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Luxury jewelry maker Cartier isn’t known for giving stuff away, but in the case of one Mexican man, they pretty much did.

Rogelio Villarreal was paging through Cartier’s web page in a moment of idleness when he came upon on offer that seemed too good to be true. "I broke out in a cold sweat," he wrote on his account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SEIZES $90M IN COUNTERFEIT JEWELRY, CARTIER BRACELETS

Cartier apparently had made a mistake and listed gold-and-diamond earrings for 237 pesos ($14), instead of the correct price, 237,000 pesos ($14,000). Villarreal ordered two sets.

What followed was months of back and forth during which he says Cartier offered him a consolation prize instead of the jewelry, and during which Mexican officials backed his position that the company should honor the advertised price.

Villarreal finally got the earrings last week, at his price, and he posted a video online of himself unboxing the merchandise. But he soon grew tired of the public attention — finding not all that glitters is gold — and on Monday posted, "Alright already, talk about something else, I’m tired of the earrings being the only thing anyone knows about my personality."

Villarreal’s case had become a lightening rod online during an especially polarized time in Mexico ahead of its June 2 presidential elections.

Some observers criticized Villarreal for taking advantage of what they saw as an honest mistake by the top-end jewelry company. Some claimed he should give the earrings back, or pay taxes on them. Some called him a thief.

Villarreal, a doctor doing his medical residency, said he had to fight for months to get the company to actually deliver and claimed that it offered to send him a bottle of champagne instead.

The company did not respond to requests for comment.

"I have the worst luck in the world and I’ve never made any money, and what I have is because I bought it," Villarreal wrote in his social media accounts. But now, he was been able to buy two $14,000 sets of earrings for only about $28.

He says he gave one of them to his mother.

"It feels great and it’s cool not to be the underdog for once in my life," Villarreal wrote.

Jesús Montaño, the spokesman for Mexico’s consumer protection agency, known as Profeco, confirmed Villarreal’s account of his struggle.

"He filed a complaint in December," Montaño said. "There is a conciliation hearing scheduled for May 3, but the consumer already received his purchase."

Asked about the ethics of it all, Montaño said companies "have to respect the published price." If there's a mistake, "it’s not the consumer’s fault."

Flash floods and a landslide swept through houses and cut off a major road in Kenya, killing at least 45 people and leaving dozens missing on Monday, the Interior Ministry said.

Police official Stephen Kirui initially told The Associated Press that the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, had collapsed, carrying with it mud, rocks and uprooted trees.

But in a statement late Monday the Nakuru County said that the water mass that caused the flash floods was a clogged railway tunnel.

KENYA DELAYS REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AMID ONGOING FLOODING AS DEATH TOLL NEARS 100

Vehicles were entangled in the debris on one of Kenya's busiest highways and paramedics treated the injured as waters submerged large areas.

The Kenya Red Cross said 109 people were hospitalized while 49 others were reported missing.

William Lokai told Citizen TV that he was woken up by a loud bang and shortly after, water filled his house. He escaped through the roof together with his brother and children.

Ongoing rains in Kenya have caused flooding that has killed at least 169 people since mid-March, and the country's Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.

Kenya’s Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki ordered the inspection of all public and private dams and water reservoirs within 24 hours starting Monday afternoon to avert future incidents. The ministry said recommendations for evacuations and resettlement would be done after the inspection.

The Kenya National Highways Authority issued an alert warning motorists to brace for heavy traffic and debris that blocked the roads around Naivasha and Narok, west of the capital, Nairobi.

The wider East African region is experiencing flooding due to the heavy rains, and 155 people have reportedly died in Tanzania while more than 200,000 people affected in neighboring Burundi.

A boat capsized in Kenya's northern Garissa county on Sunday night, and the Kenyan Red Cross said it had rescued 23 people but more than a dozen people were still missing.

Kenya’s main airport was flooded on Saturday, forcing some flights to be diverted, as videos of a flooded runway, terminals and cargo section were shared online.

More than 200,000 people across Kenya have been hit by the floods, with houses in flood-prone areas submerged and people seeking refuge in schools.

President William Ruto had instructed the National Youth Service to provide land for use as a temporary camp for those affected.

Uruguay's former guerilla-turned-president, Jose Mujica, widely known as a leftist icon who transformed his small country into one of the most socially liberal in all of Latin America, said Monday that he has esophageal cancer.

Mujica, 88, said he was diagnosed during a routine medical checkup last Friday. He said the tumor discovered in his esophagus is particularly dangerous because he also suffers from an autoimmune disease.

"This is obviously very complicated and doubly so in my case," the ex-president who governed Uruguay from 2010 to 2015 told reporters Monday. He said doctors were assessing the best course of action but warned him that chemotherapy and surgery posed challenges.

ECUADOR TO DECRIMINALIZE EUTHANASIA AFTER LANDMARK LEGAL RULING REGARDING TERMINALLY ILL PATIENT

Known among both fans and detractors as "Pepe" Mujica, the folksy leader of Uruguay, a country of just 3.3 million people, was first a leader of the Tupamaros, the Marxist guerilla group that drew inspiration from the Cuban revolution.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Mujica wielded weapons on Montevideo's streets in an effort to overthrow the government, getting shot by police several times and ultimately landing in prison until the fall of the country's dictatorship led to his release in 1985.

As Uruguay's 40th president, Mujica legalized same-sex marriage — a bold move in the predominantly Roman Catholic country — and boosted women's rights. He also made Uruguay the first nation in the world to fully legalize recreational marijuana.

He drew admiration in Uruguay and far afield as a politician who spoke with blunt honesty and lived up to his own values, shunning the presidential palace in favor of his modest house on the outskirts of Montevideo and donating most of his salary to charity.

"I live as I think," he told The Associated Press in an interview last fall. "When we have companions, we’re not poor."

Although Mujica left the Senate in 2020, he remained a powerful force in the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist parties and centrist social democrats.

In his characteristically charming and self-effacing style, Mujica turned the press conference on his diagnosis into a pep-talk for the country's youth.

"I want to convey to all the young people that life is beautiful, but it wears you out and you fall," he said. "The point is to start over every time you fall. If there is anger, transform it into hope."

One of the military horses that broke away from their trainers and galloped through the streets of London last week is expected to make a full recovery while another remains under observation, the British Army said Monday.

LONDON POLICE CAPTURE 2 HORSES ROAMING CITY STREETS, WITH MORE BELIEVED TO BE ON THE RUN

Quaker, a black horse, has shown "significant improvement'' on the way to what is expected to be a complete recovery, the army said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Vida, a gray, remains under "close and careful'' veterinary observation for his injuries.

The horses were part of a group that was being trained for ceremonial duties on April 24 when they were spooked by builders moving rubble near Buckingham Palace. Vida was widely photographed covered in blood as he galloped through central London.

Two service personnel injured in the incident are still undergoing treatment in the hospital but will make a full recovery, the army said. The others have returned to work.

"Healing takes time — please be patient as we support that process," the army said. "The soldiers and horses are all receiving the very best of care."

The International Monetary Fund on Monday approved the immediate release of the final $1.1 billion tranche of a $3 billion bailout to Pakistan, the global lender said in a statement.

Pakistan needs the money to overcome one of the worst economic crises in its history that had raised fears it could default on the payment of foreign debts.

As part of the bailout conditions, the government was required to reduce subsidies intended to cushion the impact of rising living costs. This contributed to an increase in prices, especially energy bills, and angered the public. Islamabad also imposed new taxes, another unpopular move.

IMF TO MEET WITH PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT, ASSESS BILLION-DOLLAR BAILOUT ELIGIBILITY

But an IMF official said the country’s "determined policy efforts" have brought progress in restoring economic stability.

Moderate growth has returned, external pressures have eased and, while still elevated, inflation has begun to decline, said Antoinette Sayeh, the IMF’s deputy managing director and chair, in the statement.

"Given the significant challenges ahead, Pakistan should capitalize on this hard‑won stability persevering — beyond the current arrangement — with sound macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to create stronger, inclusive and sustainable growth," Sayeh added.

Last month, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Pakistan planned to seek a long-term loan to help stabilize the economy after the end of the current bailout package.

He didn't provide a figure but officials have previously said they want another $8 billion from the IMF over three years.

True love's kiss or an invite to the Met Gala? Those in the rarefied ranks of international celebrity — and Anna Wintour's good graces — need not choose.

Stars of film, fashion, music, sports, politics and social media will ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the first Monday in May — May 6, that is — to sip cocktails, have dinner and sample the new exhibit, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." As fashion's biggest night approaches, it's time for The Associated Press to issue the 2024 version of our annual guide.

FASHION ISN’T JUST FOR THE EYES: UPCOMING MET GALA EXHIBIT AIMS TO BE A MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCE

SO WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE MET GALA?

It started in 1948 as a society midnight supper, and wasn’t even at the Met. Fast forward 70-plus years, and it's one of the most photographed events in the world, renowned for its head-spinning red carpet — though the carpet isn’t always red.

It’s important to note, though, that the party has a purpose, raising money for the Met’s Costume Institute — nearly $22 million last year, a record for the self-funding department — and launching the annual spring exhibit that brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the museum.

But it’s the carpet itself that draws the world’s eyes, with the 400-strong guest list the subject of rabid speculation until the last minute — a collection of luminaries that arguably makes for the highest celebrity wattage-per-square-foot of any party in the world.

WHO'S HOSTING THIS YEAR?

"Anna Wintour Me Preguntó," Bad Bunny could sing. Multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lopez adds yet another role to her busy year. And then there are two Marvel stars who have been spending a lot of time in the desert lately: Zendaya, who has continued to stun on red carpets with her "Dune" and "Challengers" looks, and Chris Hemsworth, who is trading in Mjolnir for the upcoming "Furiosa." (Hemsworth is, in fact, a first-time gala attendee. )

And, of course, Wintour herself.

WHAT DOES THE MET GALA THEME MEAN?

The theme actually has little to do with fairytales. "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," the title of the accompanying exhibit, refers to garments from the Costume Institute's collection that have been "in slumber" and now will be on display, some too fragile to hang upright lest they disintegrate. Curator Andrew Bolton picked 250 pieces spanning four centuries.

The theme is accompanied by a dress code — this year, it's "The Garden of Time." The theme and dress code are often interpreted ... loosely. So there's a chance you may see an Aurora on the carpet, after all.

HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A TICKET?

Wrong question. You cannot just buy a ticket. The right question is: If I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost?

OK, IF I WERE FAMOUS OR POWERFUL AND GOT INVITED, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST?

Well, you might not pay yourself. Generally companies buy tables. A fashion label, for example, would then host its desired celebrities. A table of 10 starts at $350,000 this year.

HOW CAN I WATCH?

You can watch the whole carpet unfold on a Vogue livestream. If you’re in New York, you can also join fans across the street, behind barricades on Fifth Avenue or even further east on Madison. (Get there early, if you want a spot.) And the AP will have a livestream of departures from the Mark Hotel, where many gala guests get ready.

WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE?

Entering the museum, guests walk past what is usually an impossibly enormous flower arrangement in the lobby, with perhaps an orchestra playing nearby, and over to cocktails. Or, they head to view the exhibit. Cocktails begin a half-hour earlier this year, so they start at 5:30 p.m., and last for about two hours, followed by dinner. The most famous — or those who plan the biggest entrance — sometimes come (fashionably) later.

SO WHO'S COMING?

Rihanna is the queen of dramatic entrances AND late arrivals (don't they always go together?) and she's said she'll be attending, describing her outfit variously as "chill" and "simple" (we'll see about that). If tradition holds, dinner will be well underway (perhaps even over) and it'll still be worth the wait. Likely, the superstar and mogul will again bring partner A$AP Rocky. Other high-profile partners likely to attend, because their significant others are hosting: Ben Affleck and Tom Holland.

Hot off the Oscars, nominee Lily Gladstone has said she'll attend and has teased a tantalizing fashion collab involving a major designer and an "unbelievable Indigenous artist." Another fashion-forward awards circuit luminary everyone wants and expects to see on the Met steps: Ayo Edebiri. As for a certain stratospheric pop superstar dating an NFL tight end: She's resuming her Eras Tour in Paris three days later, so we can assume no Met Gala this year for Taylor Swift.

TENNIS, ANYONE?

What does Wintour love, perhaps even more than fashion? Maybe even more than Broadway? Why, tennis. Add to that Zendaya's current tennis-themed movie, "Challengers," and one can only imagine there will be tennis stars — perhaps famous retired ones like former hosts Serena Williams and Roger Federer. (It may be tough logistically for current players, given the clay-court season under way in Europe.) But hey, the Met Gala loves fashionable athletes.Caitlin Clark, are you listening?

An explosive device detonated and killed six troops loyal to a United Arab Emirates-backed secessionist group Monday in southern Yemen, a military spokesman said, the latest attack blamed on al-Qaida militants in the impoverished Arab country.

The explosion hit a military vehicle as it passed in a mountainous area in the Modiyah district of southern Abyan province, said Mohamed al-Naqib, a spokesman for the Southern Armed Forces, the military arm of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council.

Eleven other troops were wounded, he added.

IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR US REAPER DRONE CRASH OFF YEMEN COAST

The UAE-backed council controls much of Yemen’s south. It is at odds with the internationally recognized government, although they are allies in Yemen’s yearslong war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control the north and the capital Sanaa.

Al-Naqib blamed al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, for the attack.

AQAP is seen as one of the more dangerous branches of the terror group still operating more than a decade after the killing of founder Osama bin Laden.

It is active in several regions in Yemen, exploiting the country’s civil war to cement its presence in the nation at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

Yemen’s ruinous civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen and forced the internationally recognized government into exile.

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets Monday to say farewell to a Chicago police officer who was shot to death while off-duty and heading home from work.

Police officers, firefighters and others gathered along the funeral procession route to St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago to remember 30-year-old officer Luis M. Huesca. The six-year veteran of the police department was just two days shy of his 31st birthday when he was slain.

CHICAGO POLICE ID SUSPECT WANTED IN MURDER OF OFFICER LUIS HUESCA, OFFER $100K REWARD

Huesca was shot multiple times shortly before 3 a.m. on April 21 on the city’s Southwest Side. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Huesca was in uniform but wearing something on top of the uniform to cover it as is customary for off-duty officers, Superintendent Larry Snelling said.

Police have said that officers responded to a gunshot detection alert and found the officer outside with gunshot wounds. His vehicle was taken, but police have not confirmed whether the shooting was part of a carjacking.

An arrest warrant was issued last week for a 22-year-old man suspected in the shooting. The Associated Press is not naming the suspect because he has yet to be captured and arraigned.

Police have said the man should be considered armed and dangerous.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s schedule released Sunday night said he would attend Huesca's funeral but an update sent to reporters Monday morning said he would not be present.

The change came after Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, a Democrat, said in an early Monday morning post on the social platform X that the officer’s mother asked Mendoza to tell Johnson he was "unwelcome" at the funeral. Mendoza said she and state Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, also a Democrat, called Johnson on Sunday night to pass on the message.

"We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they heal from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend," Johnson said in a written statement Monday morning. "As mayor, I vow to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city and remaining committed to working with everyone towards building a better, stronger, safer Chicago."

Huesca was friends with Chicago police officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso who was slain in March 2023 during a shootout after responding to a domestic violence call. Huesca had honored Vásquez Lasso in a video.

Fellow officer Lucia Chavez said during Monday's service that she was friends with Vásquez Lasso and Huesca.

"When we were at the academy, I remember ... that during our training the instructor said ‘this uniform makes us family. If one fell, we all fell,’" Chavez said. "I didn't understand that. Now, I do. I lost Andrés first. And now, Luis. I lost my two classmates, my best friends, my brothers. The violence in this city took them away from me, from us."

Snelling, the superintendent, said Huesca "left an impression."

"He was always trying to leave things better than he found them," Snelling said. "The protection of others is what he wanted every single day."

Huesca was born in Chicago's Avondale community. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his parents, Emiliano and Edith Huesca; a sister, Liliana O'Brien; and a brother, Emiliano Huesca Jr.

Two key American athlete groups sent a letter to the country's drug czar calling for a "truly independent" investigation of the case that led to 23 Chinese swimmers not being sanctioned despite testing positive for a banned heart medication.

The USA Swimming Athletes' Advisory Council and the Team USA Athletes' Commission sent the letter Monday to Rahul Gupta, the director of the federal government's Office of National Drug Control Policy.

WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY SAYS WHY CHINESE SWIMMERS WERE CLEARED DESPITE POSITIVE TESTS FOR BANNED SUBSTANCE

Gupta is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's executive committee and is expected to take part in a special meeting Tuesday with other government officials in the Americas to discuss the doping case.

His role is important because governments fund half of WADA's annual budget; the U.S. has held up payments in the past when it felt WADA wasn't following through on its mission.

"As athletes, we have to trust WADA to set and enforce standards that will ensure fair play and protect our rights," the athletes wrote to Gupta. "WADA’s failure to follow its own rules and procedures in the wake of the positive tests of these 23 Chinese athletes has broken this trust."

WADA has strongly denied that any rules were broken, saying Chinese anti-doping authorities ruled the swimmers' samples from January 2021 had been contaminated and there was no effective way for the world's top anti-doping watchdog to appeal that ruling. Some of those swimmers went on to compete at the Tokyo Olympics later that year.

Last week, WADA announced it was appointing a veteran Swiss prosecutor, Eric Cottier, to review how it handled the cases. But that decision was criticized both because the prosecutor comes from the same Swiss canton (state) as where the International Olympics Committee and World Aquatics are located, and also for what critics say is a limited scope of review.

After a scheduled meeting of government leaders from the Western Hemisphere last week, Gupta put out a statement calling WADA's appointment of Cottier "an important first step in addressing the recent doping allegations."

Gupta's office did not immediately return an email from The Associated Press seeking comment about Monday's letter.

Among those on the swimming athletes' council is Lilly King, who has long been outspoken about doping in her sport.

"Once again, we are heading into another Olympic and Paralympic games with serious concerns about whether the playing field is level and the competition fair," the athletes wrote to Gupta.

Leaked photographs of the son of Libya’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the tiny underground cell where he has been held for years in Lebanon have raised concerns in the north African nation as Libyan authorities demand improvements.

The photos showed a room without natural light packed with Hannibal Gadhafi’s belongings, a bed and a tiny toilet. "I live in misery," local Al-Jadeed TV quoted the detainee as saying in a Saturday evening broadcast, adding that he is a political prisoner in a case he has no information about.

LIBYA FORMALLY ASKS LEBANON TO RELEASE SON OF LATE DICTATOR MUAMMAR QADDAFI DUE TO HIS DETERIORATING HEALTH

Two Lebanese judicial officials confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that the photographs aired by Al-Jadeed are of Gadhafi and the cell where he has been held for years at police headquarters in Beirut. Gadhafi appeared healthy, with a light beard and glasses.

A person who is usually in contact with Gadhafi, a Libyan citizen, said the photos were taken in recent days. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media outlets.

Gadhafi has been held in Lebanon since 2015 after he was kidnapped from neighboring Syria, where he had been living as a political refugee. He was abducted by Lebanese militants demanding information about the fate of prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric Moussa al-Sadr, who went missing during a trip to Libya in 1978.

The fate of al-Sadr has been a sore point in Lebanon. His family believes he may still be alive in a Libyan prison, though most Lebanese presume al-Sadr, who would be 95 now, is dead.

A Libyan delegation visited Beirut in January to reopen talks with Lebanese officials on the fate of al-Sadr and the release of Gadhafi. The talks were aimed at reactivating a dormant agreement between Lebanon and Libya, struck in 2014, for cooperation in the probe of al-Sadr. The delegation did not return to Beirut as planned.

The leaks by Al-Jadeed came after reports that Gadhafi was receiving special treatment at police headquarters and that he had cosmetic surgeries including hair transplants and teeth improvements. Al-Jadeed quoted him as saying: "Let them take my hair and teeth and give me my freedom."

Gadhafi went on a hunger strike in June last year and was taken to a hospital after his health deteriorated.

Libya’s Justice Ministry in a statement Sunday said Gadhafi is being deprived of his rights guaranteed by law. It called on Lebanese authorities to improve his living conditions to one that "preserves his dignity," adding that Lebanese authorities should formally inform the ministry of the improvements. It also said Gadhafi deserves to be released.

After he was kidnapped in 2015, Lebanese authorities freed him but then detained him, accusing him of concealing information about al-Sadr’s disappearance.

Al-Sadr was the founder of the Amal group, a Shiite militia that fought in Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war and later became a political party that is currently led by the country’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Many of al-Sadr’s followers are convinced that Moammar Gadhafi ordered al-Sadr killed in a dispute over Libyan payments to Lebanese militias. Libya has maintained that the cleric, along with two traveling companions, left Tripoli in 1978 on a flight to Rome.

Human Rights Watch issued a statement in January calling for Gadhafi’s release. The rights group noted that Gadhafi was only 2 years old at the time of al-Sadr’s disappearance and held no senior position in Libya as an adult.

The United Nations has urged South Sudan to remove newly imposed taxes and charges that led to the suspension of U.N. food airdrops for thousands of people who depend on outside aid.

The U.N Humanitarian Affairs Agency said Monday in a statement that the pausing of airdrops in March had deprived of food 60,000 people who live in areas that are inaccessible by road, and their number is expected to rise to 135,000 by the end of May.

SOUTH SUDAN'S PRESIDENT WARNS AGAINST CLINGING TO POWER AFTER CALL TO POSTPONE ELECTIONS

The U.N said the new charges would have increased operational costs to $339,000 monthly, which it says is enough to feed over 16,300 people. The new charges introduced in February are related to electronic cargo tracking, security escort fees and new taxes on fuel.

"Our limited funds are spent on saving lives and not bureaucratic impediments," Anita Kiki Gbeho, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said.

U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in New York that the taxes and charges are also impacting the nearly 20,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, "which is reviewing all of its activities, including patrols, the construction of police stations, schools and health care centers, as well as educational support."

The U.N says the South Sudan government had said it would remove the new charges and taxes but had not committed to it in writing since February.

An estimated 9 million people out of 12.5 million people in South Sudan need protection and humanitarian assistance, according to the U.N. The country has also seen an increase in the number of people fleeing the war in neighboring Sudan, further complicating humanitarian assistance to those affected by the internal conflict.

Ecuador filed a complaint Monday at the top U.N. court over what it called Mexico’s illegal move to grant political asylum to a former Ecuadorian vice president, which led to Ecuador’s highly criticized raid on a Mexican embassy earlier this month.

The Ecuadorian complaint at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands intensifies a high-profile diplomatic quarrel with Mexico, which has filed its own complaint with the panel alleging that Ecuador’s highly unusual April 5 raid to arrest Jorge Glas was illegal.

MEXICO WANTS UN TO SUSPEND ECUADOR OVER ITS POLICE RAID ON THE MEXICAN EMBASSY IN QUITO

Ecuador’s counterclaim is that Glas was a fugitive wanted on corruption convictions and not for political reasons, and that therefore he was not eligible for Mexico’s diplomatic protection. Ecuadorian authorities forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest the former Ecuadorian vice president hours after Mexico granted him asylum.

Mexico failed to comply with "its obligations not to grant asylum to people who are being prosecuted or on trial for common crimes or have been convicted by competent ordinary courts," Ecuador's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Glas, who was convicted in two corruption cases, had been living at the diplomatic compound in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, since December. He is now being held at a maximum security prison at the port city of Guayaquil.

The court said in a statement that Ecuador "accuses Mexico of unlawfully granting Mr Glas political asylum and of interfering in its internal affairs."

Security camera video released by Mexico’s government shows that Ecuadorian police scaled the embassy walls and broke into the building. Roberto Canseco, Mexico’s head of consular affairs in Ecuador, tried to keep them from entering, even pushing a large cabinet in front of a door. But police restrained him and pushed him to the floor as they carried Glas out.

Authorities are currently investigating Glas over alleged irregularities during his management of reconstruction efforts following a powerful earthquake in 2016 that killed hundreds of people. He previously was convicted on two separate bribery and corruption cases.

Diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and "inviolable" under the Vienna treaties and host country law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without permission from the ambassador.

Legal experts, Latin American presidents and diplomats swiftly condemned Ecuador's extremely rare show of force. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro even ordered the closure of his country’s embassy and consulates in Ecuador in solidarity with Mexico.

Immediately after the raid, Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Ecuador, recalled its diplomatic staff and closed its embassy and consulates. Days later, it filed a complaint with the court.

In its case filed April 11, Mexico asked the World Court to order Ecuador to take "appropriate and immediate steps to provide full protection and security of diplomatic premises" and prevent any further intrusions. It also wants Ecuador to let Mexico clear its diplomatic premises and the homes of its diplomats in the country.

Mexico also asked the court to award reparation and suspend Ecuador from the United Nations. Hearings on Mexico's case are set to begin Tuesday.

Belarusian authorities on Monday declared that the Belarusian service of the German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle is an "extremist" organization and banned all its activities in the country.

The declaration means anyone working with Deutsche Welle producing content for the Belarusian service potentially faces a seven-year prison sentence. Anyone who reads and reposts articles by Deutsche Welle could be found guilty of an administrative or criminal offense.

BELARUS RAIDS TARGET OPPOSITION-RUN 'PEOPLE'S EMBASSIES,' AUTHORITIES CONFIRM

Peter Limbourg, Deutsche Welle's director general, criticized the decision, saying the accusations are "unfounded" and do not reflect the true nature of the Belarusian service's work.

Belarusian authorities have already named 199 organizations as "extremist" and they use the label to suppress dissent in the country. The list includes the Belarusian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the independent Belarusian TV channel Belsat, broadcasting in the Belarusian language from the Polish capital Warsaw.

"The situation with freedom of speech in Belarus is the worst in Europe," said Andrei Bastunets, the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, adding that Belarus was akin to a European "North Korea."

Belarus was rocked by mass protests in 2020 after the country's authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, declared he had won a sixth term in office. This vote was condemned by the West and the opposition as fraudulent.

In response, human rights organizations said authorities have arrested more than 35,000 people, brutally beating some of them. Many prominent opposition figures were arrested and sentenced to long prison terms, while others fled abroad.

Deutsche Welle's Belarusian service is based in Bonn and the news organization is financed by the German government.

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, there are currently 36 journalists behind bars in Belarus.

French police removed dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard of the elite institution in Paris on Monday.

About 50 protesters set up tents at midday Monday at the Sorbonne university courtyard in support of Palestinians, echoing similar encampments and solidarity demonstrations across the United States.

STUDENTS AT PRESTIGIOUS PARIS UNIVERSITY OCCUPY CAMPUS BUILDING IN PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTEST

Protesters unveiled a giant Palestinian flag and chanted slogans in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as Israel continues its offensive following the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack that triggered the Israeli-Hamas war. Police entered the university grounds in the early afternoon and removed them.

About 100 demonstrators took part in the protest near the prestigious university amid heavy police presence that were also guarding the university entrance to prevent students from setting up camp inside again.

Lorelia Frejo, a graduate student at the Sorbonne who joined a protest outside the university, said police used force to remove her peers from the courtyard. "They were peaceful and police took them out with no explanation," Frejo said. Students in Paris were inspired by the protests at New York's Columbia University who remain steadfast despite police pressure, she added.

"They (Columbia protesters) are very strong and want to fight for justice and for peace in Palestine," Frejo said.

The Sorbonne occupies a unique place at the heart of French public and intellectual life. Last week, President Emmanuel Macron chose it as the venue to deliver a speech on his vision of Europe ahead of elections for the European Parliament in June.

Last week protests broke out at another elite university in the French capital region, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, which counts Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal among its many famous alumni.

Tensions had broken out on campus as pro-Palestinian students inspired by Gaza solidarity encampments at campuses in the United States sought to occupy an amphitheater.

On Friday, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators faced each other in a tense standoff in the street outside the school. Riot police stepped in to separate the opposing groups.

The protest ended peacefully, when students agreed to evacuate the building late on Friday. The head of Sciences Po said an agreement with students had been reached.

Voters in Togo headed to the polls on Monday for parliamentary elections that test support for a proposed new constitution that would scrap presidential elections and give lawmakers the power to choose the president.

The opposition and religious leaders say the legislation is an effort by President Faure Gnassingbe, in office since 2005, to prolong his rule. Lawmakers passed the legislation in March after their mandate expired, and it is close to being enacted.

REWRITTEN TOGO CONSTITUTION BUCKED BY CITIZENS, STOKES DICTATORIAL FEARS

The West African nation has been ruled by the same family for 57 years, initially by Eyadema Gnassingbe and then his son. Faure Gnassingbe took office after elections that the opposition described as a sham. The opposition says the proposed new constitution makes it likely that Gnassingbe will stay on when his mandate expires in 2025.

Authorities cracked down on civic and media freedoms ahead of Monday's vote. Early this month, the government banned protests against the proposed new constitution and the arrest of opposition figures. The electoral commission has banned the Catholic Church from deploying election observers.

In mid-April, a French journalist who arrived to cover the elections was arrested, assaulted and expelled. Togo's media regulator later suspended the accreditation process for foreign journalists.

"We are participating in these elections because we have no alternative," Jean-Pierre Fabre, an opposition party candidate, told The Associated Press. He added that he was worried about the apparent low voter turnout and fairness of the electoral process.

Some 4.2 million Togolese were registered to vote in the country of about 8 million people. Voters were electing candidates for 113 parliamentary seats — 22 more than in the previous assembly — and for the first time filling 179 senatorial positions. Preliminary results were expected within six days.

Togo’s authorities sealed the borders on Monday for security reasons and dispatched some 12,000 gendarmes and police officers to safeguard the voting process.

Amid a rise in the spread of disinformation during elections in West Africa, authorities warned against disseminating false results or other misleading news.

One voter, Kpedji Kossi Nicabou Sena, said he was voting out of concern for the proposed change to the constitution. "This year’s vote is a crucial vote, it’s a vote that can make a difference for my country," he said.

Yao Alexandre Adabrah, a citizen living abroad who returned to vote, echoed the concerns: "We don’t the know the consequences of the new constitution that’s coming."

For the first time, negotiators from most of the world's nations are discussing the text of what is supposed to become a global treaty to end plastic pollution.

Delegates and observers at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution called it a welcome sign that talk has shifted from ideas to treaty language at this fourth of five scheduled plastics summits.

Most contentious is the idea of limiting how much plastic is manufactured globally. Currently, that remains in the text over the strong objections of plastic-producing countries and companies and oil and gas exporters. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels and chemicals.

UN PLASTIC POLLUTION TREATY TALKS APPROACH DEADLINE IN CANADA

The Ottawa session was scheduled late Monday or early Tuesday. On Monday night there could sharp discussion over whether this question of plastic production is a focus for working groups before the next and final meeting.

Stewart Harris, an industry spokesperson with the International Council of Chemical Associations, said the members want a treaty that focuses on recycling plastic and reuse, sometimes referred to as "circularity."

"We want to see the treaty completed," Harris said. "We want to work with the governments on implementing it. The private sector has a role to play."

Dozens of scientists from the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty came to the meeting to provide scientific evidence on plastic pollution to negotiators, in part, they said, to dispel misinformation.

"I heard yesterday that there’s no data on microplastics, which is verifiably false: 21,000 publications on micro and nanoplastics have been published," said Bethanie Carney Almroth, an ecotoxicology professor at Sweden's University of Gothenburg who co-leads the coalition. "It’s like Whac-A-Mole."

She said scientists were being harassed and intimidated by lobbyists and she reported to the U.N. that a lobbyist yelled in her face at a meeting.

Despite their differences, the countries represented share a common vision to move forward in the treaty process, Ecuador's chief negotiator, Walter Schuldt said.

HONG KONG IMPLEMENTS BAN ON STYROFOAM PRODUCTS AND SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

"Because at the end of the day, we’re talking about the survival of the future of life, not only of human life but all sorts of life on this planet," he said in an interview.

He said he was proud to participate, to contribute his "grain of sand" to global action to address an environmental crisis.

Negotiators aim to conclude a treaty by the end of 2024. Topics assigned to expert working groups by tonight will advance into the final round of talks in the fall in South Korea.

Without this preparation work between meetings, it would be daunting to complete the negotiations this year. Multiple countries said Sunday night they're committed to working in between meetings.

The treaty talks began in Uruguay in December 2022 after Rwanda and Peru proposed the resolution that launched the process in March 2022.

Progress was slow during Paris talks in May 2023 and in Nairobi in November as countries debated rules for the process.

When thousands of negotiators and observers arrived in Ottawa, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the committee chair from Ecuador, reminded them of their purpose, asking them to be ambitious.

"The world is counting on us to deliver a new treaty that will catalyze and guide the actions, and international cooperation needed to deliver a future free of plastic pollution," he said. "Let us not fail them."

PLASTIC WASTE IN OCEANS WILL TRIPLE BY 2040, RESEARCHERS SAY

The delegates have been discussing not only the scope of the treaty, but chemicals of concern, problematic and avoidable plastics, product design, and financing and implementation.

Delegates also streamlined the unwieldy collection of options that emerged from the last meeting.

Many traveled to Ottawa from communities affected by plastic manufacturing and pollution. Louisiana and Texas residents who live near petrochemical plants and refineries handed out postcards aimed at the U.S. State Department saying, "Wish you were here."

They traveled together as a group from the Break Free From Plastic movement, and asked negotiators to visit their states to experience the air and water pollution firsthand.

"This is still the best option we have to see change in our communities. They’re so captured by corporations. I can't go to the parish government," said Jo Banner, of the St. John the Baptist Parish in Louisiana. "It feels this is the only chance and hope I have of helping my community repair from this, to heal."

Members of an Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus held a press conference Saturday to say microplastics are contaminating their food supply and the pollution threatens their communities and ways of life guaranteed to them in perpetuity. They felt their voices weren’t being heard.

"We have bigger stakes. These are our ancestral lands that are being polluted with plastic," Juressa Lee, of New Zealand, said after the event. "We’re rightsholders, not stakeholders. We should have more space to speak and make decisions than the people causing the problem."

Traditionally, there was no plastic, but now in the Bay of Plenty, their source of seafood, the sediment and shellfish are full of tiny plastic particles. They regard nature's "resources" as treasures, Lee added.

"Indigenous ways can lead the way," Lee said. "What we're doing now clearly is not working."

Vi Waghiyi traveled from Alaska to represent Arctic Indigenous peoples. She's reminding decision-makers that this treaty must protect people from plastic pollution for generations to come.

She said, "We come here to be the conscience, to ensure they make the right decision for all people."

Venice has always been a place of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, where history, religion, art and nature have collided over the centuries to produce an otherworldly gem of a city. But even for a place that prides itself on its culture of unusual encounters, Pope Francis’ visit Sunday stood out.

Francis traveled to the lagoon city to visit the Holy See’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it. But because the Vatican decided to mount its exhibit in Venice’s women’s prison, and invited inmates to collaborate with the artists, the whole project assumed a far more complex meaning, touching on Francis’ belief in the power of art to uplift and unite, and of the need to give hope and solidarity to society’s most marginalized.

Francis hit on both messages during his visit, which began in the courtyard of the Giudecca prison where he met with the women inmates one by one. As some of them wept, Francis urged them to use their time in prison as a chance for "moral and material rebirth."

POPE TO BRING HIS CALL FOR ETHICAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO G7 SUMMIT IN JUNE IN SOUTHERN ITALY

"Paradoxically, a stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolized by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute," Francis said.

Francis then met with Biennale artists in the prison chapel, decorated with an installation by Brazilian visual artist Sonia Gomes of objects dangling from the ceiling, meant to draw the viewer’s gaze upward. He urged the artists to embrace the Biennale’s theme this year "Strangers Everywhere," to show solidarity with all those on the margins.

The Vatican exhibit has turned the Giudecca prison, a former convent for reformed prostitutes, into one of the must-see attractions of this year’s Biennale, even though to see it visitors must reserve in advance and go through a security check. It has become an unusual art world darling that greets visitors at the entrance with Maurizio Cattelan’s wall mural of two giant filthy feet, a work that recalls Caravaggio’s dirty feet or the feet that Francis washes each year in a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs on prisoners.

The exhibit also includes a short film starring the inmates and Zoe Saldana, and prints in the prison coffee shop by onetime Catholic nun and American social activist Corita Kent.

Francis’ dizzying morning visit, which ended with Mass in St. Mark's Square, represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by health and mobility problems that have ruled out any foreign trips so far this year.

And Venice, with its 121 islands and 436 bridges, isn't an easy place to negotiate. But Francis pulled it off, arriving by helicopter from Rome, crossing the Giudecca Canal in a water taxi and then arriving in St. Mark's Square in a mini popemobile that traversed the Grand Canal via a pontoon bridge erected for the occasion.

VATICAN DOCUMENT ON MODERN ISSUES SHOWS 'HOW STUPID IT IS' TO SEE CHURCH AS 'LEFT' OR 'RIGHT': BISHOP BARRON

During an encounter with young people at the iconic Santa Maria della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged the miracle that is Venice, admiring its "enchanting beaty" and tradition as a place of East-West encounter, but warning that it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and depopulation.

"Venice is at one with the waters upon which it sits," Francis said. "Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist."

Venice, sinking under rising sea levels and weighed down by the impact of overtourism, is in the opening days of an experiment to try to limit the sort of day trips that Francis undertook Sunday.

Venetian authorities last week launched a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($5.35) apiece on peak travel days. The aim is to encourage them to stay longer or come at off-peak times, to cut down on crowds and make the city more livable for its dwindling number of residents.

For Venice’s Catholic patriarch, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, the new tax program is a worthwhile experiment, a potential necessary evil to try to preserve Venice as a livable city for visitors and residents alike.

Moraglia said Francis’ visit — the first by a pope to the Biennale — was a welcome boost, especially for the women of the Giudecca prison who participated in the exhibit as tour guides and as protagonists in some of the artworks.

He acknowledged that Venice over the centuries has had a long, complicated, love-hate relationship with the papacy, despite its central importance to Christianity.

The relics of St. Mark — the top aide to St. Peter, the first pope — are held here in the basilica, which is one of the most important and spectacular in all of Christendom. Several popes have hailed from Venice — in the past century alone three pontiffs were elected after being Venice patriarchs. And Venice hosted the last conclave held outside the Vatican: the 1799-1800 vote that elected Pope Paul VII.

But for centuries before that, relations between the independent Venetian Republic and the Papal States were anything but cordial as the two sides dueled over control of the church. Popes in Rome issued interdicts against Venice that essentially excommunicated the entire territory. Venice flexed its muscles back by expelling entire religious orders, including Francis’ own Jesuits.

"It’s a history of contrasts because they were two competitors for so many centuries," said Giovanni Maria Vian, a church historian and retired editor of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano whose family hails from Venice. "The papacy wanted to control everything, and Venice jealously guarded its independence."

Moraglia said that troubled history is long past and that Venice was welcoming Francis with open arms and gratitude, in keeping with its history as a bridge between cultures.

"The history of Venice, the DNA of Venice — beyond the language of beauty and culture that unifies — there's this historic character that says that Venice has always been a place of encounter," he said.

Francis said as much as he closed out Mass in St. Mark's before an estimated 10,500 people.

"Venice, which has always been a place of encounter and cultural exchange, is called to be a sign of beauty available to all," Francis said. "Starting with the least, a sign of fraternity and care for our common home."\

India summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner on Monday and expressed "deep concern and strong protest" after separatist slogans in support of a Sikh homeland were raised at an event addressed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Bilateral diplomatic relations soured last year after Trudeau said Canada was "actively pursuing credible allegations" that Indian agents were potentially linked to the June 2023 murder of a Canadian citizen.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population. Nijjar supported a Sikh homeland in the form of an independent Khalistani state and was designated by India as a "terrorist" in July 2020.

INDIA'S MODI POISED FOR VICTORY AS 6-WEEK GENERAL ELECTION BEGINS IN WORLD'S LARGEST DEMOCRACY

New Delhi has denied any formal government role in Nijjar's murder.

India's foreign affairs ministry said on Monday it had conveyed "deep concern and strong protest" at such actions "being allowed to continue unchecked at the event".

Slogans supporting the rise of a separatist state were raised at an event in Toronto, according to ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake.

"We will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination," ANI reported Trudeau as saying.

Canada has the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab in India, and the country has been the scene of many demonstrations that have irked India.

The Canadian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Southeast Asia was coping with a weekslong heat wave on Monday as record-high temperatures led to school closings in several countries and urgent health warnings throughout the region.

Millions of students in all public schools across the Philippines were ordered to stay home Monday after authorities canceled in-person classes for two days. The main advice for everyone, everywhere has been to avoid outdoor activities and drink plenty of water, but the young and the elderly were told to be especially careful.

Cambodia this year is facing the highest temperatures in 170 years, Chan Yutha, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, told The Associated Press on Monday. His agency has forecast that temperatures in most parts of the country could reach up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit this week.

CDC WARNS OF EXTREME HEAT DANGERS AMID ‘RECORD-BREAKING HIGH TEMPERATURES’

Myanmar’s meteorological department said Monday that seven townships in the central Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing and Bago regions experienced record-high temperatures. Several towns in Myanmar last week were on lists of the hottest spots worldwide.

Chauk township in Magway, historically the country's hottest region, saw Myanmar’s highest temperature at 118.8 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the previous record of 117.3 degrees Fahrenheit set in 1968.

The Philippines is among the nations worst affected by the sweltering weather in Southeast Asia, where the intense tropical summer heat worsened by humidity forced class cancelations in recent weeks and sparked fears of water shortages, power outages and damage to agricultural crops.

The Department of Education ordered students in more than 47,000 public schools to switch to home-based and online learning due to health risks from record-high temperatures and a three-day strike starting Monday by drivers who oppose a government program they fear would remove dilapidated passenger jeepneys from streets.

Large crowds have sought relief in air-conditioned shopping malls in Metropolitan Manila, the congested capital region of more than 14 million people where the temperature soared to 101.84 Fahrenheit Saturday, surpassing the record set decades ago, according to weather officials.

PHILIPPINES STRUCK BY DEEP 6.2 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

In Thailand, temperatures have topped 111 F in some areas in the northern parts of the country, while the capital Bangkok and metropolitan areas have seen temperatures go above 104 F. The forecast from the Meteorological Department said this year’s summer, which usually lasts from late February to late May, is expected to be 1-2 degrees hotter than last year, and rainfall will be lower than average.

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control said last week that at least 30 people have died from heatstroke so far this year, compared to 37 for all of last year.

Scientists have said the number of heat-related deaths around the world has been rising significantly in recent years along with temperatures, but the trend in Asia this year so far is unclear, partly because of the question of how to classify deaths that appear to be heat related.

At least 34 people have fallen ill due to the extreme heat in the Philippines so far this year, including six who died. The Department of Health said it was verifying what exactly caused the deaths.

Media in Bangladesh reported that in a five-day period earlier this month, at least 20 people died from heatstroke.

In Cambodia, however, officials indicated there were few if any heat-related fatalities. The Khmer Times, an online news platform, quoted the head of the Health Department of Phnom Penh, the capital, saying there had been no heat-related deaths or collapses.

The European Union announced on Monday that it is tightening visa requirements for people from Ethiopia, accusing the government there of a failure to cooperate in taking back citizens found to be living illegally in the 27-nation bloc.

EU headquarters said the time it takes to process visas for Ethiopian nationals will triple from 15 to 45 days. EU countries will no longer be permitted to waive requirements for certain paperwork or issue multiple-entry visas. Ethiopian diplomats and officials will now have to pay for travel visas.

The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, has vowed to use visa rules as a way of applying pressure on countries to cooperate in deportation procedures. Only around one in three people ordered to depart the EU ever actually leave.

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The Commission says the action is being taken due to "a lack of response from the Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests," as well as shortcomings with "the organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operations," which is the way the EU describes deportation.

Most people staying illegally in the EU arrive without breaking any rules via airports or ports but never go home once their visas expire, outnumbering those who arrive on unseaworthy boats or travel overland in search of refuge, jobs or better lives in Europe.

Ethiopia is mired in conflict and a humanitarian crisis. The two-year conflict in the northern Tigray region, which ended with a peace deal in November 2022, left most of the region’s population of 6 million relying on international help.

The country is both a major place of origin and transit for migrants and refugees in the Horn of Africa region, often serving as a hub for people from Eritrea and Somalia aiming to reach Europe or other northern parts of the African continent.