Blog

Relatives and human rights advocates are urgently requesting the immediate release of Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu, citing severe deterioration of his health while incarcerated.

Yuyu, who worked as an editor for the state-run Guangming Daily newspaper, was arrested during a lunch meeting with a Japanese diplomat in 2022 and received a seven-year espionage conviction in 2024.

“Yuyu is now effectively facing a death sentence,” his family declared in a Thursday statement.

According to his relatives, Yuyu was admitted to a Tianjin prison medical facility on April 27, where physicians discovered irregular heart rhythms and a lung mass that his family worries may be cancerous.

His relatives report that he has been forced to work extended shifts manufacturing clothing while imprisoned and has been denied adequate rest periods.

“My mother and I are very sad and anxious,” stated his son Dong Yifu, who lives in the United States and has been campaigning for his father’s freedom.

“The international community must increase pressure on Beijing to secure his release on medical parole, as well as permission for him to travel abroad for treatment and reunite with his family,” declared Aleksandra Bielakowska from Reporters Without Borders.

The family hopes President Donald Trump’s administration will address Yuyu’s situation during next week’s planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

While employed at Beijing’s government-supported Guangming Daily, Yuyu also contributed to various other outlets, including Chinese periodicals and The New York Times’ Chinese-language platform.

His writings promoted constitutional democracy, governmental reform, and political openness — perspectives that were previously tolerated but are now prohibited topics in China.

ROME — Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues his diplomatic mission in Rome today with a scheduled meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as both nations work to repair damaged relations stemming from disagreements over the Iran conflict.

The diplomatic rift has widened in recent weeks following President Trump’s implementation of new tariffs, his criticism of European nations for not supporting the U.S. position on Iran, and his public disputes with Pope Leo XIV. These issues have created significant strain between the United States and Italy, two nations that have historically maintained close ties.

Rubio’s agenda also includes discussions with Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani as part of his broader diplomatic effort to restore trans-Atlantic cooperation.

The Secretary’s visit began Thursday with a meeting with Pope Leo XIV, marking the start of his mission to reduce tensions across the Atlantic. Italian officials plan to use these discussions to maintain their strategic alliance with America while resisting Washington’s demands regarding the Iran situation.

President Trump has publicly denounced both the Vatican and Italy’s leadership for their opposition to the war. Meloni has characterized the conflict as “illegal” and described Trump’s comments about the pontiff as “unacceptable.”

In response, Trump has questioned Meloni’s leadership, calling her “negative” regarding U.S. war efforts and suggesting she lacks courage. The Italian Prime Minister, once considered among Trump’s strongest European supporters, now finds their relationship significantly deteriorated, as Trump has publicly acknowledged.

Washington has already announced plans to relocate 5,000 military personnel from Germany, and Trump has warned of potential troop withdrawals from Italy and Spain due to their positions on the Iran conflict.

Italy serves as a crucial operational center for American and allied activities throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa. Any reduction in military presence could significantly impact NATO’s strategic positioning in southern Europe.

Military cooperation faced a significant test in late March when Italy refused to permit U.S. bombers heading to the Middle East to use the Sigonella base in Sicily without legislative authorization.

Italy’s constitutional framework and international agreements specify how military installations may be utilized, permitting logistics and training within NATO parameters while typically prohibiting direct combat operations like bombing missions without explicit approval.

Both Meloni and Tajani have consistently stated Italy will not participate in the Iran conflict, emphasizing that any American request to use Italian facilities for combat purposes requires parliamentary consent, where war opposition remains substantial.

Rome faces significant challenges regarding both its security relationship with Washington and the economic consequences of the conflict. Meloni has expressed concern that closure of the Strait of Hormuz is increasing energy expenses and reducing consumer spending power, while potential American tariff policies threaten Italy’s export-dependent economy.

The Prime Minister is dealing with political challenges following a March referendum loss and growing domestic opposition to the war, further complicating her diplomatic position.

Since assuming office in 2022, Meloni has attempted to position herself as a dependable American partner and intermediary between Washington and Europe, but current disputes over Iran and trade policies, combined with her recent political difficulties, have highlighted the constraints of this approach.

During his Vatican visit Thursday, Rubio spent two and a half hours in discussions with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, addressing “efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East” and other shared concerns, according to State Department officials.

Both nations emphasized that Rubio’s meetings with the Pope and Vatican leadership demonstrated the strength of bilateral relations.

American officials indicated the conversations reinforced “the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See” and mutual dedication to advancing peace and human dignity.

Small business owners throughout Russia are facing mounting challenges as government-imposed internet limitations severely impact their daily operations and customer communications.

Natalia Kukovinets, who operates a dog clothing business called Wag’n Tails, exemplifies the struggles faced by web-reliant entrepreneurs. She has been forced to repeatedly change communication platforms to maintain contact with her clientele as authorities continue expanding digital restrictions.

The government’s actions include limiting access to widely-used messaging platforms like Telegram, restricting VPN services, and implementing security-related mobile internet blackouts throughout various regions. These unpredictable disruptions particularly burden smaller enterprises, potentially jeopardizing billions in online commerce.

Kukovinets has relied entirely on Telegram for sales since Russian officials blocked Instagram in 2022 and WhatsApp earlier this year. Working from her Moscow studio where she creates embroidered accessories for pet enthusiasts, she explained the platform’s importance.

“Telegram is basically everything when it comes to client communication,” Kukovinets stated while wearing a custom shirt reading ‘Peace, friendship, puppy.’

However, she noted significant operational difficulties: “It has become harder to track incoming requests. It does not work without a VPN turned on, and notifications often do not come through.”

The impact extends far beyond individual cases. According to state news agency Interfax, approximately 2.9 million small and medium enterprises plus 14.1 million independent contractors depend on messaging applications for business purposes.

Despite these widespread effects, the Kremlin announced this week it would not provide financial compensation to businesses affected by its extended mobile internet shutdown in Moscow. The capital experienced nearly three weeks of blocked coverage in March, with regular disruptions occurring in other areas.

President Vladimir Putin has defended these internet limitations as necessary security measures. However, the approach has drawn unusual criticism from business leaders, and a March poll by independent research firm Levada found over two-thirds of Russians believe the restrictions have complicated their lives.

Moscow restaurant Skrepka experienced firsthand consequences when an April glitch prevented processing numerous online orders for traditional Easter desserts.

“Telegram was down, so the customers started shouting,” explained manager Daria Teterina. “It was a reputational loss.”

While official economic impact data remains unavailable, the Association of Internet Trade Companies reported that digital platform sales reached 11.5 trillion roubles ($153.74 billion) in 2025.

Anton Belykh, who manages Moscow property company DNA Realty, described ongoing communication problems affecting his business operations.

“When I’m in the city centre, I don’t see messages until much later,” Belykh said. “Overall, it creates a lot of inconvenience. Clients lose revenue, communication becomes more difficult, and both we and our clients end up losing money.”

The Kremlin has dismissed comparisons to Soviet-era information control, characterizing the measures as temporary. However, normal messaging app access appears unlikely to resume soon, as authorities pursue criminal charges against Telegram’s founder while promoting a government-supported alternative called MAX.

Russian users have shown reluctance to adopt MAX, with Belykh reporting only 2-3% of his clients using the platform. Both Kukovinets and the restaurant manager indicated they would continue using Telegram when possible.

“There is… a risk that not all our customers would be ready to move to platforms that are currently allowed. So we made the decision to stay with Telegram,” Kukovinets concluded.

LONDON — Authorities have filed harassment charges against a 39-year-old individual following reports that the former Prince Andrew was confronted by a masked individual in a threatening manner while walking his dogs near his residence.

Alex Jenkinson is scheduled to appear before Norwich Magistrates Court on Friday to answer two charges of employing threatening, abusive, or insulting language or conduct that constitutes harassment or causes alarm or distress. Norfolk Constabulary made the announcement regarding these charges Thursday evening.

Authorities stated that the defendant was taken into custody Wednesday evening following reports of a man “conducting himself in an intimidating fashion” in the vicinity of Andrew’s residence in eastern England.

According to The Daily Telegraph, an individual wearing a ski mask approached the former royal while yelling offensive language.

The 66-year-old Mountbatten-Windsor, who is the younger sibling of King Charles III, relocated to the monarch’s private Sandringham Estate, approximately 100 miles north of London, following his removal from his long-term residence near Windsor Castle due to revelations concerning his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

The royal family removed all his honors and titles and excluded him from public duties following years of controversy surrounding his financial difficulties and connections to dubious individuals, including Epstein.

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, claimed she was compelled to engage in sexual activity with the then-prince on three occasions beginning at age 17. While he disputed these allegations, he ultimately reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount and recognized Giuffre’s suffering as a trafficking victim. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025 at age 41.

In February, he made history as the first senior British royal in nearly 400 years to face arrest when British authorities detained him for several hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his Epstein connections.

Law enforcement had previously indicated they were “evaluating” allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor provided trade intelligence to Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, in 2010, during his tenure as the U.K. special envoy for international trade.

Communication between the two individuals was made public by the U.S. Justice Department as part of millions of pages of documentation from the American investigation into Epstein.

Paraguay’s leader delivered a strong message of support for Taiwan on Friday, publicly rejecting China’s latest attempt to isolate the island democracy by pressuring its remaining diplomatic partners.

President Santiago Peña declared his nation’s commitment to Taiwan during a ceremonial military event, emphasizing the deep value Paraguay places on the relationship just one day after Beijing called for the South American country to abandon its Taiwan ties.

Speaking through an interpreter outside Taiwan’s presidential office, Peña described the ceremony as representing both nations’ steadfast commitment to strengthening their partnership and cooperation.

“Paraguay highly values the relationship,” Peña stated, according to his interpreter.

The Paraguayan leader emphasized that his country would continue backing Taiwan based on shared democratic principles, freedom, and human rights values, while working to advance their strategic bilateral partnership.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te expressed gratitude to Paraguay’s government for advocating on Taiwan’s behalf and maintaining strong support for the island’s participation in international affairs.

“I believe the friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay will further deepen and their cooperation will become closer through the visit of President Peña,” Lai remarked.

This show of solidarity followed Thursday’s statement from Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, who pressed Paraguayan officials to “come to the right side of the history as soon as possible” by ending diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. Lin cited the one-China principle as fundamental to international relations, noting that 183 nations maintain diplomatic ties with China.

During Friday’s bilateral meeting, Peña made a passionate appeal for Taiwan’s international recognition, arguing that Taiwan’s people deserve the right to determine their own future according to democratic and fair principles.

“I want to stress that excluding Taiwan from the important United Nations system is not only unfair, but also undermines the legitimacy of the United Nations as the most representative organization of democratic countries in the world,” he declared.

The two leaders oversaw the signing of several bilateral agreements, including a memorandum of understanding regarding artificial intelligence computing center investment.

In a separate interview with Taiwan’s Central News Agency, Peña revealed he had spoken with Honduran President Nasry Asfura before arriving in Taiwan for his four-day visit. While they didn’t directly address the possibility of Honduras resuming relations with Taiwan, Peña told Asfura about Paraguay’s positive relationship with the island nation.

Honduras switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2023. However, Asfura, who gained the presidency with backing from U.S. President Donald Trump, has initiated a review of agreements between his country and Beijing, sparking speculation that Honduras might distance itself from China as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to counter Chinese influence in Latin America.

Paraguay stands as Taiwan’s only remaining diplomatic partner in South America and one of just 12 countries globally that officially recognize the island democracy. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has intensified efforts in recent years to convince Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to switch sides, while simultaneously escalating military pressure around the island.

The diplomatic tensions highlight ongoing challenges for Taiwan’s international standing. Last week, President Lai traveled to Eswatini, Taiwan’s final diplomatic ally in Africa, after being compelled to delay the trip when several countries reportedly denied him permission to fly through their airspace due to Chinese pressure.

While China didn’t confirm or deny these allegations, Beijing expressed “high appreciation” for countries that respect the “one China principle,” referring to China’s territorial claims over Taiwan.

The division between China and Taiwan dates back to 1949, when Communist forces took control in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party members retreated to Taiwan, which eventually evolved from military rule into a multi-party democratic system.

A deadly explosion at a fireworks manufacturing facility in central China has claimed 37 lives, with one person still unaccounted for, according to Chinese state media reports released Friday.

The devastating blast took place Monday at a production facility in Changsha, located in Hunan province, as confirmed by China’s official news agency Xinhua.

More than 60 individuals sustained injuries in the explosion, according to initial reports from the scene.

Officials are continuing their investigation into what caused the deadly incident and have mandated that all fireworks production operations in the surrounding region cease operations immediately.

The facility was run by Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co., situated in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha’s administration that serves as one of China’s major fireworks production centers, according to China Daily.

Liuyang holds significant historical importance in fireworks manufacturing. According to Guinness World Records, the region is connected to the first documented firework – the Chinese firecracker – which was created by Li Tian, a monk who resided near Liuyang during the Tang dynasty period spanning approximately 618 to 907 C.E.

This tragedy follows two fatal explosions that occurred at fireworks retail locations during February’s Lunar New Year celebrations, as previously reported by Chinese authorities.

Japan is banking on coordinated efforts between its central bank and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to strengthen its currency intervention strategy and halt the yen’s ongoing weakness.

The approach depends on cooperation between key players – Japan’s central bank, its finance ministry, and Washington officials – with the goal of making it more expensive for investors to bet against the yen rather than achieving a complete turnaround.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda’s shift toward tighter monetary policy last month created a turning point, bringing the central bank into rare agreement with Japan’s Ministry of Finance and presenting a more coordinated approach to stopping the currency’s fall.

Just two days following Ueda’s statements on April 28, Japan’s finance ministry executed its first yen-strengthening intervention in almost two years – followed by additional actions in May, according to sources who spoke with Reuters.

After reportedly investing nearly 10 trillion yen ($63.7 billion) in recent intervention efforts, financial experts believe Tokyo is hoping Bessent’s upcoming visit to Japan will provide additional support, either through direct endorsement or strategic statements indicating U.S. acceptance of Japan’s currency actions.

“At this time, it is a significant alignment,” stated Bart Wakabayashi, branch manager at State Street in Tokyo, discussing Japanese officials collaborating with the U.S. to counter yen short-sellers.

“It is significant, particularly in the fact that Japan is not doing this alone. We’re looking to see if something comes out of these Bessent meetings, but I think even just the appearance that they’re talking about FX levels is important,” he explained.

Bessent previously supported the yen in January by advocating for faster Bank of Japan interest rate increases to prevent currency declines and prompting the U.S. to conduct an unusual rate check – widely interpreted as preparation for potential joint intervention.

During his three-day visit, Bessent is scheduled to meet with Japanese counterpart Satsuki Katayama, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and potentially BOJ Governor Ueda.

“No one wants to fight the U.S.,” commented Atsushi Takeuchi, a former central bank official who participated in Tokyo’s previous market interventions.

“I’m sure Japanese policymakers are approaching Washington on various fronts, as it would make a huge difference if Bessent openly endorses Tokyo’s intervention,” he added.

Senior currency official Atsushi Mimura revealed Thursday that Tokyo maintains daily communication with U.S. authorities, noting that his counterparts “fully understand our thinking and our actions.”

After Bessent’s departure from Tokyo, responsibility returns to the Bank of Japan to support the finance ministry’s yen stabilization efforts.

Market participants will closely examine upcoming speeches by senior officials before the June policy meeting for any indication that last month’s hawkish stance is becoming actual policy.

Unlike previous instances when Ueda’s dovish messaging encouraged yen selling, his current emphasis on inflation risks from currency weakness has kept a June rate increase as a possibility.

Several finance ministry sources, speaking anonymously, described Ueda’s communication as unusually successful in shaping market expectations.

“If the BOJ indeed raises rates in June, that makes it easier to squeeze in another hike by year-end,” said a source familiar with the central bank’s thinking.

Ueda will deliver a closely monitored speech on June 3, just before the June 15-16 meeting where markets are questioning whether policymakers will increase rates to 1.0% from 0.75%.

Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino and board members Kazuyuki Masu and Junko Koeda will also speak this month, with any suggestion they might support a rate increase likely to encourage yen buyers.

All three voted to maintain steady rates in April, while three other board members dissented and called for raising rates to 1.0%.

A potential complication involves Prime Minister Takaichi, a long-time supporter of loose monetary policy who has previously opposed central bank tightening. Though publicly quiet, she has appointed monetary policy doves to the central bank board and recently criticized trade minister Ryosei Akazawa for suggesting rate increases could help the yen.

“The premier doesn’t want the BOJ to raise rates. But she also wants to do something about rising living costs,” making yen-buying intervention the only practical choice, a government source told Reuters.

Broader economic forces are creating additional pressure. Japan’s heavy dependence on energy imports means the oil price surge from Middle East conflicts is worsening the trade deficit, adding downward pressure on the currency despite domestic policy changes, analysts note.

However, Tokyo’s renewed market interventions, supported by stronger policy signals, could provide authorities time to maintain stability until global conditions improve.

“Critics often argue that intervention serves little purpose beyond delaying the underlying market trend,” said Rong Ren Goh, a portfolio manager at Eastspring Investments in Singapore. “But even if intervention has not fundamentally reversed the market’s directional bias, it has at least broken the momentum.”

Without intervention, continued yen selling could have escalated into more chaotic depreciation, Goh explained, making it “much harder for the authorities to contain.”

South Korean lawmakers have abandoned efforts to vote on constitutional changes that would have restricted presidential powers to declare martial law, following sustained opposition from conservative legislators.

Parliamentary Speaker Woo Won-shik announced Friday that the proposed amendment would not advance to a full assembly vote after the conservative People Power Party conducted a filibuster to block the measure.

The legislation, backed by six political parties including the governing Democratic Party, would have mandated that presidents obtain legislative consent before implementing martial law. Under the proposed framework, any presidential martial law declaration would become void if parliament rejected it or failed to approve it within a 48-hour window.

The constitutional revision effort emerged following the political turmoil caused by conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law order in late 2024, which sent shockwaves through the nation.

Beyond martial law restrictions, the amendment would have added language to the constitution’s introduction honoring the Gwangju uprising, a pivotal moment in South Korea’s democratic evolution. The May 18, 1980 civilian revolt against military dictator Chun Doo-hwan resulted in hundreds, potentially thousands, of deaths.

Constitutional modifications require support from a minimum of 191 members in the 286-seat legislature, according to Woo’s statement. An initial attempt to pass the amendment on Thursday collapsed when People Power Party members boycotted the proceedings, preventing the necessary quorum from being reached.

The presidential administration expressed disappointment over the amendment’s failure due to PPP resistance and called on lawmakers to resume constitutional reform discussions during the latter portion of their current term.

OMDURMAN, Sudan (AP) — After being displaced from his farmland for two years due to Sudan’s ongoing war, Omer al-Hassan made his way back to restart agricultural operations. However, Middle Eastern conflicts are now threatening to deepen his financial struggles and food insecurity as costs for fuel and fertilizer continue climbing.

Al-Hassan and fellow agricultural workers across Sudan are preparing for a costly planting season in the coming weeks. Several told The Associated Press they plan to reduce crop production or abandon planting entirely — alarming developments for a nation where three years of warfare have created widespread hunger.

The conflict involving Iran has “affected everything related to agriculture,” al-Hassan explained while harvesting onions with other workers. After spending two months clearing overgrown weeds from their land, “plowed the soil and we said God bless, and even then we struggled so much, one had to sometimes skip a meal.”

Al-Hassan and ten fellow farmers working his property explained they cannot manage agricultural expenses without governmental assistance, leading to production cuts and fertilizer rationing on his farm that also grows potatoes and tomatoes.

Fellow farmer Mohammed al-Badri explained he could only afford to cultivate half his property due to increasing expenses: “The rest of it is nothing.”

The Gulf area, where hundreds of commercial vessels have remained stuck for weeks due to Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, supplies more than half of Sudan’s sea-imported fertilizer. Additionally, fuel costs have increased approximately 30%.

This means food costs throughout Sudan are also rising sharply.

Sorghum. Millet. Sesame. These essential Sudanese crops now face significant threats.

Agricultural workers already strained by domestic warfare between Sudan’s military forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are now witnessing cost increases for fertilizer, gasoline needed for farm machinery, and diesel required for irrigation systems.

These increasing expenses have established “a dangerous reality” for farmers who will face difficulties without governmental intervention, explained Abdoun Berqawi, an agricultural worker in Gezira, among the nation’s primary food-production areas.

Berqawi reported that a 50-kilogram (110-pound) urea fertilizer bag now costs approximately $50, increased from $11 during the same timeframe last year. Tractor fuel has jumped from $2.50 to $8 per gallon.

Agriculture ministry officials in Sudan did not immediately respond to requests for information about their crisis response plans.

A military media representative accompanied the AP during its visit, including during interviews. The AP maintains complete editorial control over its content.

The Iranian conflict has created a “dangerous chain reaction … at the wrong moment” as farmers prepare for planting season, stated Melaku Yirga, Mercy Corps vice president for the Africa region, who recently traveled to Sudan’s Kassala and Gedaref provinces, another major food-production area.

“People are buying less food, cutting or skipping meals, selling assets and taking greater risks just to survive,” Yirga explained. “Mothers are being forced to make painful choices about who gets to eat the little food that is available, while some families are resorting to leaves or animal feed just to get by.”

Farmers who obtained bank loans face potential imprisonment if poor harvests prevent loan repayment, noted Merghany Omar, an agricultural worker in al-Matammah in River Nile province. He explained that onion cultivation, a regional staple, no longer generates enough income to cover planting expenses.

These developments are happening alongside existing challenges including currency devaluation, explained Samy Guessabi, country director for Action Against Hunger in Sudan.

Residents in some of the nation’s most isolated regions, Kordofan, White Nile, Darfur and Blue Nile, are suffering most severely where “agricultural zones are remote and poorly connected,” he noted.

Even in Sudan’s metropolitan areas, vegetables and dairy products have increased approximately 40% due to fuel price spikes.

The domestic war had already created widespread hunger. The U.N. World Food Program estimates 19 million people throughout Sudan are experiencing acute hunger, with numerous families approaching famine conditions. Last year, famine was officially declared in two major areas, Darfur and Kordofan.

Currently, humanitarian response efforts have been significantly delayed by the Iranian conflict and its impact on supply chains.

WFP reported its Sudan-destined food aid shipments are traveling 9,000 kilometers (5,500 miles) further to reach their destinations, increasing both costs and delivery times.

This occurs partly because many ships also avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the Red Sea’s southern entrance, another vital waterway, according to WFP shipping chief Henrik Hansen. Iranian-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened shipping operations there.

Mubarak al-Nour, a farmer and former parliamentary member in Gedaref, explained that even if Sudanese farmers obtain fertilizer, delays could cause them to miss the planting season running from June through November. Some farmers are switching to cheaper crops requiring minimal or no fertilizer and reducing cultivation of corn, sesame and other rain-dependent crops.

Even if agricultural supplies arrive in Sudan timely, challenges remain.

Fuel shortages in certain areas result from warring factions blocking essential supplies, explained Mathilde Vu, an advocacy manager with the Norwegian Refugee Council. She noted local fuel markets have been heavily targeted in recent months during a “senseless escalation” of drone attacks nationwide.

LONDON — The BBC organized a celebration at London’s Royal Albert Hall, movie theaters showcased his wildlife documentaries, and colleagues spent weeks honoring the renowned naturalist as Sir David Attenborough marked his 100th birthday on Friday.

However, the globally recognized wildlife broadcaster likely felt uneasy about all the fanfare surrounding his centennial celebration, according to Alastair Fothergill, who has produced several of Attenborough’s most celebrated documentaries.

“He’s always been very clear to all of us that work with him: ‘Remember, the animals are the stars, I’m not,’” Fothergill told The Associated Press. “So, yes, surprisingly for one of the most famous men on the planet, he doesn’t like being famous at all.”

Nevertheless, Attenborough had to embrace the recognition this week as researchers, government officials, and environmental advocates honored the broadcaster who has delivered playful gorillas, jumping whales, and miniature toxic frogs into households across the globe for more than seven decades.

Using BBC series including Life on Earth, The Private Life of Plants, and The Blue Planet, Attenborough has revealed nature’s magnificence, intensity, and occasional strangeness through his quiet, musical narration that expresses his personal wonder at the scenes before him.

Audiences who might never venture beyond their local communities were taken to the Himalayas, the Amazon rainforest, and the uncharted woodlands of Papua New Guinea. Behind the remarkable footage lay a dedication to scientific precision that educated viewers about complicated topics including evolution, wildlife behavior, and ecosystem diversity.

As scientific evidence accumulated, he started warning about climate change, marine plastic pollution, and other human-driven dangers to our planet.

This approach helped audiences grasp not just how species developed but, more crucially, the importance of conservation efforts, explained Ben Garrod, an evolutionary biologist at the University of East Anglia and fellow broadcaster who has collaborated with Attenborough.

According to Garrod, Attenborough originally viewed himself as an impartial observer but felt obligated to advocate when he witnessed that political leaders, corporate executives, and citizens weren’t treating the crisis with appropriate urgency.

“He is showing you the majesty, the ferocity, the fragility of the natural world. He shouldn’t have ever had to have turned to policymaking and advocacy,” Garrod said.

“I think it’s very easy for a lot of people to say, ‘He should have done it sooner. Why didn’t he act 20 years, 30 years, 40 years ago?’” Garrod then asked: “Why didn’t we?”

Attenborough entered the world in London on May 8, 1926, sharing his birth year with the late Queen Elizabeth II. He grew up on the campus of what is currently the University of Leicester, where his father held an administrative position.

His passion for the natural world emerged during childhood, when he would bicycle through nearby rural areas collecting treasures like empty bird nests, snake skin that had been shed, and most significantly, fossils.

“I’d find a fossil and show it to my father and he’d say ‘Good, good, tell me all about it.’ So I responded and became my own expert,” Attenborough told Smithsonian Magazine in 1981.

He continued his education by studying geology and zoology at the University of Cambridge.

Attenborough began working at the BBC in 1952, handling behind-the-scenes duties on “everything from ballet to short stories.” After approximately two months with the network, the discovery of a “living fossil” near East Africa’s coastline created worldwide excitement, and he was assigned to create a brief segment about the coelacanth.

The piece featured Professor Julian Huxley, an evolutionary biologist, presenting the story from the studio using preserved animal specimens and a coelacanth photograph to describe the fish’s importance.

Yet Attenborough believed television had greater potential.

“I’d always wanted to do films on animals around the world,” he recalled in a 1985 interview with The Associated Press. “But the attitude was, ‘We’ve got TV cameras in the studio. What’s this about spending money abroad?’”

In 1954, he successfully convinced the BBC to allow him to join a London Zoo expedition traveling to West Africa for specimen collection. This launched a ten-year period as presenter and producer of “Zoo Quest,” launching his field-based career.

Among the most memorable instances of his extensive career occurred during the 1979 program “Life on Earth,” when Attenborough met a mountain gorilla family in a forest along the Rwanda-Congo border.

In that sequence, selected as one of Britain’s greatest television moments ever, a young gorilla rests on his body while baby gorillas attempt to pull off his shoes. Attenborough smiles, chuckles, and appears overwhelmed with joy.

“I honestly don’t know how long it was,” Attenborough later told the BBC. “I suspect it was about 10 minutes, or even a quarter of an hour. I was simply transported.”

“Extraordinary, really,” he reflected. “It was one of the most privileged moments of my life.”

Attenborough has merged his television expertise, audience awareness, and scientific dedication to develop a persona capable of presenting complex wildlife, conservation, and natural history topics to mainstream viewers, noted Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, a science communication professor at University College London.

“Basically he gave wildlife television a figure, a front of the house person … which has come to embody television discourse about nature,” Gouyon said.

On his centennial birthday, admirers made efforts to reach him. In a recorded message, he mentioned expecting to observe the day quietly. That didn’t happen.

“I’ve been completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings from preschool groups to care home residents and countless individuals and families of all ages,” he said. “I simply can’t reply to each of you all separately, but I would like to thank you all most sincerely for your kind messages.”

According to Fothergill, he has no plans to retire.

“He said to me recently he feels unbelievably privileged that a man in his late 90s is still being asked to work. And, you know, he will go on forever. He will die in his safari shorts.”

LONDON — Early election returns from England revealed significant setbacks for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party on Friday, while Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party made substantial inroads across the country.

Political observers are interpreting these local contests as an informal assessment of Starmer’s leadership, who took office fewer than two years ago.

Overnight ballot counting showed Reform UK securing hundreds of council positions in blue-collar communities throughout northern England, including Hartlepool.

The electoral landscape may shift as Friday progresses, with results expected from most local councils, including traditional Labour strongholds such as London. Vote tallying will also occur for regional legislative bodies in Scotland and Wales.

A decisive Labour defeat could prompt restless party members to challenge a leader who brought them to victory in July 2024. Even if Starmer weathers the current storm, numerous political experts question whether he will guide the party through the next general election, which must occur by 2029.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy urged party members against removing the prime minister, stating “you don’t change the pilot during the flight.”

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Péter Magyar will be sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister this Saturday inside the country’s ornate neo-Gothic parliament building, while thousands of supporters are expected to fill the square outside celebrating the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year leadership.

Last month, Magyar’s center-right Tisza party achieved a stunning electoral victory over Orbán’s nationalist-populist Fidesz party, securing more votes and parliamentary seats than any political party since Hungary emerged from Communist rule.

The overwhelming electoral mandate will enable Tisza to reverse numerous policies that earned Orbán criticism as an authoritarian leader among his detractors, while also investigating the economic arrangements that significantly enriched many of his associates and relatives.

Prior to beginning his governing duties, Magyar has invited Hungarians to join a daylong “regime-change” festival on Saturday to commemorate his swearing-in ceremony and the conclusion of the Orbán period.

“We will step through the gateway of regime change with a huge party. Come along, and invite your family and friends!” Magyar wrote in a social media post Sunday.

The 45-year-old attorney established Tisza in 2024 following years working within Orbán’s political circle, and has pledged to eliminate government corruption that he claims has denied Hungarians economic prosperity.

Among his primary objectives is securing approximately 17 billion euros ($20 billion) in European Union funding for Hungary that was withheld during Orbán’s administration due to concerns about rule-of-law violations and corruption. These funds are desperately needed to revitalize Hungary’s faltering economy, which has remained stagnant over the past four years.

Magyar has also committed to mending his nation’s relationships with EU allies that Orbán had severely strained, and to reestablish Hungary’s standing among Western democratic nations that had been questioned as Orbán developed closer ties with Russia.

Demonstrating this dedication, Tisza representatives announce they will restore the EU flag to the parliament building’s exterior starting Saturday, after Orbán’s administration took it down in 2014.

While there is widespread celebration over Orbán’s departure, many of the nearly 3.4 million Hungarians who supported Tisza anticipate Magyar will pursue accountability from Fidesz officials and their business partners for alleged wrongdoing during the previous administration.

Magyar intends to establish the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an agency responsible for investigating and attempting to reclaim public money allegedly misappropriated during Orbán’s time in power. He has also promised to halt operations at Hungary’s public broadcasting news divisions — commonly viewed as a propaganda tool for Orbán’s party — until impartiality can be reestablished.

Tisza is anticipated to implement significant reforms throughout Hungary’s government structure, including creating individual ministries for health, environmental protection and education that were absent under Orbán’s system.

Magyar has stated he will bring expertise back to Hungary’s government, nominating several cabinet members who have gained international recognition in their respective areas.

The future leader has suggested diplomat and foreign policy specialist Anita Orbán, who shares no family connection with the departing prime minister, for foreign affairs minister, former Shell executive István Kapitány for economy and energy minister, and economist András Kármán for finance minister.

Magyar is scheduled to take his oath of office at approximately 3 p.m. local time Saturday, followed by remarks to the assembled crowd outside. In his event invitation, he guaranteed artistic performances and unexpected special guests.

Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, has separately organized a “system-closing” celebration along the Danube River, describing it as an opportunity to honor Hungarians who courageously opposed Orbán’s governance for years.

“Teachers fired, civilians and journalists humiliated, small churches torn apart,” Karácsony wrote in a social media post. “We can finally leave this era behind us — but first, let us remember the everyday heroes and express our gratitude with a farewell to the system.”

During the first week of May 2026, workers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean participated in widespread May Day demonstrations and rallies.

The events, which took place from May 1-7, 2026, featured large gatherings where participants voiced opposition to various policies, including those of U.S. President Donald Trump. The demonstrations represented a significant show of solidarity among workers across the region.

In Brazil, international pop star Shakira performed at a massive free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana Beach, attracting an estimated 2 million attendees to the beachfront venue.

Meanwhile, in Bolivia’s capital city of La Paz, educators demanding increased salaries engaged in heated protests near the presidential palace, with some demonstrators hurling tomatoes at riot police officers during the confrontation.

The photo collection documenting these regional events was assembled by photojournalist Andre Penner, who is based in Sao Paulo.

SEOSAN, South Korea — A massive oil tanker flying under Malta’s flag docked off South Korea’s western coastline Friday, delivering one million barrels of crude oil after successfully navigating the contested Strait of Hormuz last month, officials from a major South Korean refinery announced.

South Korea, similar to numerous other Asian countries, relies heavily on Middle Eastern crude oil imports. This recent delivery of one million barrels represents between 35 and 50 percent of the nation’s daily oil requirements.

Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through global markets and triggered rising fuel costs, while the ongoing Iranian conflict has sparked fears of an impending energy shortage in South Korea’s export-reliant economy. The nation has implemented gasoline and petroleum product price controls for the first time in decades to prevent dramatic cost increases, while directing refineries to redirect naphtha exports for local consumption as officials work urgently to establish backup oil sources and alternative shipping lanes.

The vessel, named Odessa, arrived in waters near Seosan, a western port city, on Friday morning, several weeks after transiting the Strait of Hormuz while Iran and the United States were engaged in ceasefire negotiations, HD Hyundai Oilbank reported.

The tanker is expected to dock at the company’s offshore terminal facility later Friday to begin offloading its cargo. HD Hyundai Oilbank announced plans to process the crude oil into various petroleum products including gasoline, diesel fuel, and naphtha. The company operates refining capabilities that can handle up to 690,000 barrels of crude oil daily.

Last year, South Korea received over 60 percent of its crude oil and 50 percent of its naphtha—an essential petrochemical ingredient for plastic production—via the Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor.

CEBU, Philippines — Government leaders from across Southeast Asia convened for their yearly conference on Friday, facing mounting concerns about how Middle East hostilities could affect their nations’ economies and populations. Thailand’s foreign minister characterized the Iran conflict as something that “should not have occurred in the first place.”

The urgency felt by Association of Southeast Asian Nations officials became evident through their decision to prioritize emergency preparedness discussions, particularly focusing on securing reliable energy and food resources for their rapidly developing region that depends heavily on Middle Eastern oil and gas imports.

The gathering took place on Cebu island in the Philippines, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed organizers to eliminate customary ceremonial elements due to global economic uncertainties.

A major concern confronting ASEAN officials involves potential mass evacuations from Middle Eastern countries, where over one million Southeast Asian workers currently reside, should conflicts escalate significantly.

Multiple Southeast Asian nationals have lost their lives following military actions launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. Intermittent fighting has persisted despite a ceasefire agreement established a month ago, particularly around the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

According to a preliminary joint statement reviewed by The Associated Press, the emergency strategy urges the organization’s 11 member countries to coordinate information sharing and strengthen partnerships with global organizations “to ensure the safety and welfare of ASEAN nationals in affected areas.”

While ASEAN representatives typically employ measured diplomatic language, Thailand’s foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow spoke more directly, advocating for an indefinite extension of the current U.S.-Iran ceasefire and guaranteed safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

“This war should not have occurred in the first place,” Sihasak stated during a brief AP interview, emphasizing that all ASEAN nations share these concerns. “We don’t know what the objectives are right?”

“The peace talks seem to be moving but we want the war to end,” Sihasak added.

The regional emergency strategy encompasses several initiatives, including potentially approving an emergency fuel-sharing agreement this year, developing an interconnected power network, expanding crude oil supplier diversity, encouraging electric vehicle adoption, and exploring emerging technologies such as civilian nuclear power.

While Middle Eastern concerns dominated the abbreviated summit designed to reduce expenses, leaders also addressed ongoing regional tensions, including South China Sea territorial disagreements with Beijing, Myanmar’s five-year internal conflict, and recent border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia.

In a forthcoming maritime policy statement, leaders committed to “endeavour to conclude the negotiation of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.”

Discussions regarding this proposed non-aggression agreement between ASEAN and China have continued for over ten years amid escalating confrontations, particularly between Chinese and Philippine maritime forces.

These prolonged negotiations have fueled criticism of ASEAN as an ineffective forum where officials gather annually in traditional attire for symbolic unity photographs despite underlying disagreements.

Four ASEAN members—Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines—are directly involved in the longstanding South China Sea disputes. The remaining regional partners include Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.

America’s standing on the world stage has taken a significant hit, with international opinions of the United States now ranking lower than those of Russia, according to a new study released Friday.

The annual Democracy Perception Index, conducted by Denmark’s Alliance of Democracies Foundation, shows this marks the second year in a row that America’s global reputation has declined. The research also found that the United States ranks among the top countries considered a major global threat, following Russia and Israel.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who founded the alliance and previously served as NATO Secretary General, expressed disappointment but not surprise at the findings.

“The fast decline of the United States’ perception around the world is saddening but not shocking,” Rasmussen stated.

He pointed to recent American foreign policy decisions as contributing factors, saying: “U.S. foreign policy over the past 18 months has, among other things, called into question the transatlantic relationship, imposed widespread tariffs, and threatened to invade a NATO ally’s territory.”

Several specific policy moves have created tension with international partners, including trade tariffs implemented by President Trump, his ongoing statements about potentially taking control of Greenland from Denmark (a NATO member), reduced assistance to Ukraine, and the military conflict with Iran that has led to higher oil prices worldwide.

The strain on international relationships deepened when Trump expressed frustration with European nations for not deploying naval forces to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for global shipping during the Iran conflict. In April, the president even suggested the possibility of America leaving NATO, which further damaged alliance relationships.

The survey’s numerical rankings place the United States at negative 16 percent, a dramatic shift from positive 22 percent just two years earlier. Russia scored negative 11 percent, while China received a positive 7 percent rating, though the study didn’t explain the favorable view of China.

Nira Data, the polling company that conducted the research, gathered responses from more than 94,000 people across 98 nations between March 19 and April 21. The portion measuring country perceptions included 46,600 participants from 85 different countries.

The findings were made public in advance of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit scheduled for May 12.

BEIJING – A catastrophic explosion at a fireworks manufacturing plant in China has claimed 37 lives, with authorities confirming Friday that the death count has increased from the previously reported 26 fatalities, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua. One individual remains unaccounted for following the Monday afternoon disaster.

The devastating blast occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. local time in Liuyang, a city located in southern China’s Hunan province. This community serves as the nation’s primary fireworks production hub, responsible for manufacturing 60% of China’s domestic fireworks supply and approximately 70% of the country’s pyrotechnic exports.

Emergency response teams have concluded their search and rescue operations at the blast site, while medical facilities continue treating 51 injured individuals, state media reported.

Chinese authorities have initiated a comprehensive investigation into the incident, with law enforcement officials bringing in eight individuals for questioning in connection with the fatal explosion. The inquiry is being overseen by China’s highest prosecutorial authorities, demonstrating the severity of the incident.

In response to the tragedy, Hunan provincial officials have mandated that all fireworks manufacturing facilities in Liuyang cease operations temporarily while safety inspections are conducted.

This marks the most deadly industrial accident in China since a 2019 chemical facility explosion in Jiangsu province that resulted in 78 deaths. Earlier this year in June, another fireworks plant explosion in Hunan province killed nine workers.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced a political crisis Friday as his Labour Party experienced devastating defeats in local elections, with results demonstrating widespread public dissatisfaction with his administration just two years following his overwhelming general election triumph.

Labour witnessed dramatic losses across multiple regions where results were announced overnight, including longtime party strongholds in former manufacturing areas of central and northern England, as well as portions of London.

Reform UK, the anti-immigration populist movement led by Brexit advocate Nigel Farage, emerged as the primary winner, securing over 200 council positions throughout England. The party positioned itself to potentially become the leading opposition force in Scotland and Wales against independence-supporting parties like the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.

“The picture has been pretty much as bad as anyone expected for Labour, or worse,” stated John Curtice, Britain’s most respected pollster.

These contests for 136 local councils across England, plus devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, constitute the most important gauge of public sentiment ahead of the next general election scheduled for 2029.

Labour Party legislators indicated that poor performance in Scotland, potential loss of control in Wales, and failure to retain many of approximately 2,500 council seats being defended in England would intensify pressure on Starmer to resign or announce his departure timeline.

Initial returns revealed the ongoing breakdown of Britain’s historic two-party structure into a multi-party system, which political experts describe as among the most significant shifts in British politics over the past century.

Both Labour and Conservative parties saw support drain to Reform, while the left-wing environmental Green Party gained ground on the opposite end of the political spectrum. Nationalist movements were anticipated to claim victories in Scottish and Welsh elections.

Farage described the outcomes as “way exceeding” his projections and representing a “historic change in British politics.”

Labour suffered complete defeats in several closely monitored early contests.

The party surrendered control of Tameside council in Greater Manchester for the first time in nearly five decades after Reform captured all 14 seats Labour had been defending.

In neighboring Wigan, a former coal mining area under Labour control for more than 50 years, the party lost all 20 seats it was defending to Reform. In Salford, Labour retained only three of 16 seats it had been protecting.

The outcomes were “soul-destroying,” according to Rebecca Long-Bailey, a Labour parliament member representing Salford.

Although governing parties typically face challenges during mid-term elections, polling experts predicted Labour could lose more council seats than any local election since former Prime Minister John Major lost over 2,000 in 1995 during his scandal-plagued administration.

Reform UK gained 253 council seats in England with results from more than 4,200 positions still pending. Labour lost 185 seats while the Conservative party dropped 93 seats.

Most election outcomes, including Scottish and Welsh parliamentary seats, were expected to be announced Friday afternoon and evening.

Starmer, a former attorney, won office in 2024 with one of the largest parliamentary majorities in contemporary British history, promising stability over charisma following years of political turmoil.

However, his tenure has been characterized by multiple policy reversals, frequent adviser changes, and the problematic selection of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s U.S. ambassador, who was dismissed nine months into the position due to connections with deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Starmer maintains he will lead Labour into the next election, and the party has never successfully ousted a sitting prime minister throughout its 125-year existence.

The prime minister benefits from the fact that two leading potential successors — Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner — are not currently positioned to launch leadership campaigns, while other possible challengers appear reluctant to challenge him presently.

Energy minister Ed Miliband rejected Thursday a Times newspaper report claiming he had suggested Starmer consider establishing a departure timeline from Downing Street.

JAKARTA – Emergency rescue teams in Indonesia are working urgently to reach 20 hikers who became trapped following Friday morning’s eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera island, according to local rescue officials.

The volcano, situated in North Maluku province, began erupting at 7:41 a.m. local time on Friday, launching volcanic debris and ash approximately 6 miles high into the atmosphere, Indonesia’s volcanology agency reported.

Agency head Lana Saria confirmed in an official statement that the mountain’s alert level remains at the third-highest warning status.

Local rescue agency chief Iwan Ramdani confirmed to Reuters that search teams consisting of numerous personnel, including law enforcement officers, have been dispatched to locate the stranded hikers. Among those trapped, nine individuals are citizens of Singapore while the remaining eleven are Indonesian nationals, Ramdani reported.

Officials have issued safety warnings urging local residents to avoid all activities within a 2.5-mile radius of the volcanic crater.

The volcanology agency has also cautioned about potential dangers from volcanic mudflows that could occur during rainfall.

Aviation authorities have not yet reported any flight cancellations or delays resulting from the volcanic activity.

During an official visit to Taipei this Friday, Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena emphasized his nation’s strong commitment to maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, even as China intensifies pressure to sever those ties.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te formally welcomed Pena in a ceremony where both leaders highlighted their shared democratic principles. Paraguay stands among just 12 nations worldwide that recognize Taiwan diplomatically, and represents Taiwan’s final diplomatic partner in South America as well as its largest ally by geographic size.

This marks Pena’s second presidential visit to the self-governing island that Beijing considers part of its territory. China made a direct appeal Thursday urging Paraguay to cut its Taiwan connections.

During the welcoming ceremony, Pena made clear his position on the partnership. “Paraguay deeply values this relationship and reiterates its commitment to continue supporting Taiwan in a strategic alliance based on shared values such as democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law,” he stated.

President Lai responded by acknowledging Paraguay’s consistent international advocacy for Taiwan. “The Paraguayan government has long spoken up for Taiwan in the international arena and firmly supports Taiwan’s international participation,” Lai remarked.

“I believe that through President Pena’s visit this time, the friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay will become even deeper and cooperation even closer,” the Taiwan leader added.

Pena maintains strong connections with Washington, having visited the U.S. capital in February for President Donald Trump’s new peace board initiative, where Trump referred to him as a “young handsome guy.”

Beijing maintains that Taiwan constitutes a Chinese province without sovereign rights, a stance that Lai’s administration firmly rejects.

Paraguay’s leadership has consistently emphasized that its Taiwan relationship stems from common democratic principles. However, China has intensified its diplomatic outreach to Paraguayan officials, with a March Reuters investigation revealing that over a dozen Paraguayan legislators, media figures, and opposition leaders have traveled to China since late 2023, sparking internal discussions about potential economic consequences of the Taiwan relationship.

Southeast Asian nations convened an emergency summit Friday on the Philippine island of Cebu to forge a unified approach against the energy crisis stemming from the Middle East conflict.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is grappling with severe economic pressure as the nearly 70-day blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted oil supplies to the import-dependent region.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., serving as ASEAN’s current chair, emphasized the need for collective action during his opening address.

“We must ensure regional energy security and resilience,” Marcos stated. “At a time of heightened volatility, ASEAN must strengthen coordination and reinforce preparedness, pursue practical collective measures to safeguard a stable energy supply and improve interconnectivity.”

The economic ministers who met Thursday in Cebu “identified practical, concrete response measures” for maintaining energy and food security, though their proposals remained vague on implementation details.

The suggested measures involve expanding supplier networks and transportation routes while establishing emergency communication systems, but specific actions remain uncertain.

With nearly 700 million residents and economies totaling $3.8 trillion, the region faces substantial risks from the Iranian conflict’s aftermath. The Philippines has already declared a national energy emergency and is advocating for an ASEAN oil-sharing agreement based on voluntary commercial arrangements.

However, achieving coordination poses significant obstacles for the organization. While member nations have experienced rapid individual economic expansion, regional integration has lagged due to stark differences among the 11 countries and the absence of centralized enforcement mechanisms.

During Friday’s leadership retreat, officials plan to advocate for diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran while calling for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen. Before the conflict, this waterway facilitated passage for approximately 130 vessels daily and carried one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments.

According to a preliminary statement draft reviewed by Reuters Thursday, leaders will encourage member states to finalize domestic procedures needed for the fuel-sharing agreement’s “earliest possible entry into force.”

Despite the war’s dominance over discussions, other diplomatic advances occurred Thursday. Marcos facilitated talks between Thai and Cambodian leaders amid their fragile ceasefire, resulting in renewed engagement commitments following last year’s deadly border clashes.

Foreign ministers also scheduled a virtual conference with Myanmar’s representative, as that nation seeks to restore normal ASEAN relations and resume summit participation after being banned following its 2021 military takeover, which sparked nationwide protests and civil conflict.

Myanmar’s situation has created lasting divisions within the bloc, with some members supporting engagement with the new civilian government headed by former military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who recently assumed the presidency after elections dominated by pro-military parties.

A group of British Parliament members will travel to China later this month, marking the first such diplomatic visit in five years, according to sources with knowledge of the planning.

Twelve lawmakers representing both Labour and Conservative parties will embark on the five-day journey in mid-May, organized through the Great Britain-China Centre. This non-governmental organization receives funding from Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to foster diplomatic relationships with China.

The sources requested anonymity since arrangements for the visit remain in development. Reuters was unable to confirm which specific lawmakers will participate or obtain their planned schedule.

Neither the organizing center nor the Foreign Office provided immediate responses when contacted for comment.

This parliamentary visit comes as British lawmakers have traveled to Taiwan nine times since 2022. Taiwan operates as a democratic territory that China considers part of its sovereign land, though Taiwan disputes this claim.

Diplomatic tensions escalated in 2021 when China placed sanctions on nine British citizens, including former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith. Beijing accused these individuals of promoting “lies and disinformation” regarding alleged human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region.

Relations began improving in January when President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Starmer during his China visit. Both nations described this meeting as a “reset” of their relationship, and Beijing subsequently removed sanctions from six active lawmakers.

Previous years saw deteriorating relations due to disagreements over pandemic response, human rights concerns, and espionage allegations.

China continues maintaining sanctions against two British academics and legal professionals, plus four Britain-based organizations, all connected to Xinjiang-related issues.

The upcoming British visit follows a March trip by nine European Parliament members, their first such journey in eight years after China removed sanctions on select European lawmakers in 2025.

These renewed parliamentary exchanges represent cautious steps toward rebuilding diplomatic communication following years of strained relationships between China and European nations.

Nevertheless, ongoing controversies persist, including allegations of Chinese espionage activities and China’s proposed large embassy construction project in London.

Earlier this week, a London court convicted two individuals of conducting espionage operations for Hong Kong and China, specifically targeting prominent democracy advocates now residing in Britain.

Both convicted men hold dual Chinese and British citizenship and maintained their innocence throughout proceedings. China’s London embassy has denounced Britain for what it calls manufactured accusations against the defendants.

The United Arab Emirates activated its air defense systems to counter incoming missiles and drones launched by Iran during the early morning hours Friday, marking another challenge to the fragile month-old truce between the United States and Iran.

Limited information was immediately available regarding this most recent assault on the UAE, which occurred just one day following hostile exchanges between American and Iranian forces near the Strait of Hormuz. The attack comes as Washington continues waiting for Tehran’s response to a diplomatic proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict. Since hostilities began on February 28, Iran has repeatedly launched strikes against the UAE and other Gulf nations that provide bases for U.S. military operations.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump reported that three American Navy destroyers faced hostile fire while navigating through the strait, a critical waterway that handles approximately 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments—a passage Iran has effectively blocked since fighting commenced.

“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Trump maintained that the ceasefire remained intact while downplaying the severity of Thursday’s confrontation.

“They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” Trump stated from Washington.

Iranian military leadership countered by alleging American forces breached the ceasefire through attacks on an Iranian oil vessel and another ship, along with conducting aerial strikes against civilian locations on Qeshm Island within the Strait of Hormuz and nearby mainland coastal regions of Bandar Khamir and Sirik. Military officials claimed they retaliated by striking U.S. naval assets positioned east of the strait and south of Chabahar port.

An Iranian spokesperson from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters claimed their counterstrikes caused “significant damage,” though U.S. Central Command reported no American assets sustained hits.

Iran’s Press TV subsequently announced that after several hours of combat, “the situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal now.”

Both nations have periodically engaged in armed exchanges since the April 7 ceasefire implementation, with Iran conducting attacks against targets throughout Gulf states, including the UAE.

Asian markets saw oil prices climb Friday morning, with Brent crude surging past $100 per barrel following the latest U.S.-Iran clashes.

Despite Thursday’s military action, Trump indicated that diplomatic discussions with Tehran continue progressing, telling reporters, “We’re negotiating with the Iranians.”

Prior to the recent strikes, American officials had presented a proposal designed to formally conclude the conflict, though the plan reportedly does not address crucial U.S. requirements for Iran to halt nuclear activities and reopen the strait passage.

Tehran indicated it has not yet made a determination regarding the proposed agreement.

Nevertheless, Trump claimed Iranian officials had accepted his demand prohibiting Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a restriction he said was included in the American proposal.

“There’s zero chance. And they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it,” Trump explained.

When asked about potential timeline for reaching an agreement, Trump responded, “It might not happen, but it could happen any day. I believe they want to deal more than I do.”

The ongoing conflict has created challenges for Trump’s relationship with his domestic political supporters, particularly given his campaign promises to avoid foreign military entanglements and reduce fuel costs.

According to American Automobile Association data, average U.S. gasoline prices have increased more than 40 percent since late February, rising approximately $1.20 per gallon to exceed $4, as Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions have driven crude oil prices higher.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Defense officials in the United Arab Emirates confirmed Friday morning that the nation’s air defense systems were “actively engaging” incoming missiles and drones, marking another test of the fragile truce between the U.S. and Iran.

UAE defense authorities warned citizens to stay away from any fallen debris and urged people not to photograph or handle “any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions.”

The attack came just hours after American military forces reported stopping Iranian assaults on three U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz late Thursday, with the military subsequently striking back at “Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces.”

According to U.S. Central Command’s social media statement, American forces successfully defended against “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and launched defensive counterstrikes in response.

Military officials confirmed that none of the American ships sustained damage during the encounter. The U.S. military emphasized it does not want to escalate tensions but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”

Speaking to media in Washington, President Donald Trump maintained that the ceasefire was still intact despite the recent violence.

The fragile peace agreement between Washington and Tehran has mostly survived since taking effect on April 8. Diplomatic efforts last month in Pakistan, where representatives from both nations met face-to-face, failed to produce a lasting resolution to the conflict that started February 28 when American and Israeli forces conducted joint military operations against Iranian targets.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Authorities have filed slavery and terrorism charges against three Australian women following their return from Syria, where officials claim they maintained connections to the Islamic State terrorist organization.

The women arrived Thursday on Qatar Airways flights from Doha, along with seven other individuals — four women and nine children total — who had been detained for years at Roj Camp in Syria’s desert region. Despite government warnings that criminal charges awaited their return, the group proceeded with their journey home.

Melbourne court proceedings on Friday resulted in charges against Kawsar Abbas, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, 31. Law enforcement officials allege the family purchased a female Yazidi slave for $10,000 during their time in Syria.

Defense attorneys indicated they plan to request bail for both women when court reconvenes Monday.

According to police allegations, Abbas relocated to Syria in 2014 with her husband and children during the height of ISIS’s self-declared caliphate. Authorities claim Abbas participated in acquiring the slave, who was subsequently held at the family’s residence.

The elder woman faces four counts of crimes against humanity under Australian legislation, while her daughter confronts two slavery-related charges. Each count potentially carries a 25-year prison sentence.

Kurdish military forces detained both women in March 2019, and they have remained at Roj Camp with other family members since that time.

A third woman, age 32, was apprehended at Sydney Airport and charged with terrorist organization membership and unlawfully entering territory under terrorist control. These charges each carry maximum 10-year prison terms.

Investigators say this woman followed her ISIS-affiliated partner to Syria. Australian law prohibited travel to Raqqa, the former Syrian ISIS stronghold, without legitimate justification between 2014 and 2017.

The Sydney defendant plans to seek bail release during Friday court proceedings.

Government officials have criticized these women for supporting Islamic State militants through their Syrian travel and have declined to assist in their repatriation efforts.

Law enforcement agencies have conducted investigations into potential Australian involvement in Syrian atrocities for over ten years.

Twenty-one additional Australian women and children continue to be held at Roj Camp in northeastern Syria near the Iraqi border. Advocacy groups have informed media outlets they intend to secure their return within the coming weeks.

One woman among those remaining faces a temporary exclusion order preventing her Australian return.

Such exclusion orders allow Australia to block high-risk citizens from returning for up to two years.

These legal measures were established through 2019 legislation designed to prevent defeated ISIS combatants from returning to Australia. No previous public reports exist of such an order being implemented.

Children under 14 cannot be subject to exclusion orders, and Australia has rejected policies that would separate children from their mothers.

Australian administrations have previously facilitated the return of Australian women and children from Syrian detention facilities on two separate occasions. Additional Australians have returned through independent means without government support.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced Friday that his military will position new long-range artillery weapons this year with the capability to reach South Korea’s capital area, while also preparing to put the nation’s first naval destroyer into active service within weeks.

This declaration follows recent reports from South Korea indicating that North Korea’s updated constitution has removed all mentions of Korean reunification, aligning with Kim Jong Un’s pledges to sever relations with South Korea and create a two-nation framework on the Korean Peninsula.

On Wednesday, Kim toured a weapons manufacturing facility to examine the production of 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers scheduled for placement at an artillery position near the southern border before year’s end, according to the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The news agency quoted Kim stating that the firing distance of this heavy-caliber weapon exceeds 60 kilometers (37 miles). “Such a rapid extension of striking range and remarkable improvement of striking capability will provide a great change and advantage in the land operations of our army,” Kim said according to KCNA.

Kim indicated that multiple operational and tactical missile platforms along with advanced multiple rocket launcher systems are also planned for border deployment.

While North Korea’s artillery weapons receive less international scrutiny than its ballistic missiles, which face U.N. Security Council launch prohibitions, the country currently maintains numerous artillery pieces positioned near the South Korean border. These weapons present a significant danger to Seoul, South Korea’s capital housing 10 million residents located approximately 40 to 50 kilometers (25 to 30 miles) from the border.

KCNA reported that Kim boarded the destroyer Choe Hyon on Thursday to evaluate its performance capabilities off North Korea’s western coastline. Kim directed officials to transfer the vessel to naval forces by mid-June as planned, after expressing satisfaction that all testing for the destroyer’s operational readiness proceeded without issues, the news agency stated.

Photographs released by KCNA showed Kim’s teenage daughter accompanying him on the destroyer during her most recent public appearance with her father. One image captured her positioned behind Kim as he addressed navy personnel, while another depicted them sharing a meal with the ship’s crew. South Korea’s intelligence agency suggested last month that she might be viewed as Kim’s potential successor.

The destroyer, which received significant publicity when revealed last year, represents North Korea’s largest and most sophisticated naval vessel. North Korea subsequently introduced a second destroyer of identical design, though it sustained damage during a failed launch event. Kim has expressed intentions to construct two additional destroyers.

Kim’s recent military facility visits occurred after South Korea announced Wednesday that North Korea’s new constitution eliminated previous commitments to peaceful reunification with South Korea and redefined the country’s boundaries to include only the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula.

These modifications reflect Kim’s increasingly aggressive position toward South Korea, which he has designated as his nation’s eternal and primary adversary while diplomatic efforts remain stagnant and tensions escalate over his nuclear programs. In January 2024, Kim directed constitutional revisions to remove concepts of shared governance with South Korea, a move that would abandon his predecessors’ longstanding aspirations of peacefully achieving Korean unity under Northern terms.

Kim’s hostile rhetoric toward the South has dealt a significant blow to Seoul’s progressive administration, which seeks renewed engagement and has implemented preliminary measures to reduce tensions, including ending propaganda transmissions along the border.

North Korea has rejected dialogue opportunities with both South Korea and the United States, instead concentrating on expanding its nuclear and missile capabilities since Kim’s comprehensive nuclear negotiations with President Donald Trump failed in 2019.

A prominent Salvadoran investigative news organization says government authorities have frozen financial assets and property belonging to two of its staff members, marking what the outlet describes as an escalation in political retaliation for their critical reporting on President Nayib Bukele’s administration.

El Faro’s Director Carlos Dada revealed during a Thursday press conference that bank accounts and real estate had been seized, calling the action part of a coordinated effort to silence the publication’s work.

“It’s another level of attack against us with a clear purpose,” Dada stated. “These are not fiscal measures. They are political measures trying to silence us.”

The news organization has engaged in ongoing conflicts with Bukele regarding their investigative work into governmental corruption, particularly their reporting that revealed secret negotiations between his administration and criminal gangs. The asset seizures occurred shortly after El Faro collaborated with PBS Frontline on a documentary examining these gang negotiations.

Since taking office in 2019 as the region’s youngest head of state on promises to combat corruption, Bukele has drawn mounting criticism from human rights organizations for suppressing opposition and authorizing abuses during a four-year emergency decree that has resulted in over 91,000 imprisonments.

While Bukele’s administration did not provide immediate comment on the asset freezing, the president has previously dismissed El Faro’s investigative work as “fake news.”

According to Dada, the publication discovered the asset seizures through banking institutions and property records rather than receiving official government notification.

Salvadoran tax authorities have conducted continuous audits of the outlet since 2020, claiming the organization owes $200,000 in unpaid taxes—allegations that Dada has rejected.

El Faro’s reporting staff has faced cyberattacks using surveillance software, with Pegasus spyware discovered on more than 20 journalists’ mobile devices in 2022. The publication subsequently filed a federal lawsuit against NSO Group in U.S. courts.

Due to the increasingly hostile environment in El Salvador, El Faro relocated its main operations to Costa Rica in 2023, with all staff members now living outside their home country.

Bukele’s suppression of dissent expanded in 2025 with the detention of well-known human rights advocate Ruth López, who remains imprisoned a year later without trial and with restricted access to family and legal representation. Following her arrest in July 2025, Cristosal, the nation’s premier human rights organization where López was employed, announced its departure from El Salvador citing escalating intimidation and legal pressure.

Similar tactics of conducting government audits and seizing assets to intimidate opposition voices have been employed elsewhere in the region, particularly in Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega’s leadership.

Claudia Paz y Paz, who heads the Costa Rica-based Center for Justice and International Law and represents El Faro before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, described the asset seizures during Thursday’s press conference as “retaliation” aimed at the publication’s journalism and an attempt to “silence the voices of journalists.”

BEIJING — Two former Chinese defense ministers received death sentences with two-year suspensions on Thursday from a military tribunal for corruption charges, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The military court found Wei Fenghe guilty of taking bribes and imposed a death sentence with a two-year delay. Li Shangfu received an identical punishment after being convicted of both accepting and giving bribes.

In China’s legal system, death sentences with suspensions are typically converted to life imprisonment.

These punishments represent the most recent developments in President Xi Jinping’s ongoing effort to remove high-ranking officials from power. Xi launched his anti-corruption campaign over ten years ago and has maintained its intensity, reaching a peak in January with the dismissal of China’s top military commander and other military leaders. The influential Central Military Commission, which previously included 11 members, now consists of only Xi and one other member.

Although the campaign focuses on eliminating corruption, Xi has also employed these anti-corruption measures as a tool to strengthen political allegiance and authority among elite officials.

It remains unknown if either official had policy disputes or political conflicts with Xi.

Wei held the defense minister position from 2018 through 2023. Li took over the role but served only briefly before vanishing from public appearances. His removal from office occurred in October 2023.

Throughout his career, Li worked primarily as an expert in missile technology and military procurement within China’s People’s Liberation Army, and had been subject to U.S. travel restrictions and financial penalties due to acquiring Russian military equipment.

The Communist Party removed both officials from membership in 2024, confirming their downfall.

Dong Jun, who replaced Li as defense minister, remains in his position. Military analysts observe that he was not given a seat on the historically influential Central Military Commission, which controls the armed forces and typically includes the defense minister.

SYDNEY – Three women connected to ISIS faced arrest in Australia this week following their return from Syria, where they had been held in detention camps for more than seven years, according to authorities.

Two of the women, ages 53 and 31, are facing charges related to crimes against humanity, specifically for allegedly owning and using enslaved individuals while living in Syria. These charges could result in prison sentences of up to 25 years. The pair was taken into custody at Melbourne’s airport on Thursday evening after arriving in the country.

“This remains an active investigation into very serious allegations,” stated Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt.

According to police reports, both women departed for Syria in 2014 alongside their families and are accused of holding a female individual in slavery at their residences. Legal representatives for the women were not immediately available for comment.

In a separate incident, authorities arrested a 32-year-old Australian woman at Sydney’s airport on Thursday on terrorism-related charges, including allegations of joining the Islamic State organization. These charges carry a potential 10-year prison term, and her court appearance is scheduled for Friday.

Police indicated this woman had traveled to Syria in 2015 to reunite with her spouse, who had previously departed Australia to join ISIS.

Earlier this week, government officials revealed that four women and nine children were planning to return to Australia from Syrian detention facilities without official government support.

Authorities have refused to provide updates regarding the fourth woman or the status of the children involved.

The return of these individuals has created political pressure for the center-left government, with opposition voices criticizing officials for failing to prevent their homecoming. However, government representatives emphasized that there are “very serious limits” on their authority to block Australian citizens from re-entering their home country.

After ISIS lost its territorial control, numerous family members of suspected fighters found themselves detained in Syrian camps.

In January, the United States initiated the relocation of detained ISIS members from Syria following the breakdown of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had been responsible for guarding approximately twelve facilities housing fighters and associated civilians, including foreign nationals.

The Australian government previously brought home four women and 13 children from Syrian camps in 2022. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corp, approximately 21 Australians continue to be held at the al-Roj camp.

Russian air defense systems shot down more than 50 unmanned aircraft targeting Moscow during a 15-hour span from Thursday into Friday, the city’s mayor reported.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the drone interceptions through multiple posts on the messaging platform Telegram throughout Thursday. The tally of destroyed aircraft climbed past 50 between approximately 11 a.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday, Sobyanin stated.

According to the mayor, emergency response teams were investigating wreckage that fell to the ground following the interceptions.

In a separate announcement on Telegram, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces had destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones during a four-hour window that concluded at midnight across multiple areas of central and southern Russia.

The Defense Ministry also declared it would implement a three-day halt to military operations beginning at midnight on May 7-8 and lasting through May 10, citing observances related to the Soviet Union’s World War Two victory over Nazi Germany.

False medical rumors circulating on social media platforms have triggered a wave of deadly violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in at least 17 deaths according to health monitoring organizations.

The crisis began late last year in Tshopo, a rainforest-covered province in northeastern Congo, when unsubstantiated claims about a mysterious illness causing male genital atrophy began spreading through local communities.

Social media testimonials quickly amplified these baseless fears, creating widespread panic that escalated into lethal mob violence before authorities could intervene effectively.

Four medical professionals conducting vaccination research became victims of this misinformation-fueled rage in October, according to government officials and a team member who survived the attacks.

The violence has extended beyond the initial incident, with the WHO-led Africa Infodemic Response Alliance documenting 17 total fatalities connected to these false rumors, though Reuters was unable to independently confirm all reported deaths.

Elodie Ho, who directs the Nairobi-based monitoring alliance, explained how the misinformation campaign evolved: “It started in communities. It spread into social media and local media. It was amplified by those actors,” she said, noting that the false information “really led to death and murder.”

Reuters’ investigation of more than twelve video testimonials revealed that religious institutions in Tshopo helped propagate the unfounded claims. International social media accounts and regional news outlets also contributed to spreading the misinformation.

Two verified videos showed religious leaders and congregation members at churches in the provincial capital Kisangani claiming that prayer had healed supposed victims of the nonexistent condition.

To document these October incidents and examine misinformation patterns across Africa, Reuters analyzed medical research and interviewed over 20 individuals, including regional administrators, healthcare professionals, and medical specialists.

When contacted by Reuters, a Tshopo government representative confirmed that local authorities had investigated claims from five individuals who said they were affected, but discovered no evidence supporting the existence of such an illness.

Provincial officials have taken action against those who incited the panic. A local court imposed a 12-month prison sentence on a man who falsely accused another person of transmitting the alleged disease, while approximately twelve individuals were arrested, according to government spokespeople.

Medical mistrust in parts of Africa stems partly from colonial-era experiences and more recent problematic Western clinical trials, creating conditions where false health information can flourish.

The African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention notes that affordable artificial intelligence tools and widespread social media access have intensified this distrust. Limited healthcare access, weak legal systems, and social media usage all contribute to rumor proliferation.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, who leads the African Union’s disease control center, emphasized how false information prevents people from seeking life-saving medical care.

“When populations do not trust vaccines, health workers, or government policies, it means they don’t access services that can help them survive,” Kaseya stated.

Similar attacks targeting community leaders and healthcare workers have occurred in Mozambique and Malawi, connected to false cholera-related information.

A WHO-operated health information line designed to counter medical misinformation has experienced a dramatic increase in calls, jumping from 3,331 in the first quarter of 2025 to 31,636 in the fourth quarter.

Another WHO initiative tracking community interactions has documented approximately 500 incidents since launching last year involving rumors, conspiracy theories, and other misleading information.

Dr. Bavon Tangunza, who manages the misinformation response alliance in Congo, received early warnings about the false illness claims in Tshopo during early October when a colleague alerted him to rumors circulating in the province.

Video testimonials from alleged victims soon emerged online, including footage of a taxi driver speaking at a Christian event in Tshopo, describing how megachurch pastor Jules Mulindwa of the Pentecostal Church Light of the World had supposedly cured him through prayer.

The taxi driver provided no evidence for his claims, and Reuters could not determine his identity or who recorded the video, which displayed the church’s logo. A prominent church worker posted it on TikTok, where it gained widespread viewership and sharing.

The video accumulated over 300,000 views on the Facebook page of Boyoma Revolution, an online news platform registered with a Marseille, France address.

Mulindwa, who presents himself as a prophet with a TikTok channel showing large follower crowds and over 400,000 subscribers, has previously made false claims about curing coronavirus, according to CongoCheck, an online fact-checking organization.

Court records reviewed by Reuters show he received a 12-month prison sentence for defamation last year, though a prosecution lawyer confirmed he has not served the sentence. A close relative working for Mulindwa disputed the conviction when contacted by Reuters.

Mulindwa did not respond to comment requests from the news agency.

Additional footage posted October 3 by a local congregation called Assemblée Chretienne de Kisangani showed pastor Christophore Kabamba claiming to possess a miraculous cure. The church did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries.

James Baka, a Kisangani university student appearing in the video, told Reuters through Facebook messaging that he witnessed others being miraculously healed by the pastor.

When asked for comment, Boyoma Revolution acknowledged no evidence existed for the illness but did not explain why the video remained on their platform.

Meta placed the October video from Mulindwa’s church into their third-party fact-checking review system after Reuters brought it to their attention, according to a company statement.

Meta’s fact-checkers evaluate content on a scale reaching ‘false,’ with each rating carrying different restrictions and labels, based on their misinformation policy for regions outside the United States.

When asked about specific actions taken regarding the material, Meta indicated that fact-checkers determine appropriate ratings independently.

TikTok did not immediately respond to Reuters’ questions.

Tshopo Kwetu, a regional news outlet, also shared posts about the fabricated illness. Director Gaston Mukendi told Reuters his organization published information from various sources as part of their journalistic responsibilities.

He highlighted an interview with a medical student who debunked the rumor as an anxiety-related disorder.

Violence erupted October 6 when healthcare workers arrived in villages within Tshopo’s Isangi area to conduct vaccination surveys.

In Ilambi village, young men accused the health workers of secretly spreading the fake disease after seeing outsiders wearing high-visibility clothing and carrying tablet computers, according to local officials and Jean-Claude Kengefuku Mbatu, a team member who escaped.

Two team members, medical doctors Placide Mbungi and John Tangakeya, attempted to explain their vaccine research, which had no connection to the health scare.

They were killed immediately, officials and Mbatu reported.

“They burned him alive, without even leaving me a trace of him,” Tangakeya’s widow Justine Tangakeya Basekauke told Reuters.

In neighboring Yafira village, their colleagues Mathieu Mosisi and Kevin Ilunga sought assistance from a local police officer, but an angry crowd killed them as well, Tshopo health official Marie Jeanne Lebe told Reuters following a completed incident review.

Reuters could not independently verify all circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The day following the killings, on October 7, the governor’s office released a printed and online statement declaring the rumors false and dangerous.

Over the subsequent month, AIRA’s Tangunza helped develop messages for broadcast in local languages through radio, online platforms, and community workers, while conducting workshops to prepare responses for future misinformation crises.

However, the rumors continue resurfacing months later.

In March, a woman in Congo’s Lualaba province was accused of spreading the disease and lynched, while another person survived an attack, AIRA reported based on local media accounts. Reuters could not independently verify these reports.

Efforts to combat false information face additional challenges as foreign aid cuts from the United States and other nations over the past year have left AIRA with reduced funding, director Ho told Reuters.

The Gates Foundation, one of AIRA’s funders, confirmed an active grant through December but did not indicate whether additional grants were being considered.

AIRA currently maintains personnel in only three countries, including Tangunza in Congo, down from five previously.

An artificial intelligence platform designed to track online conversations for fake information monitoring is currently inactive due to lack of funding for monthly provider subscriptions, Ho explained.

The WHO regional office indicated that discussions are ongoing to secure funding for sustaining and expanding AIRA’s operations.