Global Pulse

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  • Will King’s US visit make a political difference?

    Will King’s US visit make a political difference?

    The applause has faded, the state banquet tables have been cleared, and the pageantry that dominated evening news cycles has wrapped up. But as King Charles III and Queen Camilla close out their four-day state visit to the United States, one critical question lingers: what lasting impact will this historic royal trip have on the tense UK-US relationship, and how much of the ceremonial spectacle will translate to tangible political progress?

    Long before the King set foot on US soil, British diplomatic officials took a pragmatic stance on what the visit could realistically achieve. They openly acknowledged that a single royal tour could not fully reset the bilateral relationship, which has been strained by deep, unresolved divides over Iran’s nuclear program, NATO burden-sharing, support for Ukraine, trade policy, and repeated harsh public criticism from US President Donald Trump targeting UK opposition leader Keir Starmer. Instead of sweeping breakthroughs, diplomats set a more modest, immediate goal: to soften the sharp rhetorical tone and lower tensions between London and Washington.

    Sir David Manning, a former British ambassador to the US, framed the King’s role ahead of the visit in an interview with the BBC, describing him as a “stabiliser and a shock absorber” capable of fostering a more constructive environment for the UK government to re-engage the Trump administration on thorny bilateral issues. By that standard, the King appears to have delivered on his core mission.

    With a combination of natural charm and self-deprecating humour that many sitting British politicians would envy, King Charles used two high-profile addresses to praise the United States, its people, and its political leadership in a way that few domestic figures could pull off without drawing criticism. A standout diplomatic gesture was his thoughtful gift to President Trump: a historic ship’s bell from the HMS Trump, a move widely praised as a masterclass in soft-state diplomacy. Before a deeply politically polarised US audience, the King also offered a gentle, unifying reminder of the shared national identity that binds Americans together, describing the US as a “living mosaic” and celebrating both the UK and US as “vibrant, diverse and free societies.”

    That message of unity landed with even prominent Trump allies. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a long-time supporter of the president, called the King’s address a “much needed morale boost” for US lawmakers, writing on social media: “Most members of Congress feel better after the speech than they did before. I will admit it was a bit odd that the unifying feeling had to come from the King of England… but so be it!”

    Beyond building warmth and improving tone, the King’s second core objective was to calm roiling diplomatic waters across the Atlantic by reframing long-standing disagreements in a broader historical context. He leaned into the idea that the strength of the UK-US partnership has always been proven by its ability to overcome difference, telling a joint meeting of Congress: “Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it. We can perhaps agree that we do not always agree.” British diplomats hope this framing will help de-escalate current tensions over time.

    Beneath the warm anecdotes and playful humour, the King also made clear, firm arguments on core policy priorities that cut directly to key ideological divides with the Trump administration. He defended the value of the NATO alliance, noting it has stood with the US shoulder-to-shoulder since the 9/11 attacks and remains critical to addressing an increasingly unstable global order. He called for “unyielding resolve” in defending Ukraine and its courageous people, and made a point of praising the post-WWII international rules-based order – a framework that Trump and his top officials have repeatedly criticised and sought to undermine.

    The King cut to the core of his argument in a single, memorable line that challenged the foundation of Trump’s “America First” ideology: “The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone.” He repeated this core message throughout his visit, emphasising that the transatlantic partnership “based on twin pillars: Europe and America” is “more important today than it has ever been.” He urged both nations to resist calls for growing isolationism, framing his message as “Alliance First” rather than prioritising narrow national interest.

    The true test of this state visit will not be how smoothly the ceremonies, speeches, and public walkabouts went – and there have been small, expected hiccups along the way. Leaked private comments from UK Ambassador Sir Christian Turner questioning the long-touted “special relationship” made headlines, and Trump sparked a minor stir when he claimed the King agreed with his hardline position on Iran’s nuclear program. But these have amounted to little more than small bumps on the diplomatic road. It is also unlikely that the visit will put a permanent end to Trump’s public criticism of Keir Starmer; after all, the president has never shied away from picking public fights even with religious leaders like the Pope.

    The real legacy of the visit will hinge on whether the genuine personal warmth built between King Charles and President Trump can be translated into a more stable, productive working relationship between the two governments. Part of that depends on decisions from the UK side: whether British leaders will avoid politically popular cheap shots at Trump that erode trust, and whether the UK will follow through on commitments to increase defence spending to once again act as the capable independent security player it has been historically. As former White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, who served four US presidents, told CNN, no amount of royal soft power can ease US military leaders’ concerns about the UK’s declining hard defence capabilities. “If the King’s speech could actually translate into some shared interests and burden sharing, there is an opportunity. If you look at what’s happening with Ukraine, we really need the Brits – and their Navy with us in the Strait of Hormuz,” McGurk noted.

    Much of the outcome also rests with Trump and his administration: will the president and his team be swayed more by the King’s policy arguments than by his personal charm? Will they rediscover the strategic value of long-standing alliances, or will they continue to pursue an isolationist, go-it-alone foreign policy? For now, only time will tell whether the visit delivers tangible results. King Charles has already demonstrated his skill as a diplomat in his first major state visit to the US. Now it is up to elected politicians on both sides of the Atlantic to turn that diplomatic groundwork into meaningful progress.

  • Indonesia urges social media platforms to disclose the number of accounts closed for users under 16

    Indonesia urges social media platforms to disclose the number of accounts closed for users under 16

    Against a rising global tide of concern over the risks unregulated digital content poses to minors, Indonesia’s government is ramping up pressure on social media and digital platforms to meet transparency requirements, as the country rolls out landmark regulations banning children under 16 from accessing unfiltered online services. Speaking Wednesday, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid emphasized that mere compliance with the new rules is insufficient — platforms must publish concrete data on how many underage accounts they have suspended to keep the public informed of progress.

  • Tupac’s family files wrongful death lawsuit in LA

    Tupac’s family files wrongful death lawsuit in LA

    It has been almost three decades since iconic hip-hop trailblazer Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a 1996 Las Vegas drive-by shooting, and the legendary rapper’s family has taken a new legal step to uncover the full truth behind his killing. On Tuesday, Tupac’s brother Maurice Shakur, acting on behalf of the estate of Tupac’s late stepfather Mutulu Shakur, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in a Los Angeles court. The suit seeks unspecified damages and names the only person ever criminally charged in the case, former South Side Compton Crips leader Duane “Keefe D” Davis, as its primary defendant, alongside multiple unnamed co-conspirators.

    Davis, who has maintained his innocence, is currently scheduled to stand trial on a single criminal murder charge this coming August, more than two years after his 2023 indictment. Law enforcement investigators allege that Davis orchestrated the fatal shooting in retaliation for a casino altercation between Shakur and Davis’ nephew, who has since passed away. Prosecutors have described Davis as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who ordered Tupac’s death, noting that Davis has publicly admitted he was in the vehicle from which the shots were fired. All three other people who were in that car the night of the murder, including Davis’ nephew, have since died, leaving Davis as the only surviving person of that group. For nearly 27 years after Tupac’s death, no charges were filed against anyone connected to the killing, making Davis’ 2023 arrest a landmark turning point in the high-profile cold case.

    What sets this new civil lawsuit apart from the ongoing criminal proceedings is its focus on unmasking a broader conspiracy that the family claims has been hidden for decades. Court documents argue that newly released evidence — including sealed grand jury transcripts from Davis’ criminal case and testimony featured in a recent Netflix documentary — confirms the plot to kill Shakur was far more complex than a simple street gang retaliation. The lawsuit specifically references the 2024 Netflix documentary *Sean Combs: The Reckoning*, which included recorded police interview excerpts where Davis claimed entertainment mogul Sean Combs offered him $1 million to carry out the assassination of Tupac. Combs has repeatedly and forcefully denied any involvement in the 1996 murder, dismissing the documentary as a “shameful hit piece” that spreads false accusations. The BBC has reached out to both Combs’ legal team and Davis’ representatives for comment on the new civil suit, and no additional statements have been released publicly as of this reporting.

    For the music industry and hip-hop fans worldwide, Tupac Shakur remains one of the most influential and celebrated artists of all time. Rising to global fame in the early 1990s as a leading voice of West Coast rap, Shakur sold more than 75 million records worldwide during his short career, with timeless hits including *Hit ‘Em Up* and *California Love* that still top streaming charts decades after his death. Beyond music, he also built a promising acting career, earning critical acclaim for roles in iconic 1990s films such as *Juice*, *Above The Rim*, and *Poetic Justice* opposite Janet Jackson. His life and career were cut shockingly short at just 25 years old, when he succumbed to gunshot wounds six days after the September 1996 drive-by attack in Las Vegas. The family says their goal in filing the wrongful death suit is to use the civil court discovery process to finally drag all co-conspirators into the light, closing a nearly 30-year chapter of unanswered questions for the Shakur family and the global hip-hop community.

  • UK prime minister condemns attack after 2 stabbed in a Jewish neighborhood of London

    UK prime minister condemns attack after 2 stabbed in a Jewish neighborhood of London

    LONDON – A Wednesday morning stabbing incident in Golders Green, a northwest London neighborhood with one of the largest Jewish communities in the United Kingdom, has left two people injured and sparked a cross-unit counterterrorism investigation into what officials have formally classified as an antisemitic attack. A 45-year-old suspect is currently in custody, facing suspicion of attempted murder following the violent assault.

    According to local Jewish security organization Shomrim, witnesses observed the suspect moving along Golders Green Road armed with a large blade, actively targeting Jewish civilians going about their daily routines. Members of Shomrim, a community patrol group that provides supplementary security for Jewish neighborhoods across the U.K., managed to detain the suspect before law enforcement arrived. Metropolitan Police officers subsequently took the suspect into custody, deploying a stun gun to subdue him during the arrest. Officials confirmed the suspect also attempted to stab responding officers, though no law enforcement personnel were harmed in the confrontation.

    The two victims, a man in his 30s and a second man in his 70s, were transported to local hospitals for treatment. As of the latest update, both are reported to be in stable condition, with no immediate threat to their lives.

    Counterterrorism detectives have taken lead on the investigation to determine whether the stabbings are connected to a recent string of arson attacks targeting synagogues and other Jewish community sites across London. While investigators are probing potential extremist links, the incident has not yet been formally designated as an act of terrorism. Detectives are still working to establish the suspect’s full background, nationality and potential motives, with Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams noting that “investigators are considering all possible motives” tied to the attack.

    The stabbing comes on the heels of multiple arson incidents over recent weeks that have all targeted Jewish infrastructure within a few miles of Golders Green. Those attacks damaged a Jewish charity’s ambulance fleet parked in the neighborhood and hit a synagogue located a short distance away. No injuries were reported in any of the arson attacks, and law enforcement has already arrested and charged multiple suspects ranging in age from teenagers to people in their 40s. Counterterror officials are currently examining whether the arson attacks were carried out by proxies linked to Iran, a line of inquiry that has now expanded to include the Wednesday stabbing.

    Local residents expressed shock and unease following the latest attack, which comes amid a sustained rise in antisemitic aggression across the country. “It happens in Israel, but happening on our own doorstep, of course it’s shocking,” said Golders Green resident Moishe Grunfeld, who spoke of his concern for his children and grandchildren who live in the area. Golders Green has long been a central hub for British Jewry: the neighborhood is home to dozens of synagogues, multiple Jewish day schools, and a wide array of kosher businesses, alongside sizable Asian and Middle Eastern communities. The broader U.K. Jewish community numbers roughly 300,000 people, a small share of the country’s total population but one with deep, centuries-long roots in British society.

    Top political leaders across the U.K. united to condemn the attack. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the inseparable link between attacks on British Jews and attacks on the nation itself, stating that “attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan echoed that condemnation, noting that “London’s Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks.” He added, “There must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society.”

    The incident is the latest in a dramatic nationwide surge in antisemitic hostility recorded since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent outbreak of the Gaza war. Data from the Community Security Trust, the leading organization tracking antisemitic incidents in the U.K., shows recorded attacks jumped from 1,662 in 2022 to 3,700 in 2025. Britain’s Chief Rabbi has warned that British Jews are now facing an organized campaign of violence and intimidation. The Golders Green stabbing also comes just months after a fatal antisemitic attack in Manchester in October 2025, when an attacker drove a vehicle into a crowd gathered outside a synagogue on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, stabbing one person to death. A second person at the scene died after being inadvertently shot by responding police.

  • ‘If it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French’, King and Trump joke at dinner

    ‘If it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French’, King and Trump joke at dinner

    A lighthearted moment of jest between a British monarch and the sitting U.S. president has drawn wide attention after the pair traded playful quips during formal remarks at a state banquet. One of the most viral jokes centered on a long-standing historical trope of World War II-era alliance: the king turned to the American leader and joked that if not for the United States’ intervention in the global conflict, British citizens would be speaking French today. The line, which referenced the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, drew laughter from the assembled crowd of dignitaries and guests. In response, the U.S. president returned the playful banter with a matching joke of his own, keeping the mood jovial throughout the traditionally formal diplomatic gathering.

    State banquets between the two heads of state are key moments for reinforcing the decades-long “special relationship” that has defined Anglo-American diplomatic, military and economic cooperation. Unlike tense formal policy announcements, these off-the-cuff humorous exchanges often serve as a public signal of warm personal rapport between the leaders, even as the two nations may navigate differences on trade, security or climate policy behind closed doors. The casual joke resonated with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, with many observers noting it helped humanize the two heads of state in an era of increasingly polarized political discourse.

  • A son of late Zimbabwe leader Mugabe is ordered deported from South Africa

    A son of late Zimbabwe leader Mugabe is ordered deported from South Africa

    JOHANNESBURG – In a landmark ruling handed down Wednesday, a South African magistrate has ordered the immediate deportation of Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s former longtime autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe, after the 29-year-old entered guilty pleas to two criminal charges earlier this month.

    Magistrate Renier Boshoff ruled that law enforcement officials must transport Bellarmine Mugabe directly to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport for expulsion back to his native Zimbabwe. The conviction stems from an arrest in February, when Mugabe and his cousin, Tobias Matonhodze, were taken into custody following a shooting incident at Mugabe’s Johannesburg residence that left a domestic employee injured. Initially, both men faced far more severe attempted murder charges connected to the shooting, but investigators have never recovered the weapon used in the attack.

    As part of a plea deal with South African prosecutors, Bellarmine Mugabe pleaded guilty to two reduced charges that are not linked to the shooting: illegally residing in South Africa without valid immigration status, and brandishing an item designed to convince others it was a functional firearm. As part of his sentencing, Mugabe was given the option to pay a fine of roughly $36,000 or serve a two-year prison term, with the deportation order taking effect regardless of his fine payment.

    In contrast, Matonhodze pleaded guilty to the full attempted murder charge and additional related offenses, receiving a three-year prison sentence. The magistrate ruled that Matonhodze will also be deported to Zimbabwe once he completes his custodial sentence. Addressing Bellarmine Mugabe directly during the hearing, Boshoff acknowledged the unusual nature of the plea arrangement, noting, “I do not know whether the second accused took the rap for you. Number two pleaded guilty on all these counts… and I can only act on what is before me.”

    Bellarmine Mugabe is the youngest child of Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe as an autocrat for 37 years, was ousted from power in a 2017 military coup and died two years later at the age of 95. This latest legal action is not the first time the Mugabe family has faced high-profile criminal scrutiny in South Africa. In 2017, when Grace Mugabe still held the position of Zimbabwe’s first lady, she was accused of assaulting a young model with an electrical cord at an upscale Johannesburg hotel, in front of her sons. Though a court initially ordered her to appear for trial, she was ultimately granted diplomatic immunity and avoided prosecution.

  • Philippine congressional committee rules there’s evidence to impeach Vice President Duterte

    Philippine congressional committee rules there’s evidence to impeach Vice President Duterte

    MANILA, Philippines — In a major development roiling the country’s already fractured political landscape, a Philippine congressional justice committee announced a unanimous ruling Wednesday that confirmed “probable cause” exists to advance impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. The 53-member panel’s decision moves two separate impeachment complaints forward to a full debate and vote by the 300-plus member House of Representatives, marking a critical escalation of allegations that include unexplained personal wealth, misuse of public funds, and direct threats to the life of sitting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

    The core accusations against Duterte focus on her alleged illegal misappropriation and mismanagement of confidential intelligence funds, allocated both to her current office as vice president and to the Department of Education, which she led before Marcos took office in 2022. While Duterte has issued a broad denial of all wrongdoing, she has repeatedly declined to address the specific claims levied against her in detail.

    During Wednesday’s public hearing, officials from the National Bureau of Investigation testified that comments Duterte made during a 2024 online press conference constituted a clear threat to national security. In those remarks, Duterte allegedly stated that if she were assassinated, orders would be carried out to kill President Marcos, the first lady, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Committee chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro publicly criticized Duterte for her repeated refusal to testify at six televised impeachment hearings, as well as her decision to petition the Supreme Court to halt the inquiry over the allegations, which include unreported large-scale bank transactions that Duterte was legally required to disclose. “If there is nothing to hide, there is no reason to hide, there is no reason to obstruct,” Luistro stated at the opening of Wednesday’s session. “The only people who fear the disclosures of these transactions are those with dirty secrets.”

    In the aftermath of the committee’s ruling, legal representatives for Duterte pushed back aggressively, arguing that the entire proceeding deviated from the Philippines’ constitutional framework for impeachment. “Instead of confining itself to the verified complaints and their attachments, the process expanded into matters that properly belong to a full trial,” the legal team said, offering no further details on their objection.

    The political clash has already spilled into additional legal action: Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio, filed criminal complaints Monday against Luistro and multiple other legislators and inquiry officials after records of the couple’s bank transactions were publicly released during a recent House hearing. The Duterte camp maintains the disclosure violates the country’s strict bank secrecy laws.

    Sara Duterte, the daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, carries notable political baggage from her father’s tenure: the former leader is currently facing prosecution before the International Criminal Court in The Netherlands on allegations of crimes against humanity, stemming from the thousands of extrajudicial killings that occurred during his nationwide anti-drug crackdown between 2016 and 2022.

    This is not the first impeachment effort against the vice president: she survived a similar attempt last year on a procedural technicality, after the Supreme Court ruled that the House had violated constitutional rules limiting the body to processing just one impeachment proceeding per calendar year. Most of the current allegations against her were carried over from that unsuccessful 2023 complaint.

    Notably, despite the mounting legal and political pressure, independent public opinion polls still rank Duterte as one of the most popular political figures in the Philippines. She has already publicly confirmed her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national election, a declaration that has amplified opposition scrutiny of her conduct and financial history.

    If the full House of Representatives, which is currently controlled by allies of President Marcos Jr., votes to impeach Duterte, she will next face an impeachment trial conducted by the Philippine Senate. A conviction would remove her from the vice presidency immediately.

    The current standoff between Duterte and Marcos caps a rapid collapse of what was once a powerful political alliance: the two ran as a joint presidential-vice presidential ticket in the 2022 national election, but their relationship has devolved into open, bitter conflict in recent years, adding a new layer of instability to Philippine politics that has long struggled with systemic governance challenges and recurring political upheaval.

  • Russian paramilitary carried out air strikes in Mali as rebels advanced, footage shows

    Russian paramilitary carried out air strikes in Mali as rebels advanced, footage shows

    Mali has been plunged into a dramatic new phase of its decade-long insurgency after a coordinated multi-group rebel offensive killed the country’s top defense official and forced a strategic retreat by Russian-backed government forces, newly verified video and satellite evidence confirms.

    On Saturday, a coalition of jihadist fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group, and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) launched simultaneous attacks across multiple regions of the West African nation. The deadliest strike targeted the residence of Defense Minister Sadio Camara in the garrison town of Kati, located just 12 miles outside the capital Bamako. A suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the compound, sparking a fierce firefight that left Camara dead, according to a Malian government spokesperson. Satellite imagery of the aftermath confirms the entire residence was leveled in the blast, with widespread damage to adjacent properties in the neighborhood.

    In response to the Kati attack, the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps — the Russian paramilitary force that backs Mali’s ruling military junta — launched a series of retaliatory air strikes against rebel positions near the capital. Verified footage posted by the Africa Corps shows attack helicopters launching missiles at ground targets, while drone footage captures a direct missile strike on a rebel convoy speeding along an outer Kati highway, triggering a massive fireball. BBC Verify’s geolocation analysis confirmed all clips were filmed in the Kati area, matching the group’s claims of offensive operations near Bamako.

    Despite this show of force, the Africa Corps and Malian government forces have confirmed they have fully withdrawn from Kidal, a strategically critical northern hub that served as the center of government counterinsurgency operations in the region. Kidal was captured by joint Wagner Group and Malian forces in a bloody 2023 battle, and hosted a large heavily armed garrison for over a year. However, intensifying rebel attacks in recent weeks left the base increasingly untenable.

    Before the official withdrawal announcement, BBC Verify verified footage showing military convoys evacuating the Kidal base. The Africa Corps claimed it removed all heavy equipment ahead of the pullout, but footage posted by advancing rebels shows multiple armored personnel carriers, patrol vehicles and jeeps were abandoned during the hasty retreat. Verified video from the base after the withdrawal shows rebel fighters freely roaming the abandoned facility. Malian forces have also withdrawn from the more northerly town of Tessalit, and scattered clashes have been reported on the outskirts of Bamako near the Africa Corps’ main headquarters in the capital.

    Mali has been mired in a widespread insurgency for more than a decade, and the current military junta seized power in a 2020 coup, arguing the previous civilian government had failed to contain the growing rebel threat. Since the junta took power, it cut security ties with Western nations including France, which pulled all its peacekeeping and counterinsurgency troops out of the country by 2022, and turned to Russian mercenary forces first the Wagner Group and after restructuring of Russian irregular forces, the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps. Under the terms of the partnership, the Africa Corps provides security support to the junta in exchange for cash and access to Mali’s valuable natural resource reserves.

    However, the paramilitary force has been unable to reverse the growing momentum of rebel groups across the country, with a senior French military official estimating last year that the Africa Corps only has around 2,500 personnel deployed across Mali. Late last year, Bamako itself was placed under a rebel blockade, and Saturday’s offensive marks a major new escalation in the conflict, according to regional analysts.

    “This is a major escalation of the conflict between the military government and rebel groups,” said Jean-Hervé Jezequel, Sahel director for the International Crisis Group. “Where JNIM originally focused on seizing rural and peripheral areas, it is now directly targeting major population centers.” BBC Verify has confirmed 22 separate videos of rebel movements across seven Malian locations since Saturday’s offensive began, confirming the broad scope of the attacks. The Africa Corps has claimed that as many as 12,000 rebel fighters participated in the coordinated offensive, a figure that has not been independently verified.

    Analysts warn the fall of Kidal and the death of Camara represent significant strategic setbacks for both the Malian junta and the Russian Africa Corps model of security partnership. “Other countries that have hired the Africa Corps are watching this very closely,” said Dr. Sorcha MacLeod, a former member of the UN working group on mercenaries and a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen. “The model Moscow offers isn’t working, and it’s already costing poor countries millions of dollars in natural resources. It’s unsustainable.”

    Charlie Werb, an analyst with Aldebaran Threat Consultants, noted that while the loss of abandoned armored vehicles will be a tangible loss for the Malian military, it remains unclear whether rebel groups will be able to integrate the heavy equipment into their speed and maneuver-focused insurgent tactics. The setbacks in Mali have already raised new questions about the long-term viability of Russia’s irregular security partnerships across the Sahel, as rebel groups continue to expand their control of territory across the region.

  • Irish government announces further fuel supports after protests

    Irish government announces further fuel supports after protests

    Weeks after widespread public demonstrations against skyrocketing fuel prices brought major Irish infrastructure to a standstill, the Irish government has formally announced a new €220 million (£191 million) targeted relief package designed to ease cost pressures on commercial transport operators, farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers. The government has emphasized that policy work on the support framework began long before protests kicked off early in April, when demonstrators blocked key motorways across the country and paralyzed Dublin’s main commercial thoroughfare.

    This new package marks the latest round of government intervention to address volatile fuel costs, following earlier cuts to excise duty on both petrol and diesel rolled out in preceding months. Details of the two new targeted schemes were laid out by cabinet ministers on Wednesday at Dublin’s Government Buildings.

    The first initiative, the €120 million Road Transporters Supports Scheme, is tailored for road hauliers, bus companies and coach operators. The program will be backdated to March, covering the period when average national diesel prices surged past the €1.90 per litre benchmark – a threshold the government identifies as the point where fuel costs become unsustainable for commercial transport operators. Payments under the scheme are structured on a graduated sliding scale tied to the number of vehicles an operator holds on their license: operators with five or fewer vehicles will receive €1,350 per vehicle, those with 6 to 20 vehicles get €790 per vehicle, and businesses with more than 21 vehicles will receive €300 per vehicle. Applications for the scheme will open in May 2026.

    The second initiative, the €100 million Fuel Support Scheme, targets farmers, agricultural contractors and commercial fishers, who rely heavily on green diesel – a marked fuel priced lower for agricultural use that has seen significant cost hikes in recent months. This program is also backdated to March and will run through the end of July, providing support equal to roughly 20 euro cents per litre of green diesel (€200 per 1,000 litres), based on verified fuel usage from 2025.

    Alongside the two sector-specific support schemes, the government is launching a public communications campaign to share guidance for households and small businesses looking to manage rising energy and fuel costs. Counting this latest announcement and all prior excise cuts, the Irish government has now allocated a total of €755 million (£654 million) to fuel-related relief measures in recent months. It has also paused scheduled annual increases to the national carbon tax to avoid further pushing up fuel costs for consumers and businesses.

    Speaking at the announcement, Irish Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien framed the new package as targeted and time-limited, noting that while the government retains flexibility to introduce additional support if needed, it must maintain sustainable management of public finances. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon added that the package reflects the government’s commitment to responding in real time to the cost challenges facing key sectors of the Irish economy.

  • Read the complete transcript of King Charles III’s speech to Congress

    Read the complete transcript of King Charles III’s speech to Congress

    WASHINGTON — In a landmark address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, King Charles III has delivered a sweeping, history-rooted speech celebrating the centuries-long interconnected destiny of Britain and the United States, while calling for renewed collective action to confront modern global crises against a backdrop of widespread international uncertainty.

    Opening his remarks, the King extended sincere gratitude to congressional members and the American public for the opportunity to speak during his first visit to the U.S. as monarch and head of the Commonwealth, marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He began with a lighthearted nod to the shared cultural ties between the two nations, quoting Oscar Wilde’s famous quip: “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.”

    King Charles acknowledged the precarious global moment the address was delivered in, noting ongoing conflicts stretching from Europe to the Middle East that have created ripple effects felt in communities on both sides of the Atlantic. He also directly referenced the recent violent incident near the Capitol that targeted U.S. national leadership and sought to sow division, stating with unwavering conviction that such acts of aggression will never undermine democratic resolve. “Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries,” he affirmed.

    The monarch traced the deep historical roots of the bilateral relationship, noting that the modern connection between the two nations stretches back more than four centuries, and he is the 19th British sovereign to follow U.S. affairs closely. He paid tribute to Congress as a “citadel of democracy” founded to advance universal rights and freedoms, and recalled his late mother Queen Elizabeth II’s 1991 address to the same chamber, drawing a throughline of diplomatic friendship between the two nations. He even added a touch of gentle humor referencing the ancient British parliamentary tradition of holding a member of parliament hostage at Buckingham Palace during the State Opening of Parliament, prompting a light response from assembled lawmakers.

    Reflecting on the foundational dispute of American independence, King Charles framed the conflict as a testament to the shared democratic roots that bind the two countries today. The core principle of “no taxation without representation,” he noted, grew from democratic values inherited from British legal and political tradition, turning an early disagreement into the foundation of a resilient partnership. Citing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2019 remarks during a state visit to the UK, he echoed that the kinship between the U.S. and UK is “priceless and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable.”

    He further traced shared ideological origins back to the 1215 signing of Magna Carta, noting that the foundational document’s principles of checks and balances on executive power have been cited in more than 160 U.S. Supreme Court cases since 1789. He pointed to the shared memorial stone at Runnymede, where an acre of the historic Magna Carta site was gifted to the U.S. by the British people in memory of President John F. Kennedy, as a lasting symbol of shared commitment to liberty.

    Against the current era of global turbulence, King Charles called for a revitalization of the transatlantic alliance, echoing Henry Kissinger’s framing of an Atlantic partnership built on twin pillars of Europe and America, a partnership he says is more critical today than at any point in history. Recalling his grandfather King George VI’s 1939 visit to the U.S. on the cusp of World War II, he noted that while the geopolitical context has shifted dramatically, the shared values that united the two nations then remain just as vital today.

    Addressing modern security challenges, King Charles announced the UK’s commitment to the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War, a transformation he said is necessary to address evolving global threats. He also marked the upcoming 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, noting that he and Queen Camilla would pay their respects to victims and their families during their stop in New York, reaffirming that Britain stood with the U.S. then and continues to stand with the nation today. He recalled the unified global response after the attacks, when NATO invoked Article V for the first time in its history, as a testament to the centuries-long history of shared sacrifice between the two nations.

    The King reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine and its people, calling for continued collective resolve to secure a just and lasting peace. He outlined deep integrated defense cooperation between the U.S. and UK, from joint production of F-35 fighter jets to the groundbreaking AUKUS submarine partnership with Australia, noting these projects are built not on sentiment alone but on a shared commitment to long-term regional and global security.

    Beyond security, King Charles highlighted the deep economic and technological ties that bind the two economies, noting $430 billion in annual bilateral trade and $1.7 trillion in mutual investment that supports millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. He outlined new partnerships in cutting-edge fields including nuclear fusion, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and pharmaceutical discovery, partnerships he said hold the promise of saving millions of lives around the globe.

    He also drew attention to shared environmental responsibility, noting that the ancient Appalachian and Scottish mountain ranges were once a single continuous landmass, a natural reminder of the shared global fate of the two nations in confronting climate change and biodiversity collapse. He emphasized that the collapse of natural systems threatens both global prosperity and national security, a risk the world cannot afford to ignore.

    Closing his historic address, King Charles framed the U.S.-UK relationship as one of the most consequential alliances in human history, forged from early division into a partnership that has shaped global order for decades. He called on both nations to reject inward-looking nationalism and reaffirm their shared commitment to defending democratic values alongside global partners. Echoing Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, he noted that the world will remember actions more than words, and called for a rededication of the two nations to serving their people and all the people of the world. He closed with a simple, heartfelt toast to the enduring friendship between the two nations: “God bless the United States and God bless the United Kingdom.”