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President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a major expansion in the production and deployment of ground robotic systems, setting a target of at least 50,000 units for Ukraine’s military this year.

Speaking after a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Zelensky described unmanned ground systems as the “next major step” in warfare, following the widespread use of drones.

“It is already impossible to imagine defense without drones – and the same applies to ground robotic systems,” he said, adding that they are crucial for logistics, evacuating wounded soldiers and combat operations.

Zelensky said the defense minister and General Staff have been tasked with meeting the target, stressing that such systems are “about protecting lives.” He noted that contracts for ground robotic systems this year already exceed last year’s volume by more than twofold, but said production must continue to grow.

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla landed in the United States on Monday, April 27, kicking off the first state visit by a British monarch since 2007.

The four-day state visit, touted as a celebration of America's 250th anniversary, will be the king's first U.S. trip since his 2022 coronation. The royal pair is set to spend time at the nation's capital, including a formal state dinner at the White House and an address to a joint session of Congress, before venturing to other nearby states.

Their packed schedule includes a ceremonial stop at the memorial dedicated to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, as well as sightseeing in the Appalachia region, USA TODAY previously reported.

Charles and Camilla's visit is being framed as a chance to repair a rift between two countries with historically deep ties. Tensions have risen in recent months between the United States and the United Kingdom governments over a slew of topics, like the United States' joint war in Iran, the administration's tariffs and ongoing disagreements over theNATO military alliance.

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Two Israeli political heavyweights on Sunday said they would join forces in upcoming elections in a shared effort to unseat longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid served as prime ministers in a rotation agreement as part of a coalition government they formed in 2021. They now plan to merge their parties into single faction headed by Bennett.

“The move is intended to unite the bloc, put an end to internal divisions and focus all efforts on winning the critical upcoming elections,” Lapid’s Yesh Atid party said in a statement.

Bennett and Lapid scheduled a joint news conference later on Sunday.

The 2021 coalition agreement ended 12 years of Netanyahu rule. Bennett served as prime minister for the first year until their coalition fractured. Lapid then held the top job as caretaker prime minister for the final six months until new elections brought Netanyahu back to power.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bennett-lapid-effort-to-unseat-netanyahu_n_69ee3933e4b0f3a433cb770b?origin=home-latest-news-unit

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Palestinians began voting in local elections on Saturday, April 25, marking the first time in nearly two decades that the process has included the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized control in 2007, Reuters reported.

The vote is currently limited to the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where voter turnout has been reported as active. The Palestinian Authority (PA), based in the West Bank, views the inclusion of the city as a symbolic step toward re-establishing its governance over the territory.

Western diplomats and regional governments, including European and Arab states, have expressed support for the PA’s return to Gaza as part of a broader path toward national elections and a future independent Palestinian state.

According to preliminary data, more than one million Palestinians are eligible to participate in the local elections across the territories, with approximately 70,000 registered voters in Gaza. The process is being monitored as a test for transparency and accountability reforms recently initiated by the PA.

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An American millionaire big-game hunter has died after being crushed by a group of elephants during a hunting expedition in Gabon.

Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old vineyard owner, was hunting yellow-backed duiker, an antelope species, in the central African country of Gabon when the incident occurred last Friday. While in the Lope-Okanda rainforest, he and his guide unexpectedly came across five female elephants accompanied by a calf.

Originally from Lodi, California, Dosio had built an extensive collection of hunting trophies over the years, including animals such as elephants and lions. He was reportedly a familiar name within the Sacramento Safari Club.

According to the Daily Mail, safari operator Collect Africa confirmed the death of its client. The company also reported that the professional hunter guiding Dosio sustained serious injuries during the encounter.

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In recent months, European expressions of concern over the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have regularly hardened into outright condemnation. Last September, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed horror and outrage at aid restrictions that she said created a “man-made famine” in Gaza. Brussels has inveighed against settler violence and land grabs in the West Bank, which undermine the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. Responding to the bombing of Lebanon following the US-Israeli ceasefire with Iran, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said: “Israel’s right to self-defence does not justify this destruction.”

The angry words and exhortations have achieved nothing. Mr Netanyahu and his ministers have generally treated European critics with barely concealed contempt, presumably reassured by the fact that their chief allies in the White House tend to behave in exactly the same fashion. The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner, and the academic benefits it confers through Israeli participation in the Horizon research programme are considerable. But internal disunity, and an overoptimistic faith in the power of persuasion, have led to a reluctance by the bloc to use those relationships as leverage.

Belatedly, there are indications that a change in approach may be coming. The recent election humiliation for Hungary’s outgoing prime minister, Viktor Orbán, was also a bad result for Mr Netanyahu, who lost an invaluable far-right ally. In February, Hungary was the only EU country to vote against the adoption of sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank, blocking a measure requiring unanimity. Once Mr Orbán’s successor is in office, it is expected that the proposal will come back to the table.

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