International
Police detain dozens amid farewell to vavalny across Russia
Tension flared up once again in Port-au-Prince with shootouts erupting between the police and armed gangs, following a day of apparent calm in the Haitian capital after a violent previous day that saw at least five dead and scores injured.
According to the latest report from the Haitian Police Union, at least 56 individuals were detained in fourteen cities across the country during the farewell day for the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was buried two weeks after his death in an Arctic prison.
According to OVD-Info, an organization advocating for the rights of detainees, the cities with the highest number of detentions were Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Moscow, with 14, 10, and 6 arrests respectively.
Police also conducted arrests in Voronezh, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladikavkaz, St. Petersburg, Ulan-Ude, and Sochi, among others.
Among those detained was the vice president of the Moscow branch of the opposition party Yabloko, Andrey Morev, who was arrested by police in the Moscow metro after the burial, according to OVD-Info.
Morev, who was taken into custody along with a colleague at the Marino station near the cemetery, has not yet been charged, according to a statement he made to the Mozhem Obiasnit (We Can Explain) Telegram channel.
Two other individuals were arrested near the cemetery, according to journalist Alexander Plyuschev and the Avtozak Live Telegram channel, which reports on detentions.
One of them was reportedly detained after shouting, “Who killed Navalny?”
Multitudes gathered to bid farewell to Navalny, with lines extending for kilometers as people arrived with flowers in hand, chanting “Russia will be free,” “Russia without Putin,” “Navalny,” and “Liosha (a diminutive of Alexei), we are with you,” at the burial in the Borisovo cemetery in the Russian capital.
Yulia: Thank You for 26 Years of Absolute Happiness
Yulia, who bid farewell to her husband on Friday with a message on social media due to her inability to attend the funeral, thanked him for their “26 years of absolute happiness” together.
“I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try to make you happy and proud of me up there,” wrote Navalnaya from exile.
Yulia expressed confidence that she would see her husband again “one day.”
Politicians and Diplomats Attend the Funeral
Among the personalities who attended the funeral were Yevgeny Roizman, former mayor of Yekaterinburg, as well as some foreign diplomats, including the ambassadors of the United States, Germany, and France.
Boris Nadezhdin, a candidate for the Russian presidency recently banned by the Electoral Commission of the country, also attended the farewell ceremony.
“The people are afraid, but they want to overcome it,” said opposition politician Nadezhdin to EFE. He added that Navalny’s death is “a tragic event for millions of Russians who supported him.”
Stringent Security Measures
Navalny’s farewell took place under strict security measures and an unprecedented police deployment in the Marino neighborhood.
Both near the temple, where the funeral home was set up, and at the cemetery, metal barriers and a strong police presence were in place.
In addition, multiple surveillance cameras and other devices that can be used as internet and mobile phone signal jammers were installed on the cemetery lampposts.
Navalny supporters waited patiently with flowers in hand for the arrival of the coffin, and when the politician’s body was brought into the church, they began to chant his name.
After the wake at the church, which lasted just over half an hour without most of the attendees being able to enter the temple, Navalny’s body was taken to the Borisovo cemetery for burial.
Borisovo: A Discreet and Ancient Cemetery
The Borisovo cemetery, where Navalny will be buried, covers an area of 4 hectares and is one of the oldest cemeteries in Moscow, with a history dating back to 1550.
The cemetery is not home to many celebrities. Among the most famous graves are those of Soviet artist Yuri Sherstnev and scientist Gennady Arakelov.
The Troyekurovskoye cemetery in western Moscow was another location considered in the media to accommodate Navalny’s body. It is the final resting place of numerous Russian personalities, including military figures, artists, cosmonauts, and politicians, including Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated in 2015.
Kremlin Warnings
The Kremlin warned today that those who participate in unauthorized demonstrations in honor of the deceased opposition leader will be punished.
“We want to remind you that there is a law that must be followed: any unauthorized gathering will constitute a violation of the law,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at his daily press briefing.
Peskov’s statement came in response to a question about the intention of Navalny’s followers to organize events in his memory across the country and abroad.
The Kremlin spokesperson also declined to comment on Navalny’s figure as a politician or to send a message to the opposition leader’s family, something that journalists asked about during the press conference.
Navalny’s team published a list of cities worldwide where ceremonies for the Russian politician were scheduled to take place.
“We call on you to place flowers at memorials (for Navalny) worldwide,” said a message from Navalny’s team, accompanied by a list of cities participating in the farewell ceremonies, including Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, among others.
Navalny’s associates and supporters, awarded the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Conscience by the European Parliament, directly accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering what they consider the “assassination” of the opposition leader.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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