Global Pulse

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  • A former Armenian president is detained in a corruption investigation

    A former Armenian president is detained in a corruption investigation

    YEREVAN, Armenia — A major upheaval has shaken Armenian politics, with former president and top opposition leader Robert Kocharyan taken into custody alongside his eldest son on Tuesday, following coordinated law enforcement raids on multiple business holdings tied to the Kocharyan family, Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed in an official statement.

    The 71-year-old ex-head of state, who currently leads the second-largest opposition bloc in the country’s national parliament, faces three felony charges: abuse of official power, bribery, and large-scale money laundering, according to official announcements from Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office. In addition to Kocharyan and his 48-year-old eldest son Sedrak, four other individuals connected to the alleged scheme are also in custody as investigators expand their probe into the reported illegal activities.

    The court-ordered raids and subsequent detentions took place less than a full day after a heated, public confrontation between incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Kocharyan’s younger son Levon during a parliamentary session. The fiery exchange drew immediate attention to escalating tensions between Pashinyan’s ruling administration and the opposition coalition led by the former president.

    Anti-corruption investigators are focusing on allegations that during Kocharyan’s presidential tenure from 1998 to 2008, valuable state-owned assets were illegally privatized and sold to connected private entities at prices far below their fair market value, draining public resources for private gain. Armenian media outlets also reported Tuesday that former President Serzh Sargsyan, Kocharyan’s successor in office, has been summoned to appear for questioning at Anti-Corruption Committee headquarters as part of the expanding investigation.

    Bagrat Mikoyan, a senior spokesperson for Kocharyan, has framed the detentions as a politically motivated attack by the current government against the former president and his family. Mikoyan also confirmed that after being taken into custody, Kocharyan reported feeling unwell and was transferred to a local hospital for medical evaluation.

    The parliamentary clash that preceded the raids centered on allegations of political interference in law enforcement. During a regular question-and-answer session, Levon Kocharyan publicly accused Pashinyan of exerting improper political pressure on Armenia’s courts and law enforcement agencies to target political opponents with fabricated investigations. In his sharp response, Pashinyan challenged the younger Kocharyan to disclose the origin of his family’s extensive accumulated wealth, insisting that any assets acquired improperly at the expense of the Armenian public must be returned to state ownership.

    Hours after the detentions, Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance issued a scathing statement via social media, dismissing the legal case as an act of personal political revenge against the former leader. The alliance called the proceedings “another cynical manifestation of a regime that has lost its legitimacy,” adding, “This is not a legal process; this is the open subjugation of the state apparatus to political interests.”

    This is not the first time Kocharyan has faced legal jeopardy. In 2019, he went on trial on charges of ordering the illegal use of lethal force by security forces to suppress anti-government protests following the disputed 2008 presidential election. The 2008 post-election clashes left at least 10 people dead, but the charges against Kocharyan were ultimately dropped, and all legal proceedings in that case concluded in 2021.

    Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute and a prominent regional political analyst, told the Associated Press that allegations of corrupt activity during Kocharyan’s time in office have circulated among critics for decades. He added that this latest case will almost certainly escalate the long-running standoff between Pashinyan’s pro-Western government, which has prioritized deepening political and economic ties with the European Union, and the pro-Russian opposition bloc that Kocharyan leads as its most influential figure.

    “Of course, this is a signal to the Kremlin,” Iskandaryan noted. “Kocharyan effectively positions himself as a Russian proxy, and we see a clear trend where the authorities have begun to fight — intensively and by all possible means — against political forces aligned with Russia within Armenia’s borders.”

    Reporting for this article was contributed by Yuras Karamanau in Tallinn, Estonia.

  • Canada to unveil response to Trump’s steep tariffs

    Canada to unveil response to Trump’s steep tariffs

    A rapidly escalating trade conflict between two long-standing North American allies entered a tense new phase this week, as Canada readies a formal response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping new 50 percent tariffs that took effect over the weekend.

    The new levies, which hit a broad swathe of Canadian exports ranging from hockey sticks to cement, went into force Saturday after last-minute trade negotiations between the two countries collapsed on Friday. Economists estimate the tariffs cover roughly $20 billion worth of goods, equal to approximately 5.5 percent of all Canadian exports bound for the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that retaliatory Canadian tariffs will enter into effect September 8, as trade analysts warn the dispute risks spiraling into a full-blown tit-for-tat escalation that would upend decades of integrated cross-border commerce.

    In a statement issued late Monday, the Canadian government said its countermeasures are designed to protect domestic workers and businesses amid this period of mounting trade uncertainty, with senior officials set to hold a public press briefing Tuesday morning to lay out the full details of Ottawa’s response. The escalation did not stop with the initial round of tariffs: On Monday, Trump added new fuel to the fire by pledging to double existing U.S. tariffs on Canadian automobiles with non-U.S. content, raising the rate from the current 25 percent to 50 percent starting in 2026.

    The proposed auto tariffs drew a fiery rebuke from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who publicly told Trump to “kiss my ass” and floated the possibility of imposing a new surcharge on Canadian electricity exports to the United States. This is not the first time the province has taken such action: during an earlier phase of the trade dispute, Ontario implemented a temporary 25 percent surcharge on power shipments to three U.S. states. Trump quickly fired back at Ford in an online post, warning of “far worse” consequences for Canada if the province follows through on the threat, and even mocked Carney by incorrectly referring to him as Canada’s “governor” while renewing his long-running provocative call for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state.

    In a new striking display of rising cross-border animosity, Trump told reporters Tuesday that he is considering renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” echoing his controversial decision last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

    Forecasting firm Oxford Economics estimates that Trump’s latest round of tariffs will push the average effective U.S. tariff rate on Canadian exports up from 5.1 percent to 6.9 percent, with the steepest increases falling on plastics, electrical machinery, and wood and paper products. The research firm added that manufacturing hubs in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario will bear the brunt of the new economic costs.

    Tensions have also spilled over into cultural disputes. Over the weekend, Carney claimed that U.S. negotiators introduced last-minute demands that would restrict Canada’s ability to sign independent trade deals with third countries, and also made unacceptable “threats” to the French language and the distinct cultural identity of Quebec, Canada’s majority French-speaking province. Trump pushed back against the claim early Tuesday in a post on his Truth Social platform, writing “I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French!” and dismissing the accusation as a “lie” fabricated by a “weak and ineffective Prime Minister” to shore up domestic political support.

    The stakes of the dispute are exceptionally high: U.S. data shows the United States is Canada’s largest trading partner by a wide margin, with roughly 70 percent of all Canadian exports flowing south across the border. For the United States, Canada ranks as the second-largest goods trading partner in 2025, trailing only Mexico.

    Recent public opinion polling released Sunday by the Angus Reid Institute finds that a majority of Canadian voters back Carney’s decision to walk away from the stalled negotiations, though a significant share of respondents expressed concern about potential negative economic fallout for the country. The White House has defended the new 50 percent tariffs, saying they are a response to alleged “discriminatory treatment” of U.S. alcohol, automobile, and dairy products by Canadian trade regulators. Trump had previously delayed implementation of the levies to give negotiations time to progress, but the two sides failed to bridge their differences even after talks extended down to the final deadline.

    Beyond the immediate tariff fight, Washington and Ottawa also face a looming deadline to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the existing trilateral free trade pact for North America. Trump has already made clear he will not renew the agreement in its current form, adding another layer of uncertainty to the already fraught bilateral trade relationship.

  • Trump envoy calls for Sudan-wide arms embargo as drone attacks escalate

    Trump envoy calls for Sudan-wide arms embargo as drone attacks escalate

    After nearly four years of devastating civil conflict between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a urgent diplomatic debate has unfolded at the United Nations Security Council over expanding a long-standing regional arms embargo to cover the entire country. Washington’s top senior envoy for African affairs, Massad Boulos, has called on the global body to approve the expansion, arguing that unregulated arms flows – particularly of drones and drone-related technologies – are fueling the intensifying war and threaten to destabilize the entire broader region.

    Boulos stressed that the Security Council cannot afford inaction, urging members to move quickly to cut off all external financial and military backing to both warring parties. For months, observers have documented a sharp escalation in drone strikes across Sudan, with both the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, repeatedly accused of deploying the unmanned aerial vehicles against civilian and military targets.

    The ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023 after a fallout between the two former coup allies over a transition to civilian rule, has already left tens of thousands of people confirmed dead and forced more than 14 million Sudanese to flee their homes, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. The 20-year-old arms embargo that currently only applies to the restive western region of Darfur is set to expire next month if the Security Council does not vote to extend and expand it.

    However, the US-backed proposal faces immediate and staunch opposition from two permanent Security Council members, Russia and China. Both countries argue that a full nationwide arms embargo would undermine the operational effectiveness of Sudan’s sitting army, a position echoed by Sudan’s own UN envoy, who added that the measure would ultimately weaken rather than strengthen protection for vulnerable civilian populations. Currently, the army holds control over most of Sudan’s central and eastern territories, while the RSF maintains its headquarters in Darfur and holds large swathes of the country’s southern regions.

    As the Security Council debate got underway, local sources confirmed that the Sudanese army launched a fresh drone attack on RSF positions in Nyala, the largest city in Darfur. Nyala’s airport has emerged as one of the RSF’s key logistics hubs, and the strike came just hours after a large cargo aircraft landed at the facility, according to on-the-ground reports.

    UN officials used the council meeting to sound the alarm over the growing human cost of the conflict’s expanding drone campaign. Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told council members that civilians are already enduring the unrelenting consequences of what is one of the gravest humanitarian crises of the current era. She confirmed that drones operated by both warring sides have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including public markets, schools, fuel depots, and critical water supply networks. Between January and June of this year alone, the UN has verified that at least 1,100 civilians have been killed in drone strikes across the country. While the full death toll from the entire conflict remains unconfirmed, DiCarlo noted that independent estimates suggest the total is likely in the hundreds of thousands.

    She added that the persistent use of advanced, sophisticated weaponry by both sides is clear evidence that both factions continue to receive large-scale external military support, a claim backed by independent arms researchers and human rights groups.

    Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian chief, also reinforced the warning, telling the council that fighting in recent weeks has been defined by the heavy, widespread use of drones. The situation in Darfur in particular remains catastrophic, where ethnic violence that first erupted 20 years ago has reignited with brutal force. UN independent experts have documented that atrocities committed by RSF fighters during and after their capture of the key Darfuri city of el-Fasher last October bear the clear “hallmarks of genocide.”

    Noting that the existing Darfur-only embargo has done little to stem the flow of weapons into the region, which has seen some of the conflict’s bloodiest fighting, Boulos laid out the full US proposal, which includes increasing the number of independent UN experts tasked with monitoring compliance with the arms ban. He also called on the council to take decisive action to rein in external actors that are fueling the conflict, warning that continued unregulated support risks dragging neighboring regional powers deeper into the fighting, turning a national civil conflict into a wider regional war.

    Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has dismissed the proposal out of hand. Speaking at a police graduation ceremony in the capital Khartoum on Monday, Burhan said that ongoing discussions of new sanctions and a nationwide embargo would neither impact the army’s operations nor weaken its commitment to victory.

    Independent investigations by human rights groups have confirmed that weapons from a wide range of international sources are flowing to both sides of the conflict. Amnesty International previously published research documenting that weapons manufactured in Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have all been recovered from battlefields across Sudan. The UAE has repeatedly been accused of being the primary supplier of arms and military support to the RSF, which is also alleged to sell illicit gold extracted from Sudanese mines through UAE markets to fund its war effort. Both the UAE and the RSF have repeatedly denied all of these allegations.

    On the other side, Sudan’s military has made extensive use of Turkish and Iranian-built drones, and receives political and other backing from regional powers including Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The current conflict began after the two former allies, who had together seized power in a 2021 military coup that ousted Sudan’s transitional civilian government, fell out over the terms of an internationally backed plan to transition the country back to civilian democratic rule.

  • Andrew Tate exaggerates and did not own supercars in photos, his lawyers say

    Andrew Tate exaggerates and did not own supercars in photos, his lawyers say

    Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate, whose flashy, ultra-luxurious online persona made him a household name across social media platforms, has built his public image around a narrative of extreme personal wealth. But in a new court submission seeking bail for Tate and his brother Tristan, the pair’s legal representatives have revealed that the luxury yachts, high-end supercars and other symbols of vast fortune shown across the brothers’ social media channels are not actually owned by them. Instead, the legal team argues, the exaggerated lifestyle was a calculated performance to drive online engagement and revenue.

    Both Andrew, 39, and Tristan Tate, 38, who hold dual British-U.S. citizenship, are currently detained in a Miami, Florida jail following their arrest last month by U.S. Marshals. The arrest came after the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unveiled 38 new criminal charges against the pair, including rape and sex trafficking offenses. Combined with previous accusations, the brothers now face a total of 59 charges linked to alleged offenses that occurred between July 2010 and August 2017. Both men have repeatedly and categorically denied all wrongdoing, and are currently fighting extradition to the UK, with their legal team pushing for their release on bail while the proceedings move forward.

    Prosecutors opposing bail have framed the Tates as a high flight risk. Their argument centers on the brothers’ own social media claims, which painted them as self-made billionaires with unimpeded access to hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, cryptocurrency, and high-value assets including private jets, custom superyachts worth $50 million, and a fleet of rare luxury cars. Prosecutors add that the pair retain substantial financial and social capital through their massive online following, and have demonstrated a willingness to intimidate vulnerable witnesses who have brought accusations against them. They also pointed to past social media posts from Andrew Tate in which he openly mocked prosecutors and suggested he could easily adopt a new identity to avoid capture.

    But the Tates’ legal team pushes back against this narrative in their new submission, arguing that the entire luxurious persona the brothers project online is part of their core business model. “The outrageousness of the posts by them and about them is the point. The more hyperbolic and outlandish the post, the more likely it will generate views and likes, which in turn generates income. In short, they are playing a role,” the submission reads. The team also notes that Andrew Tate often used over-the-top claims for comedic effect, never intending for audiences to take the statements as factual.

    Specifically addressing the assets prosecutors cite, the legal submission confirms that the $50 million superyacht regularly featured across Andrew Tate’s social media is not owned by the Tate brothers – they were simply paid to promote the vessel. Even the high-end luxury cars that have become synonymous with Andrew Tate’s brand, including Aston Martins and multiple Bugattis, were only rented for content creation, the submission confirms. The core of the Tates’ business, the team explains, centers on programs that teach men how to build wealth and online brands, so projecting an image of extreme wealth is integral to attracting customers and growing their audience.

    Andrew Tate first rose to public attention in 2016, when he appeared on the UK edition of the reality television show *Big Brother*. A former professional kickboxer, Tate has long described himself as a misogynist, and has amassed millions of followers across major social media platforms thanks to his unapologetic, controversial takes on gender, wealth, and success. For years, his feed has been dominated by photos and videos of him alongside luxury goods, reinforcing the narrative of vast personal wealth that prosecutors have leaned on to argue he is a flight risk.

  • Chinese artist sentenced to 3 years in prison over satirical Mao artworks

    Chinese artist sentenced to 3 years in prison over satirical Mao artworks

    BANGKOK, Associated Press – A U.S.-based Chinese contemporary artist, Gao Zhen – one half of the internationally recognized artistic collective the Gao Brothers – has been handed a three-year prison sentence by a Chinese court after being convicted of the charge of “undermining the reputation of heroes and martyrs” for creating satirical works targeting former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

    Gao, who resides in the United States, was taken into custody by Chinese authorities in August 2024 during a trip to visit family members in China, and has remained detained throughout the legal process leading up to this verdict. According to statements provided by his wife, Zhao Yaliang, the ruling was issued by the Sanhe People’s Court located in Hebei Province, a northern region of China.

    The conviction centers on two controversial works created by Gao that Beijing’s regulatory bodies have labeled as insulting to key revolutionary figures in modern Chinese history. The first is a 2009 sculptural piece titled *Mao’s Guilt*, which depicts the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China kneeling in a pose of public repentance. The second is the *Miss Mao* series of caricatures, which portray the former leader with exaggerated feminine features including breasts and an enlarged nose.

    Shane Yi, a researcher with Chinese Human Rights Defenders who has worked to raise public awareness around Gao’s case, called the verdict an unambiguous violation of basic artistic freedom of expression. Yi confirmed that Gao’s legal team intends to file an appeal against the sentence, and highlighted a key procedural irregularity: all of the artworks cited in the conviction were created years before the 2018 law under which Gao was sentenced was enacted. The Sanhe People’s Court has not yet responded to requests for comment on the ruling from international media outlets.

    Amnesty International has joined global critics in condemning the sentence, framing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate independent creators across China. “The extended pre-trial detention, followed by the decision to convict Gao Zhen and hand down the maximum three-year prison term permitted under this law, makes clear the authorities’ goal: to scare other artists away from engaging in any form of independent artistic expression,” said Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director. “No artist should face criminal punishment for creating work that challenges official narratives or encourages critical reflection on history,” she added.

    For Zhao, the verdict has delivered devastating personal disappointment. The couple’s entire family immigrated to the United States years ago, and Zhao told reporters she had prepared new clothes for her husband in anticipation of his expected release, having hoped the time he already spent in pre-trial detention would be counted toward a shorter sentence. Chinese judicial guidelines commonly allow pre-trial custody to be applied as time served against a final sentence. “I told myself I could wait a maximum of two years, and now this outcome has left me deeply disappointed and heartbroken,” Zhao said. “I have not been able to catch my breath since I heard the ruling. All I want is to be reunited with my husband and return home to the United States.”

    The Gao Brothers first rose to international prominence during an era of relatively greater cultural openness in China, with their work – which often explores themes of authoritarian rule and state censorship – exhibited in both domestic and international galleries and museums. In recent years, however, the Chinese government has significantly tightened restrictions on cultural and political expression, particularly after passing the 2018 law that criminalizes any speech or creative work deemed to insult the reputation of the nation’s official revolutionary heroes and historical figures.

  • ‘Wartime situation’: tornado ravages French village

    ‘Wartime situation’: tornado ravages French village

    On a late Monday afternoon in southern France’s Aude department, an unusually powerful tornado tore through local communities, leaving a trail of catastrophic destruction in its wake that local leaders have compared to a war zone. The small village of Pomas, home to roughly 1,000 residents, bore the brunt of the extreme weather event, with the storm collapsing building walls, tearing entire roofs off structures, and flattening centuries-old trees.

    As of initial emergency updates, 39 people have been confirmed injured, two of whom are in critical condition, and 17 injured residents have been admitted to local hospitals for ongoing care. In an interview with reporters Tuesday, Pomas mayor Herve Gine described the chaotic aftermath as an experience akin to living through active conflict. “We were bombed by nature,” Gine said, noting that many residents are reeling from shock after losing all their personal property in the storm. Key public infrastructure, including the village nursery school and town hall, have been completely destroyed, he added. Gine also emphasized that a complete loss of life was avoided by what he called a miracle, noting that the scale of destruction easily could have killed dozens of people.

    Walking tours of the village Tuesday revealed the full force of the tornado: narrow streets were choked with fallen debris, uprooted trees blocked access to many neighborhoods, broken roof tiles covered sidewalks, multiple cars were flipped onto their roofs, and nearly every residential building suffered broken windows or torn away shutters. Of Pomas’ 476 residential properties, approximately 300 sustained varying levels of damage, and Gine confirmed that large swathes of the village will require full reconstruction.

    French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez characterized the tornado as an event of “rare intensity” in a social media post Tuesday, while regional deputy prefect Marie-Helene Bouissac called it “an exceptional and highly traumatic event” for the local community. Power grid operator Enedis reported that by early Tuesday, 7,250 households across the broader Languedoc-Roussillon region remained without electricity, 1,600 of which are located in Aude department. An AFP reporter on the ground observed that crews had already covered exposed, roofless buildings with blue and green tarpaulins to shield remaining interiors from further damage under clear Tuesday skies. Nearby agricultural areas, including commercial vineyards, were scattered with debris carried by high winds, ranging from broken outdoor furniture to fragments of building insulation and shredded wire fencing.

    Emergency response teams worked through the night to clear debris, search for trapped victims and support displaced residents, assisted by canine search units and specialized reinforcement teams. As of Tuesday afternoon, search and safety inspections were still ongoing, with 75 firefighters deployed to the impacted area. Overnight, dozens of displaced residents were housed in a repurposed community hall that served as a temporary emergency shelter, while hundreds more stayed with friends or family in undamaged nearby towns. At police checkpoints controlling access to the damaged village, relatives of local residents gathered to drop off emergency supplies and wait for clearance to help loved ones salvage belongings.

    Local residents shared harrowing accounts of the storm’s impact. Jose Gomes, a resident of neighboring Trebes, told reporters that his friend’s home completely collapsed while the friend was inside, leaving him with a head injury and multiple broken ribs. The injured man was released from the hospital Tuesday morning, Gomes added. Abdallah Wakkas, a local grandfather of two teenagers aged 13 and 17, said that while his grandchildren’s home escaped major damage, the pair are still traumatized after seeing their grandmother’s home destroyed.

    France typically records several dozen tornadoes of varying intensity each year, according to national weather service Meteo-France. This summer, the country has already faced three back-to-back heatwaves, with a record 52 days of extreme high temperatures amplified by human-caused climate change. These extreme weather conditions have already triggered severe droughts, widespread wildfires, and a record number of dangerous rockfalls in the French Alps. While international climate scientists note that the explicit link between global warming and changing tornado frequency or intensity remains under ongoing research, the devastating impact of this rare extreme event has underscored growing risks of severe weather across Europe.

  • Brain disease in ex-NFL players ‘higher than previously shown’

    Brain disease in ex-NFL players ‘higher than previously shown’

    A landmark new study published in the British Medical Journal has uncovered an alarming correlation between a career in the National Football League (NFL) and development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder that can only be formally diagnosed post-mortem. The research, led by a team from Harvard Medical School, offers one of the most comprehensive assessments of CTE prevalence among former NFL players to date.

  • China hits out at ‘illegal’ new US sanctions on Iran and trading partners

    China hits out at ‘illegal’ new US sanctions on Iran and trading partners

    Six months into the ongoing armed conflict between the United States and Iran, Washington has launched what it calls the most aggressive financial offensive in modern history against Tehran, a move that has immediately drawn a firm pushback from Beijing, one of Iran’s key economic partners.

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the controversial new sanctions package, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast”, during a public address on Monday. Framing the measure as an “economic D-Day” aimed at neutralizing the Iranian threat once and for all, Bessent warned that any global bank or business entity that maintains financial ties with Iran would face collective isolation alongside Tehran. He emphasized that the new measures go far beyond the already extensive U.S. sanctions regime that has been in place, noting that Treasury investigators had mapped out every hidden financial channel, intermediary and smuggling network Iran uses to evade restrictions and sell crude oil. The new package blacklists nearly 60 entities, individuals and maritime vessels linked to these operations. While Bessent declined to single out specific countries for targeted criticism, he made clear that no entity, including Chinese financial institutions, is beyond the reach of U.S. penalties. He added that President Donald Trump will imminently hold calls with global heads of state to formally request they cut all economic interactions with the Iranian government.

    The announcement comes ahead of a widely anticipated high-stakes meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for next month. China, which remains the largest purchaser of Iranian crude oil even after trade volumes declined amid the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, has swiftly rejected the new measures. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated Monday that all economic cooperation between Beijing and Tehran is fully compliant with international law, and the country will not tolerate external interference in this legitimate partnership. “China firmly opposes these illegal unilateral sanctions, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our entities,” Lin stated.

    U.S. policymakers are already bracing for potential retaliation from China, which controls the vast majority of global processing capacity for rare earths and other critical minerals—inputs that are indispensable for the production of a wide range of high-tech products globally. Beijing has previously used rare earth export restrictions as a leverage tool during past trade negotiations with Washington, and analysts do not rule out a similar move in response to the latest sanctions.

    Tehran has also responded with defiance to the new measures. Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said the country has been anticipating the expanded U.S. restrictions for months and has already put in place a comprehensive two-year contingency plan to manage the economic fallout. He called the new sanctions another doomed venture for Washington that will end in defeat for the U.S. “We are fully prepared, and we have our own tools to navigate this challenge. We have been waiting for these measures for a long time,” Madanizadeh told Iranian state television.

    The latest escalation comes as diplomatic efforts to resolve the six-month conflict have stalled, and a 60-day temporary ceasefire expired last week without any breakthrough toward a permanent peace deal. The ongoing conflict has already sent shockwaves through global energy markets: Iran effectively blocked most commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically critical chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of global oil shipments pass, while the U.S. has also implemented its own naval blockade limiting Iranian exports. These combined disruptions have driven sharp increases in global oil prices over the past six months.

    Even before the official responses from Beijing and Tehran, independent analysts have expressed widespread skepticism that the new sanctions will achieve Washington’s stated goals. David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, told the BBC that the direct impact on Iran’s total energy revenue is likely to be far more limited than the U.S. claims. Oxley noted that roughly 90 percent of Iran’s current oil exports go to China, a country that has never recognized U.S. unilateral sanctions and has shown little willingness to back down to U.S. pressure in the past. “We suspect that the new package will have only a limited direct impact on Iranian energy flows in the short term,” Oxley said.

    Ali Vaez, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the International Crisis Group, echoed this assessment. Vaez explained that China has long viewed U.S. unilateral sanctions as illegitimate under international law, and only complies with multilateral sanctions approved through formal international institutions. While neighboring countries including Pakistan, Turkey and Iraq are eager to maintain positive relations with Washington, Vaez noted that these nations simply cannot afford to completely sever economic ties with Iran, a key trading partner and neighbor. He added that broad economic pressure campaigns against the Iranian government have consistently failed in the past, because the regime is willing to absorb significant economic pain and shift the bulk of the hardship onto ordinary Iranian citizens.

    Beyond China, other major Iranian trade partners including India and Russia have yet to issue formal responses to the U.S. announcement as of Monday.

  • Kate Hudson to make How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days sequel, 23 years on

    Kate Hudson to make How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days sequel, 23 years on

    More than two decades after the beloved 2003 romantic comedy *How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days* first won over global audiences, entertainment industry insiders have confirmed a long-awaited sequel is officially in early development. Original lead actress Kate Hudson is attached to serve as a producer on the project, marking a nostalgic full-circle moment for the star that helped launch her A-list career.

    According to anonymous sources familiar with the project who spoke to U.S. entertainment outlets, development is still in its “very early days,” but there is strong possibility that both 47-year-old Hudson and her original co-star Matthew McConaughey will return to reprise their iconic roles as rivals-turned-lovers Andie and Benjamin.

    For new audiences unfamiliar with the 2003 classic, the original film follows a witty high-stakes bet that forms the backbone of its beloved romantic premise: Hudson’s character Andie Anderson, a sharp magazine journalist, is tasked with writing a how-to guide on ending a relationship quickly, and makes a deal with her editor that she can get any man to break up with her in just 10 days. Unbeknownst to her, McConaughey’s character Benjamin Barry, an advertising executive, has just made a bet of his own with his boss that he can make any woman fall in love with him within the same 10-day window — with Andie as his chosen target. The resulting clash of wits and unexpected chemistry turned the film into a cultural touchstone of early 2000s rom-coms.

    Hudson will lead the sequel’s production alongside veteran producer Stacy Sher, whose decades-long career includes shaping iconic hits such as *Pulp Fiction* and the 2022 *Matilda* musical remake.

    When the original film released in 2003, it became a surprise box office juggernaut, grossing nearly $180 million globally against a modest production budget. Beyond its commercial success, the film cemented its place in pop culture history thanks to one key wardrobe piece: the flowing yellow silk Carolina Herrera gown Hudson wore in the film’s climactic scene, which remains one of the most talked-about fashion moments in modern romantic cinema.

    In the years since the original film’s release, both leads have gone on to build acclaimed, award-winning careers in Hollywood. Hudson most recently starred in 2025’s *Song Sung Blue*, which earned her a second Academy Award nomination — her first came 24 years prior for her breakout role in *Almost Famous*. McConaughey, meanwhile, claimed his own Oscar win in 2014 for his transformative performance in *Dallas Buyers Club*, and has built a filmography that includes hits from *The Wedding Planner* to the *Magic Mike* franchise. The pair even re-teamed long after their rom-com debut to co-star in the 2008 adventure comedy *Fool’s Gold*.

    McConaughey previously opened up about the instant chemistry he shared with Hudson during their first meeting ahead of the 2003 shoot, in a 2024 interview with *People* magazine. “Immediately, we were comfortable with each other, and we jacked with each other, and we busted each other’s chops, and we laughed a lot,” he recalled of their first encounter. “There was a bit of rock and roll exchange, like, ‘Oh, this could be some heavyweight fun.’ And I think that’s why I was cast, and that’s why, for whatever extent, it worked.”

    The *How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days* sequel is the latest entry in a growing Hollywood trend of nostalgic follow-ups to beloved early 2000s films, coming hot on the heels of *The Devil Wears Prada 2* — which released 20 years after its original 2006 debut and also centered on a magazine editor assistant named Andy, played by Anne Hathaway.

    As of this report, representatives for both Hudson and McConaughey have not yet responded to requests for official comment on the sequel development.

  • UN and Red Cross step up call for international rules on ‘killer robot’ weapons systems

    UN and Red Cross step up call for international rules on ‘killer robot’ weapons systems

    GENEVA — In a marked escalation of a years-long global campaign to curb unregulated weapons innovation, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a renewed, high-urgency joint appeal on Tuesday for nations to enact targeted bans and restrictions on lethal autonomous weapons systems, more commonly referred to as “killer robots.” The organizations warned that unchecked advances in the field have pushed the risks posed by these weapons to dangerous new heights.

    Three years after the two bodies first issued a formal appeal, and following decades of fragmented international negotiations on the issue, the latest statement stops short of demanding an immediate full, global ban. It acknowledges that development of these fully autonomous targeting systems is already actively underway across multiple states, while noting that no credible confirmation of their battlefield deployment has emerged to date. Even without active use, the groups argue, proactive protections for civilian populations are critical to prepare for a future where these weapons could enter active conflict.

    Reading the joint statement on behalf of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric, U.N. Geneva spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci emphasized that the world is now perched on the edge of an irreversible ethical threshold. “We are now dangerously close to crossing a moral red line: The autonomous targeting of humans by machines,” Vellucci said.

    “Today, we renew this call with even greater urgency,” the statement reads. “The fundamental concerns remain unchanged, but the risks have intensified.”

    The two leading international humanitarian and policy bodies point to the breakneck pace of modern weapons development as a core driver of growing risk, noting that rapid technological innovation has stretched existing international governance frameworks to their breaking point. A growing gap has opened up between the cutting-edge capabilities of new weapons systems and the outdated regulatory guardrails meant to govern their use, the statement argues.

    “Autonomous weapons systems are not part of a distant future — a race toward greater autonomy in weapons systems is already well underway,” the joint statement says.

    The renewed appeal lands ahead of a pivotal round of negotiations set to convene in Geneva this coming November, where global delegates will discuss updates to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), the existing international agreement governing inhumane conventional weapons. The U.N. and ICRC frame the upcoming CCW conference as the most viable, accessible path forward to establish binding international legal rules that limit the development and deployment of fully autonomous weapons.

    Decades of international discussions on curbing lethal autonomous weapons have so far failed to deliver enforceable, global limits on the technology. This latest push comes amid a wave of accelerated uncrewed and autonomous weapons innovation in ongoing conflicts around the world, from Ukraine and the Middle East to Sudan, where drones and semi-autonomous systems have already transformed modern battlefield tactics.

    Notably, the appeal highlights that even the technical experts building these systems are sounding the alarm over unregulated development. “Scientists and engineers developing these systems have themselves raised the alarm,” the organizations said. “When the architects of this technology are calling for limits, states cannot afford to remain passive.”

    Closing with a clear call for immediate action, the statement argues that 2024 must mark a turning point in global efforts to rein in this risky technology before the moral red line identified by the U.N. and ICRC is permanently crossed.