News from Multiple Perspectives

Video released by the Iranian Red Crescent shows a body pulled from the rubble of a destroyed building in Tehran.

In war, a weaker opponent will often resort to asymmetric warfare, a tactic Iran is likely to exploit against the US.

Authorities say 26 people died in capital Nairobi as floodwaters submerged homes and carried away vehicles.

A thick plume of smoke rises from an oil storage facility hit by a U.S.-Israeli strike late Saturday in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) 2026-03-09T02:40:07Z CHICAGO (AP) — Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel before falling back slightly on Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged to $119.50 per barrel but later was trading at $112.98. West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, spiked at $119.48 per barrel but fell back to $110.17. The war’s toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies, and oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes. Oil prices have surged as the war, now in its second week, ensnares countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world’s oil — typically are shipped every day through the Strait of Hormuz , according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has all but stopped tankers from traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut their oil production as storage tanks fill due to the reduced ability to export crude. Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, exacerbating supply concerns. The surge in costs for oil and natural gas is pushing fuel prices higher, cascading through other industries and jolting Asian economies that are especially vulnerable due to the region’s heavy reliance on imports from the Middle East. The last time Brent and U.S. crude futures traded near the current level was in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Higher energy costs push inflation higher, straining household budgets and denting the consumer spending that is a main driver of many big economies. Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged more than 7% early Monday, while other markets also foundered. In the U.S ., a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.45 on Sunday, about 47 cents more than a week earlier, according to AAA motor club. Diesel was selling for about $4.60 a gallon, a weekly increase of about 83 cents. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said U.S. gas prices would be back under $3 a gallon “before too long.” “Look, you never know exactly the time frame of this, but, in the worst case, this is a weeks, this is not a months thing,” Wright added. If oil prices stay above $100 per barrel, some analysts and investors say it could be too much for the global economy to withstand. Iranian authorities said strikes by Israel on oil depots in Tehran and a petroleum transfer terminal early Sunday killed four people. Israel’s military said the depots were being used by Iran’s military for fuel to launch missiles. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, warned that the war’s impact on the oil industry would spiral. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran’s exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices. The price of natural gas also has climbed during the war, though not by as much as oil. It was selling for about $3.33 per 1,000 cubic feet late Sunday. That’s 4.6% higher than its Friday closing price of $3.19, after rising about 11% last week. U.S. stock index futures fell early Monday, pointing to likely losses for Wall Street’s main indexes when they open. On Friday, the S&P 500 dropped 1.3% and the Dow plunged as many as 945 points before finishing with a loss of roughly 450. The Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the Israel-U.S. attacks on Iran started Feb. 28, not March 1. ___ Kurtenbach contributed from Bangkok. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the AP’s business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto 获取更多RSS： https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A 5-ton class eVTOL aircraft from AutoFlight makes a flight landing at a testing field in Kunshan city in China's Jiangsu province, on Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) 2026-03-09T01:04:03Z BEIJING (AP) — Two major economic plans unveiled at the annual meeting of China’s legislature outline top priorities that have different ramifications for the global economy. In the government plan for 2026, the No. 1 task is “building a robust domestic market.” Then comes accelerating technological progress. But longer-term, a plan for the next five years gives more prominence to achieving advances in tech. A robot accompanies a traditional music performance at a Lunar New Year tech temple fair in Beijing on Feb. 19. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) A robot accompanies a traditional music performance at a Lunar New Year tech temple fair in Beijing on Feb. 19. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The subtle difference highlights the government’s balancing act. Its overarching goal is to transform from a low-cost manufacturing to a tech-driven economy. But a more immediate concern is dealing with a prolonged period of sluggishness that has depressed consumer and business confidence. China is such a large exporter that the choices it makes affect countries and jobs around the world. The plans, presented at the recent opening of the National People’s Congress, offer a window into the government’s thinking. They are set to be formally endorsed by the rubber-stamp legislature at the end of the eight-day session on Thursday. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Tech crucial to China’s future Analysts believe technological prowess remains the far more important goal for Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his vision to build the nation into a major power that can contend with the United States on issues ranging from trade to Taiwan tensions . Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 5. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 5. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Speaking to a provincial delegation at the National People’s Congress, Xi called for new breakthroughs, original innovation and “seizing the strategic high ground of science and technology,” according to a state media report. China’s rapid growth into the world’s second-largest economy has lifted it to the level of a middle-income nation. To keep advancing, Xi has promoted polices that move the economy into higher-value industries. A government-backed push into electric vehicles , for example, has transformed China into an emerging player in the global auto industry, while dovetailing with national climate goals. The five-year plan vows to “target the frontiers of science and technology,” speeding up development in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology and new energy. Moves toward self-sufficiency The push has expanded and morphed as technology has evolved into an area of competition with the U.S. with national security implications. The U.S. has restricted the access of Chinese companies to the most advanced technologies, including semiconductors that drive AI. The justification is that these parts can wind up in weapons at a time when the two countries are military rivals as well. A woman walks past a job-hunting advertisement that says “Artificial intelligence is brought by human work” at a bus stand in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) A woman walks past a job-hunting advertisement that says “Artificial intelligence is brought by human work” at a bus stand in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More China’s government has responded by pouring resources into trying to develop these components itself as well as engineer ways to remain competitive with less advanced parts. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); China must “fight the battle for key core technologies,” the five-year plan said. Specific goals, apart from AI, electric vehicles and robotics, include making advancements in semiconductors, batteries, biomedicine and 6G mobile networks. The plan also pledged to expand production of China’s homegrown passenger jet , the C919, and make breakthroughs in developing its own commercial jet engine. The U.S. temporarily cut off the supply of Western-supplied engines for the C919 last year during an escalation in the trade war with China. Rare earths — where China is the global leader — was highlighted as an area where it should maintain its competitive edge as the U.S. and other countries seek to develop their own supplies of the critical elements for many advanced tech and military products. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Trump’s tariffs Even as China’s economy has cooled at home, rising exports have kept it growing overall. But tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump have exposed the risk of relying too heavily on overseas markets. China was able to shift exports to other markets, but that is facing challenges as its record trade surplus of almost $1.2 trillion raises alarm about the threat to factory jobs and the broader economies in other countries. That has added impetus to China’s push to pump up consumer spending, so the economy is less dependent on outside forces. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); “Facing a complex and challenging international environment, we must remain committed to the strategy of expanding domestic demand,” the annual economic plan said. But for all the strong words, analysts say the effort appears aimed at keeping the economy afloat rather than boosting it. The annual plan sets a growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026, leaving room for a drop from last year’s 5% rise. A man pushes children in a cart at a mall in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A man pushes children in a cart at a mall in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Meanwhile, the government is primed to offer huge subsidies for high-tech advances in manufacturing, analysts said. “Technological development and self-sufficiency remain central priorities, and industrial policy will continue to be deployed as an essential tool to achieve them,” economists at Capital Economics wrote in a research note. Similar subsidies to the wind and solar industries led to manufacturing oversupply that was exported at rock-bottom prices, undercutting overseas competitors. The end result could be an even larger imbalance between China’s immense manufacturing capacity and its weaker domestic demand, further driving up its exports. ___ Chan Ho-him reported from Hong Kong. KEN MORITSUGU Moritsugu covers political, economic and social issues from Beijing for The Associated Press. He has also reported from New Delhi, Bangkok and Tokyo and is the AP’s former news director for Greater China and for Japan and the Koreas. twitter CHAN HO-HIM Chan covers China business, economy and finance for The Associated Press, reporting on key sectors from technology to trade. He is based in Hong Kong. mailto

An Israeli tank maneuvers in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) 2026-03-09T05:55:35Z BEIRUT (AP) — The human rights group Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday that the Israeli military “unlawfully” hit a village in southern Lebanon with shells containing white phosphorus, a controversial incendiary munition. Through geolocating and verifying seven images, Human Rights Watch said Israel fired white phosphorus using artillery at residential areas in the southern Lebanese village of Yohmor. It happened hours after the Israeli military warned the residents of the village and dozens of others in southern Lebanon to evacuate. Human Rights Watch said it couldn’t independently identify if any residents were still in the area or if anyone was harmed. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, it has maintained that it uses white phosphorus as a smoke screen and not to target civilians. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Human rights advocates say the use of white phosphorus is illegal under international law when the white-hot chemical substance is fired into populated areas. It can set buildings on fire and burn human flesh down to the bone. Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small. “The Israeli military’s unlawful use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming and will have dire consequences for civilians,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch. Organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said the munition was used in Israel’s last war with Hezbollah, over a year ago, on numerous occasions in southern Lebanon while civilians were still present.

Concern has grown for team after one critic called them 'wartime traitors' for failing to salute during the Iranian anthem.

Sites such as Pornhub and RedTube must verify the ages of all users or risk million-dollar fines.

Major disruption to energy supplies threatens to push up prices for consumers and businesses around the world.

As Americans are stranded in the Middle East amid the U.S. and Israel war with Iran , government and private agencies are working around the clock to conduct evacuations. In addition to the U.S. Department of State's 24/7 task force aimed at evacuating Americans, private security firm Global Guardian is also working around the clock to complete the same mission. As of Friday, Global Guardian has evacuated more than 4,000 people from the Middle East , according to its CEO and President, Dale Robert Buckner. While operations and logistics teams sit in an office building in northern Virginia, the firm has personnel in more than 140 countries, allowing Global Guardian access to nearly every corner of the world for emergency response or evacuations. TRUMP SAYS DEFENSE GIANTS WILL QUADRUPLE PRODUCTION OF WEAPONS "We provide medical evac services, we provide kidnap, ransom, extortion negotiation payment if someone is kidnapped or extorted," Buckner said. "We're providing about 300 missions a month of executive protection travel, in about 84 countries a month." The private security firm also conducts camera surveillance of residences and commercial property and has cyber analysts monitoring mobile devices. After the U.S. and Israel struck Iran in a joint attack last weekend, the firm has been coordinating multiple emergency response evacuations — but this isn't the first time it has assisted Americans out of a crisis zone. "That means getting people out of Puerto Vallarta a week ago, and Jalisco, Mexico. That means getting people out of Asheville, North Carolina when it got wiped out by a hurricane," Buckner said. STATE DEPARTMENT GIVES UPDATES ON AMERICANS FLEEING MIDDLE EAST Logistically, getting tourists out of a war zone and back to safety is a process, but the firm works fast, completing their first border crossing within the first six hours of the missile strikes . Immediately, the firm received a call from a pair of students studying abroad, Deputy Vice President of Operations Colin O'Brien told Fox News. He said they were trying to leave Dubai. "Within about four and a half hours from the phone call, we had our teams in motion to go pick these people up and it was two college-aged women," said O'Brien. "Put them in the car, we were then able to move from the Omani border and by eight hours we were at the border. Work through the border checkpoint to a hotel in Muscat, where we could stop and give them a short rest while we arrange their transportation home," he says. The group said it remains active year-round to ensure evacuation plans are in place before disasters strike. "There's a narrative of, here’s the pickup point, here’s the key crossing site," Buckner said. "This is what you’re gonna need from a paperwork standpoint, legally. And then we’re gonna put you in a hotel or straight onto a commercial flight. Most likely, at this point in the war, we’re gonna put you on a private charter." WHAT'S NEXT IN OPERATION EPIC FURY Buckner said most of these missions happening in the region are ground movement, done by locals. He says in the 140 countries the firm is in, they have ground teams working year-round. Consistently training year-round. "We're communicating, we're coordinating, we're executing. Executive protection agents, armed agents, armed vehicles, large-scale event support with medical and security personnel," he said, describing the firm's standard operating capabilities. "We're coordinating whether the firm needs drivers. From Dubai to Oman, Israel to either Oman, Jordan or Egypt. Out of Bahrain into Saudi Arabia," Buckner said. While the firm is coordinating with the State Department, it said it has not yet conducted a flight mission on behalf of the department. Global Guardian offers these services through what it calls a "Duty of Care Membership," which Buckner said costs $15,000 per year for a family of five. "You are going to sign a contract — whether it's a family, a family office or typically a large corporate logo. Then we become, at your beck and call," Buckner said, describing the emergency response services included in the agreement. For Americans currently stuck in the Middle East, Buckner said the cost of evacuation using ground and air resources varies depending on the situation and location.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has elected Mojtaba Khamenei , the son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader, according to Iranian state television. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is the second-eldest son of Ali Khamenei and was born in Mashhad in 1969. His early childhood coincided with his father’s rise as a revolutionary figurehead opposing the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S SUCCESSION BENCH WIPED OUT AS ISRAELI STRIKE HITS LEADERSHIP DELIBERATIONS After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Ali Khamenei moved from a dissident cleric to a senior government official, holding key posts in the regime including deputy defense minister. The family moved from Mashhad to Tehran, where Mojtaba attended Alavi High School, which is a school that is known for educating members of Iran’s political and religious elite . There, he received a general and religious education and graduated in 1987. In 1989, after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei was appointed supreme leader. ISRAEL STRIKES IRANIAN LEADERSHIP MEETING CHOOSING KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR That same year, Mojtaba began his formal clerical studies in Tehran. He studied under his father as well as Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who later served as Iran’s chief justice. Over the years, Mojtaba was seen constantly with his father and was also regarded as an influential figure behind the scenes. In an Axios interview last week, when asked about reports suggesting Mojtaba Khamenei was the new supreme leader, President Donald Trump said, "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran." Trump also said "They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela." In 2019, the U.S. sanctioned Mojtaba Khamenei under Executive Order 13867. The U.S. Treasury Department stated that he had been "representing the supreme leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father." IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER ALI KHAMENEI DEAD AFTER IDF STRIKE HITS TEHRAN COMPOUND, ISRAELI SOURCE CONFIRMS The Treasury also said that the supreme leader had delegated part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba. It said he worked closely with commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force and the Basij Resistance Force, positioning him as a key player in both domestic and international security affairs. Mojtaba is married to the daughter of former Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel. Among Ali Khamenei’s sons, he is considered the most powerful and politically influential, according to reports.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Sunday issued a safety warning to civilians in Iran, accusing the regime of launching military operations from densely populated areas and putting civilian lives at risk. CENTCOM said Iranian forces are using "heavily populated" cities, including Dezful, Isfahan and Shiraz, to launch one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles. U.S. forces urged civilians in Iran to remain at home, warning that locations used for military purposes could lose protected status under international law and become legitimate targets. " Iran’s terrorist regime is blatantly disregarding civilian lives by attacking Gulf partners while compromising the safety of their own people," Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement. CENTCOM said U.S. forces take "every feasible precaution" to minimize civilian harm but cannot guarantee safety near facilities used by the Iranian regime for military purposes. IRAN PROXIES WAGE WAR ON ISRAEL, THREATEN US INTERESTS AS IRAQ SLAMMED FOR NOT DISARMING THEM CENTCOM's announcement said Tehran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones since the start of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, though launch rates have declined as U.S. and partner forces have targeted Iran’s military capabilities. Iran has targeted civilian airports and hotels across the Middle East as part of retaliatory attacks against several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. AMERICAN STUCK IN MIDDLE EAST ESCAPES IN RACE TO REACH CRITICALLY ILL HUSBAND IN CALIFORNIA The UAE’s Ministry of Defense on Sunday released footage of its air defenses intercepting and destroying Iranian drones. The ministry said 17 ballistic missiles were detected, with 16 destroyed and one falling into the sea. Air defenses also detected 117 drones, intercepting 113 of them while four fell within the country’s territory. STATE DEPARTMENT DEFENDS ‘PROACTIVE’ EVACUATION EFFORTS AGAINST DEMS' CLAIMS OF DIPLOMATIC CHAOS Since the start of Iran’s attacks, the UAE says it has intercepted 221 ballistic missiles and 1,342 drones, along with eight cruise missiles. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed on X that Iran has not attacked "friendly and neighboring countries," saying its strikes have been aimed at U.S. military bases and installations in the region.

Asian markets tumbled on Monday as Middle East tensions and spiking oil prices sparked a mass exit from the region’s previously booming stocks.

The country found a home in the Middle East for its investments and growing markets for steel, electric vehicles and solar panels. Those are now at stake.

Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, traveled east to visit frontline troops trying to stave off Russian attacks, and invited reporters for The New York Times to go with him.

The New York State attorney general’s office has begun investigating how Columbia University let a predatory doctor continue to see patients despite decades of warnings. “The Office of the Attorney General is conducting a thorough investigation into the institutional response to Robert Hadden’s misconduct,” a spokesperson said in a statement to ProPublica. The agency did not give further details. A ProPublica investigation from the fall of 2023 revealed how Columbia ignored women and ultimately protected Robert Hadden , a longtime OB-GYN at the university. In 2012, Columbia allowed Hadden to continue seeing patients just days after one of them called 911 to report Hadden had sexually assaulted her. In early 2023, Hadden was convicted in federal court of sexually abusing patients. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence. Columbia has paid out more than $1 billion for over 1,000 claims of sexual abuse. After our investigation, Columbia committed to a variety of reforms, including improved patient safety , a $100 million fund for victims and an independent investigation. But advocates, students and survivors say Columbia needs to do far more to grapple with its role in Hadden’s conduct. Four hundred Columbia medical students recently wrote to university officials demanding disciplinary reviews for administrators who failed to heed warnings about Hadden.  Unlike at other universities that have dealt with serially abusive doctors, no higher-ups at Columbia appear to have lost their jobs or been disciplined. Dr. Mary D’Alton, who was cc’d on a letter that authorized Hadden’s return to work , remains the chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department. D’Alton did not respond to a request for comment. Columbia declined to comment for this story. The attorney general’s office has significant powers over New York’s nonprofits, including Columbia. A few years ago, it forced the Trump Foundation to shut down . More recently it sued the National Rife Association, which then had to enact a series of reforms .  Survivors told ProPublica they were heartened that New York is looking into Columbia.  “Accountability is overdue, particularly in light of the Epstein files,” said Evelyn Yang, pointing to recent revelations that several Columbia affiliates had ties to the financier. Read more How Columbia Ignored Women, Undermined Prosecutors and Protected a Predator for More Than 20 Years Yang was among at least 8 patients who were assaulted by Hadden after he returned to work. She was seven months pregnant at the time. Shortly after our story was published more than two years ago, Columbia promised to “thoroughly examine the circumstances that allowed Hadden’s abuse to continue.”  No report detailing those findings has yet been published.  Last week, Columbia acknowledged in an announcement that there “are many questions” about the timing of the investigation it commissioned. It said that the report is expected to be released “soon.” New York State Assemblymember Grace Lee blasted the university’s failure to issue the report, telling ProPublica the university has not taken responsibility for what happened. “To me, it’s just outrageous that we are here now in 2026 and we still have no report and no one has been held accountable,” she said. By comparison, the external investigation into the University of Michigan’s response to the crimes committed by its former physician Robert Anderson took about 15 months.  Another Hadden survivor, Marissa Hoechstetter, said the attorney general’s decision to examine Columbia provides some relief because the institution has repeatedly failed to do so itself. “I do believe institutional accountability is a missing part of making a bigger change in the fight of gender-based violence,” Hoechstetter said. “I don’t know what will come of this investigation” — referring to New York’s probe — “but it shows that institutions that protect and cover up abusers in order to protect their own people and reputation will be held accountable.” Hoechstetter and Yang both advocated for the passage of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York State law that in 2022 opened a one-year window in which survivors of sexual assault could file civil suits against their abusers or the institutions that protected them, even after the statute of limitations had passed. For years, the university had failed to notify Hadden’s former patients of his misconduct. Finally, in November 2023, just 10 days before the law’s extended window closed, Columbia announced it would send letters to almost 6,500 patients. A closed town hall meeting at the medical school this January gave a window into who was behind that lack of notification. “It actually is a Board of Trustee decision” because of the potential cost of litigation, Monica Lypson, the vice dean for medical education, told students in a recording that ProPublica obtained. Lypson did not respond to a request for comment. Separately, the deadline to submit a claim to Columbia’s survivors’ settlement fund, which was established for survivors who do not want to file lawsuits, has been extended to April 15 . The post New York Attorney General is Investigating Columbia for Allowing Predatory Doctor to See Patients Despite Warnings appeared first on ProPublica .

The Navy is no longer allowed to shroud its criminal trials in secrecy and must provide public access to hearings and records, a federal judge ruled last month. The order, the result of a yearslong lawsuit filed by ProPublica , forces the service for the first time to more closely mirror the transparency required in civilian courts. The judge agreed with ProPublica that the Navy was violating the First Amendment with its policies. “This is a landmark victory for transparency,” Sarah Matthews, ProPublica’s deputy general counsel, said. “It’s the first time a civilian court has held that the First Amendment right of public access applies to military courts and records. The Navy was allowed to prosecute our service members in secret for far too long, but that ends now.” ProPublica sued the Navy in 2022 after the service refused to release almost all court documents in a high-profile arson case, in which a sailor faced life imprisonment for a fire that destroyed a Navy assault ship. A ProPublica investigation found that the service decided to prosecute Ryan Mays despite little evidence connecting him to the fire — or that the fire was a result of arson in the first place — and a military judge’s recommendation to drop the charges. The Navy’s long-standing policy was to withhold all records from preliminary hearings, which consider whether there is probable cause to move forward with a case. In those that did go to trial, the Navy would only provide scant records long after the proceedings were over — and only if they ended in guilty findings. Records weren’t released if the charges were dropped or a defendant was acquitted. As a result, the public was unable to assess whether the court-martial system was fair or whether important issues, such as sexual assault, were being handled properly. Now the Navy must provide more timely access to all nonclassified records from trials regardless of outcome as well as from preliminary hearings. This includes the report from a crucial milestone in a criminal case, what the military calls an Article 32 hearing, in which a hearing officer, in a role much like a judge, recommends whether criminal charges should proceed. The Navy had argued to the court that it shouldn’t be required to release these reports because they are “non-binding, internal advisory documents.” The judge, Barry Ted Moskowitz of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, disagreed, saying earlier in the case that these hearings are “strikingly similar” to those in civilian courts that are open to the public. Access to the reports is a big win for the public, according to Frank Rosenblatt, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Congress intended for the military justice process to be a public window into what is happening with the military, and Article 32 reports in many cases end up being highly newsworthy,” he said. “These proceedings often reveal scapegoats, investigative flaws and command influence on matters of public concern not long after incidents happen.” The ruling imposed deadlines on the Navy for when records must be made public. Transcripts from hearings and trials must be turned over as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after a request, and other court records must be provided as soon as possible but no later than 60 days. The Navy is also required to give advanced notice of preliminary hearings, listing the full names of defendants and providing their charge sheets. After ProPublica sued, the Pentagon issued guidance early last year requiring the military to give at least three days’ notice of these hearings. But Moskwotiz said that wasn’t enough time and bumped up the requirement to 10 days. “While the judge did not require the Navy to provide contemporaneous access to records like in civilian courts, we’re thrilled that the Navy can no longer withhold more than 99% of the court records,” Matthews said. The Navy said in a brief to the judge that complying with the order “will require substantial amendments to multiple Navy policies, instructions and standards, including revisions to guidance for preliminary hearing officers, and the development and delivery of comprehensive training across the Navy.” Moskowitz stopped shy of ordering the secretary of defense to issue similar rules across the services, as requested by ProPublica and required by a federal law passed in 2016. (The Pentagon’s policy addressing the law , which wasn’t issued until 2023, fell far short of the “timely” release of documents “at all stages of the military justice system” that Congress called for.) Moskowitz said he could not make such a ruling because the secretary’s duties are “imprecise and subject to discretion.” The Navy did not respond to requests for comment about the judge’s order. During the last court hearing, the government lawyers told the court that “the Navy has an interest in complying with the law in general.” ProPublica is represented in the suit by Matthews and by pro bono attorneys at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (Ted Boutrous, Michael Dore, Marissa Mulligan and Mckenzie Robinson, plus former Gibson Dunn attorneys Eric Richardson, Dan Willey and Sasha Dudding when they were at the firm) and at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (Tenaya Rodewald and Matthew Halgren). The post ProPublica Wins Lawsuit Over Access to Court Records in U.S. Navy Cases appeared first on ProPublica .

Thousands of companies are jockeying for billions of dollars in Defense Department contracts to build a shield designed to intercept and destroy missiles launched against the United States. But amid the intense competition, a handful of firms have an important inside connection. At least four of the companies awarded contracts so far are owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm founded by billionaire Steve Feinberg, who until last year ran the company and is now the deputy secretary of defense — the second-highest-ranking official in the Pentagon. Feinberg oversees the office in charge of the Golden Dome for America project, which is modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. Feinberg filed paperwork saying he divested from Cerberus and its related businesses. But his government ethics records contain an unusual clause: He is allowed to continue contracting with the company for tax compliance and accounting services as well as health care coverage, a financial relationship that documents show could continue indefinitely. Feinberg’s financial statements and ethics agreement are part of a trove of nearly 3,200 disclosure records that ProPublica is making public today. The disclosures, which can be viewed in a searchable online tool, detail the finances of more than 1,500 federal officials appointed by President Donald Trump. Records for Trump and Vice President JD Vance are also included. The documents reveal a web of financial ties between senior government officials and the industries they help regulate — relationships that have drawn scrutiny as Trump has dismantled ethics safeguards designed to prevent conflicts of interest. On his first day back in office, Trump rescinded an executive order signed by President Joe Biden that required his appointees to comply with an ethics pledge. The pledge barred them from working on issues related to their former lobbying topics or clients for two years. Weeks later, Trump fired 17 inspectors general charged with investigating fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest across the federal government. Around the same time, he removed the head of the Office of Government Ethics, the agency that oversees ethics compliance throughout the executive branch. The office is currently without a head or a chief of staff. Read More Explore Financial Disclosures From President Trump and 1,500 of His Appointees Against that backdrop, ProPublica has, over the past year, used the disclosure records to investigate how personal financial interests have intersected with government decision-making inside the Trump administration. The documents helped show that senior executive branch officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi , made well-timed securities trades, at times selling stocks just before markets plunged because Trump announced new tariffs. (The officials either did not respond to requests for comment or said they had no insider information before they made their trades.) Other disclosures revealed that two high-ranking scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency who recently helped downgrade the agency’s assessment of the health risks of formaldehyde had previously held senior positions at the chemical industry’s leading trade group. (The EPA said the scientists had obtained ethics advice approving their work on the project.) In December, ProPublica reported that Trump has appointed more than 200 people who collectively owned — either by themselves or with their spouses — between $175 million and $340 million in cryptocurrency investments at the time they filed their disclosures. Some of those appointees now hold positions overseeing or influencing regulation of the crypto industry . Among them are Todd Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense attorney and now the second-highest-ranking official in the Justice Department. Blanche’s disclosure records show that he owned at least $159,000 in crypto-related assets last year when he shut down investigations into crypto companies, dealers and exchanges. After ProPublica reported on Blanche’s actions, six Democratic senators accused him of a “glaring” conflict of interest , and a watchdog group asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate . A Justice Department spokesperson has said Blanche upholds the highest ethical standards and that his crypto orders were “appropriately flagged, addressed and cleared in advance,” but she did not respond to questions asking who had cleared his actions. Conflicts of interest have long plagued both Democratic and Republican administrations. But ethics experts say Trump’s second term marks a sharp break from modern norms. Trump has openly defended his family’s financial enrichment while he is in office, including through cryptocurrency deals that critics say allow investors, including foreign entities, to curry favor by boosting the president’s personal wealth. “I found out nobody cared, and I’m allowed to,” Trump told The New York Times , referring to his family’s business dealings. Trump also remains unapologetic about accepting a Boeing 747 worth about $400 million from the Qatari government and transferring nearly $1 billion from a nuclear weapons program to retrofit it. Virginia Canter, chief counsel for ethics and corruption at Democracy Defenders Fund, a nonprofit governmental watchdog group, cited Trump’s new plane as a brazen example of self-dealing. “Ethics is in the toilet,” said Canter, who served as an ethics lawyer at the White House, Treasury Department and Securities and Exchange Commission during the presidencies of George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the president and his appointees. “President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in history,” Kelly said. “He has also nominated highly-qualified individuals across the Executive Branch who have a wide range of public and private sector backgrounds.” The idea of a space-based missile defense shield has persisted ever since President Ronald Reagan proposed his own version nicknamed “Star Wars.” Trump rekindled the idea on the campaign trail. His Golden Dome for America imagines a battery of weapons, deployed from land, sea and space, able to destroy missiles launched at the U.S. We are continuing our reporting on conflicts of interest in the Trump administration. Do you have information you can share about any of the people in our database? Or about current officials not found in our online tool who might have conflicts? You can reach our tip line on Signal at 917-512-0201. Please be as specific, detailed and clear as you can. In December, the Defense Department started selecting companies for the project, for which it has allocated as much as $151 billion. So far, the agency has granted awards to more than 2,000 firms. Cerberus owns or is a majority investor in at least four of them: North Wind, Stratolaunch, Red River Technology and NetCentrics Corp. Citing national security concerns, defense officials have not publicized the amounts of each contract or the products or services the companies are providing. (The Defense Department is required by law to publicly announce only contracts worth more than $9 million.) Feinberg, who co-founded Cerberus in 1992, listed assets worth at least $2 billion when he was nominated by Trump last year. In his ethics agreement, Feinberg said he would divest his stake in the firm, potentially giving assets to irrevocable trusts benefiting his adult children — a maneuver that is legal under federal conflict-of-interest law but one that ethics experts say undermines its intent. Feinberg also told ethics officials that he needed to contract with Cerberus for accounting, tax and health care services in the short term but would find other providers by April 2026. However, at Feinberg’s request, Defense Department officials approved an extension earlier this year, allowing the financial relationship to continue without an end date. In an amendment to his ethics agreement, he said he would “pay customary and reasonable fees” for Cerberus’ services but did not say how much those would be. Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, center, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, at the Pentagon in 2025 Jonathan Ernst/Reuters It’s unclear what role Feinberg has played — or will play — in deciding which firms receive Golden Dome contracts. In response to questions from ProPublica, the Defense Department said Feinberg does not “have direct responsibility for any Golden Dome acquisitions” but did not elaborate. The department would not comment on whether Feinberg or anyone in his office had met with any contractor representatives. What is not disputed is Feinberg’s oversight of the Golden Dome initiative. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, who heads the project, reports directly to him . Richard Painter, a former White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said Feinberg’s ongoing relationship with Cerberus creates at least a perception of a conflict of interest that could undermine confidence in the fairness of the contracting process. “This is what President Eisenhower worried about in the 1960s” when he railed against the military-industrial complex, Painter said of Eisenhower’s farewell address warning of the risks of a too-close relationship between the military and private defense businesses. In response to questions from ProPublica, a Cerberus spokesperson said in an email: “Mr. Feinberg divested his stake in Cerberus and any funds that it manages, and is not involved with the operations of Cerberus or any of its portfolio companies in any way.” The spokesperson added that the administrative services provided to Feinberg “are unrelated to any investment activities or operations of Cerberus or its funds and were pre-approved by the Department of War’s Ethics Office and the Office of Government Ethics.” Another top official in the department is Marc Berkowitz , who was confirmed in December as assistant secretary of defense for space policy. During his confirmation, Berkowitz described the Golden Dome project as one of his top priorities . Berkowitz previously worked as a space industry consultant and vice president for strategic planning at Lockheed Martin. The giant defense and aerospace company was among the firms awarded Golden Dome contracts days before Berkowitz’s confirmation. Lockheed is likely to compete for a large role in the project. The company has set up a webpage dedicated to the Golden Dome , and Reuters reported that Lockheed is one of several firms that received contracts to build competing prototypes of the missile defense system. In his financial disclosure documents, Berkowitz reported receiving two monthly pensions from Lockheed and owning between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in the firm. Berkowitz agreed to divest by March 18, documents show. During his confirmation hearing, he downplayed any potential role he would have in Golden Dome contract decisions , noting that his position was more about policy. A senior Defense Department official told ProPublica that Berkowitz is recusing himself from matters involving Lockheed until his remaining shares are sold. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department’s ethics framework is “rigorous” and that Feinberg and Berkowitz are in full compliance with the law. “Any claims to the contrary are fake news,” Parnell said. Other agencies have similar industry links. Across the administration, former lobbyists and corporate executives now occupy influential positions, including Bondi , White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy . Their ties to former clients have made national headlines, but ProPublica’s searchable online tool provides the public an important glimpse into the financial relationships of a powerful and often hidden cadre of presidential appointees within the federal bureaucracy. Reports show that after being nominated to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Jonathan Morrison revealed he served for two years as a director of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, the trade group that represents companies that make and use self-driving cars. He left the position in February 2024. At his confirmation hearing last year , Morrison said he wanted the NHTSA to set national standards and play a leading role in the industry’s development of self-driving vehicles. Sean Rushton, an NHTSA spokesperson, said Morrison doesn’t have to recuse himself from matters involving the autonomous vehicle group because he left the organization long before the presidential election and his nomination as highway traffic safety administrator. Most political appointees and senior officials in the executive branch are required by law to file public financial disclosure reports. These documents detail their financial assets, the positions they hold outside government, their spouse’s holdings, their liabilities and their recent financial transactions (such as buying or selling stock) during a defined reporting period. For the most part, the law does not require appointees to provide exact financial values but instead a range. At least a dozen appointees withheld the identities of previous clients, ProPublica found. Appointees are allowed to keep the name of former clients confidential under exceptional circumstances, such as when the identity is protected by a court order or revealing the name would violate the rules of a professional licensing organization. In New York and Washington, D.C., for example, the organizations that license attorneys prohibit them from revealing confidential information about a client in most situations, including if doing so would be embarrassing or is likely to be detrimental to the client. While the relationship between a client and an attorney is often made public, in some cases — if, for instance, an appointee had conducted legal defense work for a client during a nonpublic criminal investigation — the client’s identity could be withheld from the financial disclosure. Guidelines issued by the Office of Government Ethics say that such situations are unusual and “it is extremely rare for a filer to rely on this exception for more than a few clients.” But at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which is responsible for tariff policy, the head of the agency, Jamieson Greer, withheld the names of more than 50 former clients from his time at King & Spalding , one of the nation’s most influential law firms. In his disclosure, Greer cited the New York and D.C. bar rules for not identifying the clients. Greer’s senior adviser in the federal agency, Kwan Kim, previously worked as an international trade lawyer for Covington & Burling. From October 2020 to February 2025, Kim helped businesses win federal exemptions from steel and aluminum tariffs and defended companies accused by investigators of import-related crimes, according to a Covington biography that has since been taken down. Kim kept the names of 52 companies he represented secret , citing the D.C. Bar rules, the disclosure documents show. The U.S. Trade Representative office did not respond to ProPublica’s request for comment. When the names of former clients are withheld, it becomes virtually impossible for the public to know if an official’s actions in government benefit a former client. Kedric Payne, ethics director at the nonpartisan watchdog group Campaign Legal Center, said the lack of disclosure is concerning. “When you see these types of close connections between the regulated community and the new regulators, it raises a yellow flag,” Payne said. “Because these officials are walking an ethical tightrope where any meeting or communication with their former employer and client could become a serious conflict of interest.” ProPublica’s journalists have been gathering these records for more than a year. We obtained all of the disclosures that were available from the Office of Government Ethics. Those consist of the top appointees who require Senate confirmation. To get records for people working in lower-level positions, we made requests to individual federal agencies. Some didn’t respond or responded partially; records we requested for about 1,200 people weren’t provided. Still, ProPublica’s online tool is the most comprehensive public source of financial disclosures from across the executive branch. The post Documents Reveal a Web of Financial Ties Between Trump Officials and the Industries They Help Regulate appeared first on ProPublica .

Hong Kong is not just China’s economic sandbox but also a driver of the country’s development, the finance chief has said, calling the city the nation’s international financial centre. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Monday that Hong Kong must move swiftly to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and “get empowered” in its use, as the opportunities it brought outweighed potential job losses. Speaking at the “Redefining Hong Kong 2026: Budget Edition” conference organised by the South...

Escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait remain Beijing’s foremost external security concern for 2026, fuelled by uncertainties surrounding the US midterm elections and the growing involvement of Japan, according to a prominent Chinese think tank. In its latest annual forecast of China’s external security risks, the Centre for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University framed this year as a pivotal moment in the profound reshaping of China’s outer defence...

Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former heir apparent to Hong Kong property giant New World Development (NWD), plans to spend more time in mainland China and increase his tech investments this year, with a focus on a range of sectors from artificial intelligence to aerospace, echoing China’s latest five-year plan. “If our country can realise [the 15th five-year plan], we would be stable and secure, and our future will definitely be promising,” Cheng, who is a member of the Chinese People’s Political...

US among three countries so far backing measure triggered by Middle East war, according to reports Iran war drives oil prices above $100 a barrel Business live – latest updates G7 finance ministers are preparing to discuss the release of emergency oil reserves, according to reports, after the US-Israel war with Iran sent the price of crude above $100 (£75) for the first time since 2022. The ministers will discuss the release of the reserves in a call coordinated by the International Energy Agency (IEA), according to a report from the Financial Times. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: Across the Iranian diaspora, reactions to the escalating conflict reveal a complex mix of fear, grief and deep political ambivalence Good morning. War has broken out in the Middle East. As the Iran war broadens and spills out into neighbouring countries, media agencies have rightly focused on trying to understand how the conflict came about, where bombs have fallen, and how many have died, while many states globally fear spikes in energy prices and wonder how the war will impact their economies. What can easily get lost are the voices of the people directly affected. Iran | Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as his successor . UK politics | Keir Starmer sought to repair fractured relations with Donald Trump over the war with Iran on Sunday, as a Labour backlash gathered pace over Tony Blair’s assertion the UK should have supported the US’s initial airstrikes on Iran. Energy | Great Britain has only two days of fossil gas stored after a decline in energy reserves, as more tankers carrying liquefied natural gas are diverted from their course to Europe towards Asia because of the Iran war. Meanwhile, global oil prices surged past the $100 (£74) a barrel mark for the first time since 2022. Health | More than 400 lives may have been saved as a result of Martha’s rule, which lets NHS patients request a review of their care. Thousands of patients were either moved to intensive care, received drugs they needed or benefited from other changes as a direct result of over 10,000 calls to helplines. AI | ChatGPT is driving a rise in reports of organised ritual abuse and “witchcraft, spirit possession and spiritual abuse” against children – which is historically under-reported in the UK – as survivors of “satanic” sexual violence use the AI tool for therapy. Continue reading...

Figure above 40% every week since early January as report says situation ‘no longer in freefall nor in recovery’ Workers are heading back to offices across the UK in droves, pushing office occupancy to the highest since before the Covid-19 pandemic, as an expert described the numbers as “no longer in freefall nor in recovery mode but settling”. Investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase have led the push with strict return-to-office mandates despite anger among many employees about being ordered back to the office five days a week. Companies in other sectors have also increased days in the office but many businesses, including law and accounting firms, still allow staff to work remotely two days a week. Continue reading...