International
Ukraine aide hits out at Merkel defence of Russia policy
AFP
Ukraine on Wednesday criticised comments by former German chancellor Angela Merkel who has insisted she was not naive in her dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The veteran leader frequently met with Putin during her 16 years in power and championed a commerce-driven, pragmatic approach towards Moscow.
In her first major interview since stepping down six months ago, Merkel said Tuesday she had “nothing to apologise for” and that Moscow’s February 24 invasion was “a turning point”.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak responded Thursday by criticising Merkel for deepening Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.
“If Сhancellor Merkel always knew that Russia was planning a war and Putin’s goal is to destroy the EU, then why would (Germany) build the Nord Stream 2 (pipeline),” he wrote on Twitter, referring to the now-scuppered gas pipeline connecting Russia with Germany.
Podolyak said Merkel had “shoved” Europe towards increased dependency on Russian energy supplies and asked: “Why does Germany have to fix this mistake now?”
Germany became hugely reliant on Russian energy imports on Merkel’s watch, and she long irked Western allies with her backing for the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to double Russian gas deliveries to Germany.
The project was shelved by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in late February over Russia’s aggression, and Europe’s top economy is now joining EU partners in a race to wean itself off Russian oil, gas and coal.
In another major policy reversal, Scholz has pledged to invest 100 billion euros ($107 billion) in modernising Germany’s military, seen as chronically underfunded during the Merkel era.
The retired ex-chancellor said there was “no justification whatsoever” for the “brutal” and illegal war of aggression, adding that Putin had made “a big mistake”.
“He wants to destroy Europe,” she warned, during the interview on stage in a Berlin theatre.
“It’s very important for the European Union to stick together now,” she said, urging support for her successor’s decisions. Strength was “the only language Putin understands”, she added.
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.
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