conflict

US forces to complete withdrawal from Syria within a month

conflict

Venezuela petitions UN for Maduro release

  • Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release" by the United States of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
  • Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto on Monday demanded the immediate release of Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted as president in a January 3 raid by the United States.
  • Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release" by the United States of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto on Monday demanded the immediate release of Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted as president in a January 3 raid by the United States.
Maduro, who autocratically ruled Venezuela between March 2013 and his capture by US forces, is in custody in New York along with his wife, awaiting trial.
Maduro, 63, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and declared that he was a "prisoner of war".
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release" by the United States of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
"January 3, 2026, marked a turning point of extreme gravity," Gil told the top UN rights body, adding that the "illegal military action" by US forces left over 100 people killed.
"Despite this action, carried out in a context of profound technological and military asymmetry between our country and the nuclear power of the United States ... we have chosen to open a diplomatic channel to resolve our differences with that country," he said.

'Reconciliation' aim

Venezuela's top diplomat stressed that his country was "working toward a process of acknowledging past wounds, forgiveness, and reconciliation", referring to a new amnesty law passed.
The country's legislature unanimously adopted the landmark law last Thursday, and interim leader Delcy Rodriguez hailed its passage, describing it as a step toward "a more democratic, fairer, freer Venezuela".
Rodriguez's brother, parliament chief Jorge Rodriguez said 1,500 people had applied for the amnesty, which covers a range of charges used to lock up dissidents during 27 years of hardline socialist rule.
Some 600 political prisoners remain behind bars throughout the country, according to Foro Penal -- an NGO dedicated to the defense of political prisoners -- despite approximately 500 people being released since January.
More than 200 prisoners at the Rodeo I prison, a facility about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Caracas, went on hunger strike at the weekend to demand their freedom.
On Sunday, the International Committee of the Red Cross gained access to several prisons, including Rodeo 1 for the first time.

Thaw with West

Opposition figures have criticized the new legislation, which appears to exclude some offenses previously used to target Maduro's political opponents.
It also does not include military offenses, such as attempted coups.
The amnesty law has helped accelerate a thaw in Venezuela's ties with the West.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Monday she would propose lifting EU sanctions on President Rodriguez.
Elsewhere, the UN rights office said it was in talks with Caracas to reopen its mission in Venezuela. Its staff were expelled in February 2024.
In a further sign of a break with the past, Rodriguez on Monday dismissed from her cabinet the wife of a businessman accused of serving as Maduro's frontman in corruption schemes.
Alex Saab was indicted in the United States for money laundering but returned to Venezuela in 2024 as part of a prisoner swap to take up the role of industry minister.
Rodriguez removed him from his position in January.
On Monday, she sacked his wife Camilla Fabri, who served as deputy minister for international communication.
burs-cb/md

conflict

US forces to complete withdrawal from Syria within a month

BY GIHAD DARWISH AND BAKR ALKASEM

  • On Monday, the United States began withdrawing from a major base in a northeastern region still under the control of Kurdish forces, which agreed last month to integrate their institutions with Damascus.
  • The US forces that led the coalition against the Islamic State group will complete their withdrawal from Syria within a month, three sources told AFP on Monday, as troops began leaving a major base.
  • On Monday, the United States began withdrawing from a major base in a northeastern region still under the control of Kurdish forces, which agreed last month to integrate their institutions with Damascus.
The US forces that led the coalition against the Islamic State group will complete their withdrawal from Syria within a month, three sources told AFP on Monday, as troops began leaving a major base.
The withdrawal comes as Syria's government has expanded its control to the country's northeast, previously controlled by US-allied Kurdish forces, and formally joined the coalition against IS.
It also comes as Syrian state media reported that four Syrian security personnel were killed in an IS attack in the northern city of Raqa, which was recently taken back into central government control from Kurdish forces. 
American forces have already withdrawn from two other bases in the past two weeks, Al-Tanf in the southeast and Shadadi in the northeast.
"Within a month, they will have withdrawn from Syria and there will no longer be any military presence in the bases," a Syrian government official said, with a Kurdish source confirming the timeline.
The officials who spoke to AFP for this story all requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
On Monday, the United States began withdrawing from a major base in a northeastern region still under the control of Kurdish forces, which agreed last month to integrate their institutions with Damascus.
An AFP team saw a convoy of dozens of trucks loaded with armoured vehicles and prefabricated structures on a road linking the Qasrak base in Hasakeh province to the border with Iraq.
With Kurdish forces at the forefront, IS was territorially defeated in 2019 but retains sleeper cells. On Saturday the group urged its jihadists to fight the Syrian authorities.
On Monday, Syria's official SANA news agency quoted a security source as saying that "four members of the internal security forces" were killed in an attack attributed to IS.
Syria's interior ministry said the "terrorist attack" had targeted a checkpoint and that an assailant was also killed.

'End their presence'

The United States has about 1,000 troops still deployed in Syria.
It had intervened in the country in 2014 to fight IS, which had taken over swathes of Syria and Iraq in a lightning offensive.
A diplomat from a country allied with both the United States and Syria said the withdrawal should be completed within 20 days.
The US may still carry out air strikes in Syria from other bases in the region, he said.
The Kurdish source said "the international coalition forces will end their presence, which has lasted for about 12 years, in northern and eastern Syria within a period of three to five weeks".
"Over the coming days, successive military convoys will transport logistical supplies, military equipment, radar systems, and missiles from the two remaining bases," he added, referring to Qasrak and Kharab al-Jir, also in Hasakeh province.
The withdrawal comes as the US, which long backed the Kurds, has deemed their mission against IS to be "largely" over, with Syria joining the international anti-IS coalition.
After the Syrian authorities' deployment in the northeast last month, the US military said it transferred thousands of IS suspects, including many Syrians but also Westerners, to Iraq after they were held in Kurdish-run prisons for years.
Syrian authorities had transferred remaining families in Al-Hol, the largest camp housing relatives of suspected IS fighters, to another site in the north.
Thousands of family members of foreign jihadists had previously fled the camp and they remain unaccounted for.
Human Rights Watch expressed concern over the wellbeing of 8,500 people after the camps of al-Hol, which Damascus shut down on Sunday, and Roj, still under Kurdish control, close.
"After control of al-Hol was transferred to Syrian authorities on January 20, most residents reportedly left in a largely unplanned and chaotic manner," the international watchdog said.
"The camps have long held thousands of women and children, most of whom have never been charged with a crime and were detained for years in life-threatening conditions because their countries failed to repatriate them."
str-lk-lar/at/nad/dc/smw

diplomacy

Iran would react 'ferociously' to any US attack, warns of regional conflict

BY SUSANNAH WALDEN WITH AFP BUREAUS

  • - 'Diplomatic solution' - Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the resumption of talks was "a new window of opportunity", but warned of the risk of a regional conflict if his country was attacked.
  • Iran vowed on Monday to retaliate "ferociously" against any attack from the United States, and repeated its warning of a regional conflagration in response to President Donald Trump's latest threat of strikes.
  • - 'Diplomatic solution' - Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the resumption of talks was "a new window of opportunity", but warned of the risk of a regional conflict if his country was attacked.
Iran vowed on Monday to retaliate "ferociously" against any attack from the United States, and repeated its warning of a regional conflagration in response to President Donald Trump's latest threat of strikes.
The bellicose rhetoric from both Tehran and Washington came as the foes prepared for indirect talks in Geneva on a potential deal regarding Iran's nuclear programme, after a US official confirmed discussions would resume on Thursday.
Even as Iran faces US pressure backed by a build-up of military force in the Middle East, university students have started the new semester with anti-government protests, reviving slogans from nationwide demonstrations that peaked in January and were met with a deadly crackdown. 
Last week, Trump said he was weighing a limited strike if Iran did not cut a deal, but Tehran's foreign ministry said Monday that any strike, even limited, "would be regarded as an act of aggression". 
"And any state would react to an act of aggression... ferociously, so that's what we would do," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.
Iran has said it will be ready to deliver a draft proposal for an agreement on its nuclear programme to mediators in the coming days. Trump said on Thursday that Tehran had at most 15 days to make a deal.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian use, but the West believes it is aimed at building an atomic bomb.  
While Iran has taken anything beyond the nuclear issue off the negotiating table, Washington also wants to discuss Tehran's missiles and its support for militant groups in the region.
The two countries concluded a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland last week under Omani mediation.

'Diplomatic solution'

Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the resumption of talks was "a new window of opportunity", but warned of the risk of a regional conflict if his country was attacked.
"The consequences of any renewed aggression wouldn't remain confined to one country and responsibility would rest with those who initiate or support such actions," Gharibabadi said.
The risk of conflict has caused mounting fear in Iran and spurred other countries to take precautionary measures. 
India on Monday joined Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia in calling for its citizens to leave Iran.
The United States, meanwhile, ordered non-emergency personnel to leave its embassy in Lebanon, home to the Shiite militia Hezbollah, which maintains close ties to Iran. 
In an interview with Fox News broadcast at the weekend, US negotiator Steve Witkoff said Trump was wondering why Iran has not "capitulated" in the face of Washington's military threats and force deployment. 
Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.
China has warned Washington against triggering new conflicts. 
On Monday, at a disarmament conference in Geneva, Chinese ambassador Shen Jian said: "We oppose unilateral bullying and the use of force in international relations." 

Flags burned

The protests sparked in December by economic pains in the sanctions-hit country grew into the most significant challenge to the authorities in years. 
They were put down by security forces as they peaked on January 8 and 9 with violence that left thousands dead. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) recorded more than 7,000 killings, while warning the toll is likely far higher. 
Authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths, but say the violence was caused by "terrorist acts" fuelled by the United States and Israel. 
Protests sprung up again over the weekend at universities. 
On Monday videos geolocated by AFP and circulated on social media showed students at a university in Tehran burning the Iranian flag -- adopted after the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the monarchy -- and chanting "down with the Islamic republic".  
University rallies were held by both pro- and anti-government groups to commemorate those killed in the protest wave, with videos also showing people burning Israeli and US flags as well as scuffles breaking out between groups. 
bur-sw/dc/smw

conflict

From Odesa to Bakhmut, revisiting a Ukrainian family torn by war

BY CéCILE FEUILLATRE

  • As Ukrainians prepare to mark the invasion's four-year anniversary on Tuesday, AFP spoke to those who knew the Glodans, about their memories of the strike and of the family.
  • It was the day before Orthodox Easter in 2022, and Valeria and Yuriy Glodan were preparing to celebrate with their three-month-old daughter Kira in the coastal Ukrainian city of Odesa when their world fell apart in seconds.
  • As Ukrainians prepare to mark the invasion's four-year anniversary on Tuesday, AFP spoke to those who knew the Glodans, about their memories of the strike and of the family.
It was the day before Orthodox Easter in 2022, and Valeria and Yuriy Glodan were preparing to celebrate with their three-month-old daughter Kira in the coastal Ukrainian city of Odesa when their world fell apart in seconds.
While Yuriy was out shopping, a Russian missile hit their apartment, instantly wiping out three generations of the family: baby Kira, 28-year-old Valeria and Valeria's mother Lyudmyla, 54.
The Glodan family's story, which drew outrage in Ukraine and worldwide, is just one example of many in a four-year Russian invasion punctuated by tragedy and heartache for millions.
A year later, Yuriy joined the army and was killed in September 2023 during the battle for the town of Bakhmut, one of the bloodiest of the war.
"There's a before and an after," Yuriy's 53-year-old mother Nina said of the strike that killed her relatives.
"We're still living in April 2022. And we haven't moved past it."
More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion, according to UN estimates.
The real toll is thought to be much higher, while thousands of soldiers are believed to be dead or missing in action.
As Ukrainians prepare to mark the invasion's four-year anniversary on Tuesday, AFP spoke to those who knew the Glodans, about their memories of the strike and of the family.

'His life was over'

The young couple is now buried in a cemetery in Avangard, a small village on the outskirts of Odesa.
Kira, her mother and grandmother's grave lie on one side of a narrow path in the cemetery.
Yuriy's, on the other side of the path, faces them.
Nina and her husband, also called Yuriy, spoke to AFP from a cafe in the village.
It was where they learned they would become grandparents.
They brought with them a family album that showed a picture-perfect life: Yuriy and Valiera's wedding, their trip to Rome, and of course, wide-eyed baby Kirochka.
It shows Yuriy, serious and composed besides Valeria, a brunette with an infectious smile who resembles her mother Lyudmyla.
The pair met in 2013, when Yuriy was finishing his studies at Odesa Law Academy and Valeria was studying journalism.
"Yuriy was very smart. She really won him over with her intellect," Nina said.
Yuriy later abandoned his law career to work in an Odesa boulangerie called "Make My Cake".
"The first thing he became known for was baking cinnamon rolls. He also made great Easter cakes," his mother said.
"We were waiting for grandchildren," his father added.
The couple got married in 2019, and Kira was born on January 4, 2022.
"We were so happy."
But then came the invasion, and the strike.
Nina had her son on the phone, as they searched through the rubble of the building, looking for his girls.
"He said right then that his life was over," Nina said. "Ours too."

'Empty inside'

Valeria's friend Alla Korolyova never deleted their WhatsApp messages and scrolled through them as she spoke to AFP, showing jokes, emojis and photos of baby Kira.
"Her personality was like sunshine. She loved Odesa, Ukrainian culture, the opera... She had a wonderful, very loud laugh that I miss very much," said Korolyova, 38.
Korolyova left for the relative safety of western Ukraine, further from the front, at the beginning of the invasion.
But Valeria didn't want to leave Odesa, where she felt safe. 
Their Whatsapp chat on April 23rd -- the day of the strike -- only showed missed calls from Alla, along with anxious messages:
"Is everything alright?"
A year after losing his family, Yuriy left for the eastern front, training intensively to join Ukraine's elite third assault unit.
"When I met him, I had no idea who he was. He was just a guy from Odesa, always sad and dissatisfied with something," said fellow soldier and friend Dmytro Gudz.
"One day in the dugout I asked him –- why are you always such a grumbler? And he told me about the tragedy with his family. From that time, we grew very close."
Yuriy was "empty inside" -- Alla and Dmytro both said separately.
He died during an assault on Andriivka, near Bakhmut.
A soldier who was wounded alongside him said he was killed by a drone chasing them. 
His funeral took place on February 24, 2024, two years to the day after the start of the Russian invasion.
cf-mk-brw/cad/

transport

Panama takes control of canal ports from CK Hutchison

  • The Panama Canal was built by the United States, which operated it for a century before ceding control to Panama in 1999. jjr/nn/msp/aha
  • Panamanian maritime authorities took control Monday of two ports on the Panama Canal from CK Hutchison after the Hong Kong-based conglomerate's concession was annulled following pressure from the United States.
  • The Panama Canal was built by the United States, which operated it for a century before ceding control to Panama in 1999. jjr/nn/msp/aha
Panamanian maritime authorities took control Monday of two ports on the Panama Canal from CK Hutchison after the Hong Kong-based conglomerate's concession was annulled following pressure from the United States.
"The Panama Maritime Authority has taken possession of its ports and guarantees the continuity of operations," an official said after the Panamanian Supreme Court annulled Hutchison's contracts to operate the ports.
The court ruling was the latest legal move to ricochet through the interoceanic waterway, which handles about 40 percent of US container traffic and five percent of world trade. 
The Central American country has been swept up in broader tensions between Washington and Beijing, with US President Donald Trump claiming, without providing evidence, last year that China effectively runs the canal.
Panama has always denied Chinese control over the 80-kilometer (50-mile) waterway, which is used mainly by the United States and China.
Nevertheless, in January, the country's supreme court had declared as "unconstitutional" the contract which had allowed Hutchison to manage the ports of Balboa on the Pacific and Cristobal on the Atlantic since 1997.
Hutchison had asked the Panamanian government to enter into negotiations to allow it to continue operating the two terminals, and on Friday a company spokesperson said such talks were necessary to "avoid chaos."
Publication of the ruling in the official gazette Monday effectively finalized the legal process, and the decision is not subject to appeal. The measure was formalized by a decree after publication in the gazette.
"The Panama Maritime Authority has taken possession of its ports and guarantees the continuity of operations," ports director Max Florez told reporters.
He said an 18-month transition period now begins, with the ports being operated by two other companies before contracts are awarded under a new international tender.
APM Terminals, a subsidiary of the Danish Maersk group, will operate the port of Balboa, and Terminal Investment Limited, owned by the logistics giant MSC, will operate the port of Cristobal.
Labor Minister Jackeline Munoz assured there would be "no layoffs" at the two terminals, which employ around 1,200 people.
Following the court's January ruling, the Panama Maritime Authority had said a division of Maersk Group would temporarily take over operation of the facilities.
Last week, Hutchison warned of possible legal action against Maersk and others over the annulment of its contract. And the Hong Kong company has said it would challenge Panama's decision before the International Chamber of Commerce.
US Ambassador to Panama Kevin Cabrera defended the actions by Panamanian authorities, saying they have the right "to have their judicial system make its own decisions."
The Panama Canal was built by the United States, which operated it for a century before ceding control to Panama in 1999.
jjr/nn/msp/aha

politics

UK police arrest ex-envoy Peter Mandelson in Epstein case

BY AKSHATA KAPOOR

  • The arrest comes days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles III's younger brother, was detained on Thursday and released under investigation in a separate misconduct in public office probe also related to the latest Epstein documents.
  • London police on Monday arrested former ambassador Peter Mandelson in a probe into allegations over his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was detained.
  • The arrest comes days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles III's younger brother, was detained on Thursday and released under investigation in a separate misconduct in public office probe also related to the latest Epstein documents.
London police on Monday arrested former ambassador Peter Mandelson in a probe into allegations over his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was detained.
Mandelson, a pivotal figure in British politics and the UK's former envoy to Washington, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations arising from the latest set of documents linked to Epstein, released by the US government last month.
"Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Images on UK television appeared to show Mandelson, 72, being driven away from his north London home accompanied by a man and a woman, after police raided his properties earlier this month.
"He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and has been taken to a London police station for interview," the Met added.
The arrest comes days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles III's younger brother, was detained on Thursday and released under investigation in a separate misconduct in public office probe also related to the latest Epstein documents.
Mandelson is being probed over allegations that he sent sensitive documents to the late US sex offender when he was a government minister, including during the 2008 financial crash.
Police have not specified which documents are part of the probe.
The veteran ex-politician was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as envoy to Washington in September when an earlier release of documents linked to Epstein showed the extent of their friendship.
But Mandelson's appointment has unleashed a political storm with two of Starmer's top aides resigning over the row.
Starmer apologised to Epstein's victims for appointing Mandelson, and accused the ex-envoy of lying about the extent of his ties to the financier during the vetting process for his Washington posting.

Pressure rising

Law firm Mishcon de Reya, representing Mandelson, said earlier this month that he "regrets, and will regret until his dying day, that he believed Epstein's lies about his criminality". 
"Lord Mandelson did not discover the truth about Epstein until after his death in 2019," said the statement.
"He is profoundly sorry that powerless and vulnerable women and girls were not given the protection they deserved."
The government is to release tens of thousands of emails, messages and documents on Mandelson's vetting procedure, which could ramp up the pressure on the prime minister and other senior ministers.
Government minister Darren Jones on Monday said the first set of documents relating to Mandelson's appointment will be published in early March.
Starmer fought off calls to resign earlier this month after he admitted he knew about Mandelson's ongoing friendship with Epstein -- which seemed to continue after the financier was convicted of child prostitution in 2008.
Mandelson, also a former European Union trade commissioner, stood down from parliament's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, earlier this month.
The advisory firm he co-founded, Global Counsel, also approached bankruptcy last week as it stopped trading and appointed administrations in a bid to salvage some assets.
Several major clients, including Barclays, Tesco and English football's Premier League, have cut ties with the firm in recent weeks, according to press reports.
Officers from the Met's specialist crime team were deployed earlier this month to search two of his addresses, one in the western English county of Wiltshire and the other in London, according to the police.
aks/jkb/phz

conflict

Venezuelan foreign minister demands 'immediate release' of Maduro

  • Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release by the government of the United States of America of the constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, and his wife, the first lady Cilia Flores".
  • Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto on Monday demanded the immediate release of Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted as president in a January 3 raid by the United States.
  • Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release by the government of the United States of America of the constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, and his wife, the first lady Cilia Flores".
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto on Monday demanded the immediate release of Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted as president in a January 3 raid by the United States.
Maduro, who autocratically ruled Venezuela between March 2013 and his capture by US forces, is in custody in New York along with his wife, awaiting trial.
Maduro, 63, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and declared that he was a "prisoner of war".
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gil demanded "the immediate release by the government of the United States of America of the constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, and his wife, the first lady Cilia Flores".
"January 3, 2026, marked a turning point of extreme gravity," Gil told the top UN rights body.
"An illegal military action against our country resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, and the arbitrary detention" of Maduro and his wife, Gil said.
"Despite this action, carried out in a context of profound technological and military asymmetry between our country and the nuclear power of the United States ... we have chosen to open a diplomatic channel to resolve our differences with that country," he said.
"Not through submission, but in the sovereign equality of states. Not through fear, but with the conviction that dialogue is the only civilised path between nations."

'Reconciliation' aim

Gil said Venezuela was insisting on the need for "international cooperation based on the legal equality of states".
Venezuela's top diplomat stressed that his country was "working toward a process of acknowledging past wounds, forgiveness, and reconciliation", referring to a new amnesty law passed.
The country's legislature unanimously adopted the landmark law last Thursday, and interim leader Delcy Rodriguez hailed its passage, describing it as a step toward "a more democratic, fairer, freer Venezuela".
Opposition figures have criticised the new legislation, which appears to include carve-outs for some offences previously used by authorities to target Maduro's political opponents.
But the amnesty extends to 11,000 political prisoners who, over nearly three decades, were paroled or placed under house arrest.
More than 200 Venezuelan political prisoners at the Rodeo I prison, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the capital Caracas, were on hunger strike Sunday to demand their release under the new amnesty law.
On Sunday, a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross visited the jail.
"This is the first time they have allowed us to approach that prison," Filippo Gatti, the ICRC's health coordinator for Venezuela, told family members. "It's a first step, and I think we're on the right track."
Some 600 political prisoners remain behind bars throughout the country, according to Foro Penal -- an NGO dedicated to the defence of political prisoners -- despite approximately 500 releases since January.
Meanwhile the UN rights office is in talks with Caracas to re-establish an office in Venezuela. Its staff had been expelled in February 2024.
"The government of Venezuela has taken steps to temporarily resume cooperation with the UN Human Rights Office," a spokeswoman for the Geneva-based agency told AFP on Monday.
"Negotiations are ongoing to conclude, as soon as possible, a longer-term agreement that will enable the UN Human Rights Office to fully carry out its mandate in Venezuela."
apo/rjm-nl/phz

conflict

Trump either a 'traitor' or 'exceptional', Nobel-winner Walesa tells AFP

BY KATARZYNA SKIBA AND GAEL BRANCHEREAU

  • Walesa told AFP he recently met Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Marina Corina Machado in the United States. 
  • US President Donald Trump is either a "traitor" or an "exceptional" leader in his dealings with Russia, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa told AFP on Monday. 
  • Walesa told AFP he recently met Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Marina Corina Machado in the United States. 
US President Donald Trump is either a "traitor" or an "exceptional" leader in his dealings with Russia, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa told AFP on Monday. 
"On the surface, today, he seems to be Russia's lackey, simply a traitor. That's one way of looking at it," said the former Polish president on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Walesa stated that there may also be a possibility that Trump is "an extremely intelligent political leader" who "knows that if the United States joined the anti-(President Vladimir) Putin chorus, (he) would have no choice but to use nuclear weapons".
"Putin is irresponsible," said Walesa, whose activism as the former leader of the Solidarnosc (Solidarity) trade union helped to bring down the Iron Curtain.
"It's a very cunning, very clever game: not pushing Putin to use nuclear weapons, playing the friend," he added.
By doing so, Walesa argued, Trump was buying time and "forcing Europe to organise itself against Putin without the United States".
"If the United States enters the game, it's nuclear war," he said. 
"So there are two ways of looking at it: a traitor, or an extremely intelligent man. To this day, I still don't know which applies to Trump."

'I should have acted sooner'

Should Trump turn out to be "exceptional", Walesa argued that he would merit the Nobel Peace Prize -- which the Polish politician himself received in 1983. 
"But if he is a traitor, he doesn't deserve it," Walesa added, arguing that for the moment, "it's too early to judge". 
Walesa told AFP he recently met Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Marina Corina Machado in the United States. 
In January, Machado offered Trump, who has made no secret of his desire for the prestigious award, her prize medal in Washington. 
On that occasion, "I told her she had rushed things," Walesa said. 
At 82, the former electrician with his legendary handlebar moustache is still receiving visitors in an office at the heart of the former Gdansk shipyards. 
It was in this city along Poland's Baltic coast where the union leader twisted the arm of the communist authorities.
He forced it to negotiate legalising trade unions -- and, eventually, the first semi-free elections in the Polish People's Republic. 
Walesa has held no official posts since his 1990-1995 presidency and is no longer a unifying figure in his own country. 
But he remains a well-known voice of authority abroad, where he gives numerous lectures, which now more than ever focus on the Ukrainian cause.
"We must help Ukraine with all our might," said Walesa, who admitted to feeling "remorse" about his past decisions regarding his country's neighbour.
"When I was president, I had a simple idea: We (Poland and Ukraine) would join the European Union and NATO together," he explained. 
Fearing that this might jeopardise Poland's membership of the bloc, however, he decided to keep the plan secret until he had won a second term.
"I lost the presidential election and the whole thing fell through," he said.
"I should have acted sooner." 

'Neither Putin nor Stalin'

The bloodiest conflict on European soil since the Second World War, the war in Ukraine, triggered by the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022, enters its fifth year on Tuesday. 
Russians and Ukrainians have been negotiating since 2025 for a cessation of hostilities, under the impetus of Donald Trump, which has so far been in vain. 
A political product of the Cold War, Walesa said he believes that since the collapse of the Soviet world, three opposing blocs "have been trying to take the lead in the world: the United States, Russia and China".
But, he argued, "if Russia conquers Ukraine, we can start learning Chinese and Russian. The United States will lose for good."
If, on the contrary, "we manage to defeat Russia, it will recover in 10 years and our grandchildren will have to fight Russia again."
In his view, Russia's aggression has its roots in the absence of democracy in a country whose "authorities, for centuries, have kept alive the idea that an external enemy threatens (them)".
"The problem with Russia lies neither in Putin nor in Stalin, but in a bad political system."
ks/sbk

conflict

Risk of 'escalation' if Iran attacked: deputy foreign minister

  • Trump has sent a major deployment of air and sea power to the Middle East and has threatened to strike Iran if it does not reach a deal on key concerns starting with its nuclear programme.
  • Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned of a wider escalation if his country was attacked, after US President Donald Trump raised the threat of strikes.
  • Trump has sent a major deployment of air and sea power to the Middle East and has threatened to strike Iran if it does not reach a deal on key concerns starting with its nuclear programme.
Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned of a wider escalation if his country was attacked, after US President Donald Trump raised the threat of strikes.
Trump has sent a major deployment of air and sea power to the Middle East and has threatened to strike Iran if it does not reach a deal on key concerns starting with its nuclear programme.
"We call upon all nations committed to peace and justice to take meaningful steps to prevent further escalation," Gharibabadi said at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
"The consequences of any renewed aggression wouldn't remain confined to one country -- and responsibility would rest with those who initiate or support such actions."
Iranian and US negotiators held indirect talks in Geneva last week on Tehran's nuclear programme, hosted by Oman.
Washington said Monday that nuclear talks with Iran will resume on Thursday, with Oman having earlier said they would again take place in Geneva.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to diplomacy and dialogue as the most effective path towards de-escalation and sustainable security," Gharibabadi said.
"Recent diplomatic engagement here in Geneva, which will continue this Thursday, demonstrates that a new window of opportunity exists for negotiations to address differences and build confidence -- provided that they uphold mutual respect, equitable treatment and non-selective application of international norms.
"Any sustainable and credible negotiation must respect the legitimate rights of all states under international law, and deliver tangible security benefits without coercion, unilateral demands or threats of force."

'Critical crossroad'

The United States and Israel threatened new military action against Iran after mass protests in the Islamic republic, which the Iranian authorities crushed at a cost of thousands of lives.
Daniel Meron, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, told reporters his country would be following Thursday's talks "very closely".
Gharibabadi said that while Tehran sought the path of diplomacy, it was prepared to defend its sovereignty, territory and people, insisting it would exercise its right to self-defence "if necessary".
He called upon nuclear-armed states to offer legally binding security assurances for countries without atomic weapons.
Shen Jian, China's ambassador to the disarmament forum, said the Iran nuclear issue stood "at a critical crossroad". 
"We oppose unilateral bullying and the use of force in international relations," he said, calling for a "favourable environment" for the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"Avoid pushing the Iranian nuclear issue toward a confrontation or triggering new conflicts," Shen added.
rjm/sbk

diplomacy

Iran would react 'ferociously' to any US attack, warns of regional conflict

BY SUSANNAH WALDEN WITH AFP BUREAUS

  • Trump last week said he was weighing a limited strike if Iran did not cut a deal, but Tehran's foreign ministry reiterated Monday that any strike, even limited, "would be regarded as an act of aggression". 
  • Iran vowed on Monday to retaliate "ferociously" against any attack by the United States and reiterated warnings of a regional conflagration in response to President Donald Trump's threat of limited strikes.
  • Trump last week said he was weighing a limited strike if Iran did not cut a deal, but Tehran's foreign ministry reiterated Monday that any strike, even limited, "would be regarded as an act of aggression". 
Iran vowed on Monday to retaliate "ferociously" against any attack by the United States and reiterated warnings of a regional conflagration in response to President Donald Trump's threat of limited strikes.
The bellicose rhetoric from Tehran and Washington came as both sides were set to hold indirect talks in Geneva on a potential deal regarding Iran's contentious nuclear programme, with a US official confirming discussions would resume on Thursday without offering further details.
As Iran faces US pressure backed by a build-up of military force in the Middle East, university students have started the new semester with anti-government protests, reviving slogans from nationwide demonstrations that peaked in January and were met with a deadly crackdown. 
Trump last week said he was weighing a limited strike if Iran did not cut a deal, but Tehran's foreign ministry reiterated Monday that any strike, even limited, "would be regarded as an act of aggression". 
"And any state would react to an act of aggression... ferociously, so that's what we would do," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.
Iran has said it would be ready to deliver a draft proposal for an agreement on its nuclear programme to mediators in coming days, with Trump saying on Thursday that Tehran had at most 15 days to make a deal.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian use, but the West believes it is aimed at building an atomic bomb.  
While Iran has taken anything beyond the nuclear issue off the negotiating table, Washington also wants to discuss Tehran's missiles and its support for militant groups in the region.
The two countries concluded a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland last week under Omani mediation.
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the resumption of talks on Thursday was "a new window of opportunity", but warned of the risk of a regional conflict if his country was attacked.
"The consequences of any renewed aggression wouldn't remain confined to one country and responsibility would rest with those who initiate or support such actions," Gharibabadi said, calling on other countries to "take meaningful steps to prevent further escalation". 
The risk of conflict has caused mounting fear in Iran and spurred other countries to take precautionary measures. 
India on Monday joined Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia in calling for its citizens to leave Iran.
The United States, meanwhile, ordered non-emergency personnel to leave its embassy in Lebanon, home to the Shiite militia Hezbollah, which maintains close ties to Iran. 

'Diplomatic solution'

In Israel, which went to war with Iran last year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament the country was facing "complex and challenging days" due to the tensions. 
Netanyahu, who has long advocated a hard line on Iran's clerical state, also reiterated a warning to its leadership "that if they make the gravest mistake in their history and attack the State of Israel, we will respond with a force they cannot even imagine". 
Israel had launched its war last June just as Iran was preparing for another round of talks with the US, which ultimately joined the conflict.
In an interview with Fox News broadcast over the weekend, US negotiator Steve Witkoff said Trump was wondering why Iran has not "capitulated" in the face of Washington's military threats and force deployment. 
Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.
The European Union called for a diplomatic solution ahead of the Geneva talks. 
"It is true that Iran is at its weakest point that they have been. We should be really using this time to find a diplomatic solution," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. 

Flags burned

The protests sparked in December over economic pains in the sanctions-hit country grew into the most significant challenge to the authorities in years. 
They were put down by security forces as they peaked on January 8 and 9 with violence that left thousands dead. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) recorded more than 7,000 killings, while warning the toll is likely far higher. 
Authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths, but say the violence was caused by "terrorist acts" fuelled by the United States and Israel. 
Protests sprung up again over the weekend at universities. 
On Monday videos geolocated by AFP and circulated on social media showed students at a university in Tehran burning the Iranian flag -- adopted after the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the monarchy -- and chanting "down with the Islamic republic".  
University rallies were held by both pro- and anti-government groups to commemorate those killed in the protest wave, with videos also showing people burning Israeli and US flags as well as scuffles breaking out between groups. 
bur-sw/smw/dl

conflict

Two Russian security personnel were on board France-seized tanker: sources

BY CELIA LEBUR AND MATHIEU RABECHAULT, WITH ANTOINE AGASSE IN BREST

  • - 'Not sailors' - In January, French forces and their allies boarded another suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Grinch.
  • Two employees of a Russian private security company were aboard a suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized by France in September, an informed French source and a lawyer told AFP on Monday.
  • - 'Not sailors' - In January, French forces and their allies boarded another suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Grinch.
Two employees of a Russian private security company were aboard a suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized by France in September, an informed French source and a lawyer told AFP on Monday.
The two men were employed by Moran Security Group, a Russian private security company, and were tasked with monitoring the crew and gathering intelligence, a source with knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
The source said dozens of vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet" are equipped with such crew protection teams, notably to escort them in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean -- all supplied by Moran Security.
"When they pass near European coasts or military assets, they take photos of our vessels," the source added.
CNN reported in December that Russian personnel based on ships carrying oil had been involved in spying in European waters, citing Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources.
The Boracay is thought to be part of a fleet of tankers used to transport Russian oil in violation of sanctions imposed by Western countries over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
In September, French authorities boarded the vessel, which claimed to be flagged in Benin, briefly detaining its captain and first mate. The vessel was then allowed to resume its journey. 
Vladimir Putin condemned the move as "piracy".
On Monday, the Chinese captain of the Boracay went on trial in absentia in the city of Brest in western France, with prosecutors demanding he serve a one-year sentence for failing to comply with orders to stop the ship.
"There were two Russians aboard the Boracay," the source said.
The men's role was "to ensure the protection of the vessel and, above all, to make sure the captain strictly followed the orders given in line with Russian interests", the source said. 
They also gathered "intelligence", it added.
The source identified the security crew as Aleksander T., 34, and Maksim D., 40, adding that the latter was a former police officer who had worked for Russian mercenary group Wagner.
Moran Security Group, which experts say was founded by former officers of Russia's FSB security service, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

'Not sailors'

In January, French forces and their allies boarded another suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Grinch. The source said there were no Russian security personnel aboard that vessel. 
The presence of two Russian nationals on board the Boracay was confirmed by the lawyer of the Chinese captain.
"There were two Russian citizens on board the ship," lawyer Henri de Richemont told AFP.
"They represented the cargo," he said, adding they were "not sailors".
"My client has nothing to do with their presence," the lawyer said. "He is not the one who put Russians on board his vessel."
During Monday's hearing, the presiding judge read out statements made by the Chinese captain Chen Zhangjie, 39, while in police custody.
"I don't know what they are doing on the boat," he was quoted as saying.
"This is not common," he said. 
He added that Russian personnel were "already present" during a previous trip on the Boracay in July.
The captain and his first officer were taken into police custody before being allowed to return to sea with the two Russians, who disembarked during a stopover in Suez several days later, according to the lawyer.
French military personnel remained on board for several days after the ship was boarded, according to a military source. It was not immediately clear where the two Russians were during the captain and first mate's time in custody.
The Boracay has been linked to mysterious drone flights over Denmark last year including military sites, part of a spate of drone sightings and airspace violations in European countries blamed on Russia. No formal link has been established, and Moscow denies responsibility.
- 'Very active' - 
Questioned by AFP, the intelligence chief of a European country bordering Russia said they had noticed the presence of Moran Security personnel aboard vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet", "sometime last year".
"There is coordination between those private military companies and the state," he added.
"The shadow fleet is very active, they use military ships to follow the shadow fleet," he said.
He said the number of vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Baltic was increasing.
"Sixty percent of Russian oil goes through the Baltic, it is a lifeline."
Some sanctioned tankers have been suspected of sabotage, notably of damaging undersea cables in Baltic waters.
But Didier Maleterre, former deputy commander at NATO Allied Maritime Command, said it was usually difficult "to obtain proof of intent to sabotage".
"European countries rarely communicate this kind of information," he said.
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron called on the European Union to keep increasing pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine and adopt a package of sanctions that would ban shipping services for Russian crude oil.
In 2024, the US Treasury announced sanctions against Moran for offering armed security services and operating "under contract to Russian state-owned enterprises". It listed Russian national Alexey Badikov as the outfit's chief executive officer.
The company claims long-standing experience in the Middle East and in Africa, where it has carried out anti-piracy operations, notably in Nigeria and the Indian Ocean.
Moran's president, Vyacheslav Kalashnikov, is a retired FSB lieutenant colonel, according to the Warsaw Institute, a Polish think tank.
On Monday, the Boracay, which now sails under the Russian flag and has been renamed Phoenix, was anchored near the port of Rizhao in northeastern China, according to Marine Traffic.
cl-aag-mra-fz-as/giv/phz

Global Edition

Nigeria paid Boko Haram ransom for kidnapped pupils: intel sources

BY AMINU ABUBAKAR WITH NICHOLAS ROLL IN ABUJA

  • However, four intelligence sources familiar with the talks told AFP the government paid a "huge" ransom to get the pupils back.
  • The Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a "huge" ransom of millions of dollars to free up to 230 children and staff the jihadists abducted from a Catholic school in November, intelligence sources told AFP. Two Boko Haram commanders were also freed as part of the deal, which goes against the country's own law banning payments to kidnappers.
  • However, four intelligence sources familiar with the talks told AFP the government paid a "huge" ransom to get the pupils back.
The Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a "huge" ransom of millions of dollars to free up to 230 children and staff the jihadists abducted from a Catholic school in November, intelligence sources told AFP.
Two Boko Haram commanders were also freed as part of the deal, which goes against the country's own law banning payments to kidnappers.
The money was flown on a helicopter to Boko Haram's Gwoza stronghold in northeastern Borno state on the border with Cameroon and delivered to Ali Ngulde, a militant commander in the area, three sources told AFP.
Due to the lack of communications cover in the remote area, Ngulde had to cross into Cameroon to confirm delivery of the ransom before the first group of 100 children were released. 
The decision to pay the jihadists, who sparked worldwide protests after they kidnapped 276 mostly Christian girls in Chibok in 2014, is also likely to irritate the US and President Donald Trump, who has cast himself as a defender of the country's Christians.
Nigerian government officials deny any ransom was paid to the armed gang that snatched close to 300 schoolchildren and staff from St. Mary's boarding school in Papiri in central Niger state on November 21. 
At least 50 later managed to escape their captors.
Boko Haram has not been previously linked to the kidnapping, but sources told AFP one of its most feared commanders was behind the mass abduction.
The notorious jihadist known as Sadiku is also suspected of leading a spectacular 2022 gun and bomb attack on a train between the capital Abuja and Kaduna, which also netted hefty payments in ransoms for scores of well-off passengers that included bankers and government officials.
The St. Mary's pupils and staff were freed after two weeks of negotiations led by Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria's National Security Adviser (NSA), with the government insisting no ransom was paid.
However, four intelligence sources familiar with the talks told AFP the government paid a "huge" ransom to get the pupils back.

Govt 'agents don't pay ransoms'

One source put the total ransom at 40 million naira per head -- around $7 million in total.
Another put the figure lower at two billion naira overall.
The NSA did not reply to multiple AFP requests for comment. 
Nigeria's State Security Service flatly denied paying any money, saying: "Government agents don't pay ransoms."
But a spokesperson said that if a family wants to free their relatives, no one can stop them paying.
Boko Haram, which has waged a bloody insurgency since 2009, is strongest in northeast Nigeria. But a cell in central Niger state also operates under Sadiku's leadership.
His gang kept the children in a camp in Borgu local government area, 370 kilometres from the state capital Minna, intelligence sources said.
Vincent Foucher, a specialist on Nigerian conflicts with France's National Centre for Scientific Research, told AFP that he believes Sadiku was responsible after speaking with a source affiliated with the jihadists as well as a Nigerian government source. 
"It makes total sense, given Sadiku's history," Foucher said.

Pressure from Trump

The attack on St Mary's came as Nigeria was under diplomatic pressure with Trump alleging "persecution" of Christians in Africa's most populous nation.
Washington said it killed "multiple" Islamic State militants in a series of strikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day. 
But analysts and the authorities reject Trump's framing of Nigeria's complex, overlapping security crises, with Muslims accounting for the vast majority of kidnap victims.
The country has long been plagued by mass abductions, with criminals and jihadist groups sometimes working together to extort millions from hostages' families, and authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.
Laws criminalising payments have not stopped the "kidnapping epidemic", with 828 abductions in the past year alone -- many involving multiple victims -- according to the US-based monitor Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED).
That was more than Mexico and Colombia combined. The kidnappings "often involve multiple victims", said senior ACLED Africa analyst Ladd Serwat. Only neighbouring Cameroon and scam-centre-plagued Myanmar saw more.
The St. Mary's mass abduction came amid reports that Sadiku's faction has relocated from its stronghold in Shiroro, and needs funds amid the move, Foucher said.
"Their task has always been to get money" for Boko Haram's leadership in the northeast, he added.
As a part of the deal for the St. Mary's children, sources said Boko Haram also demanded that the Nigerian military allow residents of Audu Fari village in the Borgu area to return home after they were driven out by troops.
Audu Fari served as a supply route for Sadiku and his fighters as well as a transit point for their families travelling to his camps from Boko Haram's northeastern strongholds.

'Kidnap industry'

In 2022 Nigeria passed a law criminalising ransom payments, with jail sentences of up to 15 years.
But individual Nigerians continue to pay to free relations while authorities look the other way.
The crisis has "consolidated into a structured, profit-seeking industry" that raised some $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a recent report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy.
Armed groups and criminals have turned to kidnapping as a way to make quick cash in a country where millions live in poverty amid stifling inequality.
In a kidnapping in Kaduna, where scores of Christian worshippers were taken last month, the local governor ruled out paying a ransom. The victims were later freed, but no details of the negotiations were made public.
Authorities have also paid ransoms to rescue other victims of mass abductions and high-profile hostages, security sources said.
In December 2020 authorities in Katsina state paid 30 million naira (the equivalent of $78,000 at the time) for the release of 340 schoolchildren seized from a boarding school in Kankara town.
Bandit chief Awwalun Daudawa, who masterminded the attack, confirmed the payment in a leaked recording of a phone conversation with a go-between.
National Security Advisor Ribadu's office insisted he has several times secured the release of victims from bandits with no money changing hands.

Go-betweens

Another state security spokesperson dismissed as "fake news" the idea that the ransom for the St. Mary's pupils was dropped by a chopper.
"Let's be rational about this. This is a fallacy. It's laughable. It's almost unimaginable," they said.
But an analyst in the kidnap-hit northwestern state of Zamfara -- who asked not to be named -- said "there is no way bandits can keep releasing people they kidnapped to the government without getting payment in return.
"The government is denying what we all know -- that it pays ransom when schoolchildren and high-profile victims are involved," he said.
In some cases, security personnel act as go-betweens in delivering ransoms to kidnappers, families of victims told AFP.
Abubakar Abdulkarim, who lives in Minna, told AFP he sought the help of security personnel to get $4,000 to the bandits who kidnapped his elder brother while he was working on his farm in Kontagora. 
Families of victims who do not have the money often resort to crowdfunding.
One recent online appeal displayed the picture of a traditional chief in his regalia from southwestern Nigeria who was kidnapped on New Year's Eve. It sought donations to raise the $11,400 demanded by his kidnappers. 
abu-nro-sn/fg/rlp/cc

Greenland

Healthcare crisis looms over Greenland's isolated villages

BY FLORENT VERGNES

  • The lack of regular check-ups means that diseases such as cancers -- the leading cause of mortality in Greenland -- are often detected late.
  • The Greenlandic settlement of Kapisillit has no defibrillator -- which, given it is only accessible via a two-hour boat ride or by helicopter, means that if you go into cardiac arrest while there, you could be in real trouble.
  • The lack of regular check-ups means that diseases such as cancers -- the leading cause of mortality in Greenland -- are often detected late.
The Greenlandic settlement of Kapisillit has no defibrillator -- which, given it is only accessible via a two-hour boat ride or by helicopter, means that if you go into cardiac arrest while there, you could be in real trouble.
"It would be too late" by the time help arrives, village leader Heidi Nolso -- who is fighting to bring in the much-needed medical device for the 35 inhabitants -- told AFP.
The situation facing Kapisillit underscores the challenges to the healthcare system in the vast Arctic island, recently called out by US President Donald Trump.
On Saturday Trump -- who has backed off threats to seize the autonomous Danish territory, but still insists it must come under US control for security reasons -- proposed sending a "great hospital boat" to Greenland.
It would provide care to the "many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there".
The proposal was soundly rejected by Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nelson and by Copenhagen, both touting Greenland's free public healthcare system. 
Nevertheless, Trump's statements touched "a sensitive nerve," Greenland's Health Minister Anna Wangenheim acknowledged in a post to Facebook.
"Many citizens have experienced that serious illness means long and difficult journeys away from family and home," she said -- though she added that such "structural challenges are not solved by isolated, symbolic initiatives from the outside."
There are five regional hospitals across Greenland, which is home to just 57,000 people but is roughly the size of western Europe. The hospital in the capital Nuuk serves patients from all over the territory.
But for the 35 residents of Kapisillit, getting to that care is an obstacle course.
The village does have a medical office -- but it has stood empty for months due to lack of staff, and traveling to receive care elsewhere is expensive.
A trip to Nuuk on the weekly shuttle costs over $100, and the average price for a night in a hotel in the capital is in the same range.
The lack of regular check-ups means that diseases such as cancers -- the leading cause of mortality in Greenland -- are often detected late.
Nolso, who suffers from high blood pressure, does her own medical follow-ups.
"I know that I should have blood samples taken, but no one is checking up on me," the leader, who is in her 40s, said. 
– Rifles to prevent rabies –
Kaaleeraq Ringsted, the catechist of the tiny parish, lives alone at 74. 
His teeth are in very poor condition and, as he ages, he knows the risk of cancer and other diseases is increasing.
Doctor consultations only take place via online video calls. Those who don't have internet access make use of the small town hall.
Once a year, a dentist comes to visit, but many dental procedures are not covered by the universal healthcare. 
Wangenheim says one of the primary challenges is the "recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals".
For Nolso, the requirement to master Danish in order to work in the healthcare system makes it harder for foreign doctors to come and help make up for the shortfall.
The problems are compounded by an exodus towards cities by young people, leaving remote settlements such as Kapisillit disproportionately populated by older people. 
Wangenheim has conceded there is a "significant backlog in Greenland's healthcare system," estimated at about one billion kroner ($158 million).
The island "needs long-term capacity building, stronger local services, and investments that reduce inequality" in relation to Denmark, she said.
Official statistics show that life expectancy on the Arctic island is 69.6 years for men and 73.5 for women -- far lower than in Denmark, where people on average live 10 years longer.
But Wangenheim also said that funding has been secured for those improvements, and work is "well underway". 
In the meantime, residents of villages such as Kapisillit do what they can to prevent disease. 
In a village where nature and the outdoors form the backbone of daily life, for example, few people are vaccinated against rabies.
Instead, residents walk around with rifles, ready to shoot any wildlife exhibiting odd behaviour.
fv/cbw/jll/st

India

Canada PM heads to Asia seeking new trade partners as US ties fray

  • Carney says that to safeguard Canada's economic future, the country needs to massively expand non-US international trade. 
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Asia this week seeking to broaden international trade, part of his plan to reduce Canadian reliance on the United States, which he says has left the country vulnerable. 
  • Carney says that to safeguard Canada's economic future, the country needs to massively expand non-US international trade. 
Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Asia this week seeking to broaden international trade, part of his plan to reduce Canadian reliance on the United States, which he says has left the country vulnerable. 
Carney leaves Thursday for India, the first stop on a three-country tour that includes Australia and Japan. 
"In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control," Carney said in a statement announcing the trip. 
"We are forging new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security and prosperity at home."
Carney has said that the US-led global order is fading and that Canada should not expect the old system to return once President Donald Trump leaves office. 
Trump's tariffs on autos, aluminum, lumber and steel are hurting the Canadian economy. 
Carney says that to safeguard Canada's economic future, the country needs to massively expand non-US international trade. 
India is a key target and Carney says he wants to more than double two-way bilateral trade, eyeing a target of CAN$70 billion ($51 billion) by 2030. 
But his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be closely watched, as the leaders try to repair ties that effectively ruptured in 2024. 
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the 2023 killing of a prominent Sikh activist in western Canada, allegations fiercely denied by New Delhi that sparked major diplomatic fallout.
After India, Carney is set to visit Sydney and Australia's capital, Canberra, ahead of a final stop in Tokyo, before returning on March 7.  
bs/ksb

diplomacy

South Africa accepts Trump's new US ambassador

  • He said he would "communicate our objections to South Africa's geostrategic drift", citing its relations with Russia, China, and Iran, with whom Pretoria conducted naval exercises in January.
  • South Africa on Monday said it accepted a conservative envoy highly critical of Pretoria as the new US ambassador to the country, amid frayed relations with President Donald Trump.
  • He said he would "communicate our objections to South Africa's geostrategic drift", citing its relations with Russia, China, and Iran, with whom Pretoria conducted naval exercises in January.
South Africa on Monday said it accepted a conservative envoy highly critical of Pretoria as the new US ambassador to the country, amid frayed relations with President Donald Trump.
The two countries' governments have been at odds over a series of international and domestic policies, including South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and the US in March expelled Pretoria's ambassador.
An official told AFP the foreign affairs department had "accepted" Brent Bozell, a right-wing media critic and fervent defender of Israel, adding that an official accreditation ceremony with President Cyril Ramaphosa would take place in April.
A US state department official told AFP that Bozell "looks forward to taking up his post and representing America First foreign policy".
Trump chose Bozell for the job in March last year, saying he would bring "fearless tenacity, extraordinary experience, and vast knowledge to a nation that desperately needs it".
Bozell said at his Senate confirmation hearing in October that he would push Pretoria to end its genocide case against Israel.
He said he would "communicate our objections to South Africa's geostrategic drift", citing its relations with Russia, China, and Iran, with whom Pretoria conducted naval exercises in January.
He also told Senators he would promote Trump's offer of refugee status to the white Afrikaner minority, repeating unfounded claims by the US administration that white South Africans are victims of discrimination and even "genocide" under the post-apartheid government.

Mandela 'terrorist'

A figure of the American right, Bozell is the founder of the Media Research Center, a non-profit group that says it works to "expose and counter the leftist bias of the national news media".
In 1990, when Nelson Mandela toured the US after being freed from prison for his fight against apartheid, Bozell's non-profit criticised the media for having "never referred to Mandela as a saboteur or terrorist".
At his October Senate hearing, Bozell justified the comment by the fact that Mandela's African National Congress (ANC) was at the time "aligned with the Soviet Union", adding that Mandela was today the person he had "the most respect for" in South Africa.
Bozell's son Leo Brent Bozell IV was one of almost 1,600 people convicted and sentenced for their role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by Trump supporters. He was pardoned by the president when Trump took office last year.
clv-jcb/rlp

diplomacy

Iraq's Maliki defends PM candidacy, seeks to reassure US

BY ROBA EL HUSSEINI

  • "I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will," Maliki told AFP in an interview.
  • The leading candidate to become Iraq's next prime minister, former premier Nouri al-Maliki, told AFP on Monday that he will not withdraw his nomination after pressure from the US, while also seeking to allay Washington's concerns.
  • "I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will," Maliki told AFP in an interview.
The leading candidate to become Iraq's next prime minister, former premier Nouri al-Maliki, told AFP on Monday that he will not withdraw his nomination after pressure from the US, while also seeking to allay Washington's concerns.
Since the US-led invasion that overthrew former ruler Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraqi leaders have struggled to find a balance between two global powers competing for influence in the country: neighbour Iran and its arch-rival the United States.
Last month President Donald Trump intervened by issuing an ultimatum that if Maliki -- a two-time former premier with close ties to Iran -- was named Iraq's next prime minister, the US would no longer help the country.
"I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will," Maliki told AFP in an interview.
"No one has the right to say whom we can or cannot vote for," the powerbroker added.
"I will not withdraw until the end."
Trump's threat left Iraqi leaders at a loss, particularly within the Coordination Framework -- a ruling alliance of Shiite groups with varying degrees of links to Iran than nominated Maliki.
Maliki told AFP that "countries have the right to set conditions in their dealings with Iraq," but changing the nomination depends on the Coordination Framework, which still backs him.

'One army under one command'

Maliki -- who is Iraq's only two-term prime minister, serving from 2006 to 2014 -- also rejected claims that his relationship with the US was bad during his previous tenure.
Maliki at first enjoyed support from the American occupation following the 2003 invasion, but later fell out with Washington over his growing ties with Iran and allegations that he pushed a sectarian agenda.
Iraq's new premier will be expected to address Washington's longstanding demand that Baghdad rein in Tehran-backed factions that are designated terrorist groups by the US.
Maliki said that Washington has conveyed several messages to Iraqi leaders.
"They seek changes in the state's policies," he said.
Washington's concerns include the future of the Hashed al-Shaabi -- a former paramilitary alliance that has integrated into the armed forces -- as well as disarming pro-Iran armed factions and accusations that some Iraqi entities are helping Iran evade US sanctions on oil exports.
Maliki sought to reassure the US on Monday.
"In fact, what America wants is not new. These are our demands," he said.
"We want weapons in the hands of the state. We want a centralised military force. We have said it repeatedly: we want one army under one command, directly under state authority.
"It's quite possible" to achieve a deal with pro-Iran armed factions, he added.
"There is a good basis for understanding with the factions" but this cannot happen "through force, war or confrontations," he said.
Maliki added that he believes factions "do not want to expose Iraq to any danger."
Washington has also demanded that the eventual Iraqi government exclude Iran-backed armed groups -- an issue that is under discussion, according to Maliki.
Some of these groups have increased their presence in the new parliament and have seen their political and financial clout increase.
"We want those who participate in the political process and the government to lay down their arms," Maliki said.
"Those who lay down their arms are welcome to be part of the next government."

No attacks

After decades of conflict, Iraq has begun to enjoy some stability in recent years, yet its politics remain volatile, shaped not only by internal disputes but also by regional dynamics.
Today, all eyes are on negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme, with a third round of talks scheduled for Geneva on Thursday.
With fears rising that Iraq could be dragged into a war if the US strikes Iran, Maliki vowed to prevent attacks on diplomatic missions in Iraq if he becomes prime minister.
"All countries can be assured that we will prevent any violation against their embassies or officially recognised interests in Iraq," Maliki said. 
"We will not allow any party to target any country that maintains a diplomatic presence."
Previously, Iran-backed armed groups attacked US missions and troops in Iraq. 
Maliki defended Iraq's relations with Iran, which he said "rest on the principle that Iraq's sovereignty is respected" and that "shared interests define this relationship".
"We share a 1,300-kilometre border and mutual interests with Iran," he added.
Despite its oil wealth, Iraq depends on imports from Iran to meet its energy needs.
Maliki warned that "if Iran cut off our natural gas supply... it would be a major catastrophe." 
ak-rh/dl

Global Edition

Jetten sworn in as youngest-ever Dutch PM

BY RICHARD CARTER

  • - Wilders out - Jetten and his cabinet were sworn in on Monday by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis Ten Bosch in The Hague.
  • A new Dutch government took power on Monday, with 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten sworn in as the country's youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one.
  • - Wilders out - Jetten and his cabinet were sworn in on Monday by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis Ten Bosch in The Hague.
A new Dutch government took power on Monday, with 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten sworn in as the country's youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one.
"Sworn in. We're going to get started. Let's get to work," Jetten posted on X, formerly Twitter, with a picture of his cabinet posing with King Willem-Alexander on the steps of the royal palace.
Jetten pulled off a stunning election win in October, coming from behind to dethrone the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by firebrand politician Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin.
The snap election was called after the PVV withdrew from the previous coalition, the Netherlands' most right-wing government in recent history, which lasted just 11 months.
Jetten's D66 has teamed up with the centre-right CDA party and the liberal VVD to form a coalition, but will fall nine seats short of a parliamentary majority with only 66 seats.
The parties took 117 days to form their coalition -- much less than the 223 days taken to form the previous government.
After his election victory, Jetten declared that it was possible to beat populist movements "if you campaign with a positive message for your country".
On the campaign trail, Jetten said he wanted to "bring the Netherlands back to the heart of Europe because without European cooperation, we are nowhere".
In a manifesto published in January, the three parties pledged full support for Ukraine and vowed to live up to the country's NATO spending commitments.

'Right-wing signature'

Although the new government is not as far to the right as the previous one, it still has a "right-wing signature", Sarah de Lange, a professor of politics at Leiden University, told AFP.
"The coalition has opted for budget cuts rather than running a deficit to finance any investments it wants to make" and there is "substantial continuity between the immigration plans of the new government and the previous one", De Lange said.
The parties have pledged to press ahead with a crackdown on migration, including measures such as tougher rules on family reunification.
Jetten's coalition has also vowed to cut social benefits, including unemployment benefits, to help finance proposed investments in the military and defence.
But since the coalition will rely on support from opposition parties to pass legislation, "getting larger reforms passed by parliament might take longer than usual", De Lange said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the swearing-in of the avowedly pro-European Jetten.
"From economy to security -- together we will work for the benefit of the Netherlands and all of Europe," said von der Leyen, who announced a meeting with the new Dutch PM in Brussels next week.

Wilders out

Jetten and his cabinet were sworn in on Monday by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis Ten Bosch in The Hague.
The prime minister was initially more keen on a broad coalition including the left-leaning Groenlinks/PvdA, but this was firmly opposed by VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz.
Wilders, who shook Europe's political scene to the core with a shock election win in November 2023, saw his fortunes plummet in last year's election.
His PVV party plunged from 37 seats in 2023 to 26 seats after what was widely seen as a lacklustre campaign.
The PVV still finished in second place, but all parties in the coalition had ruled out working with Wilders, leaving him sitting on the sidelines.
"Not my cabinet," tweeted Wilders.
Other far-right parties have made inroads in Europe's fifth-largest economy, however.
The Forum for Democracy, led by 28-year-old Lidewij de Vos, gained four seats in the 2025 election with a message against "uncontrolled immigration" and "the hopeless EU".
Hard-right party JA21 also shot up the rankings, gaining eight seats and nearly securing a place at the cabinet table before being blocked by Jetten.
bur-ric/ach 

court

Philippines' Duterte authorised murders, ICC told as hearings open

BY RICHARD CARTER WITH CECIL MORELLA IN MANILA

  • He "authorised murders and personally selected some of the victims", said Niang.
  • Rodrigo Duterte personally authorised murders and hand-picked some of the victims of his "war on drugs", the International Criminal Court heard on Monday, as proceedings against the former Philippines president kicked off.
  • He "authorised murders and personally selected some of the victims", said Niang.
Rodrigo Duterte personally authorised murders and hand-picked some of the victims of his "war on drugs", the International Criminal Court heard on Monday, as proceedings against the former Philippines president kicked off.
ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang said the week-long "confirmation of charges" hearings, where judges will decide whether to open a full trial against Duterte, was "a reminder that those in power are not above the law".
The 80-year-old Duterte did not appear after the court granted a defence request for his absence, despite judges ruling he was fit to take part.
Following the hearings, the judges will have 60 days to issue a written decision on whether he should face a full trial.
Niang said Duterte played a "pivotal" role in the extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users, first as mayor of Davao City then as president.
He "authorised murders and personally selected some of the victims", said Niang.
Duterte's defence lawyer Nicholas Kaufman hit back, calling the charges "grievously misplaced and politically motivated."
Duterte "stands behind his legacy resolutely. He maintains his innocence absolutely," said Kaufman.
Kaufman acknowledged that his client was "a unique phenomenon" who was "gung-ho in his ways" and full of "hyperbole, bluster and rhetoric."
However, he accused the prosecution of "cherry-picking" Duterte's speeches, adding that many of them insist on the importance of sticking to the law.
Rival groups of demonstrators camped outside the court from early Monday.
Patricia Enriquez, a 36-year-old researcher, said it was a "historic moment" for victims of Duterte's alleged crimes.
"It is emotional. It is hopeful. It is also very painful," she told AFP.
"I'm hoping that all the Filipinos and everybody in the world will stand with us, stand with truth, stand with justice and stand with accountability." 
However, 35-year-old chef Aldo Villarta said it was a "slap in the face" for the Philippines that an international court was trying the country's former leader.
"We've already suffered so long from colonisation," said Villarta, who also argued that Duterte's human rights were being infringed by imprisonment.

'High value targets'

Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity, with prosecutors alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018.
The true number of killings during his campaign in the Philippines is thought to be in the thousands, and lawyers for the victims have argued that a full trial could encourage more families to come forward.
Niang said the murders charges were "merely a fraction" of the real numbers killed.
Another prosecutor, Julian Nicholls, said: "The evidence shows... that Mr Duterte murdered thousands of his own people, Filippino men, women, and children."
Showing multiple videos of Duterte threatening to kill criminals, Nicholls said: "He repeatedly promised to kill people. He said it. He did it. That is who he is."
Duterte, who was president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in Manila in March last year, flown to the Netherlands and has since been held at the ICC's detention unit at Scheveningen Prison.
He followed his initial hearing three days later by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.
The first of three counts against Duterte concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City.
The second relates to 14 murders of so-called "High Value Targets" in 2016 and 2017 when he was president.
The third charge covers 43 murders committed during "clearance" operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.
In Manila, about 60 relatives of those killed in the crackdown gathered around two television monitors to watch the hearing at a Catholic Church-run community centre for the poor.
The mainly elderly and middle-aged women whose husbands or sons were shot dead in police operations told AFP they were disappointed Duterte had not been required to appear.
"Maybe he does not want to own up to his sins," said Gloria Sarmiento, whose boyfriend was found dead alongside his brother in the last few weeks of the Duterte presidency.
"Maybe he is a coward."
burs-ric/cw

US

Australia PM backs removing UK's Andrew from line of succession

  • In a letter to UK counterpart Keir Starmer, Albanese said: "My Government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession".
  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday backed calls to remove Andrew from the royal line of succession amid investigations into the disgraced former prince's ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
  • In a letter to UK counterpart Keir Starmer, Albanese said: "My Government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession".
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday backed calls to remove Andrew from the royal line of succession amid investigations into the disgraced former prince's ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
In a letter to UK counterpart Keir Starmer, Albanese said: "My Government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession".
"These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously," Albanese added.
Starmer's official spokesman confirmed the UK government had received Albanese's letter.
"We're considering whether further steps are required in relation to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and we're not ruling anything out, but given the ongoing police investigation, it wouldn't be appropriate for the government to comment further at this stage," he told reporters.
The former prince was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly sharing sensitive information with the late US sex offender Epstein while serving as the UK's trade envoy.
In the face of a torrent of often tawdry revelations about the two men's ties, King Charles III stripped his younger brother of all his titles in October and ordered him to leave his home in Windsor.
Further revelations about the depth of Andrew's friendship with the American financier emerged when the US Justice Department released a new tranche of millions of Epstein documents last month.
But the son of the late queen Elizabeth II remains eighth in line to the British throne after Princess Lilibet, the daughter of his nephew, Prince Harry.
The British government is mulling passing a law to remove Andrew from the line of succession but said they would wait until the police complete their inquiries.
Officials say that any such legislation would also require the agreement of the 14 other Commonwealth countries where the king remains the head of state.
"It's right that the police investigation should take its course. That has primacy here," Starmer's spokesman added.
Charles on Thursday issued a rare, personally signed statement insisting "the law must take its course".
Albanese, who favours changing his country to a republic, told Starmer on Monday he agreed with the king.
"The law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation," he wrote.
Australia was a British colony for more than 100 years and gained de facto independence in 1901, but has never become a fully fledged republic. 
In a 1999 referendum, Australians narrowly voted against removing then queen Elizabeth as head of state.
oho-pdh/jkb/lb

conflict

Where do Ukraine and Russia stand after four years of war?

  • Ukraine has suspended elections due to martial law and lately been rocked by a corruption scandal in the war-battered energy sector.
  • Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. As the conflict reaches its four-year mark, AFP looks at the state of the conflict and some of the consequences for both countries: - Destruction - The war has resulted in widespread destruction in Ukraine.
  • Ukraine has suspended elections due to martial law and lately been rocked by a corruption scandal in the war-battered energy sector.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.
As the conflict reaches its four-year mark, AFP looks at the state of the conflict and some of the consequences for both countries:

Destruction

The war has resulted in widespread destruction in Ukraine.
Entire cities in Ukraine's east and south, among them Bakhmut, Toretsk and Vovchansk, have been reduced to rubble by fighting.
The World Health Organisation has verified more than 2,800 attacks on healthcare facilities since 2022, while Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have cut heating and power to millions.
Around a fifth of Ukraine is contaminated by mines or unexploded ordnance, according to the UN's Mine Action Service.
The total cost of reconstruction in Ukraine is estimated at around $588 billion over the next decade, the World Bank reported Monday.

Death

The United Nations has verified over 15,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine since 2022, although it says the actual number is likely considerably higher as it has no access to areas under Russian occupation, like the port city of Mariupol where thousands are reported to have died in a Russian siege.
Ukrainian retaliatory attacks on Russian border regions have also killed hundreds.
Around 20,000 children have been forcibly displaced or kidnapped from Russian-occupied Ukrainian land, according to estimates by Kyiv.
Forced to flee when Russia invaded, around 5.9 million Ukrainian refugees live outside the country and another 3.7 million are displaced internally, the UN Refugee Agency says.
Neither side releases reliable data on military casualties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month 55,000 of his soldiers had been killed -- a toll widely believed to be an underestimate.
Russia has not given an official update on losses since September 2022.
The BBC and Mediazona, an independent Russian site, have verified the deaths of at least 177,000 Russian soldiers through public obituaries and announcements by family and local officials -- a toll also believed to be below the real number.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank estimates as many as 325,000 Russian soldiers may have been killed since 2022, while putting the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed at 100,000-140,000.

Frontline & diplomacy

Moscow occupied around 19.5 percent of Ukraine as of mid-February, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Around seven percent -- the Crimean peninsula and part of the eastern Donbas region -- was already occupied before the invasion.
Moscow's advances were the biggest since 2022 last year, although they have slowed considerably since the opening months of its campaign, according to ISW data.
The Kremlin is pushing for full control of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region and a ban on Western military support for Kyiv.
Ukraine says giving in would leave it vulnerable to future attack, is constitutionally impossible, and unacceptable to much of Ukrainian society.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, several rounds of talks -- in Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Geneva -- have failed to secure a deal.

Economy

The war has decimated Ukraine's economy and put Russia's under massive strain.
After growing strongly on the back of massive military spending -- up to nine percent of GDP -- Russia's economy has slowed, posting just a one percent expansion last year.
Oil and gas revenues -- which provide roughly a quarter of state budget income -- fell to a five‑year low last year, as a wave of Western sanctions and Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities crimped exports.
Ukraine's economy shrank by almost a third in the year after Russia's invasion. It has clawed a little of that back, but its government now depends on the International Monetary Fund and other foreign lenders to cover day-to-day spending.

Politics and society

The war has had a deep impact on politics and society in both countries. 
Ukraine has suspended elections due to martial law and lately been rocked by a corruption scandal in the war-battered energy sector.
In Russia, authorities have orchestrated a domestic crackdown on dissent unprecedented since the Soviet era. 
Russian prosecutors have opened more than 10,000 cases against people accused of criticising its armed forces, Russian news site Mediazona reported in 2024.
Returning veterans in Russia, many of them former convicts recruited to fight, have been blamed for an increase in violent crime.

Allies

Ukraine is heavily dependent on Western weapons, intelligence and finance.
Europe has delivered 201 billion euros in aid since 2022, according to figures from Germany's Kiel Institute.
The United States has supplied $115 billion in total, but Trump has partially suspended arms deliveries and is pushing Europe to pick up the tab.
North Korea sent thousands of soldiers to fight with the Russian army and is widely reported to have sent millions of artillery shells to Moscow.
Iran has supplied drone technology to Moscow, and China has become its vital economic partner, accused in the West of helping the Kremlin avoid sanctions.
bur-cad/jc/cw