Global Pulse

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  • A bear injures 4 people in a residential area of Japan as the annual number of attacks rises

    A bear injures 4 people in a residential area of Japan as the annual number of attacks rises

    A brown bear has left four people injured after rampaging through a residential and industrial area of Fukushima, northeastern Japan, on Tuesday, marking the latest in a growing wave of dangerous human-bear encounters that have put communities across the country on high alert in recent years.

    This attack comes as Japan grapples with a record-breaking surge in bear-related violence: government data from 2025 shows 13 people killed in over 230 bear attacks across the nation, a total that surpasses the number of both fatalities and incidents recorded in any prior year.

    Emergency responders were dispatched immediately after the Fukushima Steel Works placed an emergency call reporting that two of its staff had been attacked by the animal. Surveillance camera footage captured the dramatic sequence of events: the black bear emerged unexpectedly near the factory entrance, chasing a male employee in his 20s, who was knocked to the ground as he attempted to escape. The bear then moved onto the factory grounds, where it wounded a second male worker in his 60s.

    After leaving the steel works property, the bear attacked two more people: another male employee in his 60s at a neighboring adjacent company, and an 80-year-old woman who lives in the surrounding residential area. According to the Fukushima City Fire Department, the three male victims suffered only minor injuries, while the elderly woman sustained moderate wounds. None of the injuries are classified as life-threatening.

    As of Tuesday afternoon, the bear remained at large. Authorities believe it is still trapped within the compound of the second company, which has been cordoned off by uniformed police officers equipped with specialized long bear control sticks. As a precautionary measure, two nearby schools including Noda Elementary School canceled in-person classes, shifting to remote learning and posting public warnings urging local residents to “avoid non-essential outings and stay safe.”

    The latest attack has reignited widespread public anxiety that first spread nationwide after a surge of deadly incidents in 2024, which prompted the Japanese government to deploy the self-defense force to Akita, a northern prefecture where more than 60 people were attacked and four killed by bears.

    Wildlife experts explain that the growing frequency of bear incursions into human settlements stems from a combination of demographic and ecological shifts: Japan’s bear population has expanded steadily, while rural human communities are shrinking and aging rapidly, leaving a critical shortage of trained hunters to manage bear numbers.

    In March of this year, the Japanese government estimated the total national bear population at approximately 57,800. Officials have already approved a comprehensive bear population management roadmap that includes systematic culling to reduce conflict risk. The plan outlines a threefold increase in municipal bear control staff, reaching 2,500 total personnel within five years, and a doubling of the number of active bear traps deployed across high-risk regions.

    Recent bear sightings have even spread to the outskirts of Japan’s capital, with multiple reports in western suburban Tokyo including the popular Okutama hiking area. Local park authorities have responded by placing additional traps and rolling out real-time bear alerts on social media platforms to warn visitors.

    Alongside expanded population control, the government has ramped up public education campaigns to help people stay safe. Officials urge hikers and wild foragers, who frequent bear habitats in search of mushrooms, to check recent sighting updates before heading out, and avoid outdoor activity during early morning and evening hours, when bears are most active.

    The Ministry of the Environment’s official safety manual outlines key steps for people who encounter a bear: do not panic, move slowly away, and never turn your back to run. If an attack is unavoidable, the manual advises people to lie face down, curl into a tight ball, and cover their neck to protect vital areas. “The core goal is to prevent a fatal wound,” the manual explains.

  • As Congo grapples with Ebola, volunteers cook up meals to support patients and health workers

    As Congo grapples with Ebola, volunteers cook up meals to support patients and health workers

    In the sweltering heat of Bunia, the epicenter of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak, one quiet act of service forms an unexpected backbone of the regional response effort. Arlette Basekawike, a volunteer with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), spends nearly every waking hour in a cramped open-air shed outside a local health facility, stirring large pots of food and planning menus for patients on the frontline of this public health crisis.

    Clad in a protective pink bonnet covering her hair, Basekawike starts each day early, preparing porridge, fluffy omelets, and fresh bread for patients admitted to the Evangelical Medical Center. For afternoon and evening meals, she serves up seasoned fresh fish paired with fufu — the region’s beloved starchy staple made from mashed plantains — followed by ripe seasonal fruit. On a recent Monday, as she diced vegetables, potatoes and goat meat for a large batch of stew, she explained the quiet purpose that drives her work.

    “Even though patients carry this terrible disease, a warm, good meal still lifts their spirits and helps them feel stronger,” Basekawike told the Associated Press. “And for the doctors and nurses working endless shifts, this food gives them the energy they need to treat patients and administer care. I’m here for them like a parent would be — I just want to make them feel as comfortable as possible through this.”

    On paper, Basekawike’s work may look like a simple, unremarkable task. But public health officials say her contributions, and the work of the entire WFP nutrition team here, have emerged as critical support for a region grappling with the fast-moving spread of Bundibugyo virus — the rare Ebola species confirmed in eastern Congo back in May.

    As of this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 321 total cases of Ebola disease across three eastern Congolese provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with 48 recorded deaths. Neighboring Uganda has detected nine cases and one fatality, prompting authorities to close the entire shared border between the two countries to slow transmission.

    Long before this outbreak was declared, this already beleaguered region was grappling with one of the world’s most severe food insecurity crises. Years of ongoing armed conflict between government forces and rebel groups have displaced millions of people, leaving vast communities without reliable access to consistent, nutritious food. The emergence of Ebola has layered a new, deadly crisis on top of pre-existing fragility, creating a devastating cascade that the United Nations warns complicates every effort to contain the outbreak among a population already deeply strained by hardship.

    “We operate in a region where huge portions of the population already face acute food insecurity tied directly to war and displacement,” explained Olivier Nkakudulu, head of WFP’s Ituri province operations. “These needs already existed — Ebola is just an additional crisis stacked on top of a crisis.”

    Compounding these challenges, the already resource-strapped WFP now faces severe operational disruptions driven by major aid cuts from the United States and other key global donor partners. With global partners pulling back or reducing their funding pledges, the overall effort to contain the outbreak — which WHO has already classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern — has been severely hampered by the funding shortfall.

    On top of funding gaps, responders also face persistent threats: attacks on health care workers by local residents suspicious of the outbreak response, and constant delays to aid delivery caused by ongoing fighting in the region have both worked together to slow efforts to curb transmission.

    Even against these stacked obstacles, WFP and local health teams confirm they have managed to meet the basic nutritional needs of Ebola patients and frontline workers so far. Still, as case counts climb, that balance is becoming harder to maintain.

    “Today we need to increase the volume of food we provide, because the number of patients has gone up,” said Esther Bao, a nurse and volunteer on the response team. She added that many patients, weakened by the progression of Ebola, require specialized, tailored meals that cannot follow a one-size-fits-all menu.

    Unlike some more common Ebola species, the Bundibugyo virus has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment currently available. Care teams can only treat symptoms as they appear, but even that supportive care has yielded small victories: five patients have successfully recovered from the virus to date.

    The scope of the outbreak continues to expand at an alarming rate. According to Congo’s Ministry of Health, what began with transmission limited to just three initial health zones has now spread to 22 affected zones as of last weekend.

    To date, WFP has served 120 meals across four treatment facilities in a single recent Sunday, bringing the total number of meals provided since the nutrition program launched on May 28 to 404, according to Nkakudulu. But he stressed that the financial situation remains extremely precarious.

    “Without additional emergency funding, we won’t be able to prioritize every suspected case for nutritional support,” Nkakudulu said. “We might be forced to only provide for some patients, and leave others with no food to help them through their treatment.”

    This report was compiled by AP correspondents, with additional contribution from Adetayo reporting from Lagos, Nigeria.

  • Two people shot dead amid Kenya protests against US Ebola quarantine centre plan

    Two people shot dead amid Kenya protests against US Ebola quarantine centre plan

    Deadly violence has erupted in central Kenya over a controversial proposal to build a US-operated Ebola isolation facility, leaving two local residents dead and deepening public divisions over the public health and diplomatic initiative. The unrest unfolded in Nanyuki, a town adjacent to Laikipia Airbase, the planned site for the 50-bed treatment center, after hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets to oppose the project.

    According to preliminary reports, one fatality was shot near the perimeter of the airbase itself during peak protest activity. Friends transported the wounded individual to Nanyuki’s main hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. A second victim was already deceased when military personnel brought his body to the same medical facility. To date, no senior Kenyan official has released an official statement confirming the circumstances of the deaths or assigning responsibility for the gunfire that killed the two men.

    The unrest built on growing public anger that first emerged after details of the US plan were made public. The facility is designed to treat American citizens who contract Ebola during the ongoing outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, and would be staffed entirely by US medical personnel. Kenya has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases to date, but critics warn that bringing infected patients into the country creates unacceptable risks of cross-border transmission that could devastate local communities.

    Mass demonstrations first organized on Monday saw hundreds of protesters block major thoroughfares through Nanyuki and set burning tires across roads to draw attention to their opposition. In response, police deployed tear gas to clear the crowds and disperse the gathering. The controversy has already made its way through Kenya’s judicial system: last week, a local rights group filed a lawsuit arguing that the facility poses “grave and imminent risks” to Kenyan public health, prompting the High Court to issue an initial order halting all work on the project.

    In his first public comments on the dispute Monday evening, Kenyan President William Ruto defended his decision to approve the plan. Ruto framed the initiative as a gesture of long-standing friendship between Kenya and the United States, telling reporters that “When President [Donald] Trump asked Kenya to support them by having a centre in Laikipia Airbase I gave the ok because it was an agreement with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30, 40 years.” He added that the Kenyan government had “deployed every arsenal” to safeguard the country from Ebola risks, and urged opposition politicians not to politicize what he called a critically important public health matter. “We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing,” Ruto said.

    Despite the president’s defense of the plan, the High Court doubled down on its suspension on Tuesday, extending the pause on construction and opening and ordering the national government to release full documentation detailing the terms and specifications of the proposed facility. Even with the court order in place, however, independent observers and local experts confirm that military aircraft have continued making regular trips in and out of Laikipia Airbase, indicating that preparatory work for the center is still ongoing.

    The proposal has drawn widespread opposition from key Kenyan public health and accountability groups, including Kenya’s national doctors’ union and independent government watchdogs. Both groups reiterate that bringing Ebola patients into Kenya, even for treatment at a secured military facility, creates an unnecessary and avoidable risk of infection for local populations that the government has not adequately addressed.

  • Flintoff named Sydney Thunder men’s head coach

    Flintoff named Sydney Thunder men’s head coach

    One of English cricket’s most iconic former all-rounders, Andrew Flintoff, has secured a landmark new position: he will take the reins as men’s head coach of Australia’s Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL), marking his first senior coaching role in an overseas T20 competition. The 48-year-old, who has served as a full-time coach for England’s development side England Lions since 2024, will depart the team’s ongoing tour of South Africa earlier than scheduled to step into his new post with the Sydney-based franchise.

    While the full 2025-26 BBL fixture list has not yet been made public, England Lions are currently scheduled to remain in South Africa for a four-day match getting underway on December 18. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has given its full approval for Flintoff to take on the role, framing the opportunity as valuable professional development that will help him grow as a coaching leader. Flintoff has signed a two-season contract with Sydney Thunder, replacing outgoing former England national team head coach Trevor Bayliss in the position.

    In a statement following the announcement, Flintoff expressed his excitement for the new challenge: “I can’t wait to get over there and get started. I’m looking at this with a lot of optimism. You look at the franchise, you look at the players, you look at the support, and I think there’s something really big to build on.” The Thunder, who are captained by legendary former Australia opening batsman David Warner, finished as runners-up in last season’s BBL, falling just short of claiming the title in the final.

    Flintoff brings prior high-profile franchise coaching experience to his new role, having spent two seasons leading the Northern Superchargers men’s side in England’s domestic T20 competition The Hundred. During his tenure, he guided the Leeds-based team to consecutive top-four finishes, taking fourth place in his first season and third in his second. However, he was not retained for the 2026 edition of the tournament after the franchise was acquired by the ownership group of Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad.

    Trent Copeland, general manager of Sydney Thunder, hailed Flintoff’s appointment as a transformative moment for the club, saying: “This is a huge day in the history of Sydney Thunder, and the BBL more broadly. Fred brings something truly unique to Sydney Thunder. He’s a global icon of the game, but more importantly he is a modern leader who understands how to build high-performance environments, connect with players as people, and set standards that last. His passion for the game, coaching itself and knowledge of Australian cricket and our Thunder program stood out during the process.”

  • Rayan Cherki’s magical skills could be just what France needs in tight games at the World Cup

    Rayan Cherki’s magical skills could be just what France needs in tight games at the World Cup

    As France prepares for its World Cup campaign, one rising star stands out as the secret weapon manager Didier Deschamps can turn to when opposing defenses lock down Les Bleus’ star-studded attacking line: 22-year-old playmaker Rayan Cherki. Fresh off a sensational debut season with Manchester City in the Premier League, the dynamic young talent has already cemented his reputation as one of the most creative and unpredictable players in modern soccer.

    In his first season in England’s top flight, Cherki dazzled crowds and coaches alike with his unorthodox skill, clinical vision, and pinpoint passing. He wrapped up the campaign ranked second in the league with 12 assists, finishing only behind established Premier League star Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United. Some of his setups have already gone down as moments of individual brilliance that left even his legendary manager in awe. In one standout match, Cherki dribbled across the 18-yard box with his right foot before delivering a blind left-footed pass — a pass played without looking toward his target — to teammate Marc Guéhi. After the play, City manager Pep Guardiola, who coached eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi during his time at Barcelona, admitted he never even saw that passing lane as an option, stunned by Cherki’s on-field creativity. Another memorable assist came via an audacious rabona pass, a cross kicked with the playing leg wrapped behind the standing leg, that set up Phil Foden for a goal.

    While Cherki is best known for his passing prowess, his finishing and close control when in front of goal are equally spectacular. On his City debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, he opened his scoring account for the club with a stunning goal initiated by an outrageous backheel flick that showcased his flair. Like Messi, Cherki can dribble directly at opposition defenders at full speed with the ball practically glued to his feet, a skill that has drawn repeated comparisons to the Argentine great. He even notched a memorable volley on his senior debut for the French national team against Spain in last June’s Nations League, proving he can deliver at the highest international level.

    Guardiola, who has overseen some of the greatest attacking talents of the last three decades, has been unequivocal in his praise for the young Frenchman. “Rayan has something special,” he said. “He will become an extraordinary player with his mindset and mentality.”

    For Deschamps, Cherki’s greatest value ahead of the World Cup lies in his exceptional versatility, which opens up a wide range of tactical options for the French manager. Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, right winger (his regular role at City), or advanced playmaker operating just behind the center forward, Cherki has thrived in every position Deschamps has tested him. In March’s 3-1 friendly win over Colombia, he played as a second striker behind Marcus Thuram and contributed directly to two goals. Last November, he occupied the same role behind Kylian Mbappé in a match against Ukraine. When he received his first senior France call-up in May of last year, Cherki called the moment “the beginning of a beautiful adventure” — and that adventure could well lead him to global stardom at the World Cup.

    Confidence is another defining trait of the 22-year-old, who has openly embraced his own unique skill set. When asked in a March interview with *France Football* to name Manchester City’s most technically gifted player, Cherki answered without hesitation: “Me.” He also describes himself as “one of the most unpredictable players on the planet” — exactly the kind of player a side needs to unlock a deep, organized defense that has shut down more predictable attacking threats. Like Messi, it is hard to identify Cherki’s stronger foot, with most of his most magical moments coming from his left, echoing the Argentine legend.

    Cherki is the latest standout talent to emerge from Olympique Lyonnais’ renowned youth academy, the same production line that produced 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and gifted playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa. He made his Ligue 1 debut at just 16 years old in October 2019, and announced his talent to the world just weeks later in a French Cup match, where he scored two clinical goals, set up another with a spectacular midfield pass, drew a penalty (that his teammate missed), created a second assist, and nearly scored with an audacious lob that hit the crossbar. The mesmerizing performance for a player his age immediately put him on the scouting radar of Europe’s top clubs.

    In his final season with Lyon, Cherki led the entire league with 11 assists, and Manchester City secured his transfer last summer for just 36 million euros ($41 million) — a price that now looks like a major bargain, secured in large part due to Lyon’s severe financial struggles. Guardiola had his eye on Cherki for years before the transfer: the young Frenchman scored against City in a youth Champions League match just after turning 15, making him the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history.

    Like Messi and the late Diego Maradona, who honed his craft on the streets of Buenos Aires, Cherki developed his exceptional balance and close control playing street soccer on the roads of Lyon in east-central France. After one season with local suburban club Saint-Priest, he joined Lyon’s academy at just seven years old, beginning the journey that has brought him to the cusp of World Cup selection.

    While Cherki is not expected to earn a starting spot in France’s opening World Cup lineups, that is a reflection of the incredible depth of talent Les Bleus possess in attack. Deschamps is expected to field a front line of Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, and prolific superstar Kylian Mbappé — the only player in history to score in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals, netting a hat trick in the 2022 final against Argentina.

    Deschamps will step down from his role as France manager after this World Cup, and former French captain Zinedine Zidane — the iconic midfield star who led France to victory at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, and also scored in two World Cup finals — is widely tipped to take over. Zidane, himself one of the most gifted midfielders in the history of the sport, is expected to build the future of French soccer around Cherki in the coming years. For now, Cherki heads into the tournament as the wildcard that could carry France all the way to glory.

  • EU strikes migration deal for more deportations and detention centers abroad

    EU strikes migration deal for more deportations and detention centers abroad

    BRUSSELS – After months of tense negotiations and heated political debate, the European Union has finalized a sweeping overhaul of its bloc-wide migration policy, a landmark legislative change that prioritizes accelerated deportations and authorizes controversial off-shore migrant detention centers – changes that human rights advocates warn mirror the hardline, restrictive immigration agenda pushed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

    The provisional policy agreement was reached Monday evening during closed-door trilogue negotiations between the EU’s three core governing institutions: the European Commission, the European Council, and the European Parliament. Cyprus, which currently holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, has spearheaded the push for the new rules. Nicholas Ioannides, Cyprus’ deputy migration minister, framed the overhaul as a long-overdue correction to the EU’s fragmented existing migration framework, noting that “the new regulation will speed up the return process and increase returns of persons who have no legal right to stay in the EU.”

    The agreement will now move to full votes by the European Parliament and EU member state leaders, where swift approval is widely expected given the shifting political landscape across the bloc. Once enacted, the rules will allow individual EU countries to negotiate bilateral agreements with non-EU nations, primarily in Africa, to construct and operate off-shore “return hubs” – purpose-built detention centers for migrants facing deportation. At least five member states, including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece, have already confirmed they are in early talks with potential third-party host countries, modeling the arrangements after Italy’s existing controversial migration detention deal with Albania.

    The policy shift comes after a marked rightward political shift across the EU, following far-right and anti-immigration parties gaining power in multiple member states in 2024. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whose center-right European People’s Party has allied with anti-immigration factions to advance the reforms, has argued the new measures are necessary to prevent a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis, when more than 1 million asylum seekers, most fleeing Syria’s civil war, arrived in the bloc. Ongoing irregular migration driven by conflict and poverty across Africa and the Middle East has fueled anti-immigrant sentiment across the continent, a political shift that mirrors the anti-immigration momentum that drove a conservative “red wave” in U.S. 2024 elections.

    Critics of the reform have been quick to condemn the changes, drawing direct comparisons to the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration strategy, which included secretive bilateral deals to deport migrants to third countries that were not their nations of origin. The United Kingdom’s similar plan to deport migrants to Rwanda was ultimately scrapped by the new ruling government after becoming tied up in protracted legal challenges, a precedent critics argue the EU is ignoring.

    Silvia Carter, a spokesperson for the Brussels-based Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, called the new framework a purpose-built punitive system, stating that “the Regulation is going to create a draconian detention and deportation machine.” She added, “Across the Atlantic, we see the violence and fear created by ICE’s brutal immigration enforcement. Europe should be learning from the harms of that model, not building its own version of it.”

    French Green Party lawmaker Mélissa Camara, who opposed the agreement, described it as a devastating step backward for human rights in Europe. “Center-right political groups allied with the far-right to overcome opposition from centrist and left-wing parties,” Camara said. “The legalization of return hubs outside the European Union, the green light for the detention of minors, home visits inspired by ICE practices: the legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete.”

    Major international migrant advocacy groups have echoed these concerns, warning the new rules will erode long-standing human rights protections enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and expose vulnerable migrants to severe harm. Marta Welander, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, outlined the far-reaching risks of the policy shift: “This deal will give governments much broader powers to detain and deport people. It looks set to normalize immigration raids, expand the use of detention in prison-like facilities outside EU territory that are essentially legal black holes, and increase the risk of people being deported to countries where they could face persecution, torture or worse.”

    Follow AP’s full coverage of global migration developments at https://apnews.com/hub/migration.

  • Border, peace, democracy: Myanmar president’s India visit is closely watched

    Border, peace, democracy: Myanmar president’s India visit is closely watched

    In a high-stakes diplomatic meeting that has drawn widespread international attention, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing held official talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, kicking off a five-day official visit focused on advancing bilateral cooperation across critical sectors ranging from trade and cross-border connectivity to border security and defense cooperation. This meeting marks a historic milestone: it is Min Aung Hlaing’s first foreign trip since he was sworn in as president in April 2026, following a military-backed election that sparked global criticism, and comes five years after the 2021 military coup that plunged Myanmar into a protracted civil conflict. Regional and global powers are closely watching the visit to gauge how key regional players will engage with Myanmar’s military-led administration amid ongoing domestic unrest.

    Geography has long bound the fates of India and Myanmar together: the two neighbors share a 1,643-kilometer land border, and political and security developments in Myanmar have direct and immediate impacts on India, particularly its vulnerable northeastern states, where local security, cross-border migration and informal trade are deeply interconnected with events across the border. The current crisis in Myanmar traces back to February 2021, when Min Aung Hlaing, then serving as commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, just weeks after her National League for Democracy secured a landslide victory in general elections. The military takeover triggered mass nationwide pro-democracy protests that quickly escalated into an organized armed resistance movement, igniting a civil conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced millions more, and left large swathes of Myanmar outside the control of the military government. The violence has spilled across the border into India, with thousands of refugees, most from Myanmar’s persecuted Chin ethnic minority, fleeing to the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur to escape the fighting.

    Between December 2025 and January 2026, the military-backed government held a national election, which resulted in an overwhelming victory for pro-military parties. The vote was heavily criticized by the international community, as major opposition parties were barred from running, and millions of voters in conflict-affected regions were unable to cast ballots. Following the election, a military-dominated parliament elected Min Aung Hlaing to the presidency in April 2026. Myanmar’s authorities frame the election as a critical step toward a return to civilian rule, but opposition groups, Western governments and independent international observers have rejected the vote as unfair, arguing it does nothing to loosen the military’s stranglehold on power. Despite this, Min Aung Hlaing has maintained that the election was free and transparent. Before this post-inauguration visit to India, Min Aung Hlaing had traveled to China and Russia for diplomatic meetings in the period between the 2021 coup and his presidential election. The last official visit by an Indian prime minister to Myanmar took place in 2017.

    In a press briefing following the meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that the talks between Modi and Min Aung Hlaing covered the full scope of Myanmar’s domestic political situation, alongside bilateral priorities. Misri noted that Prime Minister Modi raised broad concerns about democratic progress in Myanmar, and the two leaders also discussed the case of Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under strict house arrest five years after the coup. Misri reaffirmed India’s long-standing position: Delhi remains committed to supporting lasting peace and an inclusive political dialogue that brings all of Myanmar’s stakeholders to the table, arguing that sustained diplomatic engagement, rather than international disengagement, is the only viable path to meaningful progress.

    A joint statement published by Myanmar’s state-run *Global New Light of Myanmar* newspaper outlined that both sides emphasized the urgent need to prevent the misuse of border territory for activities that threaten either nation’s security interests. Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed Myanmar’s formal assurance that it would not allow its territory to be used to launch operations against India, while Modi reaffirmed India’s unwavering support for Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    The Myanmar leader arrived in India on May 30, and kicked off his visit with a trip to the sacred Buddhist site of Bodh Gaya, where he offered prayers at the Mahabodhi Temple, the site revered as the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. After the official talks in New Delhi, Min Aung Hlaing traveled to Mumbai to meet with Indian business leaders, with the goal of attracting new foreign investment and expanding bilateral trade between the two nations.

    Regional analysts widely view the visit as a landmark moment for Myanmar’s military leadership, which has sought to expand its diplomatic engagement after years of international isolation and criticism following the 2021 coup. Rajiv Bhatia, a former Indian ambassador to Myanmar, told reporters that the meeting represents a major diplomatic win for Nay Pyi Taw, as it grants formal validation to Min Aung Hlaing’s presidency from the world’s largest democracy. Gautam Mukhopadhaya, another former Indian ambassador to Myanmar, added that the visit is part of Min Aung Hlaing’s broader strategy to build greater regional and international legitimacy as a newly elected head of state.

    For India, the meeting underscores a long-standing strategic calculation: India’s core national interests in Myanmar outweigh any concerns about the character of the country’s military-led government. Analysts outline that India has three primary strategic priorities in its relationship with Myanmar: maintaining stability along its sensitive northeastern border, advancing its Act East Policy aimed at deepening economic and security ties with Southeast Asia, and balancing the growing influence of China in the country. Myanmar holds a unique place in India’s regional strategy: it is the only member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that shares a land border with India, making it a critical gateway for Indian engagement with the bloc. Bhatia notes that the visit could have a positive ripple effect across ASEAN, as member states work to develop a unified approach to the ongoing Myanmar crisis.

    The talks also come amid intensifying great power competition between India and China in the Indo-Pacific, with Myanmar emerging as a key strategic battleground. Myanmar provides China with direct access to the Bay of Bengal, allowing Beijing to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Malacca for critical trade and energy supplies. Mukhopadhaya notes that since 2017, China has steadily expanded its influence in Myanmar and has become increasingly open about its support for the country’s military leadership, in pursuit of its own strategic and economic goals.

    Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to India also takes place against a shifting backdrop of Myanmar’s relations with Western nations. After the 2021 coup, the United States and many of its allies imposed sweeping economic sanctions on Myanmar’s military leadership. But according to Mukhopadhaya, the second Trump administration has shown little interest in engaging with Myanmar, and has suspended most foreign assistance to the country, including funding for Myanmar refugees and pro-democracy opposition groups. Bhatia added that the Quad security grouping — made up of the United States, India, Japan and Australia — shares a common goal of restoring stability to Myanmar, creating an opening for engagement with the country’s new leadership.

    The ongoing civil conflict has already reshaped the security dynamic along the India-Myanmar border. In recent months, the Myanmar military has regained ground from resistance forces in the country’s eastern and northern regions, and has increasingly focused its attention on securing its western border with India. Mukhopadhaya argues that it is highly likely the Myanmar government will seek greater security cooperation with India to crack down on anti-military resistance groups operating near the border. Ultimately, Bhatia noted, India’s core goal is to see a stable, unified Myanmar emerge from the conflict, and a Myanmar that maintains its strategic independence amid great power competition. “Clearly, a more independent Myanmar is what India is looking for,” Bhatia added.

  • Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire after Trump announcement

    Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire after Trump announcement

    Just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a surprise bilateral ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, heavy fighting erupted across the Israel-Lebanon border on Tuesday, derailing hopes for a quick end to months of escalating violence.

    The sudden resumption of hostilities came as both sides remained publicly divided over the terms of the deal Trump claimed to have brokered. Per Lebanese official sources, the draft agreement outlines that Hezbollah would halt all cross-border fire into northern Israel, while Israel would end its airstrikes on southern Beirut – a decades-long stronghold of the militant movement. The Lebanese presidency issued an official statement confirming the terms, noting that negotiators would work to expand the truce to cover all Lebanese territory, and the Lebanese embassy in Washington earlier claimed Hezbollah had accepted the U.S. proposal. However, the militant group has never issued an official confirmation of its acceptance of the deal.

    Trump doubled down on his ceasefire push in a post to his Truth Social platform, saying he “hopefully” the two sides would end their conflict “for ETERNITY!” He also claimed that no Israeli troops would enter Beirut, and that any Israeli forces en route to the capital had already been turned back, following what he called a “very productive” call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But unconfirmed reporting from Axios contradicted this public posture, revealing that Trump privately called Netanyahu “fucking crazy” in off-air remarks, accusing the Israeli leader of putting planned peace talks between the U.S. and Iran at risk. Trump also claimed he held a productive call with Hezbollah representatives through intermediaries, saying both sides had agreed to a full halt to hostilities.

    The renewed violence erupted against a backdrop of months of escalating conflict that has already pushed the region to the brink of a wider war. Following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Hezbollah opened its front against Israel on March 2, launching widespread rocket attacks. In recent weeks, Israeli forces mounted their deepest ground incursion into Lebanese territory in more than two decades, carrying out waves of heavy aerial bombardment across southern Lebanon and issuing explicit threats to strike southern Beirut’s densely populated suburbs. That threat sent thousands of local residents fleeing the area this week, with massive traffic jams clogging routes leading out of the suburbs toward central Beirut, according to on-the-ground reporting from Agence France-Presse.

    By Tuesday afternoon, multiple official sources confirmed that hostilities had resumed. The Israeli military announced its air defense systems intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, shortly after the Lebanese National News Agency reported fresh Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple locations in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu confirmed in his call with Trump that Israel would continue to strike terrorist targets in Beirut if Hezbollah did not end its attacks on Israeli towns and civilians.

    The latest clash also comes as the fourth round of U.S.-hosted direct negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese military delegations is set to open this Wednesday, following preliminary security talks held last week. A previous truce brokered in April has been almost entirely ignored, with both sides accusing each other of daily violations that justify retaliatory strikes. The human cost of the conflict has mounted sharply: Lebanon’s health ministry reports that at least 3,433 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, while the Israeli military confirmed two additional soldier deaths in southern Lebanon this week, bringing the total Israeli military fatalities to 27 since the start of the current escalation.

    International actors have moved quickly to call for restraint. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, released a statement urging all parties to respect a cessation of hostilities. In a confidential report to the UN Security Council obtained by AFP, Guterres also recommended that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission have its mandate extended when it expires at the end of the year, warning that a withdrawal would create a dangerous security vacuum. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also issued a statement Tuesday saying nothing could justify Israeli forces maintaining their presence deep inside Lebanese territory, a reference to Israel’s seizure of the strategic Beaufort Castle (locally called Qalaat al-Chakif) over the weekend. The castle, which holds commanding views over most of southern Lebanon, was used as an Israeli military base during Israel’s 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon that ended in 2000.

    Tehran, which has long provided financial and military support to Hezbollah, has insisted that Lebanon must be included in any final peace deal between Iran and the U.S. But Iran’s state-owned Tasnim News Agency reported this week that Tehran has suspended all diplomatic talks with Washington in response to Israel’s ongoing offensive in Lebanon, raising new doubts about the prospect of a wider regional de-escalation. For ordinary residents caught in the crossfire, the cycle of hope and violence has become a familiar pattern. Hadi, a 24-year-old resident of southern Beirut, told AFP he had dared to hope for a period of stability after Trump’s announcement, but “that feeling did not last long.”

  • Watch: Explosion at fireworks factory in Malta

    Watch: Explosion at fireworks factory in Malta

    A sudden explosion has ripped through a fireworks factory located in Malta, leaving two people with physical harm, local emergency responders confirmed Thursday. The two male victims of the blast were rapidly evacuated from the accident site and transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical assessment and treatment. According to early health updates from hospital authorities, the injuries sustained by the pair are classified as minor, meaning there is no immediate threat to their lives. Emergency services have not yet released further details on what triggered the explosion, including whether any foul play was involved or if it stemmed from a workplace safety incident. Local regulators have launched a preliminary investigation into the accident to determine its root cause and assess whether any safety protocols were violated at the facility. The incident has once again drawn public attention to the importance of strict safety enforcement in the dangerous fireworks production industry, where even small lapses in procedure can lead to devastating consequences.

  • Tesla, Polestar sales hit all-time monthly high in May as Aussie buyers ditch petrol cars in record numbers

    Tesla, Polestar sales hit all-time monthly high in May as Aussie buyers ditch petrol cars in record numbers

    Australia’s electric vehicle market has passed a historic milestone, with two leading automakers posting record monthly deliveries in May 2026 as skyrocketing petrol prices push thousands of drivers to abandon fossil fuel-powered cars. New data from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) confirms that combined deliveries from industry leader Tesla and premium Swedish brand Polestar reached 6,681 units for the month – the highest monthly total for the two brands ever recorded in the country.

    Tesla dominated the historic results, delivering 6,433 battery electric vehicles alone. This figure marks the highest single-month sales total for any brand in the EVC’s entire dataset, outstripping the automaker’s previous record of 6,017 units set in March 2024. The Tesla Model Y alone accounted for 84% of the combined Tesla-Polestar total, with 5,605 deliveries in May.

    Compared to April 2026, the two brands’ combined sales surged 358%, while they jumped 61.4% against May 2025 figures. Year-to-date sales for the two brands hit 15,866 units by the end of May, representing 52.7% growth over the same period in 2025.

    Polestar, which launched in Australia in 2021 and has delivered roughly 8,500 vehicles to local customers to date, also contributed to the record. The brand notched 14% year-to-date growth by the end of May, with its Polestar 4 crossover leading performance with 39.6% year-to-date growth over 2025. Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard noted that strong consumer inquiry remained sustained through the month, and the brand is preparing for further expansion with upcoming launches of the updated Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 models.

    Industry leaders attribute this unprecedented growth to a perfect storm of financial pressure on petrol car owners, driven by global and domestic market factors. Geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Iran has disrupted global oil markets, with a ongoing maritime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoints – pushing global crude prices to near $100 a barrel, translating to pain at Australian petrol bowsers. Compounding this pressure, the Australian federal government’s temporary 26-cent per litre fuel excise cut is set to expire on June 30, with drivers bracing for an immediate sharp price jump when the full 53-cent per litre excise is reinstated.

    “Tesla’s record-breaking 6433 sales in a single month, the highest ever recorded in the Electric Vehicle Council’s dataset, shows more Australians are choosing electric,” EVC chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. “When fuel prices hurt, people look for alternatives. Electric vehicles offer exactly that, no trips to the servo, no price spikes at the pump, savings of around $3000 a year.”

    Tesla’s Australia and New Zealand Country Director Thom Drew linked the milestone to sustained consumer demand and the brand’s targeted product strategy for the local market. “This is not an isolated result. It reflects our sustained commitment to delivering world-class electric vehicles and an ownership experience that continues to raise the bar for the industry,” Drew said. “As the EV segment continues to mature and expand, Tesla remains at the forefront, not by chance, but by design.”

    Geographically, Australia’s eastern seaboard is leading the national transition to electric transport. Queensland posted the strongest year-to-date growth at 65.1%, followed closely by New South Wales at 63.3% and Victoria at 61.9%.

    Broader industry data from VFACTS confirms that EVs now hold a 16.4% share of all new car sales across Australia – meaning roughly one in every six new cars purchased in the country is now fully electric. Delvecchio noted that the record sales confirm a broader shift in consumer preference, as Australians increasingly prioritize vehicles that fit their lifestyle, perform reliably, and cut long-term motoring costs.

    “We know Australians buy cars that save them money, suit their lifestyle and perform well,” Delvecchio said. “Record EV sales suggest more Australians are finding electric vehicles tick all three boxes.”