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SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile has sworn in a new president who openly displays his religious faith, adding to a wave of conservative leadership sweeping across Latin America.

José Antonio Kast, who assumed the presidency on March 11, practices Catholicism and participates in the Schoenstatt movement, an international Catholic group centered on devotion to the Virgin Mary. The 60-year-old former legislator and father of nine has previously taken strong stances against emergency contraceptive sales in 2009, while also voicing opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion during his 2021 campaign.

“We are inviting you on a journey to recover values for a proper and healthy life,” Kast declared to supporters on election night in December. “It requires everyone’s commitment.”

Advocates for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights express concern about Kast’s presidency. While immediate policy shifts may not occur, they fear progress on their issues will face new obstacles.

Kast secured 58% of voter support after promising tough action on crime and pledging to remove undocumented immigrants. His rise mirrors a regional pattern where conservative figures like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and Argentina’s Javier Milei have gained power focusing on security and economic changes.

The new Chilean leader’s viewpoints share similarities with those of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration celebrated Kast’s electoral success.

Chile has experienced declining Catholic membership over the past twenty years, reflecting broader trends throughout Latin America. A 2024 Latinobarómetro survey found regional Catholic identification dropped from 80% in 1995 to 54% in 2024.

Within Chile specifically, 45% of citizens consider themselves Catholic, while 37% claim no religious affiliation and approximately 12% identify as Protestant.

Luis Bahamondes, who studies religion at the University of Chile, notes the Catholic Church ranked among the nation’s most respected institutions during the 1990s. However, social changes and sexual abuse controversies damaged that standing. “It became one of the most questioned institutions and one of the least trusted,” Bahamondes explained.

Despite this decline, conservative attitudes remain visible in Chilean society, he observed.

Chile became the final Latin American nation to permit divorce in 2004, Bahamondes noted. Recently, resistance to school-based sex education has emerged.

Religious instruction remains voluntary in Chile’s public and private schools rather than mandatory.

“There are still concepts that resonate strongly in Chilean society — such as family and marriage — which carry a strong religious weight,” Bahamondes stated. “There is often talk of a crisis of Catholicism, but what is in crisis is the institution, not the belief itself.”

Both Kast and his wife participate in Schoenstatt, a Catholic movement dedicated to the Virgin Mary that began in Germany in 1914 during World War I’s early days.

The movement reached Chile in 1947, establishing its first shrine in the port city of Valparaíso before spreading to Santiago, Temuco and Concepción. Today it claims roughly 10,000 members and operates more than 20 shrines nationwide.

Rev. Gonzalo Illanes, who leads the movement in Chile, describes Schoenstatt’s three foundations: personal development, integrating faith with everyday life, and emphasizing the Virgin Mary’s importance.

Illanes confirmed Kast’s longtime membership in the community, which encourages members to improve the world. “Schoenstatt, like the Catholic Church, is not a political movement but a space for formation, faith and transcendence,” he said.

Similar to Kast’s position, Schoenstatt supports protecting life from conception until natural death. However, Illanes emphasized the group welcomes dialogue. “The challenge is how to move forward,” he said. “Not to stop talking.”

“He’s a president who gives me a lot of confidence,” said Jorge Herrera, a Schoenstatt Catholic who supported Kast. “I share his values.”

Herrera explained that Schoenstatt teaches each person possesses a distinct life purpose. “God did not bring us here by chance,” he said. “We exist because there is something special we are called to do.”

While Kast’s anti-abortion stance matches Herrera’s beliefs, the voter was also drawn to the candidate’s political agenda before the 2025 elections.

“He’s someone very capable and has a plan,” Herrera said. “I think Chile needed a plan.”

This confidence in Kast extends beyond South American borders.

In Mexico, where a leftist government has decriminalized abortion in over half the states, some desire similar leadership.

“It gives me confidence that he publicly acknowledges being inspired by a Christian faith,” said Rodrigo Iván Cortés, who heads a conservative advocacy organization. “That does not mean that he wants to impose his faith on others, but simply that he professes it.”

Kast narrowly missed Chile’s presidency in 2021, losing to Gabriel Boric. His opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, plus his history of defending Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, faced widespread Chilean rejection then.

While Kast focused his 2025 campaign on security issues, experts believe his views could still affect reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

“There are valid reasons for concern, though not necessarily for an immediate rollback as seen with Milei,” said Cristian González Cabrera, an LGBTQ-rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, referencing the Argentine president’s prohibition of gender-affirming care for minors under 18.

“The risk with Kast could be more gradual: slowing progress, weakening public policies and legitimizing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric,” González Cabrera added.

Concerning women’s reproductive rights, Catalina Calderón from the Women’s Equality Center highlighted that Kast implemented a 3% budget reduction as one of his initial presidential actions.

“Across the region, we have seen that when leaders from the political wing to which Kast belongs take office, one of the first things that happens is a rollback of individual rights and women’s rights,” she stated.

Calderón referenced Argentina, where Milei eliminated funding for comprehensive sex education programs designed to prevent teenage pregnancy.

She also noted the significance of Chile’s new Women and Health ministers being openly religious individuals.

“That belongs to the private sphere,” she said. “But how that vision could shape the administration is something that should be watched closely.”

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s capital is overwhelmed with displaced families.

One month has passed since Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel following the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, prompting Israeli bombing campaigns across Lebanon and ground forces entering the country. More than one million residents from southern and eastern regions, along with Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, have abandoned their homes. Most have packed into increasingly crowded areas of the capital where airstrikes have not yet reached.

The Israeli military operations and evacuation directives — unmatched in their reach across what aid organizations say covers 15% of the small nation — have cleared out southern Lebanese communities and forced nearly all residents from southern neighborhoods into central Beirut, altering the city’s population distribution and geography while raising concerns about what lies ahead.

A massive temporary settlement of tents has emerged in the grass between a yacht club and entertainment district, completely changing Beirut’s waterfront appearance. Some families have taken shelter in empty shops, religious buildings, and the vehicles they escaped in, creating long lines of parked cars on major roads. Others have gathered in makeshift shelters constructed from tarps along the curved seaside boulevard or near Horsh Beirut, a pine tree park on the edge of the southern district called Dahiyeh.

“It’s horrid because we feel this tension, that we’re not wanted here,” said Noor Hussein, who arrived at the waterfront in early March after escaping the initial Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh. She observed wealthy joggers weaving through a maze of tents and dirty mattresses while her three youngest children climbed onto her lap.

“We don’t want to be here,” she said. “We have nothing here and nowhere to go.”

Previous displacement waves have disrupted this city before, including during the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. However, experts find it difficult to remember such a massive population movement — roughly 20% of the nation’s residents, according to official reports — affecting Beirut this rapidly.

“The scale and intensity of this is just unprecedented,” said Dalal Harb, the spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency in Lebanon. She explained that the one million displaced figure is likely conservative since it doesn’t include those who haven’t officially registered as displaced through the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Officials have transformed hundreds of public schools into temporary housing and erected tents for displaced families under the bleachers of the city’s primary sports stadium. Charitable organizations have rushed to assist, with one group converting an abandoned slaughterhouse damaged in Beirut’s 2020 port explosion into sleeping quarters for nearly 1,000 displaced individuals.

However, urban planning experts point to an extraordinary number of people living on the streets compared to previous conflicts, making it challenging for regular residents to ignore the war and its devastating effects.

“This is relatively new, that you have so many people spending time in these open spaces, who are very vulnerable, living in very precarious conditions,” said Mona Harb, a professor of urban studies at the American University of Beirut. “You have to confront this visually when you’re coming and going to work, to school … and there are strong, mixed feelings associated with this presence that’s unregulated.”

Displaced families report difficulty securing space at government-operated shelters in Beirut and prefer enduring outdoor conditions rather than traveling north to cities where better housing might exist but where they lack family or social connections.

“The further away we go, the more we’ll lose hope about finding our way back,” said Hawraa Balha, 42, explaining why her family of four was cramming into the small car they drove from the destroyed southern border village of Duhaira instead of sleeping in an available shelter further north. “We don’t want to move again.”

People from the Dahiyeh suburbs have mostly chosen to stay in Beirut. This allows them to occasionally return to collect possessions and verify whether their homes remain intact, though these visits require quick trips under bombardment threats. Hussein mentioned her children became so desperate for bathing facilities after almost a month without proper restrooms that they hurried home to clean up last week despite constant Israeli drone activity overhead.

The movement of hundreds of thousands of Shiites has heightened Lebanese concerns about the nation’s delicate religious balance. Since its devastating 15-year civil war ended, Lebanon has depended on a power-sharing system to balance the interests of Christians, Shiite Muslims and Sunni Muslims, the country’s three largest religious communities, which comprise roughly equal portions of the population.

“It’s generating anxieties in Beirut, where the bulk of the displacement is, that this may cause a significant transformation in the demographic balance within the country, or within certain spaces and cities,” said Maha Yahya, director of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center.

Each passing day brings more tents to the waterfront settlement. Children have begun developing skin irritations. Recent heavy rains flooded the grassy area and penetrated tents, creating trails of wet clothing and causing sore throats. A dispute erupted last week when volunteers came to distribute donated items.

“We’re not used to living like this — we had a house, we had normal lives,” said Lina Shamis, 51, warming herself beside a fire at the base of a billboard advertising luxury watches. She, her three adult daughters and their young children established their camp here after following Israeli evacuation orders for Dahiyeh in a rush, bringing almost no belongings.

“Now the kids are out of school and hungry, and our neighborhood is gone,” she said. “All I feel is despair.”

With Israeli forces advancing deeper into Lebanon and threatening to occupy Lebanese territory extending to the Litani, a river 20 miles (30 kilometers) north of the Israeli border, the circumstances for displaced people in Beirut “will be even worse than what we’re seeing now,” warned Harb, from the U.N. refugee agency.

“The needs will continue to increase,” she said. “It’s an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.”

A 36-year-old driver is scheduled for a court appearance Wednesday following a weekend collision that injured seven people walking along a busy street in Derby, England.

Authorities have charged Sandhu Ponnachan with six counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of attempted grievous bodily harm, and one count of possession of a bladed article, according to Derbyshire Constabulary officials.

While counterterrorism specialists joined local law enforcement in examining the case, Derbyshire police emphasized this collaboration is standard procedure for such incidents and investigators are “keeping an open mind” regarding the circumstances.

The collision happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday along Friar Gate, a bustling entertainment district in central Derby. The city, home to approximately 275,000 residents, sits northeast of Birmingham.

Seven individuals were transported to medical facilities following the incident – four men and three women between the ages of 36 and 52. Hospital officials have since released four of the injured victims, police confirmed.

VIENNA (AP) — Military and nuclear experts warn that any U.S. operation to forcibly secure Iran’s uranium reserves would present enormous challenges, involving radiation hazards, chemical dangers, and complex logistics requiring hundreds of specialized personnel.

President Donald Trump has cited various justifications for military action against Iran while maintaining that a key goal is preventing the nation from ever obtaining nuclear weapons. However, the extent of measures he would authorize to capture Iran’s nuclear materials remains uncertain.

Considering the dangers of deploying up to 1,000 specially trained military personnel into an active conflict zone to extract the stockpile, experts suggest a diplomatic agreement allowing Iran to voluntarily surrender the materials could be preferable.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear monitoring organization, Iran possesses 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity — requiring only minor technical advancement to reach weapons-grade concentration of 90%.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi previously told The Associated Press that this stockpile could potentially produce up to 10 nuclear weapons if Iran chose to weaponize its nuclear program, though he emphasized this doesn’t indicate Iran currently possesses such weapons.

While Iran continues to maintain its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, the IAEA and Western governments assert that Tehran operated an organized nuclear weapons development program until 2003.

IAEA inspectors have been unable to verify the location of the near-weapons-grade uranium since June 2025, following Israeli and American strikes that significantly damaged Iran’s air defenses, military command structure, and nuclear facilities. This inspection gap has created uncertainty about the precise whereabouts of the materials.

Grossi has indicated that the IAEA believes approximately 200 kilograms (about 440 pounds) of highly enriched uranium is housed in underground tunnels at Iran’s nuclear facility near Isfahan. This location was primarily used for manufacturing uranium gas that feeds into centrifuges for enrichment processing.

He has also stated that additional amounts are likely located at the Natanz nuclear installation, with smaller quantities possibly stored at the Fordo facility.

Whether additional stockpiles exist at other locations remains unknown.

During a House hearing on March 19, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that American intelligence agencies have “high confidence” in their knowledge of where Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles are located.

Iran’s highly enriched uranium supply is contained in canisters weighing approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds) when filled. The material exists as uranium hexafluoride gas. Expert estimates suggest between 26 and roughly 50 canisters exist, depending on how completely each cylinder is filled.

David Albright, a former nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq and founder of the nonprofit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, described the canisters containing the highly enriched uranium as “pretty robust” and engineered for both storage and transportation.

However, he cautioned that “safety issues become paramount” if the canisters sustain damage — such as from air strikes — allowing moisture to penetrate.

Under such circumstances, fluorine would create a significant hazard, as this highly toxic chemical causes severe damage to skin, eyes, and lungs. Personnel attempting to enter the tunnels to recover the canisters “would have to wear hazmat suits,” Albright explained.

Maintaining proper distance between the various canisters would also be essential to prevent a self-sustaining critical nuclear reaction that would generate “a large amount of radiation,” he noted.

To prevent such a radiological incident, the canisters would need to be placed in specially designed containers that maintain separation during transportation, he said.

Albright indicated that the optimal approach for handling the uranium would involve removing it from Iran using specialized military aircraft and then “downblending” it — combining it with lower-enriched materials to reduce it to levels appropriate for civilian applications.

Processing the material within Iran through downblending would likely prove impractical, given that the necessary infrastructure may have been damaged during the conflict, he added.

Darya Dolzikova, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, shared this assessment.

Downblending the material within Iran is “probably not the most likely option just because it’s a very complicated and long process that requires specialized equipment,” she explained.

Christine E. Wormuth, who served as Army Secretary under former President Joe Biden, characterized securing Iran’s nuclear materials through ground forces as a “very complex and high risk military operation.”

This assessment stems from the material’s distribution across multiple locations and the reality that such an undertaking would “probably take casualties,” added Wormuth, who now serves as president and CEO of the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative.

She estimated that operations at the Isfahan location alone would require no fewer than 1,000 military personnel.

Since tunnel entrances are likely buried beneath debris, helicopters would need to transport heavy machinery like excavators, and U.S. forces might need to construct a nearby airstrip to accommodate all necessary equipment and personnel, Wormuth explained.

She indicated that special operations forces, potentially including the 75th Ranger Regiment, would need to coordinate “in tandem” with nuclear specialists who would search underground for the canisters, with special forces likely establishing a defensive perimeter against potential attacks.

Wormuth identified the Nuclear Disablement Teams within the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command as one possible unit for deployment in such an operation.

“The Iranians have thought this through, I’m sure, and are going to try to make it as difficult as possible to do this in an expeditious way,” she stated. “So I would imagine it will be a pretty painstaking effort to go underground, get oriented, try to discern … which ones are the real canisters, which ones may be decoys, to try to avoid booby traps.”

Scott Roecker, former director of the Office of Nuclear Material Removal at the National Nuclear Security Administration, a semiautonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, suggested the optimal solution would be “to have an agreement with the (Iranian) government to remove all of that material.”

A comparable mission took place in 1994 when the United States, working with Kazakhstan’s government, covertly removed 600 kilograms (about 1,322 pounds) of weapons-grade uranium from the former Soviet republic in an operation called “Project Sapphire.” The material remained from the USSR’s nuclear program.

Roecker, now serving as vice president for the Nuclear Materials Security Program at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, explained that the Department of Energy’s Mobile Packaging Unit was developed based on the Kazakhstan experience. This unit has successfully removed nuclear materials from multiple countries, including Georgia in 1998 and Iraq in 2004, 2007, and 2008.

The unit comprises technical specialists and specialized equipment capable of deployment anywhere to safely extract nuclear materials, and Roecker believes it would be perfectly suited to remove the uranium under a negotiated agreement with Iran. However, Tehran maintains distrust toward Washington, which under Trump abandoned a nuclear agreement and has conducted attacks twice during high-level diplomatic talks.

Under a diplomatic solution, IAEA inspectors could also participate in the mission. “We are considering these options, of course,” IAEA’s Grossi stated on March 22 during CBS’s “Face the Nation” when questioned about such a possibility.

Iran has “a contractual obligation to allow inspectors in,” he noted. “Of course, there’s common sense. Nothing can happen while bombs are falling.”

The chairwoman of Taiwan’s primary opposition party emphasized Wednesday that global tensions make it crucial to avoid a Taiwan crisis, as she prepares for a six-day visit to China beginning Tuesday.

Kuomintang (KMT) leader Cheng Li-wun will travel to China at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s invitation, focusing on what she calls efforts toward reconciliation.

Beijing considers Taiwan, which operates as a democracy, part of Chinese territory and has increased military and political pressure on President Lai Ching-te’s administration. Chinese officials label Lai a “separatist,” while he maintains that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their island’s destiny.

During her party’s weekly gathering in Taipei, Cheng emphasized that Taiwan’s residents don’t want their home to become a global conflict zone.

“What we are promoting is peace and reconciliation, including reconciliation between the ruling and opposition parties within Taiwan, and reconciliation and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” she said.

“No one wants to see the Taiwan Strait once again fall into a tense military crisis at a time when the international situation is already turbulent.”

Her visit occurs as Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature blocks a $40 billion defense spending package backed by the U.S. The KMT maintains it supports military funding but opposes what it calls “blank cheques.”

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, which handles China policy, stated this week that Beijing’s goal to “annex” the island won’t change simply because of political party interactions or individual meetings.

In Beijing Wednesday, Zhang Han from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office declined to provide additional details about Cheng’s planned stops in Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu province.

Zhang described the visit as demonstrating both the Communist Party and KMT’s commitment to “seek peace.”

Following last month’s Middle East conflict outbreak, China has intensified efforts to convince Taiwan of the advantages of Beijing’s rule, highlighting energy security and proposing a “rapid transit link” connecting both sides.

“Peaceful reunification will create enormous opportunities for Taiwan’s economic and social development and bring tangible benefits to the broad masses of Taiwan compatriots — this is its greatest appeal,” Zhang stated during a press briefing.

Polling data consistently shows Taiwan residents have little interest in accepting Beijing’s authority through its “one country, two systems” framework.

Chinese leadership has never ruled out military action to bring Taiwan under its authority.

BUDAPEST, April 1 – New polling data from Hungary shows the opposition Tisza party has strengthened its advantage over longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party as the country approaches its April 12 parliamentary election, according to two independent surveys released Wednesday.

The results suggest Orban, a veteran nationalist leader, is confronting the most serious threat to his authority in 16 years of governance, though the final outcome remains unclear given the significant number of uncommitted voters.

According to research from the 21 Research Centre, Tisza – a centre-right opposition movement headed by former government official Peter Magyar – now commands 56% support among voters who have made their choice, representing an increase from 53% recorded in early March. Meanwhile, Fidesz saw its backing drop to 37% from 39% three weeks prior.

The survey found that 26% of those questioned had not decided which party to support.

The 21 Research Centre study, which polled 1,500 people between March 23 and 28, demonstrated Tisza’s lead had expanded to 19 percentage points from a 14-point margin in the previous survey. When including all respondents, the poll published by news website 24.hu indicated 40% support for Tisza compared to 28% for Fidesz.

A separate study released Tuesday by Zavecz Research confirmed the trend, showing Tisza had expanded its advantage to 13 points among committed voters, up from 12 points in February polling.

The Zavecz survey, conducted between March 24 and 28 with 1,000 participants, found 51% of decided voters favoring Tisza – a slight increase from 50% in February – while Fidesz maintained steady support at 38%.

Among all respondents in the Zavecz poll, Tisza received 39% backing while Fidesz earned 31%. Twenty percent of those surveyed remained undecided.

Magyar has outlined his party’s agenda, stating Tisza would combat corruption, secure billions of euros in frozen European Union funding to strengthen the economy, and ensure Hungary’s firm commitment to both the EU and NATO.

Although most recent polling indicates a Tisza advantage, Fidesz officials cite alternative surveys suggesting their party remains positioned for victory. Opposition figures argue these favorable polls primarily come from organizations with financial or personal connections to the governing party.

Both 21 Research Centre and Zavecz Research operate independently from political organizations and collected responses through telephone interviews and online surveys.

The polling data suggests the far-right Our Homeland party (Mi Hazank) may be the sole additional political group to surpass the 5% threshold necessary for parliamentary representation.

21 Research Centre calculated Our Homeland’s support at 5% among decided voters, while Zavecz placed it at 4%.

ANKARA, Turkey – A tragic maritime disaster claimed the lives of at least 18 migrants Wednesday when their vessel capsized in rough waters off Turkey’s western coastline, according to Turkish coastguard officials.

The inflatable vessel equipped with an outboard engine was spotted by authorities at 3 a.m. local time near the Bodrum district in Mugla province. Coastguard personnel issued multiple commands for the boat to halt, but the vessel attempted to evade capture, officials reported.

Deteriorating weather patterns and challenging sea conditions caused the craft to take on water before ultimately going under, coastguard representatives explained.

Emergency response teams immediately launched rescue operations, deploying one helicopter and three patrol vessels to the disaster site. So far, rescue crews have pulled 21 survivors from the waters, with search efforts ongoing.

Authorities have not disclosed the vessel’s point of origin or intended destination.

This stretch of the Aegean Sea serves as a major crossing point for countless migrants seeking passage from regions across North Africa and the Middle East into European territory. Turkey currently provides refuge to millions of displaced individuals fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

BUCHAREST – Defense representatives from Ukraine and Romania are advancing discussions this week about collaborative drone manufacturing through a newly established European Union funding program, according to Romania’s defense ministry.

The meetings in Bucharest bring together Ukrainian drone companies and Romanian military leadership to explore partnership opportunities under the EU’s rearmament funding initiative. Romania borders Ukraine along a 650-kilometer stretch and has experienced multiple incidents of drone incursions and debris falling on its soil since Russia began targeting Ukrainian ports along the Danube River.

Under the EU’s new SAFE rearmament program launching later this year, Romania has been allocated 16.6 billion euros ($19.2 billion). Defense Minister Radu Miruta announced plans to dedicate 200 million euros specifically toward joint drone manufacturing efforts.

“We are currently discussing how to form a team to deal exclusively with this project, with the contract signing deadline being the end of May,” Miruta stated following his Tuesday meeting with Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Sergiy Boyev.

The defense minister noted that fifteen Ukrainian companies will participate in continued project discussions throughout the remainder of the week in Bucharest.

The current talks build upon an agreement signed earlier this month between the Romanian and Ukrainian presidents, establishing their intention to manufacture Ukrainian defense equipment, including unmanned aircraft systems, within Romanian territory.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A border collie named Molly has been safely rescued from New Zealand’s rugged wilderness after spending a week alone following her owner’s dramatic fall from a 180-foot waterfall.

The dramatic rescue unfolded after the injured hiker had to be evacuated without her beloved pet, who disappeared during the emergency response on March 24. The woman suffered serious bruises and cuts when she fell at the rocky waterfall location on New Zealand’s South Island West Coast.

Matt Newton, who operates Precision Helicopters New Zealand near the Hokitika Gorge close to the Arahura River where Molly vanished, refused to abandon the search effort.

“I contacted her in hospital and said I’d go for a look for it,” Newton explained. “I went and looked for the dog several times and no avail.”

Determined to continue the rescue mission, Newton and his family organized a crowdfunding campaign to cover additional flight time and specialized equipment. The community response was overwhelming, with complete strangers contributing more than 11,000 New Zealand dollars ($6,300) to support the search operation.

The donations funded three additional helicopter hours equipped with thermal imaging technology. Newton launched the renewed search Tuesday with a veterinary nurse, volunteer searchers, and a rescue dog named Bingo.

“We struck jackpot within about an hour,” Newton recalled. “As we made our way up the river, we could see the dog in the thermal and then we could visually see it.”

Molly was discovered disheveled and starving just meters from where her owner had miraculously survived the fall. Newton noted that the dog hadn’t been visible during his earlier searches of the waterfall area, leaving questions about whether she had also fallen or eventually found her way to the landing spot.

The helicopter descended low enough to allow a volunteer and rescue dog Bingo to approach Molly, helping to calm her and guide her to safety.

Newton believes Molly survived her ordeal by hunting wild animals during her week-long wilderness adventure.

“She knew what we were up to, I think,” he said. “She behaved real well. She didn’t run away and she was pleased to be rescued.”

Despite her week in the wild, the pilot reported that Molly was in “surprisingly good condition.” Newton radioed the helicopter base where additional volunteers had gathered to assist with the search. “Instead we just had a big barbecue and all had a cuddle with Molly.”

The emotional reunion came later that day when Molly’s owner, still recovering from her injuries, arrived to see her pet.

“I think that’ll speed up her healing process somewhat,” Newton observed. “Having your dog back, that’s for sure.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tehran launched new strikes Wednesday morning against a commercial vessel near Qatar’s coastline and Kuwait International Airport, continuing its aggressive campaign against Gulf Arab nations while confirming for the first time that Washington has made direct contact regarding potential ceasefire negotiations.

Israeli forces issued alerts about incoming projectiles from Yemen and Iran while conducting their own operations in Lebanon that resulted in at least five deaths.

As the conflict shows no signs of diminishing after claiming more than 3,000 lives, President Donald Trump indicated the fighting might conclude within two weeks, even as he deploys additional thousands of military personnel to the Middle East.

Growing pressure mounts on Trump to halt the warfare as Tehran’s control over Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes and strikes against regional energy facilities have pushed gasoline costs to their peak levels since 2022, triggering widespread stock market volatility.

Tehran restricted vessel movement through the strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. During normal operations, twenty percent of global oil shipments pass through this corridor, and Brent crude prices have surged over 40% since hostilities began, now exceeding $104 per barrel.

Washington has presented Tehran with a comprehensive 15-point ceasefire proposal demanding the strait’s reopening. Iran’s five-point counter-proposal insists on maintaining control over the waterway, with Trump suggesting Tuesday that hostilities might end even with continued Iranian dominance of the passage.

The United States “will not have anything to do with” developments in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump told media, stating that nations dependent on the waterway bear responsibility for maintaining its accessibility.

“That’s not for us. That’ll be for France. That’ll be for whoever’s using the strait,” Trump stated.

Trump’s reference to France remained unclear, given Europe receives minimal oil through the strait compared to Asian nations. The president plans a prime-time national address Wednesday.

Trump, who has alternated between claiming diplomatic progress with Iran and threatening expanded military action, declared the U.S. is “finishing the job” in Iran and predicted completion in “maybe two weeks, maybe a couple of days longer to do the job.”

Trump has cautioned that without a “shortly” achieved ceasefire and strait reopening, America would expand operations, potentially targeting the Kharg Island oil terminal and desalination facilities.

Thousands of Marines and paratroopers have received deployment orders for possible Kharg Island operations, though naval access would require passage through the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf, which Iran has threatened to mine.

During an Al Jazeera interview, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed receiving direct communications from U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. However, he emphasized no formal negotiations exist and expressed zero confidence in productive American discussions, stating “the trust level is at zero.”

Regarding potential ground operations, he warned “we are waiting for them.”

“We know very well how to defend ourselves,” Araghchi declared.

Wednesday morning brought reports of a projectile striking a tanker off Qatar’s coast, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. Crew members reportedly escaped injury. A loaded Kuwaiti oil vessel suffered attack near Dubai Tuesday, joining more than 20 ships targeted by Iran during the conflict.

Bahrain issued dual missile alerts and reported an Iranian strike ignited fires at a commercial facility.

In Kuwait, state-run KUNA news agency confirmed a drone struck a fuel storage tank at Kuwait International Airport, creating a “large fire” that emergency crews worked to contain.

Saudi Arabia intercepted two drones amid repeated Iranian attacks, while air raid warnings sounded across Israel without immediate damage or casualty reports.

Within Iran, Israeli forces claimed striking a facility manufacturing fentanyl allegedly intended for chemical weapons development. Iran acknowledged the attack on Tofigh Daru factory but maintained it only produces “hospital drugs” for medical applications.

Both Israeli and Iranian sources confirmed Tuesday’s strike timing.

Medical facilities widely utilize fentanyl for severe pain management, though small quantities prove lethal.

Israel and the United States have previously accused Iran of incorporating fentanyl into weapons systems.

In Beirut, Israeli strikes on a residential area killed at least five people, with Lebanon’s Health Ministry reporting 21 additional injuries.

Israeli forces entered southern Lebanon following missile attacks from Iran-affiliated Hezbollah militants targeting northern Israel shortly after broader hostilities erupted. Many Lebanese citizens fear another extended military occupation.

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

Iranian officials cite more than 1,900 domestic casualties, compared to 19 reported Israeli deaths.

Since the Iran conflict began, 13 U.S. service members have died with 348 wounded, including six seriously injured, according to U.S. Central Command.

Over two dozen fatalities have occurred across Gulf states and the occupied West Bank.

AMSTERDAM — The Netherlands capital commemorated a historic milestone Wednesday as three same-sex couples exchanged vows at City Hall just after midnight, marking 25 years since the world’s first legal gay marriages took place.

Mayor Femke Halsema officiated the celebratory ceremony, honoring a groundbreaking moment from a quarter-century ago when her predecessor Job Cohen conducted four wedding ceremonies that became a pivotal moment for LGBTQ+ rights globally, inspiring similar laws in nearly 40 nations.

The Netherlands has seen same-sex marriages become routine since the historic 2001 legislation took effect. Government statistics show more than 36,000 same-sex couples have wed in the country over the past two decades.

The nation’s Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who holds the distinction of being the country’s first openly gay leader, plans to wed his partner Nicolás Keenan, an Argentine field hockey player who earned bronze with his national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“As a prime minister, I’m very proud that we celebrate 25 years of universal marriage here in the Netherlands,” Jetten told The Associated Press during the midnight celebration.

“Also for me personally, I can still remember when I was 14 years old watching TV, seeing the first couples getting married here in Amsterdam. That was also very inspiring and emancipating for me, personally, as it has been for so many others,” he continued.

The United States achieved nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage through a Supreme Court ruling in 2015, following earlier state-by-state adoptions. Research from last year indicates more than 800,000 same-sex married couples currently live in America.

Amy Quinn and her spouse Heather Jensen were among the initial couples to marry in New Jersey when the state recognized such unions in 2013.

Quinn explained the importance stemmed from their plans to have children, noting their attorney advised marriage would ensure both women’s names appeared on birth certificates while granting equal rights for school documentation and hospital visits.

“It’s shocking to me in terms of really how recently we got it,” said Quinn, who serves as deputy mayor of Asbury Park, New Jersey.

The Human Rights Campaign, a U.S.-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, has tracked legislation in at least nine American states during current or recent sessions attempting to reverse legal recognition of same-sex marriages. Most proposals urge the Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 ruling, though none have progressed and couldn’t compel judicial reversal even if passed.

“I don’t think it’s a time for people to be afraid,” stated Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “It’s a time to be aware, to protect our families, to protect our kids and to protect our lives.”

Vast regions globally — especially throughout Asia and Africa — have not legalized same-sex marriage, with some nations becoming increasingly restrictive.

Senegal’s president enacted legislation Monday strengthening penalties for homosexuality, joining other African countries imposing severe sanctions against LGBTQ+ communities.

American conservatives have also contested laws prohibiting “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ youth. The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that objectors have valid concerns, determining Colorado’s ban raises free-speech issues requiring lower court review.

Philip Tijsma, representing the primary Dutch LGBTQ+ advocacy organization COC, acknowledged while the silver anniversary provided opportunity for reflection and celebration, the Netherlands has fallen behind other nations in supporting LGBTQ+ communities.

“We have become a little bit lazy,” he stated, noting other European countries now maintain stronger transgender protections. He emphasized that Dutch LGBTQ individuals still face school bullying and street harassment for public displays of affection.

Recent years have witnessed significant backlash in America against transgender rights particularly. Most states have prohibited transgender women and girls from certain women’s sports competitions while restricting gender-affirming healthcare for minors. Limitations on puberty-blocking medications, hormone treatments and gender-affirming surgeries have expanded internationally.

President Donald Trump and his administration have advocated for transgender restrictions.

Despite ongoing challenges, Amsterdam’s ceremony maintained a joyful atmosphere.

Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker participated in Wednesday’s event, having originally married during the historic April 1, 2001 ceremony.

“We’re very happy!” Kasteel declared.

“It’s unbelievable, 25 years,” Pasker added. “It’s so beautiful that there’s so much attention for it.”

NEW DELHI (AP) — The world’s most extensive national population survey has commenced in India, with potential to dramatically alter government assistance programs and legislative representation throughout the nation.

India’s last population count in 2011 documented 1.21 billion residents. Current estimates place the figure above 1.4 billion, establishing India as the globe’s most populated country.

Originally scheduled for 2021, the massive undertaking was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and operational obstacles.

Understanding India’s census process and its importance:

The initial stage launched Wednesday and will expand nationwide through September. Census workers will spend approximately one month in each region gathering data about residences and available infrastructure while documenting housing inventory and living standards.

The process combines face-to-face interviews with digital technology, allowing citizens to provide information via a multilingual mobile app that incorporates satellite mapping capabilities.

Beginning in September through April 1st, the second stage will capture comprehensive details about residents’ social and economic backgrounds, including religious affiliation and caste identity.

Over 3 million government employees are anticipated to participate throughout the year-long effort. The 2011 census involved nearly 2.7 million data collectors who surveyed more than 240 million households across the country.

The upcoming census’s second phase will seek expanded caste documentation beyond traditionally disadvantaged communities.

India’s caste system represents an ancient social structure that continues influencing social status and determining access to resources, educational opportunities, and economic advancement. Hundreds of caste classifications exist based on profession and financial standing throughout India, especially among Hindu populations, though current demographic information remains insufficient or obsolete.

The most recent comprehensive caste data collection occurred in 1931 under British colonial administration. Since India’s independence and first census in 1951, counting has focused solely on Dalits and Adivasis, members of disadvantaged groups classified as scheduled castes and tribes.

Previous administrations have avoided comprehensive caste enumeration, expressing concerns it might intensify social divisions and provoke civil unrest.

Census population statistics form the foundation for allocating government assistance programs and developing numerous public policies.

The data may also necessitate restructuring India’s political landscape, as parliamentary and state legislative seats might increase to reflect demographic growth. A 2023 statute designates one-third of legislative positions for women, meaning any expansion would boost female representative allocations.

More than a million Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded Bangladesh camps began receiving drastically reduced food assistance Wednesday, creating widespread fear and desperation among families already struggling to survive.

The 1.2 million refugees currently trapped in these makeshift settlements had been receiving $12 monthly per person – an amount community leaders have consistently described as insufficient. The majority of these refugees escaped violent military assaults in Myanmar during 2017, and Bangladesh law prevents them from seeking employment, making humanitarian assistance their primary lifeline.

The United Nations World Food Program has implemented a new classification system that distributes aid based on family vulnerability levels. Approximately 17% of refugees will now receive only $7 monthly, while one-third classified as “extremely food insecure” – including families led by children – will maintain the $12 allocation.

“It is very difficult to understand how we will survive now with only $7. Our children will suffer the most,” said camp resident Mohammed Rahim, who said he and his wife were already struggling to feed their three children before the reduction. “I am deeply concerned that people may face severe hunger and some may even die due to lack of food.”

While the WFP previously cautioned that assistance might decrease following significant funding reductions by the United States and other nations last year – resulting in a one-third budget loss – spokesperson Kun Li stated Wednesday’s changes were unconnected to those cuts. Li emphasized this should not be characterized as a “ration cut,” despite two-thirds of residents receiving diminished assistance.

The organization maintains that reducing aid below 2,100 daily calories would constitute a true ration reduction, the established minimum for emergency food assistance. According to WFP officials, even recipients of the $7 monthly allocation will meet this nutritional threshold.

The revised approach “ensures that even with differentiated ration sizes, all Rohingya continue meeting their minimum food needs, strengthening fairness, transparency, and equity in food assistance,” the agency stated.

However, Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman directly contradicted this assessment, calling the changes exactly what they appear to be – ration cuts.

Rahman warned The Associated Press that desperate refugees will likely attempt dangerous escapes seeking food and employment opportunities.

“Law and order will be deteriorated,” he predicted.

The same military forces responsible for the 2017 attacks – which the United States officially recognized as genocide – seized control of Myanmar’s government in 2021 and continue ruling the country. This situation makes safe repatriation virtually impossible for the Rohingya community.

Previous funding cuts deepened camp conditions significantly, especially impacting children through school closures that contributed to increased kidnapping, forced marriages, and child labor. Rohingya support programs received only half their required funding in 2024 and just 19% this year.

During 2023, donation shortfalls forced the WFP to reduce monthly rations to $8. By November, agency reports showed 90% of camp residents could not afford adequate nutrition, while 15% of children experienced acute malnutrition – the highest levels ever documented in these settlements. The $12 monthly allocation was restored throughout 2024.

Camp residents who endured the previous reduction are questioning their ability to survive additional cuts. Dozens of Rohingya organized protests Tuesday opposing the new distribution system and demanding full ration restoration. Demonstrators carried signs warning of starvation and declaring “Food is a right, not a choice.”

Rahim, whose family’s assistance dropped to $7 monthly, explained that illness prevents him from working while his children cannot safely leave the camps due to rising kidnapping, violence, and trafficking threats.

Several acquaintances are already contemplating returning to Myanmar despite extreme dangers, Rahim reported. Others are considering perilous sea journeys to Malaysia aboard unsafe fishing vessels – trips that claim hundreds of Rohingya lives annually through drowning or disappearances.

“Ration cuts are pushing people toward life-threatening risks, leaving them with no safe choices,” he said. “I am very worried about the future of our children.”

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. military operations against Iran could wrap up within two to three weeks, while declaring that other nations must take over security responsibilities for the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. The White House has scheduled a prime-time presidential address for Wednesday evening regarding the ongoing conflict.

During remarks to reporters, Trump voiced his displeasure with international partners who have failed to provide adequate support for American military efforts, bluntly advising them to “go get your own oil.” The president has recently alternated between highlighting potential diplomatic progress with Iran and threatening to expand military operations.

Trump stated that America “will not have anything to do with” future developments in the strategically important waterway, which Iran has blocked. He emphasized that nations dependent on the strait for commerce must assume responsibility for maintaining its accessibility. The passage serves as a crucial route for Gulf nations’ trade and handles approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments.

Fuel costs across the United States surpassed $4 per gallon on Tuesday, marking the highest average since 2022 as the Iranian conflict continues driving worldwide energy prices upward. Economic experts predict these elevated fuel expenses will impact grocery prices as businesses face increased transportation and packaging expenses.

Israeli defense forces issued a public warning Wednesday morning about an incoming missile from Yemen, representing another assault by Houthi rebels who recently joined the conflict supporting Iran. Emergency sirens activated throughout southern Israel, spanning from Beersheba to coastal Mediterranean areas.

The early morning alert ended a significant quiet period, with more than 19 hours passing since Israel’s last missile warning from Iran, and over six hours since northern Israeli alarms, which have faced continuous attacks from Lebanese Hezbollah forces in recent days.

Iranian forces and allied groups conducted a drone strike against Kuwait International Airport, targeting a fuel storage tank and igniting a blaze, according to official reports. The state-operated KUNA news service reported the Wednesday morning attack created a “large fire” at the aviation facility.

Airport authorities confirmed no immediate casualties from the assault while firefighting crews worked to contain the flames. Kuwait’s main airport has previously suffered Iranian attacks during the current conflict, with KUNA suggesting Iranian-backed Iraqi militias may have executed the strike with Tehran’s backing.

Bahrain reported early Wednesday that emergency responders were battling a fire at a commercial facility following an Iranian attack on the island nation.

Israeli forces announced they destroyed a facility early Wednesday that allegedly supplied Iran’s government with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid reportedly intended for chemical weapons development. Iran confirmed the strike on the Tofigh Daru manufacturing plant but maintained the facility only produced “hospital drugs” for medical procedures.

Both Israeli and Iranian officials confirmed the Tuesday attack occurred. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared an image of the damaged Tehran factory on social media platform X, writing: “The war criminals in Israel are now openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies.”

Medical facilities commonly utilize fentanyl for treating intense pain, though minimal quantities can prove lethal. Israeli and American intelligence agencies have previously warned that Iran was developing fentanyl-based weapons, with the U.S. citing Iranian academic studies examining Russia’s suspected use of fentanyl compounds during the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis involving Chechen separatists.

Israeli intelligence claimed Tofigh Daru provided fentanyl supplies to a Tehran advanced research facility known as SPND. American officials allege SPND conducts research and testing that could support nuclear weapon development and other military applications.

The United Arab Emirates has implemented a ban preventing Iranian citizens from entering or traveling through the country as hostilities continue, three major airlines announced Wednesday. International carriers Emirates and Etihad, along with budget airline FlyDubai, posted the restrictions on their official websites.

While entry regulations in the authoritarian UAE federation of seven emirates can lack transparency, all three airlines confirmed the coordinated directive. The policy allows holders of 10-year Golden Visa residency permits to maintain entry privileges.

UAE officials have not provided public statements regarding the travel ban. Dubai has already ordered the closure of the Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, both institutions established during the era of the Iranian shah.

JAKARTA – Indonesian officials are pressing the United Nations to launch a formal investigation into the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers who were killed in southern Lebanon amid Israeli military strikes, according to a foreign ministry statement released Wednesday.

During an emergency Security Council session on Tuesday, Indonesia’s UN representative Umar Hadi delivered the country’s demand for accountability.

“We demand a direct investigation from the U.N., not just Israel’s excuses,” Hadi stated during the meeting.

Earlier this week, Indonesian officials warned that current Israeli military actions have put UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon in serious danger.

The three Indonesian peacekeepers died in two different incidents in southern Lebanon, occurring during a violent weekend that also saw Lebanese journalists and medical personnel killed in Israeli attacks.

According to UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, preliminary investigation results suggest that a roadside bomb may have been responsible for killing two Indonesian peacekeepers on Monday.

Israeli military officials responded Tuesday, stating their review of Monday’s incident determined that Israeli forces did not plant any explosive devices in the location and that no Israeli personnel were in the area at the time.

The UN reported in 2024 that Indonesia ranks among the world’s top contributors to peacekeeping operations, providing more than 2,700 uniformed personnel to various missions.

Indonesia has also committed to providing troops for possible deployment in Gaza as part of a UN-authorized multinational stabilization force.

Kuwaiti officials reported Wednesday that an Iranian drone strike targeted fuel storage facilities at Kuwait International Airport, igniting a large fire without causing any injuries.

According to Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA, the attack represents another in a series of strikes against the airport and its fuel infrastructure amid escalating tensions in the region.

The incident occurs as conflicts involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to expand, with Tehran launching attacks against Israel and Gulf nations that provide hosting facilities for American military operations.

A civil aviation authority spokesperson told the news agency that the Wednesday assault resulted in extensive damage to fuel tanks operated by the Kuwait Aviation Fuelling Company at the international airport.

Asian countries are frantically negotiating fuel exchange agreements as ongoing Middle East conflicts severely impact energy deliveries to the region, with Indonesia’s president making a diplomatic visit to Japan this week as part of these urgent efforts.

The scramble for energy alternatives has intensified after China, the globe’s second-largest economy, banned fuel exports, while countries like South Korea and Thailand attempt to take advantage of temporarily relaxed U.S. sanctions on Russian energy as an emergency solution.

The situation has become dire for developing nations, with the Philippines becoming the first country to announce a national energy emergency, Sri Lanka reducing its work schedule to four days weekly, and Myanmar restricting vehicle use to alternating days.

Indonesia, which represents Southeast Asia’s largest economy and ranks as the world’s fourth most populated nation, has implemented comprehensive measures including fuel sales restrictions and encouraging remote work arrangements.

“To maintain rational economic relationships is of vital importance,” President Prabowo Subianto addressed Japanese business executives in Tokyo following agreements signed Monday for long-term oil, gas and geothermal energy projects.

“The geopolitical situation in the Middle East gives strategic uncertainty for the security of our energy.”

In more immediate terms, Jakarta may finalize an agreement to increase liquefied natural gas shipments to Tokyo in return for liquefied petroleum gas, a crucial cooking fuel, according to Djoko Siswanto, who heads oil and gas regulatory body SKK Migas, speaking to Reuters Monday.

Although Prabowo and Japan’s Sanae Takaichi agreed to strengthen energy security cooperation during Tuesday’s meeting, neither official verified such an exchange arrangement.

Japan’s government-supported energy company Inpex is negotiating a comparable trading agreement with India to exchange LPG for naphtha and crude oil, based on an internal Japanese government document obtained by Reuters.

Vietnam has similarly requested Japan’s assistance for energy supplies, the document revealed, while the Philippines announced Monday it had received diesel shipments from Tokyo.

Japan’s trade minister emphasized the critical nature of maintaining fuel deliveries to Southeast Asian countries where it operates supply networks, but refused to discuss specific agreements.

Energy-scarce Japan depends on Middle Eastern sources for approximately 95% of its oil and 11% of its liquefied natural gas imports, although its energy reserves rank among the world’s most substantial.

Australia’s status as a significant energy producer and exporter should provide it with negotiating power in discussions with Asian partners for jet fuel supplies that may soon become scarce, according to energy experts.

The government has been coordinating with major suppliers including China, Singapore and South Korea, Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated this month.

Nevertheless, China has prohibited refined fuel exports, including jet fuel, to protect its domestic economy from energy disruptions.

This prohibition, along with Thailand’s similar ban, has particularly affected Vietnam, as these neighboring countries supply over 60% of its jet fuel requirements.

Vietnam’s aviation regulatory body urged officials this month to pursue additional jet fuel sources from Brunei, India, Japan and South Korea.

Bilateral agreements with alternative suppliers should help alleviate shortages, but extended conflict would demand coordinated responses, according to Hiroshi Hashimoto, senior fellow at Japan’s Institute of Energy Economics.

“If the crisis continues for a prolonged period, Asian countries may need to develop multilateral frameworks to help each other and talk to alternative supply sources.”

Russia may emerge as an unexpected supplier for certain Asian nations following the United States’ temporary suspension of sanctions related to its Ukraine invasion.

South Korea imported Russian naphtha this week for the first time in years, a essential component for manufacturing plastics used in automobiles and electronics, and is also seeking crude oil access, its energy ministry reported.

India has increased oil purchases from Russia, with Bangladesh, Thailand and Sri Lanka also conducting negotiations.

Finalizing arrangements with Russian oil companies before the April 11 expiration of the U.S. sanctions waiver could prove difficult, noted Janaka Rajakaruna, chairman of Sri Lanka’s state-operated Ceylon Petroleum Corp.

Smaller nations like New Zealand recognize their vulnerability during an increasingly intense fuel competition expected to worsen in coming months.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has conducted phone conversations in recent weeks with leaders from Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, New Zealand’s three primary refined product suppliers, as well as the European Commission head.

Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones told Reuters he has also reached out to major commodity trading companies, among others, in efforts to secure fuel supplies.

“Unless you build options, we’re too small to get noticed in a maddening, frenzied search for fuel in another two or three months,” Jones explained.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday that Venezuela must undergo a transitional period and hold democratic elections, while emphasizing the need for patience during this process.

During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” program, Rubio stated, “Ultimately, there will have to be a transition phase. There will have to be free and fair elections in Venezuela. And that point has to come.”

“We have to be patient, but we also can’t be complacent,” he added.

These comments come after U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a fatal operation in January, which President Donald Trump had authorized. The United Nations’ human rights office has declared this action violated international law.

Trump previously announced that Washington would “run” Venezuela following the operation. Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has since assumed control of the nation under American supervision.

In the wake of developments in Venezuela, Trump has discussed potential action against Cuba and applying pressure to its government.

During Tuesday’s interview, Rubio emphasized that Cuba requires both economic and governmental changes, hinting that Washington would soon announce developments regarding that nation.

“So I think Cuba is in need of two things, economic reforms and political reforms, you cannot fix their economy if you don’t change their system of government,” Rubio explained.

The United States halted Venezuela’s oil shipments to Cuba after removing Maduro in early January, with Trump warning of severe tariffs against any nation that provides crude oil to Cuba.

Cuba’s resulting energy shortage has led to widespread power outages throughout the nation of 10 million residents. Medical authorities report that the crisis has heightened mortality risks for cancer patients, particularly children.

Human rights analysts argue that Trump’s emphasis on controlling Venezuelan oil resources and his threats toward Cuba reflect an imperialist strategy.

Manufacturing operations across Asia experienced a slowdown during March as escalating energy expenses and global economic uncertainty stemming from the Middle East conflict began impacting regional production, according to business surveys released Wednesday.

The data underscores the difficulties facing policymakers throughout a region that depends on approximately 80% of petroleum transported via the Strait of Hormuz, leaving numerous nations exposed to energy-related economic shocks from the ongoing warfare.

Chinese manufacturing continued its growth streak for the fourth consecutive month in March, though companies faced mounting inflation pressures and supply chain difficulties, private sector data revealed.

S&P Global’s RatingDog China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index dropped to 50.8 in March, down from February’s 52.1 reading and below the anticipated 51.6 forecast. Values above 50 indicate expansion while readings below signal contraction.

Production activity decelerated across multiple economies including Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines during March, with PMI data demonstrating how the Middle Eastern crisis was already affecting regional businesses.

Japanese manufacturing facilities also experienced setbacks from deteriorating business sentiment and cost increases that reached their highest level in 19 months.

Japan’s final S&P Global Manufacturing PMI declined to 51.6 in March from the previous month’s 53.0. Input costs climbed at their steepest pace since August 2024 as Middle Eastern warfare pushed up energy and commodity prices, compounding existing pressures from currency weakness and worker shortages.

“The war has also fuelled greater uncertainty about the global economic outlook, dampening business confidence and resulting in more cautious hiring and purchasing activity,” said Annabel Fiddes, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Indonesia’s manufacturing index dropped to 50.1 from February’s 53.8, while Vietnam’s reading slowed to 51.2 compared to the prior month’s 54.3, survey data indicated.

South Korea bucked the regional trend with factory output growing at its fastest rate in over four years during March, driven by semiconductor demand and new product introductions.

Financial markets have experienced volatility this month following the Iran conflict’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for roughly one-fifth of worldwide oil and gas shipments, pushing crude prices higher and increasing broader inflation.

Growing appetite for the safe-haven dollar has also weakened emerging Asian currencies, creating additional challenges for regional central banks working to protect their economies from secondary effects of the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated Tuesday that the United States can envision an end to the ongoing conflict with Iran, now entering its fifth week, while suggesting Washington may need to reassess its NATO partnerships following the war.

During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” program, Rubio stated: “We can see the finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it is coming.”

The conflict commenced February 28 when American and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iran. In response, Tehran retaliated with attacks targeting Israel and Gulf nations hosting U.S. military installations.

Combined American-Israeli military operations in Iran, along with Israeli strikes in Lebanon, have resulted in thousands of casualties and displaced millions of people. The warfare has also driven up petroleum prices and created instability in international markets.

According to Rubio, diplomatic communications are occurring between Iranian and American officials, with possibilities for face-to-face negotiations in the future.

“There are messages being exchanged, there are talks going on. There is the potential for direct meeting at some point,” Rubio explained.

President Donald Trump, who has provided varying timelines and goals for the military campaign – from removing Iran’s government to reducing its military capabilities and regional power – announced Tuesday that U.S. combat operations could conclude within two to three weeks.

The Secretary of State also indicated that America will need to reevaluate its NATO relationships once the Iranian conflict ends.

“Ultimately, that’s a decision for the president to make, and he’ll have to make it,” Rubio noted.

He continued: “But I do think, unfortunately, we are going to have to reexamine whether or not this alliance that has served this country well for a while is still serving that purpose, or has it now become a one-way street where America is simply in a position to defend Europe, but when we need the help of our allies, they’re going to deny us basing rights, and they’re going to deny us overflight.”

European leadership has declined participation in offensive military actions against Iran.

Criminal organizations carried out additional violent assaults in Haiti’s crucial agricultural zone on Tuesday, following a devastating weekend attack that claimed the lives of roughly 70 civilians, according to human rights organizations and area residents.

Haitian national police confirmed they were conducting operations across multiple locations in the Artibonite region on Tuesday.

Community members in Jean-Denis discovered 70 bodies on Sunday following an assault by the Gran Grif criminal organization, the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) reported, aligning with estimates from the Defense Plus advocacy group while significantly exceeding government figures that placed fatalities at approximately 16.

The RNDDH documented an additional 30 wounded individuals, with casualties spanning all ages including babies, expectant mothers, adolescents and an elderly 80-year-old resident.

While the armed attackers retreated from Jean-Denis on Monday, RNDDH reported they had regrouped in the nearby community of Pont Benoit by Tuesday and were planning to launch another assault on Marchand Dessalines, located roughly 12 miles to the north.

Social media footage captured armed individuals, reportedly from the Kokorat San Ras organization – a close partner of the influential Gran Grif group – handing out money to people in Marchand Dessalines. Both the United States and Dominican Republic have classified Gran Grif as a terrorist entity.

Local residents informed Reuters that community defense groups lacked sufficient weapons to repel the criminal organizations, which would remain hidden during daylight hours when police were visible but would emerge after dark to conduct shootings and arson attacks.

The RNDDH investigation, which included interviews with regional officials, law enforcement and community members, revealed that Gran Grif’s assault on Jean-Denis came after weeks of intimidation, though residents remained because they trusted their local defense brigade would provide protection.

However, the community defense force retreated when they realized they were outgunned and unable to withstand the attack, according to RNDDH findings.

Police intervention proved insufficient, the organization noted, with armored units that reached the location remaining only briefly before withdrawing and not returning until Monday.

Regional officials informed the rights organization that most of their armored vehicles were inoperable, some due to battery problems requiring assistance from mechanics located in Port-au-Prince, while units from the U.N.-supported security force needed approval from the capital before deployment.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime met with United Nations representatives to discuss expanding a partially deployed international security mission that has struggled with shortages of equipment, personnel and funding.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that American military operations against Iran could conclude within the next few weeks, telling reporters that Tehran does not need to reach a diplomatic agreement for the conflict to end.

Speaking from the White House, Trump indicated the timeline for withdrawal could be swift. “We’ll be leaving very soon,” the president stated, adding the departure might happen “within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three.”

When questioned whether successful negotiations with Iran were necessary before the U.S. concludes what officials have called “Operation Epic Fury,” Trump made clear they were not required.

“Iran doesn’t have to make a deal, no,” he stated. “No, they don’t have to make a deal with me.”

The president’s statements highlight the fluctuating and sometimes conflicting messages coming from Washington regarding how the five-week conflict might conclude.

Earlier Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated Trump remained open to reaching an agreement with Iran to halt the war, which has resulted in thousands of casualties, expanded throughout the region, disrupted global energy markets, and threatened worldwide economic stability.

According to Hegseth, diplomatic discussions are progressing and gaining momentum, though the U.S. remains ready to continue military action if Iran fails to cooperate.

“We have more and more options, and they have less … in only one month we set the terms, the upcoming days will be decisive,” Hegseth said during remarks in Washington.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded Tuesday with fresh warnings targeting American corporations operating in the region, effective Wednesday evening.

The Iranian forces identified 18 companies for potential targeting, including major tech and aerospace firms Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing, beginning at 8 p.m. Tehran time.

Asked about his concerns regarding these corporate threats, Trump dismissed them. “They don’t have much left to threaten,” he said regarding Iran’s capabilities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed Tuesday he has been receiving direct communications from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, though he clarified these do not amount to formal “negotiations,” according to Qatar’s Al Jazeera television.

Araqchi described the communications as including warnings or exchanged perspectives delivered through intermediary “friends.”

Trump also criticized allied nations that have not supported the American war effort, specifically mentioning Britain.

In a social media message, he suggested that in response to global fuel shortages, these countries should purchase energy from America or find “some delayed courage, go to the strait and just TAKE IT.”

Sources indicate that France and Italy have objected to certain U.S.-Israeli military operations, revealing how the conflict has created divisions among NATO partners.

U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported Tuesday that American forces continue targeting critical manufacturing and research facilities and have destroyed more than 150 Iranian naval vessels.

As military strikes show no signs of diminishing, Pakistan is attempting to broker peace in the conflict. Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers called for an immediate ceasefire Tuesday following their Beijing meeting, advocating for peace negotiations to begin immediately.

Despite sustained American and Israeli attacks over the past month, Iran has maintained its defiant stance as neighboring countries have been drawn into the fighting.

Security sources reported heavy bombardment in Beirut Tuesday evening.

Israeli military officials confirmed they had targeted a senior Hezbollah commander and another high-ranking fighter in two separate Beirut strikes.

Syrian state television reported that explosions heard in Damascus resulted from Israeli air defense systems intercepting Iranian missiles.

A regional official told state media that a weather station’s radar equipment and building in the Iranian port city of Bushehr were disabled Tuesday after being struck twice in coordinated U.S.-Israeli attacks.

The Mobarakeh steel facility in central Isfahan was attacked for the second time in seven days, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency, while portions of the Sefiddasht Steel Complex in Borujen were also targeted, Fars news agency reported.

Reuters could not immediately confirm these battlefield accounts.

Rising oil and fuel costs have begun impacting American household budgets and present a political challenge for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm elections.

American retail gasoline prices exceeded $4 per gallon Monday for the first time in over three years, according to GasBuddy price-tracking data.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that two-thirds of Americans believe the U.S. should work toward quickly ending its involvement in the Iran conflict, even if that means not accomplishing the Trump administration’s stated objectives.

All 29 individuals aboard a Russian military aircraft perished when the plane went down in Crimea during the early morning hours Wednesday, according to statements from Russia’s Defense Ministry reported by news agencies.

Search and rescue teams located the wreckage of the An-26 transport aircraft, confirming that both the 23 passengers and six crew members died in the incident. Defense officials indicated that mechanical problems appear to be the likely cause of the fatal crash.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced Wednesday that they launched two distinct military operations in the greater Beirut region, with both attacks aimed at high-ranking officials within the Hezbollah organization.

According to Israeli military officials, one operation targeted a senior commander within the militant group, while the second focused on another prominent Hezbollah member. The attacks occurred within a short timeframe of each other on April 1st.

Israeli authorities have declined to release additional information regarding the specific identities of those targeted or whether the military operations achieved their intended objectives.