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BRUSSELS (AP) — The leader of Germany is pushing the European Union to grant Ukraine a special ‘associate membership’ status while working to restart diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Russia that has stretched beyond four years, according to correspondence obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The proposal from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, addressed to top EU leadership, arrives as the 27-member union debates whether to pursue independent negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, given that U.S.-facilitated discussions have stalled amid America’s focus on the Iran conflict.

Merz’s plan would allow Ukraine to participate in EU proceedings without the ability to vote, while also providing non-voting representation within the European Commission and European Parliament.

The German chancellor emphasized this approach “would not be a membership light,” and would “go far beyond” the current Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. His proposal includes a “snap-back mechanism” should Ukraine fail to maintain democratic standards.

Last month, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen restated their position that formal membership discussions with Ukraine should begin “without delay,” a timeline Merz also supports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism Wednesday about potential advancement in membership talks, stating in remarks that it is “very important for us. Ukraine has fulfilled everything necessary for this progress.”

Nations seeking EU membership must align their legislation across 35 policy areas, from judicial standards to agricultural and maritime regulations. Unanimous approval from all 27 EU members is required to open and close each policy area.

Hungary has previously prevented negotiations from starting, though the recent government change in Budapest this month could shift that position.

However, Merz’s proposal may face resistance from European officials who maintain that EU membership should follow a merit-based process completed only after meeting all requirements.

The German leader suggested extending his approach to other aspiring member nations, particularly those in the Western Balkans, where EU leaders plan to convene for a summit next month.

Regarding the ongoing conflict, Merz stated his proposal “will help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution. This is essential not only for Ukraine’s but for the entire continent’s security.”

Ukraine views EU membership as a crucial “security guarantee” for post-war stability. While NATO membership would provide the strongest protection, the Trump administration opposes this option, and others hesitate to admit a nation currently at war.

With U.S.-led mediation efforts struggling, EU countries are exploring whether to establish separate negotiation channels and identify potential mediators should Putin agree to discussions.

Costa stated earlier this month that “we need, in the right moment, to have talks with Russia to address our common issues on security.” He emphasized this shouldn’t “disturb” U.S.-led efforts but acknowledged Europe’s need to address its security interests.

European media has speculated about possible EU negotiators, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who speaks Russian and has extensive experience with Putin, and former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.

Putin has indicated openness to discussions with Gerhard Schröder, another former German chancellor. However, officials have rejected this possibility, even in Germany, where Schröder’s connections to Russian energy companies and Putin relationship harmed his reputation following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it unwise to let Putin select a negotiator, especially a “high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies.”

Zelenskyy has endorsed European involvement, saying Sunday that “Europe must be involved in the negotiations. It is important for Europe to have a strong voice and presence in this process, and it is worth determining who will represent Europe specifically.”

Malaysian authorities announced Thursday they have issued a formal demand to TikTok regarding the social media company’s inadequate response to removing harmful fake content directed at the nation’s monarchy.

The Communications and Multimedia Commission stated this action came after the spread of content described as “grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting,” which featured artificially generated videos and doctored images connected to an account that falsely claimed ties to king Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.

These issues touch on the delicate topics of race, religion and royalty “which are highly sensitive and may undermine public order, national harmony and respect for constitutional institutions,” the regulatory body explained in its announcement.

Even after previous notifications and discussions, the commission noted TikTok’s content oversight response was inadequate, particularly regarding swift content removal and preventing additional spread of such material.

The regulator revealed that TikTok — which has remained silent publicly about this situation — received a formal legal notice requiring the company to account for its oversight shortcomings and implement immediate corrective actions, including enhanced content monitoring systems and better enforcement against material violating Malaysian regulations and community guidelines.

The commission emphasized that social media companies operating within Malaysia must demonstrate increased accountability in stopping illegal and damaging activities on their platforms.

Officials cautioned they will persist in taking “firm and proportionate action” to guarantee digital platforms fulfill their obligations in creating a secure and respectful online space.

This development occurs as Malaysia intensifies its efforts to strengthen supervision of digital platforms, with government agencies recently increasing enforcement actions against social media corporations regarding dangerous content, fraudulent schemes, online betting and material considered offensive or threatening to public safety.

TikTok has not provided a response to The Associated Press’ request for commentary.

The United States has ordered its Jerusalem diplomatic mission to pressure Palestinian officials to abandon their candidacy for a UN General Assembly vice presidency position, according to a leaked State Department cable reported by The Guardian.

The diplomatic communication, dated May 19, directed the US embassy in Jerusalem to formally protest to Palestinian Authority officials and demand withdrawal of the candidacy by May 22. The message warned that consequences would result if the bid continued.

The report indicates Washington connected this matter to larger conflicts over Palestinian diplomatic efforts and financial disputes. The cable specified that Palestinians would see no advancement in retrieving tax and customs revenues held back by Israel unless they engage in good faith without taking disagreements to international courts.

These revenues represent 60% of the PA’s budget. The money has been mostly held back since the Gaza conflict started in October 2023 under policies put in place by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The message also mentioned previous US pressure regarding UN leadership positions. It commended Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour for pulling his candidacy for General Assembly president in February after American lobbying. The cable indicated Mansour had understood the seriousness of the matter and wanted to be constructive.

Palestinians are competing as part of a four-nation Asia-Pacific group for vice-presidential spots at the General Assembly. Though the position carries less authority than the presidency, the cable observed that vice presidents could be asked to chair assembly sessions.

The document stated: “In a worst case scenario, the next PGA [president of the general assembly] might assist the Palestinians in presiding over high-profile sessions related to the Middle East or during UNGA81 high-level week,” referring to September meetings and speeches scheduled in New York.

The communication also claimed the Palestinian candidacy “undermines President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan,” citing the US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal and the Board of Peace.

The cable declared: “To be clear. We will hold the PA responsible if the Palestinian delegation does not withdraw its VPGA candidacy, and consequences will follow.”

The document further mentioned the temporary cancellation of visas for Palestinian officials before last August’s UN summit week, though the restrictions were eventually removed. “It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options,” the cable warned.

US officials refused to provide comment on The Guardian’s reporting.

When Israel’s legislative body, the Knesset, decides to dissolve itself, it’s not simply taking a recess or temporary break. Instead, it’s initiating the formal procedure to cut short its current term and force the nation into new elections.

Israel operates under a parliamentary system where citizens don’t vote directly for their prime minister. Instead, they cast ballots for political parties. These parties receive seats in the 120-member Knesset based on their portion of the nationwide vote, and a government forms when one member of the legislature—typically the head of the largest or most politically viable party—can build a coalition with majority backing.

Currently, the Knesset hasn’t completed its dissolution process. The legislature has only moved dissolution measures through preliminary readings, which represents the initial phase for this kind of legislation. Lawmakers initially supported a coalition-sponsored dissolution measure, then hours afterward voted 53-0 to approve a preliminary reading of an opposition measure sponsored by Blue and White MK Pnina Tameno, party chair Benny Gantz, and others. Both proposals must still go through committee review and pass three additional readings in the full Knesset. The final reading needs backing from at least 61 of the 120 legislative members.

A preliminary vote demonstrates political momentum, but it doesn’t terminate the Knesset’s current term. Agreements can still be reached, factions can change direction, and either measure can become stalled. Having both a coalition-supported measure and an opposition-supported measure also shifts the political dynamics. If the coalition withdraws its own proposal, the opposition’s version maintains another pathway to early elections. This creates additional pressure on the government to demonstrate advancement on military draft exemption legislation for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students or face the risk of ultra-Orthodox parties shifting their support to the opposition route.

Should a dissolution law succeed, the legislation will establish the election date. The opposition measure would schedule elections exactly 90 days following the law’s passage. The coalition measure doesn’t specify a date, but states the Knesset House Committee would establish one no sooner than three months after final approval. Elections typically occur at least 90 days after the law passes and no later than five months afterward. In this situation, the election is anticipated to happen in September or October, though the exact date hasn’t been determined yet.

The government doesn’t cease to exist during this timeframe. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers stay in office until a new government forms. Israel follows the principle of governmental continuity: the current government continues governing until another government takes its place. Even if elections result in another stalemate and no new coalition can form, the existing government can remain in position during the interim.

Americans might consider this a caretaker government, and Israelis frequently use terms like “transitional government” in regular political discussion. More accurately, Israeli law refers to an “outgoing government” after a new Knesset is elected or after the government steps down. In practical terms, the previous government continues operating the state until a new one is sworn in.

The government doesn’t automatically forfeit its legal authority after dissolution. The state must still operate. Wars persist, budgets require management, emergencies occur, and government departments can’t post a “Back After Elections” notice on their doors.

However, its operational freedom becomes more constrained in practice. Transitional or outgoing governments are expected to show restraint, particularly regarding major appointments, long-term policy choices, and actions that could unnecessarily bind the next government. Courts and legal advisers have considered restraint especially crucial during election periods, when ministers might be tempted to use state authority, budgets, or appointments for political gain.

There’s no complete prohibition on government action during this time. If there’s an urgent security requirement, a fiscal necessity, or an issue that cannot responsibly be delayed, the government can still take action. A routine appointment or political spending decision may encounter stricter scrutiny than a wartime decision or an urgent measure required to maintain state operations.

The Knesset also remains in existence after dissolution until the new Knesset assembles. It doesn’t disappear immediately when the dissolution law passes. It can still create legislation, though practically its work is usually more restricted during an election period. Emergency provisions and expiring laws may still require attention so the state doesn’t lose legal authority during the transition.

Dissolution differs from a no-confidence vote. In Israel, a no-confidence motion is “constructive.” The Knesset cannot simply remove a government by declaring it no longer has confidence in it. To succeed, a no-confidence motion must receive at least 61 votes and support an alternative government, including its proposed prime minister, ministers, and basic policy framework. The system is structured to prevent a vacuum: if the Knesset removes one government, it must be prepared to install another.

A dissolution measure doesn’t install a new government. It sends the country to elections. A no-confidence vote means a new government is prepared. Dissolution means the voters are being asked to decide once more.

A dissolution vote also doesn’t necessarily indicate the government has formally lost a no-confidence vote. A coalition can break apart politically without being replaced by an alternative government. Coalition partners may refuse to support major legislation, threaten to leave, or support a dissolution measure because they believe elections are better than continuing under the current situation.

The current crisis focuses on the ultra-Orthodox draft dispute. Israel mandates that most Jewish citizens serve in the military, but ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students have historically received exemptions. This arrangement has become much more politically volatile since October 7, 2023, as reservists have served multiple tours and the military’s personnel requirements have increased. Ultra-Orthodox parties want legislation maintaining exemptions; many other Israelis view such exemptions as unacceptable during wartime.

For Netanyahu, the risk goes in both directions. If he accommodates the ultra-Orthodox parties, he risks angering reservists, secular voters, and segments of the right. If he fails to accommodate them, he risks losing the coalition partners that maintain him in power. The opposition measure creates another pressure point: even if the coalition attempts to slow or postpone its own dissolution effort, another parliamentary mechanism for early elections is now advancing.

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz characterized the opposition vote as evidence that the government’s time is limited. “This is the beginning of the end. This failed government will go home sooner or later,” he said.

For now, Israel has not completely entered an election campaign by law. It has entered the corridor leading there, and now there is more than one door. The Knesset still has to walk through one of them.

A diplomatic controversy has erupted after video footage surfaced showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ridiculing detained flotilla activists at Ashdod port, leading seven nations to summon Israeli diplomatic representatives.

Italy, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal called in Israeli ambassadors to address the incident, while Spain summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires due to the absence of an ambassador currently stationed there.

The controversial video clips captured numerous international activists forced to kneel at the port facility with their hands apparently bound, as Ben-Gvir conducted a tour of the location. During one segment, the minister displayed a large Israeli flag while calling out in Hebrew, “Welcome to Israel, we are the masters.” Another clip showed restrained demonstrators listening to Israel’s national anthem from speakers, with Ben-Gvir remarking to one individual, “This is how it needs to be.”

These activists had been detained at Ashdod port following the Foreign Ministry’s announcement that the most recent flotilla effort to penetrate Israel’s naval blockade around Gaza had concluded.

According to the activists, their flotilla originated from Turkey with the goal of challenging the blockade, which they hold responsible for Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Israeli officials maintain the blockade serves essential security purposes and claim some flotilla participants have connections to the HHI group, which Israel classifies as a terrorist organization due to suspected Hamas affiliations.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar strongly criticized Ben-Gvir’s behavior in an official statement: “You knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display – and not for the first time.” Saar continued, “You have undone tremendous, professional and successful efforts made by so many people — from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others.”

“You are not the face of Israel,” Saar declared to Ben-Gvir.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Israel’s authority to intercept “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,” but characterized Ben-Gvir’s treatment of the activists as “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also weighed in on the social media platform X, writing: “Flotilla was a stupid stunt, but Ben Gvir betrayed the dignity of his nation. Despicable acts.”

Israel’s parliament faces a preliminary dissolution vote on Wednesday following the failure of coalition parties to come to terms on legislation that would formalize military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox citizens.

Should the measure succeed, Israel may find itself heading to the polls sooner than anticipated, as elections would be required within five months of parliamentary dissolution. However, this would only marginally accelerate the timeline, given that the statutory election deadline was already established for October 27. Ultra-Orthodox political parties have expressed their preference for early September elections.

After the initial reading, the legislation would proceed to committee review before returning to the full parliament for three more readings. Parliamentary officials cleared all other legislation from Monday and Tuesday’s agenda in anticipation of the anticipated vote.

The schedule for finalizing the dissolution remains uncertain, though the bill is anticipated to advance rapidly through the legislative process. Meanwhile, coalition representatives are reportedly working to delay proceedings as much as feasible, despite evaluations suggesting the process could theoretically conclude within two days.

According to Ynet’s reporting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues working to push forward the draft exemption legislation in hopes of persuading ultra-Orthodox parties to abandon their call for early elections. The report indicates Netanyahu aims to maintain the coalition alliance before a national election by securing a deal with the ultra-Orthodox groups.

Concurrent with political discussions, the parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is set to conduct another Wednesday session regarding the draft exemption bill. The committee will also begin reviewing legislation to extend mandatory military service, which military leadership seeks to promote. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir cautioned that not extending mandatory service would seriously damage the military’s operational preparedness.

However, the legal adviser to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee stands against advancing the extension legislation prior to enacting what she characterized as an effective ultra-Orthodox conscription law.

LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian drug enforcement officials announced they have dismantled a major international drug operation involving both Nigerian and Mexican nationals operating in the country’s southwestern territory.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency announced Wednesday evening that specialized officers discovered and closed down what they described as an “industrial-scale clandestine laboratory” hidden in an isolated wooded area in the Ijebu region of Ogun state, located near Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub. Officials characterized this as the nation’s largest drug seizure to date.

During the raid, authorities detained seven individuals described as members of the criminal organization, including four Nigerian citizens and three Mexican nationals, with an additional three suspects apprehended in subsequent operations, according to an agency statement.

“This network did not just traffic drugs; they were actively manufacturing industrial-scale quantities of highly lethal illicit substances right on our soil, threatening the national security and public health of Nigeria,” Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa, the agency’s head, said.

The enforcement action led to the confiscation of 2.4 tons of chemical substances, including methamphetamine, valued at 480 billion naira ($363 million), along with two motor vehicles, the statement revealed.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has identified West and Central Africa as increasingly significant centers for international drug trafficking and production operations in recent years, citing weak border security and governmental corruption as contributing factors.

A major international summit between India and the African Union has been called off due to a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in Congo that health officials say is spiraling out of control.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced Thursday that the India-Africa Forum Summit, originally set for next week in the capital, has been postponed because of the “evolving health situation in parts of Africa.”

The cancellation comes as medical teams and humanitarian organizations in eastern Congo report they are overwhelmed by a deadly Ebola outbreak that appears to be expanding faster than authorities can contain it.

“The situation is worrying because this is gaining momentum,” Hama Amado, the field coordinator in the region for Alima, an aid organization, told reporters. “This is spreading in many areas. So everyone must mobilize.”

Amado emphasized the severity of the crisis, stating: “We are still far from saying that the situation is under control.”

The postponement was announced jointly, with officials citing “the importance of ensuring the full participation and engagement of African leaders and stakeholders, and mindful of the emerging public health situation on the continent.” India expressed solidarity with Africa and pledged support for continent-led health response efforts.

Medical personnel and relief organizations in eastern Congo say they urgently require additional equipment and personnel to combat the uncommon Ebola outbreak, while armed militant groups continue to pose security threats in a region already struggling with mass displacement and humanitarian emergencies.

This particular outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no vaccination or treatment currently exists. The virus went undetected for weeks after the initial known fatality while health authorities tested for a different, more prevalent form of Ebola and received negative results.

Medical teams and aid workers are now attempting to catch up with an outbreak that specialists believe is significantly larger than official numbers indicate. Current reports show 139 suspected fatalities and nearly 600 suspected infections.

The World Health Organization, which has assessed the global risk as low, has stated that “patient zero” remains unidentified.

Despite nearly 20 tons of emergency supplies being flown to the outbreak’s epicenter, physicians using expired protective masks were caring for suspected Ebola patients in regular hospital wards due to insufficient isolation facilities.

Quick identification of the virus is crucial for patient survival, but the area’s already fragile healthcare infrastructure and monitoring capabilities have been further damaged by reductions in international funding, according to experts. More than 920,000 people have been internally displaced in the province that has become the outbreak’s center, according to United Nations data.

“Communities in eastern DRC are already facing immense pressure from conflict, displacement, and a collapsing health system,” said Dr. Lievin Bangali, Senior Health Coordinator for the International Rescue Committee in the region. “Years of underfunding, compounded by recent cuts to front line health and outbreak preparedness programming, have weakened the ability to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly.”

The organization reported it was forced to halt surveillance operations in three of five areas in the province during the past year due to funding shortages.

At a medical facility in Rwampara, healthcare personnel in protective equipment managed the remains of suspected Ebola victims. Family members, who traditionally wash deceased relatives’ bodies themselves, observed as workers sanitized the corpses and placed them in caskets for transport to secure burial locations. Some family members broke down in tears.

Relatives described how the illness struck without warning, with rapid decline after symptoms were initially mistaken for other diseases like malaria.

“He told me his heart was hurting,” said Botwine Swanze, whose son died from the disease. “Then he started crying because of the pain. Then he started bleeding and vomiting a lot.”

The Ebola virus spreads rapidly and transmits through human populations via contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood or semen. Signs include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and sometimes internal and external bleeding.

Educational institutions and religious centers continue operating normally in the affected city. Some local residents have begun wearing protective masks, which are becoming increasingly scarce.

“It’s truly sad and painful because we’ve already been through a security crisis, and now Ebola is here too,” said Justin Ndasi, a local resident.

Anxiety is mounting at medical facilities throughout the region. A team from Doctors Without Borders discovered suspected cases over the weekend at the city’s main hospital but could not locate any available isolation ward in the vicinity, according to Trish Newport, an emergency program manager, who posted on social media.

“Every health facility they called said, ‘We’re full of suspect cases. We don’t have any space.’ This gives you a vision of how crazy it is right now,” she explained.

At another hospital elsewhere in the province, suspected Ebola patients were housed in the same ward as other injured or sick individuals.

In the town where the first known victim’s body was transported, the nearby international border remains open and gold mining operations continue, said Chérubin Kuku Ndilawa, a civil society leader, illustrating the challenges of virus containment.

“There’s no panic. People continue with their normal lives, but they’re also starting to spread the word,” Ndilawa observed, noting the absence of public handwashing facilities.

The situation was markedly different at the local general hospital, where Dr. Didier Pay reported treating approximately 30 Ebola patients, and a student from the area’s medical technology institute died on Wednesday.

“The patients are scattered here and there in rather unusual conditions,” Dr. Richard Lokudu, the hospital’s medical director, explained. “We hope for the proper triage and isolation facilities to be installed today, and if that doesn’t happen, we will be completely overwhelmed.”

The facility is understaffed and personnel lack training to handle suspected cases, he noted. If confirmed infections increase, “we have no protection.”

The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. The organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated Tuesday he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” while the organization’s regional chief predicted the outbreak could continue for at least two months.

Research into the outbreak’s origin continues, but “given the scale, we are thinking that it has started probably a couple of months ago,” said Anaïs Legand, a viral hemorrhagic fevers specialist at the organization.

Thus far, 51 infections have been verified in the country’s northern provinces, plus two cases in neighboring Uganda, Dr. Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported Wednesday. However, “the scale of the epidemic is much larger,” he acknowledged.

The London-based research center estimates that cases have been significantly undercounted and that actual numbers could already surpass 1,000. “The true magnitude remains uncertain,” researchers stated.

The region has long experienced attacks from various armed groups, and this ongoing instability now further hampers crisis response efforts. Local officials reported that militants associated with a terrorist organization killed at least 17 people Tuesday in a village in the affected province.

Fighters with the Allied Democratic Forces, which maintains connections to the terrorist group, killed civilians using machetes and firearms, destroyed homes and businesses, and took several people hostage. Civil society organizations warned that other villages in the area face similar attack threats.

The exact number of these fighters in the country remains unclear, but they maintain a substantial presence in the region and regularly target civilians. Another active armed group in the area consists of a loose association of militia groups primarily from a local ethnic farming community.

Authorities in Morocco report that a deadly building collapse occurred during the nighttime hours in the city of Fez, located approximately 124 miles east of the capital Rabat, claiming four lives and leaving six people injured.

Officials announced Thursday that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragic incident. As a safety precaution, authorities ordered the evacuation of neighboring buildings due to concerns about additional potential structural failures, according to an official statement that did not include further specifics about the collapse.

Parliamentary elections taking place Sunday in Cyprus may fundamentally alter the Mediterranean island’s political structure, as public dissatisfaction with corruption issues and escalating living expenses strengthens backing for emerging political groups.

While Cyprus’s executive authority remains with the presidential office, increased success for political outsiders might divide parliament and create obstacles for supporting government proposals.

Polling data indicates that reform-focused movement ALMA and liberal party Volt may secure parliamentary seats for the first time, while far-right ELAM appears positioned to expand its presence, possibly becoming the third-largest force in the 56-member legislative body. This transformation would break the long-standing control held by Communist AKEL and right-wing DISY parties.

These developments might weaken backing for at least two of the three parties that supported President Nikos Christodoulides’ 2023 electoral victory, marking the initial nationwide evaluation of public opinion at his term’s midpoint.

Citizen trust has suffered in recent years due to a cash-for-passports controversy involving wealthy international investors, along with postponements of energy infrastructure developments that have resulted in Cypriots facing some of Europe’s steepest electricity costs.

Political analyst Christoforos Christoforou explained, “It’s going to be a vote of protest towards established parties which will also, to an extent, be directed towards the government.”

An unprecedented 753 candidates representing more than 18 parties are competing for seats. The current parliament includes seven represented parties.

Former auditor general Odysseas Michaelides, who established ALMA following his 2024 removal from office — which he claims resulted from his persistent inquiries about government expenditures — stated that voters have lost faith in the entire political framework.

Surveys place ALMA at approximately 8% to 10% support, as the movement advocates for stronger anti-corruption protections and institutional reforms.

Volt Cyprus, a pro-European organization polling beyond the 3.6% requirement for parliamentary entry, maintains that numerous voters feel disconnected due to corruption and insufficient accountability. Co-chair Andromachi Sophocleous characterized this as the consequence of existing in a “dysfunctional state.”

“We feel that the public is completely fed up with politics not bringing any improvement to their lives,” she told Reuters.

LONDON — Newly released government documents reveal that Queen Elizabeth II strongly advocated for the former Prince Andrew to receive the position of Britain’s trade envoy.

British officials made the confidential records public on Thursday concerning Andrew’s appointment to the role, coming just months after members of parliament criticized the king’s brother for prioritizing his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein over national duties.

“The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests,” the head of Britain’s trade body wrote in a letter.

A separate government memo distributed to British trade personnel worldwide indicated that “HRH’s high public profile” would necessitate “careful and sometimes strict media management,” referring to Andrew.

FRANKFURT, Germany — European Union officials have revised downward their economic projections and anticipate elevated inflation rates as energy costs spike amid the Iranian conflict, though they believe the region will steer clear of a full recession.

“As a net energy importer, the EU’s economy is highly susceptible to the energy shock caused by the conflict in the Middle East,” the commission said in a statement Thursday. The rising cost of fuel “means higher household bills and surging business costs that reduce profits for many industries.”

In its spring economic forecast, the commission reduced growth expectations for eurozone nations to 0.9% this year, down from the previous autumn projection of 1.2%, while 2027 growth estimates dropped from 1.4% to 1.2%. Meanwhile, inflation projections for 2026 jumped to 3.0%, a significant increase from the earlier 1.9% estimate.

This updated inflation forecast surpasses the European Central Bank’s 2% target, prompting speculation that the ECB may implement interest rate increases this year to counter rising prices.

Energy markets experienced significant volatility following Iranian drone and speedboat threats that effectively halted most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway handling approximately one-fifth of global oil and natural gas transport. Additionally, war developments have undermined consumer sentiment, which dropped to its lowest point in 40 months as concerns mount over potential job losses and accelerating inflation.

Despite these challenges, commission officials maintain that the economy will demonstrate continued modest expansion while avoiding a complete recession.

However, they cautioned that extended periods of elevated energy costs could further dampen growth prospects while pushing inflation even higher.

Ukrainian forces launched another deep-strike drone attack on Russian territory Thursday, targeting an oil refinery located more than 500 miles inside Russia and sparking fires that sent massive plumes of black smoke into the sky, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy announced on social media that the attack hit the Syzran oil refinery, situated over 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. He shared video footage showing the aftermath of the strike.

Independent verification of the footage and confirmation of the attack was not immediately available. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, who serves as governor of Russia’s Samara region, confirmed that Ukrainian drones killed two people in Syzran but did not reference the refinery attack. Russia’s Astra news outlet reported that the drones struck the Syzran facility, which is operated by oil and gas company Rosneft.

The attack demonstrates Ukraine’s expanding capabilities for medium and long-distance strikes, utilizing sophisticated drone and missile technology developed within the country as it continues fighting against Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Other nations are now seeking Ukrainian military technology and expertise, a stark contrast to earlier in the conflict when Ukraine desperately needed foreign military assistance.

Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian drones had also struck another refinery the day before, as attacks on Russian oil facilities that help finance the invasion have become routine.

“Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post late Wednesday. “The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities, and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues.”

The intensifying campaign has damaged Moscow’s revenue streams while international sanctions continue to squeeze the Russian economy. Some strikes have penetrated over 1,500 kilometers into Russian territory, contributing to growing unease among Russians about the war and increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine’s enhanced striking distance has also enabled its forces to push back Russian troops along certain sections of the front line, with Ukrainian forces achieving their most substantial battlefield progress since 2024, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

“Ukraine’s intensified midrange strike campaign against Russian logistics, military equipment, and manpower since early 2026 has also degraded Russian forces’ ability to conduct offensive operations across the theater and has also likely supported recent Ukrainian advances,” the Washington-based think tank said in an assessment late Wednesday.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that air defense systems intercepted 121 Ukrainian drones during the overnight period from Wednesday into Thursday.

In the Belgorod region along Ukraine’s border, eight people sustained injuries from Ukrainian drone attacks, regional governor Alexander Shuvayev reported.

Russia has similarly made substantial investments in drone technology, using them to attack civilian areas throughout Ukraine during the war, resulting in more than 15,000 civilian deaths according to United Nations figures.

Ukraine’s air force announced Thursday that it successfully intercepted 109 of 116 drones launched by Russia during the night.

The Russian strikes killed one civilian and wounded at least six others across Ukraine’s northern, southern and eastern regions, emergency services reported.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping recently conducted consecutive diplomatic meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which appeared similar on the surface with formal ceremonies at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, enthusiastic welcomes from children waving flags, and military honor guards with gleaming weapons. However, these visits highlighted the contrasting nature of China’s relationships with both nations.

Trump’s visit focused on stabilizing relations between the United States and China, whereas Putin’s trip aimed at strengthening the strategic alliance between Russia and China.

Xi provided ceremonial treatment during Trump’s stay, featuring an exclusive visit to Zhongnanhai, the former royal gardens that currently house China’s government headquarters. Beijing recognized that Trump appreciated prominent demonstrations of respect, according to George Chen, partner for Greater China practice for The Asia Group. “Xi knows this is what Trump values: being treated like a VIP, respected in front of the cameras.”

Regarding Putin, Chen noted that Xi focused on meaningful discussions. “Reaffirming the friendship treaty, signing new energy deals, and re-emphasizing their ‘no limits’ partnership,” he explained.

The visits differed in duration: the U.S. president remained in China for three days, compared to Putin’s two-day stay.

Both leaders received ceremonial welcomes at Tiananmen Square featuring honor guards, military bands, and children displaying Chinese and respective national flags.

Each leader also conducted private discussions with Xi at the Great Hall of the People, located adjacent to the square.

However, Trump’s visit did not feature a public ceremony for signing agreements, while Putin and Xi observed the formal signing of bilateral accords and memorandums of understanding.

Trump received an exclusive visit to the Temple of Heaven and toured the royal gardens of Zhongnanhai.

Putin alternatively spent considerable time with Xi within the Great Hall of the People, where both leaders viewed a photographic display showcasing China-Russia relations before sharing tea.

This marked Trump’s second presidential visit to China. For Putin, this represented his 25th trip to the nation.

The primary difference between both summits lay in their communication approaches.

During Trump’s visit, Xi emphasized maintaining relatively stable relations following months of conflict and trade disputes between the world’s largest economies. He encouraged the U.S. president to view China as an ally rather than an adversary, with both leaders committing to pursue what they termed “a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.”

With Putin, Xi aimed to strengthen and expand a long-established partnership that holds strategic and economic significance for both nations.

While the U.S. and China continue working to stabilize their commercial relationships, Moscow and Beijing confirmed their status as crucial partners. Putin identified the “driving force” of their relationship as the energy industry, especially oil and natural gas.

Both sides executed over 40 cooperation agreements spanning trade, technology, and media collaboration. The leaders also endorsed a joint statement characterizing Russia and China as “important centers of power in a multipolar world.”

Trump and Xi, in comparison, did not endorse a joint statement or witness any agreement signings during the visit. Only after the U.S. president departed Beijing did both countries reveal details of several arrangements, with Washington announcing that China committed to purchasing U.S. agricultural goods at an annual rate of $17 billion and acquiring 200 Boeing aircraft.

“China and Russia reached more agreements, and with China and the U.S., what are the agreements? Even that is not very clear,” stated Claus Soong, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin.

However, Lyle Morris, senior fellow on Chinese national security and foreign policy at Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, noted the most unexpected outcome from the Xi-Putin meetings was the apparent absence of a formal agreement for the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project, which would transport gas from Russia to China via Mongolia.

“This is a huge setback for Russia and Putin,” he stated.

Moscow shares Beijing’s position on Taiwan, the island democracy that China considers its territory. Meanwhile, the U.S. maintains a deliberately unclear position on the island while serving as its primary unofficial supporter and weapons supplier.

Xi informed Trump that Taiwan represents the most critical issue in bilateral relations and cautioned that mismanaging U.S. connections with the self-governing island could result in conflict between both countries.

Trump avoided public discussion of Taiwan during his visit. However, while returning to the United States, he characterized weapons sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China, remarks that created concern on the island that Beijing claims as its territory.

With Putin, no disagreement appeared regarding this matter.

In the joint statement signed by Xi and Putin, Russia restated its opposition to Taiwanese independence “in any form” and expressed support for what it characterized as China’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and achieve “national unification.”

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, both parties also expressed concerns about what they described as “accelerated remilitarization” of Japan, amid tense China-Japan relations regarding Taiwan.

Wealthier nations delivered an unprecedented $136.7 billion in climate assistance to developing countries last year, marking a new milestone in global efforts to combat climate change, according to data released Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The funding represents a 3% increase from 2023 levels and supports initiatives such as renewable energy expansion and infrastructure improvements to defend against severe weather events, the OECD reported.

This achievement builds on a commitment made by affluent nations in 2009 to provide $100 billion annually by 2020 to assist vulnerable countries dealing with increasingly destructive climate disasters. That original goal was finally reached in 2022.

However, future funding levels may face uncertainty as the current administration has suspended contributions to global climate financing programs, potentially leading to reduced totals in 2025 data.

At the COP29 climate conference held in 2024, participating nations committed to expanding their financial support to $300 billion annually by 2035. Yet experts warn this amount remains insufficient compared to the trillions economists estimate developing countries require for rapid clean energy transitions and climate adaptation measures.

Developing nations maintain they cannot commit to more stringent emissions reduction agreements without reliable financial backing from the world’s wealthiest economies.

Notably absent from these figures is climate financing from the world’s second-largest economy. Despite its economic status, the nation is classified as “developing” under U.N. frameworks, excluding its international climate contributions from official tallies.

Ukrainian forces carried out a nighttime drone assault on a Russian oil processing facility owned by Rosneft in the Samara region, according to statements from Ukraine’s military leadership and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday.

“Another Ukrainian long-range sanction against Russian oil refining – and we are continuing this line of action,” Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging platform.

“This time around, it was the Syzran oil refinery – more than 800 kilometers away from our border.”

The Ukrainian president shared video showing flames and thick smoke rising into the air from the targeted facility.

Regional authorities reported that two fatalities resulted from the drone assault on Syzran in the Samara region, though the local governor did not specify whether any infrastructure sustained damage during the operation.

According to Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, the strike ignited a significant blaze at the oil processing plant, which has the capability to refine between 7 and 8.9 million tons of crude oil annually.

Robert Brovdi, who leads Ukraine’s drone operations, stated this marked the 11th Russian petroleum facility that Ukrainian forces have struck during the month of May.

Israeli authorities have freed hundreds of international protesters who tried to break through the country’s naval blockade around Gaza and are now sending them out of the country, a legal advocacy organization reports.

Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, announced Thursday that the majority of the international protesters are being transported to a civilian airport close to the southern Israeli city of Eilat for removal from the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that he had ordered the protesters to be removed from Israel “as soon as possible,” following his harsh criticism of Israel’s national security minister for releasing a controversial video that showed the minister mocking handcuffed and kneeling flotilla participants.

Netanyahu stated that while Israel has full authority to intercept “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s treatment of the protesters was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”

Ben-Gvir published videos Wednesday depicting him moving among some of the roughly 430 detained individuals. One video showed protesters with bound hands in a kneeling position, their heads pressed to the floor in what looked like a temporary holding area on a ship’s deck.

The flotilla, consisting of more than 50 vessels, left for Gaza last week from Turkey, close to Cyprus. Organizers stated their goal was to bring fresh focus to the living conditions of nearly 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials have characterized the flotilla as “a PR stunt at the service of Hamas” without genuine intentions to provide assistance to Gaza. The vessels transported only a small, symbolic quantity of aid.

Israeli military forces started intercepting the vessels approximately 268 kilometers (167 miles) off the Gaza coast, the flotilla’s website reported. Israel had previously halted 20 flotilla boats on April 30 near Crete.

This week, the U.S. Treasury placed sanctions on multiple European protesters aboard the flotilla, which U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent labeled “pro-terror.”

Israel has enforced a maritime blockade around Gaza since Hamas assumed control of the region in 2007. Israeli officials tightened these restrictions following the Hamas-led militant attacks on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages on Oct. 7, 2023.

Opponents argue the blockade constitutes collective punishment. Israel maintains it’s designed to stop Hamas from obtaining weapons. Egypt, which controls the sole border crossing with Gaza not under Israeli authority, has also severely limited movement into and out of the territory.

Israel’s counter-offensive launched after the Oct. 7 attacks that triggered the war has resulted in more than 72,700 deaths, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports. The ministry, operating under Gaza’s Hamas-controlled government, does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties. It employs medical professionals who keep and publish comprehensive records considered generally credible by the international community.

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government will publish classified documents Wednesday concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former position as trade envoy, following parliamentary demands for transparency after allegations emerged that the king’s brother prioritized his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein over national interests.

Parliament members passed a resolution in February requiring the documents’ release after the former royal, now called Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, faced arrest on accusations of providing government intelligence to Epstein during his tenure as trade representative.

This action came after the U.S. Justice Department disclosed millions of documents concerning Epstein. These records revealed how the affluent financier leveraged a global network of wealthy, influential associates to build power and sexually abuse young women and girls.

The United Kingdom has experienced the most significant impact from these document revelations, as the controversy has sparked inquiries about how authority is exercised by nobility, high-ranking politicians and prominent business leaders, collectively referred to as “the Establishment.”

Throughout parliamentary discussions regarding Mountbatten-Windsor’s connections to Epstein, government officials and fellow legislators called for greater transparency from the royal family.

Trade Minister Chris Bryant stated that Mountbatten-Windsor pursued a continuous “self-enriching hustle” throughout his period as an active royal family member.

Mountbatten-Windsor was a “rude, arrogant and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest, which he said he served, and his own private interest,” Bryant said at the time.

Mountbatten-Windsor lost his royal designation last year when King Charles III attempted to shield the monarchy from increasing consequences of the Epstein controversy. The former prince worked as a special envoy for international trade from 2001 to 2011, when he was compelled to resign due to worries about his associations with dubious individuals in Libya and Azerbaijan.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Mountain climbers achieved a historic milestone Wednesday when 274 people successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest in one day, marking a new single-day record, according to officials who announced the achievement Thursday.

The mountaineers capitalized on favorable weather conditions Wednesday, according to Rishi Ram Bhandari of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal. This represents the largest number of people to summit the mountain in one day using the well-traveled southern route located in Nepal.

Climbers can approach the summit from two directions: the southern approach in Nepal or the northern route through China’s Tibet region. In comparison, on May 22, 2019, the Nepal route saw 223 successful climbs while the Chinese route recorded 113 summits. However, Chinese officials have kept their route closed this climbing season.

Several individual climbing milestones were also achieved this week. Experienced mountain guide Kami Rita Sherpa reached the summit for his 32nd time, surpassing his previous record. Meanwhile, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, his nearest rival, completed his 30th successful climb this week. Additionally, Lakpa Sherpa made her 11th summit, extending her record as the woman with the most Everest climbs.

The current climbing season started later than usual due to safety concerns about a massive serac threatening the primary summit route. Approximately 494 climbers along with an equal number of Sherpa guides are planning summit attempts before the season concludes at month’s end. The mountain stands 8,850 meters (29,032 feet) tall.

Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit on May 29, 1953, thousands of people have successfully climbed the peak.

Myanmar’s army-controlled government announced it has seized two border towns from opposition forces, representing major victories in the nation’s continuing civil conflict as military leaders work to regain territory previously controlled by resistance groups.

State-controlled Myanma Alinn newspaper reported Thursday that government forces took Tonzang, located near the Indian border, on Wednesday following a 10-day military campaign. The publication included photographs showing troops at the town’s government buildings and administrative facilities.

This announcement followed Wednesday’s report in the same newspaper stating that military forces had regained Mawtaung on Tuesday, a border town crucial for commerce with Thailand, after conducting operations for two weeks.

The military’s success in capturing Tonzang in Chin state’s northwest and Mawtaung in the Tanintharyi region’s south occurs as government forces have gained momentum in the nationwide struggle since mid-2025, following China-mediated truces and expanded military personnel through conscription efforts.

These developments follow Min Aung Hlaing’s call one month ago for new peace negotiations with the nation’s armed opposition organizations. Min Aung Hlaing leads the military-controlled government.

Both Chin and Tanintharyi regions have experienced severe fighting since military leaders overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically chosen administration in 2021. When peaceful protests were violently suppressed, numerous military opponents armed themselves, plunging large portions of the nation into civil warfare.

Tonzang, positioned approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Indian frontier, had remained under allied Chin ethnic militia and local opposition control since May 2024.

Mawtaung, located roughly 630 kilometers (390 miles) southeast of Yangon, the nation’s most populous city, was controlled by the Karen National Union alongside other local opposition organizations.

Following over 207 military confrontations, 24 bodies from the KNU and allied forces were found and their weapons seized, according to newspaper accounts, which noted that some government security personnel also died.

The KNU and additional local opposition groups have not yet provided responses to comment requests.

Media limitations make independent verification of the town recaptures nearly impossible, although the military’s assertions remain unchallenged.

Authorities in Taiwan announced Thursday they are pursuing criminal charges against three individuals suspected of orchestrating an illegal scheme to ship advanced artificial intelligence servers to China, defying strict U.S. trade restrictions.

The U.S. Justice Department previously filed charges in March against three individuals connected to Super Micro, including one of the company’s co-founders, alleging they facilitated the smuggling of more than $2.5 billion worth of American AI technology to China in breach of export regulations.

Legal officials from Keelung, a city in northern Taiwan, released a statement indicating the three suspects under investigation were aware that Super Micro’s AI servers fell under stringent U.S. export restrictions and were prohibited from sale to mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

According to prosecutors, the defendants allegedly worked together to acquire the servers within Taiwan and then used fraudulent paperwork and false information to export them to China in pursuit of “huge illegal profits.”

Neither Super Micro nor Nvidia provided immediate responses to requests for comment from Reuters. Both corporations have previously stated their commitment to following U.S. export regulations.

Prosecutors revealed that on Wednesday, they instructed Taiwan’s coast guard to conduct searches at 12 different sites, including the homes of the three suspects and associated business locations.

Officials confiscated evidence during the raids and either detained or called in the three defendants along with related witnesses for interrogation.

Taiwan serves as a semiconductor industry leader and is the primary manufacturer of the sophisticated chips that drive artificial intelligence development.

The island nation maintains stringent regulations designed to block the transfer of advanced technology and technical expertise to China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has intensified political and military pressure on Taiwan’s democratically elected leadership. Taiwan firmly rejects China’s territorial claims.

Emergency responders in China are conducting water rescues by swimming through dangerous floodwaters and deploying boats to save stranded residents after devastating storms claimed the lives of at least 25 people and forced widespread shutdowns of educational institutions, commercial operations and transportation networks across central and southwestern regions of the country on Wednesday.

Weather officials warn that additional downpours are forecast to continue battering southern and central regions, encompassing Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan provinces, creating elevated dangers for mudslides, rapid flooding and serious urban water accumulation, according to government authorities.

Video footage from Chinese social media platform Douyin captured scenes in Dachong, located in southern Guangdong, where motor scooters disappeared beneath the water with only steering components remaining visible above the surface, while emergency teams in inflatable watercraft saved a resident who had sought refuge in a tree to avoid the rising waters.

Within Hubei province in central China, emergency response teams and military units were observed assisting local inhabitants in escaping perilous conditions, with many of those rescued being elderly community members.

Senior residents were transported from their residences using watercraft, while some rescue personnel entered flooded structures by swimming to reach individuals who had become trapped inside, according to video documentation from state television network CCTV.

Broadcasting footage from CCTV depicted one rescue scenario where emergency workers faced difficulties reaching a trapped individual surrounded by chest-deep water behind a doorway. The network reported that rescue teams required a full hour to successfully bring the person to a secure location.

Overhead camera footage revealed extensive flood coverage across large portions of Hubei province and its neighboring southern province of Hunan.

The exceptionally widespread zone of heavy precipitation, extending across more than 1,000 km (621 miles), resulted from the meeting of significant moisture sources originating from the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The weather pattern’s slow movement also contributed to substantial accumulated rainfall totals, meteorological experts from China explained.

“A new round of rainfall will arrive tomorrow (Thursday), bringing significant precipitation to many areas in both the north and south,” China’s weather bureau said. Government officials indicated that regions such as Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, and Guangdong would face additional torrential downpours.

Syria is set to make history by participating in the G7 summit for the first time since the international forum began nearly five decades ago, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa will represent Syria as a guest nation at the upcoming summit scheduled for June 15-17 in Évian-les-Bains, located in southeastern France. This marks a significant milestone as Syria has never participated in a G7 gathering since the group’s establishment in 1975.

The invitation was personally delivered to Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh during the group’s financial discussions held in Paris this week, according to one source.

A Syrian official indicated that the nation’s involvement in the discussions will likely center on Syria’s potential role as a “strategic hub for supply chains” in light of the Strait of Hormuz closure.

Maritime traffic through the strait has been significantly disrupted since the Iran war began in late February, creating widespread economic turbulence globally.

As Syria works to emerge from its 14-year civil conflict as a Western ally, the country is focused on reconstructing an economy devastated by years of warfare and international sanctions.

Although many sanctions from the era of former Presidents Hafez and Bashar al-Assad have been relaxed, securing foreign investment and reestablishing standard banking relationships has progressed more slowly than many government officials anticipated.

A spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday of attempting to intensify the war between the two nations.

Maria Zakharova made the allegation during a standard government briefing held in Moscow on May 21.

Mount Everest witnessed an unprecedented surge of mountaineers on Wednesday, with 274 climbers successfully reaching the summit from Nepal’s side of the mountain, according to hiking officials.

The achievement marks a new milestone for the world’s highest peak at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), which sits along the Nepal-Tibet border and offers climbing routes from both countries.

This year’s climbing activity was concentrated entirely on Nepal’s side, as expedition operators report that Chinese officials did not grant any permits for the Tibetan route.

Rishi Bhandari, secretary general of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, announced Thursday that Wednesday’s total surpassed the former record of 223 successful climbs from Nepal’s side, which occurred on May 22, 2019.

“This is the highest number of climbers in a single day so far,” Bhandari told Reuters, noting that the final count might increase as additional summit teams may not have yet reported their achievements to base camp.

While Chinese climbing statistics remain unavailable, Bhandari indicated that typically around 100 mountaineers attempt the summit from Tibet during the standard April-May climbing window.

Department of Tourism official Himal Gautam confirmed receiving initial reports of more than 250 successful Wednesday climbs.

“We wait for climbers to return, give us photographs and other evidence to prove their ascents and provide them with climbing certificates,” Gautam explained to Reuters. “Only then we will be able to confirm the numbers.”

Nepal distributed 494 Everest climbing permits this season, with each permit carrying a $15,000 fee.

The massive influx of climbers has reignited criticism from mountaineering specialists who argue that Nepal permits excessive numbers on the mountain, creating dangerous bottlenecks and lengthy waiting lines in the “death zone” beneath the summit, where oxygen levels fall critically below human survival requirements.

Nepalese authorities have recognized the hazards posed by overcrowding and inexperienced mountaineers, responding with stricter regulations and increased permit costs.

According to a Thursday CNN report, Iran has begun resuming drone manufacturing operations during a six-week ceasefire that commenced in early April, based on information from two sources with knowledge of US intelligence assessments.

Intelligence from the United States suggests that Iran’s military capabilities are recovering at a pace that exceeds original projections, the report stated, referencing four sources.

The report could not be independently confirmed by Reuters.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump stated that America was prepared to move forward with additional strikes against Tehran should Iran refuse to accept a peace agreement, while indicating Washington might wait several days to “get the right answers.”

Malaysia’s telecommunications oversight body announced Thursday that it has delivered a formal legal demand to TikTok, accusing the social media giant of inadequate response to offensive material targeting the nation’s royal family.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission stated the controversy stems from content linked to a profile claiming connections to King Sultan Ibrahim of Malaysia.

TikTok has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the allegations.

According to the commission, the problematic material contained content that was “grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting in nature,” featuring artificially generated videos and doctored photographs that potentially violate domestic regulations.

The regulatory body emphasized its firm stance against misusing digital platforms for distributing such material, especially when targeting Malaysian monarchy members.

“Such matters fall within the broader context of race, religion and royal issues, which are highly sensitive, undermines public order, national harmony and respect for constitutional institution,” the commission stated.

Officials noted that despite previous warnings and discussions, TikTok’s content oversight efforts proved inadequate, particularly regarding swift content removal and preventing continued spread of harmful posts.

The formal demand will compel TikTok, which is controlled by Chinese company ByteDance, to implement immediate corrective actions, including enhanced content oversight systems and more robust enforcement against material violating Malaysian regulations.

The platform must also submit a detailed response explaining its alleged oversight shortcomings, according to the commission.

Malaysian authorities have intensified oversight of social media platforms recently following documented increases in dangerous online material. Officials plan to implement age verification requirements this year, mirroring global efforts to restrict minors’ social media access.

ADELAIDE, May 21 – A populist political party in Australia has announced an ambitious energy plan that would establish a sovereign wealth fund similar to Norway’s model and give the federal government partial ownership of offshore oil and gas projects.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party presented the proposal during the Australian Energy Producers conference in Adelaide on Thursday. The party has experienced growing support this year, securing its first House of Representatives seat and receiving backing from Australia’s wealthiest individual, Gina Rinehart, who has provided financial support including donating aircraft and hosting fundraising events.

Rinehart controls energy assets through Hancock Energy, including coal seam gas properties in Queensland and traditional gas holdings in Western Australia. These holdings fall under state jurisdiction and would not be impacted by Hanson’s federal proposal, despite One Nation’s historical opposition to coal seam gas development.

Speaking to a crowded conference hall, Hanson declared: “We want more gas, more oil and more energy to drive our country forward.”

The party leader criticized the current Labor administration’s recently announced policy mandating that energy exporters set aside 20% of natural gas production for domestic east coast markets. This requirement, revealed in early May, has drawn strong opposition from industry leaders.

Hanson emphasized that her proposed Australian National Wealth Investment Corporation represented “not a socialist takeover” and would operate under industry leadership while focusing exclusively on federal waters.

Under the outlined framework, the federal government would acquire a 30% ownership stake in offshore permits, participate in both development expenses and cleanup costs, and reserve portions of production for domestic consumption including fertilizer and fuel manufacturing. The approval process would be streamlined to six months, according to Hanson.

Amplitude Energy CEO Jane Norman expressed support for the concept, suggesting that government partnership could create better alignment of interests. Norman revealed her company expects to invest A$20 million ($14.25 million) in obtaining federal approvals for offshore exploration activities.

However, MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic criticized the plan as “even more interventionist” than Labor’s current policies and warned it would burden taxpayers with additional costs.

Government officials from Ukrainian cities recently toured a massive underground facility carved into bedrock beneath Helsinki, marveling at a space designed to protect 6,000 people during emergencies.

These visitors represent just a fraction of approximately 800 international delegations that have examined Helsinki’s Merihaka civil protection facility — Finland’s largest dual-purpose shelter that has become a showcase for Finnish businesses seeking international customers worried about regional conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

The enormous underground space measures 71,000 cubic meters, equivalent to a seven-story office building. Constructed in 2003, the facility operates 25 meters below ground and features athletic courts, fitness facilities, and children’s play areas used by residents every day.

When emergencies arise, the space can transform into a protective shelter equipped with sleeping quarters, water storage, and sanitation facilities within three days.

Finland’s difficult wartime relationship with Russia during World War Two shaped current building requirements that mandate protective shelters beneath residential and commercial structures of specified sizes.

These regulations have given Finnish firms expertise in shelter design and maintenance, including specialized radiation-resistant entryways, air filtration systems, emergency electrical systems, communications infrastructure, and waste management networks.

International visitors have included government representatives, business executives, and officials from major corporations like oil company Saudi Aramco, according to authorities and industry representatives.

Resilience Center Finland, a trade promotion organization launched in March, reports that the nation’s security and defense exports total tens of billions of euros, with shelter sales reaching several dozen million euros and showing substantial expansion opportunities.

“Within two years we won’t need to compete fiercely with our peers over getting a gig. Rather, it will very soon be a question of capacity running out,” said Ilkka Kivisaari, CEO of Finnish-Swiss-owned Verona Shelters Group, pointing to strong demand from Poland and Germany plus significant interest from Middle Eastern nations.

The Merihaka facility represents one of 48 large shelters and 5,500 smaller protective spaces throughout Helsinki — part of 50,500 such structures built across Finland following a Soviet invasion attempt during World War Two.

At another Helsinki shelter capable of housing 3,800 people, Juha Simola, CEO of Finnish Temet Group, arrived directly from the Czech Republic following a trade mission led by the country’s leader Alexander Stubb.

Simola was demonstrating shelter technology to representatives from Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, and mentioned receiving inquiries from other Gulf region countries during the conflict with Iran.

“There was a quite big hit in Abu Dhabi and I got a phone call from there that please come quickly,” Simola told Reuters, declining to provide additional details.

His company is constructing a manufacturing facility in the United Arab Emirates, which plans to build hundreds of protective shelters, he said.

Temet, operating in this sector for seven decades, aims to generate 80% of revenue from international sales in coming years, according to Simola.

While Temet and Verona lead Finland’s shelter industry, several smaller companies focus on specialized components including blast-resistant doors and communication systems.

Building regulations require protective shelters beneath structures exceeding 1,200 square meters, said Pauliina Eskola, who heads the rescue department at Finland’s interior ministry, emphasizing the importance of standards and quality control.

Shelter construction costs for new apartment buildings in Finland range from 1.5% to 4% of total building expenses, paid by property developers, Verona’s Kivisaari explained.

High-profile visitors to Merihaka in recent years have included Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki, and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

“We came to gain the experience that’s available here, and we have a very big dream of building a sports complex like this,” said Tetiana Grunska, deputy head of the Balakliia City Military Administration in Ukraine, during a visit by the Mayors’ Club Ukraine, which represents over 600 current and former municipal leaders.

Poland is also modernizing its shelter infrastructure.

Polish authorities allocated 5.8 billion zlotys ($1.59 billion) over the past two years for rebuilding collective defense facilities, the interior ministry reported.

“We’re building from scratch. The situation in this respect was really dire in Poland – the last shelter was built in the mid‑1990s, so for 30 years nothing was done,” said Robert Klonowski, deputy director in the Polish interior ministry.

Ukraine and Poland have enacted new laws requiring shelters in certain new construction projects, but Mayors’ Club board member Yuliya Chufistova noted that stricter requirements have caused private developers to abandon projects in Ukraine.

“The price is higher when rules are more strict, so we need to find the balance,” she said.

Near Ukraine’s front lines in Grunska’s hometown of Balakliia, daily warning sirens during the war’s fifth year demonstrate the value of dual-purpose protective facilities.

One of the community’s few bomb shelters was constructed over the past year to function as a school, enabling children to attend classes several floors underground, protected from Russian drone and missile strikes.

Warning sirens sound 15 times daily or more, said boxing instructor Volodymyr Borshch.

“I would like there to be an underground shelter for sports activities as well, where it would be possible not just to wait out the air raid alert, but to carry out a full training session while we wait,” he told Reuters.

BUDAPEST, May 21 – Hungary’s governing Tisza party introduced legislation to parliament Wednesday evening proposing constitutional changes that would cap prime ministerial service at eight years maximum, a move that would prevent former leader Viktor Orban from returning to power.

Current Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated nationalist Orban in April’s election following his 16-year tenure, has pledged to leverage his parliamentary super majority to reverse and modify laws enacted by Orban’s Fidesz party, including constitutional revisions, in an effort to restore democratic oversight mechanisms.

The proposed constitutional change, posted on parliament’s official website, states that individuals who have previously served as prime minister for eight years or more “cannot be elected prime minister.” The restriction applies to terms served after May 2, 1990.

The legislation also establishes that prime ministers must step down after completing eight total years in office, equivalent to two terms.

Additionally, the amendment creates a pathway to eliminate the Sovereignty Protection Office, an agency established by Orban in 2023 that maintained lists of media outlets considered threats to Hungary’s sovereignty and possessed authority to “probe activities that threaten the country’s sovereignty.”

Under the proposed legislation, Magyar’s administration would also regain control over founder rights of public-interest asset management foundations that oversee nearly two dozen universities, granting the government power to dissolve these organizations.

Should this occur, state resources valued at hundreds of billions of forints that Orban’s government transferred to these foundations would be returned to state control.

“The amendment makes it clear that although the foundations … are private entities, their assets are national assets,” the proposal states.

The African kingdom of Eswatini rapidly agreed to accept deported migrants from the United States after learning through diplomatic channels that the Trump administration was seeking African partners for such arrangements, according to three senior government officials familiar with the discussions.

Prime Minister Russell Dlamini held private discussions with then-Acting U.S. Charge d’Affaires Caitlin Piper in mid-February of last year regarding the deportation arrangement, the sources revealed.

After Dlamini brought the proposal to King Mswati III, who celebrated four decades of rule in April, the monarch quickly approved hosting the deportees, two sources said, describing previously undisclosed private negotiations.

The rapid approval, which has resulted in 19 migrants being held at a detention facility south of the capital Mbabane, demonstrates Eswatini’s eagerness to maintain strong ties with its American partner.

“The king embraced the deal as Eswatini’s contribution to world order,” King Mswati’s spokesperson, Percy Simelane, told Reuters of the decision.

America served as Eswatini’s primary external donor in 2024, with substantial funding directed toward HIV/AIDS initiatives, according to U.S. Official Development Assistance data. The small landlocked nation of 1.2 million has among the world’s highest HIV infection rates.

Under the arrangement to house up to 160 deportees, Eswatini – where one-third of residents survive on less than $2.15 daily according to World Bank poverty measurements – would receive $5.1 million, based on a leaked agreement document reviewed by Reuters.

ATTORNEYS QUESTION DEAL’S CONSTITUTIONALITY

The agreement to accept deportees from countries including Cuba, Jamaica, Cambodia and Laos has generated controversy and unusual public demonstrations, despite the monarch’s broad authority.

Small but uncommon demonstrations occurred in July outside the detention facility. Two attorneys are pursuing legal challenges, arguing the arrangement violates multiple constitutional provisions.

The legal violations include circumventing parliamentary approval, detaining individuals beyond the constitutionally mandated 48-hour limit without charges, denying legal representation, and holding people who committed no offenses within Eswatini’s borders.

“The government of Swaziland (Eswatini) have put themselves in a mess that they don’t know how to take themselves out of,” the lawyer for the deportees, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, told Reuters.

“Swaziland (Eswatini) is regarded as a golden boy in Africa,” by the U.S., Nhlabatsi said. “I think we found ourselves in the good books … (and) wanted to stay there.”

Following months of legal efforts, Nhlabatsi secured a court victory on April 10 granting detainees access to legal counsel, though prison officials have not yet provided such access, he reported.

Eswatini’s correctional services director did not respond to requests for comment.

ARRANGEMENT MAINTAINED IN SECRECY

A U.S. State Department representative declined to address specific inquiries but stated “we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America’s border security.”

The initial group of five deportees arrived in July of last year. Additional arrivals have brought the total to 19, with two individuals having been released and returned to their home countries.

Based on information from three government officials and three diplomatic sources, only the king, Queen Mother Ntfombi and Prime Minister Dlamini were aware of the arrangement until the migrants arrived.

“Bringing USA deportees to Eswatini (concerned) security. It had to start where it started and the rest of the system structures were to learn of the decision later,” said Simelane.

Two diplomatic sources and one government official reported that when the $5.1 million payment arrived in government accounts, officials including the finance minister were unaware of its purpose.

Simelane declined to provide additional comment.

BENEFICIAL U.S. TRADE TERMS AND HEALTHCARE AGREEMENT

In contrast to neighboring South Africa, Eswatini has preserved positive U.S. relations and secured favorable terms in a health agreement signed in December, supporting its struggling healthcare infrastructure.

Among 14 African nations signing bilateral U.S. health agreements in December to replace discontinued USAID programs, Eswatini received the highest per-person allocation of $205 million. The country also received 10% tariffs, one-third of those imposed on South Africa.

“The MOU had a significant impact,” health portfolio committee head Nxumalo Somntongo told Reuters, referring to the December health deals. He said they had made financing more sustainable and supply chains more reliable.

However, three sources and Nxumalo stated they were unaware of any evidence that restored aid or favorable trade terms were discussed as components of the deportee arrangement.

“To the best of our knowledge, no carrot, in the form of tariffs was dangled. Health aid was going on long before the deal and could not have been bait,” Simelane said.

HARSH DETENTION CONDITIONS

For some detainees and their families, the experience has been distressing.

Pheap Rom from Cambodia, one of the two released detainees, became alarmed upon realizing he was being transported to an African country rather than another U.S. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) facility.

“I was (so) scared, my knees were shaking,” he told Reuters last month in Phnom Penh.

The detention conditions in Eswatini were overcrowded, he reported, with four individuals sharing small cells.

The long-term partner of another deportee still held in Eswatini, Felix Perez, 64, said most of their phone conversations center on his fears of dying in detention due to poor health.

“It’s a thought I can’t shake,” the woman, who gave her name as Phyllis, told Reuters in a text message from her Louisiana home town. “To know he has to fight mosquitoes all night and can’t get proper care. I cry daily.”

Two fatalities occurred during a drone strike on the Russian town of Syzran in the Samara region along the Volga River, according to the local governor, as both Russia and Ukraine reported casualties from overnight cross-border attacks on May 21.

The town of Syzran, situated approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine’s border, houses a major oil refinery. Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev did not indicate whether any facilities sustained damage when announcing the incident on Telegram.

Additional drone strikes injured three individuals in and near Shebekino, a town in Russia’s Belgorod region that borders Ukraine, according to regional authorities posting on Telegram.

Ukrainian emergency services reported on Telegram that Russian strikes on the Chernihiv region near the Russian border and the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries.

Independent verification of these incidents by Reuters was not possible. Both Russia and Ukraine maintain they do not intentionally target civilian populations.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict that started with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine have reached an impasse, with both nations continuing to launch regular attacks against each other, including targeting energy facilities.

During an overnight address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned recent positive discussions with the United States, which has attempted to facilitate negotiations to end the conflict.

“If, in the coming weeks, we manage to return to meaningful trilateral communication and involve the Europeans, this would be the right outcome,” Zelenskiy said.

“For our part, we are ready for such steps. I count on our partners to be ready as well – and that the Russians will not hide.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A militant Iranian military commander connected to controversial operations spanning decades appears to have gained significant influence as diplomatic discussions with the United States remain uncertain.

Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who commands Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has emerged as a key figure in shaping Iran’s aggressive approach to negotiations aimed at potentially ending the conflict with the United States, according to analysts. Sources suggest he belongs to a select inner circle maintaining direct communication with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khameini, who has remained out of public view after reportedly suffering injuries during the Feb. 28 Israeli attacks that resulted in his father’s death, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Similar to many aspects of Iranian governance since hostilities commenced, the actual power structure for making critical decisions remains unclear. Within Iran’s religious leadership hierarchy, individuals competing for influence can rapidly gain or lose standing. Vahidi has not made any public appearances since Feb. 8, several weeks prior to the war’s outbreak.

A seasoned figure within Iran’s governing apparatus, Vahidi played a role in developing Iran’s backing of militant organizations throughout the region, faces accusations regarding his involvement in the 1994 attack on a Jewish facility in Argentina, and during 2022 directed internal security operations during a violent suppression of demonstrators.

After being promoted to Guard leadership this year following his predecessor’s death early in the conflict, he now oversees Iran’s most influential military organization, which controls ballistic missile stockpiles and operates small naval vessels that pose threats to Persian Gulf maritime traffic.

“Vahidi and members of his inner circle have likely consolidated control over not only Iran’s military response in the conflict but also Iran’s negotiations policy,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said.

Iran’s military approach has focused on maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz, preventing oil and gas shipments and creating worldwide energy shortages. Simultaneously, it has launched aggressive attacks against petroleum infrastructure, hospitality facilities and vital systems in Gulf Arab countries.

During diplomatic discussions, it has resisted U.S. requirements to relinquish its supply of highly enriched uranium, calculating that it can endure longer than the U.S. in the current confrontation and that President Donald Trump will hesitate to restart full-scale warfare that might cause additional harm to America’s Gulf partners.

This approach probably mirrors Vahidi’s aggressive methodology. “He comes from that mindset of unending revolution, unending resistance,” said Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at the The Soufan Group, a New York-based think tank. Vahidi believes “the U.S. needs to be challenged at every turn,” said Katzman, a senior Iran expert who advised the U.S. Congress for over 30 years.

Vahidi boasted in January that Iran’s defense power has developed to make it a “high risk for any military action by an enemy.”

Pakistan hosted talks in April between an Iranian delegation led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and an American one headed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance. But it ended without any deal.

Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned home to face criticism from inside the theocracy suggesting they were too willing to make concessions. Qalibaf had to insist publicly that the talks had the support of the supreme leader.

Since then, Vahidi has become the main point of contact for those negotiating with Iran, said a regional official with direct knowledge of the mediation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomacy.

The extreme seclusion and unknown condition of the supreme leader have fueled speculation about jockeying among leaders for access to Khamenei and influence over him. In early May, President Masoud Pezeshkian, who many see as sidelined from influence by the Guard, went out of his way to say he “got to see our dear leader” and spoke to him for around two hours.

But Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said it’s likely the new supreme leader “is in lockstep with a more hard-line (Guard) — similar to his father, but in a more emboldened and uncompromising form.”

Analyst Kamran Bokhari wrote that figures like Vahidi “are not just managing war — they are actively reshaping succession, consolidating authority around a weakened supreme leader, and effectively ‘capturing’ the state through crisis governance.”

Born Ahmad Shahcheraghi in Iran’s southern city of Shiraz in 1958, Vahidi like many young men after the 1979 revolution joined the Revolutionary Guard and fought against the invasion by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that sparked a bloody, eight-year war.

Vahidi entered the Guard’s nascent intelligence arm and soon was overseeing operations outside Iran. He gained the favor of powerful patrons, including Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a later president. Rafsanjani said in his autobiography that Vahidi was involved in the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal, in which the Reagan administration sold weapons to Tehran in an effort to free hostages held by Iranian-backed militants in Lebanon. The U.S. later used the money from those sales to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

Rafsanjani later intervened to protect Vahidi when then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini sought to prosecute members of the Guard who failed to stop an incursion by armed fighters from an Iranian exile group in the late 1980s during the war.

Around this time, Vahidi took over the newly formed Quds, or Jerusalem, Force. Over decades, the Quds Force helped create a network of proxy militant groups and allied governments around the Middle East. The Quds Force under Vahidi helped mastermind the 1994 bombing targeting Argentina’s largest Jewish community center, killing 85 people and wounding 300 others, prosecutors say. Iran has denied involvement.

American investigators also believe that under Vahidi, Iran organized the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 U.S. service members and wounding hundreds. Tehran has denied being involved in that attack as well.

Vahidi left the Quds Force in 1998. In 2010, while he was defense minister, the United States imposed sanctions on him over alleged involvement in Iran’s nuclear program and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

More recently, as interior minister, Vahidi oversaw police units involved in a bloody, monthslong crackdown on protests over the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not properly wearing the mandated headscarf to the liking of authorities.

An Iranian newspaper later published a classified document that showed Vahidi’s Interior Ministry ordered security agencies to monitor and photograph women not wearing the hijab, something he had denied was taking place.

At around that time, Vahidi said in public comments that calls to remove the hijab were a “colonial plan” by Iran’s enemies trying to undermine the Islamic Republic. “The hijab has been a big barrier against the progress of effete Western culture,” he said.

Vahidi’s role makes reaching an accord with Iran that much more difficult for the U.S. — as does the continued obscurity over Iran’s leadership.

Trump wants a single interlocutor in Iran for negotiations, but “the whole system has changed,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran expert at the Middle East Institute.

“It is not a one-man show. Vahidi is one alongside others,” Azizi said. “Some we know and some we don’t know.”

Recent months have seen Ukrainian unmanned aircraft strike a power plant smokestack in Estonia, damage unoccupied fuel storage facilities in Latvia, and get intercepted by Romanian military aircraft operating from Lithuania.

Wednesday marked an unprecedented moment when residents of Vilnius took cover in underground parking structures as officials issued warnings about unknown drone movement in nearby Belarus – the first such incident in a NATO and European Union capital city.

While no recent casualties have occurred, the growing number of airspace breaches has led some Baltic officials to criticize Ukraine for these violations, which contributed to the downfall of Latvia’s government in May.

With U.S. President Donald Trump’s war in Iran driving up oil prices – a crucial income source for the Kremlin – Ukraine has intensified strikes on Baltic Sea shipping facilities used for Russian energy exports to damage Moscow’s financial resources.

Ukraine’s unmanned aircraft have traveled northward, passing near the boundaries of NATO countries Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland. Several went undetected before making emergency landings in Baltic territories.

Ukrainian authorities issued apologies, explaining the drones targeted military installations within Russia but were diverted by Russian electronic warfare tactics.

These repeated airspace breaches have raised concerns about defensive capabilities along NATO’s eastern border.

Here’s an examination of the circumstances:

Ukraine has intensified its offensive operations against Russia, concentrating on weapons manufacturing facilities, Baltic Sea shipping terminals and energy infrastructure as the Iran conflict has elevated oil prices.

The country has specifically focused on the Ust-Luga and Primorsk shipping facilities, located near Estonian and Finnish borders. Russia utilizes these ports to load vessels transporting oil exports across the Baltic Sea.

During a May assault that ignited sections of Primorsk port, over 60 Ukrainian drones were destroyed, according to Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko.

Following wayward Ukrainian drones entering Latvian airspace on May 7, Defense Minister Andris Spruds and Prime Minister Evika Silina stepped down.

On May 19, a Romanian fighter aircraft stationed in Lithuania destroyed a Ukrainian drone above southern Estonia. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur indicated it likely targeted Russian installations and instructed Ukraine to route its drones “as far from NATO territory as possible.”

Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic countries have repeatedly raised concerns about electronic interference from Russia disrupting communications with aircraft, vessels and drones.

Throughout the Baltic area, Russia frequently employs jamming and spoofing techniques to redirect drones.

Satellite communication networks – collectively called the Global Navigation Satellite System, or GNSS – receive accurate timing signals from satellites approximately 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles) above Earth. Smartphones, vehicles, marine or aviation navigation equipment compare signal reception times from multiple satellites to determine precise positioning.

Jamming happens when receivers are flooded by powerful radio transmissions on the same frequency bands as GNSS and other satellite navigation signals, preventing receivers from establishing location or timing. Spoofing involves broadcasting false signals mimicking genuine GNSS satellite transmissions, commonly called GPS, to trick phones, ships, or aircraft into believing they’re elsewhere.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated Tuesday that Russia is “deliberately” steering Ukrainian drones into Baltic airspace through electronic interference.

In September 2025, approximately 20 Russian drones entered Poland, highlighting weaknesses in NATO’s air defenses as expensive fighter jets were deployed. Those drones escaped advance detection, Estonia’s defense minister noted then.

Similarly undetected was a Ukrainian military drone carrying explosives that crashed in Lithuania last week, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, director of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, who spoke Sunday.

While Poland and Romania addressed drone intrusions last year by implementing new anti-drone technology – the first NATO alliance deployment specifically designed for drone threats – this system hasn’t been installed throughout the Baltic region.

Countering drones requires addressing complex technological, financial and administrative challenges and “there is no one solution against every type of drone,” said Colonel Janno Märk of the Estonian Defense Forces.

Multiple drone varieties operate at varying speeds and heights, necessitating comprehensive air defense strategies, Märk explained during military training exercises in southeastern Estonia.

Lithuanian foreign minister Budrys told AP in a Saturday interview that Baltic nations will likely need to continue addressing Ukrainian drone incursions as Kyiv now possesses capabilities to strike targets “deep in Russia” and Baltic Sea ports. The solution for countering these drones, he said, actually involves Ukraine’s assistance since the most effective anti-drone systems have been created in that country.

In a post on X, Budrys accused Moscow of “waging smear campaigns” after Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR, claimed Tuesday without evidence that Ukraine is preparing to launch drone attacks against Russia from Baltic territories.

The SVR alleged Ukrainian military personnel had already arrived in Latvia and warned that NATO membership wouldn’t shield the country from “just retribution.”

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said Tuesday that none of the Baltic states or Finland have permitted Ukraine to use their airspace for Russian strikes.

Budrys labeled the SVR claim a “transparent act of desperation” and an effort to create chaos while distracting from a “simple reality” – that Ukraine is severely damaging Russia’s military capabilities.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte commended Tuesday the alliance’s handling of drone incidents, saying they received “a calm, decisive and proportionate response.”

“This is exactly what we planned and prepared for,” Rutte said, attributing the incursions to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — This week, Montenegro commemorates two decades since gaining independence from its partnership with Serbia, marking a significant transformation period that has led the Balkan nation into NATO membership. The country now sets its sights on achieving complete European Union integration.

In an interview with The Associated Press during national celebrations, President Jakov Milatovic highlighted NATO membership as a crucial achievement and expressed confidence that the nation of 623,000 residents will accomplish its goal of becoming the EU’s 28th member by 2028.

The slogan “28 by 28” has been painted on aircraft belonging to the country’s national airline.

“We can achieve it,” Milatovic stated from his presidential office in Podgorica, the nation’s capital. “I am optimistic about it.”

Musical performances and various festivities are taking place throughout the capital city of Podgorica and other municipalities across Montenegro, a nation recognized for its breathtaking Adriatic coastline and majestic mountain ranges.

Among the six Western Balkan nations at various stages of the membership process, Montenegro stands as a leading candidate for EU admission. Multiple additional countries, including Ukraine, also aspire to eventual membership.

The European Union has established a working committee to develop an accession agreement for Montenegro — indicating that membership remains achievable.

EU representatives are anticipated to reinforce this message during a gathering in the Montenegrin coastal city of Tivat in early June with Western Balkan candidate nation leaders. The remaining candidates include Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo.

Milatovic observed that EU support within Montenegro reaches approximately 80%. However, the nation must complete democratic and economic transformations, and the pace of completion “now is entirely up to Montenegro,” he emphasized.

Unity was significantly less evident when the country decided 20 years ago to exit the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro — which was itself among several states that emerged from Yugoslavia’s dissolution.

Divided between independence advocates and those favoring continued union with Serbia, Montenegro conducted a referendum on May 21, 2006, to determine its direction following a decade of conflicts and NATO airstrikes in 1999 designed to end the Kosovo war. The outcome: 55.5% voted for independence.

Separating from the joint state created division due to Montenegro’s deep historical connections with Serbia and because approximately one-third of Montenegrins identify as Serbs. Montenegro and Serbia share Orthodox Christian faith, speak similar languages and maintain centuries-old partnerships.

The independence movement was spearheaded by Montenegro’s former longtime leader Milo Djukanovic, who guided the country toward NATO membership and away from Russia, another traditional Slavic partner.

“Twenty years ago, the citizens of Montenegro took decision-making into their own hands, and that was the basis of our development,” the president stated.

“The major progress probably happened when the country became a part of NATO in 2017,” he continued. “Being a part of NATO for a small country like Montenegro is very important because NATO is indeed a security guarantee for our independence and statehood.”

As a candidate since 2010, Montenegro continues to encounter numerous obstacles on its EU path, according to former European integration minister Jovana Marovic. A primary focus involves reinforcing state institutions.

“What was missing in the last 14 years, we have to provide now just in six months,” she stated. “So it’s really demanding, but the process is going on.”

For Montenegro’s population, economic conditions and living standards represent top concerns. Alongside democratic transformations, Montenegro has implemented the euro as its currency, though the economy remains limited and heavily reliant on tourism.

Zorana Popivoda, 28, praised Montenegro’s independence restoration. However, she noted, “then you go into a store and you see that you can buy absolutely nothing.”

President Milatovic, 39 and trained as an economist, condemned previous Montenegrin leadership for insufficient action during independence’s early years to advance democratic reforms and combat organized crime and corruption.

“I think that over the last 20 years, we can objectively say that the country experienced progress,” he remarked, “but also that Montenegro had a number of missed opportunities.”

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Court of Justice will deliver a significant ruling Thursday regarding workers’ rights to strike, potentially clarifying whether employees can legally refuse to work as a form of protest.

The court’s 15 judges were requested in 2023 by the International Labor Organization, a United Nations agency, to resolve an internal disagreement about whether one of the ILO’s agreements grants workers strike privileges.

This agreement has received approval from 158 nations and has been integrated into United Nations labor standards, guidance from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and global trade deals. While the United States participates in the ILO, it has not approved this particular agreement.

Though advisory rulings lack legal enforcement power, they hold substantial influence and this determination could affect labor laws across the globe.

Various United Nations agencies have the authority to request the ICJ’s input on legal matters and receive advisory guidance. In the previous year, the court delivered a significant advisory ruling stating that nations might violate international law if they don’t implement measures to safeguard the environment from climate change.

Throughout October hearings, the court in The Hague received testimony from 18 nations and five global organizations, including the ILO, while numerous other countries provided written statements. Most participants supported workers’ strike rights.

MANILA, May 21 – Philippine authorities announced Thursday that they will enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Senator Ronald dela Rosa, with law enforcement officials directed to take him into custody.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida declared that the arrest warrant is valid and must be carried out. Vida characterized dela Rosa as someone evading justice who must be delivered to the ICC to answer criminal charges.