International
Russia says no talks with Mali on military ties
AFP
The Kremlin said Wednesday there were no formal discussions on military cooperation with Mali, after France warned the West African country against hiring hundreds of Russian mercenaries linked to Moscow’s foreign conflicts.
French sources told AFP this week that the Malian government was nearing a deal with the secretive Russian firm Wagner to hire nearly 1,000 mercenaries, an agreement that would underscore Moscow’s growing influence in the region.
“There are no official negotiations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a conference call Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Malian defence ministry on Tuesday did not deny the discussions between the government and the private security group.
In recent years, Russian paramilitaries, security instructors, companies and advisors have grown increasingly influential in Africa, particularly in the war-torn Central African Republic (CAR).
The Wagner group specifically has been linked to Russia’s role in conflicts in Libya and Syria, where it was accused by several international NGOs this year of having carried out abuses.
“We are in contact — including through the military — with many countries, including the African continent,” Peskov added during the call.
But he said “there are no representatives of the Russian armed forces” in Mali.
Wagner was first seen in Mali by AFP at the end of 2019 when a small team was identified in the capital Bamako just after former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had signed a military cooperation deal with Russia.
In the CAR, France and NGOs have denounced the role played by Wagner, which is allegedly controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prigozhin, who has been sanctioned by both the EU and US, has denied links to Wagner and any role in conflicts in Africa.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
Analyst warns of cracks in Nicaragua’s inner circle as Ortega prepares succession
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemalan police regain control of prisons after gang riots leave one guard dead
-
International4 days agoErin weakens to Category 3 after rapid intensification to Category 5
-
International3 days agoNYPD declares suspicious Times Square package safe after investigation
-
International5 days agoEx-Pemex director linked to Odebrecht scandal detained in Texas, faces trial in Mexico
-
International2 days agoPeruvian woman arrested in Bali for smuggling cocaine in sex toy
-
International2 days agoTrump says Russia open to security guarantees for Ukraine amid peace talks
-
International2 days agoCuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
-
International5 days agoResidente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
-
International3 days agoTexas opens major migrant detention center amid civil rights protests
-
International1 day ago
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
-
Central America21 hours agoAnalyst warns of cracks in Nicaragua’s inner circle as Ortega prepares succession
-
International3 days agoThree arrested in Dubai hours after $25 million pink diamond theft
-
Sin categoría3 days ago
Zelensky meets Trump with European leaders amid peace deal tensions
-
International2 days agoFinnish MP Eemeli Peltonen dies at 30 in Parliament building
-
International1 day agoThree U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking