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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Following his president’s rejection of crucial legislation, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared Friday that he remains committed to securing 44 billion euros in European Union defense financing for his country.

The blocked funding would have made Poland the primary recipient of the EU’s massive 150 billion-euro lending initiative known as SAFE, or Security Action for Europe. This program aims to strengthen European defense capabilities as the United States reduces its security involvement on the continent.

However, President Karol Nawrocki, who has established himself as Tusk’s primary political adversary, announced Thursday his decision to reject the legislation that would have allowed Poland to obtain these EU defense loans.

“Poland is in shock,” Tusk said Friday. “People are wondering if this is betrayal, the work of lobbyists, or lack of common sense.”

Polish administrations have consistently increased military expenditures following Russia’s comprehensive assault on Ukraine in 2022. While Tusk’s liberal administration seeks collaboration with European Union partners, the nationalist president has demonstrated greater skepticism toward Europe and maintained closer ties with the Trump administration.

From the beginning, Nawrocki expressed doubts about Poland joining SAFE, contending that it would burden Polish citizens with debt and strengthen the nation’s reliance on Germany.

Earlier this week, he presented alternative legislation on Tuesday, outlining domestic funding sources that could replace European loans for additional defense investments. Tusk has rejected this proposal as impractical.

Despite the presidential rejection, Tusk stated Friday that his government would still pursue the defense funding, though “it will be more difficult, sometimes slower, and it will take much more effort to convince everyone involved in this project.”

The United States has also publicly opposed SAFE.

“The United States has expressed concerns about how EU defense initiatives like Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) restrict market access for American companies,” Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the EU, and Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, wrote in an opinion piece published in February by POLITICO Europe.

According to the ambassadors, these European initiatives “undermine collective defense” by restricting competition, hindering innovation and preventing U.S. companies from receiving essential contracts.

BEIJING — For years, China has consistently dispatched military aircraft toward Taiwan, the democratically-governed island Beijing considers part of its territory, creating tension from Taipei to Washington.

However, a dramatic reduction in these aerial missions over the last two weeks has left defense experts puzzled about Beijing’s military strategy. This uncertainty poses its own dangers, according to former U.S. defense official Drew Thompson.

“There are so many theories and the lack of understanding of China’s intentions is what’s disconcerting,” Thompson, currently a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, explained. “You fill the void with uncertainty, and uncertainty increases risk.”

While the decline began earlier, the recent reduction has been especially striking.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry publishes daily updates on Chinese military air and sea operations near the island. Recently, many of these reports have omitted the typical maps showing aircraft routes because no activity was recorded.

For seven consecutive days between February 27 and March 5, Taiwan detected zero Chinese military aircraft in what it calls its Air Defense Identification Zone. After spotting two planes on March 6, the following four days again showed no activity.

Small numbers of flights have returned in recent days, with three recorded Wednesday and two on Thursday. This brings the two-week total to just seven flights, compared to 92 during the same timeframe last year.

The reduction aligned with China’s annual legislative session, and historically such flights have decreased during significant events and holidays. However, this year’s drop far exceeded previous patterns.

“That alone would not be the only or primary reason for sorties dropping to zero,” K. Tristan Tang, a Taipei-based nonresident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, wrote in an email.

Another possibility involves Beijing’s desire to ease tensions with Washington ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2.

However, Thompson pointed out that Taiwan isn’t Trump’s primary concern regarding China.

“Trump sees China as an economic negotiation, not as a security challenge,” he stated.

The United States maintains its opposition to any forceful changes to Taiwan’s status, including potential invasion by China, which insists the democratic island of 23 million must eventually fall under its authority.

Tang suggests the flight reduction might reflect China’s transition to a new phase of military training and modernization.

The military seems to be testing a fresh approach to combined training involving air force, navy, and potentially ground units, he explained.

Such experimental operations would likely occur away from Taiwan to avoid foreign surveillance, potentially explaining the reduced aircraft presence in the area.

Taiwan’s military has indicated it won’t alter its defensive stance based on the decrease in Chinese warplane activity.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo observed that China’s naval operations continue in surrounding waters despite the aerial reduction.

“As I have said before, we cannot rely solely on a single symptom like the absence of PLA aircraft to make a judgment,” he told reporters, referring to the People’s Liberation Army.

“We will continue to closely monitor the PLA’s movements,” he added.

CAIRO (AP) — A professional engineer takes cover beneath a park bench while military aircraft thunder above. A competitive athlete battles sleepless nights as detonations echo through the darkness. With internet service completely disabled, Tehran’s residents depend on word-of-mouth communication to learn about ongoing warfare and destruction from aerial attacks.

Intense bombing operations by U.S. and Israeli forces targeting Iran’s capital have now stretched into their second week, leaving citizens traumatized and overwhelmed. Across Tehran’s landscape — from its historic center to affluent northern neighborhoods — explosive strikes pound the metropolis around the clock without any advance alerts or public warning infrastructure.

“The psychological pressure is real,” said the athlete, who lives in a northern area of the capital. He was among a half dozen Tehran residents reached by The Associated Press, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for their safety.

Cherished national landmarks face serious threats. Smoke surrounded the towering Azadi Square gateway, widely recognized as the city’s contemporary symbol, following nearby bombardments. The historic Golestan Palace from the 1800s, a treasured cultural monument, suffered shattered windows from blast impacts. Meanwhile, government security personnel have expanded their street patrols to suppress any potential public demonstrations.

Weekend Israeli attacks on Tehran’s petroleum storage facilities created especially severe psychological trauma for local residents. Following the explosions, massive blazes erupted while poisonous black smoke choked the atmosphere — though rainfall in subsequent days provided some relief.

“I could barely breathe and had to go buy an inhaler,” a 54-year-old Tehran resident who is a human-rights activist said. “People are worried it will affect their drinking water.” As she spoke to AP, a blast went off in the background.

In a later voice note on Tuesday, the activist said, “Last night the situation was really bad. Fighters as well as drones had taken over the whole sky. East, west, they hit everywhere they could. Today you see a lot of residential places that were damaged. It’s really painful.”

Regional tensions continue escalating as Iran launches repeated missile and drone assaults against Israeli territory, American military installations, and neighboring Persian Gulf nations.

The coordinated U.S.-Israeli aerial offensive has targeted thousands of locations throughout Iran, primarily focusing on military installations and Revolutionary Guard paramilitary facilities. Iranian Red Crescent officials report extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including medical centers, educational institutions, universities and residential buildings. Iranian authorities have not released updated casualty figures beyond the previously announced toll exceeding 1,200 deaths.

A 33-year-old engineer described the aftermath of the oil depot strikes as an “end-of-times scene.”

Iranian citizens struggle to obtain war updates, he explained, as internet connectivity has remained largely severed since initial strikes began February 28th. The engineer estimates only a small fraction of the population maintains limited online access through virtual private networks.

He relies on telephone calls with friends to learn bombing locations. Other citizens exchange strike information during tense gatherings in private homes and coffee shops.

Complete Israeli and American control of Tehran’s airspace enables attacks at any time without warning. The engineer recalled hearing fighter jets while walking his neighborhood street, followed by a nearby explosion that sent him diving under a park bench for protection.

A university student reported growing anxiety even among residents living far from obvious government and military installations.

“Every moment, without any warning sirens or announcement, some part of the city is under attack,” he said, describing some streets as full of broken glass from surrounding buildings.

Tehran, typically a bustling metropolis housing over 9 million people, now experiences unsettling quiet between bombing runs. While many retail stores and grocery markets remain operational, the traditional marketplace has closed and numerous streets sit empty as residents shelter at home. Families apply tape to windows preventing flying glass and retreat to interior rooms when hearing strike sounds.

A teacher residing in northern Tehran’s Vanak district learned that her friend’s eastern Tehran residence sustained damage from a nearby explosion that destroyed windows, broke plumbing fixtures and twisted the building’s garage door frame. Upon receiving this news by phone, “I was in a very bad shock,” the teacher said.

The teacher spends most time at home, accommodating family members who evacuated another Tehran area because they lived near Basij positions — the feared volunteer militia wing of the Revolutionary Guard. She paces continuously and attempts repeatedly to access internet services.

“I try to keep myself calm and tell myself, ‘This is the price we have to pay for getting rid of the Islamic Republic,’” she said.

U.S.-Israeli operations have concentrated heavily on Revolutionary Guard, Basij and police installations — the primary enforcement apparatus of Iran’s Islamic Republic that crushed earlier protests this year, resulting in thousands killed and tens of thousands imprisoned. This week, strikes targeted roadblocks and security checkpoints operated by Basij forces, with at least 18 locations hit Wednesday, predominantly in Tehran, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based monitoring organization.

Friday brought a massive explosion to a central Tehran plaza during a large pro-government rally.

Authorities appear to maintain control despite ongoing attacks. Residents report increased security force and Basij presence on city streets. One resident provided AP with video footage showing a Basij procession of motorcycles and vehicles displaying flags through her northern Tehran neighborhood. Local mosques broadcast pro-government messages, she noted.

During Monday evening state television programming, Ahmad-Reza Radan, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic’s security forces, warned that anyone taking to the streets in protests will be seen “as enemies, and we will deal with them as we would with the enemy. All our guys are ready to fire.”

Government officials have also mobilized supporters for street demonstrations, particularly following the announcement of Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. He replaces his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in Israel’s initial war strikes.

The younger Khamenei’s appointment signals continued hardliner control over Iranian leadership. He released his first public statement Thursday but has not made any public appearances.

Many Iranians remain traumatized from government crackdowns following massive anti-government demonstrations in January.

A 27-year-old nurse reported that her hospital’s surgical department continues treating protesters with severe injuries.

She characterized U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian leadership and security apparatus as “revenge” for protester killings and expressed satisfaction seeing security forces targeted.

However, the extensive damage from aerial campaigns concerns some Iranians hoping for the Islamic Republic’s collapse.

“It’s no longer about weakening the government. It’s gone toward weakening the people of Iran,” said the activist, who has been imprisoned in the past. “Do you really want to turn us into a scorched country, something the Islamic Republic couldn’t do itself?”

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged Friday that his administration recently engaged in diplomatic discussions with the United States, marking the first official confirmation of such negotiations by the Caribbean nation.

The Cuban leader explained that these discussions “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated these exchanges.”

Díaz-Canel declined to provide specifics about what international factors enabled the diplomatic engagement.

The Cuban president revealed that no oil deliveries have reached the island nation over the last three months, attributing this shortage to what he described as a U.S. energy blockade.

A widespread power outage struck Cuba’s western provinces last week, plunging millions of residents into darkness.

According to Díaz-Canel, while Cuba domestically produces 40% of its petroleum needs, the nation has been relying on its own power generation capabilities, which have proven inadequate to satisfy current energy demands.

The power shortage has disrupted communications, educational services, and transportation systems, forcing authorities to delay surgical procedures for tens of thousands of patients.

“The impact is tremendous,” he stated.

Díaz-Canel explained that the diplomatic discussions focused on identifying “bilateral problems that require solutions based on their severity and impact” and developing approaches to address them.

The president further elaborated that the goal was “to determine the willingness of both parties to take concrete actions for the benefit of the people of both countries. And in addition, to identify areas of cooperation to confront threats and guarantee the security and peace of both nations, as well as in the region.”

Describing the negotiations as a “highly sensitive process,” Díaz-Canel noted that it impacts relations between both nations and “demands enormous and significant efforts to find solutions and create spaces for understanding that will allow us to move away from confrontation.”

He emphasized that Cuba remains prepared to participate in this diplomatic process while maintaining equality and mutual respect for each nation’s political framework and Cuba’s “sovereignty and self-determination.”

Essential oil deliveries from Venezuela ceased following U.S. actions against the South American nation and the arrest of its leadership.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Unmanned aircraft operated by Haiti’s security personnel and contracted private companies have resulted in at least 1,243 fatalities and left 738 people wounded, according to a report released Tuesday by Human Rights Watch.

Among the casualties, 17 were minors and 43 were adults with no suspected ties to criminal organizations. The injured included at least 49 individuals believed to be non-combatants, the advocacy organization reported. These incidents occurred from March 1, 2025, through January 21, 2026.

The deadliest single drone strike resulted in 57 fatalities, the report stated.

“Haitian authorities should urgently rein in the security forces and private contractors working for them before more children die,” Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

Officials from Haiti’s National Police did not provide a response when contacted for comment.

The advocacy group reported that weaponized drone strikes in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital where criminal organizations control approximately 90% of the territory, have escalated dramatically in recent months. Between November and late January, 57 attacks were documented, nearly twice the 29 strikes recorded from August through October of the previous year.

Researchers from Human Rights Watch examined seven video recordings either posted on social platforms or provided directly to the organization, showing armed quadcopter drones in operation. Four of these videos were confirmed to have been filmed in Port-au-Prince.

“The videos show the repeated use of drones equipped with explosives to attack vehicles and people, some of them armed, but none who appear to be engaged in violent acts or pose any imminent threat to life,” the group said.

The rights organization found no evidence of widespread drone deployment by criminal organizations.

The report detailed a September 20, 2025 attack in the Simon Pele neighborhood, an impoverished area under the control of a gang sharing the same name.

The drone strike claimed nine lives, including three minors, and wounded at least eight additional people during preparations by the Simon Pele gang leader to hand out presents to local children.

Human Rights Watch included testimony from an unnamed local resident who described how the blast severed both feet from an infant.

A 6-year-old girl was among the fatalities, and her unidentified mother was quoted as saying, “In the spaces where the gangs are, there are innocent people, people who raise their children, who follow normal paths.”

According to the rights group, criminal organizations managed and restricted access to funeral services for the victims’ families.

“Some residents said that only people who accepted money or support from the criminal group had been allowed to attend the funeral,” the rights group said in its report.

On January 1 of this year, an unidentified woman described witnessing a drone crash and detonate on a truck carrying her cousin, resulting in her death.

“Many of these attacks appear to be attempts to target and kill people in circumstances that amount to unlawful, extrajudicial killings,” Human Rights Watch said.

“Authorities should also ensure transparency around and accountability for any unlawful death resulting from a security operation, and conduct prompt, thorough, and independent investigations to disclose, to the greatest extent possible, the number and identity of victims, and provide adequate reparation where violations have occurred,” the rights group added.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has declared that deploying deadly force against criminal groups in Haiti was excessive, disproportionate and potentially violated international law.

Haiti’s administration established a specialized task force in the previous year that operates independently from the National Police’s supervision and utilizes explosive-equipped drones. This unit combines select police divisions with private security contractors.

During mid-2025, Vectus Global, the security company led by former U.S. Navy Seal Erik Prince, planned to send approximately 200 personnel from multiple nations to Haiti under a twelve-month contract aimed at suppressing gang activity.

Haitian law enforcement is also collaborating with a United Nations-supported mission headed by Kenyan police officers, which continues to face funding shortages and staffing deficits. This mission is anticipated to transition into what officials call a gang suppression force in the coming months.

A Japanese hotel owner is taking radiation measurements as part of an effort to help rebuild communities that were abandoned following the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear catastrophe.

Tomoko Kobayashi, who operates an inn in the affected region, is among local residents who are collecting and sharing radiation data to help restore towns that were evacuated after the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant disaster struck Japan more than a decade ago.

The monitoring efforts by Kobayashi and others aim to provide crucial information needed to encourage former residents to return to their abandoned communities in the Fukushima area.

The story is featured in a photo collection assembled by Associated Press photographers.

ODAKA, Japan — Color-coded radiation charts line the walls of a family-owned inn where Tomoko Kobayashi works to restore life to her nearly empty hometown, fifteen years following the catastrophic nuclear accident at Fukushima.

Before reopening her establishment, Futabaya Ryokan, in 2016, Kobayashi performed her own radiation testing. Today, she collaborates with fellow monitors to collect and distribute radiation information as part of ongoing efforts to restore this formerly thriving textile community.

“These empty lots used to be filled with shops,” Kobayashi explains while walking toward a radiation testing facility, passing by the kindergarten she once attended as a youngster. The building now serves as a museum due to the shortage of children following the nuclear emergency.

“There used to be businesses, community activity and children playing,” she says. “We used to live our ordinary daily lives here, and I hope to see that again.”

Approximately one-third of Odaka’s original 13,000 residents have come back during the last ten years.

“The town was destroyed, and we need to rebuild it. It’s a time-consuming process that cannot be accomplished in just a couple of decades,” she said. “But I hope to see the progress, with new people and new development added to what this town used to be.”

On March 11, 2011, when a massive 9.0 earthquake hit Japan’s northeastern coastline at 2:46 p.m., Kobayashi was inside the Futabaya inn. While the structure withstood the intense trembling without collapse, approximately one hour afterward, tsunami waters flooded the kitchen “like a river,” she recalled.

An even larger wave struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, destroying critical cooling infrastructure and triggering meltdowns in three reactors.

The first reactor structure suffered damage from a hydrogen blast on March 12. Two days following, the Unit 3 reactor exploded, then the No. 4 reactor building, releasing radioactive materials that contaminated surrounding areas and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate. Certain regions remain uninhabitable today.

Kobayashi’s family initially went to a gymnasium in nearby Haramachi town, but found it at capacity. They ultimately reached Nagoya, where she and her spouse remained for one year.

In 2012, the pair returned to Fukushima to begin radiation monitoring while residing in temporary accommodations near Odaka, which remained restricted.

The community has shown some recovery since that time. Her visitors include students and others seeking to learn about Fukushima, plus individuals interested in establishing new enterprises.

“I had to understand what the nuclear accident was about. I thought someone had to go back and keep an eye out,” she said. Through continued monitoring, she began recognizing what had previously been invisible and comprehending radiation. “Now it has become my lifetime mission.”

Kobayashi and her colleagues meet twice annually, dedicating two weeks each session to measuring air quality at hundreds of sites to create their color-coded charts. They have also established a laboratory for testing local food to identify safe consumption options.

“We are not professional scientists, but we can measure and show the data. What’s important is to keep measuring, because the government maintains that it’s safe, as if radiation no longer exists,” she says. “But we know for a fact that it’s still there.”

Their laboratory sits adjacent to a free folklore museum featuring paintings, sculptures, photographs and other artwork inspired by the Fukushima catastrophe.

Fifteen years ago, the facility resembled a bombed industrial site due to hydrogen explosions at reactor buildings where employees risked their lives managing the crisis. Radiation measurements have dropped considerably, and the plant has constructed improved seawalls designed to resist another major tsunami. For the first time since the disaster, all reactor buildings now have enclosed rooftops.

“Our decommissioning work at the plant is about how to reduce risks of radiation,” says Akira Ono, head of decommissioning at the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings Company. Remote-controlled robotics, careful planning, and practice are essential for worker safety, he explained.

At Unit 1, beneath its new roof, top floor decontamination will commence before the scheduled removal of spent fuel from the cooling pool.

The three reactors hold at least 880 tons of melted fuel debris with radiation levels remaining dangerously elevated and details largely unknown.

TEPCO successfully extracted small melted fuel samples last year from the Unit 2 reactor. To examine melted fuel within the Unit 3 reactor, workers recently deployed micro-drones, technology unavailable 15 years ago, Ono noted.

TEPCO plans remote-controlled internal investigations to analyze melted fuel and develop robots for additional fuel debris removal that experts predict could require decades more.

Fukushima prefecture examines thousands of pre-distribution samples annually and reports all farm, fisheries and dairy products in stores are safe.

Sales of certain fruits, mushrooms, river fish and various other harvests from former restricted zones remain prohibited.

“Radiation levels have come down significantly over the past 15 years, but I wouldn’t use the word ‘safe,’ just yet,” says Yukio Shirahige, a former decontamination and radiation survey worker at Fukushima Daiichi who now assists Kobayashi’s monitoring project.

When he recently tested wild boar meat, he discovered it exceeded safety limits by more than 100 times and was unsuitable for consumption.

In a significant policy shift after a decade of working to eliminate nuclear technology, Japan in 2022 announced plans to accelerate reactor restarts and strengthen nuclear power as a reliable energy source.

Shirahige was at Fukushima Daiichi when the earthquake and tsunami occurred in 2011. After evacuating his family, he returned in late March to assist the emergency cleanup at the plant for six months.

Shirahige has received support and equipment from university researchers and oversees testing locally produced food and other samples.

Shirahige, now 76, says measuring radioactive material and sharing that data is his life’s work.

As the government promotes Fukushima’s safety and recovery, Shirahige says, “we are under growing pressure to be silent.”

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian authorities announced Friday they have created new legislation specifically designed to combat internet fraud operations, following their pledge to eliminate such centers by April’s conclusion.

The Southeast Asian nation has become a central location for fraudulent online activities, where criminals steal money from targets through fake investment opportunities and romantic deceptions. Global victims lose an estimated tens of billions of dollars each year to these schemes.

Simultaneously, thousands of individuals, particularly from neighboring Asian countries, have been lured by fraudulent employment promises and subsequently enslaved to work at these criminal operations under brutal conditions.

Information Minister Neth Pheaktra explained in a public statement: “This law is the most important legal instrument for Cambodia in combating scams online, fighting money laundering and demonstrating that Cambodia is not a paradise or a safe haven for criminals.”

The Cabinet-approved legislation establishes prison terms of five to 10 years alongside fines ranging from 500 million to 1 billion riels ($125,000-250,000) for those who establish or manage technology fraud operations. When human trafficking, violence, imprisonment, or confinement occurs, penalties increase to 10 to 20 years plus fines reaching 2 billion riels ($500,000). Deaths connected to scam operations carry sentences of 15 to 30 years, potentially life imprisonment. Some workers have perished attempting to flee these facilities.

Parliamentary approval remains necessary for the legislation to take effect.

Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who leads the Commission for Combating Online Scams, revealed to The Associated Press during a Wednesday conversation that authorities have investigated 250 suspected fraud locations since July, successfully closing approximately 200 operations.

Government prosecutors have initiated 79 criminal cases involving 697 suspected fraud leaders and accomplices since last July, Chhay Sinarith reported.

Nearly 10,000 scam operation workers from 23 nations have been sent home by Cambodian authorities, with under 1,000 individuals still awaiting repatriation. Additional workers have independently returned after escaping or being freed during raids.

Neth Pheaktra emphasized that officials “have made strong efforts to combat this crime in order to protect Cambodia’s reputation and economy, which have previously been damaged by online scams, and the government does not receive any revenue from these activities.”

Previous enforcement campaigns in Cambodia have occurred without significantly impacting scam operations, leading some analysts to question whether authorities can truly eliminate this criminal enterprise.

Harvard University Asia Center visiting fellow Jacob Sims, who specializes in transnational crime, stated: “The real question is whether this effort targets the system that enables the industry, not just the buildings where scams happen. Past crackdowns in Cambodia have often left the financial and protection networks intact, allowing operations to quickly reconstitute.”

Myanmar’s ruling military has expanded its aviation capabilities with newly acquired combat aircraft, according to state-controlled media reports released Friday, as government forces intensify campaigns to reclaim territory from opposition groups in the nation’s ongoing civil conflict.

While the state-operated Global New Light of Myanmar publication did not detail the exact quantity or specifications of the aircraft additions, military-released photographs indicate the acquisition of four fighter jets, including a pair of Russian-manufactured Su-30 aircraft commonly deployed for aerial bombardment and combat operations.

This marks the sixth aircraft commissioning since the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected administration in February 2021, sparking widespread armed opposition throughout Myanmar.

Both Russia and China serve as primary backers and weapons providers to Myanmar’s military leadership, while Western countries have implemented sanctions that include bans on military equipment sales.

According to the publication, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s military chief, stated that maintaining a robust air force is essential to “protect the state interest effectively.”

The general further noted that the air force has proven its effectiveness in past anti-insurgency campaigns, counterterrorism efforts, and operations defending against foreign threats, the report indicated.

Myanmar’s military administration has surrendered significant portions of national territory to pro-democracy People’s Defense Forces and ethnic militant organizations. Government forces have escalated recapture operations and achieved multiple combat victories, though their aerial bombardments have frequently resulted in civilian deaths.

The opposition National Unity Government, which organizes resistance against military control, and the Karen National Union, an ethnic armed organization battling government troops, issued separate Monday statements claiming approximately 30 to 40 fatalities occurred when military forces deployed drones, fighter aircraft, and artillery during ground operations in lower-central Bago region villages from March 5 through March 7.

The influential Arakan Army ethnic militia, operating in western Rakhine state, announced Wednesday that 116 detained army personnel, including officers imprisoned at an Ann township facility, perished during aerial bombardments conducted by eight military aircraft on Sunday.

Military officials have not acknowledged any operations in Bago or Rakhine regions. Independent verification of these claims remains unavailable.

Nay Phone Latt, an NUG representative, informed the Associated Press that acquiring additional aircraft aims to intensify ongoing bombardments of civilian locations.

“The military continues targeting civilians and conducting mass executions. The international community must not ignore this situation,” he stated.

The Global New Light of Myanmar additionally reported that military forces have regained control of the historic town of Tagaung in northern Mandalay following an extended offensive campaign.

Tagaung, situated approximately 170 kilometers north of Mandalay, the nation’s second-most populous city, had remained under NUG-aligned forces’ control since August 2024.

Retaking Tagaung, the final NUG-controlled municipality in Mandalay Region, represents another significant defeat for opposition organizations resisting military rule.

Nay Phone Latt explained that resistance fighters retreated from the town after military forces initiated an assault deploying substantial troop numbers and heavy armaments, though they continue maintaining positions in surrounding areas.

MEXICO CITY – Following a high-profile operation that eliminated a notorious cartel boss, Mexico’s Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch has found himself transformed into an unexpected commercial sensation, with his likeness appearing on toys, household items, and novelty products across the country.

The 44-year-old minister’s image has become ubiquitous on Mexican merchandise after the February 22 operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio Oseguera, the infamous leader known as El Mencho who headed the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Products featuring Garcia Harfuch’s face have taken Mexican markets by storm, including miniature figurines nicknamed “Harfuchitos,” decorative items, bedding, and even action figures styled as superheroes or in various states of undress. His appeal has earned him celebrity status typically reserved for entertainers rather than government officials.

Political experts believe Garcia Harfuch could emerge as a serious presidential candidate when the 2030 election cycle begins, following the conclusion of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. Current polling data suggests he leads other potential candidates, including Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who previously pursued the presidency in 2023.

The transformation of a government minister into collectible merchandise represents an unusual phenomenon in Mexico, where such treatment is generally limited to former presidents and popular cultural figures like Dr. Simi, the beloved pharmacy mascot.

Garcia Harfuch’s rise to fame intensified dramatically after leading the successful mission against El Mencho. The operation held personal significance for the security chief, who held El Mencho responsible for a 2020 attack that wounded him with three bullets and claimed the lives of two protection officers.

Attempts to reach Garcia Harfuch for his perspective on the merchandising trend were unsuccessful.

Carolina Garcia, who operates a custom printing enterprise in Tlaxcala state, described the minister’s widespread appeal. “He is Mexico’s crush,” she explained. “Of course, we get more orders from women, as gifts, but we’ve also gotten some orders from men.”

Digital platforms have embraced the phenomenon, with computer-generated advertisements showing Garcia Harfuch endorsing various products, alongside mobile applications enabling users to create fictional photos with the minister.

Major e-commerce sites have capitalized on the trend, with MercadoLibre featuring Garcia Harfuch blankets among their top-selling items, while Amazon offers large decorative throws featuring his image.

Ingrid Rebeca Sanchez, a 22-year-old designer at a Mexico City manufacturing facility, reported that initial sales were modest, but demand skyrocketed following El Mencho’s elimination. The factory now moves up to 150 blankets daily, with orders arriving from American customers.

The facility has pivoted almost entirely to Garcia Harfuch products, with Sanchez developing new items including collectible figurines and full-sized decorative pillows.

“All the ladies love him, they want to sleep with him, they want to dry themselves off with him,” she observed. “He’s Mexico’s new daddy.”

SAO PAULO – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was rushed to a medical facility in the early hours of Friday morning after becoming sick while in custody, according to his son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

The imprisoned ex-leader experienced chills and nausea upon waking, prompting his transfer to hospital care, his son reported through a social media post on X on March 13th.

Bolsonaro, who previously served as Brazil’s president, is currently being held in detention when the medical emergency occurred.

Chinese trade officials announced Tuesday that the country’s export activity jumped nearly 22% during the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, powered by expanding commercial relationships beyond the United States.

The trade data, published by China’s customs department, significantly outperformed analyst expectations and represented a dramatic acceleration from December’s 6.6% annual growth rate.

Import activity also showed strength, climbing almost 20% in January-February versus the previous year’s 5.7% December increase. Meanwhile, Chinese purchases from the United States fell by nearly 27% year-over-year.

Export performance has remained a key economic driver for China even amid strained US relations. The nation’s overseas sales grew 5.5% in 2025 while achieving a record trade surplus approaching $1.2 trillion. Increased shipments to European and Latin American markets helped compensate for a 20% decline in US-bound exports as President Donald Trump implemented broader tariff policies on global imports.

China recorded a $213.6 billion global trade surplus for the January-February period. Officials typically report combined figures for these months to account for seasonal variations caused by Lunar New Year celebrations, the nation’s most significant annual holiday.

The world’s second-largest economy continues facing headwinds from an extended property market decline that has dampened domestic activity. Chinese officials recently set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026, marking the lowest goal since 1991.

Middle Eastern conflicts have created additional uncertainty for trade prospects and China’s energy supply chains. A potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical pathway for global oil and gas shipments, could limit China’s access to affordable Iranian petroleum while disrupting broader regional commerce.

Bank of America economists noted in a recent analysis that a US Supreme Court decision limiting Trump’s comprehensive tariff program, which has already reduced duties on several nations including China, may “provide modest support to Chinese exports.”

Trump’s scheduled Beijing visit in late March is drawing significant attention as observers watch for possible extension of the trade agreement between both countries established last October, which could benefit Chinese exports to America.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Following Iran’s widespread drone assault on Gulf nations early Friday morning, President Donald Trump issued harsh threats of retaliation against what he called Iran’s leadership.

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to deliver a stark warning: “Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth.”

The president’s remarks followed Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s promise to “not refrain from avenging the blood” of fallen Iranians, while demanding Gulf nations close American military installations, calling U.S. protection “nothing more than a lie.”

A significant explosion disrupted Tehran’s Ferdowsi Square during the annual Quds Day rally supporting Palestinians, according to Iranian state media. Israel had issued advance warnings for civilians to evacuate the area before conducting planned operations. The blast’s aftermath showed demonstrators shouting “God is the greatest” amid rising smoke, though casualty reports remained unavailable.

Despite ongoing military action, thousands participated in Quds Day demonstrations, with crowds shouting “death to Israel” and “death to America.”

U.S. Central Command confirmed that four crew members from an American KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq were found deceased, with search operations continuing for two remaining personnel. Additionally, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a French soldier’s death in northern Iraq.

Global energy markets remain volatile as Brent crude oil prices stay above $100 per barrel, with Iran maintaining its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This critical shipping lane handles one-fifth of worldwide oil transport from the Persian Gulf. Oil costs have surged approximately 40% since the conflict began on February 28, reaching peaks near $120 per barrel.

Khamenei, speaking publicly for the first time since replacing his father who died early in the conflict, pledged continued disruption of the waterway.

Saudi Arabia reported intercepting nearly 50 Iranian drones launched in multiple attack waves. In Oman, two fatalities occurred when drones struck an industrial facility in Sohar. Bahrain activated warning sirens for incoming attacks, while Dubai experienced fires in industrial zones from intercepted drone debris.

The Dubai International Financial Center, housing major banks and trading firms, sustained damage from interception debris. Iran had previously announced its intention to target financial institutions following airstrikes on a Tehran bank.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired rocket barrages into northern Israel, wounding nearly 60 people with mostly minor injuries. Israeli forces responded with strikes in southwestern Beirut, killing one person, and targeted a Hezbollah member’s residence.

An Israeli attack in eastern Lebanon killed two sons of a local Muslim Brotherhood official while wounding their father. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports over 600 deaths since fighting commenced, with nearly 800,000 people internally displaced according to UN refugee agencies.

Israeli military officials announced strikes against more than 200 Iranian targets within 24 hours, including missile systems, defense installations, and weapons manufacturing facilities.

Before the Tehran square explosion, Israel’s military posted warnings in Farsi on social media, stating it would “conduct operations” in the area and warning that “your presence in these areas puts your life at risk.” The message’s reach remained unclear due to Iran’s internet restrictions.

Iranian security official Ali Larijani, participating in Quds Day events, characterized the suspected Israeli attack as a “sign of its desperation.”

Iranian officials claim more than 1,300 casualties on their side, while Israel reports 12 deaths. American forces have lost at least 11 soldiers with eight others severely wounded.

Trump elaborated on his military stance Friday morning, stating: “we are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise.”

“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them,” Trump declared. “What a great honor it is to do so!”

Larijani responded that Trump fails to recognize that “the more pressure he puts on the people, the greater their willpower will be.”

The French soldier’s death occurred during an attack on Irbil in Iraq’s Kurdish region, where French forces operate under a multinational counterterrorism mission supporting Iraqi troops against Islamic State militants. Six additional French soldiers were previously injured in Irbil drone strikes.

British officials confirmed minor injuries to several U.S. personnel Wednesday when drones hit an Irbil base housing both British and American troops. Italy reported strikes on its Irbil facility without casualties, where Italian forces train Kurdish troops at Iraq’s government request.

Search operations continue in western Iraq for the remaining two crew members of the crashed KC-135 refueling plane. U.S. Central Command stated the crash resulted from neither friendly nor hostile fire, involving two aircraft with one landing safely.

This KC-135 represents the fourth publicly acknowledged U.S. military aircraft loss during Iranian operations. Last week, three American fighter jets were accidentally destroyed by Kuwaiti friendly fire.

A relatively unknown Brazilian banker managed to cultivate relationships with some of the country’s most influential political figures before becoming the center of a massive fraud investigation that has sent shockwaves through Brazil’s capital.

Daniel Vorcaro, who led Banco Master through its rapid but puzzling expansion, had quietly assembled a network of contacts spanning Supreme Court justices, congressional leaders, and central bank executives. However, his recent second arrest in connection with an alleged multibillion-dollar fraud has exposed this web of connections through leaked cellphone data obtained by federal investigators.

“This case represents a ticking time bomb,” stated Senator Alessandro Vieira, who advocates for a congressional investigation into Vorcaro’s ties with Supreme Court members.

“Very powerful figures in the Republic have clear involvement,” Vieira added, noting his party’s position within the ruling coalition.

The scandal has already claimed several high-profile casualties. Two central bank officials lost their positions after regulators discovered they had provided advice to Vorcaro. Supreme Court Justice Dias Toffoli removed himself from overseeing the federal fraud investigation when media reports exposed his family company’s financial connections to the banker. Toffoli released a statement denying he ever received payments from Master or Vorcaro.

Text messages from July revealed Vorcaro’s frustration as he fought to prevent his bank’s closure, telling his girlfriend that “this bank business … is just like the mafia,” suggesting Brazil’s major lenders were targeting Master.

Investigation files indicate Vorcaro allegedly planned to intimidate perceived enemies, including a journalist, with assistance from an associate he referred to as “Sicario” – a term used for Mexican cartel assassins, according to leaked federal police documents.

Vorcaro’s legal team issued a denial, stating their client committed no irregularities or fraud, never intimidated journalists, corrupted public officials, or interfered with law enforcement activities.

The 42-year-old Vorcaro began his career in his family’s property business before entering finance by purchasing a struggling bank, which he renamed Banco Master in 2021 for real estate financing.

His banking inexperience and casual dress style – favoring open-collar shirts without ties – distinguished him from Brazil’s traditionally formal financial sector.

Master’s business practices drew regulatory attention. The institution offered debt securities with above-market returns by investing in high-risk assets, including anticipated government lawsuit settlements that could take years to materialize.

The bank’s primary selling point was deposit protection through the Credit Guarantee Fund, supported by mandatory bank contributions.

When regulators strengthened capital requirements for legal settlement-backed securities in 2023, Master faced a liquidity emergency.

Vorcaro pledged to raise $3 billion within a year to resolve the crisis.

In a 2025 statement, Vorcaro attributed his failure to address the crisis to a “reputational campaign against the bank” and anticompetitive actions by Brazil’s largest banks.

Police investigation documents reviewed by Reuters show that even as Master struggled financially, Vorcaro spent millions on events apparently designed to strengthen his political connections.

In April 2024, he financed a $6 million “ideas forum” in London that drew Supreme Court justices and the Federal Police chief. The event concluded with a $640,000 Macallan whisky tasting session.

Vorcaro also employed the wife of Brazil’s most influential Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes, as the bank’s attorney. Viviane Barci de Moraes’ office detailed various services provided to the bank while emphasizing it never represented Master before the Supreme Court.

Former finance minister Guido Mantega, serving as another adviser, helped arrange a December meeting between Vorcaro, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the central bank governor to discuss his claimed battle against major banks. Mantega did not respond to comment requests.

In a recent UOL website interview, Lula said he informed Vorcaro there would be no political intervention in his bank’s situation, only “a technical investigation conducted by the central bank.”

A meeting attendee confirmed the president’s account to Reuters.

Vorcaro’s underdog story contrasted sharply with reports of his lavish spending habits.

His Saint-Tropez party for his girlfriend in 2025, featuring private jet transportation for over 30 guests, attracted significant attention.

Reuters reviewed documents showing Vorcaro spent at least $120 million on luxury travel and entertainment between 2024 and April 2025. The source of these funds remains unknown.

Central bank official Ailton de Aquino Santos testified that a bank of Master’s size, with 80 billion reais ($15 billion) in assets, should maintain 3-4 billion reais in unencumbered securities for liquidity, equivalent to $530-700 million.

However, 2024 regulatory examinations found Master held only 4 million reais in cash, Santos told investigators.

Vorcaro and supporters pursued multiple strategies to save the bank after regulators identified liquidity issues, including securing hundreds of millions from public employee pension funds, seeking congressional assistance, and attempting to sell Master to a state-owned institution.

These efforts proved unsuccessful.

Investigation documents suggest Vorcaro sent text messages to an unknown recipient in November in what appeared to be a final attempt to prevent collapse: “Did you manage to block it?” one message read.

Police arrested Vorcaro that evening at a São Paulo airport, believing he intended to flee Brazil. The central bank liquidated Master the following day. Though initially released by a judge, police arrested him again last week, claiming he was obstructing the investigation.

O Globo newspaper later reported that Vorcaro’s arrest-day text messages had been sent to Justice de Moraes, which the judge denies.

Vorcaro’s extensive political connections have created anxiety in Brasilia about potential additional investigation targets, according to Vieira.

“Facts influence politics,” he observed. “And the facts are very alarming, it’s impossible to hide them.”

Four American service members lost their lives when their KC-135 refueling plane went down in western Iraq while conducting operations against Iran, military officials announced.

U.S. Central Command, responsible for Middle East operations, reported that six crew members were aboard the aircraft when it crashed following an undisclosed incident involving two planes in “friendly airspace.” The second aircraft involved made a safe landing.

This marks the fourth confirmed U.S. military aircraft loss during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The KC-135 Stratotanker serves as the Air Force’s primary aerial refueling platform, enabling other aircraft to extend their range and operational time without returning to base. Military specialists note these planes also handle medical evacuations and surveillance duties.

Built on the same framework as the Boeing 707 commercial airliner, these tankers have served for over six decades, supporting Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps operations alongside allied forces, according to Air Force documentation. The military plans to eventually replace these aging aircraft with the newer KC-46A Pegasus tankers.

Concerns about the fleet’s dependability have grown due to their advanced age and ongoing mechanical issues.

“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” said Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He added that the transition to the KC-46A has progressed more slowly than expected.

Congressional Research Service data shows the Air Force operated 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 in active service, 163 assigned to the Air National Guard, and 62 with Air Force Reserve units.

Standard KC-135 crews consist of three personnel: a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. Medical staff join the crew for evacuation missions.

Fuel transfer operations occur at the aircraft’s rear section, where the boom operator manages a retractable fuel line that connects to fighters, bombers, and other military aircraft. Many boom operators work in a prone position while monitoring operations through a window beneath the plane.

Certain KC-135 variants can also transfer fuel through wing-mounted pods. These aircraft feature cargo and passenger space above their fuel storage areas when needed.

Yang suggested that refueling aircraft could become increasingly vital if the Iran conflict continues, as American warplanes may require extended missions to target Iranian forces withdrawing further inland.

Central Command confirmed four crew members died in the crash while search and rescue operations continue for the remaining two. Officials stated the investigation is ongoing but ruled out “hostile or friendly fire” as the cause.

An unnamed U.S. official revealed the second aircraft was also a KC-135. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter confirmed on X that the other plane successfully landed in Israel.

Yang noted that enemy fire rarely targets refueling tankers since these operations typically occur away from front-line combat areas.

The incident follows last week’s accidental downing of three U.S. F-15E fighter jets by friendly Kuwaiti forces.

Previous KC-135 accidents include a fatal crash on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R went down after takeoff near Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, during Afghanistan War support operations.

Air Force investigators determined the crew battled rudder problems in that incident. As they attempted to regain control, the tail section separated and the aircraft exploded in flight, killing all three aboard.

The most catastrophic midair collision involving these aircraft occurred in 1966 when a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber collided with a tanker near Palomares, Spain.

That accident destroyed the tanker and killed four crew members. The disaster required extensive cleanup efforts after conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated upon ground impact, spreading radioactive material.

Financial markets around the world are experiencing renewed uncertainty as conflicting messages emerge from Washington and Tehran regarding the ongoing military conflict.

President Donald Trump initially offered reassurance to investors, stating the Iran war was “very complete” and might be “over soon.” These comments provided temporary relief to global markets that had been volatile following Monday’s dramatic trading session.

However, Iran’s military leadership quickly dismissed the president’s optimistic assessment. “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” declared Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, effectively rejecting any suggestion that hostilities were winding down.

The contradictory statements prompted Trump to escalate his rhetoric, warning he would strike Iran “TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

Oil markets reflected the uncertainty, with Brent crude prices initially plummeting 11% to reach $88.05 per barrel before recovering to show a more modest 4.8% decline as traders evaluated the competing claims.

Despite the geopolitical tensions, many stock markets managed to maintain recent gains. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index climbed 2.1%, while South Korea’s Kospi index soared as much as 6.6%. The broader Asia-Pacific market index excluding Japan rose 2.2%, helping to offset losses accumulated since the conflict began.

European markets appeared positioned for continued growth, with regional futures indicating a 1.0% increase, German DAX futures up 1.0%, and FTSE futures showing modest 0.4% gains.

American equity futures presented a more cautious picture, with S&P 500 mini-futures declining 0.5%, partially reversing Monday’s recovery.

In other economic developments, Chinese trade data revealed accelerating export growth during the January-February period, positioning the world’s second-largest economy to potentially exceed its record $1.2 trillion trade surplus by 2026.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s trade ministry announced it would encourage businesses to implement work-from-home policies to conserve fuel amid supply disruptions and price increases caused by the Iran conflict – a move reminiscent of pandemic-era restrictions implemented nearly five years ago.

Tuesday’s market-moving events include earnings reports from Oracle, Volkswagen, Persimmon, and Kohl’s, along with Germany’s January trade balance data and a German government debt auction.

HAVANA, March 13 – In an uncommon move, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel plans to speak with domestic journalists Friday morning as his country grapples with mounting economic difficulties and heightened tensions with the Trump administration.

Cuban officials announced Thursday evening that Diaz-Canel will hold the media session at 7:30 a.m. EDT to discuss matters of national and international significance. While such presidential media encounters are unusual in Cuba, international journalists were not extended invitations, and any questions posed will likely come from pre-selected Cuban reporters.

Officials described Friday’s session as building upon Diaz-Canel’s February 5 remarks, during which he cautioned that Cuba might need to implement drastic measures due to ongoing economic hardships, widespread electrical outages, and fuel scarcities worsened by Trump’s petroleum embargo against the island nation.

During that earlier appearance, Diaz-Canel also expressed Cuba’s openness to diplomatic dialogue with Washington, provided Cuba receives respectful treatment without threats or predetermined conditions.

The Cuban leader may respond to Trump’s repeated claims that high-level negotiations between American and Cuban officials are already taking place. While Cuban authorities have rejected assertions of formal diplomatic meetings, they haven’t categorically dismissed reports suggesting informal communications channels exist.

Following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the removal of Cuba’s primary international supporter in January, Trump has blocked Venezuelan petroleum deliveries to Cuba and warned of potential tariffs against nations selling oil to the Caribbean island.

Trump has recently made several public statements suggesting Cuba faces imminent collapse or seeks an agreement with America. This Monday, he mentioned Cuba might experience a “friendly takeover,” before adding the caveat that “it may not be a friendly takeover.”

Japanese officials say their country will announce participation in President Trump’s ambitious missile defense program during next week’s Washington summit, with expectations that the US may soon request help producing military equipment.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to reveal Japan’s commitment to the “Golden Dome” initiative when she sits down with President Trump on March 19 in Washington D.C., according to two government sources who spoke anonymously about the sensitive discussions.

Trump unveiled his Golden Dome concept last year with hopes of completing it by 2028. The program aims to enhance current ground-based missile interceptor systems by adding experimental space-based technology designed to spot, monitor and potentially neutralize incoming threats from orbit.

However, the initiative has shown limited concrete advancement to date, and specifics about Japan’s role remain undetermined.

The Yomiuri newspaper broke the story Friday, reporting that Tokyo views the program as potential protection against advanced hypersonic weapons currently under development by China and Russia.

Japanese officials believe Trump may ask their nation to manufacture or jointly develop missiles to replenish American weapons supplies that have been exhausted by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and American support for Ukraine, the sources indicated. Tokyo is still weighing how it would handle such requests.

In a significant policy shift late last year, Japan shipped Patriot surface-to-air missiles manufactured under licensing agreements to the United States, marking the first time the country exported lethal weapons after decades of prohibition.

The current administration is urging defense manufacturers to increase production of missiles and ammunition that have been depleted in recent conflicts. Meanwhile, Japan seeks to strengthen its own weapons stockpiles as a deterrent against China’s growing assertiveness and North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.

Patriot missile systems have proven essential in stopping hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeting Gulf nations since the US and Israel began their aerial campaign against Iran this month.

Ukrainian forces have also depended on Patriot systems to protect critical energy facilities and military installations throughout Russia’s invasion that began in 2022.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Military forces in South Africa have successfully shut down unlawful gold mining activities in a community located near Johannesburg, causing illegal operators to abandon their sites and equipment while fleeing the area.

Law enforcement and military personnel seized numerous pieces of mining equipment, including power generators and drilling machinery — items that were photographed by an Associated Press journalist on Thursday.

Temporary excavation sites containing food provisions and cooking equipment belonging to the miners were also destroyed, with personal belongings scattered throughout the area after the operators escaped from the location in Randfontein, situated approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Johannesburg.

These actions represent an uncommon decision by the government to send military personnel into some of the nation’s highest-crime regions, including areas in Western Cape province where Cape Town is located and Gauteng province, which serves as an economic center.

Illegal mining activities flourish in the region due to numerous deserted mine shafts surrounding Johannesburg’s outskirts, where well-armed criminal organizations and unofficial miners called ‘zama zamas’ descend into the shafts seeking remaining gold deposits or other valuable minerals.

Mining without proper government authorization is prohibited, and conditions in many locations pose serious safety risks.

Additional provinces containing abandoned mining sites, including North West and Mpumalanga, have also witnessed extensive illegal mining activities, sometimes resulting in deadly outcomes.

Government officials estimate approximately 30,000 unauthorized miners operate throughout South Africa, working within roughly 6,000 deserted mining shafts.

Officials have documented rising illegal mining activity, calculating that criminal organizations steal over $4 billion worth of gold annually.

The illegal trade appears to be primarily managed by individuals from nearby countries including Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, creating tensions within South African communities toward both criminal leaders and foreign residents in local areas.

During Thursday’s parliamentary questioning, President Cyril Ramaphosa explained that military deployment would occur alongside additional measures, including enhanced anti-gang units and specialized illegal mining task forces.

‘The police will also be working with the National Prosecuting Authority on multi-disciplinary task teams to target the leadership, finances, firearms and logistics of these criminal networks,’ Ramaphosa said.

Travelers worldwide are facing massive financial losses and trip disruptions as the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran forces airlines to cancel flights and close airspace across the Middle East region.

Natasha Earle, an accountant from Dardanup in Western Australia, is experiencing firsthand the financial impact of the war. Her family’s planned five-week European vacation – which they booked through Emirates last May to visit London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Rome – now costs an additional A$10,000 ($7,000) due to necessary rerouting around the conflict zone.

“We’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on this holiday,” Earle explained, with her departure scheduled for later this month during what experts call the most significant global travel disruption since COVID-19. “We should get at least half of that back from Emirates eventually.”

The crisis highlights how regional conflicts can instantly paralyze international aviation, since the Gulf region serves as a crucial hub for worldwide commercial flights. Rising costs, reduced capacity, and shattered vacation plans are becoming commonplace as the situation continues.

Aircraft have been forced to circle near Dubai regularly due to drone and missile attacks as the conflict enters its third week. The disruption is severely affecting Middle Eastern tourism, an industry valued at approximately $367 billion per year for the region.

Data from Cirium shows that Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways collectively transport over half of all passengers traveling between Europe and Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding Pacific islands under normal circumstances.

The war has resulted in widespread airspace closures throughout the Middle East due to missile and drone threats, leading to tens of thousands of flight cancellations, route changes, and schedule modifications globally, affecting millions of travelers.

Jacob Brown, a 34-year-old New Zealand citizen residing in Doha, Qatar, was forced to drive across the Saudi Arabian desert to Riyadh to catch a London-bound flight after Qatar Airways canceled his direct flight to New Zealand, where he was scheduled to serve as best man at a wedding.

His journey, which typically takes under 24 hours, stretched to several days due to closed airspace, additional flight complications, delays and missing luggage.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking flying out of Riyadh just considering that that morning, there had been a few missile interceptions south of the capital,” Brown recounted.

Aditya Kushwaha, an Australian disability support worker from Orange near Sydney, has planned a family trip to London and Paris from April 13-29 through Emirates via Dubai, but remains uncertain whether the journey will proceed.

“We are very much in a dilemma of what to do,” Kushwaha stated, estimating potential losses exceeding $10,000 if he cancels, with the financial ability to reschedule potentially years away.

Australian traveler Kellee Smith describes how her “dream holiday” to Europe scheduled for late March – planned a full year in advance – has transformed into a “nightmare” costing her roughly A$5,500 in additional expenses.

“I’ve had many sleepless nights as I was stressed thinking I’m going to lose my dream holiday … and all the money we paid,” Smith shared.

She awaits an Emirates refund exceeding A$4,000 while securing alternative flights through Cathay Pacific and Qantas that route through Asia instead of the Middle East.

The conflict has significantly reduced the already limited flight corridor options for long-distance routes between Europe and Asia, creating operational challenges for international airlines and driving ticket prices dramatically higher.

As the war impacts businesses globally and pushes oil prices upward, concerns about jet fuel costs and availability are pressuring airlines. Many carriers are implementing fuel surcharges while others, including Air New Zealand, are reducing flight schedules.

The International Energy Agency reports that the war is generating the largest oil supply disruption in recorded history. Some analysts warn that airlines could face jet fuel shortages within weeks, with Vietnam announcing this week that aviation fuel shortages could begin as early as April due to the conflict.

In Bath, England, John Moore, 81, and his wife Pauline – who call themselves “travel virgins” – paid “a couple of hundred pounds” extra to switch their Brisbane-bound flights from Qatar Airways to Qantas, choosing to transit through Singapore rather than the Middle East.

“We decided we’d rather pay the extra to book via Singapore, which is no guarantee, but clearly it’s likely to be safer than the current route,” Moore told reporters.

Some travelers are avoiding the risk entirely. Sumit Sharma, a Sydney resident employed by Westpac Banking Corp., had originally planned Etihad Airways travel to Dubai with his family but changed destinations after confirming refund eligibility.

“We changed the plan from the Middle East to Hong Kong,” Sharma explained, noting his switch to Cathay Pacific and excitement about taking his son to Disneyland.

Shobana Gopal, a senior consultant with Alliance Insurance in Sydney, redirected her family’s travel plans to China instead of flying through Dubai to reach Austria.

“We’re going to three cities in China,” Gopal announced.

Qantas reports increased passenger preference for European routes via the United States, other Asian cities, and Johannesburg, South Africa, utilizing their partner airline network.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific announced this week that the airline is experiencing “drastic changes in terms of demand patterns due to the Middle East situation,” while budget carrier Ryanair noted a booking surge for European destinations as travelers avoid Middle Eastern routes.

Lufthansa reported surging demand for European routes, with the German airline noting that 12-month advance bookings for direct Asian flights increased 75% compared to the previous year.

“The large Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates and Etihad can’t fly the routes they should, and therefore the European and Asian airlines have to pick up that traffic,” explained aviation specialist Hans Joergen Elnaes.

JAKARTA – Indonesian foreign ministry officials announced Friday that a scheduled gathering of eight prominent Muslim developing nations has been postponed from its planned April dates due to continuing conflict in the Middle East region.

The economic cooperation summit was originally planned for April 13-15 in Jakarta and would have brought together representatives from the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation member countries.

This organization, founded in 1997, includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey, spanning from Southeast Asia across to Africa with a focus on enhancing economic partnerships among member states.

Senior foreign ministry official Tri Tharyat informed reporters that officials have not yet established a replacement date for the postponed conference.

The ongoing military actions between the United States and Israel against Iran, which began February 28, have prompted retaliatory strikes from Iran targeting both Israel and Gulf nations hosting American military installations.

The last D-8 summit took place in Egypt during 2024.

Authorities in the Netherlands have launched an investigation following an intentional fire set at a Rotterdam synagogue during the early morning hours on Friday, marking another incident in a series of suspected antisemitic attacks occurring internationally.

The blaze caused no injuries and has been extinguished, according to local law enforcement officials, who report no suspects have been taken into custody at this time.

Rotterdam police detailed the incident on social media, stating: “Around 3:40 a.m., a fire was started at the synagogue.” Officials added that “The fire burned for a short time before extinguishing,” and are requesting anyone with information or evidence to contact authorities.

This attack follows a similar incident earlier this week when a synagogue in Belgium, located approximately 124 miles from the Rotterdam site, was damaged by an explosion on Monday. Belgian officials have classified that incident as an antisemitic attack, though it also resulted in no casualties.

Across the Atlantic, another violent incident occurred in Michigan, where a Lebanese-born American citizen deliberately drove his vehicle into a synagogue and its affiliated preschool before being fatally shot by authorities.

Security concerns for Jewish communities worldwide have intensified amid ongoing tensions following recent military actions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, including airstrikes and retaliatory responses between the nations.

SALLA, Finland (AP) — Hundreds of spectators gathered in the icy Finnish community of Salla over the weekend to witness the annual Salla Reindeer Cup, a time-honored racing tradition that has captivated audiences for generations.

The weekend event showcased Finland’s longstanding reindeer racing heritage, drawing enthusiasts to the frozen northern town on both Saturday and Sunday for the competitive spectacle.

This coverage features a collection of images selected by Associated Press photography staff.

BEIJING, March 13 – Chinese officials on Friday criticized a recent United States trade investigation examining alleged excessive industrial production capacity, stating they maintain the authority to implement counter-responses as both countries prepare for upcoming trade discussions this weekend.

According to China’s Commerce Ministry statement, the United States lacks authority to “unilaterally” assess whether a trade partner maintains “overcapacity” via its Section 301 investigation process and implement one-sided restrictive actions.

When the US announced its investigations Wednesday targeting excessive industrial capacity and forced labor practices, China was identified among the trade partners under scrutiny.

The ministry stated that China is evaluating these investigations and maintains the authority to implement all necessary actions to protect its rights and interests.

On Friday, a representative from China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the forced labor accusations, describing them as “a lie concocted by the U.S.”

These trade investigations contribute to challenging topics that Beijing and Washington must address while preparing for US President Donald Trump’s scheduled Beijing visit at March’s end to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

China’s Commerce Ministry confirmed Friday that the France trade discussions are anticipated to establish foundations for the upcoming summit.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will head a delegation to France from March 14 through March 17 for these negotiations, while the American delegation is anticipated to feature Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

This represents the sixth negotiation round since Trump previously targeted Beijing with increased tariffs last year. Beijing responded with export restrictions on essential minerals and implemented its own tariff actions, elevating import duties on mutual goods to restrictive amounts.

Following a ceasefire achieved through earlier negotiations and a leaders’ meeting in South Korea during late October, both China and the United States have subsequently reversed most of their trade restrictions.

Municipal candidates across France are making data center opposition a central campaign issue as the country prepares for local elections on March 15 and 22.

In Le Bourget, a suburb outside Paris, mayoral candidate Sofiane Milous is promising to block a proposed data center that he argues will increase local temperatures, add noise pollution, and provide minimal employment opportunities for residents.

The former judo champion, campaigning on an environmental platform, criticized the push for artificial intelligence infrastructure as inadequate compensation for the industrial jobs his working-class community lost when manufacturer Alstom closed its facility thirty years ago.

“We lost an industry that gave us a livelihood, even if it polluted, and now we face this new ‘industry 4.0’ that doesn’t create jobs for residents,” Milous stated.

While President Emmanuel Macron has promoted data centers as essential for France’s technological sovereignty and announced plans for 109 billion euros in private investment, community opposition continues mounting due to electrical grid concerns, environmental issues, and American technology companies’ market dominance.

Reuters identified candidates in at least ten municipalities, including major cities like Marseille and Bordeaux, who are either opposing new data facilities or demanding construction pauses and increased public disclosure.

The municipal races will determine control of more than 35,000 local government seats and serve as an indicator of far-right political strength before the 2027 presidential election.

This resistance movement parallels similar trends throughout Europe and America, where rapid data center expansion has created political controversy over energy consumption and technology companies’ community impact.

Ireland exemplifies these tensions, with data centers consuming 22 percent of the nation’s electricity supply. Opposition parties have criticized the government’s decision to end a four-year connection moratorium. Near London, activists are legally challenging a massive data center project, arguing developers failed to properly assess climate consequences.

France is addressing speculative land purchases for inactive projects, following Britain’s similar regulatory actions last year amid increased grid connection requests.

Chris Adams from the Green Web Foundation noted that critics include environmentalists, academics, property owners, and labor organizations.

“It’s an unregulated industry that is now upsetting people across the political spectrum,” Adams explained.

France is marketing its nuclear energy as an affordable, clean power source to compete with Britain and Germany for data center investment.

Regional authorities approved the Le Bourget project in January, requiring developer Segro Bourget to complete additional environmental and noise studies plus conduct public meetings. The company declined to comment.

Current right-wing mayor Jean-Baptiste Borsali has expressed confidence in the government’s evaluation and suggested the facility could benefit half the town’s population through waste heat recovery systems. He did not respond to interview requests.

Local residents at Le Bourget’s weekend market indicated the data center proposal would influence their voting decisions.

“I signed the petition — it’s right next to schools. I want a park for my children; we have no green space,” said Veronique Pernolet, a 28-year-old teacher living near the former retail warehouse site designated for the facility.

In Marseille, where underwater cables have established the port as a data center hub, left-wing candidate Sebastien Barles advocates for a construction moratorium.

“We have significant electricity needs — powering ships at dock, ship-repair facilities — and these data centres consume a large share of available power,” said Barles, representing the France Unbowed party.

In Wissous, south of Paris, municipal candidate Philippe de Fruyt is pursuing legal action scheduled for next week to prevent expansion of an existing Amazon data center. Amazon provided no comment.

According to climate research organization Ember, connecting new data centers in major European markets typically requires seven to ten years, though French grid access remains less restricted than neighboring countries.

Proposed legislation would designate data centers as “projects of national interest,” reducing legal and environmental obstacles while allowing federal authorities to override local decisions. The bill remains stalled in France’s parliament.

Academic experts and politicians argue these measures would diminish public participation in decision-making.

“We’ve seen what happened in the U.S., where so many data centres were built that serious opposition emerged,” said Anthony Devillet from The Cloud Is Under Our Feet advocacy organization. “With the rise of AI, I think the debate will become omnipresent here.”

Military officials report that a KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq while conducting refueling operations in support of the ongoing conflict with Iran, prompting immediate rescue efforts.

According to U.S. Central Command, which manages Middle Eastern operations, the incident occurred in friendly territory and involved a pair of aircraft. The second plane successfully made it to safety and touched down without incident.

This marks the fourth confirmed U.S. military aircraft loss during the current Iranian conflict.

The KC-135 Stratotanker serves as the Air Force’s primary aerial refueling platform, enabling fighter jets and bombers to extend their range and mission duration without returning to base. These versatile aircraft also handle medical evacuations for injured personnel and conduct reconnaissance operations when needed.

Built on the same framework as the Boeing 707 commercial airliner, these tankers have served American and allied forces for over six decades. The Air Force plans to eventually replace the aging fleet with newer KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, though this transition has moved slower than originally anticipated.

The advanced age of these aircraft has raised questions about their continued reliability and structural integrity.

“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” said Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He added that the transition to the KC-46A has progressed more slowly than expected.

Congressional Research Service data shows the Air Force operated 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 serving in active duty units, 163 assigned to Air National Guard squadrons, and 62 supporting Air Force Reserve operations.

Standard crew composition includes three personnel: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator. Medical staff join the crew during evacuation missions.

Fuel transfer operations occur at the aircraft’s rear section, where the boom operator manages a retractable fuel line that connects to receiving aircraft. Many operators perform this task while lying prone and observing through a window positioned on the plane’s underside.

Certain KC-135 variants can also dispense fuel through wing-mounted pods. These aircraft feature cargo space above fuel storage areas for transporting supplies or personnel when required.

Military analysts suggest refueling aircraft may become increasingly vital if the Iranian conflict continues, as American warplanes could face longer missions pursuing retreating enemy forces further inland, Yang noted.

Casualty information remains unavailable following the Iraq incident. An anonymous U.S. official told The Associated Press that the aircraft carried no fewer than five crew members.

A separate official, also speaking anonymously, confirmed the second aircraft involved was another KC-135. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter posted on X that this plane landed safely in Israel.

U.S. Central Command has not provided details about the crash circumstances, but stated it “was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

Yang observed that enemy forces rarely target refueling tankers since these operations typically occur well behind front-line combat areas.

This incident follows last week’s friendly fire tragedy when three U.S. F-15E fighters were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti forces.

Several deadly KC-135 accidents have occurred throughout the aircraft’s service history. The most recent fatal crash happened May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R went down after departing an airfield south of Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan during Afghanistan war operations.

Air Force investigators determined that crew members battled rudder control problems during the 2013 incident. As they attempted to regain aircraft control, the tail section separated and the plane exploded in flight, killing all three crew members.

The aircraft’s most catastrophic midair collision occurred in 1966 when a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber collided with a tanker near Palomares, Spain.

That accident destroyed the tanker and killed four personnel aboard. The disaster triggered a massive cleanup operation to remove nuclear contamination after conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated upon ground impact.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A jury in Sydney has found a business consultant guilty of violating Australia’s foreign interference statutes after he supplied intelligence reports to two individuals who were likely Chinese operatives.

Alexander Csergo, 59, becomes just the second individual convicted under Australia’s anti-espionage and covert interference legislation that was enacted in 2018, drawing criticism from China at the time.

The New South Wales District Court jury determined that Csergo should have realized that two contacts he knew simply as Ken and Evelyn were operatives for China’s ministry of state security.

Following his conviction on reckless foreign interference charges, Csergo was granted bail through the weekend and must appear in court Monday, when prosecutors will seek his detention. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.

Defense attorneys contended that Csergo relied on publicly available information for his research work. They noted he fabricated stories to the suspected operatives, including false claims about conducting interviews with prominent figures such as Kevin Rudd, Australia’s former prime minister who now serves as the nation’s U.S. ambassador.

While working as a communications and technology consultant in Shanghai during 2021, Csergo was contacted via LinkedIn by someone calling herself Evelyn, who claimed to represent a Chinese research organization.

In exchange for payment, he delivered handwritten intelligence assessments to both Evelyn and Ken covering defense matters, security issues, political developments and mining operations. His reports included information about the AUKUS defense agreement, under which Britain is assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines using American technology.

Citizens of Kazakhstan head to the polls this Sunday to decide on constitutional amendments that opposition voices claim might enable President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to extend his leadership of Central Asia’s biggest economy past his scheduled 2029 departure.

The 72-year-old president, a seasoned diplomat who has successfully balanced relationships with Russia, the United States, and China, has described the referendum as “a truly historic moment” that will shift Kazakhstan—a major energy and mining nation—from what he calls a “super-presidential” structure toward better separation of governmental powers.

However, political observers argue the proposed amendments still concentrate excessive authority in the presidency.

Political analyst Dosym Satpayev explained that the draft “[s]ignificantly increases the powers of the head of state and does not create a system of checks and balances.”

The constitutional changes would combine parliament’s dual chambers into a single body and bring back the vice-president role, eliminated in 1996, with the president selecting this position.

Under current rules, Kazakh presidents serve one seven-year term—a restriction Tokayev implemented in 2022.

While Tokayev has stated he plans to leave office in 2029, some political watchers suggest a new constitution might reset his term limitations, mirroring strategies employed by other former Soviet leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Addressing widespread speculation in Kazakhstan about Tokayev potentially pursuing the UN secretary-general position this year, Satpayev noted the vice-presidency would enable Tokayev to choose his replacement before departing early.

A diplomatic source from Kazakhstan informed Reuters that Tokayev, who led the UN’s Geneva operations from 2011-2013, is weighing both a secretary-general bid and a potential second presidential campaign.

Tokayev has publicly denied interest in returning to the United Nations.

Government-sanctioned polling organizations report strong public support for the constitutional amendments, with limited visible opposition.

This vote occurs during challenging times for Kazakhstan, whose economy remains tightly connected to Russia’s and has experienced negative effects from the Ukraine conflict.

While economic expansion has picked up pace, inflation has also risen, reaching 11.7% in February, with interest rates climbing to a historic 18%. New tax increases have added to public frustration.

At an Almaty marketplace, horsemeat vendor Asya Tuligenova—selling the traditional Kazakh specialty—explained that merchants are absorbing increased expenses rather than burdening customers.

“We’re kind of afraid. If we raise prices, it will be difficult for our regular customers,” she said.

Tuligenova declined to reveal her voting intentions for Sunday.