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Security forces in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, launched sweeping raids Tuesday, taking more than 200 people into custody who are suspected of ties to extremist organizations, including the Islamic State group — all in preparation for next month’s high-profile NATO summit.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Ankara for the July 7-8 summit, joining fellow leaders from the 32-nation military alliance.

Turkish authorities are putting extensive security measures in place for the event. Plans include prohibiting public demonstrations, limiting access to roads near airports, and creating secure perimeters around the summit venue and hotels where visiting delegations will be staying.

The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made security a top priority, with law enforcement conducting raids on a regular basis. Just last month, a nationwide operation resulted in 324 arrests of individuals suspected of connections to the Islamic State group.

Turkish prosecutors issued detention orders for 241 suspects early Tuesday. By later in the day, police and gendarmerie units had taken 209 of those individuals into custody across the Ankara area, according to a statement from the chief prosecutor’s office. Efforts to detain the remaining suspects were still ongoing.

Of those arrested, 56 were identified as alleged Islamic State militants, while 35 were said to be members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front — a far-left organization with a history of armed attacks and assassinations inside Turkey.

The Islamic State group has been responsible for a number of deadly attacks on Turkish soil, including a 2017 New Year’s Eve shooting at a nightclub in Istanbul that left 39 people dead.

An Australian man who works as a professional air conditioner cleaner and serves part-time as an honorary town crier has earned a spot in the record books as the world’s loudest person.

Guinness World Records officially recognized Joseph McGrail-Bateup, 58, of Canberra, Australia, last week for producing the loudest shout ever recorded by a single individual. His thunderous cry of the word “now” registered at 122.4 decibels.

That single syllable was enough to topple a record that had been held since 1994 by Northern Ireland schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan, who had yelled the word “quiet” at 121.7 decibels. To put that volume in perspective, 122.4 decibels falls in the same noise range as a chain saw, a jet aircraft during takeoff, or an ambulance siren heard up close.

McGrail-Bateup said on Tuesday that there was simply no way to prepare for such a feat. “There’s no way that you can actually practice for it. You have to just keep it for the day, especially with the world record attempt,” he said.

The record did not come easily. “It took me seven attempts just for one word, which was the word ‘now,’ and my voice was shot for the next couple of days as well. It was husky. It was terrible. So no, you can’t really practice for it. But it’s a lot of fun when you’re doing it,” he added.

McGrail-Bateup was careful to note that he views himself as the world’s loudest man, not the loudest person overall — a distinction that allows Flanagan to retain her own place in history. “I’m pleased that she gets to keep her record. So she’s still the loudest woman in the world and I’m the loudest male in the world,” he said. There had been no previous Guinness record specifically for the loudest man.

His path to the record began when he searched the Guinness World Records database for achievements related to town crying and came across Flanagan’s entry instead. He had been appointed the official town crier of Canberra in 2017, a part-time honorary position created by the local government. He goes by the title Lord Joseph in that role and describes it as “a bit of fun.” His duties include making announcements at community gatherings, school fetes, and car shows.

Taking on that role also brought him membership in the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Australian Town Criers, a competitive organization dedicated to keeping alive the historic and ceremonial traditions of town crying. In a 2024 guild competition, he claimed top honors with the loudest “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez” at 98 decibels — the traditional call used to command silence and attention before a proclamation is made.

Before landing on “now” as his record-attempt word, McGrail-Bateup tested several other options. His shout was captured on May 2 inside a Canberra radio studio, with a professional acoustic engineer handling the recording and witnesses on hand to verify the attempt. The documentation was submitted to Guinness World Records, which announced the new record last Friday.

This is not McGrail-Bateup’s first time in the record books. Back in 2019, he broke a speed record for an archer firing 10 arrows, completing the feat in 60.03 seconds — shaving a fraction of a second off a record that had stood since 2015. That record lasted just nine months before a 7-year-old boy beat it by 11.4 seconds.

Despite that experience, McGrail-Bateup said he has no interest in chasing the archery record again and is equally unbothered about someone eventually topping his new shouting record. “If someone beats me, that’s fantastic,” he said. “Records are meant to be broken.”

Iran’s government announced Tuesday that no visit has been arranged for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to examine nuclear facilities that were struck by U.S. military forces.

The statement came from Esmail Baghaei, who addressed reporters during a news conference held in Tehran, Iran’s capital city.

Baghaei’s comments stand in direct contrast to statements made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who claimed that diplomatic talks held in Switzerland had produced an agreement allowing the IAEA to visit Iranian nuclear locations.

The IAEA has made multiple trips to Iran following Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran in 2025, but inspectors have not been permitted to enter the enrichment sites that were targeted and bombed by the United States during that war.

During the same news conference, Baghaei was asked whether Iran might purchase agricultural goods from the United States. He responded that Iran would base any import decisions on “prices and quality,” stopping short of directly responding to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance on the subject.

Baghaei also offered a pointed critique of what he described as a shift in the stated purpose of the military campaign. “It is interesting that the philosophy and goal of the war, which was the destruction of the Iranian civilization and the collapse of Iran, has become enriching American farmers,” he said.

Nepal’s former finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was taken into custody late Monday evening on money laundering charges, according to police, as the nation’s new Gen Z-backed government pushes forward with a sweeping crackdown on alleged corruption tied to past administrations.

Paudel, 66, is a senior leader within the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and was a prominent figure in the former government led by K.P. Sharma Oli. Police say he was apprehended at a hotel located in western Nepal.

Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle confirmed that Paudel was being transported to Kathmandu, where he would be turned over to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.

The arrest follows the collapse of Oli’s government, which was brought down in the wake of violent anti-corruption protests. Those demonstrations resulted in the deaths of at least 76 people and left more than 2,500 others injured. Several government buildings were set on fire during the unrest, including the parliament building.

Oli himself, along with his home minister, was previously arrested for failing to stop the violence. Both men have since been released on bail.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a 36-year-old former rapper who transitioned into politics and assumed office in March following a landslide election victory built on an anti-corruption platform, has vowed to hold those responsible for past misconduct accountable.

Attempts to reach Paudel for comment were unsuccessful. A UML party official indicated that top party leaders planned to convene on Tuesday to address the situation. Paudel has served in a number of ministerial roles across multiple governments throughout his political career.

A Belgian investigating judge has issued a European arrest warrant for former Greek European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, according to a Greek government official who confirmed the development late Monday. Belgian and Greek media had previously reported the warrant.

The warrant is tied to a major corruption scandal that first came to light in 2022, in which a number of European Union officials are accused of accepting bribes from Qatar in exchange for influencing EU policymaking. The case, widely referred to as “Qatargate,” has become one of the most significant scandals in the history of the 27-member bloc.

During the original investigation, authorities conducted raids and seized approximately €1.5 million — roughly $1.6 million — in cash. Some of that money was found stuffed inside a large suitcase at a Brussels hotel.

In a statement released Monday, Avramopoulos firmly rejected any accusations against him. “There was no direct or indirect involvement of mine in anything reprehensible,” he said. He also stated that he would not invoke parliamentary immunity to shield himself from the process. “On the contrary, I will appeal to the Greek judiciary myself, requesting that the matter be fully investigated and a decision be made,” he added.

Avramopoulos currently holds a seat in the Greek Parliament as a member of the ruling conservative New Democracy party. He previously served as the European Commissioner for Migration, a role he held until 2019. After leaving that post, he became affiliated with Fight Impunity, a non-governmental organization that has been linked to the Qatargate investigation. Fight Impunity did not respond to requests for comment.

The Belgian prosecutor’s office also declined to comment on the warrant. Qatar has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with the scandal.

Plastic sheets cover empty window frames and balconies hang crookedly at the partially built Ostafyevo housing complex on the outskirts of Moscow, where frustrated apartment buyers say they have taken the developer to court.

Russia set a record for housing construction in 2023, driven largely by government-subsidized mortgages. But the withdrawal of those subsidies, combined with steep borrowing costs and an ongoing economic slowdown tied to the war in Ukraine, has since hammered the construction industry.

Figures from Russia’s state statistics agency show that the amount of residential space completed in the first quarter dropped 28% compared to the same period the previous year. Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, warned that the entire construction sector had essentially stalled during that time.

Buyers at Ostafyevo say their expected move-in dates have been pushed back several times since March 2025. About 20 of them confronted the developer, Samolet, at a meeting held in May.

“Who is working there? Are they even working? Because … we have not seen any changes since January,” one buyer said at the meeting.

Another buyer showed Reuters footage filmed inside one of the half-finished units, revealing exposed breeze block walls with wiring dangling loose and a large water stain spreading across the ceiling.

In a written statement responding to media questions, Samolet said it understood the buyers’ frustration and was “making every possible effort” to speed up the move-in process. The company did not explain what caused the delays but noted that several contractors had been swapped out for what it called “reliable partners.”

The Ostafyevo development’s website promotes a large residential campus with landscaped grounds, schools, and shops — illustrated with a video of children playing on a sunny playground. Apartment prices begin at roughly 7.5 million rubles, or about $101,500.

Samolet said construction has wrapped up on three of the complex’s six phases, with residents already living there. Apartments in the fourth phase and some in the fifth are ready for occupancy, and the company said a gradual handover of remaining units would begin by September 30. “All obligations to clients will be fulfilled,” the company stated.

The financial strain on Samolet mirrors broader troubles across Russia’s real estate sector. After strong revenue gains in 2023 and 2024, the company reported a loss in 2025, partly due to high borrowing costs. Cut off from state subsidies, it restructured a portion of its debt in February. By the end of 2025, the company’s total debt exposure had reached 373 billion rubles, equivalent to roughly $5 billion.

The construction slowdown is adding further pressure to Russia’s economy, which shrank for the first time in roughly three years during the January-to-March period. Russia’s construction minister was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying that construction and related industries together made up 13% of the country’s gross domestic product in 2025.

Russia’s central bank noted in a June financial stability report that requests for loan restructuring from construction and real estate companies climbed 10% in the first quarter compared to the prior quarter. It described the difficulties facing some developers as “limited” and said they posed “no systemic risks.” The bank also pointed to a 37% year-over-year jump in new project launches during the first quarter as an encouraging sign, and said the number of delayed housing completions had declined after a moratorium — which had prevented buyers from seeking penalties for missed deadlines — expired in January.

Buyers at Ostafyevo said they moved quickly once they were able to take action. “Many have filed lawsuits, I have as well,” said Elena Skripnichenko, speaking alongside other buyers outside the Samolet office at the construction site.

She said some of the buyers had recently slipped past a fence to speak directly with workers on site, who told them they were not receiving their wages. At the May meeting, a Samolet representative acknowledged that workers were being paid, though “probably not the amount they want.” The company did not address questions about worker pay or the number of lawsuits filed in its written response.

A mid-May survey by Russia’s state housing agency found that nearly 75% of developers missed their first-quarter sales targets, and more than half expect conditions to get worse over the coming year — even as some report that severe labor shortages are beginning to ease slightly.

For some at Ostafyevo, hope is fading. Tatyana Lubentsova had planned to move her young family into their new apartment in March 2025. The family had left their hometown of Belgorod, a city near the Ukrainian border that has been repeatedly struck by drone and missile attacks. “Now we are in May 2026, and we still do not have any keys,” she said.

Pakistan’s successful role in helping negotiate a peace agreement in the Iran war has earned Islamabad widespread diplomatic praise — and with it, the possibility of economic rewards. But analysts are skeptical that such gains can address the country’s long-standing economic troubles.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir were present at talks between Iran and the United States held in the Swiss town of Buergenstock last weekend. The meeting marked the conclusion of months of behind-the-scenes diplomatic work by Pakistan in one of the world’s most significant international negotiations.

The warm reception Pakistan received was on full display when U.S. Vice President JD Vance spotted Munir at the resort location. “This guy. What’s up, man?” Vance said before embracing the army chief. Leaders from multiple countries have expressed gratitude to Islamabad for helping bring an end to a conflict that threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, disrupt global oil supplies, and destabilize the world economy.

The diplomatic achievement has elevated Pakistan’s standing on the world stage. Analysts say the nation of 250 million now has a window to turn that international goodwill into concrete economic gains. However, they caution that no amount of diplomatic prestige is likely to fix the country’s deeper problems — including economic inequality, a narrow tax base, and a pattern of repeated bailouts from the International Monetary Fund.

Pakistan is aiming for economic growth of 4.0% and inflation of 8.2% in the coming fiscal year, compared to projected growth of 3.7% in fiscal 2026, which ends in June, and an average inflation rate of 6.7% during the July through May period of the current year.

An adviser to Pakistan’s finance minister offered an optimistic take: “A nation that delivers stability at home and helps advance stability abroad becomes a more credible destination for investment,” said Khurran Schehzad. He added that “a growth-oriented economic agenda, coupled with a reputation as a force for peace and stability, places Pakistan in a uniquely favourable position to attract investment into its people, infrastructure, technology and future growth sectors.”

Many observers are anticipating some form of financial reward from the United States, though no concrete benefits have materialized yet.

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow and director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said one significant opportunity for Pakistan is the “huge potential to be a more integrated part of the broader Middle East,” which could eventually lead to wider economic and defense partnerships in the region.

A former finance minister, Miftah Ismail, pointed to another possibility: if sanctions on Iran are lifted, it could open the door to “huge trade between Iran and Pakistan,” especially through the land border in Balochistan.

Analysts drew comparisons to what happened after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when Pakistan’s alignment with Washington led to debt relief from more than a dozen countries, renewed IMF support, and U.S. assistance. Despite those opportunities, Pakistan failed to capitalize on them due to structural weaknesses in its economy.

Economic commentator and journalist Khurram Husain said the current moment resembles the post-9/11 period, but with a key distinction: that earlier episode came “at the start of a long ruinous war in which Pakistan had to play a frontline role,” whereas today “Pakistan is playing the role of a peacemaker.” That difference means Pakistan’s leverage now comes from being valuable to multiple parties at once — including Washington, Tehran, Gulf states, Turkey, and China.

Former finance minister Ismail, however, struck a more cautious tone. While acknowledging that the diplomatic role has boosted Pakistan’s global image, he said it does nothing to address the high costs, weak exports, and debt repayments that keep the country reliant on the IMF. “Our house is in such disorder that foreigners can’t really help us unless we help ourselves,” he said. “Nothing here in this war changes that and we will be continually dependent on the IMF.”

Asim Ijaz Khawaja, a professor at Harvard University and director of the Harvard Center for International Development, urged Pakistan to resist accepting short-term financial concessions that don’t actually improve productivity. Instead, he recommended pursuing academic exchanges and scholarships, better market access for textiles and technology services, technology transfers, and green investment frameworks.

Britain’s minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, visited last week and thanked Islamabad for its peacekeeping efforts. He told Reuters the UK sees “huge scope for deepening trade links” with Pakistan and that a British trade minister is expected to visit in the coming months. Diplomats from two other Western nations also indicated their governments are exploring ways to strengthen economic ties with Pakistan following its peace efforts, though they asked not to be named.

Atif Mian, a professor of economics, public policy, and finance at Princeton University, said Pakistan should avoid using diplomacy simply as another way to secure deposits, debt rollovers, or IMF-style relief. The real opportunity, he argued, is what he called a “peace pivot” — both internationally and domestically — built on regional trade, energy connections with Iran, and stronger ties with the Gulf and Turkey through exports, technology transfer, and shared industries.

Despite the optimism in some quarters, analysts were united in warning that new economic opportunities won’t solve Pakistan’s deeper challenges. “If structural reforms are not implemented, the country is poised for an implosion in coming decades,” said Adeel Malik, associate professor of development economics at Oxford University. “There are deep-seated grievances among the young and the shrinking middle classes against Pakistan’s ruling elite. The prevailing system has given ruling elites an extended lease of life but has made the country socially and economically insecure.”

PARIS — French authorities confirmed Tuesday that roughly 20 people have drowned since the weekend, as residents across the country sought ways to cool off during a dangerous heatwave gripping large portions of Europe.

Weather forecaster MeteoFrance reported that much of France was expected to see temperatures climb to around 40 degrees Celsius — the equivalent of 104 degrees Fahrenheit — on Tuesday alone.

French sports minister Marina Ferrari spoke about the rising death toll during an appearance on France Inter radio. “There have been around 20 deaths since last weekend,” she said.

Ferrari also issued a direct warning to the public about the dangers of swimming outside of designated, supervised areas during such extreme conditions. “To go swimming in unauthorised areas, during a heatwave, is not something to take lightly,” she stressed.

Lebanon is heading into another round of face-to-face negotiations with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, with Beirut determined to push forward with direct diplomacy even as a recent agreement between Iran and the United States threatens to overshadow those efforts.

Lebanese officials have maintained that direct talks with Israel represent the only path to ending a war that has been raging since March 2, when armed group Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran. Those strikes triggered Israeli air and ground operations that have since killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon.

Despite four rounds of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations since April, no lasting ceasefire has been achieved. The longest pause in fighting actually came this week — not from those talks, but after Iran and the United States agreed to a memorandum of understanding calling for a halt to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon.

That agreement strengthened Iran-backed Hezbollah’s hand while weakening the Lebanese government, whose leaders — including President Joseph Aoun — had repeatedly warned that Tehran has no authority to negotiate on Lebanon’s behalf.

A Lebanese official and two foreign officials involved in Lebanon-related diplomacy told Reuters that the Iran-U.S. deal had left the Lebanese state in its most vulnerable position to date, raising serious doubts about what this week’s talks could realistically accomplish.

The Lebanese official expressed little confidence that the three-day negotiations would produce anything concrete. “There remains a fundamental problem of trust between us and the Israelis in these talks. We cannot fulfill their demands, and they reject all of ours,” the official said.

One of Beirut’s primary goals heading into the talks is securing a commitment from Israel to withdraw its military forces from Lebanese territory. However, senior Israeli officials have stated that troops will remain in southern Lebanon for the foreseeable future. The Lebanese official said Beirut intends to push Israel to provide a “reasonable” withdrawal timeline during the negotiations.

“This is the only chance we have to generate momentum in these talks, and in this tug-of-war with Iran,” the official said.

Israel, for its part, has framed the purpose of the upcoming talks differently. According to a pre-negotiation briefing by Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer, Israel’s goal is “disarming Hezbollah and achieving a genuine peace agreement” with Lebanon. Mencer argued that Hezbollah is the sole obstacle to reaching a deal, “which is why we believe that they should be disarmed and dismantled.”

Since 2025, the Lebanese government has taken a cautious approach to the question of Hezbollah’s weapons, attempting to reduce the group’s military capacity without directly confronting it — a move officials fear could ignite civil conflict. Hezbollah has flatly refused to disarm and has called on the Lebanese government to abandon its direct negotiations with Israel altogether.

Karim Safieddine, a fellow at the Washington-based Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, warned that Israel could adopt an even harder line in the Washington talks given Israeli officials’ frustration over the U.S.-Iran agreement. While that deal has brought a degree of calm to Lebanon, Safieddine told Reuters there has been “no structural change” in the underlying positions of Lebanon and Israel that would suggest a breakthrough is near.

President Aoun first proposed direct negotiations in March, but talks did not begin until mid-April, after the U.S. announced a ceasefire meant to open a diplomatic path that Washington said could eventually lead to a peace agreement. Israeli air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs largely stopped at that point, though intense fighting continued in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces pushed further into Lebanese villages.

In early June, the U.S. put forward another ceasefire proposal tied to the Lebanese-Israeli negotiating process, but it required Hezbollah to stop firing — a condition the group rejected outright.

Hezbollah is now banking on Iran to press for an Israeli withdrawal as part of any final deal with the United States, and the group is urging the Lebanese government to rely on that diplomatic track rather than continuing its own direct talks with Israel.

SEOUL — South Korea has declared it stands ready to accept every North Korean prisoner of war captured by Ukrainian forces, provided those soldiers wish to come to South Korea, according to a statement from Seoul’s foreign ministry released Tuesday.

The ministry made clear that South Korea is firmly against any forced return of these prisoners to either Russia or North Korea. The position underscores Seoul’s commitment to honoring the wishes of captured North Korean soldiers who served alongside Russian forces.

Ministers from South Korea and Ukraine are scheduled to sit down for formal discussions in Seoul on June 30.

On a Monday morning in London, Keir Starmer stepped out into the sunlight on Downing Street, surrounded by his staff and his wife, his voice breaking with emotion as he announced he was no longer the right person to lead the United Kingdom.

Starmer, who came to power in one of the largest electoral landslides in British political history, is leaving office after fewer than two years — making him the sixth British prime minister to resign in just a decade. That rate of leadership turnover is the highest the country has seen in nearly 200 years.

Like those who came before him, Starmer was unable to quiet widespread public frustration over living standards that have barely moved since the 2008 financial crisis. At the same time, a swelling national debt — driven by global crises including the COVID-19 pandemic — has severely limited what any government can spend. The ongoing failure to address illegal immigration has added another layer of political tension and division.

Anthony Seldon, a historian who has written extensively about British prime ministers in works including “The Impossible Office,” told Reuters that Britain finds itself in a very deep hole after Starmer and predecessors such as Liz Truss and Boris Johnson all failed to establish the public trust and clear direction the country needs.

Looking ahead to who might follow Starmer, Seldon offered a sobering assessment: “If Andy Burnham fails as prime minister, the outlook for Britain is bleak.”

There was a time not long ago when Britain was considered a model of political and economic stability — home to leaders like Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, whose combined 21 years in power helped define modern Britain. But the global financial crisis hit the country especially hard, given how heavily the British economy leaned on its financial sector. The years of public sector austerity that followed left the nation poorly equipped to handle the challenges that came next.

In fact, the last prime minister to win an outright election victory — without relying on another party’s support — and serve a full term was Blair, between 2001 and 2005. Britain, which once laughed at Italy’s famously unstable parade of leaders, now finds itself looking at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with something closer to envy. She is on track to become the longest-serving head of government in the history of the Italian Republic, with nearly four years in power.

While many political observers trace Britain’s instability to the Brexit vote a decade ago to leave the European Union, Jill Rutter — a former finance ministry official and senior fellow at the Institute of Government think tank — argues the trouble really began with the financial crash.

“There has just been a general sense that we don’t see our lives getting better and we don’t see the lives of our children getting better,” she said. “And each government since has seemed to be unable to change that.”

The 2016 decision to exit the EU upended Britain’s long-standing foreign policy approach and reignited the independence movement in Scotland, where voters had chosen to remain in the bloc. The financial toll of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine then pushed national debt to just under 100% of the country’s GDP.

While countries like Japan, Italy, the United States, and France all carry higher debt-to-GDP ratios, Britain faces steeper borrowing costs — partly due to persistent inflation and investor concerns about the country’s reliance on foreign capital to cover its deficit. That squeeze on government finances has taken a real toll on everyday living standards.

Data released in 2025 from a major supermarket chain and the Centre for Economics and Business Research revealed that while average real disposable income in the UK was technically rising, the bottom 40% of earners actually had less purchasing power than they did in 2021.

Sam Freedman, a former government adviser, argued in his recent book “Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It” that Britain’s problems stem partly from a system that is too centralized, with key government offices too understaffed to handle the demands placed on them.

Rutter and Roger Gale — one of Britain’s longest-serving lawmakers, who first entered parliament in 1983 — both pointed to a deteriorating political culture as another major factor. The constant pressure of rolling television news and social media has pushed politicians into making hasty decisions rather than thoughtful ones.

Gale, a Conservative lawmaker, told Reuters that the government simply needs to slow down. “There is too much legislation. A lot of it is bad and a lot of it is badly drafted,” he said. “We need more grown up government.”

Starmer himself drew criticism for taking office without a well-defined plan for tackling a long list of urgent challenges — from skyrocketing electricity costs to spurring economic investment, overhauling the health service, and boosting defence spending.

His likely successor, Burnham — a career politician who most recently served as mayor of Greater Manchester — could potentially step into the role within weeks. He will need to quickly assemble a cabinet and lay out a compelling vision for the country’s future.

Rishi Sunak, the last Conservative prime minister, who lost the 2024 general election to Starmer, weighed in with a warning for Burnham. Writing in the Sunday Times, Sunak said Burnham must come in with a clear plan. “Without that, he will become yet another prime minister lying awake fretting about why it isn’t working,” Sunak wrote.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan launched a five-day series of military exercises on Monday, designed to sharpen the island’s combat readiness in the event of an attack by China.

In Taoyuan — the city that houses Taiwan’s largest international airport — tanks rolled through city streets and highways as armored vehicles from the Army’s 269th Infantry Brigade carried out combat readiness patrols Monday morning. Videos and photos captured the striking scenes of military hardware moving through civilian areas.

The exercises, known as the Immediate Combat Readiness Exercises, are intended to measure how quickly military units can be deployed, particularly in response to a sudden increase in Chinese grey-zone warfare. Grey-zone tactics are aggressive actions — ranging from naval ship patrols to drone flights — that stop short of outright combat.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced the drills on Sunday afternoon, describing them as realistic in nature, with a focus on what it called “real-time, live-fire and on-site” conditions.

According to Taiwan’s semi-official Central News Agency, the exercises are structured to simulate the period just before an enemy force would launch its naval vessels. Officials noted that unplanned drills could also be added going forward, including live responses to Chinese military activity.

Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that China’s People’s Liberation Army sent 23 aircraft toward the island between Sunday and Monday morning, along with seven navy ships and five additional Chinese government vessels. China routinely dispatches warplanes, drones, and naval ships toward Taiwan on a daily basis.

Taiwan holds combat readiness exercises on a regular basis as it works to strengthen its defenses against persistent military pressure from China. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not taken the option of using military force off the table. Earlier this June, Taiwan fired rockets in the direction of China for the first time during a military exercise.

LONDON — Ten years ago this Tuesday, British voters made a decision that would reshape their nation’s future — and not necessarily in the ways they were promised. On June 23, 2016, the U.K. voted 52% to 48% to exit the European Union after more than four decades as a member. What followed was a decade of political upheaval that shows little sign of settling down.

The country is now preparing to install its seventh prime minister since that fateful vote. Conservative leader David Cameron, who called the referendum while personally arguing for the U.K. to remain in the EU, resigned the very next day after the result came in.

Every leader who followed has struggled — most without much success — to manage the aftermath of that break. The most recent, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced Monday that he too is stepping down. His two years in office were marked by a sluggish economy, government dysfunction, and a weary, divided public — conditions that experts trace, at least in part, back to Brexit.

Even though Brexit has largely disappeared from daily headlines, academic Chris Grey, who has spent years studying the consequences of Britain’s EU departure, says its influence hasn’t gone away. He described “the subterranean trace of Brexit” as something that still runs beneath the surface of the country’s increasingly chaotic political landscape.

Those who campaigned for leaving the then-28-member political and economic union told voters it would allow Britain to “take back control” of its laws, its economy, and its borders. The “remain” side focused heavily on economic warnings, while the “leave” campaign leaned on emotional appeals.

Boris Johnson, one of the most prominent voices for leaving — and who would later serve as prime minister — declared weeks before the vote: “We can see the sunlit meadows beyond. I believe we would be mad not to take this once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk through that door.”

Margaret MacMillan, an emeritus professor of history at the University of Toronto, said Brexit drew on a complicated mix of motivations, including nostalgia “for an imagined past.”

“It was against what people saw as unrestricted immigration. It was against what they saw as EU regulations. And then there was this mix of nostalgia — ‘We fought alone in the Second World War.’ Which was of course not true,” she said. “It was never clearly explained what Brexit might entail.”

The bold promises — tighter immigration controls, new trade deals, more funding for public services, and freedom from Brussels-issued regulations — quickly ran into hard reality. Bitter negotiations stretched on for years. Britain officially departed the EU on January 31, 2020, with an 11-month transition period before the full separation took effect.

Theresa May, who took over from Cameron, stepped down in 2019 after being unable to get exit terms through a deeply split Parliament. Johnson then took the helm, pledging to “get Brexit done,” and eventually secured a minimal trade agreement — though one that left relations between the U.K. and EU deeply strained.

Johnson himself was pushed out by his own party in mid-2022 amid a wave of financial and ethical controversies. His replacement, Liz Truss, lasted just 49 days in office. The next leader, Rishi Sunak, managed to slightly warm relations with the EU but stopped short of any major shifts in policy.

Starmer came in promising a “reset” with Europe but ruled out rejoining the EU’s single market — the tariff-free, barrier-free trading zone. Now, as he prepares to leave office, Brexit remains unresolved.

Historian Anthony Seldon noted that Cameron originally called the referendum hoping to put to rest the long-running arguments about Europe that had torn apart the Conservative Party for years. That didn’t happen.

“The people who obsessed about it still obsess about it. Britain’s problems have continued,” Seldon told Times Radio.

During the drawn-out exit negotiations, Conservatives who favored a gentler form of Brexit and closer ties with Europe were effectively driven out of the party by the dominant pro-Brexit wing. Labour, while more sympathetic to Europe overall, faces its own internal split between those who want to move closer to the EU — or even rejoin — and senior figures like Starmer who prefer not to reopen old divisions.

A decade later, millions of voters have walked away from both major parties, turning instead to alternatives like the left-leaning Green Party and the hard-right Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage. Farage may be the single biggest political beneficiary of Brexit. He championed the divorce, then argued it had been betrayed. His anti-immigration message has evolved over the years, shifting from concerns about European workers to asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats. His party now consistently tops opinion polls.

The British economy has also had a rough decade. Businesses have faced new hurdles trading with the country’s nearest neighbors, though Brexit isn’t the only factor — the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the conflict involving Iran have all contributed to sluggish growth.

Hannah White, director of the Institute for Government think tank, said a broader failure of political honesty has made things worse. “We just haven’t had politicians who’ve been upfront with the public about the fact that when they get into power, they won’t be able to have no increases in taxes, no increases in debt, and better public services all in the same breath,” she said. “And so people are disappointed.”

Immigration — one of the central issues driving the Brexit vote — remains as contentious as ever. Net migration actually climbed after Brexit, reaching more than 900,000 in 2023, before dropping to 171,000 last year. In recent years, misinformation and agitation have helped spark anti-immigration street violence tied to crimes committed by, or falsely attributed to, immigrants.

Grey warned that a line once held firm in British public life — separating mainstream political debate from street-level violence — is now weakening. “I think that boundary is being eroded. And I think that did to some large extent begin with Brexit,” he said.

Polls suggest growing second thoughts about the original decision. A recent Ipsos survey found 52% of people in the U.K. would now like to rejoin the EU, while 33% are opposed. Last Saturday, hundreds of people marched through London waving blue and yellow EU flags in a “rejoin” demonstration — though the turnout was far smaller than the massive protests seen during the height of the Brexit battle. Many Britons simply want to move on.

But Brexit remains a subject politicians tread around carefully. Even if Britain were to seek re-entry into the EU, the path back would be long and uncertain, with a wary bloc on the other side.

Grey offered a stark assessment of what lies ahead if leaders continue to dodge the issue. He compared Britain to someone dealing with a persistent, draining illness. “A chronic thing, in this case perhaps not incurable,” he said. “But it’s just that they don’t fancy going to the doctor because they know it’s not going to be very nice.”

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer rode a wave of historic electoral success into office in 2024, only to step down Monday after barely two years on the job, driven out by a rebellion within his own Labour Party following crushing losses in local elections.

His time in power was marked by a faltering economy, a string of policy reversals, a deeply problematic diplomatic appointment, and a widespread sense that his government lacked a clear direction. Those factors combined to deal Labour a severe defeat in spring local elections, sparking internal calls for his departure that ultimately opened the door for a challenger to force him out.

When Starmer’s party swept to power on July 4, 2024, capturing 411 of 650 seats in Parliament and ending 14 years of Conservative Party rule, the mood was jubilant. It was a dramatic reversal from the party’s previous electoral collapse.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood declared that Starmer would never be forgotten for guiding the “party from the brink, back to power.”

In his victory remarks, Starmer painted a picture of national renewal and a government that would work for “working people.” “And now we can look forward,” he told supporters. “Walk into the morning, the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger through the day, shining once again, on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back.”

The optimism faded quickly. Britain’s public finances had been badly strained by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leaving little room for major spending initiatives.

Voters who had thrown out the Conservatives in hopes of economic relief found that Labour’s early efforts produced little improvement. Starmer and his Treasury chief, Rachel Reeves, may have made matters worse by painting an overly gloomy picture of what they had inherited — dampening consumer and business confidence and prompting further economic caution.

Policy choices added to the damage. Labour’s election platform had explicitly promised not to raise income tax or sales tax. Faced with a budget shortfall, the government instead chose to increase a payroll-related tax on businesses, a move that proved deeply unpopular and led many employers to scale back hiring.

A series of additional policy retreats followed, each one feeding the narrative that Starmer’s government was rudderless. The administration reversed course on plans to eliminate winter heating subsidies for millions of retirees, backed away from proposed cuts to welfare spending, and softened a new agricultural inheritance tax after farmers staged angry protests and drove tractors through the streets of London.

On other issues, the government also reversed itself — including Starmer’s decision to launch a national inquiry into organized child sexual abuse, which came after pressure from opposition politicians and Elon Musk.

Among the most damaging episodes of Starmer’s tenure was his decision to appoint controversial Labour figure Peter Mandelson — a man long known by the nickname “Prince of Darkness” for his aggressive political maneuvering — as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. Starmer made the appointment knowing Mandelson had maintained a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At first, the move appeared shrewd. Mandelson’s background in trade negotiations and his comfort among wealthy and powerful circles helped Britain secure a favorable trade deal with the United States, with lower tariffs than many other nations received from the unpredictable U.S. President Donald Trump.

But in September 2025, new revelations surfaced showing Mandelson had been far more closely connected to the late financier Epstein than he had previously admitted. Starmer dismissed him. The fallout continued to dog the prime minister long after the firing.

Internal government records later revealed that Mandelson had been flagged as a “reputational risk” before his appointment, that he had failed a security background check, and that he was under investigation for allegedly sharing sensitive government information with Epstein during his time as a Cabinet minister more than 15 years ago. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.

The final blow came from local elections held last month. Labour suffered a devastating performance as Reform UK, a relatively new hard-right, anti-immigration party, captured the largest share of local seats, while the growing Green Party pulled voters away from Labour on the left flank.

More than 100 Labour members of Parliament publicly called on Starmer to step aside. Several government ministers, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, resigned from their posts in protest, with speculation mounting that Streeting might challenge Starmer for the leadership.

A sitting member of Parliament gave up his seat to allow Andy Burnham, the widely popular Mayor of Greater Manchester, to return to London and mount a direct challenge to Starmer. Burnham won that contest last week.

Starmer spent the weekend at the prime minister’s country estate, weighing his options as party insiders pressed him to announce a departure timeline. On Monday morning, an emotional Starmer announced his resignation. Burnham was sworn in later that same day in the House of Commons, receiving a triumphant reception from lawmakers.

Whether any other candidates will enter the race remains to be seen. Labour’s national executive committee is scheduled to open nominations on July 9 to formally select Starmer’s permanent replacement.

Ship traffic is gradually returning to the Strait of Hormuz following a temporary agreement between Iran and the United States, but the waterway’s long-term future remains deeply uncertain. Disputes over who controls the strait and whether ships will be forced to pay fees to pass through it are already threatening to complicate negotiations toward a permanent peace deal.

Tensions flared again this past weekend when Iran announced it had reclosed the strait, pointing to Israel’s most recent strikes on Lebanon as justification. The U.S. quickly pushed back on that claim. Maritime tracking data showed that dozens of vessels made the crossing on Saturday and Sunday — though the numbers were still far below what was typical before the conflict began.

President Donald Trump floated the idea that the U.S. could impose its own tolls on ships passing through the strait if a final agreement with Iran isn’t reached within the countries’ 60-day negotiating window. Before the war, passage through the strait was free. Iran, however, created a new governmental body last month — the Persian Gulf Strait Authority — to collect fees from vessels, and has indicated it still expects ships to register with that authority.

No single nation owns the Strait of Hormuz, which runs along the coastlines of both Iran and Oman. A memorandum of understanding reached last week gave Iran temporary authority to manage the strait while talks continue with Oman and six other Gulf nations about how the waterway will be governed going forward. As part of that arrangement, Iran agreed not to charge tolls for 60 days.

Legal experts and maritime industry groups have repeatedly warned that a toll system would break with decades of established international trade practice. Even if the U.S. and Iran reach a final agreement, analysts say it could take months before the flow of oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and other goods returns to pre-war levels.

Data and analytics firm Kpler confirmed that 71 ships traveled through the strait between Friday and Sunday, with the highest single-day count being 35 crossings on Saturday. Before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February — and before Tehran responded with its own attacks and effectively shut the waterway — roughly 100 to 130 vessels made the trip each day.

Under the terms of the provisional framework, Iran committed to completing demining operations within 30 days and removing what the agreement called “technical and military obstacles” to shipping. Iran’s lead negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, told Iranian state media on Monday that his country would manage the strait in line with international maritime law.

The strait’s main central route remains mined and closed. Ships have been rerouting through a smaller northern passage that runs through Iranian waters or a southern route through Omani waters. Kpler noted that caution remains evident, with many vessels either following Iran’s designated route or turning off their transponders to hide their locations and identities.

Early in the conflict, Iran began screening ships and demanding payment before allowing them through — a practice shipping analysts called a “tollbooth” arrangement. In early April, Iran formally demanded the right to collect tolls as a condition for loosening its grip on the strait.

Although the Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Persian Gulf Strait Authority late last month — with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent describing Iran’s actions as an attempt to extort global maritime trade — the president suggested on Saturday that the U.S. might charge its own fees for what he called “services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East.” The administration has not explained how any such U.S.-imposed charges would actually work if negotiations break down.

Shipping analysts have expressed surprise at how much authority the initial agreement handed to Iran. “Almost all the power goes into Iran to determine the arrangements going forward in the future. This is what we really need clarity on,” said Philip Belcher, marine director of Intertanko, a trade association for independent tanker owners, speaking Thursday.

Charging tolls in the strait would likely conflict with one of international maritime law’s foundational principles: the freedom of peaceful navigation. That right was formally established through the United Nations’ Convention on the Law of the Sea, which entered into force in 1994. The treaty guarantees ships the right to unobstructed “transit passage” through more than 100 straits around the world, including the Strait of Hormuz. Importantly, this protection applies only to natural waterways — fees can legally be charged for man-made passages like the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal.

Oman is among more than 170 countries that have ratified the U.N. convention. The U.S. and Iran have not, though maritime associations argue that all nations are still bound by its provisions.

James Kraska, a professor of international maritime law at the U.S. Naval War College and a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, points out that both the U.S. and Iran belong to the International Maritime Organization — the United Nations agency responsible for shipping safety and security — and are both parties to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. In straits like Hormuz, he said, fees may only be collected at designated ports of entry or for services a ship specifically requests, such as specialized navigation assistance through dangerous waters.

“If Iran wants to apply those to everybody, then it has to adjust the traffic separation scheme rules, and that can only be done through the member states of the International Maritime Organization,” Kraska said.

“You can’t impose fees for a ship exercising its right of transit passage,” he added. “So the bottom line is, no — fees in this context are just not lawful.”

Kraska noted that countries have previously worked together to share the costs of maintaining a strait. As one example, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore collaborated with the International Maritime Organization and other nations on a cost-sharing arrangement for the Strait of Malacca — but that model relied on negotiated contributions from the states using the passage, not charges levied on individual ships.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has shifted rapidly throughout the conflict. While the outlook has improved since both countries agreed to extend their ceasefire, Marcus Baker, global head of marine, cargo, and logistics at insurance brokerage and risk management firm Marsh, said there remains “a degree of nervousness around the situation.”

Baker said there is strong insurance support for ship owners trying to move cargo during this period, but he cautioned that the interim deal between Iran and the U.S. does not guarantee the strait will remain toll-free once the negotiating window closes. “We’ll see what the next six weeks brings us,” he said.

MANILA — The U.S. government has handed over four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles to the armed forces of the Philippines, in a transaction valued at $13 million, according to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

The embassy announced the transfer on Tuesday, stating that the delivery underscores America’s dedication to its alliance with the Philippines and will strengthen the country’s capacity to identify and respond to challenges in its surrounding waters.

“The delivery demonstrates how aligned investments, training, and shared standards translate into credible, ready capabilities that deter aggression and support regional stability,” the embassy said in a formal statement.

New Zealand is accelerating approval of gold mining projects and actively recruiting mining investors as skyrocketing bullion prices breathe new life into an industry that has been shrinking for years — all while raising questions about the country’s famous “100% Pure” marketing image as the government scrambles to strengthen a struggling economy.

Based on Reuters calculations, New Zealand’s gold output is on pace to double by the mid-2030s, reaching its highest level in at least 30 years. Two new projects have already received approval, and a third is still awaiting a final green light. If that trajectory holds, the country would surpass the government’s goal of raising annual mineral exports — including coal and silver — to NZ$3 billion (about $1.8 billion U.S.) by 2035.

Mining companies see untapped opportunity in the nation, which they consider underexplored, especially as the government works to create jobs amid unemployment levels not seen in nearly a decade and declining business confidence. New Zealand issued 163 new permits for prospecting, mining, and exploration last year — a 16% jump compared to the previous year, according to government data.

However, the mining push is drawing pushback from environmental advocates and some in the agricultural industry, who worry that a larger mining presence could tarnish the clean, natural image that New Zealand has built for its tourism and export industries.

Two major challenges loom for the sector this year: the outcome of a closely watched November 7 election that could reshape existing mining policies, and whether a contentious mining project clears its final regulatory hurdle.

Jake Klein, founder of Australia’s second-largest gold mining company, Evolution Mining, and chairman of Endura Mining — whose Snowy River project is scheduled to begin production in December — said the country has long been overlooked. “New Zealand has been under-recognised as a mining jurisdiction for a long period of time,” he said. “The mining industry likes to discover new jurisdictions … but it’s going to be dependent on success and consistency of government policy,” he added.

Resources Minister Shane Jones told Reuters that the government — which last month cut its economic growth forecast for next year to 2.3% — remains firmly behind the industry. “Our economy needs every arrow in the economic quiver shot with amazing accuracy,” he said.

Gold stands out as one of the few bright spots in New Zealand’s economy. Export revenues from the metal have nearly tripled over three years to NZ$1.83 billion, now making up 2.3% of total goods exports compared with just 0.9% in 2022.

To help jolt the sluggish economy, New Zealand enacted a law in late 2024 designed to cut approval timelines for major infrastructure, mining, and energy projects from years down to months. The fast-track permitting system allows qualifying projects to bypass certain standard regulatory steps and restricts public comment periods and legal challenges. The opposition Labour Party has stated it would amend the law to ensure environmental protections cannot be overridden.

Canadian-listed OceanaGold has already secured approval through the fast-track process, while Santana Minerals is still waiting on a decision under the same streamlined system.

The Snowy River project is expected to bring 250 jobs to the region and add at least NZ$350 million per year in export revenue, according to government projections. Klein said the company hopes to recruit New Zealanders currently working in Australian mines who want to return home. “If we can find New Zealanders working in mines in Australia who want to get back home, we’ll hire them,” he said.

New Zealand’s largest gold producer, OceanaGold, plans to invest NZ$1 billion in its Waihi North project, with production expected to begin in 2032. Senior Vice President Alison Paul noted that the company’s operations draw workers — including some from Australia — who are drawn to regional living and enjoy spending their days off “hunting or fishing or farming, or being with kids and family.”

Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon offered a measured take, noting that while mining is a highly productive industry, much of the financial gain would likely flow to mine owners rather than broadly transform the wider economy.

The most heated debate over gold mining is playing out in Central Otago on New Zealand’s South Island, where Australian-listed explorer Santana Minerals is waiting on consent for its Bendigo-Ophir gold project. A decision is due by October 29, 2026.

Santana Minerals CEO Damian Spring, a New Zealander who lives about an hour’s drive from the proposed mine site, emphasized the well-paying regional jobs the project would generate. “Responsible mining is not a contradiction in terms here. It’s a choice New Zealand is making,” he said.

Government estimates project the proposed mine would contribute an average of NZ$360 million annually to GDP and directly employ 351 people. Still, the project faces significant opposition from wineries, heritage organizations, and environmental groups.

Wine producers in Central Otago are worried the open-cast mine could threaten water supplies and expose their vineyards to airborne pollutants, potentially undermining a premium wine industry that has been built up over decades.

Actor Sam Neill, who owns the Two Paddocks winery in Central Otago, issued a stark warning about what approval of the mine could set in motion. “This would be disastrous. #ravageandpillage,” he said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Zoe Hawkins, an organizer with Natural Capital — a group representing local residents opposed to the Santana project — said the fast-track permitting system gave community groups only 20 working days to file a response. “I would really like to say that we do have a chance of stopping it. I think that the odds have really been stacked against us,” she said.

Russia’s Tu-160 missile-carrying strategic bombers completed a 16-hour flight over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea on Tuesday, according to a post from the country’s defense ministry on Telegram.

The mission included an air-to-air refueling test and was characterized by the ministry as a routine operation. Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew alongside the bombers throughout the flight, and at various points along the route, foreign fighter jets joined as escorts — though the ministry did not identify which countries sent those aircraft.

Russia shares its northern border with NATO alliance members Norway and Finland, making the region a strategically sensitive area for both Russian and Western military forces.

An air raid alert was activated over Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv in the early morning hours of Tuesday, with officials posting a warning on Telegram urging residents to immediately seek shelter. The alert came just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy cautioned that Russia was gearing up for a major assault.

In another part of the country, the city of Kharkiv — Ukraine’s second-largest — came under attack from drones and two missiles, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, who shared the information via Telegram. Terekhov reported that one woman was wounded in the strike.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the specifics of either incident.

BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania’s ongoing political crisis took a turn for the worse Monday night after Parliament voted down a new government put forward by Prime Minister-designate Adrian Vestea, who had been hoping to finally bring stability to the struggling nation.

The confidence vote fell well short of the required threshold, with 189 lawmakers voting in favor and only 23 opposed — but more than half of Parliament chose to abstain. At least 233 votes were needed for the government to be approved. The failure marks the latest chapter in a political standoff that began when a no-confidence vote brought down the previous government back in May.

Romanian President Nicusor Dan had tapped Vestea, a longtime member of the National Liberal Party, known as PNL, citing his background in public administration. Vestea was actually Dan’s second choice for the position — his first nominee, Eugen Tomac, had failed to put together a cabinet within the required 10-day window.

The collapse of Vestea’s cabinet bid is expected to further destabilize a country already struggling with one of the highest budget deficits among European Union member states.

Speaking to Parliament on Monday, Vestea painted a sobering picture of Romania’s condition, describing it as going through “a complex period” marked by “distrust between the citizen and the state.”

He went on to say the country is confronting “serious economic challenges, social tensions accumulated over years, an international context more unstable and risky than we have known for a long time. But beyond all this, I believe that our real problem is something else — a crisis of trust.”

Vestea had submitted his proposed cabinet lineup and governing agenda to Parliament on Sunday. However, a significant political problem emerged: President Dan had not consulted Vestea’s own party, PNL, before naming him as his pick. While Parliament’s largest party, the Social Democratic Party — or PSD — backed Vestea’s cabinet, his own party refused to support him.

Earlier Monday, Vestea met with the leader of the hard-right nationalist opposition group known as the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, calling it essential to address “an unprecedented crisis.” However, AUR leader George Simion announced after that meeting that his party would not support the proposed cabinet, and AUR lawmakers walked out of Parliament before the vote was held.

Simion delivered a sharp rebuke from the Parliament floor, saying, “For 35 years in Romania, betrayal has been the order of the day and has somehow become commonplace, part of everyday life. Those in this hall who are not traitors are leaving this hall synonymous with betrayal.”

PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu, speaking to reporters before the final tally was in, said his party was unlikely to back a minority government going forward. He offered Vestea a backhanded compliment, congratulating him for “accepting to enter this battle.” He also took a veiled shot at the lawmakers who skipped the vote, saying, “There are others who were not even present at the vote … acting like moralists, but it is not my job to judge them.”

Political consultant Cristian Andrei, based in Bucharest, said the outcome largely benefits AUR by demonstrating that “the mainstream parties are unable to govern.” He warned that the road to forming a stable government remains rocky.

“There is a tough road ahead for finding a majority because the pro-Western parties are in a perpetual conflict,” Andrei told The Associated Press. “Instability and populism win again. Trust in the mainstream politics is the victim again.”

With the vote failed, President Dan must now put forward yet another candidate for prime minister. If that person also fails to assemble a functioning government, the country could be forced into snap elections — something that would be unusual, as Romania’s next general election is not scheduled until 2028.

Romania continues to grapple with one of the EU’s highest budget deficits and widespread inflation. Reducing the deficit had been declared a top priority when the coalition took power in June 2025.

A man armed with a long gun opened fire Monday at a Montreal hotel, fatally shooting a police officer before police returned fire and killed him, according to authorities. A civilian also lost their life during the incident, though investigators have not yet determined who fired that fatal shot.

Police Chief Fady Dagher announced that a second officer suffered serious injuries in the attack, which took place in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, but said that officer is now in stable condition. The chief confirmed the gunman was killed by police at the scene.

Dagher noted that this marks the first time in 24 years that a Montreal police officer has been killed while on duty. “It’s a very, very sad day. It’s a nightmare,” he said when speaking to reporters.

According to the chief, emergency services received a call around 11:35 a.m. from someone reporting that a person was pointing a gun out of a window at the Hilton hotel. Officers responded to the location and were immediately met with gunfire. Video footage also showed the shooter had come outside the hotel at some point during the incident.

Investigators are still working to establish what motivated the attack, and Dagher said he does not yet know who fired the shot that killed the civilian.

Jacob Coutu, a construction worker at a nearby job site, said he heard “four or five gunshots” that morning. He said police began flooding the area shortly afterward, and additional shots rang out soon after.

“We saw cops getting in a gunfight, getting shot down,” Coutu said. He estimated that he heard as many as 30 to 40 gunshots in total.

Public safety officials sent out an emergency alert warning residents about an armed and dangerous suspect in the area and instructed people to shelter in place. The alert led to temporary closures on the Décarie expressway, a major highway, and caused significant portions of two subway lines to shut down temporarily.

Dagher later confirmed that the suspect had already been killed before authorities sent out the emergency alert. Officials lifted the alert shortly after 3 p.m.