International

Putin has ‘shattered peace’ in Europe: NATO chief

AFP

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “shattered peace in Europe” by invading Ukraine, adding that the Western defence alliance would defend “every inch of our territory”.

He spoke during a visit to the Lask airbase in NATO member Poland, whose neighbour Ukraine has been fighting back against a Russian offensive that is now in its sixth day.

“President Putin has shattered peace in Europe. Allies condemn the unjustified and brutal invasion of Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told reporters alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda.

“The Russian assault is totally unacceptable, and it is enabled by Belarus. NATO allies provide support to Ukraine,” he said.

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In a separate press conference in Poland, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said “sanctions should also apply to Belarus” as it is “a state in the pocket” of Russia.

He spoke in the central city of Lodz alongside his German counterpart as well as Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, who said “Belarus is just as responsible as Russia for the aggression”.

“Were the war to persist, the scope of sanctions would expand. We have an agreement on the matter,” Rau told reporters.

All three heads of diplomacy also said the EU would contribute to rebuilding Ukraine after the war.

Stoltenberg stressed that as a defensive alliance, “we do not seek conflict with Russia”, but said it was prepared to defend itself and had recently beefed up its eastern flank.

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“Our commitment to article 5, our collective defence clause, is iron-clad. We will protect and defend every inch of NATO territory,” he said.

“Russia must immediately stop the war, pull out all its forces from Ukraine, and engage in good faith in diplomatic efforts. The world stands with Ukraine in calling for peace.”

He said NATO allies are backing Ukraine with military and financial support as well as humanitarian aid, but that the alliance would not send soldiers.

“NATO is not going to be part of the conflict. So NATO is not going to send troops into Ukraine or move planes into Ukrainian airspace,” Stoltenberg added.

The NATO chief also thanked Poland for so far taking in over 200,000 Ukrainian refugees.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.