 68% in 2023 from slightly under 7% in 2010.

Throughout eastern and southern Africa, where only approximately 48% of residents and 26% in rural regions have electrical access, World Bank initiatives plan to expand coverage in up to 20 nations over the coming seven years through renewable energy developments.

Mbesa, the Mathare shop owner, received electrical service in 2021 through the Last Mile Connectivity Project. The program offered no-cost connections to households and small enterprises situated near transformers, with sponsors covering the typical $115 connection charge. In more isolated locations like Oketch’s village, the project included independent solutions, such as mini-grids and solar installations, to serve communities outside the national grid.

For Mbesa, the transformation is unmistakable. The single light fixture over her shop has lengthened her business day and enabled her children to complete homework after dark.

“Electricity changes everything,” she said. “Once you have it, life starts moving forward.”