Against a backdrop of explosive growth in China’s gig economy and rising concerns over unfair working conditions for flexible employees, China’s top governing bodies have introduced a landmark policy framework designed to safeguard the legal rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment. The policy, made public on April 27, 2026 by the General Offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, addresses widespread industry abuses that have accompanied the sector’s rapid expansion, when more than 240 million people now work in flexible roles across the country. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 84 million of these workers hold positions in emerging occupations including food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, parcel couriers and online livestreamers. The new regulation sets clear, phased goals for industry reform: by 2027, all gig workers are expected to benefit from standardized labor protocols, safer working environments and fully enforceable legal rights protections. Over a three to five-year implementation window, the entire regulatory system will mature, fostering more harmonious labor relations, greater social recognition for flexible occupations, and enabling comprehensive personal development for gig workers. A key innovation introduced by the policy is the nation’s first mandatory algorithm filing system, which requires all digital employment platforms to complete regular third-party reviews and verification of their operational algorithms. The regulation explicitly guarantees gig workers three core algorithm-related rights: the right to be informed of algorithm rule changes, the right to participate in rule-setting discussions, and the right to voice opposition to unfair algorithm design. When platforms adjust core algorithm parameters that directly impact workers’ livelihoods — including income distribution rules, service pricing structures and estimated delivery timeframes — they are legally required to solicit and consider feedback from trade unions and elected gig worker representatives. The policy also targets the harmful “involution-style” cutthroat competition that has become endemic in the platform economy, where extreme price wars and efficiency overemphasis have suppressed worker wages and intensified job-related stress. Regulatory authorities are directed to strictly prevent infringement on new employment groups’ rights, with mandates to investigate unfair commission schemes, unequal distribution of customer order traffic, and abusive exercise of market dominance by large platforms. To address gaps in social support for mobile flexible workers, the policy expands access to basic public services tied to workers’ habitual residence rather than formal household registration, allowing social service coverage to follow workers as they relocate across provincial and municipal boundaries. It also calls for strengthening the national social security system, including expanding pilot programs for mandatory work-related injury insurance and gradually incorporating gig workers into the national housing provident fund system that provides subsidized housing support. Industry and labor experts have praised the policy as a transformative institutional innovation for modern labor governance in China. Tang Daisheng, a professor of economics and management at Beijing Jiaotong University, noted that the framework replaces the previous unregulated ecosystem driven by uncontrolled capital expansion and opaque algorithmic optimization with a new, fairer operating environment. Under the new system, platforms are required to operate in full compliance with labor laws, algorithmic decision-making is transparent and equitable, and gig workers are guaranteed access to decent, dignified work. “The policy directly targets the current practice where large platform companies seize market share through destructive subsidy wars, a race to the bottom that leaves workers with meager incomes and systematically eroded rights,” Tang explained. “This reform will force platforms to shift their competitive focus to improving service quality and user experience, rather than increasing profits by squeezing gig workers.” Tang added that the mandatory algorithm filing system requires platforms to disclose core algorithm logic, underlying data sources and decision-making rules to regulators before new algorithms are deployed, shifting the previous reactive regulatory model — where intervention only occurred after worker rights were already violated — to a proactive prevention-focused governance model. This new structure allows regulators to trace violations directly to their source and hold platform leadership legally accountable for abuses. The policy builds on earlier regulatory actions to curb unfair platform practices: in July 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation summoned executives from three of China’s largest food delivery platforms — Taobao Instant Commerce (formerly Ele.me), Meituan, and JD.com — to demand compliance with e-commerce, anti-unfair competition, and food safety laws. The summons was issued in response to a rampant industry price war that included low-threshold consumer coupons, free delivery vouchers and even zero-cost promotional items that put extreme downward pressure on rider earnings. For gig workers already navigating grueling daily schedules, the new rules bring long-awaited relief to longstanding grievances. Yan Dongjian, a Meituan delivery rider based in Beijing, told reporters he works 12-hour shifts even during slow business seasons, earning roughly 400 yuan ($59) per day. During the busier winter peak season, his daily income can climb to 500 to 600 yuan with platform performance incentives. “The biggest challenge we face is traffic safety,” Yan said. “Road accidents are extremely common. We’re all just here to earn a living, but the platform-imposed delivery time limits are unreasonably tight.” He explained that a typical 25 to 26-minute delivery window already includes time spent waiting for restaurants to prepare orders, leaving almost no buffer for unexpected delays. If a restaurant falls behind on cooking, riders are automatically penalized for lateness, creating constant, high-stress pressure throughout every shift. Yan noted that the new regulations will curb one of the most common worker grievances: arbitrary fine deductions from platform operators. “Platforms used to dock pay for any small delay with no room for appeal. Now they won’t be able to do that as easily,” he said. Yang Bin, a Beijing-based ride-hailing driver who now takes nearly all of his passenger orders through mobile platform apps, echoed the widespread hope for meaningful change, while noting that consistent implementation will be the key to success. Yang has long raised concerns about unfair order dispatch algorithms that allocate more high-value trips to a small subset of drivers, leaving many full-time drivers with inconsistent incomes. “If the new rules are actually enforced, and every driver gets fair treatment with more balanced order distribution, this will be a huge win for all of us,” Yang said.
作者： admin
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Prada launches Indian-made sandals after cultural appropriation backlash
Nearly 12 months after drawing widespread public criticism for failing to credit the Indian origins of a similar footwear design, Italian luxury fashion house Prada has officially released a limited-edition collection of sandals drawing inspiration from India’s centuries-old traditional Kolhapuri sandal craft.
Rooted in a craft tradition stretching all the way back to the 12th century, authentic Kolhapuri sandals take their name from Kolhapur, a city in India’s western state of Maharashtra, where the style first emerged. The handcrafted leather footwear, traditionally produced by local artisans across Maharashtra and neighboring Karnataka, earned Geographical Indication (GI) status from the Indian government in 2019, a legal designation that protects the product’s regional authenticity and origin. For decades, mass-produced and authentic traditional versions of the sandals have retailed in local Indian markets for between 500 and 1,000 Indian rupees, equal to roughly $5 to $10. By contrast, Prada’s new luxury iteration carries a retail price of €750, or approximately $881, per pair.
The controversy that preceded this launch dates back to June 2024, when Prada first unveiled a nearly identical toe-loop sandal design during its Milan Fashion Week presentation. At that time, the brand labeled the item simply as “leather sandals,” making no mention of its connection to the traditional Indian craft, sparking broad backlash across social media and fashion circles over accusations of cultural appropriation. Prada later issued a public acknowledgment confirming the design’s roots in the Indian Kolhapuri tradition.
For this official commercial release, Prada has emphasized its commitment to centering the original craft and its creators. The company confirms that every pair of the new limited-edition sandals is handcrafted by experienced artisans based in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the traditional home of the craft. The collection is currently available for purchase through 40 Prada retail locations around the world, as well as via the brand’s global e-commerce platform. In a public statement, Prada framed the new line as a deliberate cross-cultural collaboration, noting that the collection “combines traditional techniques with contemporary design and premium materials,” creating what the brand describes as “a dialogue between Indian heritage and modern luxury expression.”
Beyond the new sandal line, Prada has also announced a multi-year initiative to invest directly in the Kolhapuri artisan community. In partnership with two leading Indian design institutes, the brand is launching a three-year skills training program for artisans working in eight Indian districts with deep ties to Kolhapuri sandal production. The program will deliver six-month structured training modules to a total of 180 participating artisans, with a select group of top participants offered the opportunity to pursue advanced training at the Prada Group Academy based in Italy.
Lorenzo Bertelli, head of corporate social responsibility for the Prada Group, explained that the core goal of the initiative is to empower local craft communities. “This project aims to support artisans by strengthening skills, preserving traditional knowledge and helping local communities sustain the craft,” Bertelli said. Tanu Kashyap, director general of the National Institute of Fashion Technology — one of the Indian partner organizations for the training program — added that the collaboration will also create new global opportunities for traditional Indian craft. The program will help open access to international luxury markets, raising global awareness of India’s rich handicraft heritage, Kashyap noted.
The Prada collaboration has reignited long-running debates within the global fashion industry about the ethical use of traditional South Asian crafts by large international luxury brands. For years, designers and cultural heritage advocates have raised concerns that international brands often draw on traditional craft and design motifs from South Asia without providing adequate credit, compensation, or support to the original communities that developed and preserved those practices over generations.
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Inside Trump press dinner shooting suspect’s court appearance
A high-stakes court hearing unfolded this week in Washington D.C. for 20-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of plotting to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of a high-profile press dinner. As reported by the BBC, the proceedings marked the first public court appearance for Allen, who faces federal charges of attempted assassination of a former U.S. head of state. Court documents outline that the alleged plot was targeted at Trump, who remains the leading Republican contender for the 2024 presidential election, during the annual media dinner hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association, a widely attended event that draws top political journalists, government officials and public figures each year. No details of a potential plea have been released at this early stage of the legal process, and the hearing centered on establishing formal charges and setting future procedural deadlines. Law enforcement officials have confirmed that they intercepted Allen before he could carry out any violent action, though they have not yet released full details of the evidence gathered in the case. The incident has sparked renewed national discussion around political violence in the United States, amid a deeply polarized 2024 election cycle that has already seen multiple high-profile threats against political figures. Security arrangements for major public political events, particularly those involving leading presidential candidates, are now being reviewed by federal and local law enforcement agencies to address emerging risks.
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Heavy flooding in southern China forces evacuations and leaves vehicles submerged
On Tuesday, Chinese state media released details of a catastrophic flash flooding event triggered by extreme torrential rain that struck the southern Chinese city of Qinzhou, located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The disaster left motor vehicles fully submerged in urban streets and forced emergency responders to evacuate more than 200 local residents from high-risk areas.
According to official reports from China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, specialized rescue teams deployed inflatable rescue craft to extract residents who had become trapped inside their flooded homes. Broadcast footage released by Xinhua captured first responders wading through chest-deep floodwaters to reach stranded civilians, with firefighters carrying elderly residents to safety on foot.
Local meteorological authorities confirmed that Qinzhou’s monitoring station recorded total precipitation exceeding 270 millimeters, equivalent to roughly 10 inches, over the 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. on Monday. This figure marks the highest single-day April rainfall ever recorded in the city since systematic meteorological tracking began.
In an official statement posted to the popular Chinese social platform WeChat, local meteorologist Lin Nan noted that intense rainfall events of this magnitude in coastal regions of South China almost always occur after the summer monsoon arrives, which typically falls between mid-to-late May. Lin emphasized that a heavy downpour of this scale in late April is an extremely rare climatic anomaly for the area.
As of Tuesday morning, emergency updates from Chinese emergency management sector media confirmed that all city schools had resumed normal classes, and most urban road traffic networks had returned to their regular operational status, signaling the initial phase of post-flood recovery is underway.
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Round 9 team lists: Superstar fullbacks cleared to return as the Wests Tigers cop brutal triple blow
As the new round of the National Rugby League (NRL) approaches, the competition is bracing for a series of major team changes, driven by a mix of encouraging injury recoveries and devastating late-season setbacks for several franchises. One of the biggest stories heading into the weekend is the triple crisis hitting the in-form Wests Tigers, who will be without three critical players when they face off against the Cronulla Sharks this Sunday.
Young star fullback Jahream Bula, who has been managing a nagging shoulder injury for multiple weeks, will be sidelined for up to four weeks to prioritize full recovery. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by Sunia Turuva. Bula’s absence is compounded by two more absences: inspirational captain Api Koroisau is suspended for three weeks, forcing hooker Tristan Hope to step into his position, while Kai Pearce-Paul will also miss the clash due to a head knock, with Tony Sukkar named as his replacement. This wave of injuries and suspensions marks a major blow for head coach Benji Marshall’s rapidly improving side, coming as they prepare to face a Sharks team that has shaken up its starting 17 to address defensive struggles. Cronulla has promoted veteran starters Cam McInnes and Briton Nikora to the first team to shore up their leaky defense ahead of the encounter.
While the Wests Tigers face a major test of their depth, two of the league’s biggest superstars have received the all-clear to return to action, delivering a massive boost to their respective sides. In the Hunter region, the Newcastle Knights are preparing to welcome back star fullback Kalyn Ponga from a hamstring injury for their upcoming clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Ponga’s return is paired with good news for the Knights: powerful centre Bradman Best has also been cleared to make his comeback. To fit the returning stars into the lineup, Fletcher Sharpe will shift to five-eighth, while Sandon Smith moves back to a bench role. For the visiting Rabbitohs, forward Keaon Koloamatangi has been named in the starting back row.
Saturday night’s heavyweight matchup between the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters is already shaping up as an early preview of the upcoming State of Origin series, with another superstar returning to the field. Broncos fullback Reece Walsh, who has been sidelined with a facial fracture, has been named to start in the clash, where he will go head-to-head against Roosters captain James Tedesco, who is currently fighting to retain his spot in the New South Wales Blues Origin squad. Walsh is not the only key returnee for Brisbane: star forward Pat Carrigan is also back in the starting side after completing his suspension.
Across the other NRL fixtures this weekend, a series of other changes and positional shakes have been confirmed. The Canterbury Bulldogs have retained Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin in their halves partnership for their game against the North Queensland Cowboys, but winger Marcelo Montoya has been dropped from the starting side following a poor performance in Brisbane last round. The Cowboys have also made a change on the wing: Zac Laybutt will step in for Murray Taulagi, who misses out with a concussion.
For defending premiers Melbourne Storm, halfback Jahrome Hughes will miss the upcoming game, with Tyran Wishart tapped to fill the void at halfback. The clash will also mark the NRL debut of exciting young winger Hugo Peel, who has earned a spot in the starting lineup. Melbourne has also made multiple changes to its back row, with Ativalu Lisati, Shawn Blore and Alec MacDonald all named to start.
The Redcliffe Dolphins have named Brad Schneider at five-eighth for their next fixture, with winger Jack Bostock named to an extended bench as he works his way back from a long-term injury. The Canberra Raiders named Simi Sasagi in their starting back row, but the forward will need to pass a late fitness test later this week to take the field. Canberra will definitely be without Noah Martin (ankle injury) and Zac Hosking (concussion) for the round.
Finally, New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster faces a selection call in the halves, with Luke Metcalf in line for a return after being named to the extended bench for the side’s trip to Sydney to face the Parramatta Eels. Parramatta has named experienced veteran Dylan Walker in its lineup despite the centre leaving last week’s game with his left arm in a sling.
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AFL 2026: Adelaide forward Ben Keays reacts to ARC backflip ahead of season-defining Showdown
As one of the players most personally impacted by the Australian Football League’s (AFL) experiment with ARC (AFL Review Centre) rule changes, Adelaide Crows forward Ben Keays was blindsided by the league’s sudden reversal of the new policy – just days out from the high-stakes annual Showdown clash against in-state rival Port Adelaide.
Keays found out about the rule backflip during a routine media interview on Tuesday, barely hiding his shock at the sudden update. “Wow … I will probably leave it at that, I hope you guys don’t mind,” he told reporters, after confirming the announcement was the first he had heard of the change.
The rule rollback brings the game back to the policy that directly cost Keays and the Crows a place in the 2023 finals. In that year’s round 23 match against Sydney, a late match-winning goal from Keays was incorrectly ruled a behind by the on-field goal umpire. By the old rules, the ARC could not intervene to correct the call once play had resumed after the score review. The mistake ended up eliminating Adelaide from finals contention by the thinnest of margins.
In response to widespread criticism of that controversial incident, the AFL introduced a new rule for the 2025 season: the ARC would now be allowed to correct incorrect goal calls even after play had restarted, rolling back to the goal line to reset play once the correct call was made. However, after a series of logistical teething issues during the opening rounds of this season, league officials made the last-minute decision to scrap the new rule and revert to the pre-2025 framework.
The unexpected policy change comes as the Crows prepare for one of their biggest matches of the 2025 season, Friday night’s Showdown at Adelaide Oval. Currently, Adelaide holds a 3-4 win-loss record after seven rounds, with a 96.1 percentage, while Port Adelaide enters the fixture on the back of a stunning upset win over premiership contender Geelong, putting Adelaide’s early premiership aspirations at serious risk.
Despite the off-field rule drama hanging over the build-up, Keays said he is relishing the unique intensity of the cross-town derby. “I just love the energetic and intense atmosphere, sort of the hum of the crowd. That’s what makes it such an amazing fixture, it’s like a bit of a cauldron out there on the Adelaide Oval and that’s created by both sets of fans. I am looking forward to all the Crows fans being there in full voice and bringing that intense atmosphere,” he said.
One major off-field issue remains unresolved for the Crows ahead of the match: the availability of star captain Jordan Dawson, who is still grieving the sudden passing of his brother. Dawson took the field against Brisbane last weekend but was clearly emotional after the final siren, and the club has not yet confirmed whether he will feature on Friday. Keays confirmed the entire squad is standing behind Dawson and his family, whatever decision he makes. “Absolutely, we’re going to support Daws however he needs, support his family as a club and whatever he needs we’ll be there for him,” he said.
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Simeone, Atletico chasing redemption against Arsenal
Against a backdrop of repeated near-misses and crushing recent disappointment, Atletico Madrid and long-serving head coach Diego Simeone know exactly what is at stake when they welcome Premier League leaders Arsenal to the Metropolitano Stadium for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg. This high-stakes clash comes just over a week after the club’s devastating Copa del Rey final defeat, a result that left tens of thousands of traveling Atletico supporters returning home empty-handed — a familiar bitter feeling for a side that has fallen at the final hurdle of Europe’s top club competition three times before, including losses to city rivals Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016, and a defeat back in 1974. The club has never lifted the Champions League trophy, making this run a historic chance to end that long drought.
This semi-final tie also falls during Atletico’s 123rd anniversary celebrations, adding extra emotional weight to a fixture that already promises to deliver electric atmosphere. In the team’s first home match following the Copa final heartbreak, Atletico fans greeted the side with a chilly reception during a La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao. That negative mood shifted by the final whistle, however, as Atletico scraped a tense 3-2 victory — only their second win across all competitions in their previous nine outings. The three points provided a much-needed confidence boost heading into the Arsenal tie, and a reminder of the side’s fighting spirit.
Simeone, Atletico Madrid’s most successful manager in history, has echoed the fans’ desire for tangible success. “The fans don’t need messages from me; what they need is to win,” he stated ahead of the semi-final. Star striker Julian Alvarez, who hit the woodwork twice during Atletico’s 4-0 group stage defeat to Arsenal back in October, echoed his coach’s determination, saying: “We have to get up from that blow and give everything to get to the final.”
The Metropolitano Stadium, which opened in 2017 to replace the iconic Vicente Calderón, has already proven to be a fortress for Simeone’s side this season. While it lacks the decades of history of its predecessor, big European nights under the lights like this one are exactly how new legends are built. When Atletico eliminated Barcelona in the quarter-finals, the atmosphere was described as frenzied and intoxicating, and supporters are expected to turn up the volume even higher for Arsenal’s visit. Leading Madrid newspaper AS summed up the fan mood: “Congratulations Atletico — if you beat Arsenal, then the anniversary celebration will be perfect.”
Simeone has publicly called on Atletico’s famously passionate fanbase to give his side the critical edge against the English leaders, noting that the club’s current run of deep Champions League runs has been built on hard work and unwavering supporter backing. “We need them now more than ever, and hopefully, we can give them what they want on the pitch,” he said.
Critics have long clung to the myth that Simeone’s Atletico rely solely on dour, defensive football, but recent dominant home performances have blown that narrative apart. Earlier this season, they blitzed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final and romped to a 5-2 derby victory over Real Madrid, displaying clinical attacking flair alongside their trademark intensity. For Simeone, who is in his 14th season at the helm, non-negotiable traits have always remained the same: relentless work rate, unbreakable competitiveness, and the ability to dig in against superior opposition. The team’s motto “Coraje y corazon” — courage and heart — sums up this identity, and even in their current attacking setup, Atletico looks to hurt opponents with blistering power and pace.
The squad is well-equipped to deliver on that identity: dynamic forwards Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente and Alexander Sorloth bring constant physical pressure, while even creative talisman Antoine Griezmann — Atletico’s all-time top goalscorer, who will leave for MLS side Orlando City this summer — is renowned for his relentless work off the ball. Simeone joked at a recent press conference, sitting alongside Griezmann: “If you don’t run, you’re coming off tomorrow.”
Alvarez confirmed he is 100% fit ahead of the tie, despite his difficult outing against Arsenal in October, but Atletico will be without energetic injured midfielder Pablo Barrios. Llorente noted that both sides have evolved dramatically since that early-season meeting, and the recent win over Athletic has given the squad renewed belief. Griezmann, who is soaking up every moment of his final weeks at the club, said: “I’m enjoying these last few games here. I hope I can gift something incredible to the fans.” For Simeone and the entire Atletico squad, though, the only gift that will satisfy the fanbase is silverware — and a win over Arsenal would put them one step closer to the redemption they have chased for so long.
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A South Sudan community is denied aid as government and opposition blame each other
Amid a fresh wave of armed conflict in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, thousands of displaced civilians trapped in an isolated, swamp-ringed village have been blocked from receiving emergency humanitarian aid by government officials, military and local authorities, according to eyewitness accounts and statements from leading international aid organizations interviewed by the Associated Press.
The crisis began in December 2023, when opposition forces aligned with Riek Machar — the long-time political rival of President Salva Kiir who was suspended from his post as first vice president and placed under house arrest last year over alleged subversion — seized multiple military outposts across Jonglei. Government counteroffensives the following month pushed thousands of civilians to flee their homes, many toward the remote settlement of Nyatim, a day’s walk from the contested town of Lankien. Among the evacuees was Thomas Nim, a 43-year-old pharmacist who trekked through swampland with his pregnant wife, three children and elderly mother to escape advancing government troops. “Some of the most vulnerable, like the elderly and children, ended up in Nyatim because they couldn’t make it any farther,” Nim explained to the AP.
Trapped in the desolate location with no access to clean water or sufficient food, displaced residents relied on a Starlink satellite internet connection to send out pleas for emergency assistance. Eyewitnesses report dozens of people have already died, many from apparent starvation, with residents reduced to foraging for leaves and wild roots to stay alive.
When international aid groups including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) applied for official government clearance to deliver relief supplies to Nyatim, their requests were repeatedly rejected. “It was a ‘no’ from local and national authorities and from the military,” stated Yashovardhan, MSF’s South Sudan mission head, who uses a single name. WFP country director Adham Effendi confirmed the blockade, noting the agency had been blocked despite “numerous engagements with both national and local authorities” — an unusually public rebuke from an agency that has historically avoided public criticism of South Sudan’s government over aid access restrictions.
Both government and opposition representatives have traded blame for the ongoing crisis. Gatkhor Dual, an opposition aid coordinator in Jonglei, accused county commissioner James Bol Makuei of intentionally cutting off aid to the area because he believes Nyatim’s residents support the opposition. Makuei has countered that access is restricted because the population estimate of 30,000 cited by MSF is exaggerated, and claimed the main opposition group SPLM-IO is holding civilians hostage in the area to gain political leverage and attract aid near the county seat of government. But Nim, the displaced pharmacist who fled to Nyatim, denies any opposition military presence in the village.
While concerns over aid diversion are not unfounded in South Sudan — where armed groups on both sides have a long track record of seizing humanitarian supplies for military use, and the U.N. reports fighters looted more than two dozen aid-run health facilities during recent Jonglei fighting — the blockade has left thousands of vulnerable people with no source of life-sustaining support. Some residents have already abandoned the remote village and returned to their conflict-ruined homes out of desperation. “People are returning to their homes,” said Koang Pajok, one of those who left Nyatim. “There was no food and shelter.”
Delivering aid across South Sudan has long been a challenge, hampered by crumbling infrastructure, repeated attacks on river transport routes, and mandatory bureaucratic clearance from government officials. The ongoing crisis in Nyatim has deepened an already catastrophic humanitarian situation across the region: in the nearby community of Chuil, where the government has allowed aid access, MSF screening in March found more than half of 1,000 tested children were acutely malnourished. The aid organization has been forced to repeatedly expand its small treatment facility in Chuil from four beds to 100 to keep up with the influx of starving civilians.
Barred from overland or river access to remote areas, WFP has carried out airdrops of 415 metric tons of food to the Chuil region since March. But the arrival of aid has also drawn armed men with military weapons to the area, sparking fears the site could become a target for airstrikes. When a surveillance plane flew over the region in April, anxious civilians scattered, recalling that a similar overflight preceded a December airstrike on Lankien that killed at least 11 civilians.
The current crisis is the latest chapter in decades of cyclical violence in South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 before descending into a civil war between Kiir and Machar that killed an estimated 400,000 people between 2013 and 2018. A 2018 peace deal formed a fragile unity government between the two rivals, but fighting has reemerged in recent months, with consistent reports that armed groups on both sides have weaponized aid to punish civilian populations aligned with opposing factions.
This reporting is supported by a grant from the Gates Foundation, with the AP retaining full editorial control over all content.
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‘Full belief in what he can do’: Cameron Munster’s numbers are way down this year, but Storm teammates back him to respond
The Melbourne Storm, one of the most dominant rugby league clubs of the 21st century, is facing its worst run of form in the Craig Bellamy era, after dropping a sixth consecutive match that has all but ended the club’s 2026 finals campaign. The slump has sparked widespread criticism of club and Queensland captain Cameron Munster, the franchise’s star five-eighth who has posted career-worst numbers across every key attacking and defensive metric this season. But teammate and utility Tyran Wishart has jumped to defend the veteran playmaker, saying the entire squad shares responsibility for the losing streak and that the team remains fully confident Munster can return to his elite best.
Saturday’s 2026 Anzac Day clash at home against the South Sydney Rabbitohs marked a new low for the Storm: it was the first time the Rabbitohs had ever beaten Melbourne in Melbourne, and the defeat stretched the club’s losing run to six matches – a result Bellamy had never had to navigate across his decades-long tenure as head coach. Following the demoralizing loss, Bellamy made his frustration with the squad’s performance crystal clear.
Speaking to Fox League post-match, Munster, one of the most dynamic running five-eighths of the modern era, opened up about the team’s struggle, admitting the side fell well short of the standards expected of the historic club on a day that honors Australian and New Zealand service members. “We spoke about today about how lucky we are to play on a day like Anzac Day. You want to turn up for your teammates, club and the soldiers who served our country,” Munster said. “We all had moments we want to have back as players and as a group. We were very poor again … as a spine, we’ve been very poor. It’s frustrating because we’re training so well. We’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”
The 2026 season has been a stark departure from Munster’s usual elite form. He has not crossed the try line in 23 consecutive outings, and all of his key attacking statistics have plummeted from his 2025 campaign. Last year, Munster notched 25 try assists; this season, he has recorded just four. He has broken the opposition line only once all year, and his average running metres per game are the lowest of his entire 14-year professional career. Defensively, the trend is equally concerning: he is missing a career-high 4.1 tackles per match, and on Saturday he was outmatched by rising Rabbitohs forward Tallis Duncan, who dominated physical collisions when carrying the ball.
With the season teetering, the Storm will be forced to adjust their line-up for Friday’s clash against the Dolphins: starting halfback Jahrome Hughes is ruled out after sustaining a head knock, meaning Munster will line up alongside a new halves partner. Despite the mounting pressure and off-field criticism, Wishart said the entire squad remains firmly behind Munster, emphasizing that the playmaker has never shied away from accountability and continues to put in maximum effort at training.
“He always tries hard and you can never knock him for that,” Wishart said. “He’s the first to put the blame on himself, but we all love playing with him. We know what he can do, he’s a competitor, and that’s what we love about him. The rest of this year, we’ve got full belief in what he can do so that’s not an issue for us.”
For a club that has dominated the NRL for more than 20 years, missing the 2026 finals would be a historic shakeup to the league’s hierarchy, as the Storm works to reset and recover from its worst losing run in modern club history.
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Trial of Austrian man accused of plotting to attack a Taylor Swift concert set to begin
VIENNA, Austria — Two years after an alleged terrorist plot targeting a high-profile Taylor Swift concert was uncovered, an Austrian court is set to open the trial Tuesday for the 21-year-old Austrian citizen at the center of the conspiracy. The defendant, identified only as Beran A. in compliance with Austria’s strict privacy regulations for criminal defendants, faces multiple serious charges, including terrorist activity and formal membership in the Islamic State (IS) militant group. If convicted on all counts, he could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The foiled plot sent shockwaves across the globe in August 2024, when Austrian authorities, acting on critical intelligence shared by U.S. security agencies, announced the last-minute cancellation of three sold-out Eras Tour shows scheduled at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium. The cancellation left tens of thousands of Swift’s devoted fans, known colloquially as Swifties, heartbroken—many of whom had traveled from every corner of the world to attend the record-breaking tour. While the disappointment ran deep, the global fan base turned the crisis into a moment of collective connection, transforming the entire city of Vienna into an impromptu gathering spot where fans traded handmade friendship bracelets a staple of Eras Tour fan culture and joined in mass singalongs of Swift’s biggest hits.
On the eve of the trial, defense attorney Anna Mair confirmed to the Associated Press that her client intends to plead guilty to the majority of the charges against him, though she declined to specify which counts he will admit to.
According to official allegations laid out by prosecutors, Beran A. planned to target massive crowds gathered outside Ernst Happel Stadium on the nights of the scheduled shows. Authorities say the plot targeted up to 30,000 fans waiting outside the venue each night, alongside 65,000 concertgoers inside, with the attacker planning to use knives or improvised homemade explosives. Investigators have stated the suspect’s explicit goal was to “kill as many people as possible.” When authorities raided Beran A.’s Vienna apartment on August 7, 2024—just one day before the first scheduled show—they recovered a cache of materials for building explosive devices.
Prosecutors have also charged a second co-defendant, 21-year-old Arda K., whose full name is also withheld per privacy rules, in connection with a broader network of IS-aligned plots. Court documents allege that Beran A., Arda K., and a third suspect identified only as Hasan E. planned to carry out coordinated, simultaneous attacks across Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates during the 2024 Ramadan holiday, all in the name of IS.
The only one of these three plots to be carried out was Hasan E.’s attack in March 2024 at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, where he allegedly stabbed a security guard. The suspect was arrested at the scene and remains in pre-trial custody in Saudi Arabia, while Beran A. and Arda K. abandoned their planned attacks in Turkey and the UAE. After returning to Vienna, prosecutors say Beran A. shifted his full attention to plotting the attack on Swift’s concert.
The Vienna conspiracy immediately drew international comparisons to the 2017 suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people—most of them young fans—and remains the deadliest extremist attack in the United Kingdom in recent decades.
In a statement posted to Instagram two weeks after the 2024 cancellation, Swift shared her own reaction to the disrupted shows and foiled attack. “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,” she wrote. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.”
The trial is being held in the town of Wiener Neustadt, roughly an hour’s drive south of Vienna, with proceedings scheduled to resume on May 12.