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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva traveled to the White House Thursday in an effort to rebuild diplomatic ties with President Donald Trump and prevent additional trade penalties on Brazilian goods, according to three sources familiar with the Brazilian leader’s plans.

The meeting aims to capitalize on what Trump previously described as their “excellent chemistry” while addressing ongoing trade disputes and exploring cooperation on critical minerals and crime fighting efforts.

“We don’t know if the visit will help,” a Brazilian official involved in organizing the meeting said. “But it’s more likely to help than doing nothing.”

Trade tensions escalated last year when Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods – among the steepest penalties placed on any U.S. imports. The former president accused Brazil of conducting what he called a witch-hunt against far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who was subsequently found guilty of attempting to undermine democratic institutions.

Trump later rolled back most of these trade penalties, including those affecting Brazilian beef and coffee imports, partly to help reduce rising food costs for American consumers. The U.S. Supreme Court eliminated many remaining tariffs in February by overturning global levies Trump had implemented using emergency powers.

However, Brazilian exports continue to face an additional 10% penalty set to end in July. Recent developments suggest Brazil could face new tariffs stemming from a Section 301 probe into alleged unfair trading practices.

Trade disagreements persist over digital commerce policies, with Brazil opposing a U.S.-supported World Trade Organization proposal to maintain an e-commerce tariff freeze. Brazil also maintains high import duties on certain American products, including ethanol.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office recently claimed that nearly half of Brazil’s timber shipments originate from illegal logging operations. The Lula government disputes this allegation, pointing to record-low deforestation numbers under their administration.

Brazilian representatives grew concerned about potential new tariffs following a meeting with U.S. Commerce Department officials two weeks ago. Participants noted that American officials asked minimal questions during the discussions, suggesting the investigation was designed to justify tariffs rather than resolve trade concerns.

“What they are doing is building a case, even if unfounded, to justify the later adoption of tariffs,” one Brazilian official explained.

CRITICAL MINERALS

Relations began improving last September during the U.N. General Assembly when Trump made his “chemistry” comment, partly acknowledging Brazil’s extensive reserves of essential minerals, according to Monica de Bolle, a Brazilian economist and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute of International Economics.

The Trump administration’s goal of establishing a supply chain for rare earth elements needed in high-tech manufacturing will likely help keep Lula’s visit productive, she noted.

“On the part of the U.S., they are looking for some kind of deal – whatever that happens to be – on critical minerals and rare earths with Brazil,” de Bolle explained. “The U.S. actually needs something from Lula.”

The Lula administration doesn’t anticipate reaching a critical minerals agreement, sources close to the president indicated, as officials have struggled to reach consensus on even a basic understanding. Brazil demands that minerals undergo domestic processing, while the U.S. seeks price protection mechanisms to prevent China from using market dominance to undercut Western competitors. Negotiations remain unclear, lacking specific investment amounts, production targets, or implementation schedules.

American investments, particularly USA Rare Earth’s $2.8 billion purchase of Serra Verde’s rare earth mining assets, are moving forward without established regulatory guidelines, creating uncertainty in Brazil.

Nevertheless, both Trump and Lula benefit from demonstrating their ability to collaborate, meaning even a basic framework could be presented as successful.

“The bar is actually kind of low for both of them,” Bolle observed.

ORGANIZED CRIME

Additional tensions exist over White House efforts to classify Latin American criminal organizations as terrorist groups.

The Lula administration seeks to prevent such designation for domestic gangs PCC and Comando Vermelho, as this could authorize U.S. military intervention in Brazil or sanctions against financial institutions that inadvertently conduct business with gang members.

Such action could have “repercussions for the Brazilian economy, the productive sector, and the financial system,” Federal Police chief Andrei Rodrigues told reporters in March.

Instead, Lula plans to propose enhanced cooperation on organized crime, money laundering, and weapons trafficking.

“I don’t think we will be able to sign anything because we sent it very recently,” said one official involved in preparing the proposal.

Moscow’s defense forces intercepted 347 Ukrainian drones during an extensive nighttime assault, Russian military officials announced Thursday, marking what appears to be a substantial offensive following Russia’s rejection of a ceasefire proposal earlier this week as tensions escalate before Russia’s Victory Day commemorations.

The intercepted aircraft targeted 20 different Russian territories, including the capital city, defense officials reported, representing Ukraine’s second-largest aerial offensive since Russia began its full-scale invasion over four years ago. The most extensive previous attack occurred in March when Ukraine deployed 389 drones.

The strike preceded Russia’s most significant national holiday, commemorating the end of World War II and Nazi Germany’s defeat. Russian leadership had announced a unilateral halt to military operations in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday.

Ukraine had initially agreed to pause hostilities starting Tuesday at midnight. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Moscow ignored this peaceful gesture and continued launching attacks.

“Russia has not stopped any type of its military activity. Unfortunately, it has not stopped. Ukraine will act symmetrically,” Zelenskyy said in his regular evening video address Wednesday.

Tensions have escalated as Russia’s Victory Day observances draw near while U.S.-sponsored peace initiatives remain stalled.

Moscow will disable all mobile internet connectivity and text messaging on May 9, state media announced Thursday, according to the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.

Additionally, the traditional Moscow parade will exclude its customary display of tanks, missiles and other military hardware for the first time in almost twenty years.

Russian officials express concern about potential Ukrainian strikes, as Kyiv has enhanced its long-distance drone and missile technology.

The Russian Defense Ministry referenced the “current operational situation” when explaining the decision to remove military equipment. Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov attributed the reduced celebrations and heightened Moscow security to Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of “terrorist activity,” apparently referring to the drone attacks.

The communication restrictions will affect websites on Russia’s designated “white list,” a collection of government-approved online platforms maintained during the nation’s frequent internet blackouts.

Residential internet and Wi-Fi connections will remain operational, authorities confirmed.

Ukraine’s defensive systems eliminated 92 of 102 drones that Russia deployed overnight, military sources reported.

Russia continues to hold a substantial drone advantage, frequently launching hundreds in individual strikes.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tehran announced Thursday it is examining fresh American proposals to conclude their ongoing conflict, while President Donald Trump warned Iran of intensified military strikes if negotiations fail to produce an agreement that reopens the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor.

International markets showed optimism Thursday over prospects that the two-month conflict might conclude soon, despite U.S. forces targeting an Iranian oil tanker that attempted to break through the American naval blockade of Iranian ports just hours before. These events came after days of inconsistent communication from the Trump administration regarding its approach to ending the hostilities.

Trump announced on social media that the two-month conflict could conclude soon and that disrupted oil and natural gas deliveries might resume. However, he stated this outcome depends on Iran accepting a reported deal he chose not to elaborate on.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote.

A tentative ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has mostly remained intact since April 8. However, face-to-face negotiations between both nations, facilitated by Pakistan last month, failed to produce an accord. The conflict commenced February 28, when the United States and Israel conducted strikes against Iran.

“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated Thursday. “We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.”

However, he refused to provide a specific timeframe, stating Pakistan would not reveal details of the continuing diplomatic initiatives.

“What I can tell you and this is what I have stated before that we remain positive, we remain optimist, and we hope the settlement will be soon rather than later,” he said.

When questioned whether Pakistan anticipated any response from Iran later Thursday, Andrabi responded: “I will not comment on specifics or the movement of the messages.”

The Trump administration’s communication during the Iran conflict has been inconsistent and frequently conflicting. This week, the president and his advisors presented a confusing account of U.S. strategy to clear the Strait of Hormuz and conclude the war that dramatically evolved within just hours.

Iran has essentially blocked the strait, a critical passage for transporting oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum goods, while the United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports.

On Wednesday, an American fighter aircraft disabled the steering mechanism of an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as it attempted to break the American blockade, according to U.S. Central Command’s social media announcement.

Trump maintained Wednesday that Iranian leadership desires to conclude the war.

“We’re dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we’ll see whether or not they can make a deal that’s satisfactory to us,” the president said.

He indicated the United States could eventually impose a resolution.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump posted on social media, “and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

The White House believes it is close to reaching an accord with Iran on a single-page document to end the war, according to Axios reporting. Terms include halting Iranian uranium enrichment, removing U.S. sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets and reopening the strait for vessels.

The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about the potential accord.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei informed state television that Tehran had “strongly rejected” U.S. proposals reported by Axios, but confirmed it was still reviewing the most recent American proposal.

Trump has attempted to intensify pressure on Tehran after halting on Tuesday a brief U.S. initiative, called Project Freedom, designed to establish safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Only two American-flagged commercial ships are confirmed to have transited the U.S.-protected route after it opened Monday. The U.S. military reported destroying six Iranian small vessels that threatened civilian ships.

Hundreds of commercial vessels remain trapped in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach open waters without traversing the Strait of Hormuz. The strait’s closure has caused fuel costs to surge, disrupted the global economy and created massive economic strain on nations, including major powers like China.

Hapag-Lloyd, among the world’s largest shipping corporations, announced in a statement that the strait’s closure costs approximately $60 million weekly, with increasing fuel and insurance expenses creating particular hardship.

On Thursday, Brent crude oil prices stabilized around $100 per barrel as investors awaited news on whether the strait would reopen.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday that France’s aircraft carrier battle group was advancing into the Red Sea to prepare for a potential French-British operation to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz when circumstances permit.

China’s foreign minister requested a complete ceasefire Wednesday following his Beijing meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Wang Yi expressed his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict.

China’s strong economic and political connections to Tehran provide it with a distinctive influential position. The Trump administration is urging China to leverage that relationship to encourage the Islamic Republic to reopen the strait.

Araghchi’s China visit occurred before Trump’s planned Beijing trip, where he is scheduled to participate in a prominent summit on May 14-15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump was the most recent U.S. president to visit China in 2017.

Araghchi informed Iranian state television that his visit included conversations about the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Trump has insisted on a significant reduction of Tehran’s controversial nuclear program.

President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing next week for a pivotal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the first visit by an American leader to China in nearly ten years. The May 14-15 summit comes as both nations work to manage growing tensions over trade disputes, Taiwan, and the ongoing Iran conflict.

Business leaders and policy experts aren’t anticipating major diplomatic breakthroughs during the visit, though smaller agreements like extending the October trade agreement could emerge from the discussions.

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS TAKE CENTER STAGE

With November’s midterm elections approaching, Trump is expected to push for significant trade concessions from Beijing. Both nations are developing a Board of Trade framework designed to identify products that could increase bilateral trade while protecting national security interests and supply chains.

Under consideration are Chinese purchases of American poultry, beef, and various non-soybean agricultural products, along with a commitment to buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually for the next three years. Washington also seeks Chinese investment in Boeing aircraft, coal, oil, and natural gas.

A major Boeing deal has been under negotiation for years, with industry insiders suggesting it could involve 500 737 MAX aircraft plus multiple wide-body planes. According to Dennis Wilder, a former CIA China analyst now at Georgetown University, the agreement has been delayed due to Trump’s threats to restrict critical engine parts exports to China.

TECHNOLOGY AND RARE EARTH DISPUTES

China wants the United States to relax restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports and has expressed concerns about legislation that would limit critical chip manufacturing equipment access. Conversely, the U.S. is demanding China allow rare earth and critical mineral shipments to American companies, as Chinese export controls have significantly disrupted U.S. automotive and aerospace production.

Both countries have recently implemented new economic pressure tactics ahead of the talks. In March, Washington launched investigations into alleged Chinese industrial overcapacity and forced labor practices. The Treasury Department sanctioned a Chinese refinery in April for purchasing Iranian oil and warned of secondary sanctions on Chinese banks facilitating such transactions.

China has responded with legal countermeasures. Premier Li Qiang approved new regulations in April giving authorities broad powers to investigate foreign companies, governments, and individuals attempting to relocate supply chains away from China. These rules could also serve as retaliation against Western sanctions on Chinese businesses abroad.

IRAN CONFLICT DISCUSSIONS

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the presidents will address the Iran war, calling on China to “join us in this international operation” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open for global shipping.

Beijing considers the conflict Washington’s responsibility to resolve, though the war threatens China’s energy supplies and could damage relationships with Gulf nations. While China worked quietly to facilitate Iran-U.S. peace talks in Pakistan last month, experts believe Beijing won’t appear to be following Trump’s directives.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Beijing this week, briefing Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the U.S. discussions.

TAIWAN REMAINS FLASHPOINT

During a recent conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wang emphasized Taiwan’s critical importance to China, calling the democratically governed island “the biggest point of risk” in bilateral relations. Wang stated the U.S. should “keep its promises and make the right choices in order to open up new space for China-U.S. cooperation.”

China maintains territorial claims over Taiwan and hasn’t ruled out military force to achieve control. Taiwan firmly rejects these claims, asserting only its people can determine the island’s future.

Sources familiar with summit preparations indicate Beijing has privately urged the Trump administration to modify U.S. language regarding Taiwan independence, similar to requests Xi made to former President Joe Biden during their 2024 meeting.

At that summit, Xi requested Biden change the U.S. position to state “we oppose Taiwan independence” instead of the current phrasing that America “does not support” Taiwan independence.

Even minor changes in American language could influence Beijing’s perception of U.S. commitment to supporting Taiwan and raise new concerns about Washington’s security guarantees throughout Asia.

Rising diesel costs stemming from the Iran conflict are pushing Chinese companies to rapidly embrace electric heavy trucks, creating a significant shift in the world’s largest oil-importing nation.

The transition from diesel to electric commercial vehicles has gained remarkable momentum, with electric heavy trucks capturing nearly one-third of new truck sales in 2025. This growth has been fueled by government incentives, affordable charging options, and an expanding network of charging stations. Much of last year’s expansion occurred in the final quarter as purchasers rushed to take advantage of trade-in subsidies they believed would soon expire.

This year has started with similar enthusiasm, as new-energy heavy truck sales – predominantly electric models – jumped 45% compared to the same period last year, reaching 44,000 units. These vehicles now represent more than 25% of the segment, a notable increase from under 20% in the previous year, according to CVWorld.cn data.

CVWorld.cn projects April sales of electric heavy trucks will climb 30%, driven by typical seasonal increases and elevated oil costs.

“The war has driven up domestic fuel prices in China, which will inevitably accelerate the replacement of traditional trucks,” explained Min Ji, senior analyst at S&P Global Mobility. The firm plans to increase its electric truck sales projections later this month.

Currently offering approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range, electric heavy trucks primarily serve short-distance routes connecting industrial facilities and transportation centers. However, long-haul capabilities are expanding, with manufacturers like Sany developing trucks capable of traveling up to 600 kilometers.

The widespread adoption of electric passenger vehicles combined with the rapid deployment of electric and liquefied natural gas trucks has ended decades of increasing diesel and gasoline consumption in China. Most industry experts anticipate the country’s oil demand will reach its peak by 2030.

Several energy consulting firms now predict diesel usage will decline more rapidly than previously anticipated.

GL Consulting forecasts diesel consumption will drop 4.3% this year, compared to their pre-conflict projection of a 4.1% decrease. Rystad Energy expects diesel demand to fall 5% this year, surpassing their earlier 4% decline forecast, representing an additional reduction of roughly 40,000 barrels daily.

The economic case for electric trucks has strengthened significantly since retail diesel prices in China surged 27% following the Iran conflict’s start on February 28, reaching levels not seen since peak prices four years ago.

While electric heavy trucks cost over 500,000 yuan ($73,500) in China compared to more than 300,000 yuan for diesel models, buyers can reduce nearly half this price difference through a trade-in program extended until year-end in April.

Operating costs for electric trucks are substantially lower. GL Consulting calculates that total lifetime expenses for an electric truck – including purchase price, fuel, and operating costs over 1 million kilometers – equals half that of a comparable diesel truck at current fuel rates.

These cost advantages are also fueling an export surge to Europe, the world’s second-largest electric truck market, though it significantly trails China. In 2024, China sold 160,000 electric trucks while European sales totaled fewer than 25,000, according to International Energy Agency data.

Reuters reported in March that at least twelve Chinese manufacturers, including leading brand Sany, intend to begin European sales this year at prices up to one-third below current European averages.

Domestically, Sany had already anticipated accelerated diesel truck replacement in 2025, optimistically projecting the electric tractor truck market would expand 50% to 250,000 units, Deputy General Manager Chen Dong told Reuters in April.

“So far, given rising oil prices, the chances of achieving this target are increasing,” Chen stated.

JAKARTA – Seven residents from Indonesia’s flood-ravaged Sumatra region took legal action Thursday against their government, filing a lawsuit that demands national disaster designation for three provinces still struggling with recovery efforts.

The legal documents were submitted to Indonesia’s state administrative court on Thursday, targeting the country’s president, environment minister, forestry minister, agriculture minister, and the director of the national disaster mitigation agency, according to petitioner Diki Rafiqi.

The lawsuit centers on the government’s failure to declare national disaster status for Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces, where reconstruction work has ground to a halt due to insufficient provincial funding.

“Many residents still do not have temporary houses … This is the most basic thing and it’s due to the local government’s limited financial capacity,” Rafiqi explained to Reuters.

Under Indonesian law, national disaster designation would require the central government to allocate federal funds for rebuilding efforts, including temporary shelters and permanent housing for displaced families.

The petitioners are also seeking an immediate halt to new permits for forest use, mining operations, and plantation development until environmental restoration is complete across the three provinces. Additionally, they want existing permits in these industries reviewed and potentially revoked.

The devastating floods and landslides, triggered by cyclonic storms last year, claimed at least 1,200 lives and destroyed or damaged approximately 300,000 homes throughout the region.

Environmental organizations have pointed to widespread deforestation across Sumatra as a contributing factor that worsened the natural disaster’s impact on local communities.

NAIROBI, Kenya — The term ‘goonism’ has become the buzzword dominating Kenya’s political landscape, as leaders across the spectrum use it to describe the intimidation tactics employed by gangs targeting political opponents.

President William Ruto’s supporters invoke the term when discussing political violence they claim authorities will not permit. Meanwhile, opposition leaders use the same word to criticize what they view as Ruto’s harsh and questionable campaign strategies as he pursues a second term in next year’s elections.

The situation has created what appears to be competing accusations of goonism in this East African country, where the battle for political control is intensifying with an increasingly dangerous atmosphere.

Many Kenyans now question whether Ruto remains true to the religious principles he championed before assuming office in 2022.

The president had promised to build a born-again Christian society that would fear God and live in harmony with itself.

However, during his presidency, he seems to have gained from the disorder that has become a nationwide problem, as faith leaders and politicians warn that political violence is undermining democratic progress. His opponents argue that this turmoil stems partly from Ruto’s inflexible leadership approach.

During a recent Sunday service, preacher Wilfred Lai shouted, “Goons, goons, goons,” while expressing dismay about Kenya’s current state. “Everyone who wants to rule this country by that kind of thing, I speak as a prophet of God: You shall fall.”

He continued: “You can’t use goons and you are telling us that you are taking us into a better place. You are a liar and the truth is not in you.”

While Lai, who leads a megachurch in the coastal city of Mombasa, never specifically named Ruto during his sermon, many Kenyans believe the president was his target, especially after portions of the message circulated online.

Lai was among the evangelical ministers who supported Ruto during his time as vice president when he sought to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, who had not endorsed him. During that period, Ruto was widely regarded as a devout political figure.

Ruto positioned himself as a champion of the underprivileged and working class people who earned their living through physical labor. The leader, known by the nickname “Nabii” (Kiswahili for “God’s prophet”), claimed his political success came through divine favor, contrasting himself with opponents he characterized as privileged offspring of political dynasties. Ruto secured victory in a closely contested race.

However, many supporters believe Ruto transformed immediately after winning the presidency.

While he maintained his Sunday church attendance, observers noted he stopped carrying his Bible and rarely quoted scripture. His decision to tear down a chapel on the statehouse grounds to build a modern replacement drew criticism from some as self-serving. Others felt betrayed by Ruto’s harsh income tax policies implemented shortly after his inauguration.

Thousands of young demonstrators filled Nairobi’s streets, forcing officials to retract certain tax proposals, though public frustration remained high. Ruto later confronted additional protests following the death of a blogger while in police custody.

While the demonstrations did not succeed in ousting Ruto, they weakened his position and motivated him to display strength. Though his standing remains unstable before next year’s election, some opponents acknowledge his shrewdness and continued difficulty in defeating him.

Following protesters’ breach of the parliamentary building in 2024, Ruto promised such an incident would never recur. Last year, when confronted by demonstrators carrying signs reading “Ruto must go,” the president instructed police to “break” protesters’ limbs and declared he would not step down.

“If we go this route, we will not have a country,” Ruto stated during a televised speech. “The country belongs to all of us. And if there’s no country for William Ruto, there’s no country for you.”

Some interpreted this as an implied threat, and opposition leaders suspect the gangs appearing at their events receive government backing.

Prominent opposition figure Kalonzo Musyoka told a local broadcaster: “We must say no, collectively, to the new specter, the new norm, of goonism. The goons are very well-known. So for anybody to pretend that it is the work of united opposition, he really must be ashamed, even before God, that this is state-sponsored.”

Armed groups carrying machetes and firearms can disrupt or prevent political gatherings from occurring. While opposition leaders blame authorities for encouraging violence, Interior Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen recently cautioned goons that “since the politician won’t be with you when you commit the crime, we’ll come for you.”

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, an ally of Ruto, declared last month that “the culture of goonism has no place in a democratic society.”

A significant incident occurred last month when an opposition legislator from western Kenya was attacked in a restaurant by men challenging his political beliefs. Senator Godfrey Osotsi sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment. The assault triggered demonstrations in his home region and drew condemnation from religious leaders.

Ruto continues pursuing support from church leaders, whose influence spans social networks, as he works to maintain power. His Sunday worship location choices remain unpredictable. Sometimes religious leaders, ranging from Methodist to Pentecostal ministers, gather around him at the statehouse.

Other faith leaders remain critical, recently angered by insults exchanged between Ruto and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, who broke with the president, faced impeachment, and now heads the Wantam movement aimed at limiting Ruto to one term.

Their verbal battles can be bitter.

In March, after Gachagua labeled Ruto a thief who would steal from a funeral home, the president called Gachagua a “cold-blooded pig” who stole from his brother.

Days afterward, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, head of the local Catholic bishops’ conference, criticized both Ruto and Gachagua during a bishops’ meeting. “Disagreement is OK, but insulting each other in public is a disgrace,” Muhatia stated. “Give us a break.”

Kenyan elections typically involve considerable conflict. A violent group called Mungiki contributed to deadly violence following the 2007 election.

There is a widespread feeling this time that more is on the line, with a president unwilling to retreat. Some fear Ruto is approaching authoritarianism, unlike his recent predecessors.

Kenyatta, Kenya’s fourth president, was an affable leader who accepted internal opposition from Ruto during their shared service. Mwai Kibaki, whom Kenyatta succeeded, was a gentleman who once held a press conference to deny having a second wife.

Kenya’s current president differs significantly, and goonism represents “a product of gangster theology” with Ruto serving as its chief practitioner, according to Christine Mungai, an independent writer based in Nairobi.

Ruto has perfected “how to perform public piety” while simultaneously working “to make life harder for everyone,” she explained.

The identity of Ruto’s primary election challenger remains unclear. Possibilities include Musyoka or Fred Matiang’i, a former interior cabinet secretary. While Gachagua likely cannot seek the presidency following his impeachment, his support will be vital for the opposition.

If Ruto and opposition figures fail to moderate their language, “the election is going to be very bloody,” warned Karuti Kanyinga, a Kenyan development scholar serving as visiting professor at Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study in South Africa. “Everyone will have their own protection gangs.”

Philippine maritime authorities have leveled accusations against China, claiming Beijing is carrying out unauthorized scientific research activities in contested South China Sea waters near valuable oil and gas reserves at Reed Bank, officials announced Thursday.

Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, who leads the Philippine Coast Guard, declared: “We will continue to challenge any illegal activities that undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

During surveillance operations conducted Monday, Philippine Coast Guard aircraft observed the Chinese research ship Xiang Yang Hong 33 operating near Iroquois Reef. Maritime patrol crews witnessed the vessel launching a smaller service craft toward the reef area, which authorities say confirms ongoing unauthorized scientific activities in the region.

The patrol also documented the presence of one Chinese Coast Guard ship along with 13 vessels belonging to China’s maritime militia in the vicinity of the reef.

According to Philippine officials, the Chinese research vessel left port in China on April 15 and has since carried out operations near multiple disputed locations including Second Thomas Shoal, Sabina Shoal, Mischief Reef, and Jackson Atoll over recent weeks.

During the same surveillance mission, Philippine authorities tracked 28 Chinese maritime militia vessels positioned near Thitu island.

Manila maintains that China lacks proper authorization to conduct marine research in the area and considers the activities a breach of Philippine sovereign rights as well as violations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China’s embassy in Manila has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the allegations.

Leaders from Thailand and Cambodia are preparing for uncommon diplomatic discussions in the Philippines following last year’s fatal border conflicts, as both nations maintain a delicate ceasefire without any permanent settlement.

Military forces continue to be stationed along both sides of the contentious 508-mile border following confrontations in July and December, when minor skirmishes rapidly intensified into aerial bombardments and intense artillery exchanges.

The Philippines, currently hosting Association of Southeast Asian Nations gatherings on Cebu island, announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will supervise the discussions ahead of Friday’s leadership summit.

Speaking to media in Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul explained the motivation behind the meeting. “They want an atmosphere for an ASEAN meeting that will go well,” he stated. “That’s why they want us to see each other.”

While Anutin declined to specify discussion topics, he pledged to firmly protect Thailand’s national interests. “I have to stand on principles during discussions,” he declared. “Any talks will have to be beneficial, protect Thai sovereignty and the public interest.”

The two rounds of combat resulted in nearly 150 fatalities and displaced at least 300,000 people, with each nation blaming the other for initiating hostilities.

The initial conflict ended in July after five days through intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, who facilitated the signing of a military withdrawal agreement in October during an ASEAN summit.

However, Trump failed to prevent a second outbreak, despite claiming he had preserved the ceasefire, with battles continuing for 20 days before both countries bilaterally agreed to stop fighting.

Although combat has ceased, Cambodia has consistently charged Thailand with ceasefire breaches and territorial occupation in disputed border areas, allegations that Bangkok denies.

Kung Phoak, Cambodia’s foreign affairs secretary of state, said Wednesday that the three-way discussion demonstrates ASEAN’s commitment to addressing the dispute. “It shows that the chair is trying to bring us together and to resolve the issue,” he explained to reporters.

“We need to renounce the use and threat of force, and the solution has to be based on international law and existing treaties in agreement,” Phoak added.

The diplomatic meeting occurs during heightened tensions, following Thailand’s unilateral decision Tuesday to cancel an energy exploration agreement with Cambodia, ignoring appeals from its neighbor to maintain the 25-year-old arrangement.

Cambodia announced it had no alternative but to pursue formal resolution of competing territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provisions.

BERLIN – A new political survey reveals that Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party has surged to a commanding lead in an eastern German state, positioning the controversial group to potentially control a regional government for the first time in the country’s modern history.

According to the infratest dimap polling data released Thursday, the Alternative for Germany now commands 41% voter support in Saxony Anhalt state, representing a two-point increase from previous surveys. This places the party significantly ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union, which sits at 26%, while the Social Democrats lag far behind at just 7%.

The polling results highlight growing voter dissatisfaction with Germany’s current federal coalition government, coming just one year into Merz’s tenure as chancellor. While the Alternative for Germany has historically performed strongest in former East German territories, the party now rivals the CDU in nationwide polling as well.

Political observers note that mainstream parties have refused to form coalitions with the Alternative for Germany, citing the party’s hardline immigration stance and advocacy for strengthened relationships with Russia. However, these traditional parties face mounting challenges in countering the far-right group’s appeal, particularly as economic uncertainty from Middle Eastern conflicts threatens Germany’s economic recovery.

The September 6th election could present significant coalition-building challenges if other parties maintain their opposition to working with the Alternative for Germany. Current polling shows the Left party at 12%, while both the Green party and the populist BSW party sit at 4% each – below the minimum threshold required for state parliament representation.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Santiago Peña, Paraguay’s president, touched down in Taiwan Thursday, marking his inaugural journey to the disputed island that China considers part of its territory.

As Taiwan’s sole remaining diplomatic ally in South America and among just 12 nations worldwide that maintain formal ties with Taipei, Paraguay finds itself at the center of an intensifying diplomatic struggle. Beijing has escalated efforts in recent years to convince Taiwan’s partners to switch their allegiance.

Despite maintaining robust commercial ties with China, Paraguay has consistently reinforced its diplomatic allegiance to Taiwan.

According to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry, Peña is heading a business mission featuring representatives from agricultural and financial sectors during his Thursday through Sunday stay.

On Friday, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te plans to receive Peña with full military ceremonial honors.

This diplomatic visit unfolds against a backdrop of escalating Chinese aggression toward the island democracy, with Beijing routinely dispatching military aircraft and naval vessels near Taiwan’s borders almost daily.

Taiwan continues working to strengthen its global diplomatic footprint amid these challenges.

Just last week, Lai traveled to Eswatini, Taiwan’s final African diplomatic partner, after initially delaying the journey when multiple nations reportedly denied overflight permissions due to Chinese influence.

While Beijing neither confirmed nor refuted these claims, officials praised countries for upholding the “one China principle,” referencing China’s territorial assertions over Taiwan.

The two territories have operated under separate governments since 1949, following the Communist Party’s victory in Beijing after civil conflict. Defeated Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan, which eventually evolved from military rule into a democratic system.

BEIJING — Beijing’s top foreign affairs official told American lawmakers Thursday that diplomatic relations between the two nations have remained generally steady, even amid significant challenges and setbacks over the past year.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks while hosting a bipartisan group of US Congress members, headed by Senator Steve Daines. Wang praised both President Xi Jinping and President Trump for providing crucial leadership during pivotal moments in the countries’ relationship.

“Over the past year, China-U.S. relations have gone through many twists and disruptions, but we have still managed to maintain overall stability,” Wang stated during the diplomatic meeting.

Senator Daines, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is a vocal Trump ally, echoed the sentiment and emphasized the need for continued cooperation between the superpowers.

“I strongly believe that we want to de-escalate, not decouple. We want stability, we want mutual respect,” Daines remarked.

The Montana senator also expressed optimism about potential economic benefits following next week’s presidential summit, noting “perhaps we could see some more Boeing airplanes purchased, which I know would be something we would like to see.”

Daines praised Beijing’s diplomatic efforts in Middle Eastern affairs, particularly highlighting China’s role in attempting to ease regional tensions and restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. He pointed to Wang’s Wednesday meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as evidence of China’s active involvement in regional diplomacy.

The discussions come as Trump prepares for his May 14-15 visit to China, with Washington urging Beijing to leverage its relationship with Iran to help reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments typically pass.

This marks Daines’ second diplomatic trip to China since Trump assumed office last year. His previous visit occurred in March 2025, during a period of heightened tensions over trade policies and efforts to combat the illegal fentanyl trafficking crisis.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has removed his top military commander and finance minister from their positions, according to state media reports released Wednesday evening from the capital city of Juba.

The leadership shake-up represents the most recent example of ongoing personnel changes within Kiir’s administration that experts believe demonstrate his attempts to strengthen control during a period of uncertain political succession.

General Paul Nang, who lost his position as army chief, had held the role since October. His leadership faced growing criticism as security conditions deteriorated throughout the nation. Finance Minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit was also terminated after serving only since April 23.

To replace the military leader, Kiir has brought back General Santino Deng Wol, according to the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation. Wol, who comes from the same Bahr El Gazal region as the president, maintains close ties to Kiir and previously held the army chief position from 2020 through 2024.

The new finance minister will be Kuol Daniel Ayulo, a professional administrator with previous experience as an undersecretary in both the finance and trade ministries, state media announced.

The East African nation continues to face challenges in executing important reforms established in the 2018 peace deal that concluded five years of civil conflict, particularly combining military forces and conducting elections.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — When the beat drops at a Gaza refugee camp, young dancers take center stage, demonstrating their breakdancing skills with rapid spins and precise footwork. Two girls share excited smiles after successfully completing a challenging sequence.

These moments of joy offer precious relief from Gaza Strip’s difficult living conditions. The young performers practice their routines near twisted metal beams and debris piles, remnants of destroyed buildings. Their training takes place at a school located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, a densely populated area in central Gaza established during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict.

“I come to this center because I discovered that I have a talent for breakdancing, and I also come here to release the negative energy inside me and to enjoy,” said Habiba Abu Khater, one of the children from around five to 14 years old who train at the school. She explained that after four years of classes, she feels proud of her improvement since beginning as a complete beginner.

Dance instructor Fayez Saraj explained that the facility, which opened in the camp in 2004, uses breakdancing, gymnastics, and contemporary dance to boost children’s confidence and support their emotional well-being.

These physical activities “help the child with psychological release, especially from the difficult situations we experienced during the years of war,” he said. “We have a significant role in … moving them from an atmosphere of depression and frustration to one of joy.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel’s military campaign has resulted in over 72,600 Palestinian deaths, caused extensive infrastructure damage, and forced most residents from their homes.

The ministry, operating under Hamas leadership, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that U.N. agencies and independent analysts consider generally credible. However, their figures don’t distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties.

Israel began its military response following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters, who killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and captured 251 others as hostages.

Although major combat operations have largely ended since the fragile ceasefire began on Oct. 10, fatal Israeli airstrikes continue to threaten the peace agreement. Both Hamas and Israel claim the other side has broken ceasefire terms. Gaza residents continue facing numerous daily hardships.

WARSAW, Poland — A community-driven soccer team established by Warsaw supporters nearly a decade ago continues its mission to combat hostile nationalist attitudes in Polish football stadiums, seeking renewed purpose as the country’s leadership embraces similar ideologies.

Established in 2015, AKS Zły — which stands for Alternatywny Klub Sportowy Zły, or Alternative Sports Club Evil — emerged when supporters from Warsaw’s primary teams Legia and Polonia united to challenge the aggressive atmosphere they witnessed at Polish football matches.

Operating with both male and female squads, the organization remains under democratic control by its supporter base.

“We decided to create a club that would be different, where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, race or nationality, could feel good and welcome,” AKS Zły coordinator Jan Dziubecki told The Associated Press.

Dziubecki explained that Polish fan culture has “drifted sharply to the right and openly hateful slogans are common.”

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki, who received support from the nationalist conservative Law and Justice party during his election victory last year, maintains strong ties to Lechia Gdańsk from the northern region and regularly attends their matches since assuming office.

When campaign reports surfaced about Nawrocki’s involvement in street confrontations between soccer supporters, he defended his actions by stating he had participated in numerous “noble” fights throughout his life.

Despite concerns that Nawrocki’s leadership could reinforce the fan attitudes AKS Zły opposes, Dziubecki believes it might generate the reverse outcome.

“Maybe more fans will come to our stadium again,” he said with a smile.

Juliusz Wrzosek, who owns the Offside bar in Warsaw’s Praga neighborhood, helped establish the club and can be found distributing tickets at stadium gates.

The longtime Legia Warszawa supporter explained how he was expelled from the team’s more extreme supporter section after declining to participate in chants honoring imprisoned individuals. Around the same time, his Polonia-supporting friends faced similar exclusion for comparable reasons, prompting them to establish their own organization.

“Because you have to support someone,” Wrzosek said.

Beyond serving as a gathering spot for AKS Zły supporters, his establishment hosts club social activities that frequently honor local Praga district history. This past March, the venue co-organized a tribute to Stefan Okrzeja, a socialist activist who championed Polish independence during the early 1900s.

“It bothered me that in Poland, a country with a great history of leftist and left-wing values, there isn’t a single club that is democratic, that doesn’t impose its own version of fan culture,” Wrzosek said.

During a recent women’s second division match, AKS Zły competed against a superior Słupca squad, yet supporters in the humble Praga stadium remained enthusiastic.

Fans performed welcoming songs for visiting teams while encouraging their players to score using drum accompaniment. Referee criticism stayed minimal and respectful.

“It’s not just empty words when you say that the fans are the 12th player, because it really helps and motivates you to give more,” former AKS Zły player and current supporter Eliza Górska-Tran told The Associated Press.

The 37-year-old Górska-Tran, who brought her wife and two small children to the match, emphasized the significance of the supportive network surrounding the club, which she helped manage following her playing career.

AKS Zły welcomes LGBTQ+ members and immigrant athletes. The organization maintains equal investment in both men’s and women’s teams. Within their youth academy, families with greater means assist in covering expenses for those with fewer resources.

Górska-Tran recalled how supporters organized a wedding celebration at the stadium following her Scottish marriage to her partner, since same-sex unions remain illegal in Poland.

“I also remember my last match before I got pregnant, it was an unforgettable experience,” she said. “There were flares, including rainbow-colored smoke, on the football pitch.”

Alicja Cichońska, currently in her seventh season with AKS Zły, explained that she chose the club after learning about its welcoming environment.

“Football should unite us all, not divide us, because there’s enough of that in society already,” she said.

BERLIN (AP) — On a rainy spring afternoon in Berlin, artist Gunter Demnig knelt down to embed a small brass memorial into the pavement at a bustling intersection. The plaque bore the inscription: “Johanna Berger, born in 1893, lived here; deported on Nov. 17, 1941, murdered on Nov. 25, 1941.”

As Demnig brushed away sand from Berger’s memorial and three others honoring her husband and sons, family members gathered around the brass squares known as Stolpersteine, or “stumbling blocks.” They laid white roses and spoke the Kaddish, the traditional Jewish mourning prayer, as city traffic continued around them.

Three decades have passed since Demnig first installed a memorial plaque in Germany’s capital. Today, more than 11,000 of these remembrance stones dot Berlin’s streets. The project extends far beyond the city limits — Demnig and his volunteer teams have positioned 126,000 memorial stones throughout Germany and 31 additional European nations.

The gleaming brass squares, set flush with sidewalk surfaces, create unexpected moments of reflection for pedestrians who pause to read the names of Holocaust victims. Young children frequently crouch down to examine the stones closely, prompting questions for their parents about the inscribed names and dates.

“My basic idea behind this was that wherever in Europe the German Wehrmacht, the SS, the Gestapo, and their local collaborators committed murders or carried out deportations, symbolic stones should be placed there,” the 78-year-old German artist explained during a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press.

Relatives of Holocaust victims often journey from distant countries to witness the installation ceremonies. For many families whose loved ones died in Nazi concentration camps without proper burials, these memorial stones represent the closest equivalent to a gravesite.

“The Stolpersteine are some kind of substitute for the missing gravestones,” explained Michael Tischler following Wednesday’s ceremony. The 72-year-old Berlin resident is Berger’s grandnephew, and several family members were killed during the Holocaust.

“I think this brings the family history to a certain conclusion, or at least a provisional one,” Tischler added.

Beyond providing comfort to victims’ families, the memorial stones have sparked community-driven historical research initiatives. Neighborhood groups, schools, and religious organizations collaborate to investigate their local areas’ wartime history.

Volunteers of all ages examine archived documents and study old residential records to identify former homes of Jews and other Nazi persecution targets, including communists, homosexuals, and Roma people. After confirming a victim’s previous address, communities organize installation ceremonies and commit to regularly cleaning the brass plaques to maintain their visibility.

At Wednesday’s second ceremony on Stierstraße, where many Jewish families once resided, several tenth-grade students from Friedrich-Bergius-Schule witnessed Demnig’s installation of three stones for the Krein family. The new memorials for Michael, Maria, and their daughter Dalila increased the street’s total to 62 Stolpersteine.

While Maria and Dalila successfully fled to the United States and British-controlled Palestine respectively, Michael, who worked as a musician, perished in Berlin during 1940 while performing forced labor under Nazi rule.

Sixteen-year-old student Sibilla Ehrlich observed as violinists performed somber music and elderly neighbors shared stories about the three Jewish family members’ experiences under Nazi persecution.

“It is just so horrible, all this the hatred of others,” she reflected. “I keep thinking: what if this had been my family.”

Prior to the Holocaust, Berlin housed Germany’s largest Jewish population. When the Nazis assumed power in 1933, approximately 160,500 Jewish residents lived in the city. By World War II’s conclusion in 1945, emigration and systematic extermination had reduced their numbers to roughly 7,000.

The Holocaust claimed the lives of approximately 6 million European Jews and other targeted groups.

As Germany marks the 81st anniversary of Allied liberation from Nazi rule on May 8, many citizens express concern about Holocaust memory preservation amid growing far-right political influence in the country.

Tischler shares these worries about Germany’s direction during a period of increasing antisemitism, but believes the memorial stones provide reason for optimism.

“I hope that these Stolpersteine will still give some people pause for thought,” he said.

LONDON — Voting stations opened Thursday morning for crucial local and regional elections that political observers believe could severely damage British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s already weakened position.

The center-left Labour Party, led by Starmer, faces the possibility of significant defeats in contests that will determine approximately 5,000 local council positions and several mayoral races throughout England, along with regional parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 10 p.m. While some local areas plan to tally votes through the night, most results are anticipated to be announced Friday afternoon.

Though local campaigns typically center on municipal concerns such as waste management, vandalism cleanup and road maintenance, Starmer’s political rivals have characterized Thursday’s elections as a judgment on the prime minister’s performance.

Devastating losses could prompt dissatisfied Labour members of parliament to attempt removing a leader who brought the party to victory fewer than two years ago. Even if Starmer weathers this challenge, numerous political experts question whether he will remain as party leader for the next general election scheduled by 2029.

The prime minister’s approval ratings have dropped dramatically following a series of political blunders since taking office in July 2024. His administration has failed to achieve promised economic expansion, restore deteriorating public services, or address rising living costs — challenges complicated by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that has disrupted oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz.

Starmer suffered additional damage from his controversial choice to name Peter Mandelson, who has faced scrutiny over his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to the United States.

Labour currently holds roughly 2,500 positions on English local councils, and party officials worry they may lose a substantial number of these seats.

Electoral defeats could spark an immediate leadership contest or internal party demands for Starmer’s resignation. He previously weathered a political crisis in February when several Labour parliamentarians, including the party’s Scottish leader, called for his departure over the Mandelson selection.

Luke Tryl from polling firm More in Common predicted the local elections would likely witness “the total collapse of the traditional two-party system” that Labour and the Conservatives have controlled for generations.

The anticipated victor is the far-right Reform UK party, headed by Nigel Farage, which targets working-class communities and former Labour strongholds in northern England and London’s suburbs with its anti-establishment and anti-immigration platform. The Green Party is also projected to capture hundreds of council positions in city centers and college towns.

The primary opposition Conservative Party is similarly expected to suffer losses, while the moderate Liberal Democrats may secure some gains.

In his final campaign appeal, Starmer avoided mentioning the Conservatives entirely, presenting voters with a choice between “progress and a better future” under Labour versus “the anger and division offered up by Reform or empty promises from the Greens.”

Speaking before the election, Farage declared that strong Reform results would mean Starmer is “gone by the middle of summer.”

Reform is also seeking victories in Scotland and Wales, though independence-supporting parties the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are expected to maintain control in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

“Labour’s going to lose to Reform in some places, Greens in others, and here and there they’ll lose one or two seats to the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives as well,” explained Tony Travers, a government professor at the London School of Economics. “They’re fighting on four fronts in England — five in Wales and Scotland.”

ISLAMABAD (AP) — On Thursday, Pakistan’s armed forces issued a stern warning that they would deliver a forceful response to any aggression as the nation commemorated one year since a four-day military confrontation with India that nearly pushed the two nuclear powers toward full-scale warfare before American diplomatic intervention secured a ceasefire.

Military officials declared that any “hostile design” targeting Pakistan would face retaliation with “greater strength, precision and resolve” than India experienced during the May 2025 confrontation, which Pakistani leadership dubbed “Marka-e-Haq,” meaning “Battle of Truth.”

The two nations engaged in reciprocal military strikes after gunmen attacked the Indian-controlled section of the contested Himalayan territory of Kashmir, resulting in 26 deaths, primarily Hindu visitors. Indian officials accused Pakistan-supported extremists of orchestrating the attack, charges that Pakistani leadership rejected while demanding an impartial inquiry.

On May 7, India conducted military operations within Pakistani territory, prompting Pakistan to launch counterstrikes involving unmanned aircraft penetration, rocket attacks and heavy weapons fire. Casualties mounted on both sides over several days until May 10, when American diplomatic efforts secured a cessation of hostilities.

Pakistani military leaders asserted they destroyed no fewer than seven Indian warplanes, including a French-manufactured Rafale combat aircraft. Indian authorities confirmed some military losses but declined to release specifics.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently highlighted his role in preventing the escalation into broader warfare.

The relationship between Pakistan and India remains tense, with two of their three previous wars centered on the Kashmir territory, which both nations claim completely.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Hundreds of adventurers remain determined to conquer the world’s tallest peak despite facing a treacherous ice formation blocking their path, soaring expedition expenses, and higher permit costs.

Approximately 410 mountaineers along with an equal number of Nepali guides have assembled at base camp, preparing for their ascent of the 8,850-meter summit (roughly 29,000 feet) during this month’s anticipated favorable weather conditions.

Expeditions started assembling at the 5,300-meter base camp (17,340 feet) last month, but a colossal unstable ice formation, known as a serac, prevented their progress up the mountain for over two weeks.

Specialized route-setting teams called “Icefall doctors,” deployed by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) to establish the annual climbing path by installing ropes and positioning aluminum ladders across deep gaps, typically complete their work by mid-April.

This season proved different.

The route through the Icefall finally opened on April 29, accompanied by an urgent advisory: “The serac has multiple cracks and may collapse at any time. SPCC strongly urges all expedition operators and climbers to exercise extreme caution.”

The dangerous ice block remains in place, with the newly established path running underneath it.

This serac forms part of the Khumbu Icefall, a continuously moving glacier featuring deep chasms and massive overhanging ice formations that can tower as high as 10-story structures. Climbers consider this section among the most challenging and hazardous portions of the entire ascent.

Both mountaineers and expedition leaders express a mixture of anticipation and concern regarding current mountain conditions.

Experienced mountain guide Lukas Furtenbach, leading 40 international climbers, 11 guides and 90 Sherpas on the expedition, expressed his apprehension.

“Anyone who says they’re not concerned is either inexperienced or not paying attention,” Furtenbach said from the base camp. “The serac is a real, objective hazard.”

He noted that this year’s route presents greater complexity and exposure compared to last season in certain areas.

“The Icefall is constantly changing, but right now it’s not just more broken — it’s also forced into a line that passes under unstable features,” he said.

His team has implemented safety measures including lighter loads, shortened exposure periods, strategic timing for Icefall crossings, and reliance on veteran Sherpa guides for danger evaluation.

Additional expedition companies are also warning their clients about the risks while maintaining close surveillance of conditions.

“If you go in the morning, it might be safer because the ice is frozen, but in the afternoon it becomes dangerous as weather gets warmer, with the risk of ice melting and falling,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking. “It is very necessary to be cautious this year.”

A collapsing serac caused an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall during 2014 that claimed the lives of 16 Nepali guides and workers.

Scientists have raised increasing alarm about accelerated glacier melting due to global warming and climate change. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited a Nepali mountain in 2023 and issued warnings about the catastrophic rate of glacier loss throughout the Himalayan range.

According to Ang Tshering Sherpa, substantial numbers of climbers are participating in this season’s attempts despite ongoing conflicts and elevated travel expenses. While fewer mountaineers from Western nations like the United States and Europe are participating, Asian climber participation has grown.

Mount Everest spans the Nepal-China border and offers climbing routes from both countries. However, China has closed its northern route this year, forcing all climbers to attempt the summit via Nepal’s southern approach.

Thousands of individuals have successfully reached the summit since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay first conquered the peak on May 29, 1953.

VATICAN CITY — America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio is embarking on a diplomatic mission to Vatican City and Italy aimed at repairing damaged relationships following President Donald Trump’s public attacks on Pope Leo XIV regarding Iran policy and the ongoing conflict.

The Secretary of State, who practices Catholicism, is scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday in what has become a more complex diplomatic encounter due to Trump’s recent harsh words directed at the Chicago-born pontiff. The Pope has responded by defending his position, stating Trump has mischaracterized his stance on Iran and nuclear armaments, emphasizing he is simply delivering the Gospel’s message of peace.

Rubio’s Friday discussions with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani may prove equally challenging for the nation’s chief diplomat, as both officials have publicly supported the Pope against Trump’s verbal assaults and have condemned the Iranian conflict as unlawful — actions that have angered the president.

When asked about the timing, Rubio acknowledged this week that the diplomatic trip had been planned previously but admitted “obviously we had some stuff that happened.”

The diplomatic crisis emerged when Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV through social media posts last month, accusing the pontiff of being lenient on crime and terrorism due to his statements regarding the administration’s immigration enforcement and deportation policies, as well as the Iranian conflict. The Pope responded by declaring that God does not hear the prayers of those who engage in warfare.

Trump subsequently shared a social media post that seemed to compare himself to Jesus Christ, which he removed following public criticism. He has declined to offer an apology to Pope Leo XIV and has attempted to justify the post by claiming he believed the image depicted him as a physician.

According to Rubio, Trump’s recent attacks on the Pope stem from his concerns about Iran potentially acquiring nuclear capabilities, which could threaten millions of Catholics and other Christians worldwide.

“The president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio explained to reporters Tuesday at the White House.

Pope Leo XIV has never advocated for Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and emphasized that the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there.”

“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Pope Leo XIV stated late Tuesday, responding to Trump’s renewed accusations that he supports Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

The Pope acknowledged that the Catholic Church has historically allowed nations to defend themselves and recognized the church’s “just war” doctrine.

However, given the nuclear age, “the whole concept of war has to be reevaluated in terms today,” he explained. “And I always believe that it’s much better to enter into dialogue than to look for arms.”

Rubio has frequently been tasked with moderating or clarifying Trump’s aggressive statements. Trump has also criticized Meloni and other NATO partners for insufficient backing of the Iranian conflict, recently declaring intentions to withdraw thousands of military personnel from Germany in the coming months.

Giampiero Gramaglia, former director of the ANSA news service and previous Washington correspondent, expressed skepticism about Rubio’s visit producing meaningful results for Italian or Vatican diplomatic ties. He and other Italian analysts believe Rubio is primarily seeking to improve relations with the Pope for his own political future, including the approaching midterm elections and 2028 presidential campaign.

“I doubt Rubio has the role of conciliator for Trump,” he told Italy’s Foreign Press Association. “I have the perception that Rubio’s mission is more about himself” and his political aspirations as a prominent Catholic Republican.

Father Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary in the Vatican’s culture department, said Rubio’s objective isn’t to “convert” the Pope to Trump’s perspective. Instead, Washington “has come to acknowledge — implicitly but legibly — that (Leo’s) voice carries weight in the world that cannot simply be dismissed.”

“The situation created by President Trump’s remarks required a high-level, direct intervention, conducted in the proper language of diplomacy: a semantic corrective to a narrative of frontal conflict with the church,” he wrote in a recent essay.

Journalist Massimo Franco, writing in the Corriere della Sera publication, noted that the Vatican’s choice to maintain the Pope’s meeting with Rubio despite Trump’s latest criticism demonstrates its commitment to continued dialogue.

However, relations with the Meloni administration, which faces significant Italian public resistance to the Iranian war, cannot be easily repaired. “Keeping the alliance with the United States firm while criticizing the president is showing itself to be increasingly difficult,” Franco wrote Wednesday.

Farian Sabahi, a contemporary history professor at the University of Insubria with Iranian heritage, suggested Meloni should more forcefully oppose the conflict to position Italy favorably for future Iranian reconstruction efforts. Italy ranks as the second-largest European Union trade partner with Iran, following Germany, operating within EU sanctions.

“From a purely opportunistic standpoint, it would actually be advisable to condemn the Israeli-U.S. aggression precisely to give Italian companies the opportunity to do business, given that there are many other players on the international stage ready to enter the Iranian market,” she explained.

Rubio indicated that subjects beyond the Iranian conflict would be addressed during the Vatican visit, including Cuba. The Holy See is especially worried about the Trump administration’s warnings of possible military intervention there following January’s removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Cuba could be “next” and has even suggested that naval forces currently deployed in the Middle East could return to the United States via Cuba once the Iranian war concludes.

Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, has long maintained a hardline stance toward the island nation.

“We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it,” Rubio said. “We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo – False claims about a mysterious illness spread like wildfire through northeastern Congo last year, ultimately leading to the brutal murders of health workers and highlighting the deadly consequences of medical misinformation in Africa.

The fabricated rumors, which falsely alleged that a strange disease was causing male genital shrinkage, began circulating in Tshopo province’s rainforest communities in late 2023. Social media platforms quickly amplified these baseless claims, creating widespread panic that would soon turn fatal.

Four medical professionals conducting vaccination research were attacked and killed by angry villagers in October, according to government officials and a team member who survived the assault. The violence represents a chilling example of how online health misinformation can have real-world deadly consequences across Africa.

The carnage didn’t stop there. At least 17 deaths connected to these false rumors have been documented throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the WHO-led Africa Infodemic Response Alliance, which tracks fraudulent health information.

“Really led to death and murder,” said alliance director Elodie Ho, speaking from Nairobi about the Congo situation. “It started in communities. It spread into social media and local media. It was amplified by those actors.”

An investigation into more than twelve video testimonials, including one watched by hundreds of thousands of viewers, revealed that religious institutions helped propagate the false claims throughout Tshopo province. International social media accounts and regional news outlets also contributed to spreading the misinformation.

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

Local authorities in Tshopo took the allegations seriously enough to investigate five purported cases, but their probe found zero evidence supporting the existence of any such disease, according to a government spokesperson.

Officials have taken action against those who fueled the panic. A regional court handed down a 12-month prison sentence to one man who accused another person of transmitting the fictitious disease, while approximately twelve individuals were arrested in connection with the incident.

The mistrust of established medical practices seen across parts of Africa stems partially from both colonial history and more recent Western clinical research, according to health experts. This skepticism has been supercharged by accessible artificial intelligence technology and widespread social media adoption.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, who leads the African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, explained how false information prevents people from accessing 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 violence targeting community leaders and healthcare professionals has occurred in Mozambique and Malawi, connected to false cholera-related information.

A WHO-managed helpline designed to combat health misinformation has experienced a dramatic surge in calls, jumping from 3,331 in early 2025’s first quarter to 31,636 in the fourth quarter. Another WHO initiative tracking community interactions has recorded approximately 500 incidents since launching last year, all related to rumors, conspiracy theories, and other false information.

Dr. Bavon Tangunza, who manages the AIRA alliance operations in Congo, received an early warning about the fabricated illness in Tshopo during early October when a colleague alerted him to rumors spreading throughout the province.

Video testimonials from alleged victims quickly appeared online, including footage of a taxi driver speaking at a Christian gathering in Tshopo. The man claimed that megachurch pastor Jules Mulindwa of the Pentecostal Church Light of the World in Kisangani had cured him through prayer.

The taxi driver provided no supporting evidence, and his identity could not be confirmed. The video, bearing the church’s logo and posted on TikTok by a prominent church worker, gained widespread viewership and sharing.

On the Facebook page of Boyoma Revolution, an online news site with a listed address in Marseille, France, the video has accumulated over 300,000 views.

Mulindwa, who presents himself as a prophet and has more than 400,000 TikTok subscribers, has previously made false claims about curing coronavirus, according to CongoCheck, an online fact-checking platform.

The violence erupted on October 6 when health workers arrived in Tshopo’s Isangi area villages to conduct vaccination surveys. In Ilambi village, young men accused the medical team of secretly spreading the fake disease after seeing outsiders wearing high-visibility vests and carrying tablet computers.

Two team members, medical doctors Placide Mbungi and John Tangakeya, attempted to explain their vaccine research, which had no connection to the health scare. Both were killed immediately, according to local officials and surviving team member Jean-Claude Kengefuku Mbatu.

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

In the nearby village of Yafira, their colleagues Mathieu Mosisi and Kevin Ilunga sought assistance from a local police officer, but an enraged crowd killed them as well, according to Tshopo health official Marie Jeanne Lebe following a completed investigation of the incident.

The day following the murders, on October 7, the governor’s office issued a statement both printed and posted online declaring the rumors false and dangerous.

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

However, the false rumors continue resurfacing months later. In March, a woman in Congo’s Lualaba province was accused of spreading the disease and killed by a mob, while another person survived a similar attack, according to AIRA citing local media 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 financially strained, director Ho explained.

The organization now operates with personnel in only three countries, including Tangunza in Congo, down from five previously. An artificial intelligence platform designed to monitor online conversations for fake information remains inactive due to lack of funding for monthly provider subscriptions.

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

SEOUL, South Korea — A former South Korean prime minister will serve less time behind bars after an appeals court cut his prison term for participating in a failed martial law plot last year.

Han Duck-soo, who previously served as prime minister under ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, saw his sentence reduced from 23 years to 15 years on Thursday by the Seoul High Court. The 76-year-old was originally convicted in January for his role in the December 2024 martial law crisis that ultimately led to Yoon’s removal from office.

The appeals court maintained most of Han’s rebellion convictions while shortening his punishment. Judges found he helped make Yoon’s unlawful martial law declaration appear legitimate by securing Cabinet approval and participating in schemes to shut off utilities to news organizations. Additional convictions for document forgery, destruction of evidence, and perjury were also upheld.

“Criminal liabilities are very grave” because Han “abandoned his immense responsibilities” as the second-highest official in Yoon’s government and joined the rebellion, the Seoul High Court stated in its ruling.

Legal expert Park SungBae, who focuses on criminal law matters, noted that both trial and appeals courts treated Han’s charges as extremely serious. However, Park explained the appeals court likely found a 15-year term more fitting when compared to sentences given to other participants, such as Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, who received seven years.

During the original trial, prosecutors had actually requested the 15-year sentence that Han ultimately received on appeal. Park observed that while the initial 23-year term exceeded expectations, it remained within typical sentencing ranges for such offenses.

Both Han’s defense team and prosecutors now have one week to challenge Thursday’s decision before South Korea’s Supreme Court.

Han built a four-decade career in government service, holding the prime minister position twice — first under liberal President Roh Moo-hyun from 2007 to 2008, then again under conservative Yoon. Following Yoon’s suspension over the martial law attempt, Han became one of three officials who served as interim leaders.

Lawmakers eventually impeached Yoon before the Constitutional Court officially removed him from the presidency in April. Liberal politician Lee Jae Myung won a special election to replace him, while Yoon received a life sentence for his central role in the rebellion.

SYDNEY – Thirteen Australian nationals with ties to the Islamic State terrorist organization are making their way back to Australia from Syrian detention facilities, with arrivals expected Thursday evening, according to local media reports.

Australian officials confirmed Wednesday that four women and nine children who had been held at camps in northeastern Syria were planning their return to the country, though the government has made clear they will not provide any assistance for their repatriation.

Media outlets reported that one woman and her child were traveling on a flight from Doha to Sydney, while additional family members boarded a separate aircraft bound for Melbourne, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Officials from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s office have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the specific travel arrangements for the returning group.

Law enforcement authorities indicated that several members of the group may face arrest and criminal charges upon their arrival, while others could remain subjects of ongoing investigations. Officials plan to place the children in community-based reintegration and support services.

Several Australian women had traveled to Syria during the period from 2012 to 2016 to reunite with their spouses, who had reportedly joined the Islamic State organization.

After the terrorist group lost its territorial control in 2019, numerous family members of suspected fighters were placed in detention facilities, including the al-Hol camp located near the border with Iraq. Previous reports indicate that some Australian women had already returned to their home country.

The United States initiated efforts in January to relocate detained Islamic State members from Syria following the breakdown of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had been responsible for securing approximately twelve facilities housing IS fighters and associated civilians, including foreign nationals.

Memorial services will take place throughout Australia on Thursday as communities honor a 5-year-old Indigenous child whose alleged kidnapping and killing has devastated the nation and led to violent unrest in the remote town of Alice Springs.

The commemorative events are scheduled one week after authorities discovered the child’s body, concluding an intensive five-day search that involved hundreds of community volunteers and law enforcement officers.

Known as Kumanjayi Little Baby in accordance with Indigenous traditions, the young victim’s case has captured widespread media attention across Australia.

When police arrested a suspect in connection with her alleged abduction and killing, approximately 400 Indigenous residents assembled in Alice Springs, calling for “payback” – a reference to customary physical retribution practices in Aboriginal culture – leading to intense confrontations.

Alice Springs residents are currently observing “sorry business,” the traditional Indigenous mourning rituals and cultural ceremonies that follow the death of a community member.

The child’s relatives will conduct their own memorial service in the Outback community Thursday night, while additional commemorative gatherings are planned in cities nationwide to honor her memory.

Those organizing the memorial events have requested participants bring candles and dress in pink clothing, which was the little girl’s preferred color.

Kumanjayi Little Baby vanished from her family’s residence on Alice Springs’ outskirts during the evening hours of April 25.

The massive search operation to find her involved hundreds of participants who combed through thick wilderness areas surrounding the town, which serves as a major tourist hub in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Authorities filed murder charges against 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis on Sunday, along with two additional criminal counts that cannot be revealed publicly due to legal restrictions.

Vladimir Osechkin requires police escorts for routine activities like dropping his children at school or grocery shopping.

The Russian dissident has remained under French government protection since 2022 due to credible threats on his life from Moscow, according to authorities.

Court records obtained by The Associated Press reveal that in April 2025, a group of Russian operatives conducted extensive surveillance of Osechkin’s residence and neighborhood in southwestern France, capturing photographs and video footage as apparent preparation for a murder attempt. Previously, Osechkin reported seeing what appeared to be a laser targeting device aimed at his home.

Similar threats have emerged throughout Europe. Lithuanian authorities thwarted assassination schemes last year targeting both a Lithuanian Ukraine advocate and a Russian dissident. German officials intercepted two separate plots: one aimed at a German defense contractor supplying weapons to Ukraine, and another targeting a Ukrainian military leader. Polish law enforcement arrested an individual in 2024 allegedly planning to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That same year, a defected Russian helicopter pilot was murdered in Spain, with Russian agents considered the primary suspects.

Although Russian leadership has faced longstanding accusations of eliminating overseas opponents, three Western intelligence sources from separate nations informed AP that these targeted elimination efforts have intensified following President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 Ukrainian offensive.

These officials indicated that Russian intelligence agencies have become increasingly aggressive in target selection, pursuing Russian dissidents and international Ukraine supporters alongside traditional targets such as military defectors. All sources requested anonymity when discussing classified matters.

“This campaign is not by accident or chance,” stated a senior European intelligence official. “There is political authorization.”

Intelligence personnel, a former high-ranking British counterterrorism leader, and Lithuanian prosecutors view this assassination campaign as part of Russia’s broader strategy to destabilize European nations supporting Ukraine, including 191 documented acts of sabotage, arson and disruption attributed to Russia by Western officials that AP has tracked across Europe since the conflict began.

Many individuals implicated in these operations were recruited as low-cost operatives for Russian intelligence services. Moscow now employs this recruitment strategy to eliminate perceived enemies internationally, according to French judicial documents, officials and Lithuanian prosecutorial information.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when contacted by AP. Russian officials have consistently denied Moscow’s involvement in overseas assassination attempts.

AP interviewed three intended victims: Osechkin; Lithuanian activist Valdas Bartkevičius; and Ruslan Gabbasov, who campaigns for Bashkortostan regional independence from Russia.

French police detained four men in the Osechkin assassination plot, with three traveling to the coastal resort town of Biarritz, where Osechkin resides, in April 2025, court records indicate. They conducted surveillance of his residence “with a view to assassinating him and subsequently intimidating all political opponents of the Russian authorities living in France,” according to the documents.

All four suspects originated from Russia’s Dagestan region. One possessed multiple criminal records while another claimed arrest by Russian domestic security forces before fleeing to avoid Ukrainian military deployment.

Osechkin established a prisoner advocacy organization years ago and operates a project documenting Russian prison system violations, but he noted that threats intensified after investigating alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine and assisting Russian military defectors in escaping.

He relocated to France in 2015 and received police protection seven years later when French authorities learned of credible death threats.

“If it weren’t for them, I probably would have been killed,” he stated.

In Lithuania, Gabbasov, the Bashkortostan independence advocate, discovered an Apple AirTag tracking device concealed on his vehicle in February 2025. Police instructed him to leave the tracker in place while they monitored his pursuers, he explained.

Several weeks later, while attending Lithuanian independence celebrations with his wife and 5-year-old son, officers contacted Gabbasov and warned him against returning home.

The following day, officers informed him: “Yesterday, a killer was detained near your house; he was waiting for you with a gun. … He was ready to wait for you all night.”

Lithuanian officials offered Gabbasov the opportunity to completely “disappear” — assuming a new identity, relocating, and abandoning his activism.

He declined, explaining that many people from his predominantly Muslim homeland near Kazakhstan view him as a leader in the independence movement. The region holds strategic importance for the Kremlin due to its gold deposits and because many of its men have been deployed to fight in Ukraine, Gabbasov noted.

“I can’t betray them all by simply disappearing, especially out of fear,” Gabbasov said, adding that such action would serve Moscow’s interests.

“What difference does it make to them?” Gabbasov questioned, referring to Russian security services. “They could kill me … or I could hide from everyone and stop engaging in political activity. That’s exactly what they want.”

Lithuanian authorities extended the same offer to Bartkevičius after discovering a plot to murder him using an explosive device planted in his mailbox in March 2025.

However, disappearing was not viable for the activist who fundraises for Ukraine and gained recognition for anti-Russian demonstrations, including desecrating a Russian war memorial.

Such action would constitute “social death,” he declared.

Lithuanian prosecutors have charged 13 individuals from at least seven nations with involvement in both assassination schemes — representing at least 20 people that authorities have detained, charged or identified as participants in European assassination plots within the past year.

Those involved in the Lithuanian cases received direct orders from Russian military intelligence, prosecutors stated, and some maintained connections to Russian organized crime while being linked to additional arson and espionage operations throughout Europe.

Moscow’s shift toward proxy operatives can be traced to a previous assassination attempt, according to Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, who spoke to AP before retiring as head of Britain’s Metropolitan Police counterterrorism unit.

In 2018, former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury, England — an attack the British government attributed to Moscow using military intelligence personnel.

In retaliation, Britain and other Western nations expelled hundreds of Russian diplomats — and intelligence operatives — complicating Russian officer operations in Europe, explained Murphy, who led the investigation.

The fact that most assassination plots disclosed by Western officials since 2022 have been prevented could suggest that Moscow faces greater difficulty executing operations through proxies rather than its own personnel, one Western intelligence official noted.

Nevertheless, these assassination attempts may serve additional objectives, including intimidating Kremlin opponents into silence and depleting European law enforcement resources, they added.

Referencing the case of Maxim Kuzminov — the helicopter pilot who defected and was threatened with death by masked military personnel on Russian state television — the official emphasized that Russia’s security services can successfully eliminate targets in Europe when determined to do so.

For this reason, the European intelligence official concluded, targets will never achieve complete safety.

“Even if you thwart an operation once, you still need to be ready in case they strike again.”

President Donald Trump expressed optimism Wednesday that the ongoing conflict with Iran could conclude rapidly as Iranian officials review a peace proposal from the United States, though significant disagreements persist over nuclear activities and control of crucial shipping lanes.

Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump indicated positive momentum in recent discussions. “They want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” the president stated, adding that “it’ll be over quickly.”

Iranian officials offered a more cautious response to the diplomatic overtures. A spokesperson from Iran’s foreign ministry, quoted by the ISNA news agency, confirmed that Tehran would provide its official answer to the proposal. However, Iranian parliament member Ebrahim Rezaei, who speaks for the legislature’s foreign policy and national security committee, characterized the American offer as “more of an American wish-list than a reality.”

The current conflict began on February 28, and Trump has consistently promoted the possibility of a negotiated settlement, though previous efforts have not succeeded. Major obstacles continue to divide the nations, including Iran’s nuclear development activities and its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that previously carried twenty percent of global oil and gas shipments.

According to sources familiar with the mediation process, negotiators are approaching agreement on a brief memorandum that would officially conclude hostilities. Such an accord would then initiate broader talks addressing the reopening of strait shipping, removal of American economic sanctions against Iran, and establishment of restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities.

Iran’s parliamentary leader Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf dismissed suggestions that the parties were nearing agreement, posting on social media in English that “Operation Trust Me Bro failed.” Qalibaf characterized such reports as American propaganda following Washington’s inability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Financial markets responded dramatically to speculation about a potential agreement. Global oil prices dropped to their lowest levels in two weeks Wednesday, with Brent crude futures declining approximately 11% to near $98 per barrel before recovering above $100. International stock markets also gained while bond yields decreased on hopes for an end to the conflict that has disrupted energy markets.

“The contents of the U.S.-Iran peace proposals are thin, but there is an expectation in the market that further military action will not take place,” explained Takamasa Ikeda, a senior portfolio manager at GCI Asset Management.

Trump halted a two-day naval operation aimed at reopening the blocked strait on Tuesday, citing advancement in peace discussions. NBC News reported, based on unnamed U.S. officials, that Trump’s sudden policy change occurred after Saudi Arabia withdrew permission for the U.S. military to utilize a Saudi facility for the mission.

Saudi leadership reportedly felt surprised and frustrated by Trump’s announcement regarding U.S. escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting them to deny American military aircraft access to Saudi bases and airspace, according to NBC’s reporting. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding this account.

American military forces continue maintaining their own restrictions on Iranian vessels in the area. U.S. Central Command reported that forces engaged an empty Iranian-flagged tanker Wednesday, disabling the ship as it tried to reach an Iranian port in violation of the blockade.

Sources briefed on the negotiations indicated that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the American diplomatic effort. Should both nations accept the preliminary agreement, it would trigger a 30-day period for detailed negotiations toward a comprehensive settlement.

While sources suggested the initial memorandum would not demand immediate concessions from either party, they noted the absence of several key American requirements that Iran has previously rejected, including limitations on Iran’s missile capabilities and cessation of support for regional proxy forces. The sources also did not address Iran’s current stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of near-weapons-grade uranium.

NEW DELHI – Law enforcement officials in an eastern Indian state have taken hundreds of people into custody following deadly political violence that claimed at least three lives this week, according to authorities.

The fatal clashes erupted in West Bengal state after election results showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party had defeated the ruling Trinamool Congress party led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has maintained control of the region since 2011.

Among those killed was an assistant to a high-ranking BJP official, highlighting the severity of the post-election unrest.

Banerjee has declined to step down from her position, stating she has “not been defeated” while claiming the Election Commission worked alongside the BJP to manipulate the electoral outcome.

State police chief Siddh Nath Gupta informed media outlets Wednesday that law enforcement has documented over 200 criminal incidents related to the violence and placed 433 individuals under arrest.

The competing political parties have traded accusations over responsibility for the bloodshed. BJP representatives have characterized the attacks as “targeted assassinations” carried out by their opponents, while TMC officials have denounced what they describe as violence perpetrated by “BJP-backed miscreants.”

This latest outbreak of political violence continues a troubling pattern in West Bengal, where approximately twelve people lost their lives during comparable partisan conflicts following the 2021 election results.

MANILA, Philippines — Officials from Southeast Asian nations are preparing to release a strategic response plan emphasizing respect for international law, national sovereignty, and maritime navigation rights in what appears to be an indirect criticism of the United States, Israel, and Iran regarding the ongoing Middle East conflict that has affected their region, according to a preliminary document obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The statement will be released when Association of Southeast Asian Nations officials convene for their yearly conference this Friday on the central Philippine island of Cebu.

The document also details emergency measures to address energy supply disruptions and other worldwide challenges stemming from the conflict.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., serving as this year’s host, has indicated the conference with 10 fellow national leaders plus a junior representative from Myanmar will concentrate on regional energy stability, food distribution, and safeguarding citizens, including over one million Southeast Asian employees and maritime workers stationed in the Middle East.

Marcos has directed that the meeting be conducted without its customary ceremonial elements due to global economic uncertainties.

Southeast Asia, a turbulent yet rapidly developing area home to approximately 680 million residents, faces numerous significant tension points, such as longstanding territorial conflicts with China, Myanmar’s five-year internal war, and recent boundary disputes between Thailand and Cambodia.

However, regional officials have voiced substantial worry about a conflict that has triggered worldwide economic consequences and put many of their nationals at risk.

Multiple workers in the Middle East, including two Philippine citizens, have lost their lives in the ongoing violence, while thousands of Southeast Asian workers have either returned home voluntarily or been removed by their governments from the unstable area.

The Asian Development Bank issued a warning in March, roughly one month following the start of Middle Eastern hostilities, that extended disruptions from the war might restrict economic growth and increase inflation across Asia and the Pacific, regions that rely heavily on Middle Eastern oil and natural gas.

“We emphasized the importance of upholding international law and ensuring that regional cooperation remains anchored in dialogue, trust and respect for sovereignty,” the draft statement says.

Southeast Asia will “maintain open, transparent and predictable markets as well as secure and open sea lanes, and ensure freedom of navigation, the safe, unimpeded and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in straits used for international navigation,” it says.

That will “preserve the unimpeded flow of essential goods, including food, energy and key inputs, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” it says.

The ASEAN officials will confirm their “shared resolve” to strengthen regional stability.

The emergency strategy includes measures such as potentially approving an agreement this year to enable coordinated emergency fuel distribution, developing a regional electrical network, expanding the area’s crude oil supply sources, encouraging electric vehicle adoption, and researching new technologies, including peaceful nuclear power.

They are also pursuing “a possible ASEAN crisis communication and coordination protocol to ensure a coherent, timely and coordinated regional response to crises.”

Beyond the Philippines, ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. East Timor gained full membership status in October of last year.

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A devastating highway crash on Indonesia’s Sumatra island claimed the lives of at least 16 people Wednesday when a passenger bus struck a fuel tanker head-on, sparking a deadly inferno.

The tragic accident unfolded around noon on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas regency, South Sumatra province, according to Mugono, an official with the local disaster management agency. The intercity bus was carrying approximately 20 passengers when it crashed into the oncoming tanker truck.

Initial investigations suggest the bus may have begun emitting sparks moments before impact, Mugono explained. The driver apparently attempted to maneuver toward the roadway’s right edge to prevent a catastrophe, but an approaching oil tanker traveling at high velocity left insufficient time to prevent the collision.

“The forceful impact triggered a fire that engulfed both vehicles, leaving many victims trapped inside,” Mugono said.

The fatalities included the bus operator and 13 passengers, along with both the tanker driver and his assistant — all perished in the flames that consumed their vehicles, according to Mugono’s account.

Four passengers from the bus managed to survive and were transported to a local medical facility. Three suffered serious burn wounds while one sustained less severe injuries, Mugono reported.

Officials continue gathering information about the total casualty count as they work to locate the passenger registry, Mugono noted.

Images and footage from the National Search and Rescue Agency depicted emergency responders fighting the massive blaze as dense black smoke and bright orange flames billowed skyward. The highway was littered with the burned-out shells of both vehicles and scattered debris.

Emergency teams, including disaster response personnel and traffic officers, worked to extract victims and remove wreckage. However, several people remained pinned within the vehicles, hampering rescue operations and causing significant traffic delays along the highway, Margono stated.

Transportation accidents occur frequently throughout Indonesia, largely attributed to inadequate safety protocols and poor infrastructure conditions.

Just one week prior, a fatal train collision near Jakarta killed at least 15 female passengers when a long-distance train crashed into a stopped commuter train after striking a disabled taxi on the tracks.

Chinese banking authorities have directed the nation’s major financial institutions to temporarily halt new lending to five oil refineries that were recently hit with U.S. sanctions due to their Iranian oil connections, according to a Bloomberg News report published Wednesday citing sources with knowledge of the situation.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the Bloomberg report.

The National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) issued verbal instructions to banks telling them to stop providing new yuan-based loans while allowing existing credit arrangements to remain in place, according to the report.

Banking institutions were instructed to examine their business relationships with several companies, including Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, which ranks as China’s largest private oil refiner, sources told Bloomberg.

Neither the NFRA nor Hengli Petrochemical provided immediate responses to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The banking directive, issued prior to May 1, stands in direct opposition to guidance released May 2 by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which instructed Chinese companies to ignore American sanctions.

This represents the first instance of China implementing blocking measures, which were established in 2021 to shield Chinese businesses from what the government views as unjustified foreign interference.

Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department levied sanctions against Hengli Petrochemical, alleging the company purchased billions of dollars worth of Iranian oil as part of Washington’s ongoing campaign to reduce Tehran’s petroleum revenues.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed last month that the United States had warned two Chinese financial institutions they could face secondary sanctions if found to be handling transactions with Iran, though he did not name the specific banks.

The American sanctions have created operational challenges for the affected refineries, including complications in receiving crude oil shipments and forcing them to market refined products under alternative brand names.

BRUSSELS, May 7 – European Union member states and parliament negotiators reached a tentative compromise Thursday on groundbreaking artificial intelligence regulations that have been significantly weakened from their original form, with implementation timelines pushed back after lobbying from governments and industry groups.

Cyprus, currently serving as the rotating president of the EU Council, announced the development in an official statement. “The Cyprus Presidency, representing the Council, and the European Parliament negotiators have just reached a provisional agreement on the proposal aimed at streamlining and simplifying certain rules regarding artificial intelligence,” the statement read.

The compromise represents a scaled-back version of what was initially envisioned as comprehensive AI oversight legislation for the European bloc.

SEOUL – An appeals court in South Korea has reduced the prison term for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, lowering his sentence from 23 years to 15 years behind bars, according to Thursday’s ruling.

The conviction relates to Han Duck-soo’s participation in the temporary declaration of martial law that took place in 2024, among other charges. The appellate court’s decision represents a significant reduction from the original lengthy sentence handed down by a lower court.

The case has drawn attention as it involves one of South Korea’s highest-ranking former government officials and centers on the controversial brief period when martial law was implemented in the country.

WASHINGTON — American military forces struck an Iranian oil vessel on Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman while President Donald Trump continues diplomatic efforts to pressure Tehran into accepting a peace agreement to conclude the current conflict, according to officials.

U.S. Central Command reported through social media that an American fighter aircraft disabled the tanker’s steering system as the vessel attempted to break through the naval blockade surrounding Iranian harbors.

The military action took place during an ongoing ceasefire between the two nations. Trump has warned Tehran of renewed aerial bombardments unless they agree to terms that would reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media message, Trump indicated the two-month conflict might conclude soon, potentially allowing disrupted petroleum and gas exports to resume. However, he emphasized this outcome hinges on Iran’s acceptance of a proposed settlement he did not elaborate on.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote.

In a separate development, Israeli forces launched their first attack on Beirut’s southern districts since the April 17 ceasefire agreement with the Iranian-supported Hezbollah organization. Combat operations have persisted in southern Lebanon despite the truce.

The most recent Beirut bombardments occurred April 8, when extensive Israeli military operations resulted in over 350 deaths. Lebanese casualties have exceeded 2,500 since hostilities commenced March 2, just two days following the joint Israeli-American military campaign against Iran.

Netanyahu’s administration stated Wednesday’s unannounced assault aimed at a Hezbollah Radwan Force leader. The militant group has not yet responded to the strike.

Trump maintained Wednesday that Iranian leadership desires to conclude the war.

“We’re dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we’ll see whether or not they can make a deal that’s satisfactory to us,” the president stated.

Speaking from the White House and through social media, Trump indicated America might ultimately impose a resolution.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump posted online, “and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

According to Axios reporting, the White House believes it’s approaching an agreement with Iran involving a single-page document to terminate hostilities. While no final deal exists, potential terms reportedly include halting Iranian uranium processing, removing American economic sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and reopening the strait to maritime traffic.

White House officials have not responded to inquiries regarding the potential settlement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry representative Esmaeil Baghaei informed state television that Tehran had “strongly rejected” the American proposals mentioned by Axios, while continuing to review the most recent proposed framework.

The fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has remained mostly intact since beginning April 8. Pakistan facilitated direct negotiations between both countries last month, though they failed to produce an agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s diplomatic mission to China preceded Trump’s scheduled visit to Beijing.

Trump plans to participate in a significant summit May 14-15 with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump was the most recent American president to visit China in 2017.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable,” Wang stated in recorded remarks from the meeting.

China’s foreign minister described the conflict as having “not only caused serious losses to the Iranian people, but also had a severe impact on regional and global peace.”

Araghchi informed Iranian state media that his visit encompassed discussions about the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s atomic energy program, and economic penalties imposed on Tehran.

Trump has insisted on significant reductions to Tehran’s controversial nuclear activities.

An official statement from China’s Foreign Ministry website indicated China recognizes Iran’s commitment to avoid developing nuclear weapons while supporting its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

European fishing operations have established themselves as dominant forces in tuna harvesting, operating enormous vessels called purse seiners capable of storing up to 4 million pounds of fish per trip. These massive ships patrol Indian Ocean waters, targeting skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna that eventually reach supermarket shelves in canned form.

When Jess Rattle noticed purse seine vessels operating in the Indian Ocean under flags from Mauritius, Tanzania and Oman, she suspected European corporations might be behind the operations.

“We wanted to understand who really owned these vessels,” Rattle explained. As head of investigations for the London-based environmental charity Blue Marine Foundation, she questioned whether these ships “were owned by the coastal states whose quota they were now using, or in fact, were they owned by the EU?”

Research published Thursday by Blue Marine Foundation and global investigations firm Kroll, shared early with The Associated Press, exposes how extensively European fleets access Indian Ocean tuna resources. The investigation discovered European companies capture one-third of tropical tuna harvests during a period when yellowfin and bigeye species remain under stress while recovering from severe overfishing.

European companies achieve this by registering vessels under flags from Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania and Oman to secure larger catch allowances, according to Rattle’s research team. This strategy has enabled European-controlled fleets to grow beyond 50 purse seine and support vessels while boosting tropical tuna harvests, contradicting European Union promises to reduce fishing activities.

These revelations surface before the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s annual conference in the Maldives, gathering the EU and 28 nations involved in tuna fishing operations.

Although reflagging vessels to foreign nations is standard industry practice and legal, it complicates efforts by observers and regulators to assess European companies’ fishery impact. Parent company ownership often remains hidden through multiple shell companies and foreign registrations, which Rattle and Kroll investigators traced over several months.

While European companies have historically operated under Seychelles flags, Rattle noted their registration under Oman and Kenya flags represents a recent development. Europeche Tuna Group, representing European tuna interests, stated in a release that industry relationships with coastal nations demonstrate long-term regional investment and solid local partnerships.

Spokesperson Anne-France Mattlet explained that European industry supports regional economies through tax payments and fishing license fees, local infrastructure investments, and unloading tuna and other catches at regional ports and processing facilities.

Mattlet confirmed the report’s conclusion that Europeche operates more than 50 purse seine and supply vessels across the Indian Ocean, including those flying non-EU flags.

Maciej Berestecki, European Commission spokesperson, stated that vessel reflagging represents private business decisions uninfluenced by government authorities, and the EU doesn’t advocate for vessels registered under other nations’ flags.

“The EU has done, and keeps doing, its utmost to promote and respect catch limits,” Berestecki stated.

Despite Europe’s geographic distance from the Indian Ocean, European fishing fleets have maintained dominant positions there for decades. Spanish and French tuna operations first brought purse seine technology to the Indian Ocean during the 1980s, enabling rapid increases in annual harvests. These vessels earn their name from enormous nets that surround tuna schools and close like drawstring bags.

However, the EU has occasionally clashed with coastal countries seeking influence over fishing activities in waters near their territories.

Five years ago, as yellowfin tuna populations declined dramatically, the Maldives criticized the EU for failing to present serious proposals for quota reductions during a heated tuna commission meeting. In 2023, the EU opposed Indonesia’s proposal for purse seine fishing gear restrictions, which gained approval from 15 other nations.

Recently, the tuna commission has implemented new management strategies to restore vulnerable yellowfin and bigeye populations, which are beginning to show recovery signs. For example, the EU agreed to cut yellowfin tuna catches for EU-flagged vessels by 21 percent.

These new restrictions may be driving European fishing companies to seek other nations’ quotas to maintain harvest levels, according to Glen Holmes, senior officer with Pew Charitable Trusts.

Holmes and colleagues from Pew, Global Fishing Watch, and other environmental organizations are pushing for increased ownership transparency among Indian Ocean fishing fleets.

Vessel owners have historically registered ships under foreign flags, frustrating transparency advocates who argue this practice limits oversight capabilities. Sanctioned oil tankers in the ‘ghost fleet,’ for instance, regularly change names and flags to hide ownership.

Certain flags have gained reputations as ‘flags of convenience,’ providing companies with low costs and relaxed approaches to fishing or trade regulations. Some countries may lack sufficient resources to enforce maritime laws.

A January report from environmental group Oceana revealed European companies regularly register fishing vessels under foreign nation flags, including some countries the EU has accused of “turning a blind eye to illegal fishing activities.”

Oceana is urging EU countries to start gathering and publishing ownership information for their fishing fleets.

This change would help the EU better implement its own regulations, which prohibit any European individual from financially benefiting from illegal fishing practices, explained Vanya Vulperhorst, Oceana’s illegal fishing campaign director for Europe. It would also reveal “the real EU fleet,” she added.

“What we found last year is that the real European fleet, if you add the non-EU flagged vessels, doubles,” Vulperhorst stated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the last day, the Trump administration has delivered wildly inconsistent messages about the Iran conflict, oscillating between claims that a fragile ceasefire remained intact and military actions had ended, to fresh threats of bombing the Islamic Republic.

Tuesday began with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth describing how American forces were safeguarding trapped vessels so they could navigate through the Strait of Hormuz. He maintained this was a defensive mission and the truce remained valid despite Iran firing missiles and drones at American forces, which destroyed Tehran’s small naval vessels.

That same afternoon, Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed White House reporters that the military mission had “concluded” and America had accomplished its goals. However, in nearly the same statement, he indicated President Donald Trump was still pursuing a “path of peace” that demanded Iran accept a deal to reopen the crucial oil transport channel.

By Tuesday night, Trump declared the ship protection effort was suspended to allow time for potential negotiations. Then Wednesday morning brought another warning that bombing would continue if Tehran rejected American conditions.

The administration’s fluctuating and frequently conflicting communications during the Iran conflict has created additional confusion this week as the president and his team offered a bewildering account of American strategy to clear the Strait of Hormuz and conclude the war that changed dramatically within just hours.

Government officials have attempted to balance maintaining the ceasefire while reopening the strait, through which 20% of global oil typically passes. Economic consequences are mounting as fuel costs climb, with Republicans under growing pressure to address higher expenses before midterm congressional elections.

The Trump administration has faced messaging challenges because the conflict lacked proper planning, according to Elizabeth Dent, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

“Because it happened very quickly, it wasn’t sold to the American public in a way that I think was palatable,” said Dent, a former official in the State Department and Pentagon. “Now I think Trump is sort of doing everything he can to prevent a return of hostilities because he saw how unpopular the war was.”

During the entire conflict, the president has changed his priorities and views on success. He has offered an unclear definition of a ceasefire. And he has provided his own understanding of legislation requiring congressional approval for military actions after 60 days.

The confusion stems partly from Trump’s habit of making spontaneous statements that effectively create policy, Dent explained. Staff members like Rubio and Hegseth must then clarify Trump’s remarks.

The chaotic 24 hours of Trump administration decision-making also shows recognition that any alternative to an agreement “is going to range from unpalatable to outright ugly” during a politically crucial time for the Republican president, said Ali Vaez, Iran director at the International Crisis Group.

“This is not an administration that operates based on a policy process. It operates based on impulse. And the president seems now both tired of this war and reluctant to continue investing his political capital into it,” Vaez said.

Recent days have exemplified how the Trump administration’s communications can appear disconnected and difficult to understand.

The president announced Sunday that American forces would safely escort hundreds of stranded commercial ships from the strait, which Iran has essentially blocked by attacking vessels near its coastline.

On Tuesday, Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Dan Caine reported two American-flagged cargo ships passed through the waterway to begin the effort, but Iran attacked U.S. vessels and the military destroyed six Iranian small attack boats.

When questioned about exchanges of fire from both sides, Hegseth responded, “No, the ceasefire is not over.” Caine also stated Iranian attacks did not constitute “restarting major combat operations.”

Rubio later emphasized Trump’s preference for diplomacy.

“Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation,” he stated, using the code name for the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. “What the president would prefer is a deal.”

An agreement appeared more likely when Trump posted Tuesday evening on social media that he was stopping the strait operation to observe negotiation progress. But Wednesday morning brought another Iranian threat from Trump.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” he posted on Truth Social.

The U.S. military reported Wednesday that it fired upon and disabled an Iranian oil tanker attempting to break through Iran’s shipping blockade.

Another puzzling aspect involves the administration’s attempts to convince allies to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has criticized countries unwilling to contribute more, telling them to “go get your own oil” and stating America shouldn’t secure the strait alone. But administration officials have begun actively seeking assistance while moderating their rhetoric.

Rubio said the problem isn’t lack of interest, but that many cannot provide necessary resources.

“A lot of countries would love to do something about it. But they don’t have a navy, right? Or they can’t get there in time,” he explained.

Following Trump’s sudden initiative suspension, two U.S. officials said the administration was still determining whether and how to continue planning, after the State Department’s formal support request to countries last week.

The officials, speaking Wednesday anonymously to discuss internal discussions, said Trump’s announcement was unexpected and they received no detailed guidance about withdrawing support requests.

American allies including Britain and France have rejected Trump’s intermittent suggestions for military involvement, but they have formed a separate international maritime coalition to secure the strait — only after shipping threats end. France’s aircraft carrier group is moving south of the Suez Canal into the Red Sea preparing for a potential French-British strait mission.

The situation has been further complicated by Trump’s scheduled Beijing trip next week.

“Going to China while the strait remains closed is humiliating for President Trump and puts China in a position of strength vis-a-vis the United States, because President Trump would have to, as he has done recently, ask for China’s help to resolve a problem that didn’t exist before he launched a war,” Vaez said.

BRUSSELS – European Union officials say negotiations with the United States on a crucial trade agreement are moving forward, though substantial challenges remain before reaching a final deal, according to statements made Thursday.

Bernd Lange, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator, acknowledged that while productive discussions are taking place, significant obstacles must still be overcome. The talks focus on eliminating tariffs on American imports to Europe.

“We have just concluded a constructive second trilogue during which we made good progress on the issue of the safeguard mechanism and the review and evaluation of the main regulation, but there is still some way to go,” Lange stated.

The negotiations have taken on new urgency following President Donald Trump’s announcement Friday that he plans to increase tariffs on European automobiles and trucks to 25% this week, up from the current 15% rate. Trump claims the EU has failed to meet obligations from an agreement reached in Scotland last July.

European officials are scrambling to finalize legislation that would eliminate import duties on American industrial products and provide enhanced access for U.S. agricultural and seafood exports, as outlined in the original trade framework.

Despite nine months passing since the initial agreement, the European Parliament and the Council representing EU member governments have yet to approve unified language needed to implement the tariff reductions.

Lange previously criticized Trump’s approach, saying the president’s “behavior is unacceptable” following the surprise tariff increase announcement.

The next negotiating session is scheduled for May 19.

European lawmakers are pushing for stronger protective measures in any final agreement, including provisions to suspend the deal if America fails to meet its commitments, making European tariff cuts dependent on U.S. actions, and terminating all EU trade concessions by March 31, 2028.

However, EU government representatives show little interest in incorporating such stringent conditions, according to diplomatic sources. One official indicated the two sides remain significantly divided, suggesting additional talks will likely extend into next month.

Manfred Weber, who leads the center-right European People’s Party – the largest faction in the European Parliament – expressed hope for a final vote in the EU assembly this May. That timeline appears optimistic given multiple political groups believe Trump’s latest threats make robust safeguards essential.

The automotive tariff dispute overshadowed Wednesday’s meeting of G7 trade ministers in Paris.

German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, representing a country that would face severe impact from increased car tariffs, said she was engaged in intensive discussions with American officials and remained optimistic they would “solve this challenge.”

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic announced plans to travel to Brussels to participate in the ongoing negotiations.

New Zealand’s Defense Minister Chris Penk announced Thursday that his country has initiated talks with Australia and Britain regarding the modernization of its outdated naval frigates, with government recommendations expected by the close of 2027.

Officials are evaluating two potential vessels as replacements for HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Te Mana, which entered service in 1997 and 1999. The options include Japan’s Mogami-class frigate, already selected by Australia, and Britain’s Type 31 frigate. According to Penk’s statement, collaborating with allied nations would enhance operational compatibility and create cost savings.

This initiative falls under New Zealand’s 2025 Defence Capability Plan, through which officials have pledged to substantially increase military funding and modernize outdated equipment following what they characterized as decades of insufficient investment.

The strategy encompasses naval fleet modernization as Wellington aims to enhance its capacity to safeguard shipping routes, bolster Pacific region security, and improve disaster response capabilities.

According to Penk, the majority of the navy’s vessels will reach their operational limits by the mid-2030s, including both Anzac frigates that currently serve as New Zealand’s primary naval combat assets.

The frigate replacement program is scheduled as a potential investment between 2029 and 2039.