typhoon

Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Champi approaches

conflict

Ukraine says two soldiers died after arrested girl sent Russian poison

  • The girl, who was not named, is suspected of having packaged deadly drugs and sending them to Ukrainian soldiers she contacted by Telegram, said a police statement. 
  • Ukrainian police said Friday they had detained a 17-year-old girl suspected of helping Russia's security services to poison Ukrainian soldiers and that two had died.
  • The girl, who was not named, is suspected of having packaged deadly drugs and sending them to Ukrainian soldiers she contacted by Telegram, said a police statement. 
Ukrainian police said Friday they had detained a 17-year-old girl suspected of helping Russia's security services to poison Ukrainian soldiers and that two had died.
Ukraine and Russia have throughout their war since 2022 accused each other of recruiting minors for sabotage acts including poisoning. 
The girl, who was not named, is suspected of having packaged deadly drugs and sending them to Ukrainian soldiers she contacted by Telegram, said a police statement. 
She was arrested by police in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, after allegedly following instructions from a Russian handler in exchange for at least 5,000 hryvnias ($111), they said.
After receiving packages with "free drugs", the soldiers were "instructed to take them on camera", the statement said.
"The recipients did not know that the capsules contained a lethal dose of methadone," it said, adding that "two soldiers died from poisoning in the Zhytomyr region." 
Police said they had identified other recipients of the packages, which "prevented four more murders" across the country.
"The young woman was notified that she is suspected of aiding and abetting the premeditated murder of two people as part of a prior conspiracy," the police statement said. 
She was also suspected of "shipping drugs and psychotropic substances for the purpose of distribution", it said, adding that she faced up to 15 years in jail if found guilty.
Police cautioned that Russia aims "to kill our people and destabilise the situation within the country".
"Do not accept medication or other substances, as well as food or drinks of dubious origin, from people you do not know well," police cautioned.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian authorities say they have opened thousands of investigations into collaboration with the enemy, and frequently arrest individuals accused of working for Moscow.
In 2023, Ukraine accused Russia of poisoning the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, who was then head of Ukraine's military intelligence and is now a presidential advisor.
bur-nl/oc/tw

conflict

Netanyahu orders West Bank closure as attack wounds Israelis before election

BY HAZEM BADER

  • The incident comes as tensions soar in the West Bank, including over attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters, and days ahead of Israeli elections.
  • Palestinian militants wounded five Israelis in an attack on Friday before being killed in a prolonged shootout with soldiers, leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a lockdown in the occupied West Bank days before Israeli elections.
  • The incident comes as tensions soar in the West Bank, including over attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters, and days ahead of Israeli elections.
Palestinian militants wounded five Israelis in an attack on Friday before being killed in a prolonged shootout with soldiers, leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a lockdown in the occupied West Bank days before Israeli elections.
Netanyahu, facing a tight race for a new term in Tuesday's election, said that Israeli troops prevented what could have been a major attack, with the two assailants allegedly carrying a large quantity of ammunition in their vehicle.
An AFP journalist who witnessed the gun battle saw two Palestinian men armed with a handgun and an automatic rifle exchanging fire with Israeli forces at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint near the Palestinian city of Hebron.
Israeli forces eventually shot and killed the attackers, with the AFP journalist seeing their two lifeless bodies on the ground next to a petrol station as troops patrolled all around.
The Israeli military said soldiers had rushed to the Judea Junction area after the early-morning shooting attack and "eliminated two terrorists".
The attack wounded five people, two of whom were in critical condition, said Magen David Adom, Israel's emergency medical rescue service.
The service said all five were Israelis in their 20s, including one man in "very serious condition" with gunshot wounds.
With the clock counting down to election day, Netanyahu called for all Likud party political meetings to be cancelled Friday due to the attack.
"I salute the courage of our soldiers who acted with determination and prevented what could have been a major attack," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"I have instructed the IDF (army) and security forces to impose an immediate cordon on the city of Hebron and to prepare for a full lockdown of all of Judea and Samaria starting today," Netanyahu said, using the biblical name for the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
He added that troops were "carrying out stepped-up operations to thwart terrorist activities and are conducting large-scale waves of arrests".
The military said it had "launched offensive counter-terrorism operations in the Hebron area", adding that troops were raiding homes of the suspects and others.
 

Hamas praises attack

 
Israeli National Security Minister and far-right firebrand Itamar Ben Gvir, who has been rising in the polls, called for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority to be dismantled because of the attack.
"The Palestinian Authority must be dismantled and demilitarised, and its terror infrastructure wiped out completely," he said in a statement.
No evidence suggests that the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was connected to Friday's attack. 
Hamas, which is based in Gaza and carried out the October 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israel's history, hailed what it called an "exceptional heroic operation" near Hebron and mourned the two dead assailants, without claiming responsibility.
The attack is a "natural and legitimate response to the ongoing crimes and brutal attacks against our people", Hamas, the rival of the Palestinian Authority's ruling Fatah faction, said in a statement.
Netanyahu in his statement vowed to "pursue Hamas terrorists" everywhere, adding: "You have no place to hide."
Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief who is Netanyahu's top rival in the election, praised the response by troops.
"Like all Israelis, I pray for the complete and quick recovery of the injured," he said.
The incident comes as tensions soar in the West Bank, including over attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters, and days ahead of Israeli elections.
According to an AFP tally based on data from the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces or settlers have killed 1,113 Palestinians in the territory since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Israeli figures show at least 49 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations during the same period.
mib-sct-lba/smw/th

children

New Greece law bans social media for under-15s

  • More than 20 countries have passed similar laws, according to an AFP tally.
  • Greece's parliament passed a law Friday banning children under 15 from social media, joining a growing number of countries imposing curbs on young people's use of the apps.
  • More than 20 countries have passed similar laws, according to an AFP tally.
Greece's parliament passed a law Friday banning children under 15 from social media, joining a growing number of countries imposing curbs on young people's use of the apps.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans for the ban in April, taking to TikTok -- one of the most popular social networks with young people in Greece -- to explain the "difficult but necessary" measure.
After a heated debate in a parliamentary session that started Thursday and stretched into Friday, Mitsotakis's conservative New Democracy party used its majority to pass the bill which no other parties backed, the Ana news agency reported.
The opposition socialist Pasok party abstained after seeking an alternative bill that would have banned social media for under-13s and parental controls for 13- and 14-year-olds. Other left wing and nationalist parties voted against.
The bill, set to take effect on January 1, will require age verification on social networks and impose harsh penalties if companies fail to comply.
Australia last year became the first country to introduce such a social media ban for kids, barring under-16s.
More than 20 countries have passed similar laws, according to an AFP tally.
Critics say social networks use addictive algorithms to keep kids glued to their screens, and warn excessive scrolling can damage their mental health.
Bans have faced push-back from free-speech advocates, and sceptics question how well they will work.
hec/jhb/tw

politics

France braces for new protests as Macron seeks to restore order

BY STUART WILLIAMS

  • Macron's government has sought to draw a line between the legitimate demands of protesters and the looting, burning and ransacking that erupted on the sidelines of protests last Saturday.
  • France was on Friday bracing for a weekend of new protests after some of the worst urban violence in years erupted on the sidelines of demonstrations a week ago, as President Emmanuel Macron sought to reclaim the initiative and restore order.
  • Macron's government has sought to draw a line between the legitimate demands of protesters and the looting, burning and ransacking that erupted on the sidelines of protests last Saturday.
France was on Friday bracing for a weekend of new protests after some of the worst urban violence in years erupted on the sidelines of demonstrations a week ago, as President Emmanuel Macron sought to reclaim the initiative and restore order.
Macron, who on Thursday announced that only union demonstrations would be authorised this weekend, was to hold a meeting of his defence council of top ministers and officials and also meet security forces.
He was also set to host for the first time representatives of high school pupils, whose protests over conditions at their schools sparked a movement that has broadened nationwide into a show of anger against the government at the rising cost of living.
The protests have come at a critical moment for France six months ahead of elections to replace Macron, with a new poll underlining far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the frontrunner and showing her position has been strengthened by the latest events. 
Adding to tensions, Le Pen is at the weekend due to host her National Rally (RN) party congress in Orleans, with thousands of supporters expected but local authorities fearing clashes as opponents head to the city.
Macron is due to announce "additional decisions" after hosting the meeting of his defence council, on top of the limited curfews already announced, his office said.
At the meeting with students, "we will present our demands to him -- which remain the same: the state of school infrastructure and an overhaul of the Parcoursup (university admissions) system," Nathanael Combary, president of Renouveau Lyceen (High School Renewal) told AFP. 
Pierre Sourzat, who heads the organisation Les Lyceens (The High School Students), was sceptical: "He'll listen to us, pretend he's understood us, and then nothing will come of it."
Macron's government has sought to draw a line between the legitimate demands of protesters and the looting, burning and ransacking that erupted on the sidelines of protests last Saturday.
In a judicial response of unprecedented firmness, courts have already sent 217 people, half of them first-time offenders, to prison over the events on Saturday, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
On Thursday, Macron called for "the utmost severity" against "acts of delinquency", accusing "ultra-left" groups of having sought to "bring down the republic" last weekend.
 

'Police have a responsibility'

 
Demonstrations in Marseille in the south and Lyon in the southeast have been banned at the weekend, while in Paris protesters will only be allowed to march a limited route between Bastille and Nation squares.
Marseille authorities however reversed a decision to halt all public transport in the city on Saturday. But in the capital, leading museums including the Louvre will be closed on Saturday while the Art Basel art fair is being cut short.
Some 20 percent more members of the security forces will be deployed this weekend after heavy criticism of the anticipation and intelligence gathering of police last week.
"In a country governed by the rule of law, the police have a responsibility both to ensure that protests can take place peacefully and safely and to protect the public from violent disorder," said Eva Cosse, senior Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch, expressing alarm over reports of children being severely injured by crowd-control weapons.
The violence has tarnished the image of France ahead of elections that could be a turning point in its modern history, with the government's debt pile also troubling investors.
A new poll by Harris Interactive for M6/RTL made after the violence showed Le Pen soaring ahead on 33-35 percent in the first round of voting for the presidential elections. 
It predicted that hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon was on course to face her in the run-off where Le Pen would emerge as an easy winner on some 70 percent of the vote.
bur-sjw/kjm

diplomacy

South Korea proposes holding border talks with North

  • The South Korean defence ministry "formally proposes holding military talks with North Korea to mutually confirm the precise location of the land Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and discuss ways to restore military communication lines and prevent accidental clashes in border areas," Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defence minister for policy, told reporters Friday.
  • South Korea proposed on Friday military talks with North Korea to "mutually confirm the precise location" of their border and discuss restoring communication channels, after an explosion in the DMZ further strained relations.
  • The South Korean defence ministry "formally proposes holding military talks with North Korea to mutually confirm the precise location of the land Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and discuss ways to restore military communication lines and prevent accidental clashes in border areas," Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defence minister for policy, told reporters Friday.
South Korea proposed on Friday military talks with North Korea to "mutually confirm the precise location" of their border and discuss restoring communication channels, after an explosion in the DMZ further strained relations.
Tensions between the two Koreas have soared since the South last month blamed the blast inside the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the countries on landmines laid by the North, an accusation it has fiercely rejected.
The South Korean defence ministry "formally proposes holding military talks with North Korea to mutually confirm the precise location of the land Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and discuss ways to restore military communication lines and prevent accidental clashes in border areas," Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defence minister for policy, told reporters Friday.
The proposal comes days after Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, announced that Pyongyang had moved new troop units into "firing position" along the border.
Seoul's defence ministry said Friday it was difficult to predict "what further incidents could occur if this situation is allowed to continue unaddressed".
The ministry said that "three-way talks involving the United Nations Command would also be possible". 
"Specific dates and locations could be discussed through Panmunjom," said Kim, referencing the symbolic truce village where troops from both Koreas stand face-to-face.
He added they hoped for "a positive response from North Korea". 
The South Korean defence ministry also noted that talks proposed last year with the North did not get a response from Pyongyang.

'Game of chicken'

Seoul's military on Tuesday accused Pyongyang of attempting to shift the blame for escalating military tensions, while confirming the use of loudspeakers and warning shots as "legitimate defensive measures to prevent North Korean troops from crossing the MDL and to drive back troops that have crossed it".
Jin Yong-sung, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, also ordered the military to "respond with firm resolve" should North Korea use Seoul's actions as a pretext for aggressive action.
Michael Bosack, founding director of the Parley Policy Institute and a former UN Command official, told AFP on Friday that Pyongyang was unlikely to accept the latest overture as it "did not specifically address the North Korean demands related to warning broadcasts and warning shots".
"Given the game of chicken the two sides are playing with their statements and threats, it has the potential to escalate further if gone unchecked," he added, while noting Pyongyang's language was aimed at controlling the "pace and nature of escalation".
"To date, the Kim (Jong Un) regime has signalled its willingness to take steps that draw Seoul's ire without reaching the threshold of direct military action," Bosack said.

'Grave' situation

Pyongyang has repeatedly rejected claims it was behind the explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers inside the DMZ, while mockingly dismissing calls for an apology.
Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Since 2024, after Kim Jong Un designated South Korea his country's "principal enemy", Pyongyang's military has laid mines and built anti-tank barriers along the frontier as part of efforts to permanently seal it off.
North Korea on Monday called the border situation "grave", saying it was considering deploying additional "tactical strike means" to the area.
On Thursday, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said the North would place loudspeakers on standby along the border "within days" and had put unspecified "new counter means" on alert.
South Korea's foreign ministry, meanwhile, said Thursday it planned to send a letter to the president of the UN Security Council over the landmine incident, which it called a "clear violation of the armistice agreement".
President Lee Jae Myung has previously called for the North to return to dialogue, a suggestion Kim Yo Jong slammed as "the climax of the farce".
hs/cwl/mjw

Iran

How five Boeing 777s linked Madagascar's power elite to Iran

BY CLéMENT VARANGES

  • Ravatomanga himself will not be in the dock after he fled to the neighbouring island of Mauritius days before a military coup ousted Rajoelina in October 2025. 
  • Once among Madagascar's most influential businessmen and a close ally of deposed president Andry Rajoelina, Mamy Ravatomanga stands at the centre of one of the island's most explosive corruption cases.
  • Ravatomanga himself will not be in the dock after he fled to the neighbouring island of Mauritius days before a military coup ousted Rajoelina in October 2025. 
Once among Madagascar's most influential businessmen and a close ally of deposed president Andry Rajoelina, Mamy Ravatomanga stands at the centre of one of the island's most explosive corruption cases.
The 57-year-old tycoon is the most prominent defendant in a trial starting Tuesday in Antananarivo over five Boeing 777s routed to Iran via temporary Malagasy registrations to circumvent multiple US sanctions.
The planes, now registered to Iranian carrier Mahan Air, never physically entered Madagascar.
Instead, Malagasy investigators believe their registration allowed them to transit international airspace before reaching Iran in July 2025.
Ravatomanga, currently being held in Mauritius, faces accusations of money laundering and influence peddling in the case. He denies wrongdoing.
According to an indictment obtained by AFP, co-defendant Singh Khushwinder -- suspected of being the true owner of the company used to register the aircraft in Madagascar -- told investigators that Ravatomanga received five million euros from the operation.
His lawyers challenged the claim, citing "several inconsistent versions of the allegations", including a reference to $5 million rather than euros at a Mauritian bail hearing.
The Mauritian anti-corruption watchdog said a joint investigation by the FBI and Mauritius's Financial Crimes Commission had yielded witness statements, digital evidence and recordings to support the corruption allegation.
Originally purchased by Singapore Airlines in the early 2000s, the jets were parked in China after being acquired by Ion Aviation, a Florida-registered company. 
All five are now listed as belonging to Mahan Air, according to a database by aviation website Planespotters. 
Two were specifically targeted by US Treasury sanctions announced in April, with Washington accusing the Tehran-based airline of involvement in the acquisition and transport of drones and weapons. 
 

Photo evidence

 
Prosecutors have cited photographs allegedly taken during a meeting at the Novotel hotel in Antananarivo which Ravatomanga is said to have attended.
According to Madagascar's anti-corruption unit, participants included then transport minister Valery Ramonjavelo; the head of the country's civil aviation authority, Gervais Damasy; Khushwinder; and Iranian national Hamid Arabnejad.
Arabnejad, identified by US authorities since 2013 as Mahan Air's chief executive, has long been under American sanctions for overseeing "Mahan Air's sanctions evasion efforts and provision of support and services to Iran's IRGC-QF", a reference to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Ravatomanga's legal team says the "alleged photographs" have never been shown to their client and questioned their existence. 
Asked by AFP about the images, the FBI declined to comment.
Two sources familiar with the case said several defendants were questioned in Madagascar by visiting FBI agents. 
In total, 28 people are being prosecuted, including participants in the Novotel meeting and former Senate president Richard Ravalomanana. 
Ravatomanga himself will not be in the dock after he fled to the neighbouring island of Mauritius days before a military coup ousted Rajoelina in October 2025. 
 

'Unprecedented detention'

 
Starting in 1990 as a transport company, Ravatomanga's Sodiat Group expanded into a sprawling conglomerate spanning automotive distribution, aviation, private security, media, construction, healthcare, real estate, hospitality, tourism and Madagascar's lucrative vanilla trade.
French investigators have previously examined his real-estate holdings near Paris as part of a probe into alleged money laundering and rosewood trafficking, though the case was dropped in 2023 due to insufficient evidence.
A separate French investigation into allegations linked to the export of Madagascar lychees to the European Union has also drawn scrutiny to Ravatomanga, who was questioned in Mauritius this year in connection with the case, a judicial source told AFP.
Ravatomanga's attorney Khushal Lobine argued his client was being treated disproportionately.
"More than a year in pre-trial detention for what would, at worst, amount to white-collar offences is unprecedented in Mauritius," he told AFP.
Mauritian courts have rejected two bail requests, most recently on October 12, citing flight-risk concerns.
Authorities feared Ravatomanga might disappear "like Carlos Ghosn", said one investigator, referring to the fugitive former Renault-Nissan chief.
The comparison was not entirely accidental. The jet used in Ghosn's dramatic escape from Japan to Turkey belonged to TOA, a subsidiary of the Sodiat Group, though it was being operated by Turkish company MNG Jet during the fugitive journey.
clv-clw/ho/br/kjm

diplomacy

Ahead of APEC summit, Trump comes knocking on Kim's door

BY HIEUN SHIN

  • I'm not sure that anybody's asking for a meeting," adding that his "relationship with Kim Jong Un is very good."
  • As world leaders prepare to gather in Shenzhen for November's APEC summit, speculation is mounting over a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un -- a prospect experts say remains remote.
  • I'm not sure that anybody's asking for a meeting," adding that his "relationship with Kim Jong Un is very good."
As world leaders prepare to gather in Shenzhen for November's APEC summit, speculation is mounting over a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un -- a prospect experts say remains remote.
In 2019, North Korea's Kim made the 60-hour train journey home from Hanoi empty-handed after his summit with the US president collapsed.
Now, the dynamic has reversed: Trump is making repeated overtures, only to be met with silence from Pyongyang.
Trump said again last week that he "may" meet with Kim during his Asian tour next month and that it "would be exciting". 
But on Monday, he said: "I don't know... I'm not sure that anybody's asking for a meeting," adding that his "relationship with Kim Jong Un is very good."
Any meeting between the leaders would trigger a media frenzy, but Pyongyang's deepening ties with Russia and China could complicate Trump's bid for a potential announcement of talks ahead of the midterms.
Analysts say the mercurial US leader is seeking a foreign policy win as the Iran war drags on. Kim, by contrast, may have less to gain from another high-profile encounter with Trump, they say.
Kim's decision to send troops and weapons to aid Moscow's war in Ukraine has won critical backing from Russian President Vladimir Putin, helping North Korea blunt UN sanctions over its nuclear programme.
North Korea's economy, in fact, grew more than three percent for a third straight year in 2025, South Korea's central bank estimated in July, citing Pyongyang's "expansion of economic cooperation with Russia" as its major driver.
China, Washington's archrival, remains North Korea's key ally -- a major source of diplomatic and economic support for the country.
"I see almost no possibility of a meeting," Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, told AFP.
"For Kim Jong Un, maintaining the status quo is the best option right now."
And last week, Seoul's ambassador to Washington, Kang Kyung-wha, said no concrete progress had been made toward a meeting between Kim and Trump. 
 

'In love'

 
Trump met Kim three times during his first term -- once declaring they were "in love" -- in high-profile summits aimed at securing a denuclearisation deal, but no tangible progress was made.
Since then, North Korea has continued to expand and develop its arsenal.
South Korea's dovish President Lee Jae Myung -- who has repeatedly offered Pyongyang talks without preconditions -- suggested in September that Washington seek a freeze, rather than the immediate elimination, of its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.
Critics say such an approach risks tacitly accepting North Korea as a nuclear-armed state while allowing Pyongyang to win sanctions relief without giving up its arsenal. 
Analysts say China has also appeared to move towards implicit acceptance. 
Kim hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang in June, soon after Xi held back-to-back summits in Beijing with Trump and Putin. 
Neither Pyongyang nor Beijing mentioned North Korean denuclearisation in their official statements -- an omission experts saw as a sign of China's tacit consent.
The dividing of the "United States and Japan on one side and North Korea, China and Russia on the other ... into blocs, is creating significant opportunities for North Korea," Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP.
 

'Idiots'

 
Pyongyang has repeatedly made clear it is no longer prepared to discuss denuclearisation. 
Kim's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong said in September the country's nuclear-armed status was "absolute" and called those hoping for its denuclearisation "idiots".
The more consequential question is "whether Washington would begin negotiating on the operational assumption that North Korea's arsenal is not going to disappear," Vladimir Tikhonov, Korean Studies professor at the University of Oslo, told AFP.
"I see that a possibility of such a policy shift is substantial." 
Meanwhile, China's influence rests partly on its role as an intermediary between Pyongyang and Washington, analysts say, and a direct Trump-Kim deal that sidelines Beijing in Shenzhen could therefore erode its leverage over both sides.
"A dialogue may be pursued with the understanding of Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping," said Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies.
But with Russia delivering immediate benefits, analysts said that time and strategic momentum are on Kim's side.
"Giving up all these benefits, withdrawing from the Russia-Ukraine war, and entering uncertain dialogue with the United States is difficult to imagine right now," Yang said. 
hs/cdl/cwl/cms

virus

Emergency nurseries rescue DR Congo's Ebola orphans

  • Her office has registered 8,200 newly orphaned children since the outbreak began.
  • A caregiver wore a protective gown and gloves as she bottle-fed a baby -- one of hundreds of children orphaned by the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak.
  • Her office has registered 8,200 newly orphaned children since the outbreak began.
A caregiver wore a protective gown and gloves as she bottle-fed a baby -- one of hundreds of children orphaned by the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak.
With the disease still spreading five months into the epidemic, the nursery in the remote east is one of 12 receiving the children of those killed by the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever.
"Many children have lost both their father and mother because of Ebola," Marie Bakikula, a caregiver at a UNICEF-supported nursery in Mongbwalu, told AFP.
The mining town in Ituri province near the Uganda border is considered the epicentre of the outbreak.
Children account for about one-third of deaths and more than one-quarter of infections in the current crisis -- more than 2,000 cases, according to UNICEF.
A short distance from the nursery, workers in white protective suits loaded a child-sized coffin into the back of a pickup truck.
Others survive but lose their families. Ebola orphans arriving at the emergency nurseries have seen their parents die and burial teams in protective suits come to remove the bodies.
Others were separated from their families after their parents, infected with the virus, were transferred to Ebola treatment centres.
"They all believe that by coming here they will never see their parents again," said Monique Ndjangosi, a psychologist at the Mongbwalu nursery.
 

Disinfected toys

 
Nearby, a young girl and three boys played among stuffed toys recently disinfected with chlorine. Their mothers had tested positive for the virus.
The children will remain under observation for 21 days, the disease's incubation period, in case they develop symptoms.
"One of them showed symptoms seven days after arriving and was admitted to the Ebola treatment centre," said Bakikula, who volunteered to work at the facility after surviving Ebola herself.
The only contact many children maintain with their infected parents comes through photographs and videos taken by healthcare workers.
"We cannot take them inside the treatment centre to visit their parents. It's too risky," Ndjangosi said.
 

Unidentified children

 
In some cases, child protection teams succeed in locating relatives, even distant family members, who can care for orphaned children. In others, this proves impossible.
"We still have children we have not been able to identify because they are too young and their parents arrived in a coma," said Celine Lusinde, head of provincial child protection services.
Her office has registered 8,200 newly orphaned children since the outbreak began.
Marie-Therese Tsesi, a 63-year-old nurse, has taken in five Ebola orphans at her modest mud-brick home near Mongbwalu hospital.
"Their father was the only parent they had left. He died of Ebola," she said.
"They were sleeping outside and showing signs of malnutrition."
 

Thousands killed

 
The current Ebola epidemic, the DRC's 17th, quickly became the deadliest ever recorded in the central African country and remains uncontrolled despite months of efforts. Cases have also been detected in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.
The disease, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes severe haemorrhagic fever, has infected 9,704 people and killed 4,687 in the DRC, according to the latest health authority figures, giving it a fatality rate of nearly 50 percent.
A clinical trial is under way, but there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain behind the outbreak.
Health authorities continue to face shortages of resources, while insecurity caused by armed groups in Ituri province, the area hardest hit by the epidemic, restricts access to some communities.
Many deaths occurring outside health facilities are believed to go unreported.
str-cld/pid/rlp/kjm

typhoon

Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Champi approaches

BY JOY CHIANG

  • More than 1,200 people had been evacuated from their homes ahead of Champi.
  • Most shops and schools were shut across Taiwan on Friday as Typhoon Champi neared the island, forcing hundreds of people to leave their homes ahead of the powerful storm.
  • More than 1,200 people had been evacuated from their homes ahead of Champi.
Most shops and schools were shut across Taiwan on Friday as Typhoon Champi neared the island, forcing hundreds of people to leave their homes ahead of the powerful storm.
The typhoon is expected to sweep past Taiwan's northeast as it moves towards China and Japan, triggering the cancellation of hundreds of flights in the region. 
At least one person has been killed in Taiwan after being swept away by waves whipped up by the typhoon, authorities said. Dozens of others have been injured. 
Champi is the latest in a busy Pacific storm season turbo-charged by the El Nino weather phenomenon that has caused unprecedented warming in the equatorial Pacific.
The storm was briefly a super typhoon as it crossed the ocean, but has been weakening as it approaches Taiwan and now has maximum sustained wind speeds of 167 kilometres (104 miles) per hour, according to the latest update from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
Heavy rain, strong winds and giant waves are forecast for Friday and Saturday, and thousands of military personnel are on standby to assist with rescue efforts.
More than 1,200 people had been evacuated from their homes ahead of Champi.
"As it approaches Taiwan's northeastern tip... the typhoon may slow down. If it slows down, its impact will last longer," the Central Weather Administration's Lu Kuo-chen told a briefing.
In Japan, several local events in the southern Okinawa prefecture have been cancelled.
There has been no change to the ongoing Japan-US joint military exercise, Keen Sword, being held in various parts of Japan, but a Japanese military spokeswoman has said they will be "flexible" in implementing the drill.
Professional storm-chaser James Reynolds posted a video on X from Ishigaki showing a "fierce storm tide" in a channel leading to the island's harbour as Champi's strong winds whipped across the water.
"I'm seeing the ocean do things I've not seen in 20 years of doing this!!" Reynolds said in the post.
- 'Extremely heavy rain' - 
Champi is expected to dump up to 90 centimetres (35 inches) of rain from Thursday to Saturday, with northeastern Taiwan to be hardest hit, the forecaster said.
"People should be aware that the strong winds and extremely heavy rain will continue into the first half of tomorrow," Lu said.
Work and classes were cancelled for the day across nearly all of Taiwan, leaving streets quiet as most locals hunkered down at home. The stock exchange was also closed.
Some businesses installed sandbags or metal barriers at entrances to prevent flooding.
"I'm worried about flooding. The vegetables could get flooded and rot, a 73-year-old farmer surnamed Tsai told AFP in New Taipei City.
Convenience store worker Peter Chen said he was concerned about the weather conditions on Friday night when the eye of the typhoon would be closer to Taiwan's coast.
"We might prepare some sandbags," the 27-year-old said.
The United Nations said Wednesday that the El Nino system gripping the planet is heading off the charts, and that countries should take urgent action to prepare for the worst.
El Nino is expected to peak in December, but the human impact is set to last into 2027 and beyond.
The warming phase of a natural climate cycle, El Nino temporarily raises sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific, triggering changes in weather that can increase the risk of drought and flooding, and exacerbate human-caused global warming.
joy-kh/amj/mjw

film

China's first AI film hits cinemas, but ticket sales lag

BY LUNA LIN

  • "We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience," he told Chinese film industry outlet Yuli.
  • China's first fully AI-generated feature film opens in cinemas on Friday in what promises to be a tough box-office test for the country's booming tech industry as advance ticket sales lag.
  • "We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience," he told Chinese film industry outlet Yuli.
China's first fully AI-generated feature film opens in cinemas on Friday in what promises to be a tough box-office test for the country's booming tech industry as advance ticket sales lag.
More than 10,000 screenings of the sci-fi thriller "Sanxingdui: Future Past" are scheduled for Friday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.
Public reception, however, has been less than enthusiastic.
Presale revenue as of Friday morning stood at 80,000 yuan ($11,980), while total box-office takings were forecast to remain below 150,000 yuan, only a fraction of the reported production cost, according to Maoyan.
Ticket prices range from 20 to 90 yuan, bringing the number sold to a few thousand at most.
Jiang Defu, CEO of the production company Bona Film Group, acknowledged the lukewarm reception in a recent interview but said the film was pushing boundaries.
"We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience," he told Chinese film industry outlet Yuli.
"I think that is not easy at all."
Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film, which cost more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), Bona said, although all the actors, their voices and the backdrops are AI-generated.
The film touches on the theme of humanity in a future shaped by AI.
But that was not enough to convince Iris Yang, who attended a free preview screening of the film on Thursday for acquaintances of the production team and industry workers.
Yang said she would not have paid for a ticket, given the movie's quality.
"If AI generation can match the theatrical experience of 'Avatar', I think I would be willing to pay for it," she said, referring to the US franchise known for the quality of its animation.
AI-generated video has gained popularity in the world's second-largest economy. On Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, AI-generated short dramas garnered more than 200 billion views in September alone.
But "the audience won't automatically pay for the tickets just because it's an AI-generated film", independent AI director Zhang Jun told AFP.
Online, Chinese social media users also seemed unconvinced by the launch of AI movies in cinemas.
"If it's free to watch on streaming platforms, it could become legendary. But paying to watch? People are not going to accept it at this stage," one user on Weibo commented.
In Hollywood, the rise of AI has sparked concern among film workers about the prospect of job losses.
An AI-generated sci-fi feature called "Gods Don't Give Gifts" is scheduled for US release on December 4.
And a virtual Hollywood actor called Tilly Norwood, whose interviews have gone viral while fuelling job fears, is also set to star in an upcoming movie called "Misaligned".
ll/dhw/kaf/fox

Davies

New Zealand military chief resigns over 'inappropriate relationship'

  • "These matters revolved around an inappropriate relationship I had when in a position of unit command, and I regret not disclosing this when I had the opportunity to do so."
  • The head of New Zealand's military has resigned over an "inappropriate relationship" he had while in charge of a unit, the Defence Force said Friday.
  • "These matters revolved around an inappropriate relationship I had when in a position of unit command, and I regret not disclosing this when I had the opportunity to do so."
The head of New Zealand's military has resigned over an "inappropriate relationship" he had while in charge of a unit, the Defence Force said Friday.
"The resignation is for personal reasons, and results from errors of judgement made by me in the past, for which I am taking responsibility," Air Marshal Tony Davies said.
"The errors of judgement were contrary to the values of the Defence Force," he added.
"These matters revolved around an inappropriate relationship I had when in a position of unit command, and I regret not disclosing this when I had the opportunity to do so."
He asked for privacy and said that his focus was on his family at this time, the military added. 
The matter has been referred to an independent oversight body, the military said. 
New Zealand's Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith said the circumstances around the resignation would come as a "great disappointment" to many in the armed forces. 
"The reasons regarding his decision relate to integrity matters, that he did not previously disclose," he said.
"We both agree his position is no longer tenable."
Approached for comment by AFP, the New Zealand Defence Force declined to offer further details. 
Previously head of the air force, Davies was appointed chief of New Zealand's military in 2024.
oho-bes

France

'Generational rage': Young Europeans fight to be heard

BY DARIO THUBURN

  • - 'Inspiring other people' - The anger has been particularly palpable in France and Italy, where fresh demonstrations are planned for Saturday.
  • From blockaded schools in Rome to tent camps in Madrid and street protests in France, young people across Europe are turning their anger on a political class they say is not listening.
  • - 'Inspiring other people' - The anger has been particularly palpable in France and Italy, where fresh demonstrations are planned for Saturday.
From blockaded schools in Rome to tent camps in Madrid and street protests in France, young people across Europe are turning their anger on a political class they say is not listening.
Their demands vary, but they are united in wanting to make their often marginalised voices heard, sometimes even with radical methods in the face of heavy-handed policing.
"We are fighting and taking our future in our hands," said Damiano Fusa, 18, a student at Rome's Cavour high school, the first to be occupied in a wave of student takeovers that has spread across the Italian capital.
"We're not represented by anyone," Fusa told AFP, criticising both Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hard-right coalition and previous centre-left governments for cutting education funding and ignoring young people's needs.
Hundreds of thousands of high school and university students have rallied in France, Italy, Spain and other European countries in recent weeks, with some protests descending into violence.
Governments have largely focused on restoring order, with France imposing partial curfews and Italy deploying soldiers, responses protesters say obscure their demands and could make things even worse.
"Politicians are responding in ways that are completely disconnected from reality, completely absurd," said Luis Marques, a 19-year-old psychology student in Lisbon.
Students are demanding action on soaring rents, more spending on education instead of defence and more job opportunities for young people.
But experts say the unrest reflects a broader sense among many young Europeans that they have been shut out of politics and sidelined.
"These young people do not just feel like they do not have a place in politics, they feel they are not being heard at all," said Geoffrey Pleyers, president of the International Sociological Association.
Rosario Forlenza, a professor at Rome's Luiss University, called it a "European generational revolt" rooted in a social and economic crisis "to which politicians cannot give a substantive response".
"Young people are a minority of the population that is shrinking and so their social, economic, cultural, political and electoral weight is becoming ever more irrelevant," he said.

'Inspiring other people'

The anger has been particularly palpable in France and Italy, where fresh demonstrations are planned for Saturday.
"People are very angry, they've had enough. Working hard all day and still not being able to fill up their shopping cart," a 20-year-old student who gave his name as Eddy told AFP at a protest in Bordeaux last weekend.
"Will smashing everything change anything? I think it can be a jolt to wake up the politicians. We don't know what else to do to make ourselves heard. The ballot box? We don't believe in it anymore," he said.
Protest movements across Europe are increasingly drawing inspiration from one another, and even looking to youth-led movements further afield in places like Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
In Italy, one student slogan last week urged protesters to "do as in France", while shared symbols, including the Jolly Roger pirate flag, have become common across youth rallies.
Marcos Navarro, 22, a laboratory quality-control technician from Madrid, said protesters across Europe were meeting to share tactics.
"They've come to ask us: 'How did you do it? How do you organise yourselves?' We've already exchanged ideas," said Navarro, who has been camping with hundreds of others in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square since September to protest housing costs and evictions.
Ayla Herrero, a 26-year-old anthropologist helping at the camp's infirmary, said it was "inspiring for us to know that we're inspiring other people, that it doesn't just stay here".

'Not acceptable'

Concern about the rise in military spending in Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine has also been a rallying point.
Nikos Mavroudis, a 17-year-old high school student in Athens' Exarchia neighbourhood, said the money could be better spent on his school, where chunks of plaster are falling.
"It's not acceptable for classrooms to be dangerous," said Mavroudis, who hopes to become a cook and plans to move elsewhere in Europe to "countries where things are better".
At Rome's occupied Morgagni high school, where students have barricaded entrances with desks, protesters pointed to the crumbling infrastructure as evidence of neglect.
An 18-year-old, who did not want to be named, said the media and politicians in Italy were focusing too heavily on looting and vandalism by some protesters.
"It turns hatred against the students who are victims of this system," he said.
Asked about the violence, Sabrina Brizzola, 24, coordinator of the Italian University Students' Union, said organisations like hers should "organise and channel this generational rage".
"We have shared concerns, even if our ways of protesting differ," she said.
bur-dt/ams/rh

Global Edition

Lula, Bolsonaro to clash once more before Brazil vote

BY LOUIS GENOT

  • The son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro beat Lula by two percentage points in the first round of presidential elections earlier this month, nabbing 47 percent of the vote.
  • Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will clash with his right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro in a second and final televised debate on Friday, as both make a last-ditch effort to sway undecided voters.
  • The son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro beat Lula by two percentage points in the first round of presidential elections earlier this month, nabbing 47 percent of the vote.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will clash with his right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro in a second and final televised debate on Friday, as both make a last-ditch effort to sway undecided voters.
The son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro beat Lula by two percentage points in the first round of presidential elections earlier this month, nabbing 47 percent of the vote.
The senator's surprise lead has kicked the Brazilian left into action, with enormous rallies staged across the country ahead of Sunday's runoff.
The incumbent, on the cusp of 81, has meanwhile upped his social media game at the eleventh hour, posting selfie-mode videos and even buying his first-ever cell phone.
A Datafolha institute survey published Thursday evening shows the pair tied with 50 percent of voting intentions each, compared to Bolsonaro's four-point lead in polls published two weeks ago.
"Lula is on an upward trajectory, but he has not yet landed a decisive blow to turn the tide. This debate could be his last chance," political analyst Leandro Gabiati, director of the consulting firm Dominium, told AFP.
Brazilians are holding their breath ahead of the Friday night program hosted by the country's largest network, TV Globo, in Rio de Janeiro.
The first debate on Sunday quickly lapsed into a barrage of insults, and left little room for concrete proposals.
"The debates have once again descended to a fifth-grade level, which is absurd," dentist Lizie Moreira told AFP in Rio.
The 60-year-old will vote for Bolsonaro and considers Lula's policies "populism."

'Fake news'

An online petition with over a million signatures has asked Globo to implement a live fact-checking system for claims made by both candidates during the debate.
Each side has accused the other of spreading massive amounts of disinformation during the campaign.
At a rally in the northeastern city of Fortaleza on Wednesday, Flavio Bolsonaro said he had to "debunk a lot of fake news," particularly claims that he would end social welfare programs as a way to cut spending.
He also promotes the hardline security rhetoric of other right-wing leaders across Latin America, promising to lower the cost of living and saying he wants Lula to "retire."
"Change doesn't mean depriving people of their rights," Lula has said.
Lula "represents everything that I am," said 22-year-old Gabriela Ferreira at a leftist demonstration in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte.
"I am poor. I am a student. I depend on a scholarship to do my degree."
The former union leader presents himself as a defender of democracy, and is largely counting on opposition to the Bolsonaro family's return to power.
Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his electoral defeat to Lula in 2022.

Legal battles

The election is playing out over rallies, televised debates, and to a huge extent social media, but the courts are also proving instrumental in the fight.
Both candidates went to Brazil's top electoral court this week to demand their opponent be disqualified, each time alleging abuse of social media.
Pressure is being piled on Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Lula's campaign accuses the US tech giant of election "interference" in favor of Flavio Bolsonaro via alleged "algorithmic manipulation."
Meta has denied taking any actions to favor one side in the election, but previously said that some of Lula's campaign ads had been mistakenly deactivated due to technical errors.
The company's independent oversight board issued criticisms this week that bolstered the Brazilian left's complaints, as did United Nations experts.
Lula's team is concerned about "the obvious alignment between Meta and the US government," Joao Brant, his campaign's digital strategy advisor, told AFP.
Bolsonaro meanwhile accuses Lula of "abuse of power" for the alleged mass dissemination of government actions during the electoral period through an official WhatsApp account.
US President Donald Trump, an ally of Jair Bolsonaro, meanwhile is watching the rise of the political right across Latin America with glee.
lg/tmo/cc/mdo

Russia

How are Ukraine strikes, Mideast war driving US fuel prices?

BY POL-MALO LE BRIS

  • By contrast, Trump has not commented on the intensification in recent months of Russian strikes against Ukrainian territory, which have caused a surge in civilian casualties.
  • Ahead of next month's midterm US elections, Donald Trump has increasingly blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for surging energy prices back home, which are causing the president political headaches.
  • By contrast, Trump has not commented on the intensification in recent months of Russian strikes against Ukrainian territory, which have caused a surge in civilian casualties.
Ahead of next month's midterm US elections, Donald Trump has increasingly blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for surging energy prices back home, which are causing the president political headaches.
However, analysts say the main driver of higher fuel prices remains the US–Iran war.

Which Russian sites have been targeted?

Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks on Russia's energy industry over the past 18 months, seeking to cut the Kremlin's revenues and undermine its ability to finance the war.
The strikes have targeted "mostly refineries", Julien Mathonniere, an economist at Energy Intelligence, told AFP.
On average, one Russian refinery was hit every three days during the first eight months of the year, according to the International Energy Agency.
"Russia's net diesel exports fell by approximately 80 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2026, from around 1.05 million barrels per day to just 200,000 barrels per day," said Viktor Kurilov, an analyst at Rystad Energy.
In response to the disruption in domestic fuel supplies, Moscow introduced a ban on diesel exports from July until the end of October.

Why does this concern Trump?

Trump has repeatedly condemned the attacks on Russian refineries, saying Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky disobeyed his orders to halt the strikes.
By contrast, Trump has not commented on the intensification in recent months of Russian strikes against Ukrainian territory, which have caused a surge in civilian casualties.
Trump's frustrations come as the Republicans face dim prospects in the November midterm elections, partly because of soaring fuel prices. 
US diesel prices at the pump climbed to a record of $6.53 per gallon at the end of September, up from $3.75 per gallon before the war, according to the American Automobile Association.
Energy price rises are also fuelling inflation across the economy.

What is the Mideast role?

Ukraine's strikes explain "about one-third of the global diesel shortfall, currently estimated at 1.7 to 1.8 million barrels per day", said Mathonniere.
But "the impact of previous drone strikes (by Kyiv) on global product prices before the Middle East crisis was minimal", James Henderson, a researcher at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told AFP.
Energy exports from the Gulf have plunged since US-Israeli strikes on Iran from February caused Tehran to respond by choking off the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas transit.
At the same time, maritime freight costs have soared and major refining capacity in the Middle East has been hit, adding to upward pressure on oil prices.

Can prices fall before midterms?

Relations between Kyiv and Washington soured further this month after Trump announced a controversial agreement with Moscow to lift certain sanctions and allow Russian diesel imports, supposedly to ease prices. 
The US president said Wednesday that he believed an end to the Russia-Ukraine war could be closer than ever, as the Kremlin said it was willing to restart trilateral talks with Kyiv and Washington next month.
For now, however, the strikes continue.
"There's not much that can be done in the very short term to lower diesel prices," said Jorge Leon, an analyst at Rystad Energy.
Even if the Russia conflict ended or an energy ceasefire was reached, the impact "wouldn't really move the needle massively for the US midterm elections", he added.
Repairs to damaged infrastructure take time, while continued hostilities in the Middle East drive energy prices higher.
pml-ajb/bcp/rlp

demonstration

Venezuela protests demand return of Nobel winning leader Machado

  • "We are calling for presidential elections and the return of our leader Maria Corina Machado," 43-year-old opposition activist Erika Cedeno told AFP.  Protests were also held in the Colombian-border city of Tachira and Bolivar in the northeast, where activists denounced a road closure blocking access to where they'd planned to protest.
  • Thousands demonstrated in Venezuela's capital and other cities Thursday, demanding the return of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado.
  • "We are calling for presidential elections and the return of our leader Maria Corina Machado," 43-year-old opposition activist Erika Cedeno told AFP.  Protests were also held in the Colombian-border city of Tachira and Bolivar in the northeast, where activists denounced a road closure blocking access to where they'd planned to protest.
Thousands demonstrated in Venezuela's capital and other cities Thursday, demanding the return of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado.
Around 2,000 protesters gathered peacefully in Plaza Venezuela, a busy area of Caracas, and more demonstrations were held elsewhere in the country. 
"We are calling for presidential elections and the return of our leader Maria Corina Machado," 43-year-old opposition activist Erika Cedeno told AFP. 
Protests were also held in the Colombian-border city of Tachira and Bolivar in the northeast, where activists denounced a road closure blocking access to where they'd planned to protest.
In Caracas, protesters carried signs that read "Elections NOW and this time they're not going to steal from us" and "Brave MCM," referring to Machado's initials.
"I'm tired of this. We truly want a new change, we've already had this chavista government in power for long enough, since 1999," 53-year-old seamstress Mayrym Beltran told AFP while marching in Caracas.
Like millions of Venezuelans, Beltran's children have fled Venezuela's flailing economy. She hasn't seen her son in eight years, or her daughter in four.
"I want a new change for me, for you, for everyone," Beltran said, expressing hope for Machado's return and an economic revival.
Machado's party, Vente Venezuela, is calling for presidential elections in 2027.
Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, who took power after a US military operation ousted leftist leader Nicolas Maduro in January, has said elections will be held without specifying a date.
Many other opposition leaders have recently returned from exile, and US-backed talks between the interim government and opposition have been underway.
Machado has not taken part.
She lives in exile in Panama and her party says her return has been repeatedly blocked.
"Maria Corina till the end. We're waiting for her, only god knows when she'll arrive, but that she will arrive, she will," Beltran said.
bc-lp/jm/sla/mdo

politics

Colombia's Indigenous Guard up in arms over new president's agenda

  • The guard's voter mobilization was key to the 2022 election of the country's first left-wing president Gustavo Petro, who was succeeded by De la Espriella in August.
  • In the mountains of southwestern Colombia, hundreds of Indigenous guards who protect their lands from crime are debating how to negotiate a standoff with right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella.
  • The guard's voter mobilization was key to the 2022 election of the country's first left-wing president Gustavo Petro, who was succeeded by De la Espriella in August.
In the mountains of southwestern Colombia, hundreds of Indigenous guards who protect their lands from crime are debating how to negotiate a standoff with right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella.
For decades, the Indigenous Guard has defended remote Colombian territories against powerful guerrillas and drug cartels, without firearms.
They have rescued kidnapping victims, searched for children recruited by armed groups, and even protected forests from deforestation.
Today, the struggle of this ancestral defense force is with Colombia's new leader, who wants to assert more state control over their activities.
"Guard, guard, strength, strength, for my people, for my land," the guards chanted as they held their traditional wooden staffs aloft during the gathering in Caloto in violence-plagued Cauca department. 
Their ire is directed at a bill that would allow the government to gather data on the guards and on where they operate for a national registry.
These custodians of the land see the bill as a violation of the right to self-determination for which they fought for centuries.
The government initiative "could become a mechanism for surveillance, stigmatization, and prosecution" in a country ravaged by more than half a century of armed conflict, the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC) said in a statement.
The guards argue that any weakening of their security role would lead to more violence and loss of life.
"Our territory is at risk," Jorge Sánchez, a 55-year-old CRIC member told AFP at the Cauca gathering.
On October 14, some 6,000 Indigenous people from across the country dressed in the red and green garb of the Guard converged on Cauca to protest the bill.

On the frontlines

A decade after the Marxist rebel army FARC made peace with the state, Colombia's mountains, highlands and rainforest are still bristling with armed groups that profit from drug trafficking and illegal mining.
In these remote areas inhabited chiefly by Indigenous peoples, the Indigenous Guard is the first line of defense for communities. 
"We are the ones who walk the territory and warn of imminent risks," said Jose Joy Martenorio, CRIC's political coordinator.
In the event of an emergency, they summon dozens of supporters who rush to the scene with sticks and push out the guerrillas.
The guard's role has redoubled in importance amid the worst surge in violence since the 2016 peace deal.
At least 120 Indigenous people have been murdered by armed groups in the last ten years, according to CRIC.
In February, the guards rescued former vice-presidential candidate and Indigenous leader Aida Quilcue, who was kidnapped and held for several hours by guerrillas in Cauca. 
They also played a key role in the audacious, highly publicized rescue in 2023 of four children lost for 40 days after a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest. 

Opposing visions for Colombia 

Indigenous people represent only around 4 percent of the Colombian population but have outsized influence.
The guard's voter mobilization was key to the 2022 election of the country's first left-wing president Gustavo Petro, who was succeeded by De la Espriella in August.
De la Espriella, a millionaire US-backed lawyer, has moved quickly to end restrictions on fracking and on mining in ecologically sensitive areas, both of which Indigenous communities oppose.
The tough-talking president has dismissed their objections as posing "obstacles to Colombia's development" and warned that he will not be dissuaded by protests. 
"We have two opposing visions for the country," said CRIC member Edwin Capaz Lectamo told AFP.
"One is centered on the land, life, spirituality, and worldview," he said, while the other "sees the land as a business opportunity."
cjc/als/lv/cb/sla

BenGvir

Israel's far-right Ben Gvir seeks new ground in election

BY ALICE CHANCELLOR

  • At a mock election event attended by Ben Gvir and other candidates at a high school near Tel Aviv in September, Otzma Yehudit activists handed out gun-shaped keychains to students -- evoking his liberalisation of gun licensing rules. 
  • A turbo-charged election campaign by Israel's far-right national security minister has seen gun-shaped keychains distributed to high school students and a promotional video threatening to "put to death" a Palestinian inmate.
  • At a mock election event attended by Ben Gvir and other candidates at a high school near Tel Aviv in September, Otzma Yehudit activists handed out gun-shaped keychains to students -- evoking his liberalisation of gun licensing rules. 
A turbo-charged election campaign by Israel's far-right national security minister has seen gun-shaped keychains distributed to high school students and a promotional video threatening to "put to death" a Palestinian inmate.
His policy pledges include encouraging Palestinians to leave the occupied West Bank and war-ravaged Gaza, as well as enforcing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.
Days ahead of polls which many Israelis consider crucial to deciding the future character of their country, the divisive influence of Itamar Ben Gvir -- once considered a provocateur on Israel's extremist fringes -- shows no sign of dimming.
Polls show his Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party winning eight or nine seats in the 120-member parliament, making it the first time it will win a mandate running as a standalone entity. 
In 2022, it was allocated six seats after running on a joint list with other far-right parties.
Ben Gvir, who has been convicted at least eight times in Israeli courts before becoming minister, on charges including supporting a terror organisation and incitement to racism, has become the firebrand face of Israel's far-right -- whose political clout has skyrocketed since joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition four years ago.
"In short, he speaks straight. We really love him," 23-year-old Or Nahman told AFP in Jerusalem's bustling Mahane Yehuda market, where a huge banner bearing Ben Gvir's face hangs over shop stalls. 
"We want to fight and vote for a person like this, who serves our ideology and the things we believe in, whether it's the Jewish character of the country, the victory of Israel, strong economic security, whether it's a country where everyone can walk here freely in their land without any fear of anyone," he added.
Nahman's friend, armed with an automatic weapon, smiled in agreement beside him.
As national security minister with responsibility over the police, Ben Gvir has helped more than 200,000 Israelis gain access to firearms and boasts frequently about the worsening conditions for Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.
And he has used his place in the cabinet to push the government to take more maximalist positions in Israel's multi-front wars.
He proudly sports a lapel pin in the shape of a hangman's noose after spearheading a death penalty law tailored to apply to Palestinians, popping champagne upon its approval in parliament and celebrating his 50th birthday with a noose-adorned cake. 
The lawyer-turned-politician was barred from serving in the military in his youth over his support for extremist right-wing groups. 
Now, he says he will demand the defence minister post if Netanyahu's bloc wins again on October 27. 

'Not a stupid man'

The upcoming vote is expected to be close, with more than half a million young Israelis due to vote for the first time. Surveys show they overwhelmingly identify as centre-right or right-wing. 
A poll of 543 first-time voters published by Israeli outlet Ynet showed some 16 percent supporting either Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit or the far-right Religious Zionism party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
At a mock election event attended by Ben Gvir and other candidates at a high school near Tel Aviv in September, Otzma Yehudit activists handed out gun-shaped keychains to students -- evoking his liberalisation of gun licensing rules. 
Footage shared by Ben Gvir showed dozens of teenage boys dressed in black, cheering and waving the party's flag.
In the run-up to the vote, Ben Gvir -- who lives in the radical West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba -- has campaigned in areas outside his traditional support base.
"When you behave like the boss, people respect you," he said at a recent event for English speakers in Tel Aviv, considered Israel's secular, liberal heartland.
Making a heart gesture after walking onto the stage to whistles and applause, Ben Gvir boasted of demolishing Bedouin homes and cutting food for Palestinian detainees.
"They come in fat and they come out skinny," he bragged, smiling and making a joke about his own weight. 
Ben Gvir recently deleted a heavily criticised AI-generated video showing smiling Palestinians entering an Israeli prison on a conveyor belt, before exiting crying and emaciated.
In October, Israel's elections committee fined the minister over another video showing him confronting a convicted Hamas official in prison and saying he wanted to kill him, ruling that the footage was electoral propaganda.
His latest slew of AI videos included one showing an elderly Palestinian man sitting in the rubble of Gaza before a genie in the form of Ben Gvir grants his wish to move to Paris. The French government rebuked the video and noted that Ben Gvir is banned from France.
For punters at the Jerusalem market, the far-right seemed an appealing prospect, although some were concerned by Ben Gvir's provocative stunts.
"He's too violent," said 42-year-old Shlomo from Ramat Gan, who previously voted for Netanyahu but this year said he might cast his ballot for Smotrich.
"We need somebody like him," he said, but cautioned that Israel still needed to work with the rest of the world.
Michael, a 37-year-old from Jerusalem, agreed.
"I believe he's not a stupid man but the fact is he says stupid things to get votes," he said. "It's very effective but it does a lot of damage to Israel's economy and diplomacy."
acc/sct/ris

Trump

Judge orders Trump to give deposition in BBC lawsuit by Dec 11

  • Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the BBC, said in court that Trump had no real excuse not to testify and that on October 16, he had only been campaigning, "participating in party politics."
  • A US judge on Thursday issued President Donald Trump a December 11 deadline to testify under oath in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. Judge Enjolique Lett in Miami gave the order in response to complaints by the British broadcaster that Trump has refused to sit for a deposition, including canceling a previously agreed date of October 16.
  • Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the BBC, said in court that Trump had no real excuse not to testify and that on October 16, he had only been campaigning, "participating in party politics."
A US judge on Thursday issued President Donald Trump a December 11 deadline to testify under oath in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
Judge Enjolique Lett in Miami gave the order in response to complaints by the British broadcaster that Trump has refused to sit for a deposition, including canceling a previously agreed date of October 16.
If Trump fails to attend the deposition by then, he risks sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit, the court said.
Trump has accused the BBC of deceptively editing its documentary "Trump: A Second Chance" to make it seem as if he was inciting violence when he told supporters to march on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, after losing the presidential election.
The crowd proceeded to storm Congress in an attempt to stop the formal certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory.
While the BBC has apologized for the incident, which prompted the resignation of multiple senior executives, the broadcaster has denied it caused Trump any real injury and moved for the case to be dismissed.
Trump filed his suit against the BBC in December 2025 and is seeking at least $5 billion on each of two counts.
Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the BBC, said in court that Trump had no real excuse not to testify and that on October 16, he had only been campaigning, "participating in party politics."
"No plaintiff is above the law," Tobin said.
In a court filing Wednesday, Trump's legal team argued that he was not seeking to avoid a deposition but had been constrained by "matters of national importance."
The lawyers said Trump would be able to give a deposition between January 11 and 22.
Trump has made attacks on the media a signature of his two presidential terms, insulting reporters who ask questions he doesn't like and seeking to ban outlets airing critical reports from the White House.
Most recently, the administration has plunged into a legal dispute with CNN, MSNOW and Politico over attempts to bar them from the White House.
With his approval ratings in the low 30 percent range and polls showing his Republican Party likely to lose control of the House of Representatives in the November 3 midterm elections, Trump faces increasing headwinds as he approaches his final years in power.
yg-sms/sst

tourism

New York votes to ban Central Park horse carriages after decades of debate

  • The lead-up is meant to help the approximately 150 active carriage drives find new employment, city council speaker Julie Menin told journalists ahead of the vote.
  • New York's city council on Thursday voted to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, signaling the end of a tourist ritual that's been subject to years of heated debate.
  • The lead-up is meant to help the approximately 150 active carriage drives find new employment, city council speaker Julie Menin told journalists ahead of the vote.
New York's city council on Thursday voted to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, signaling the end of a tourist ritual that's been subject to years of heated debate.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who must sign the measure into law, had previously voiced support for such a ban but has also expressed concerns regarding protections for workers in the industry.
If the mayor signs it, the ban will go into effect in June of 2028. 
The lead-up is meant to help the approximately 150 active carriage drives find new employment, city council speaker Julie Menin told journalists ahead of the vote.
The Transport Workers Union representing those laborers have vowed court action.
Legislative battles over the fate of the cultural tradition that's nearly as old as Central Park itself have been ongoing for nearly two decades.
Critics say the animals suffer, pointing to deadly collapses and dangerous escapes, while advocates point to the jobs they create and the heritage they uphold.
The bill includes a provision for exploring potential compensation for license holders, Menin said.
It mandates that owners of the nearly 200 horses would not be allowed to sell them for slaughter or for the purposes of other horse-carriage businesses.
The rides -- enshrined in film and television including Robert Redford and Jane Fonda's scene in "Barefoot in the Park," or a dramatic ride in "Sex and the City" -- currently run for $150 for 45 minutes up to several hundred dollars for a marriage proposal.
But after years of wrangling over the issue this past summer season proved decisive in sounding the death knell for the Manhattan carriages.
This past June a 18-year-old tourist from India was killed by a horse that got loose and bolted.
That followed a series of other incidents with the carriages, including the deaths of several horses.
The Central Park Conservancy, which manages the US's most frequented urban park with 42 million annual visits, even threw its weight behind the calls for a ban, saying it had become "a matter of public health and safety."
pel/mdo/sla

cybercrime

Australia sanctions North Koreans over 'fraudulent' IT work, cybercrime

  • "The North Korean entities and individuals sanctioned today facilitate North Korea's use of fraudulent IT workers to raise revenue for the regime's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs," the office of Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong said.
  • Australia said on Friday it had sanctioned two North Korean individuals and companies over the use of "fraudulent" IT workers and cybercrime to earn cash for the isolated nuclear-armed state.
  • "The North Korean entities and individuals sanctioned today facilitate North Korea's use of fraudulent IT workers to raise revenue for the regime's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs," the office of Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong said.
Australia said on Friday it had sanctioned two North Korean individuals and companies over the use of "fraudulent" IT workers and cybercrime to earn cash for the isolated nuclear-armed state.
The two men are alleged to be key operators in Pyongyang's cybercriminal activities overseas, estimated by analysts to bring in billions for the country's weapons programme.
"The North Korean entities and individuals sanctioned today facilitate North Korea's use of fraudulent IT workers to raise revenue for the regime's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs," the office of Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong said.
North Korea faces a slew of international sanctions over its weapons and nuclear programmes.
It stands accused of seeking to skirt those sanctions by employing thousands of IT workers impersonating nationals of other countries to obtain work and income on online platforms and remit the money to government agencies.
North Korea has furiously denied those allegations, deriding them as efforts to "tarnish" its image.
The United States and allies warned in July that North Korean workers were using AI tools to further obscure their true identities.
And last month, New Zealand's cybersecurity agency revealed a North Korean IT worker had used a fake identity to obtain remote work with a company in that country and then threatened to release sensitive information when exposed.
The two men sanctioned by Australia on Friday -- Yu Pu Ung and Sim Hyon Sop -- have already been named by the US government.
In 2024, the US Treasury described the China-based Yu as a "linchpin" of North Korea's illicit money-making activities and warned he was "skilled at employing various schemes to avoid detection".
Sim -- reportedly a top "shadow banker" for the regime -- is wanted by the FBI, with a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest for his role in helping transfer funds in and out of North Korea.
oho/kln/tc