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Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Experts say one of the health care challenges in Africa is a shortage of training and education for workers. To help, a U.S. charity called Mission to Heal is training local workers who serve patients in remote locations. Juma Majanga reports from Ngurunit village in northern Kenya. Videographer: Jimmy Makhulo

Taipei, Taiwan — Analysts say China’s recent opening of two new air routes, with flight paths near two outlying islands controlled by Taiwan, is but the latest move in a broad campaign Beijing has rolled out ahead of the inauguration of Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te. Lai, a member of Taiwan’s pro-sovereignty Democratic Progress Party, was elected in January and will be sworn into office on May 20.  Su Tzu-yun, a military analyst at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, says Beijing has been using a combination of cognitive warfare, economic coercion, and gray zone operation measures against Taiwan. Gray zone operations involve using irregular tactics without resorting to open combat. “China’s latest efforts to increase pressure on Taiwan is both part of its pressure campaign against Taipei and its response to recent international support for Taiwan, such as the reiteration of maintaining the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait by the U.S., Japan, and other G7 (Group of Seven leading industrialized) countries,” Su told VOA in a phone interview. In a statement on April 19, China’s civil aviation regulator announced it had started using two west-to-east flight paths from the coastal cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou. The new air routes, known as W122 and W123, will connect to what is called the M503 air route, and they will operate alongside existing flight paths to the Taiwanese islands Kinmen and Matsu, which operate regular flights to and from Taiwan’s main island. The M503 route runs alongside the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which once served as an unofficial border between China and Taiwan. During a daily press conference on April 19, the Chinese Communist Party’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the move aims to relieve pressure caused by flight delays by activating the two new routes.  The Civil Aviation Administration of China added that Beijing also plans to “further optimize” the airspace around Fuzhou airport in the southern Fujian Province starting May 16, four days before Lai’s inauguration.  Shortly after Lai was elected in January, Beijing unilaterally canceled flight paths for the M503 route and opened new west-to-east air routes from three coastal cities. Beijing views Lai as an advocate of Taiwan independence. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to unite the island with the mainland. In response to the April 19 announcement, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration said Beijing’s decision could create serious flight safety risks since the distance between China and Taiwan flight paths is only two kilometers (1.1. nautical miles) at its nearest point. Taipei says it will demand that any aircraft using the new air routes turn back.  China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which oversees cross-strait relations, said Taipei’s criticism is “a malicious hype” aimed to “create an illusion” that Beijing is “squeezing its space.  Redefining the status quo Since the new air routes initiated by Beijing run very close to the median line of the Taiwan Strait, some experts say China is trying to redefine the status quo across the Taiwan Strait based on its terms.  The median line has served as an unofficial demarcation between Taipei and Beijing for decades. China and Taiwan split amid a civil war in 1949.  The decision to unilaterally initiate new air routes “is part of Beijing’s attempt to demonstrate that it sets the rules in what it regards as its internal matters,” according to J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based senior adviser with the International Republican Institute’s Countering Foreign Authoritarian Influence team. Cole said that when the M503 air route was first announced in 2015, Beijing agreed to adjust flight paths following negotiations with the Taiwanese government under the China-friendly Kuomintang, or KMT party. “Beijing moved away from unilateralism after protests by Taipei and after negotiations with the KMT-led government,” he told VOA in a written response.  But as Taiwan prepares to inaugurate the third consecutive administration under the Democratic Progressive Party next month, Cole said Beijing “is no longer in the mood for negotiation and is unilaterally implementing flight paths.”  “It denies Taiwan’s agency by refusing to negotiate with Taipei,” he added.  No-fly zones Military analysts say Beijing’s decision to start using the contested air routes could increase the likelihood of Chinese civilian aircraft flying to the east side of the Taiwan Strait median line, where there are four designated no-fly zones.  “Taiwan’s Air Force uses those no-fly zones to monitor activities in the airspace along the median line of the Taiwan Strait,” said Chieh Chung, a military researcher at Taiwan's National Policy Foundation.  In his view, Beijing’s new flights paths would increase the difficulty for the Taiwanese Air Force to track activities by Chinese civilian or military aircraft in the no-fly zones.  “China is trying to use the frequent incursion of Chinese civilian aircraft into the no-fly zones designated by the Taiwanese government to challenge the rules set by Taipei,” he told VOA by phone.  In addition to opening new air routes and announcing new trade measures against Taiwanese imports, Beijing increased the number of military aircraft it deployed to areas near Taiwan over the weekend.  Taiwan’s defense ministry said it detected 21 Chinese military aircraft and seven Chinese naval vessels operating around Taiwan between April 20 and April 21. At least 17 Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. With less than a month until the inauguration of Taiwan’s new government, some analysts believe Beijing’s pressure campaign will continue. Cole at the International Republican Institute says Taipei “must remain alert, retain the moral high ground, and avoid any form of activity that could be exploited by Beijing to justify retaliation.”   Some information for this report came from Reuters.

LONDON — British police on Monday charged two men with spying for China, including one reported to have worked as a researcher in Britain's parliament for a prominent lawmaker in the governing Conservative Party.   Anxiety has mounted across Europe about China’s alleged espionage activity and Britain has become increasingly vocal about its concerns in recent months.   The two men, aged 32 and 29, were charged with providing prejudicial information to China in breach of the Official Secrets Act, and will appear in court Friday.  "This has been an extremely complex investigation into what are very serious allegations," said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Counter Terrorism Command at the Metropolitan Police.  The Chinese embassy in London said the allegation that China was trying to steal British intelligence was "completely fabricated."  "We firmly oppose it and urge the UK side to stop anti-China political manipulation and stop putting on such self-staged political farce," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement.  One of the men was named by police on Monday as Christopher Cash.   In September, the Sunday Times reported that Cash had been arrested for spying while working as a researcher in parliament for Conservative lawmaker Alicia Kearns, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.  A Christopher Cash was listed on parliamentary documents from early 2023 as working for Kearns.   In September, a lawyer for the arrested man issued a statement denying the accusations of spying without confirming the identity of their client. The same legal firm did not provide a statement on Monday when contacted by Reuters.   Cash does not have publicly available contact details and could not immediately be reached for comment.  Last month, the British government summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in London after accusing Chinese state-backed hackers of stealing data from Britain's elections watchdog and carrying out a surveillance operation against parliamentarians.  China denied those allegations, calling them "completely fabricated."  The government also said in September Chinese spies were targeting British officials in sensitive positions in politics, defense and business as part of an increasingly sophisticated spying operation to gain access to secrets.   Separately, Germany on Monday said it had arrested three people on suspicion of working with the Chinese secret service to hand over technology that could be used for military purposes.

YAOUNDE — Cameroon’s opposition and civil society have launched a mass campaign to combat voter apathy. The goal is to encourage disgruntled youths to register to vote before the August deadline and go to the polls in presidential elections next year, instead of just complaining that longtime President Paul Biya will rig elections to die in power. There are about 15 million potential voters in Cameroon but only about 7 million are registered voters. About 20 opposition and civil society members shout using loudspeakers on the streets of Cameroon's economic capital, Douala, that all civilians of voting age should register to qualify as voters before an August 31 deadline. Cameroon's presidential elections will take place in October 2025 on a date to be decided by 91-year-old President Paul Biya, who has ruled the central African state for more than four decades. Among the campaigners is Mbah Raoul, spokesperson of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, or CRM, party. The spokesperson says Cameroon’s opposition and civil society want civilians, especially reluctant youths, to register now and to vote and defend their votes when elections are called. "If we are really feeling these pains that this government has infringed [inflicted] on Cameroonians for the past 40 years we have to come out in 2025, vote massively and protect our votes. We should be the ones to choose our leaders," Mbah said. "We have to combat electoral fraud by voting massively and protect[ing] our votes." Mbah said if many people registered and voted, Maurice Kamto, the CRM candidate, would not have been robbed of victory in Cameroon’s October 7, 2018 presidential elections. Biya’s government has always denied the polls were rigged. Opposition and civil society estimate that at least half of Cameroon's 30 million people are 20 years and older and qualified to register and vote in elections as stated in the country’s electoral code. ELECAM, the country's elections management body, reports that about 7.3 million civilians have registered for future elections. Opposition and civil society say high voter apathy is due to the belief that votes do not count because Biya rigs all elections to stay in power. Biya has won all elections since he took power in 1982. The opposition accuses him of what it calls massive electoral fraud. Catholic Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Bamenda, capital of Cameroon's English-speaking northwest region, says civilians should not be discouraged because it is a divine responsibility for all citizens to register and vote. "Many Cameroonians are skeptical [to register], but we cannot always presume that our votes will not make sense," Neka said. "If people go out massively to vote, their voice will make a difference and it is very important for those who are organizing elections to ensure that the elections are free, elections are fair and that elections reflect the minds of voters." Nkea said all political parties and civil society groups should educate civilians, especially youths who refuse to take part in the elections to know that it is their democratic right to determine who their leaders should be. On Monday, ELECAM said there was an increase in the number of potential voters in their branches in all towns and villages of Cameroon. They also dismiss claims that they rig elections to favor Biya. Elvis Mbowoh is ELECAM’s manager for Cameroon’s English-speaking northwest region. He told state TV on Monday that opposition parties and civil society groups are gradually noticing that the elections body plays a neutral role in polls. "The situation on the ground is changing. I see more politicians running to the field, galvanizing people to come out and register," Mbowoh said. "I am already establishing a good relationship with the civil society, not only the civil society, all political stakeholders. That is why we set out an objective to work with all stakeholders and especially the media. At 91, Biya is the world's oldest president and second-longest serving leader after his neighbor, Theodoro Obiang Nguema, of Equatorial Guinea. Biya has been in power for 41 years. Before becoming president, he served for seven years as prime minister. In 2008, Biya removed term limits from the constitution, allowing him to serve indefinitely. Cameroon’s opposition and civil society blame Biya for the country's underdevelopment, increasing underemployment, economic hardship and a separatist crisis that has claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced 750,000 in eight years, according to the International Crisis Group.

MAE SOT, Thailand — ASEAN has been viewed by the international community as the ideal political bloc to negotiate a resolution to the conflict that has beset Myanmar since its military, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, ousted an elected government in early 2021 and sparked a civil war.  But the five-point consensus on ending the Myanmar crisis put forward by ASEAN — the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — has been discredited by analysts and anti-regime forces who argue the 10-nation bloc has quietly backed the junta and ignored all other parties in the conflict.    “The five-point consensus has been a dismal failure,” said Ross Milosevic, a risk consultant who conducts field research in Myanmar. But he added, recent unprecedented battlefield defeats of the military — also known as Tatmadaw — and elections within ASEAN members were rewriting the political equation.    The five point-consensus is a roadmap for peace insisted upon by ASEAN, calling for an immediate end to violence; dialogue among all parties; the appointment of a special envoy; humanitarian assistance by ASEAN; and the special envoy’s visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties.  The turning point  After a bitter, five-month dry season offensive, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and the opposition-led National Unity Government’s People’s Defence Force (PDF) are in control of nearly all ethnic territories and states and Myanmar’s borders with Thailand, Laos, China, India and Bangladesh.  Despite ongoing military aerial bombardments, the ethnic Karen in the southeast along the Thai border and the Shan, which share a border with China in Myanmar’s north, are asserting political control, and Milosevic said the Mon, Kachin and Arakan are following.  That leaves Tatmadaw encircled but heavily fortified within central Barma state and in control of the all-important corridors linking Yangon, Naypyidaw and Mandalay.  “Those battlefield successes have not only spooked the Tatmadaw generals but also many within ASEAN’s political leadership,” Milosevic said, adding the junta’s greatest loss was Myawaddy, a border trading hub which sits adjacent to Mae Sot in Thailand.  “It remains to be seen whether the civil war will continue till the end of the year, it may even fall sooner than expected,” he said. “I hope that Thailand will lead the charge in trying to put forth a real solution to the fighting, death and destruction that’s been caused in the last three years.”  Among the 50 wars tracked globally by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, Myanmar is considered the most violent with at least 50,000 people killed since the coup, including 8,000 civilians.    Reshaping ASEAN politics  ASEAN has been divided between democratically elected governments and autocratic one-party states, with countries like Cambodia and current chair Laos accused of blocking policies over a range of issues, including Myanmar, out of their own interests.  Charles Santiago, from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, has consistently criticized the bloc and individual members for being too soft on the junta while ignoring the plight of their victims.  “ASEAN has to get a backbone and be guided by a clear policy. Given Laos’ leadership, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Laos hasn’t shown, not even mentioned, what they’re doing and ASEAN hasn’t said what their plans are,” he said.  Shortly before Myawaddy fell to the Karen National Liberation Army on April 10 — one of about 20 EAOs battling Tatmadaw alongside the PDF — former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen offered to open talks with Hlaing, now chairman of the State Administration Council, “aimed at resolving the crisis in Myanmar.”  General Hlaing has not responded but on the third anniversary of the coup he again claimed 2020 elections — when the ruling National League for Democracy won more than 80% of seats in parliament — were rigged and insisted his political objectives were to hold fair elections and ensure a permanent peace.  One PDF source said Cambodia’s Hun Sen was unacceptable as a negotiator because of his close ties with Hlaing, noting the pair had described themselves as “god brothers” after holding talks in 2022 when Phnom Penh occupied the ASEAN chair.  “They wouldn’t speak to us,” said the source, who declined to be named. “Indonesia and Singapore are acceptable because they have tried to include us in their efforts to find a resolution.”  He also said that with a change in governments in Thailand and the Philippines, and with Malaysia assuming the ASEAN chair next year, negotiations focused on independence for ethnic states were possible but would not include the military.  Santiago agreed, saying an ASEAN group led by Malaysia with the backing of Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand could work on negotiations.  “ASEAN can deliver results that could stabilize the situation in Myanmar by sending in some form of peacekeeping force and holding the military junta to account — and to help reestablish democratic rule which is supposed to be part of their own ASEAN Charter,” Milosevic added.  Shortly after Myawaddy fell, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin signaled a change in attitude, telling Reuters news agency “the current regime is starting to lose some strength” and that “maybe it's time to reach out and make a deal” with Myanmar.  The junta then announced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former president U Win Myint would be transferred from prison to house arrest and Thailand upped the ante by calling for their “immediate full release.”  What prospects?  The EAOs-PDF and the NUG have made it clear they will not negotiate with the Tatmadaw, insisting senior generals be tried for war crimes.  NUG leaders want the pre-war constitution and results of the 2020 elections reinstated but Michael Martin, adjunct fellow with the Center for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, said that’s unlikely.  Instead, ethnic groups, in particular Karen and Shan, will push ahead with establishing their own states and political order, which could snowball among other ethnic states and leave Tatmadaw-controlled Barma state isolated and surrounded.  “For ASEAN, I think one of the questions is going to be; to what extent can they continue to say, ‘oh we’re looking for a negotiated settlement, we’re going to continue to keep working with the military junta and other interested parties?’  “Or are they eventually going to say, ‘OK that ship has sailed, that’s over, that’s not going to happen’ and start working with various EAOs.” he told VOA.  He stressed EAOs had fought for independence, not the pre-war order or the NUG, while the PDF also consisted of state-based militias who coordinate with EAOs and held shared ethnic sympathies.  Ei Ei contributed to this report.

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QINGDAO, China — One of China's top military leaders took a harsh line on regional territorial disputes, telling an international naval gathering in northeastern China on Monday that the country would strike back with force if its interests came under threat. The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium opened in the port city of Qingdao, where China's northern naval force is based, providing a vivid backdrop to China's massive military expansion over the past two decades that has seen it build or refurbish three aircraft carriers. The four-day meeting has drawn representatives from partners and competitors including Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, India and the U.S. and comes amid heightened tensions over China's assertive actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas, and as China's navy has grown into the world's largest by number of hulls. Zhang Youxia, the vice chairman of the ruling Communist Party's Central Military Commission, which controls the armed forces, spoke of "common development" and said "decoupling, friction and confrontation will only divide the world into isolated islands guarding against each other with suspicion." However, he then turned to China's territorial claims, which have not been recognized under international law and in some cases have been denied. Beijing has ignored rulings not in its favor, particularly in the South China Sea, where it is in dispute with five other parties over islands, waterways and undersea resources. Japan continues to defend its control over the uninhabited Senkaku island chain, called Diaoyu by China, in the East China Sea, against incursions by the Chinese coast guard. Taiwan last week reinforced its foothold in the disputed South China Sea by establishing satellite communications between the main island and its garrison on Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, the largest land feature in the highly contested Spratly Island chain. China has created seven artificial islands in the area by piling sand and cement on top of coral reefs and then equipping them with airstrips and other military infrastructure. Zhang said China's territorial sovereignty "brooks no infringement and its core interests cannot be challenged. We do not provoke trouble, but we will never flinch in face of provocation. The Chinese military will resolutely defend the reunification and interest of the motherland." Zhang has spoken in the past of Beijing's determination to take control of the self-governing island republic of Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory, using force if necessary. With its crucial high-tech economy, Taiwan has been building up its defenses on its own and with help from the U.S., where Congress this weekend approved $8 billion in military aid for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is also building its own submarines and trainer aircraft and waiting on the delivery of upgraded versions of F-16 fighters, battle tanks and other hardware from the U.S. Zhang appeared to press China's unilateralist approach to foreign relations and military conflicts as espoused by Xi Jinping, the top military commander, Communist Party leader and head-of-state for life, who has eliminated all dissenting views. China "remains committed to resolving maritime disputes with directly concerned countries through friendly consultations, but we will not allow our good faith to be abused," Zhang said.  Particularly over the self-governing island republic of Taiwan that Beijing threatens to use force to bring under its control. “We will take justified actions to defend our rights in accordance with the law." Zhang's comments follow a major shakeup of the Chinese military in recent months that has seen the still-unexplained disappearance of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and several top officers in the missile corps.  

Pentagon — The United States may send additional military advisers to its embassy in Kyiv to advise and support the Ukrainian government and military, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told VOA Monday.   The troops would serve in a “non-combat” role, Ryder said.      “Throughout this conflict, the DOD (Department of Defense) has reviewed and adjusted our presence in-country, as security conditions have evolved. Currently, we are considering sending several additional advisers to augment the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) at the embassy,” Ryder said in a statement.   Two U.S. defense officials, speaking to VOA on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that were not finalized, said the number of advisers was “small” and could fluctuate slightly based on embassy requirements. A source familiar with the considerations said the number of troops was “fewer than two dozen.”   The troops could advise on missions ranging from logistics, maintenance, communications and sustainment, the defense officials added.   Per the Pentagon, the ODC performs a variety of advisory and support missions and is embedded within the U.S. Embassy under the chief of the mission.     Politico was first to report the additional troop consideration.   The Pentagon’s latest troop discussion comes after the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday passed a four-part, $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.   House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, structured the bills so that they could be combined into one after each bill was approved, to prevent opposition to any one piece from derailing the entire deal. Johnson had declined to bring the aid packages to the floor for a vote for months. The Senate had passed a supplemental aid bill in February, as Ukraine said ammunition shortages were causing its forces to pull back in areas. The newly-passed House legislation includes $61 billion for Kyiv’s ongoing war against Moscow’s invasion, as well as $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza, and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region.   President Joe Biden in a statement Saturday urged the Senate to “quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.”   He said the bills advanced U.S. national security interests and sends “a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage.”

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Jakarta — Indonesia’s top court on Monday rejected appeals lodged by two losing presidential candidates who are demanding a revote, alleging widespread irregularities and fraud at the February polls. The 5-to-3 majority decision by the eight-judge panel of the Constitutional Court rejected the arguments, saying the legal teams of the losing candidates had failed to prove allegations that Prabowo Subianto’s victory was the result of widespread fraud. The Court “rejects the petitioner’s appeal entirely,” Constitutional Court Chief Justice Suhartoyo said Monday, after a panel of eight judges took a marathon six hours to publicly read its reasoning in turn on both separate appeals. The verdict cannot be appealed. The General Elections Commission, known as KPU, had certified a landslide victory for president-elect Subianto, but his rivals, former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo alleged that the victory had depended on large-scale fraud and widespread state interference. They also alleged nepotism, challenging the candidacy of outgoing President Joko Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as Subianto's running mate. Baswedan and Pranowo argued that Raka, 37, should have been disqualified because the minimum age for candidates is 40, and they asked the court to bar him from a revote. Before the election, Raka was granted a controversial exception to that requirement by the Constitutional Court, which was then led by Anwar Usman, Widodo’s brother-in-law. Usman was later forced to resign as chief justice for failing to recuse himself. The case was decided by eight justices instead of the full nine-member court because Usman, who is still on the court as an associate justice, was required to recuse himself. Subianto, the current defense minister, won the election with 58.6% of the votes, or more than 96 million ballots — more than twice the number received by each of the two runners-up, according to the KPU. The losing candidates accused Widodo of widespread abuse of power, saying he used officials at every level, ranging from cabinet members to village heads, and state policies such as social aid programs, to provide support for Subianto and Raka. Indonesian presidents are expected to remain neutral in elections to succeed them. Baswedan and Pranowo’s legal challenges complained that hefty social aid from the government was disbursed in the middle of the campaign — far more than the amounts spent during the COVID-19 pandemic — and Widodo distributed funds in person in a number of provinces. But the top court dismissed the charges, saying it was not convinced that the president had intervened to change the requirements for candidates in favor of his son and that he did not commit nepotism when he approved and supported his son’s candidacy for vice president. “A position obtained through general elections cannot be qualified as a form of nepotism,” judge Arief Hidayat said. The court found that there was no proof that Widodo and his administration bent laws and norms to support Subianto. The decision was widely expected after four Indonesian Cabinet members testified in the court in April 5, that no rules were violated in the distribution of government aid. However, in a dissenting opinion, judge Saldi Isra said it was impossible to deny that social assistance was disbursed in the middle of the campaign for electoral purposes is impossible. “I have a moral obligation to warn in order to anticipate and prevent a repetition of similar situations in the future,” Isra said. Hundreds of protesters who had gathered near the court melted away as the broadcast of proceedings on a TV screen outside indicated their candidate’s case was unsuccessful. Subianto, who was linked to human rights abuses during the authoritarian rule of Suharto, previously made four bids for the presidency and twice unsuccessfully challenged his losses to Widodo. His refusal to accept the results of the 2019 presidential election led to violence that left nine people dead in Jakarta. Widodo, the first Indonesian president from outside the Jakarta elite who is widely popular, will end his second and final term in office in October.

Athens — Delegations from Greece and Turkey were meeting in Athens on Monday as part of long-standing efforts to improve often tense relations between the two neighbors, days after Turkey voiced objections over Greece’s plans to create marine nature reserves in the Ionian and Aegean seas. The two regional rivals are NATO allies but have been at odds for decades over a series of issues, including territorial claims in the Aegean and drilling rights in the Mediterranean, and have come to the brink of war three times in the last 50 years. A dispute over energy exploration rights in 2020 led to the two countries’ warships facing off in the Mediterranean. Monday’s meeting in the Defense Ministry in Athens was to discuss confidence-building measures, following a similar meeting in Ankara last November. The two countries have engaged in the confidence-building process on and off for years, trying to seek common ground on a series of lower-key issues as a means of improving ties. The meeting comes ahead of planned talks in Ankara on May 13 between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Tense ties have improved significantly over the past year, with Erdogan visiting Athens in December and signing a raft of trade, energy and education deals. But Mitsotakis’ announcement last week that Greece will create two marine parks for the protection of sea mammals and birds — one in the Ionian Sea in western Greece and one in the central Aegean — has angered Turkey. Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling party, said last week that Ankara considers the creation of the marine parks “a step that sabotages the normalization process” in relations, and said Turkey would “in no way allow actions toward the declaration of marine parks in the Aegean Sea.” Mitsotakis, speaking last week after a meeting of European leaders in Brussels, expressed surprise at what he described as “Turkey’s totally unjustified reaction to an initiative which at the end of the day is of an environmental nature.” The Greek prime minister said the recent improvement in relations between Greece and Turkey was “undeniable and measurable,” but that this did not mean Turkey had changed its positions on the delineation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean. “These positions remain positions which are deeply problematic for our country,” Mitsotakis said. “But this does not prevent us from being able to talk, to create a general good climate and invest more in a positive agenda and less in the issues which divide us and over which we clearly disagree.” Turkey’s delegation at Monday’s talks was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar, while the Greek one was headed by Ambassador Theocharis Lalakos, Greece’s Defense Ministry said.

BUJUMBURA, Burundi — Deadly floods are wreaking havoc in many parts of East Africa that face torrential rainfall, with Burundi calling for international help to deal with the aftermath. Lake Tanganyika's rising waters have invaded the port of Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital, disrupting business there and elsewhere in the country that relies heavily on donor support to run government programs. "We are issuing this statement to ask our development partners to combine efforts with the state of Burundi to help all people affected by these disasters," Interior Minister Martin Niteretse said April 17. "We need that support.” Between September and April 7, some 203,944 people were affected by flooding, with 19,250 homes and 209 classrooms destroyed. The number of people internally displaced by flooding rose by 25%, reaching over 98,000, according to Violet Kenyana Kakyomya, the U.N. resident coordinator in Burundi. Burundi is one of the world's poorest countries, with 80% of its 13 million people employed in agriculture, according to the World Bank. Flooding there has created surreal scenes like game rangers entering the waterlogged Rusizi National Park in a canoe. The Boulevard du Japon, a major highway in Bujumbura, has been flooded in recent days. Climate experts say flooding in Burundi and elsewhere in the region is part of extreme conditions linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon. “It must be said directly that these floods are associated with climate changes that affect Burundi like other countries in the region,” said Jean Marie Sabushimike, a geographer and disaster management expert who teaches at the University of Burundi. While climate change is the trigger, the impact of the flooding is exacerbated by poor land-use planning “that does not take into account areas at very high risk of flooding,” he said. The rising waters of Lake Tanganyika have caused the Kanyosha river to overflow, damaging homes and other property in Bujumbura. Some in the city have been unable to return to their homes — or leave. Joachim Ntirampeba, resident of the village of Gatumba near the Congo border, said that while he had witnessed many flooding events over the years, this time “it’s terrible." He said it's “the first time” he's seen such heavy flooding. Meanwhile, in Kenya 35 people have died since mid-March in flooding events that have affected more than 100,000 people, according to the U.N., which cites Red Cross figures in the most recent update. Some residential areas in Nairobi, the capital, flooded as rivers broke their banks Sunday night. The Kenyan government agency in charge of roads warned Nairobi residents to avoid flooded highways, including one to the coastal city of Mombasa. Those who live by the Nairobi river were urged to move to higher ground. Flooding and mudslides have also been reported in western Kenya. In the northern region, a passenger bus was swept away by floodwaters on a bridge earlier in April, with disaster avoided after 51 passengers were rescued. Kenya's meteorology department predicts that rainfall will peak this week.

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OSLO — Norway's 87-year-old King Harald will permanently reduce the number of official activities in which he takes part out of consideration for his age, the royal household said on Monday following the monarch's recent bout of illness. Europe's oldest living monarch and Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, Harald was hospitalized in February for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia and later received a pacemaker to help compensate for a low heart rate. Harald resumed his duties as head of state on Monday after almost two months of sick leave. He has ruled out abdication, however, insisting his oath as king is for life. "The king will make adjustments to his program in the future, out of consideration for his age. This will entail a permanent reduction in the number and scope of activities in which the king participates," a palace statement said. A great great grandchild of Britain's Queen Victoria, the king ascended the throne in 1991 and slowly introduced modern touches that brought a ceremonial post seen mainly as a symbol of independence into the 21st century. His marriage in 1968 to a commoner broke with tradition and followed a nine-year stand-off with his father that ended only after Harald threatened never to marry rather than give up the woman who became his wife, Sonja Haraldsen. Harald once said in an interview that Europe's royal families should not be tempted to reverse moves towards openness and retreat to their palace towers. "If you've opened the gate it's very difficult to close it again," he told Reuters and a British newspaper. "I'm not sure I'd want to close it. So far so good, as far as I'm concerned." Harald struggled in his early years to replace his father, the extrovert Olav, known as the "People's King" for his down-to-earth style and frequent interaction with the people. But he has been successful in emulating his father's approachable style, travelling to the scene of natural disasters, wearing rubber boots and a well-worn jacket, to meet those who had lost homes or loved ones in floods and storms. Health scare When right-wing anti-Islamic fanatic Anders Behring Breivik massacred 77 people in 2011, the king consoled the nation with a powerful televised speech, saying in a voice trembling with emotion that "freedom is stronger than fear." The royal household gradually modernized under Harald's supervision, setting up an official website and publishing annual spending accounts. As a man, Harald inherited the throne despite having two older sisters, a practice that also benefited his son Haakon, who also has an older sister. But in 1990, a constitutional change eventually paved the way for women born from then on to inherit the throne, placing Haakon's oldest child, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, in the line of succession when she was born in 2004. Harald had a health scare in 2003 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and another in 2005 when he underwent heart surgery, but made a full recovery from both. In 1998, the king faced public criticism over press reports that he had accepted a 4-million-crown ($667,700) yacht from a group of industrialists as a birthday present, and that palace repairs had cost the government 500 million crowns. Around the same time, his former deputy private secretary suggested Harald should abdicate at Norway's normal retirement age of 67. Opinion polls gave the king firm backing to stay on for life, however, and the criticism subsided. A year later, in another Reuters interview, Harald joked that he would remain on the throne for life unless he went mad.

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Brussels, Belgium — With an energy crisis and record high inflation in the EU's rearview mirror, Brussels believes the time has come for the bloc to focus on ensuring sound public finances. New spending rules will be voted on in the European Parliament on Tuesday. Once in place, each member state will be required to get national spending under control, but with built-in flexibility for investment. The old rules were suspended between 2020 and 2023 to shore up the European economy as it weathered the coronavirus pandemic and then Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which sent energy costs soaring. Faced with the specter of recession, the European Union believed it was necessary to let deficit targets slip so that businesses and households could be protected. Debt has since exploded in the most vulnerable countries, and the EU came to accept that for the rules to be brought back, changes were needed to make them workable. After protracted negotiations over two years, a final agreement on the reform was reached on February 10. Inapplicable rules The old rules, known as the Stability and Growth Pact, were born in 1997 ahead of the arrival in 1999 of the single currency, the euro.   Fiscal hawks -- particularly Germany -- feared some countries would pursue lax budgetary policies, so they wanted strict rules to ensure balanced government accounts. The pact enshrines two sacred objectives, which remain in the reformed rules: a country's debt must not go higher than 60 percent of gross domestic product, with a public deficit of no more than three percent.  In theory, violators would have faced hefty fines. In practice, no sanctions were ever levied as that would have put those states in greater difficulty. For instance, after Greece plunged into a sovereign debt crisis in 2009, rather than fining it, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund stepped in with bailout loans, conditioned on painful reforms. Under the rules' "excessive deficit procedure", a debt-overloaded country has to negotiate a plan with the European Commission to get back on track. The guideline was that the country was meant to slash sovereign debt by 1/20 a year until it comes back down to the 60-percent target. But that rule was not respected and ended up being deemed inapplicable, as implementation would unleash excruciating austerity. Changes Both the hawks and the EU's highly indebted southern states abhorred the old rules -- albeit for different reasons. The frugal states felt the rules were insufficiently respected, and that their interpretation by the commission was overly accommodating to rule-breakers. The indebted countries -- for example, Italy whose debt is 140 percent of GDP -- believed the pact was a straitjacket that penalized public investment. They argued it hindered them from meeting the massive needs for the green and digital transition and rearmament in the face of the Russian threat. One of the reform's aims is to make sure debt-reduction plans take a country's economic situation into better consideration. Under the new rules, each state will have to present a four-year plan to ensure the "sustainability" of their debt and how they will reduce the deficit to below three percent, in line with a trajectory formulated by the commission. Government reforms and investments will be rewarded by allowing them to extend the horizon of their plan to seven years, easing the return to fiscal discipline. The "sustainability" criteria means countries must put debt on a downward trajectory for the 10 years after their plan ends. The focus will be on how spending evolves, rather than the deficit itself.  Germany secured an additional requirement in the reform that all countries with excessive deficits must reduce their deficit overshoot by at least a half a percentage point of GDP per year. And the debt ratio must be lowered by at least one percentage point on average over four or seven years, if the debt is greater than 90 percent of GDP. Some observers believe the straitjacket still exists. "For many member states, it will be difficult to successfully consolidate public finances while making major investments," said Andreas Eisl of the Jacques Delors Institute think tank.