International
The United States, Russia and Ukraine send delegations to Saudi Arabia in the face of a possible negotiation to end the war
The United States, Russia and Ukraine sent delegations to Saudi Arabia at a time of growing speculation about the possible negotiations between Washington and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
The US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirmed on Sunday that an American delegation will travel to the kingdom in the next few hours to meet with Russian officials within the framework of contacts aimed at finding a way out of the conflict.
At the same time, a Ukrainian delegation will also be present in the country, although it is not clear whether it will participate in the talks.
In an interview this Sunday with the Fox network, Witkoff revealed that the US delegation will be composed of himself and the White House National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and explained that they plan to travel tonight.
“We’ll leave tonight. I will travel with the National Security advisor and we will hold meetings on behalf of the president. We hope to achieve significant progress in relation to Russia and Ukraine,” he said.
Witkoff also said that he “belied” that Ukraine would be part of the negotiations with the Russian delegation. “I don’t think it’s about excluding anyone,” he said.
According to local media, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who was in Israel today and tomorrow will arrive in Saudi Arabia as part of his first tour in the Middle East as head of US diplomacy, will also be part of the US delegation.
When the leaders of Russia and the United States spoke on the phone on February 12, Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Putin to start “negotiations immediately” with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine and appointed Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff and the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, as the negotiating team.
Subsequently, Trump announced his intention to hold a summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia, although there is still no date for the meeting.
The Kremlin has not officially announced who will be part of the Russian delegation in the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the beginning of the war in February 2022.
However, according to CNN, which cites sources familiar with the matter, the delegation could include senior political, intelligence and economic officials, including Kirill Dmitriev, who played a key role in the recent prisoner exchange between the two countries.
While the US delegation is heading to Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian delegation has already arrived in the kingdom, according to Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, announced on Facebook.
Svyrydenko explained that the objective of the trip is to strengthen economic ties with Saudi Arabia and prepare a possible trip for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although he did not specify whether the delegation will participate in the negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
In an interview broadcast this Sunday by NBC, Zelenski insisted that “no world leader” can reach an agreement on Ukraine without his participation. Asked if Putin is capable of negotiating in good faith, he replied: “He is a liar. He doesn’t want peace.”
According to an advisor close to Zelenski quoted by NBC, until Saturday night Ukraine had not been invited to the talks between the US and Russia and reiterated that Kiev considers it essential that there is a “joint position” between its country, Washington and Europe before any negotiation with Putin.
The eventual meeting between the US and Russia to end the war has generated concern both in the Ukrainian Government, which has warned that it will not accept any agreement without its consent, and in Europe, where this Monday the leaders of the EU, the United Kingdom, the European Commission and NATO will hold a meeting to define their strategy.
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
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
-
International3 days agoColombia sees deadliest surge in violence since FARC peace deal
-
International4 days agoNine dead after driver runs over crowd at Vancouver Street Festival
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala sees road blockades amid protests against lawmaker pay hikes
-
International3 days agoConclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
-
International4 days agoKing Charles III expresses deep sadness after Vancouver festival tragedy that left nine dead
-
International3 days agoSpain’s PM calls for calm and patience amid ongoing blackout
-
International3 days agoMexican activist who exposed pornography ring found dead in Veracruz
-
International3 days agoMadrid carries out 286 elevator rescues amid massive blackout
-
International1 day agoVatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
-
International1 day agoKristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
-
Internacionales3 hours agoClashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
-
International3 hours agoMan arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka