International
Rival powers in Syria take steps to end the war and start a dialogue
The two main allies of the Syrian Government, Iran and Russia, and the greatest support of the armed opposition to President Bashar al Asad, Turkey, brought positions closer this Saturday to call for a cessation of hostilities in the midst of the offensive of the Islamist rebels and begin a dialogue that ends the war in Syria.
The Doha Forum was the scene of the first contact between the foreign ministers of these three powers that guarantee the ceasefire in Syria and that are part of the so-called Astana Format, a mechanism established in 2017 to find a solution to the war in the Arab country.
“We firmly confirm our call to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria. We call for the immediate cessation of war actions and the beginning of the dialogue between the Government and the legal opposition forces,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his speech at the forum.
Consensus between the parties
On November 27, an insurgent coalition led by the Liberation Agency of the Levant (heir to the former Syrian subsidiary of Al Qaeda) launched an offensive against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, and in just over a week, they have controlled the cities of Aleppo and Hama, both provincial capitals.
They are now at the gates of the city of Homs, in central Syria, and in case they control it they would further isolate Damascus, since it would cut the land connection with the Mediterranean coast.
This new crisis has set off all the alarms in the Middle East, something that is becoming evident this weekend in Doha, where most of the discussions and interviews revolve around the delicate situation that Syria is going through and the uncertain future of Al Asad.
In Doha, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, also insisted that “there was a consensus among all participants that the conflict must end immediately, the territorial integrity of Syria must be respected and, most importantly, the political dialogue between the Syrian Government and the legitimate opposition groups must continue.”
In the midst of the meetings between the heads of the diplomacy of Iran, Turkey and Russia, the Turkish president, the Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also called on all sides involved in the conflict in Syria, as well as “international organizations”, to protect the territorial unity of the Arab country.
“The best thing for our region will be that all actors who have responsibilities, all international organizations, support the protection of the territorial integrity of Syria,” Erdogan said during a speech to his party in the Turkish city of Gaziantep.
A “fundamentally different” process
Among the participants of these high-level meetings in Doha was also the UN special envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, who said in a brief appearance before the media that Turkey, Russia and Iran want to end the crisis and start a political process.
“I have called for urgent political talks in Geneva to implement Security Council resolution 2254. I am pleased to say that the ministers and everyone I am talking to support this appeal, and my hope is that a date for it can be announced very soon,” Pedersen said.
He thus referred to the resolution that in 2015 was unanimously approved by the UN Security Council, which lays the foundations for the achievement of a ceasefire and a negotiated solution to the conflict in force in Syria since 2011.
“My hope is that we can announce a date for this very soon,” said the diplomat, who said that he also held consultations with representatives of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union, and that these meetings will continue on Sunday, at a time when the situation in Syria “changes every minute.”
“The need for an orderly political transition has never been more urgent, starting with the urgent formation of credible and inclusive transitional arrangements in Syria,” said Pedersen, who added that this requires “a serious and urgent process, fundamentally different from what has happened so far.”
This new process, according to the special envoy, should be the beginning of a roadmap that “leads to the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and the restoration of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.”
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
International
EU Faces Migration Crisis After 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
The arrival of around 60,000 migrants from Morocco to Spain’s Ceuta enclave triggered a major European Union crisis on Friday, after Madrid described the situation as an “attack” on its territorial integrity.
At least 34 people died while attempting to reach the Spanish territory, according to local authorities.
Hundreds of migrants had begun arriving in Ceuta earlier in the week, either by swimming across the border or climbing security fences. Most of those who entered were young men and teenagers.
However, the situation escalated dramatically early Thursday morning, when the number of arrivals surged within a few hours, reaching nearly 60,000 people. According to the Spanish government, the vast majority of them — around 48,000 migrants — had returned to Morocco by Friday evening.
The episode represents one of the most serious migration crises faced by the autonomous city of Ceuta, which has a population of around 84,000 residents, in recent years.
Several European countries responded strongly to the crisis, with Italy announcing the temporary suspension of the Schengen free movement agreement with Spain, a measure supported by Finland and Denmark.
“The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary decision to protect the security of our citizens and defend Europe’s borders,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X.
Italy’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the country had tightened controls on maritime and air entry points from Spain, but clarified that the measure would not affect Spanish or European citizens traveling to Italy.
The additional checks will specifically target non-European citizens arriving from Spain, according to the ministry.
The measure will remain in effect for one month starting Saturday, authorities said.
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares responded to the Italian announcement through a statement on X, as European governments continued discussions over the consequences of the migration crisis.
International
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday announced legislation to establish a federal anti-corruption office aimed at strengthening oversight of the executive branch and preventing future presidents from using the White House for personal financial gain.
Schumer said the proposal was prompted by what he described as President Donald Trump’s misuse of the presidencyto benefit his family’s business interests.
“In just 18 months, the Trump family has made more than $4 billion by exploiting the influence of the presidency,” Schumer alleged.
The New York senator also argued that the alleged corruption has had direct economic consequences for American households.
“The same corrupt practices Trump is using to pocket billions of dollars are also forcing Americans to pay, on average, $3,100 more each year because of the rising cost of living,” he said.
The legislation was introduced alongside Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, Jeff Merkley, and Andy Kim.
According to Schumer, the bill has two primary objectives: “First, to return money to the American people. Second, to ensure that no one can ever steal from them again.”
He added that the proposal would create legal mechanisms allowing citizens to seek the recovery of funds allegedly obtained through government corruption.
“The fact that Trump stole money from the American people does not make it his. Americans deserve to get that money back,” Schumer said.
Under the proposed legislation, any U.S. citizen—as well as state attorneys general acting on behalf of their residents—would be authorized to file civil lawsuits to recover funds allegedly acquired through corrupt practices by public officials.
“Our bill would empower any individual, including a state attorney general acting on behalf of the people of that state, to bring legal action to recover money stolen from the public through government corruption,” Schumer said.
The measure is expected to face debate in Congress, where Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided over executive accountability and the scope of presidential powers.
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
EU Faces Migration Crisis After 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
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