Blog

MOSCOW, May 28 – Moscow’s foreign ministry challenged European nations on Thursday to provide evidence supporting accusations that Russia is disrupting GPS signals across the continent.

An official from Lithuania stated Tuesday that Russia has the capability to interfere with GPS signals as far as 450 kilometers (280 miles) into European territory from its Kaliningrad territory, thanks to significantly enhanced technological capacity.

European countries have repeatedly blamed Russia for electronic disruption activities following the 2022 Ukraine invasion, though President Vladimir Putin’s administration has consistently rejected these claims, instead pointing to Western disinformation campaigns.

“Let them first present at least some evidence,” foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters when asked about the allegations.

“Then something can be discussed, something can be talked about. So far, these are just words, and you can’t take their word for it.”

In the previous year, a Spanish military aircraft carrying Defence Minister Margarita Robles encountered GPS interference while flying near Kaliningrad, and an aircraft transporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen experienced signal jamming during a flight to Bulgaria.

TOKYO, May 28 – Officials from Japan and the Philippines announced Thursday their intention to negotiate a classified information sharing agreement that would facilitate increased military equipment transfers from Tokyo to Manila, potentially including warships.

The two nations have been strengthening their defense and security relationship as they respond to China’s increasing assertiveness throughout the South China Sea region and near Taiwan. Japan has recently eliminated long-standing limitations on combat equipment exports, a policy shift that is expected to benefit the Philippines.

“In order to respond to the increasingly severe strategic environment in the region, we will continue to deepen cooperation with the Philippines,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated during a press conference in Tokyo alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The leaders agreed to upgrade their relationship to a “Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership.”

Under a new defense equipment cooperation framework, Japan is exploring the possibility of supplying naval destroyers and patrol aircraft to Manila.

The closer relationship with Japan aligns with Marcos’ efforts to strengthen security partnerships with the United States and its allies as the Philippines faces ongoing confrontations with Chinese vessels in contested waters.

Takaichi and Marcos also reached an agreement on energy security cooperation, including an initiative by Takaichi to assist Asian nations in better managing energy disruptions following the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

MILAN (AP) — Law enforcement officials in Italy have confiscated assets valued at more than 200 million euros ($232 million) connected to the drug trafficking operations of deceased crime boss Matteo Messina Denaro, according to anti-mafia prosecutors who announced Thursday that the action represents a significant strike against the Sicilian Mafia’s efforts to reconstruct its economic strength.

Among the confiscated items were over 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of gold bars, substantial amounts of cash, high-end timepieces and approximately 20 upscale properties, law enforcement officials revealed during a press briefing.

Messina Denaro passed away in a correctional facility medical unit roughly nine months following his capture in January 2023, bringing to an end three decades of evading authorities. He had been convicted in absentia for his role in numerous killings, including his participation in orchestrating two 1992 bombings that claimed the lives of prominent anti-Mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.

During the probe into drug trafficking proceeds spanning multiple decades, officials detained three individuals and mandated the confiscation of assets, enterprises and financial interests exceeding 200 million euros in value.

Over 150 Italian financial police personnel conducted operations within Italy and internationally, spanning locations such as Andorra, Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland, Lebanon, Monaco and Spain.

Giovanni Melillo, Italy’s national anti-mafia prosecutor, stated the confiscations represent part of a comprehensive campaign to destroy the Sicilian Mafia’s financial foundation and stop it from reconstructing criminal operations with worldwide economic and social reach, including the use of threats and intimidation.

Authorities in Switzerland say a knife-wielding attacker injured three people at a railway station Thursday morning before law enforcement took him into custody.

The incident occurred just after 8:30 a.m. at the station in Winterthur, according to a statement from Zurich regional police. Officials report the suspect is a 31-year-old Swiss citizen, though investigators have not yet determined what motivated the attack.

Emergency responders transported the three injured individuals to area hospitals. The victims, all Swiss nationals aged 28, 43, and 52, sustained wounds of undisclosed severity.

Winterthur, home to approximately 123,000 people, sits in northeastern Switzerland close to Zurich, the nation’s largest metropolitan area.

SEOUL, South Korea — A 68-year-old Chinese political activist remains in South Korean custody following a dangerous sea journey in a small rubber boat, marking his fourth known attempt to flee his homeland in hopes of reuniting with family members abroad.

Dong Guangping was discovered Monday evening aboard a 3.3-meter (10.8-foot) inflatable vessel near a western South Korean island, where coast guard officials detained him for suspected immigration law violations.

Coast guard authorities requested a formal arrest warrant, but a local court rejected the request Thursday, stating it was “difficult to recognize sufficient grounds and necessity” for his detention. Officials announced later Thursday they would transfer him to immigration authorities while continuing their investigation.

The activist’s future remains uncertain. Authorities may seek another arrest warrant or file charges without keeping him in custody. Should Dong request refugee protection, the Justice Ministry indicated it would evaluate his application.

Although evidence of political persecution in China could strengthen his refugee claim, experts point out that South Korea has approved fewer than 2% of refugee applications in recent years.

The former Chinese police officer has faced multiple detentions in his home country due to his political activities. He served three years in prison starting in 2001 for “inciting subversion of state power” and was jailed for more than eight months following a 2014 arrest for taking part in a memorial commemorating victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, based on previous Amnesty International reports.

During Thursday’s court appearance, he informed reporters of his desire to travel to Canada through South Korea to join his wife and daughters, who have already established residence there, according to South Korean news outlets.

His previous escape efforts included fleeing to Thailand and Vietnam, where officials sent him back to China. Dong also made an unsuccessful attempt to swim to a Taiwanese island.

Chinese Canadian activist Sheng Xue commended Dong’s courage in a Wednesday post on X. She revealed that Dong had discussed the boat escape plan with her, though she considered it extremely risky. She said she reconnected with Dong via Messenger after his arrival in South Korea.

“Dong Guangping said that when he reached Korean waters, he was already in a state of unconsciousness. He hadn’t slept for over 50 hours and had been blown by sea winds for over 30 hours,” she said.

Coast guard officials handling the case reported no serious health concerns when Dong was apprehended. They said he informed investigators he departed from Weihai city in China’s eastern Shandong province but has declined to answer most other inquiries.

When questioned about Dong’s situation during a regular briefing Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded that she was “not familiar with that.”

South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il told reporters Thursday that Dong’s case would probably be processed according to domestic law, while directing additional questions to Justice Ministry immigration officials.

The Canadian Embassy in Seoul acknowledged awareness of reports regarding Dong but stated it could not provide additional commentary.

While rare, Dong is not the first Chinese activist to reach South Korea by watercraft. In 2023, Kwon Pyong, another Chinese dissident, arrived in South Korea on a jet ski, claiming he was fleeing persecution for ridiculing China’s communist government. He was initially held in South Korea but later reportedly relocated to the United States to pursue asylum.

A joint military unit from Germany and the Netherlands will assume control of NATO ground forces in Estonia and Latvia later this year as part of efforts to reinforce the alliance’s eastern border defenses against possible Russian aggression, officials announced Thursday.

The 1 German-Netherlands Corps (1GNC), headquartered in Muenster, Germany, is scheduled to establish a tactical command center for NATO operations in the Baltic region by mid-2026. The alliance plans to officially approve this new command structure during the summer months.

Currently, NATO military units across all three Baltic countries and northern Poland operate under a single multinational command center located in Szczecin, Poland.

A military official explained to Reuters earlier this week that this reorganization would enable NATO to achieve “mass at speed,” helping to address the area’s limited geographic buffer zone and security weaknesses.

“The deployment of an additional tactical headquarters in the region strengthens coherence within NATO and contributes to Russia’s deterrence,” German and Dutch defense ministries declared in their joint announcement Thursday.

Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgoz stated that 1GNC had “thoroughly prepared” for its upcoming responsibilities, referencing her visit to the corps facility in March.

This development stems from decisions made during the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague and expands upon the NATO Force Model established at the 2023 Vilnius summit, which focused on deploying additional forces with faster response capabilities.

A Colombian senator is making history in her bid to become the South American nation’s first woman president in this Sunday’s election, campaigning on promises to bolster security and strengthen the economy.

Paloma Valencia, a 48-year-old right-wing lawyer and legislator, comes from two influential conservative political families and has the endorsement of former President Alvaro Uribe. Uribe achieved significant military successes against leftist rebel groups during the 2000s and continues to wield political influence, despite facing legal challenges including fraud and bribery convictions that were later reversed. Uribe maintains his innocence and claims the legal proceedings are politically motivated.

“Uribe is like a father to me. I never make mistakes when it comes to loyalties. I want to take everything that worked in President Uribe’s government and do it again,” Valencia stated during a recent campaign appearance. “I’m going to copy Uribe, who got Colombia back on track.” Valencia has recently fallen to third place in polling.

The May 31 first-round election will determine who replaces President Gustavo Petro, who cannot run for another term. Should no candidate receive more than half the votes, a runoff election will take place in June.

As one of Congress’s most prominent opposition figures, Valencia represents Cauca province, an area severely affected by violence during a six-decade armed conflict that claimed over 450,000 lives.

Valencia has been critical of the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas and has opposed Petro’s unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with other illegal armed organizations.

“With me there will be no talks with the ELN, nor with the FARC, nor with the so-called Gaitanista Army. We will reactivate all arrest warrants and pursue them and hunt them down to bring them to prison,” Valencia declared at a recent Bogota campaign event, referring to various guerrilla and criminal organizations.

Valencia’s political heritage runs deep – her paternal grandfather was conservative former President Guillermo Leon Valencia, while her maternal grandfather established a prominent university.

Before entering politics, she earned a master’s degree in creative writing from New York University and worked as both a newspaper columnist and radio host.

Her initial attempt at elected office in 2006 was unsuccessful when she lost a congressional race, but she has served as a senator for Uribe’s Democratic Center party since 2014. During her tenure, she has supported legislation benefiting sugar producers, helping small businesses become formal enterprises, and reducing work hours.

Valencia is married to academic Tomas Rodriguez and is the mother of a young daughter.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Sweden Thursday for discussions with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson regarding bilateral defense cooperation, according to statements from both the Ukrainian leader and Swedish government.

The nations are developing “a major defense package” and negotiating an agreement to supply Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Zelenskyy announced on social media.

The Ukrainian president has worked to expand defense partnerships with other nations by sharing the drone technology expertise his country has developed during more than four years of conflict with Russia’s invasion.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian experts have assisted Middle Eastern countries — particularly in the Gulf Arab region — in bolstering their air defense capabilities during the Iran war. He also states they have provided support at American military installations in the Middle East. Ukraine has additionally signed joint drone manufacturing deals with European Union nations, which worry that Russian President Vladimir Putin harbors military goals extending past Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones monitoring the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) battle line and attacking supply routes at greater distances have constrained Russia’s larger military force.

“Ukraine’s successful mid-range and front-line drone strike campaigns are limiting Russia’s ability to transport personnel to the front line and to supply and sustain front-line positions,” stated the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, in a Wednesday evening analysis.

Russia has seized approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory thus far. This includes the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia captured in 2014. The price of taking that territory has been enormous, with the leader of U.K.’s GCHQ intelligence agency stating Wednesday that nearly half a million Russian soldiers have died in the conflict.

Russia, nevertheless, maintains superiority in long-range ballistic missiles, which it has deployed consistently throughout the war to harm Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure and bombard urban areas.

Russian military units launched nearly 90 missiles along with hundreds of drones targeting Kyiv last weekend in an attempt to overpower air defenses as part of its intensifying long-distance aerial offensive against Ukrainian civilian zones.

Zelenskyy has sent correspondence to U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress requesting additional American-manufactured air defense ammunition to counter Russian ballistic missiles, Kyiv officials announced Wednesday.

Ukraine requires more U.S. Patriot PAC-3 missiles and additional air defense systems, Zelenskyy stated in the correspondence, cautioning that shipments to Ukraine are falling perilously behind as the Iran war redirects U.S. supplies.

The Ukrainian capital is preparing for additional heavy attacks. However, no foreign diplomats are reported to have followed Moscow’s suggestion to evacuate Kyiv before what the Russian Foreign Ministry announced earlier this week would be “systemic strikes” on Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported Thursday that all diplomatic missions in the capital have maintained normal operations.

A criminal court in Bangkok cleared a prominent progressive political figure Thursday of charges related to insulting the monarchy and violating computer crime laws.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who leads the Progressive Movement, faced prosecution over remarks he made in a 2021 Facebook Live session regarding a government contract for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing that went to a business owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

The statements were delivered as part of broader criticism targeting the vaccination program under former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s administration, which Thanathorn accused of mishandling vaccine procurement and distribution.

According to a statement from the Bangkok Criminal Court, Thanathorn’s remarks were directed at criticizing Prayuth’s leadership and contained no malicious intent toward the monarchy.

The kingdom’s lese majeste statute, known as Article 112 of the Criminal Code, threatens prison sentences of up to 15 years for those who insult the royal family, though opponents argue it serves as a weapon against political opposition. Computer crime violations can result in five-year sentences.

Acquittals in royal insult cases occur infrequently in Thailand, where government institutions maintain conservative positions and officials remain protective of the monarchy’s standing.

“Personally, I feel relieved,” Thanathorn told media representatives following the court decision.

He urged respect for the rights of those imprisoned for political reasons.

“They are not criminals in a literal sense,” he said. “They are in jail because they think and they speak.”

Youth-driven democracy movements beginning in 2020 pushed for reforms to the royal defamation statute, but many demonstrators became subjects of prosecution under the same legislation.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, an advocacy organization, over 290 individuals, including numerous student protesters, have faced Article 112 charges since early 2020.

The prosecutor’s office indicated it may pursue an appeal of the verdict.

Thanathorn helped establish the Future Forward Party, which was later dissolved but emerged as a significant political player by placing third in the 2019 election just one year after formation. The party frequently criticized military influence in government.

Parliamentary authorities removed Thanathorn in 2020 following a court determination that he violated election regulations through previous media company ownership. The Constitutional Court disbanded Future Forward that same year over alleged campaign finance violations.

The party’s replacement, Move Forward Party, captured the most legislative seats in the 2023 election, marking a significant victory for progressive politics after nearly ten years of military-influenced governance, though conservative legislators prevented the party from leading the government.

Courts ordered the dissolution of that party in 2024 after accusations it violated constitutional provisions by proposing changes to royal defamation laws.

The movement’s current form, the People’s Party, finished second in the 2026 election and now serves as the primary opposition force.

A 36-year-old man’s world turned upside down when he learned he had been illegally separated from his Chilean birth mother as an infant, setting off years of soul-searching that ultimately led to an emotional family reunion this year.

Kyle Adler described the profound impact of connecting with his biological family: “It’s been so eye-opening to see who my people are. I feel the love, I feel the compassion, the care — it’s nice to have a family again.”

Taken in by an American family at 9 months old, Adler represents one of thousands of children illegally removed from Chilean families during Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s 17-year rule. He joins hundreds of others who have reconnected with their birth relatives through DNA analysis and advocacy groups helping Chilean adoptees trace their origins. Additional efforts focus on seeking accountability for families torn apart by these practices.

Adler’s adoptive family brought him to an upscale Chicago-area community in 1990.

Regarding his adoptive parents Mike and Connie Adler, he explained: “My parents didn’t steal me; they didn’t name me Kyle out of malice. They saw me as who they wanted me to become, and there’s a lot of love that was put into that.” Adler suspects his adoptive parents were unaware of the illegal circumstances surrounding his placement. He noted they initially opposed his search for his birth mother before their deaths in 2022.

Despite becoming highly successful, Adler said he eventually craved deeper purpose in his life.

“Suddenly now I found myself where I didn’t know what to do. I knew I was adopted and at that point, I was just like, I need to find my mom.”

His birth mother, Ana Maria Navarrete, was 19 and working single-parent when she gave birth. She worked evening shifts at a seafood market in Coronel, a coastal community located 533 kilometers (331 miles) from Santiago. She had given him the name Marcos Antonio Navarrete.

Unable to afford housing for both herself and her baby, Navarrete arranged for a caregiver to house and watch Adler. She told The Associated Press she visited whenever her work schedule allowed.

The caregiver eventually informed her that an American couple had taken the child after a local priest arranged for a baby “in need of a family.”

“And she let them have him,” Navarrete told AP, expressing anger and shame. The AP was unable to independently confirm all aspects of these events.

A law enforcement investigator informed her the child had likely been taken through an extensive fraudulent adoption operation involving adoption agencies, immigration authorities, judicial officials, medical staff and physicians.

Navarrete said no one faced consequences, and “those years afterward were some of the worst years of my life.”

Without family assistance, she said she eventually abandoned hope of recovering her son.

“Justice for the poor did not exist in Chile and it still does not,” stated Constanza Del Rio, who founded and leads Nos Buscamos, a nonprofit maintaining online records for thousands of cases. Government estimates indicate more than 20,000 children were taken from families.

Poor and Indigenous communities were specifically targeted during Pinochet’s rule from 1973 to 1990, according to Jimmy Lippert Thyden González, who was also illegally adopted and works as a human rights attorney.

“It was an effort to eliminate and eradicate the poor class. It was a way of eradicating the Indigenous population, the uneducated population,” he explained.

In early 2017, Adler discovered the Nos Buscamos Facebook group while searching online for “Chilean birth mom search,” and reached out to Del Rio.

Del Rio confirmed Adler’s background and arranged a virtual meeting within three months.

Learning about his illegal adoption initially devastated Adler, triggering an identity crisis that required years of counseling.

Last year, Adler felt prepared to seek answers.

DNA analysis from MyHeritage, an Israel-based genealogy company, verified the connection between Adler and the now 56-year-old Navarrete in Santiago, “making it official,” he said.

MyHeritage collaborates with Nos Buscamos, Connecting Roots, and similar organizations to offer complimentary home DNA testing kits for Chilean adoptees and suspected trafficking victims.

Tyler Graf, who established and runs Connecting Roots, accompanied Adler on his journey.

Graf also reconnected with his birth mother Hilda Quezada Godoy years after being separated from her, and said he now dedicates himself to locating others taken from Chilean families.

“Now it’s time to mend these families and bring everyone back home so they can see where they came from,” Graf told the AP.

Human rights attorney Lippert Thyden González filed suit against the Chilean government three years ago and aims to pursue the case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He also established Grafting Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to educating U.S. policymakers and advocating for survivors of fraudulent adoptions.

The Chilean government did not respond to multiple AP requests for comment.

“I want justice. Not just for me, but also for him because I don’t know the type of life he had,” Navarrete told AP following her reunion with her son.

Navarrete is collaborating with legal counsel and hopes those responsible will face imprisonment.

“My birth mom’s just been wanting me to be alive,” Adler said before departing Miami in February.

Mother and son reunited two days following her 56th birthday on Valentine’s Day, with an AP team documenting their meetings in Miami and Chile.

Emotions overflowed as Adler emerged from the international arrivals area in Chile. Both wore white clothing as Navarrete rushed to embrace him. The tall, dark-haired man leaned down to rest his face against his mother’s hair.

“I’m so happy to be finally meeting him, my dream has finally come true,” Navarrete said.

The powerful reunion led to a meaningful week together exploring the beach in Coronel, the medical facility where Adler was born, and the residence where he was taken. They obtained a copy of his original birth documentation, and he met one of his four siblings. Previously in Miami, he had met another sister and her child.

In Santiago, they shared mementos Adler had brought as presents: A framed graduation certificate, childhood photos, and baby shoes his adoptive parents had preserved.

Since Adler doesn’t speak Spanish, Connecting Roots supplied an interpreter. Currently, translation applications help them maintain communication.

Navarrete said their time together brought joy but also reopened much of the anguish from the past 35 years.

“It took me so long to find him. And then to spend a week together only to have him leave,” Navarrete said through tears, “it’s like I found him but I’ve now lost him all over again.”

She expressed optimism about a family reunion in December. For Adler, the journey toward forgiveness continues, though he hopes Navarrete can release her trauma.

“I’m not just the son that you lost, I’m the son that you found. I’m back to being your son,” he said.

A ceasefire reached last month in Lebanon has provided minimal relief for civilians, as Israeli military operations continue to force residents from an ever-widening area of the country through ongoing air strikes and evacuation directives.

The April 16 truce, facilitated by U.S. negotiators following approximately six weeks of combat, has not succeeded in stopping hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. Both sides continue launching near-daily attacks while each blames the other for breaking the agreement.

This ongoing conflict has left hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanese civilians without homes. Following the ceasefire announcement, Israeli authorities released a map showing a buffer zone spanning nearly 600 square kilometers that ground forces had taken control of, along with a list of 57 communities where residents had been told to leave.

However, Israeli military forces have since conducted hundreds of air attacks across a much larger region beyond the occupied territory and have issued departure orders for more than 100 additional Lebanese communities, according to an analysis of Israeli military statements.

Combined with the occupied territory, these directives cover approximately 2,000 square kilometers of Lebanon – roughly 20 percent of the nation – most of which has become essentially inaccessible to residents, based on the analysis and conversations with local leaders, humanitarian workers and displaced individuals.

This conflict is connected to broader regional tensions following the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel led by Hamas. Israeli leadership seeks to push back its adversaries – Iran and allied forces including Hezbollah and Hamas – through a declared strategy of establishing buffer zones along its borders with Gaza, Syria and Lebanon to protect Israeli citizens.

The expanding evacuation zone, combined with uncertainty about continued attacks and the final size of the Israeli buffer area, has created fears among many residents that they may never return home.

“There is no way we are coming back now,” said Iyad Watfi, a mukhtar – elected official – in Bazouriye, who said the town once home to 13,000 people had been hit by multiple air strikes and evacuation orders since the truce. “Last week, we had 20 buildings destroyed in the town in one night.”

Only a small fraction of residents remained, with most others living in tents further north, he explained, noting that few felt secure enough to return anytime soon.

The current Lebanese conflict began March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets at northern Israel in support of Iran, which was facing Israeli and U.S. attacks. Israeli forces responded with a ground invasion of Lebanon, resulting in fighting that has killed more than 3,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, according to Lebanese government figures.

The Israel Defense Forces told reporters that its air campaign in Lebanon following the ceasefire was not intended to displace civilians but rather designed to eliminate Hezbollah threats, accusing the group of positioning forces and weapons in civilian areas. Military officials described the evacuation notices as “recommendations” issued before air strikes, allowing citizens to leave if they choose.

Southern Lebanon “remains an active combat zone where IDF troops continue to engage with terrorist elements on a daily basis,” they added.

Hezbollah’s media office did not respond to requests for comment. The group, a Shi’ite Muslim political and military organization, has conducted regular attacks including kamikaze drone strikes since the ceasefire. The organization has stated that despite the truce, it maintains the right to resist continued Israeli aggression and denies placing military assets in civilian areas.

Reporters contacted mukhtars from 20 communities subject to Israeli evacuation orders since the ceasefire, areas with pre-conflict populations ranging from hundreds to thousands of people. Most estimated the percentage of remaining residents in single digits, saying most had moved north or to the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon.

“People’s nerves are shattered. They can’t take it anymore so they left,” said Ali Nazzal, a mukhtar in Srifa who said the village was virtually deserted. “The ceasefire is a lie.”

The situation appears increasingly dire for Lebanese civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that Israel would intensify its strikes, causing residents to evacuate southern suburbs of Beirut, further north. Israeli forces have since issued additional evacuation orders, covering more than a dozen new communities and declaring a large southern section a “combat zone.”

The continuing conflict could affect broader U.S.-Israeli tensions with Iran, as Tehran demands an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon as a condition in peace negotiations.

On March 31, Netanyahu announced his country’s occupation area in Lebanon would extend to the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers north of the Israeli border. He characterized it as “a vast buffer zone” to prevent anti-tank fire and invasion threats.

By the April 16 ceasefire, Israeli forces had occupied only about half that area. However, the subsequent wave of air strikes and evacuation orders has forced people from areas well beyond the river. Only about half the communities subject to evacuation orders since the ceasefire are south of the Litani, with the remainder north of the river, some more than 20 kilometers from the waterway, the analysis found.

On May 12, Israeli military officials said they had attacked more than 1,100 targets since the ceasefire, including weapons storage facilities, launchers and Hezbollah operational sites. Reporters identified locations of more than 300 strikes during the first month of the ceasefire by reviewing reports from Lebanon’s state news agency.

An examination of nighttime lights data from the satellite-based VIIRS sensor, conducted by Professor Hadi Jaafar at the American University of Beirut, revealed a significant decrease in light emissions across south Lebanon since the conflict began. Light levels have remained reduced in some areas during the ceasefire, strongly indicating that many displaced residents have not returned, Jaafar said.

Israeli forces have used explosives and bulldozers in demolitions that effectively eliminate many villages in the 600 square kilometer zone occupied by ground forces before the ceasefire, after the defense minister promised March 31 to destroy “all homes” near the border.

In areas outside Israeli occupation, many residents attempted to return during the ceasefire but were forced out again, often within days, by renewed evacuation orders and air strikes, according to local officials, displaced people and aid workers.

Hawraa Yousef Ghadbouni, 39, said she fled from the southern town of Qlaileh to the coastal city of Sidon after the latest conflict began March 2, sleeping in a car with her husband and three children.

After the ceasefire, they returned and found their home partially standing, with two rooms still intact, amid destroyed houses and shops. Within a day, shelling and air strikes forced them to flee again, this time to the coastal city of Tyre, about 10 kilometers north. When Tyre was also bombed, they returned to Sidon, taking shelter in a school converted to a refuge center.

“We want to return, even if we have to sleep on the ground,” Ghadbouni said. “What matters is going back. Life here is not sustainable.”

In the town of Bedias, about a half-hour drive north of Qlaileh, Wael al-Amin, a 48-year-old medic, was sitting outside his brother’s home on May 10, drinking coffee and watching his children play despite the steady buzz of a drone overhead.

“I thought, ‘Let them play’,” he said from a hospital in Tyre. “These are children. Who would target them?”

Moments later, a blast tore through his brother’s house, sending a cloud of debris into the air. Amin stumbled through the smoke until he found his eight-year-old son, wounded amid the rubble.

“He told me, ‘I’m here’,” he said.

Amin pulled the boy to safety before discovering that his brother had been killed in the strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is visiting Sweden on Thursday to meet with the country’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, according to government officials, with sources indicating they plan to make an announcement concerning Gripen fighter aircraft.

Last year, Kristersson and Zelenskiy put their signatures on an agreement that would potentially allow Sweden to sell as many as 150 Saab Gripen model E fighter aircraft to Ukraine. However, since those deliveries would take several years to complete, officials have also been exploring the possibility of transferring Sweden’s current C/D model Gripens.

An individual with firsthand knowledge of the ongoing talks confirmed to Reuters that Thursday’s announcement will center on Gripen aircraft, though they would not provide additional details.

Following news of the meeting, Saab’s stock price climbed, showing a 5% increase by 0834 GMT.

These aircraft represent a key component of Ukraine’s fighter aircraft priorities, and the nation’s defense minister stated in May that an agreement for the Gripen E could be finalized “within months” following the European Union’s approval of a €90 billion loan package for Ukraine.

A Filipino lawmaker who is the son of a former president may soon be taken into custody after anti-corruption officials filed criminal charges against him Thursday in connection with an infrastructure fraud scheme that has damaged the country’s economy and public trust.

Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada has been indicted on plunder and anti-corruption violations by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly accepting illegal payments totaling 573 million pesos ($9.30 million) through a fraudulent scheme targeting government-funded infrastructure projects, officials announced.

“If the honourable court finds probable cause, we anticipate the subsequent issuance of warrants of arrest against the principal respondents,” Assistant Ombudsman and spokesperson Mico Clavano told a press briefing.

Also facing charges alongside Estrada are former public works minister Manuel Bonoan and engineering officials from the ministry.

Estrada did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. When asked by reporters on Tuesday about the impending charges, he said, “Well, if this is the price that I have to pay for standing on my own principles and what I believe in? So be it.”

The criminal charges were submitted Thursday to the Sandiganbayan, specialized Philippine courts that handle major corruption cases. These same courts previously examined the illegally obtained wealth of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

The corruption scandal has focused on seriously defective flood-control infrastructure throughout the Philippines, shocking the corruption-weary country and dampening economic expansion in recent quarters.

Estrada has previously been imprisoned on two separate occasions, both involving corruption charges.

His father, Joseph Estrada, became the first former president found guilty of plunder. His successor, Gloria Arroyo, subsequently pardoned him and authorized his release, enabling his political comeback.

($1 = 61.5990 Philippine pesos)

Israeli military forces have eliminated the top commander of Hamas’ armed forces and his successor within the last two weeks, continuing a pattern of targeted operations against high-ranking militants.

The deceased leaders were named as Mohammed Odeh and Izz al-Din al-Haddad, both key planners behind the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel. Military officials describe these eliminations as components of a wider campaign to hunt down those responsible for the attacks that sparked the current Gaza conflict.

However, while such precision strikes may deliver concrete results that political leaders can present as successes, they seldom tackle the fundamental issues that fuel ongoing conflicts.

“The killing of military chiefs such as Odeh and Haddad points to Israel’s operational ability to reach Hamas’ military leadership,” said Nasser Khdour of the nonprofit ACLED, which tracks reports of political violence and conflict worldwide. But, he added, “the killing of senior commanders is unlikely, on its own, to push Hamas toward disarmament or make it accept the complete removal of its role in Gaza’s security and governance.”

Throughout its history, Israel has conducted numerous targeted eliminations, yet Palestinian and Lebanese armed organizations have frequently survived and even strengthened following the deaths of senior figures.

Consider Hezbollah’s experience. Israeli warplanes killed its leader Abbas Musawi in southern Lebanon during 1992. Under Nasrallah, his charismatic successor, Hezbollah developed into the region’s most formidable armed organization and battled Israel to a costly deadlock in 2006.

Nasrallah and almost all his top deputies perished during the 2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Iran-supported organization sustained additional significant casualties that year, yet continued launching rocket and drone strikes against Israel within days of the current war’s beginning.

Hamas has repeatedly lost senior leadership. Israel eliminated its founder and spiritual guide, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in a 2004 air attack. Almost every planner of the organization’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel has subsequently been killed.

Both organizations have continued operating, driven by longstanding complaints rooted in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

The United States has similarly employed targeted eliminations against al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, eliminating Osama bin Laden during a 2011 operation in Pakistan and IS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019. Both organizations have been significantly weakened, though only following extended conflicts involving ground troops.

Yossi Kuperwasser, the former head of Israel’s military intelligence research division, said in March that targeted killings can be an effective tool but are not a “cure for all problems.”

“These operations by themselves don’t dramatically change the ability of those organizations to cause damage and to carry out attacks,” he said. “But it’s important for Israel to weaken its enemies.”

In Gaza, Lebanon and now Iran, he noted, Israel has taken out dozens of figures, reshaping the leadership structure in lasting ways.

Precision strikes became a primary tactic during the early phases of the Iran conflict. Senior military and civilian leaders up to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were eliminated in the war’s initial attacks. Khamenei has been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba, who is viewed as even more uncompromising.

Kuperwasser said that targeted killings in Iran hadn’t transformed the theocracy but had changed it.

“Maybe there’s not ‘regime change’ yet, but there is ‘change in regime.’ The people are not the same people,” he said.

Historically, precision eliminations have sometimes radicalized supporters or members of political movements and armed groups, promoting more extremist successors or transforming killed leaders into martyrs with lasting impact.

Northeastern University political scientist Max Abrahms said data from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel and the Palestinian territories shows violence against civilians spikes after targeted killings.

“Leadership decapitation is risky,” he said. “When you take out a leader that prefers some degree of restraint and had influence over subordinates, then there’s a very good chance that, upon that person’s death, you’re going to see even more extreme tactics.”

Precision eliminations can generate leadership gaps and opportunities for transformation, but only when combined with a comprehensive political approach, said Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.

“You can decapitate an organization or defeat it militarily, but if you don’t follow through politically, it doesn’t work. And it’s hard to see how this goes much further,” he said.

GILGIL, Kenya — A tragic overnight blaze at a Kenyan girls’ boarding school has claimed the lives of at least 16 students, marking another devastating incident for the East African country, according to a government official.

Julius Ogamba, the Education Minister, announced Thursday that 79 additional students suffered injuries in the fire at Utumishi Girls School, an institution serving more than 800 pupils in the Gilgil region of central Kenya.

Investigators have not yet determined what sparked the deadly blaze. Ogamba stated that officials will examine whether the institution followed proper fire safety protocols.

Law enforcement officials reported they are spearheading rescue operations and emergency response at the facility, situated approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Nairobi, the nation’s capital.

The secondary institution is a government-operated school under the management and sponsorship of the Kenya Police Service. A significant number of enrolled students are children of law enforcement officers.

Officials have not released the identities of those who perished in the fire.

Wambui Nderitu, a witness at the location, reported that a matron unlocked one of two dormitory exits “without alerting the children to exit.”

“The second door remained closed, and even though my cousin escaped with a leg injury, we’ve been told many children are injured and some died,” Nderitu stated.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that multiple students were transported from the scene and are now receiving medical care at different healthcare facilities.

The organization reported deploying “tracing and psychosocial support teams to support affected students and families.”

The most catastrophic school fire in Kenya’s recent past took place in 2001, when 67 pupils lost their lives in a dormitory blaze in Machakos County.

During 2024, 21 students perished in a school fire in central Kenya. President William Ruto announced three days of mourning.

In 2017, 10 students died in a school fire in Nairobi. A student was charged with murder.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation announced Thursday it has selected a top Reuters executive to lead its news division. Simon Robinson, who currently serves as executive editor at Reuters, will take over as director of news and current affairs beginning in September.

The appointment was confirmed in a statement posted on the broadcaster’s website by managing director Hugh Marks. Robinson, an Australian citizen based in London, will fill the position previously held by Justin Stevens, who stepped down Wednesday after serving four years in the role for personal and professional reasons.

At Reuters, Robinson will be succeeded by Nick Tattersall, the organization’s global managing editor for newsroom operations, according to a staff memo from Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni.

Robinson joined Reuters in 2010 and was promoted to executive editor in October 2022. Prior to that promotion, he spent nearly seven years overseeing investigations and enterprise reporting across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where he supervised award-winning coverage of Iran, Russia, corporate taxation, Greek banks and migration issues.

His journalism career began at Time magazine, where he worked as a correspondent and later editor from 1995 to 2010. During his tenure there, he reported from more than 50 countries across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Robinson has also published short stories and created an award-winning satirical film about aid workers and journalists working in Africa.

The Guardian in Australia first broke news of Robinson’s appointment to the broadcasting corporation.

Reuters operates as a division of Thomson Reuters and employs more than 2,600 journalists in 200 locations worldwide. The news organization serves 50 million monthly digital users and hundreds of thousands of professional subscribers through Thomson Reuters and LSEG platforms.

A weekly ferry route connecting Taiwan and Japan launched Thursday aboard a vessel that Japanese officials have designated for potential emergency evacuations during regional conflicts.

The Yaima Maru ferry now operates between Keelung in northern Taiwan and Japan’s Ishigaki island, making overnight trips once per week to transport tourists. Japanese authorities included this vessel on their 2024 list of ships available to evacuate residents from southern Japanese islands during potential crises.

Regional military tensions have intensified as China has increased pressure on Taiwan over recent years. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has conducted military exercises near Japanese territorial waters. The ferry route serves an area where the U.S. maintains significant military presence in Okinawa and Japan has been bolstering its defensive capabilities.

At the ferry’s inaugural ceremony in Keelung port, Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama emphasized the route’s broader significance beyond transportation. “This regular route is not merely transportation infrastructure,” he stated. “It serves as a new bridge that supports tourism, logistics, economic activity, cultural exchange, and education.”

When asked about regional security concerns, Tatsuya Ohama, president of ferry operator Shosen Yaima, avoided direct commentary on military matters. “This is fundamentally a matter between countries. As a private ferry operator, our first step is to get the service up and running,” he explained to reporters.

The ferry connects regions where Japan has strengthened military defenses, particularly on Yonaguni island, which sits nearest to Taiwan among Japanese territories. Taiwan and Japan maintain strong economic ties despite lacking official diplomatic relations, a legacy from Japan’s colonial rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.

Recent diplomatic tensions have escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that a Chinese military action against Taiwan might prompt Japanese military involvement. This statement angered Beijing and strained relations between the countries.

Taiwan’s government continues to reject China’s territorial claims over the island.

The American diplomatic mission in Ukraine’s capital issued a firm denial Thursday regarding reports that it had ceased operations after Russia warned foreign diplomats and citizens to evacuate before launching intensified attacks.

Ukrainian news outlets on Thursday referenced comments from European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas suggesting the American embassy had departed the capital city.

Speaking to journalists during an EU gathering in Cyprus, Kallas indicated that foreign diplomatic missions in Ukraine’s capital had dismissed Moscow’s attack threats, with one exception.

“What we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed except one,” Kallas stated Thursday. “All the Europeans stayed. America left.”

Multiple EU nations called in their Russian ambassadors following Moscow’s Monday warning directing foreigners to depart.

Through a social media post, the American embassy in Ukraine’s capital refuted any operational changes.

“The U.S. Embassy is open. There are no changes to our operations and reports otherwise are false,” the statement read.

A communications adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dmytro Lytvyn, informed reporters that Ukraine understood some American diplomatic personnel had departed the capital during Sunday’s large-scale Russian assault.

Lytvyn expressed Ukraine’s appreciation for all diplomatic missions operating in the capital and providing support to Ukraine.

An embassy representative declined to address Lytvyn’s statements.

Embassy social media indicated that the acting American ambassador to Ukraine, Julie Davis, was in Lviv attending a weekend function.

“The State Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans and regularly reviews the security posture of Embassy Kyiv,” the embassy stated in its social media post.

Israeli forces launched devastating attacks early Thursday morning on Lebanon’s fourth largest city, resulting in at least eight fatalities as military operations against Hezbollah continue to escalate before critical discussions in Washington.

Additional individuals sustained injuries during the bombardment, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency confirmed.

In a separate incident, an Israeli soldier lost his life in northern Israel when Hezbollah launched a drone assault, military officials reported.

The heightened military activity follows an announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to broaden Israeli military operations in Lebanon, seemingly in response to Hezbollah’s deployment of fiber-optic exploding drones that have targeted Israeli forces in Lebanon and reached northern Israeli border communities.

Military representatives from Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to conduct their initial security discussions Friday in the U.S. capital. These negotiations have prolonged a temporary ceasefire that began April 17, though hostilities have grown more severe while avoiding the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Hezbollah has rejected participation in the discussions and has instead backed its primary partner Iran, which has established an end to the Lebanese conflict as a prerequisite for its own negotiations with Washington facilitated by Pakistan.

Before Thursday’s bombardment began, Israeli military Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee delivered evacuation notices to eight structures in the Mediterranean coastal city of Tyre and nearby areas. Numerous residents have evacuated the region.

In the northern city of Sidon, an Israeli drone targeted an apartment complex housing displaced families.

Mohammad Al-Gharbi, a resident living opposite the struck building in Sidon, was awakened by the blast.

“I was in my room when part of the wall and shattered glass fell on me, and everything was thrown into chaos,” he said. “This building that was hit had six apartments occupied by poor families who had fled from the south to escape the attacks there, only to be hit here.”

In the coastal community of Adloun, an Israeli drone attacked a vehicle carrying a fleeing family, resulting in six deaths including children. A separate drone assault without advance warning killed two individuals on a motorcycle near Tyre. The intended target remained unclear, NNA reported.

Israeli military officials confirmed Thursday that a soldier in northern Israel died in a Hezbollah drone strike and two reservists suffered injuries.

Hezbollah has taken responsibility for numerous drone and rocket strikes that it claims were directed at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

More than 1 million Lebanese residents have been forced from their homes due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, two days after the Iran war commenced.

Israeli strikes have claimed at least 3,269 lives since the war’s beginning, the Lebanese Health Ministry reports, with more than 9,800 people wounded.

Data from Netanyahu’s office indicates that at least 23 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have died in or near southern Lebanon, while two civilians have been killed in northern Israel, primarily from drone attacks.

A team from China’s People’s Liberation Army National Defence University will represent the nation at a major Asian security conference scheduled for this weekend in Singapore, according to an announcement from Beijing’s defense ministry on Thursday.

The delegation will be led by Meng Xiangqing from the defense university, ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin announced during Thursday’s press briefing. The group will participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue, considered Asia’s most important security summit, running from May 29 through May 31.

This will be the second consecutive year that Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has chosen not to participate in the high-profile international gathering.

The director of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service made allegations Thursday that NATO is actively conducting practical preparations for what he described as a “large-scale conflict in the east,” according to reporting from the state RIA news agency.

Sergei Naryshkin also claimed that the European Union is quickly building up its military capabilities and transforming into a military partnership “directed against Russia,” the agency reported on May 28 from Moscow.

Three oil tankers were struck by drones Thursday in Black Sea waters off Turkey’s northern coastline, according to shipping agency Tribeca.

The vessel James II, flying a Palau flag and carrying no cargo, was positioned approximately 50 miles north of the Turkeli Area when the strike happened, according to the agency’s report.

Two additional vessels, the Altura and Velora, both operating under Sierra Leone flags and also empty, came under attack in the same vicinity while conducting a ship-to-ship transfer operation, the agency reported.

Emergency response vessels from coastal authorities were dispatched to provide aid, and all sailors aboard the three tankers were confirmed to be in good health, according to the agency.

Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly targeted each other’s maritime facilities and oil vessels following Russia’s comprehensive military offensive against Ukraine that began more than four years ago. No immediate claims of responsibility were made by either nation regarding Thursday’s reported strikes.

Officials from Turkey’s transport ministry could not be reached for statements about the incidents due to the Muslim Eid holiday observance.

MORENO, Argentina (AP) — Analía Celis, 34, lives with intellectual disability and cerebral palsy that prevents her from walking, but specialized sports therapy helped relax her tight muscles. While unable to hold traditional employment, baking activities provided her with feelings of autonomy. Though verbal communication proves difficult, art sessions with fellow participants allowed her to form connections beyond spoken language.

These vital therapeutic programs that have served as crucial support for Celis and countless others among Argentina’s estimated 5 million disabled citizens are now facing elimination under President Javier Milei’s aggressive budget-cutting approach.

Government funding to organizations delivering therapeutic and educational disability services has been suspended in recent months. Family members and advocates report that participants have lost access to carefully structured daily activities, while what was once considered a strong regional social support system has been systematically dismantled.

“I never thought we would reach this situation, selling our cars because we lack funds to pay basic utilities,” stated Martín Lucero, who serves as legal representative for the Argentine nonprofit Andar, which operates a disability day center outside Buenos Aires.

Financial pressures have forced Andar to eliminate its transportation service two months ago, leaving Celis and numerous other residents throughout the extensive Buenos Aires suburb of Moreno without access to the center they previously reached through free, specialized bus service.

“Cutting off individuals from environments essential for their growth cannot be the only answer,” Lucero stated. “This represents a deliberate policy decision.”

Following Milei’s assumption of office in late 2023, his fiscal restraint policies have established him as a symbol of worldwide conservative resistance to liberal governance. Similar to allies within the Trump administration, his government has characterized disability program reductions as components of reform efforts designed to eliminate fraud and inefficiency within federal operations.

A spokesperson for the president did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Organizations providing disability care in Argentina — encompassing day centers such as Andar along with residential facilities, specialized education, and vocational training programs — depend on income generated through billing state-operated insurance systems.

These nonprofit organizations face growing debt due to inconsistent government payments and compensation rates that fail to keep pace with extremely high inflation. Conditions deteriorated six months ago when funding completely ceased, according to service providers.

Cost reduction measures have led to widespread staff reductions, delayed employee payments, smaller meal portions, and reduced operating hours. While no official count exists of therapeutic centers forced to close, disability advocacy organizations estimate approximately 50 facilities shut down this year, particularly in Argentina’s rural areas.

“I want to ask the president to notice us, to truly observe us, to visit and meet us personally,” said Roman Pontecorvo, a 28-year-old with intellectual disability who found his love for theater at Andar. “If Andar shuts down, many of us will have nowhere to go. It will be complete disorder.”

Andar reports that roughly 30% of the 150 disabled individuals registered in its day program cannot access the facility anymore — a peaceful property featuring a soccer field, vegetable garden, and commercial-quality kitchen where participants earn monthly income through its catering business.

Mental health professionals warn that without structured programming, disabled individuals can experience rapid deterioration.

“She awakens three or four times nightly, crying that she wants to return to the farm,” explained Celis’ mother, Clementina Tabares, 74, who now skips her own doctor visits because Celis needs constant supervision. Celis remains in bed throughout the day with a blanket covering the window to block sunlight and loud music playing from her phone, occasionally making sounds of distress.

“She’s isolating herself,” Tabares explained. “That frightens me.”

Rights advocates point to a straightforward solution: enforcing legislation approved last year that declared a disability emergency. The law increases benefits that have declined 30% due to inflation and ensures provider funding through at least December 2026.

However, Milei has delayed implementing the law, contending that its financial cost — approximately 0.35% of gross domestic product — would compromise his achieved budget surplus, Argentina’s first following decades of deficits.

“Through worthy causes, they enact legislation that bankrupts the country,” Milei commented after rejecting the law last year.

Congress overturned his rejection. Legal disputes continue regarding fund distribution.

In a sharp ruling, a federal judge on May 18 ordered the government to resume frozen provider payments within 72 hours to comply with the law, noting that for disabled individuals, “treatment interruption causes developmental regression.” The government filed an appeal.

Milei has simultaneously proposed legislation that would officially eliminate the existing system of government payments to therapeutic centers, allowing private insurance companies and provincial authorities to establish their own provider rates.

The proposal would also impose new benefit eligibility restrictions, terminating subsidies for everyone except those living in poverty with disabilities classified as “complete” and “permanent.”

The legislation, which has generated opposition from rights organizations, awaits congressional discussion.

Months before billionaire Elon Musk — from the Trump administration’s brief Department of Government Efficiency — incorrectly alleged that millions of deceased individuals received Social Security payments, Argentine officials made similar extraordinary fraud claims: that recipients were falsifying medical examinations to illegally obtain disability funds, including at least one instance involving submission of an injured dog’s X-rays.

The scope of such fraudulent activities remains unknown. Officials have not provided evidence of widespread misconduct.

Prosecutors are examining higher-level corruption allegations: In leaked recordings from last year, former national disability agency director Diego Spagnuolo described Karina Milei, the president’s sister and primary advisor, accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal payments from pharmaceutical companies seeking government contracts.

Milei has rejected accusations regarding his sister. As oversight efforts gained importance, the government eliminated the national disability agency, Andis, terminating hundreds of employees and transferring disability programs to the Health Ministry.

Most agree that increased transparency is necessary. However, critics argue the government seems more focused on completely destroying the system rather than improving it.

“Destroying institutions without creating replacements abandons people,” stated Celeste Fernandez, co-director of the Civic Association for Equality and Justice in Buenos Aires, which successfully sued the government last year after Andis suspended 140,000 disability payments due to suspected fraud.

In most situations, the government subsequently admitted, recipients had simply failed to comply with or understand notices requiring in-person evaluations — often at locations hundreds of miles from their residences.

“The government is not implementing genuine reform,” she stated. “It is merely draining the system.”

The Australian government has initiated legal action against American manufacturing giant 3M, demanding over $1.4 billion in damages related to chemical contamination at military installations, officials announced Thursday.

This unprecedented compensation claim targets contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, which affected 28 defense facilities. These synthetic compounds earn the nickname “forever chemicals” due to their inability to decompose naturally in the environment.

The legal action was filed in Minnesota’s Federal Court against both 3M Company and its Australian division, targeting the corporation’s home jurisdiction.

The company has vowed to contest Australia’s allegations.

“3M has never manufactured PFAS in Australia and ceased sales of the products at issue in Australia around two decades ago,” the company stated. “Despite this, the (Australian) Department of Defense continued to use PFAS-containing firefighting foams for nearly two decades longer.”

These chemical compounds have been utilized in consumer and commercial applications since the 1950s, providing resistance to heat, stains, grease and water. The firefighting foam containing these substances proved particularly effective against fuel-based fires.

In 2018, Australia’s Defense Department issued warnings to residents living near Richmond Air Base outside Sydney, advising them to limit consumption of locally sourced fish and eggs after detecting the chemicals in area groundwater.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland accused the manufacturer of concealing environmental hazard information about the foam on Thursday.

“The Commonwealth (of Australia) is seeking more than AU$2 billion ($1.4 billion) in damages to recover significant past and future expenses incurred in investigating and managing contamination resulting from the historic storage and use of this foam,” Rowland told reporters.

Assistant Defense Minister Peter Khalil revealed his department has already invested AU$1.3 billion ($920 million) in addressing and reducing the foam’s environmental consequences. The department has extracted 200,000 metric tons (220,000 U.S. tons) of polluted soil from installations and processed 13 billion liters (3.4 billion gallons) of contaminated water, according to Khalil.

“We are prepared to take on powerful corporations when Australians and Australian communities have been impacted,” Khalil said.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A 34-year-old woman from Melbourne faces terrorism charges after Australian authorities accused her of joining ISIS in Syria, according to police officials.

Australia Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Hilda Sirec announced Thursday that the woman was taken into custody at her Melbourne residence eight months following her return to Australia through Lebanon, accompanied by another woman.

The charges come just two days after 19 individuals — seven women and 12 children with ISIS connections — arrived back in Australia from a Syrian refugee facility, despite opposition from the Australian government.

Last month, 13 additional people in comparable situations returned from the Roj displacement camp, situated close to where Syria’s borders meet Turkey and Iraq. Upon their arrival, three of the four women in that group faced slavery and terrorism charges and were detained.

Sirec stated that all women who have returned from Syria this month continue to face police scrutiny. The companion who traveled with Thursday’s arrestee from Lebanon is also under investigation.

“A period of time passing without charges does indicate investigations have ceased,” Sirec noted.

The Melbourne woman was scheduled to appear Thursday before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on charges of entering and staying in a designated conflict area and joining ISIS as a terrorist organization. Both charges could result in up to 10 years imprisonment.

Authorities claim she journeyed to Syria during 2013 and 2014 to become an ISIS member. Kurdish forces captured her in March 2019 following ISIS’s defeat and held her at al-Hol displacement camp.

Police allege her return to Australia occurred on September 26.

Janai Safar, 32, from Sydney, received similar charges upon her May 7 arrival in Australia with her 9-year-old son. A magistrate denied her bail request, requiring her to serve a minimum two-month prison term in Sydney.

Authorities claim Safar followed her ISIS-fighter partner to Syria in 2015 and gave birth to a child there. The partner reportedly died in 2017. Australian law prohibited citizens from traveling to Raqqa, the former ISIS stronghold in Syria, without legitimate purposes from 2014 through 2017.

Kawsar Ahmed, also called Kawsar Abbas, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, 31, faced charges in a Melbourne court on May 8 related to accusations that their family purchased a female Yazidi slave for $10,000 while in Syria, police reported.

The daughter plans to seek bail next week, while the mother has a bail hearing set for June 16.

PARIS (AP) — Nearly 200 years after France ended slavery, a colonial-era statute that defined human beings as property has remained quietly on the books. Thursday marks the day legislators will finally take action to remove it.

The legislation, anticipated to pass in the National Assembly, will eliminate the Code Noir, also known as the Black Code, which was established by a 1685 decree from King Louis XIV to regulate enslaved people throughout France’s colonial territories.

This statute transformed people into commodities, permitting their exploitation through forced labor, physical violence, sale, sexual assault and murder — and France never officially eliminated it.

This discovery has stunned many citizens.

“That shocks me,” said Muriel Jean-Baptiste, a Paris-born nurse whose parents are from Martinique, a French overseas department in the Caribbean.

“A law that treated Black people as property was left sitting there,” she said.

The statute’s scope was comprehensive. Article 44 designated enslaved individuals as “movable property.” Additional provisions mandated bodily harm for escapees and established that testimony from enslaved people held no legal weight.

The 60 provisions of Code Noir “should never have survived the abolition of slavery” in the 19th century, President Emmanuel Macron stated last week.

“The silence, even the indifference, that we have maintained for nearly two centuries toward this Black Code is no longer an oversight,” Macron said. “It has become a form of offense.”

Similar to previous French presidents, Macron did not offer an apology.

France operated the world’s third-largest slave trade, transporting approximately 1.4 million Africans to plantations whose sugar profits funded the development of French cities like Nantes and Bordeaux. Its colonial reach eventually extended across four continents.

Some view this repeal as more significant — evidence, they contend, of a nation that has not fully confronted its history, representing one of many gradual measures in that process.

Legally, formally removing it is straightforward, experts note. Code Noir became powerless in 1848, when France ended slavery.

France maintained control of its slave territories: the four oldest — Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Réunion — became full French overseas departments in 1946. This designation means Paris governs them like any other region.

Their approximately 1.9 million residents, mostly descendants of enslaved people, hold French citizenship.

Despite full integration into France, these overseas departments remain among the nation’s most impoverished areas. Joblessness rates run about twice the mainland average, and over three-quarters of Mayotte households fall below the national poverty threshold.

Before learning the facts, the French legislator who introduced the repeal proposal was unaware the law still existed.

Max Mathiasin, representing Guadeloupe, had purchased copies of the document over time and stored them on his bookshelf.

“As the great-great-grandson of people who were enslaved, I had never been able to read it in full,” he said. “This was made by human beings — against human beings.”

For him, the legislative action represents “a way of restoring our ancestors, restoring our humanity” before a France whose national motto proclaims liberty, equality, fraternity. “It means living up to the Republican promise.”

That commitment, he argues, remains unfulfilled domestically.

“In Guadeloupe,” Mathiasin said, “in the most important positions, in the structures of the state, they are white.”

The Foundation for the Memory of Slavery is led by a former prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, and its deputy director is Pierre-Yves Bocquet — both white men.

Bocquet describes Code Noir as the origin of France’s “colonial exception” — the concept that the French Republic’s fundamental rights could be suspended for those under its authority.

This concept survived the empire’s end, he explained: “Even today, we accept that people in the overseas territories can have fewer rights than in mainland France.”

France is not the only nation maintaining remnants of empire — the United Kingdom and the United States also govern overseas territories.

However, what distinguishes France, analysts say, is its decision to make former slave colonies equal departments of the Republic, rather than distant dependencies.

The government maintains that overseas departments are France like everywhere else, while residents say they face inferior treatment.

For Max Relouzat, 81, president of the Association for the Memory of Slaveries, the repeal holds importance because so little else has changed.

His African ancestor possessed no name under the law, only a number and registration code — the family living in Martinique received the surname Relouzat upon emancipation, probably derived from Nelouzat, a village in central France’s Auvergne region.

What frustrates him, he explained, is what the symbolic gesture leaves unchanged: institutional racism in France.

“Under the cover of departmentalization, a colonial system was maintained,” Relouzat said. “If the overseas departments are part of France, why is there a ministry for the overseas?”

In France, he stated, “we are still today in a form of apartheid … a form of colonial continuity.”

For some longtime advocates, Thursday does not represent the milestone it seems.

For Florence Alexis, a slavery expert and daughter of Haitian writer Jacques Stephen Alexis, the genuine breakthrough occurred 25 years earlier. In 2001, the Taubira law made France the first nation to classify the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.

“That is what changed my life,” Alexis said.

For her, racism stems from slavery itself, not from any single law.

“When I was a child at school, they called me the little monkey,” she said. “People made animal cries when I walked past — as they still do in football stadiums today.”

Paris-born Élodie Léon, 29, whose family originates from French Guiana, supports the repeal but regrets the postponement.

“Symbolic neglect is also neglect,” she said.

During the Taubira law’s 25th anniversary on May 21, Macron suggested the possibility of reparations — an issue France has long avoided confronting.

He described it as “a question we must not refuse,” but one where “we must not make false promises.”

He pledged no funds, instead defining repair primarily as truth-telling, education and historical research.

France’s most profitable plantations operated in Saint-Domingue, where enslaved people rebelled and achieved independence in 1804 as Haiti. France subsequently compelled the liberated nation to pay compensation for their masters’ losses — a debt settled only in 1947.

France is not unique in this regard. In the United States, federal reparations proposals have remained stagnant for decades. California approved an apology but provided no monetary compensation.

However, the timing of Macron’s recent remarks was problematic. Two months prior, France abstained when the U.N. General Assembly voted 123-3, with 52 abstentions, to designate the trans-Atlantic slave trade as the most serious crime against humanity.

Additionally, this month at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya, days after calling himself a “pan-Africanist,” Macron grabbed a microphone and demanded the room become silent.

“As soon as he sets foot on the African continent,” French opposition lawmaker Danièle Obono said, “he can’t help but behave like a colonizer.”

The Code Noir repeal, Bocquet noted, “will have no direct effect.” Whether it assists France in combating racism and inequality in its overseas territories, he said, “remains to be seen.”

“It is easy for the French authorities, and for Macron, to do this,” Alexis added. “Because it commits them to nothing.”

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria — An Austrian court is set to deliver its decision Thursday in the case of a young man who confessed to planning an assault on a Taylor Swift performance in Vienna almost two years ago.

Although authorities successfully prevented the attack, officials in Austria decided to call off Swift’s trio of scheduled shows in August 2024.

The accused, a 21-year-old Austrian national identified only as Beran A. according to Austrian privacy laws, is charged with terrorist-related crimes and belonging to a terrorist group.

According to his defense lawyer, he entered a guilty plea to the charges connected to the concert scheme when the trial began last month. The maximum sentence he could receive is 20 years behind bars.

Prosecutors allege that Beran A. intended to harm concertgoers outside the Ernst Happel Stadium using knives or explosive devices he made himself. Thousands of Taylor Swift supporters, commonly called Swifties, had made the journey to Austria for the pop star’s historic Eras Tour shows. Crushed by the show cancellations, many fans congregated in Vienna’s city center to exchange friendship bracelets and share their disappointment over the cancelled events.

Beran A. stands trial with Arda K., whose complete identity has also been kept confidential. These two defendants, along with a third individual who was taken into custody and continues to be held in Saudi Arabia awaiting trial, reportedly conspired to execute coordinated attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates during the 2024 Ramadan period on behalf of the Islamic State group.

Beran A. alone faces charges regarding the concert attack plan. He entered a not guilty plea concerning the charges tied to the coordinated international attack scheme.

The timeline for Thursday’s verdict remains uncertain, as expert testimony must still be presented and final arguments delivered.

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea — A luxury hotel on a tropical island off Central Africa’s coast has been transformed into an unlikely prison for asylum seekers under a controversial deportation agreement with the United States.

The Bamy Hotel, with its palm-lined entrance and marble lobby adorned with the country’s presidential portrait, now serves as a detention center rather than welcoming tourists or business visitors. Since November, the facility has housed people against their will as part of a $7.5 million arrangement between the Trump administration and Equatorial Guinea’s leader, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

The hotel, owned by the president’s family, functions as a temporary holding facility. Of at least 32 individuals detained there since late last year — all previously granted protection by US courts, according to their attorneys — 25 have been compelled to return to African nations where they may face danger. Those remaining endure pressure from officials to depart.

“Government people would come all the time and say: Where is your passport? You need to go back to your own country,” explained a 26-year-old man from an East African nation who was held at the facility. He requested anonymity due to fear of repercussions, as did two other deportees who spoke with The Associated Press.

Immigration attorneys describe these third-country deportations as a legal workaround used by the Trump administration to indirectly compel asylum seekers to return to their origins.

The authoritarian nature of Equatorial Guinea’s government — similar to other nations with comparable agreements — makes it challenging for international journalists to visit and document conditions firsthand. The AP gained access to the island of Bioko during a recent papal visit and became the only global news organization to observe the migrant detention hotel.

Individuals from Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Mauritania now find themselves stranded in a nation many had never known existed before their arrival. They spend their days walking the hotel’s lengthy hallways and staring through windows at a swimming pool they cannot access.

While no physical mistreatment has occurred, detainees experience severe psychological strain knowing they likely face return to countries they fled in fear.

“I am scared and depressed,” the East African man stated.

Due to his ethnic background and refugee status, he believes he would face imprisonment or death if forced to return home. Human rights specialists say all asylum seekers at the hotel confront significant persecution risks in their countries of origin.

Through a series of unclear and often confidential agreements, the Trump administration has sent thousands of people to nearly two dozen nations other than their homelands, according to advocacy groups, as part of extensive US immigration enforcement efforts. These partner countries are primarily in the developing world, says Third Country Deportation Watch, with approximately twelve located in Africa. Specialists believe nations accepting deportees may seek to build favorable relationships with the US regarding trade, migration or assistance negotiations.

The Trump administration refused to discuss specifics of its Equatorial Guinea arrangement. A State Department representative stated, “we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration.”

Equatorial Guinea’s government did not respond to requests for comment.

During the East African man’s interview, a government supervisor with limited English proficiency sat nearby, using his phone in an otherwise vacant conference room.

Following his journey from Africa through Brazil, the man reached the US border in August 2024 and was detained. He was then transferred between detention facilities in California, Arizona and Louisiana before arriving in Equatorial Guinea nearly six months ago.

Daily life at the hotel follows a monotonous routine made surreal by the circumstances, he explained.

Detainees occupy luxurious rooms that receive infrequent cleaning and eat rice and meat served at white-clothed tables in the hotel restaurant. After becoming ill from the food multiple times, the East African man now consumes minimal amounts.

A local attorney provides fresh toothbrushes, phone SIM cards, and feminine hygiene products for women.

Healthcare provision has been inconsistent. The East African man received immediate hospital treatment for an eye complaint. However, when he developed malaria and typhoid, medical attention was delayed until his condition severely worsened, requiring intravenous treatment. He reports other detainees have faced similar delays.

When the East African man recently voiced complaints to a police officer about his circumstances, the officer suggested his troubles would end if he went to the hotel’s fourth floor and jumped from the window.

“What can I do now? It’s become worse,” he said, his weakened frame trembling. “I started losing my mind.”

Equatorial Guinea ranks among Africa’s wealthiest nations due to petroleum reserves. However, it also faces widespread corruption and human rights violations, according to US officials.

The former Spanish territory experienced economic collapse after 1968 independence. Its fortunes changed in the 1990s when American companies began offshore oil drilling. The resulting economic transformation left over half the population in poverty despite national wealth.

Rights organizations report that oil revenues have been largely captured by Obiang and his relatives. The president’s 57-year-old son and successor, Teodoro “Teodorin” Obiang Nguema, displays his extravagant lifestyle on TikTok — showing infinity pools, lobster dinners, and private jet travel — while citizens cannot access the platform.

The younger Obiang, serving as vice president, has faced international sanctions due to corruption throughout his father’s government. However, the US removed sanctions, permitting him to attend a senior UN meeting in New York last September, shortly before deportations to Equatorial Guinea commenced.

Critical voices are virtually absent in Equatorial Guinea, where rights groups and the State Department accuse the government of detaining, torturing and killing dissidents.

Despite this record, American companies remain the largest foreign investors, and the US government provides military training funding.

Remaining detainees at the Bamy Hotel understand they could be sent home at any moment.

Officials from the UN’s International Organization for Migration and refugee agency visited the hotel in November, promising to return. They have not done so.

The East African man is the sole detainee permitted legal representation, though the reason remains unclear.

Although Equatorial Guinea lacks asylum procedures, his attorney submitted a formal appeal to the prime minister’s office — a desperate attempt with minimal success prospects.

He was instructed to appeal for clemency from the vice president, but his asylum request was denied.

The following morning, authorities deported five others, leaving him distressed while awaiting his outcome. Officials informed him he would be next to leave.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian citizens will select their next president and vice president on May 31 in an election being viewed as a judgment on the current administration’s policies under President Gustavo Petro.

Petro, age 66 and a former participant in Colombia’s M-19 guerrilla movement that fought for social justice during the 1970s and 1980s, has pursued disputed peace talks with remaining rebel organizations while advocating for social and economic changes including a complete revision of the country’s employment laws.

His foreign policy approach has also differed from past Colombian administrations by confronting the United States on issues such as drug enforcement policy and immigration, though he has maintained some cooperation with the Trump administration on these topics.

These policies face scrutiny as citizens prepare to vote, putting to the test Petro’s statement that “the people will decide if the revolution is defeated or if it moves forward.”

While 14 candidates appear on the ballot, the contest has essentially become a competition between three main contenders.

Colombia’s constitution prevents Petro from running for another term. His party, the Historical Pact, has nominated Iván Cepeda, 63, a three-term senator recognized for advocating for victims of government crimes during Colombia’s extended conflict.

Cepeda faces competition from Abelardo de la Espriella, 47, a flamboyant attorney known as “The Tiger” who is campaigning as an independent and portrays himself as an outsider. He maintains he is seeking the presidency without backing from any of the country’s major political parties.

De la Espriella has represented high-profile clients including business leaders accused of money laundering, a sex worker who exposed misconduct by U.S. Secret Service agents, and an acid attack victim whose case led to legislation imposing severe penalties for such attacks, which typically target women.

Another contender with significant backing is Paloma Valencia, 48, a senator from the Democratic Center, the party headed by former President Álvaro Uribe. Valencia’s campaign receives support from most traditional parties and economists concerned about rising debt levels during the Petro presidency who want Colombia to return to more conventional policies.

A runoff election will take place on June 21 between the leading two candidates if no one receives 50% of the vote.

Cepeda has pledged to expand the economic changes initiated by Petro, which include substantial minimum wage increases, including a 23% boost this year, along with increased taxes on wealth and corporate earnings.

The senator has also committed to continuing peace discussions with remaining rebel organizations while promoting rural development by providing subsidized loans to small farmers through a government-operated bank.

Cepeda has indicated he will seek a “national agreement” to advance reforms. However, he has also stated that without such an agreement, he would call for a constituent assembly, a process that could allow Colombia to rewrite its constitution. Opponents claim this would threaten Colombia’s democracy by weakening the independence of the country’s Congress and courts.

Valencia and De la Espriella strongly oppose constitutional revision. Both candidates have stated they will halt peace negotiations with rebel groups and confront them more aggressively.

They have also committed to lowering business taxes and enabling oil and gas investments that were prevented during the Petro administration.

De la Espriella has pledged to cut government spending by as much as 40% over four years and eliminate various government departments, including the Ministry of Equality, an agency established under Petro to address discrimination against ethnic minorities and promote economic inclusion for disadvantaged groups.

Over 41.2 million people are registered to vote, including 1.2 million living overseas. This represents the third-largest presidential election in Latin America following Brazil and Mexico. Voting is voluntary.

More than half of Colombian overseas voters reside in three nations: the U.S., Spain and Venezuela. During the previous presidential election in 2022, 59% of overseas-registered Colombians voted, according to the National Registrar’s Office.

In 2022, 21.3 million voters participated in the first round of the presidential election, while 22.6 million people voted in the runoff, according to the National Registrar’s Office.

A 2016 peace agreement between Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, resulted in the demobilization of over 13,000 fighters.

However, multiple criminal organizations did not join the agreement and some former FARC leaders returned to conflict after several years of retirement. Since the peace deal was implemented, various smaller groups have been battling for control of rural territories previously held by FARC.

The Petro administration has tried to conduct peace negotiations with these groups and provided them with multiple ceasefires as incentives to remain in talks.

However, critics argue these rebel organizations have exploited peace discussions to reorganize, rearm and strengthen their control over communities where they extort businesses and benefit from illegal activities, such as cocaine trafficking.

The Red Cross reports that the humanitarian impact of Colombia’s armed conflict reached its most severe level in ten years last year, with displaced persons doubling in 2025 to 225,000 people. The Red Cross also reported that in 2025, there were 965 people killed or wounded by explosive devices including land mines and drones, representing a 33% increase from the previous year.

Brazil’s lower house of congress moved the country closer to joining a regional trend toward shorter work weeks, passing a constitutional amendment Wednesday that would establish a 40-hour, five-day work schedule.

The measure has strong public support as Brazil approaches its October presidential elections, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva backing the initiative and frequently advocating for it. The change represents part of a broader regional movement that has earned praise from labor advocates while drawing sharp criticism from business interests.

Under the current system, Brazilian workers put in five eight-hour shifts plus an additional four hours on a sixth day, totaling 44 hours weekly. The approved amendment would eliminate the sixth work day while maintaining current wages for approximately 37 million workers and cap the work week at 40 hours. The new rules would guarantee workers two full consecutive days off each week, ideally Saturday and Sunday.

“People who have this workweek from Monday to Saturday are the ones that have to work the hardest and are paid the least,” lawmaker Paulo Pimenta, Brazil’s government whip in the lower house, told his peers as they voted. “We need to be brave and do justice.”

While numerous opposition legislators supported the measure following months of constituent pressure, some maintained their opposition to the plan.

“I don’t care this is an election year. I think we need to be responsible. This will be a problem for many companies,” lawmaker Kim Kataguiri said. “We are doing this in a rush and workers should know they might end up worse than they are now if business leaders stop hiring.”

The legislation provides companies with 14 months to implement the changes, a crucial element in the negotiation process. Many corporate executives and legislators had pushed for a gradual implementation spanning 10 years.

“This was built with a lot of responsibility, thinking about workers and families in Brazil,” said lawmaker Leo Prates, who drafted the amendment in the lower house. “We need to accomplish this for the Brazilian people.”

Wednesday evening’s lower house approval sends the amendment to the upper chamber. Brazil’s Senate has not scheduled its vote and could modify the proposal before it reaches Lula for final constitutional approval.

Lula’s primary electoral opponent, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, advocates replacing the existing work week structure with a more flexible hourly payment system, an approach that appears popular mainly among certain business leaders.

Several other Latin American nations have recently implemented similar work week reductions.

Mexican lawmakers in February approved President Claudia Sheinbaum’s proposal to reduce the 48-hour work week. The changes will be phased in gradually, reaching a 40-hour work week by 2030.

Chile enacted its “40-Hour Law” in 2023, cutting its work week to 40 hours effective last year. The law covers all workers under Chile’s Labor Code while preserving current pay levels.

However, Argentina has moved in the opposite direction under libertarian President Javier Milei and may expand its 48-hour work week. A labor reform package enacted earlier this year increases the maximum daily shift from eight to 12 hours and eliminates overtime compensation, among other changes that Argentine labor organizations claim benefit employers over workers.

A multinational peacekeeping mission for Gaza announced with fanfare in February has yet to deploy a single soldier, as escalating regional conflicts and diplomatic complications derail the ambitious plan.

The International Stabilization Force for Gaza was unveiled during the first gathering of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, with an American general selected to oversee the proposed 20,000-person deployment promising to deliver “future prosperity and enduring peace” following the destructive Israel-Hamas conflict.

However, three months later, the designated commander remains without troops as all five nations that committed forces have failed to deliver meaningful deployments.

Peacekeeping efforts have encountered significant obstacles as Hamas continues to resist disarmament while Israel expands its territorial control and maintains military operations against what it identifies as militant positions, frequently resulting in civilian casualties.

The conflict with Iran has created additional challenges for Arab and Muslim nations considering cooperation with the United States and Israel, whom many regional populations perceive as hostile actors, while the accompanying global energy shortage has strained their available resources.

The most significant setback occurred approximately one week following the February 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, when Indonesia indefinitely postponed its commitment to provide 8,000 personnel. The original deployment schedule called for 1,000 troops in April with the remaining forces arriving in June.

Indonesia’s contribution represented the largest portion of the multinational commitment, which also included pledges from Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania. U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who addressed the Board of Peace gathering, was designated as the force commander.

Indonesian officials halted their participation due to what Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin described as insufficient commitment from a preoccupied Washington administration, stating “we have not yet received any implementation guidelines.”

“New dynamics have emerged,” he informed parliament. “Because the intensity of the conflict between U.S. and Iranian forces remains very high, the BoP has tended to be left behind. Since the BoP has been left behind, the ISF has also been left behind.”

Internal political considerations may have influenced Indonesia’s withdrawal, according to Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, director of the Indonesia-Middle East/North Africa desk at Jakarta’s Center for Economic and Law Studies.

The Iran conflict faces overwhelming opposition in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation. Economic hardship from rising prices linked to the fighting has combined with widespread doubt about the Board of Peace initiative.

“If you talk to the people on the street, I don’t think they believe that the Board of Peace will actually help the people of Gaza,” Rakhmat explained. He noted additional concerns about deploying military personnel to the Middle East during domestic economic difficulties.

Indonesia suffered the loss of four peacekeepers serving with the United Nations mission in Lebanon during clashes between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah. This incident has further damaged public support for such international military commitments, he said.

The U.S. military’s Central Command refused to provide comments or make Jeffers available for interviews, directing all inquiries to the Board of Peace.

Board of Peace spokesman Brad Klapper similarly declined to discuss Indonesia’s withdrawal or the stabilization force’s prospects, instead referencing May 21 statements delivered at the U.N. by Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian defense minister appointed by Trump to direct the Board of Peace.

Mladenov indicated the international force could not commence operations without agreement and execution of the ceasefire’s second phase, requiring Hamas disarmament and the beginning of Israeli withdrawal. Israeli forces currently occupy approximately 60% of Gaza.

Mladenov has attributed the impasse to Hamas, declaring its disarmament “non-negotiable” and blocking advancement on other issues, including Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts.

“You cannot build a future with armed groups running the streets, hiding in tunnels and stockpiling weapons,” Mladenov stated in Jerusalem this month. “You cannot deliver reconstruction with militias on every corner.”

Hamas maintains Israel has repeatedly breached the ceasefire, preventing further implementation, and has criticized Mladenov for favoring Israel.

Israeli military actions have resulted in more than 880 Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire began, according to local health authorities. Israel claims these operations responded to truce violations.

Hamas is also demanding Israeli withdrawal from territories captured after the ceasefire’s start, according to an Egyptian official familiar with the negotiations, who spoke anonymously to discuss private discussions. Egypt has traditionally mediated with Hamas.

Multiple countries that promised forces have declined to deploy troops without an agreement on Hamas disarmament, the official said.

Kazakhstan has limited its stabilization force support to “the humanitarian component,” including medical units with a field hospital. Its Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Albania’s Defense Ministry also refused to discuss its troop commitment, describing it as a “dynamic and ongoing process.”

Earlier this month, its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Arben Kingji, informed reporters that while the military had “participated in reconnaissance activities,” no troops had been deployed. He said only a small number would be sent as part of the stabilization force headquarters, without specifying numbers, adding that additional contributions remained under consideration.

Kosovo, expected to contribute 20 troops, announced in April it was in the “final phase of preparations.” The Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for updates.

Morocco’s Foreign Ministry also failed to reply. At the Board of Peace inaugural meeting, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said it would deploy “high-level military officers to the joint military command of the ISF.”

Despite Indonesia’s delays, Rakhmat suggested it was premature to eliminate eventual participation in the stabilization force.

President Prabowo Subianto is a former army general eager to elevate Indonesia’s international standing and avoid damaging economic relationships with the U.S., Rakhmat said.

“Prabowo wants to strengthen ties to Washington and sign different agreements with the U.S., so to completely withdraw and completely cancel the plan, I don’t think it’s on the table,” he said.

TOKYO (AP) — A four-day diplomatic mission to Japan by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is concluding Thursday with an extraordinary display of hospitality from his hosts.

The visit has featured a formal palace dinner, a distinguished national honor, and clear signals that Tokyo wants to strengthen relationships with a country it views as a crucial defense ally — and significant arms buyer — amid growing concerns about China’s military presence across Asia.

Marcos’ trip, which ends with his Friday departure, has included a formal reception by Emperor Naruhito, who presented him with the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum.

Thursday’s agenda includes discussions between Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with expectations that the meetings will produce announcements further enhancing defense and military equipment collaboration.

During remarks to Japanese lawmakers Wednesday, Marcos noted that the focus on elevating bilateral relations demonstrates an “exceptional level of trust” between the two countries.

Both governments are keeping China at the forefront of their thinking as they strengthen a military partnership that the United States anticipates will serve as a barrier against Beijing’s territorial goals in the East and South China Seas and its claims over Taiwan, the independently governed island that China considers its territory.

Marcos represents the first significant potential buyer of Japanese military equipment since Takaichi’s administration eliminated restrictions on exporting deadly weapons. This policy shift in April marked a departure from Japan’s post-World War II pacifist approach as the country accelerates its defense and arms manufacturing expansion.

The two countries have committed to pursuing discussions regarding the sale of several Abukuma-class destroyers and Japanese navy TC-90 training aircraft. Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who watched joint live-fire training exercises with his Japanese counterpart this month, has also shown interest in Type-88 surface-to-ship missiles.

According to Japanese officials, Marcos’ state visit also connects to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the nations and to the Philippines currently serving as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Marcos and Takaichi are also anticipated to establish formal discussions aimed at creating a military intelligence sharing agreement, which would allow better communication and strengthen three-way military cooperation with the U.S., their shared ally, according to Japanese officials.

Japan has delivered a package of five coastal surveillance radars to the Philippines through official security aid, and intelligence-sharing would improve reconnaissance collaboration.

Japan seeks to strengthen its relationship with the Philippines beyond Marcos’ term, which concludes in 2028, as Tokyo aims to prevent what it views as inconsistent China policies by some former Philippine administrations.

Marcos has adopted a firm position against China regarding territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. Under his leadership, the Philippines and Japan have quickly strengthened their security connections both bilaterally and in partnership with the U.S.

Japan and the Philippines established an agreement in 2024 permitting their military forces to easily visit each other’s territory for joint training exercises. This created opportunities for Japan to send 1,400 military personnel as regular participants in combined military training.

The nations signed an additional defense agreement this year that would permit the duty-free supply of ammunition, fuel, food and other essential items when their forces conduct joint training.

Throughout the state visit, Marcos and Takaichi are also scheduled to address energy cooperation and a Japan-led international funding initiative announced in April.

This initiative aims to assist Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, in maintaining stable oil reserves through financial support for building required infrastructure as they deal with consequences from the Iran conflict that has stopped oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has introduced legislation to his country’s parliament seeking approval for a major loan agreement with the European Union, according to parliamentary documents released Thursday.

The proposed legislation outlines a framework that would enable Ukraine to secure 90 billion euros in total funding, which equals approximately $104 billion based on current exchange rates, according to supporting documentation accompanying the draft.

The draft legislation now awaits parliamentary consideration for ratification of the loan agreement with the EU.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced Thursday they launched a strike against an American military installation at 4:50 a.m. local time, according to reports from Tasnim news agency. The Iranian forces described their action as retaliation for what they characterized as an earlier morning American attack near the airport in Bandar Abbas.

Iranian officials did not reveal the location of the American base they claim to have targeted.

The Revolutionary Guards issued a warning that future incidents they consider acts of aggression would prompt a “more decisive” response. They placed blame for any resulting consequences on what they termed the “aggressor.”

A veteran Indigenous leader in Brazil is stepping up to continue his uncle’s decades-long battle to protect the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous rights.

Chief Megaron Txucarramae, 75, has dedicated his life to defending the Kayapo people’s interests, working to establish boundaries for their Amazon territory and fighting against unauthorized mining operations and dam construction projects.

The leader now faces his biggest responsibility yet: carrying on the work of his uncle and teacher, Chief Raoni Metuktire, a 94-year-old Indigenous activist recognized around the world for his environmental advocacy.

Chief Raoni recently spent a week receiving intensive medical treatment for pneumonia before returning to his community. His health struggles have occurred multiple times in recent years. For many years, Chief Raoni has been an international symbol of Indigenous activism, meeting with world leaders, religious figures, and celebrities like musician Sting during 1980s campaigns to save the rainforest. Both chiefs guide Kayapo settlements along the Xingu River, where the Amazon rainforest borders Brazil’s expansive grasslands.

The Kayapo people first encountered non-Indigenous Brazilians during the 1950s, when Chief Megaron was just a child.

Soon afterward, he started collaborating with Chief Raoni and now declares his readiness to take up the cause.

“I have followed it closely,” he said. “And I will continue it, continue his struggle.” He made these comments to Reuters while in Pykany village during a Greenpeace-organized expedition to investigate unauthorized mining activities on Kayapo territory.

Megaron’s mission comes during a critical period for the Amazon. Almost 20 percent of the rainforest has disappeared due to agricultural development, cattle ranching, and mining operations, while climate change has brought more severe dry periods and forest fires.

“The best thing is to preserve the Amazon, to preserve what is ours, what belongs to everyone,” he said. “It helps people breathe better, it holds back the winds, it keeps the heat from becoming too intense.”

His goals include continuing advocacy for the Kayapo and other Indigenous communities, building international understanding of the forest’s significance, and working toward greater Indigenous participation in Brazil’s government.

Brazilian lawmakers have enacted multiple measures in recent years that restrict Indigenous rights, including legislation that reduces land protections for certain Indigenous communities.

Chief Megaron expressed particular concern about the possibility of an anti-Indigenous candidate winning the October general elections.

Chief Raoni had backed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during his 2023 swearing-in ceremony, following the tenure of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who had promised to stop creating new Indigenous reserves. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the ex-president’s son, is challenging Lula in the upcoming election.

“They can’t kill us with weapons, but they want to pass laws to exploit [our land], to destroy our culture, to put an end to our customs,” he said. “The more Indigenous people there are in Congress, the better for us.”

During the 2022 elections, seven Indigenous candidates won seats among the 594 total Congressional positions.

He also aims to support his uncle’s efforts to prevent young Indigenous people from abandoning their forest homeland and traditional ways of life.

“You can learn, you can reach university, but you must not stop being Indigenous,” he said. “That is his struggle.”

Kuwait’s military announced Thursday that defense systems were actively countering incoming missile and drone threats targeting the country.

Military officials explained that any explosion sounds heard by residents were from their air defense systems successfully neutralizing the attacks. The army did not identify where the hostile fire was originating from.