Can India switch from Russian to Venezuelan oil, as Trump wants?
New Delhi, India – When US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with India on Monday this week, he declared that New Delhi would pivot away from Russian energy as part of the agreement. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump said, had promised to stop buying Russian oil, and instead buy crude from the United States and from Venezuela, whose president, Nicolas Maduro, was abducted by US special forces in early January. Since then, the US has effectively taken control of Venezuela’s mammoth oil industry. In return, Trump dialled down trade tariffs on Indian goods from an overall 50 percent to just 18 percent. Half of that 50 percent tariff was levied last year as punishment for India buying Russian oil, which the White House maintains is financing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. But since Monday, India has not publicly confirmed that it has committed to either ceasing its purchase of Russian oil or embracing Venezuelan crude, analysts note. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, told reporters on Tuesday that Russia had received no indication of this from India, either. And switching from Russian to Venezuelan oil will be far from straightforward. A cocktail of other factors – shocks to the energy market, costs, geography, and the characteristics of different kinds of oil – will complicate New Delhi’s decisions about its sourcing of oil, they say. So, can India really dump Russian oil? And can Venezuelan crude replace it? US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on Saturday, January 3, 2026 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the US as Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens [Alex Brandon/AP] What is Trump’s plan? Trump has been pressuring India to stop buying Russian oil for months. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the US and European Union placed an oil price cap on Russian crude in a bid to limit Russia’s ability to finance the war. Advertisement As a result, other countries including India began buying large quantities of cheap Russian oil. India, which before the war sourced only 2.5 percent of its oil from Russia, became the second-largest consumer of Russian oil after China. It currently sources around 30 percent of its oil from Russia. Last year, Trump doubled trade tariffs on Indian goods from 25 percent to 50 percent as punishment for this. Later in the year, Trump also imposed sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies – and threatened secondary sanctions against countries and entities that trade with these firms. Since the abduction of Maduro by US forces in early January, Trump has effectively taken over the Venezuelan oil sector, controlling sales cash flows. Venezuela also has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, estimated at 303 billion barrels, more than five times larger than those of the US, the world’s largest oil producer. But while getting India to buy Venezuelan oil makes sense from the US’s perspective, analysts say this could be operationally messy. A man sits by railway tracks as a freight train transports petrol wagons in Ajmer, India, on August 27, 2025. US tariffs of 50 percent took effect on August 27 on many Indian products, doubling an existing duty as US President Donald Trump sought to punish New Delhi for buying Russian oil [File: Himanshu Sharma/AFP] How much oil does India import from Russia? India currently imports nearly 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude, according to analytics company Kpler. Under Trump’s mounting pressure, that is lower than the average 1.21 million bpd in December 2025 and more than 2 million bpd in mid-2025. One barrel is equivalent to 159 litres (42 gallons) of crude oil. Once refined, a barrel typically produces about 73 litres (19 gallons) of petrol for a car. Oil is also refined to produce a wide variety of products, from jet fuel to household items including plastics and even lotions. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet each other before a meeting in New Delhi, India, on December 6, 2021 [File: Manish Swarup/AP] Has India stopped Russian oil purchases? India has reduced the amount of oil it buys from Russia over the past year, but it has not stopped buying it altogether. Under increasing pressure from Trump, last August, Indian officials called out the “hypocrisy” of the US and EU pressuring New Delhi to back off from Russian crude. “In fact, India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict,” Randhir Jaiswal, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said then. He added that India’s decision to import Russian oil was “meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer”. Advertisement Despite this, Indian refiners, currently the second-largest group of buyers of Russian oil after China, are reportedly winding up their purchases after clearing current scheduled orders. Major refiners like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), and HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) halted purchasing from Russia following the US sanctions against Russian oil producers last year. Other players like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Reliance Industries will soon stop their purchases. A man pushes his cart as he walks past Bharat Petroleum’s storage tankers in Mumbai, India, December 8, 2022 [File: Punit Paranjpe/AFP] What happens if India suddenly stops buying Russian oil? Even if India wanted to stop importing Russian oil altogether, analysts argue it would be extremely costly to do so. In September last year, India’s oil and petroleum minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, told reporters that it would also sharply push up energy prices and fuel inflation. “The world will face serious consequences if the supplies are disrupted. The world can’t afford to keep Russia off the oil market,” Puri said. Analysts tend to agree. “A complete cessation of Indian purchases of Russian oil would be a major disruption. An immediate halt would spike global prices and threaten India’s economic growth,” said George Voloshin, an independent energy analyst based in
US border security chief withdrawing 700 immigration agents from Minnesota
United States border security chief Tom Homan has announced that the administration of President Donald Trump will “draw down” 700 immigration enforcement personnel from Minnesota while promising to continue operations in the northern state. The update on Wednesday was the latest indication of the Trump administration pivoting on its enforcement surge in the state following the killing of two US citizens by immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Homan, who is officially called Trump’s “border czar”, said the decision came amid new cooperation agreements with local authorities, particularly related to detaining individuals at county jails. Details of those agreements were not immediately available. About 3,000 immigration enforcement agents are currently believed to be in Minnesota as part of Trump’s enforcement operations. “Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less law enforcement officers to do this work in a safer environment, I have announced, effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people effective today – 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said. The announcement comes after Homan was sent to Minnesota at the end of January in response to widespread protests over immigration enforcement and the killing of Renee Nicole Good on January 7 by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and Alex Pretti on January 24 by a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, both in Minneapolis. Homan said reforms made since his arrival have included consolidating ICE and CBP under a single chain of command. Advertisement He said Trump “fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country”. Immigration rights observers have said the administration’s mass deportation approach has seen agents use increasingly “dragnet” tactics to meet large detention quotas, including randomly stopping individuals and asking for their papers. The administration has increasingly detained undocumented individuals with no criminal records, even US citizens and people who have legal status to live in the US. Homan said agents would prioritise who they considered to be “public safety threats” but added, “Just because you prioritise public safety threats, don’t mean we forget about everybody else. We will continue to enforce the immigration laws in this country.” The “drawdown”, he added, would not apply to what he described as “personnel providing security for our officers”. “We will not draw down on personnel providing security and responding to hostile incidents until we see a change,” he said. Critics have accused immigration enforcement officers, who do not receive the same level of crowd control training as most local police forces, of using excessive violence in responding to protesters and individuals legally monitoring their actions. Trump administration officials have regularly blamed unrest on “agitators”. They accused both Good and Pretti of threatening officers before their killings although video evidence of the exchanges has contradicted that characterisation. Last week, the administration announced it was opening a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Pretti, who was fatally shot while he was pinned to the ground by immigration agents. That came moments after an agent removed a gun from Pretti’s body, which the 37-year-old had not drawn and was legally carrying. Federal authorities have not opened a civil rights investigation into the killing of Good, who they have maintained sought to run over an ICE agent before she was fatally shot. Video evidence appeared to show Good trying to turn away from the agent. On Friday, thousands of people took to the streets of Minneapolis and other US cities amid calls for a federal strike in protest against the Trump administration’s deportation drive. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and other state and local officials have also challenged the immigration enforcement surge in the state, arguing that the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and the CBP, has been violating constitutional protections. Advertisement A federal judge last week said she will not halt the operations as a lawsuit progresses in court. Department of Justice lawyers have dismissed the suit as “legally frivolous”. On Wednesday, a poll released by the Marquette Law School found wide-ranging disquiet over ICE’s approach, with 60 percent of US adults nationwide saying they disapproved of how the agency was conducting itself. The poll was conducted from January 21 to January 28, with many of the surveys conducted before Pretti’s killing. The poll still found widespread support for ICE among Republicans, with about 80 percent approving of its work. Just 5 percent of Democrats voiced similar approval. Perhaps most worryingly for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms in November, just 23 percent of independents – potential swing voters in the upcoming vote – approved of ICE’s actions. Adblock test (Why?)
Russian shelling kills seven in Ukrainian market, clouding Abu Dhabi talks
Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin accused Moscow of carrying out ‘another targeted war crime’. Published On 4 Feb 20264 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Russian forces have shelled Ukraine’s eastern city of Druzhkivka, killing at least seven people at a crowded market, according to the regional governor. The attack, using cluster munitions, targeted the market during a typically busy time on Wednesday morning, Donetsk governor Vadym Filashkin said. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list In addition to the seven killed, 15 others were injured, he said. The eldest victim was 81. Separately, Russia’s military dropped two aerial bombs on the city, which advancing Russian forces are seeking to capture, damaging several homes and buildings, said Filashkin. The attacks came as Russian and Ukrainian officials took part in a second round of United States-brokered negotiations in Abu Dhabi, further angering Ukrainian officials who claimed Moscow had already violated a one-week pledge to cease attacks on its energy facilities. “This is another targeted war crime and further proof that all Russian statements about a ‘truce’ are worthless,” said Filashkin. Elsewhere, Russian strikes hammered the central Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a 68-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man in a residential area, as well as the southern city of Odesa, damaging some 20 residential buildings, according to local officials. On the ground, Russia’s military also claimed its forces seized control of Ukraine’s eastern settlements of Staroukrainka and Stepanivka, adding to a slow, bloody advance that Moscow feels can boost its position in negotiations. European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of abusing the negotiations in the United Arab Emirates by continuing attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. Advertisement “Putin can end this war right now. He doesn’t show any signs of wanting to do so. He misuses even the discussions on the ceasefire to continuously attack the civilian infrastructure and kill innocent people,” said Hipper. While Russia hopes it can outlast and outgun Kyiv’s stretched army, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pushing his Western backers to boost their own weapons supplies and heap economic and political pressure on the Kremlin to halt its invasion. Adblock test (Why?)
Who was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the man once seen as Libya’s next leader?
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the most prominent son of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed in the country’s western city of Zintan. Saif al-Islam, who was 53 when he was killed, was Gaddafi’s second son and had been based in Zintan since 2011 – first in prison, and then, after 2017, as a free man, plotting a return to politics. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Figures close to him, including his political adviser, Abdullah Othman, and his lawyer, Khaled el-Zaydi, confirmed his death on Tuesday, although the exact circumstances are still unclear. Saif al-Islam had been seen by many before the 2011 uprising as his father’s heir-apparent and the second-most powerful man in Libya. He remained prominent throughout the violence that gripped Libya in the wake of the Arab Spring protests, which led to a civil war. There were numerous allegations against him of torture and extreme violence against opponents of his father’s rule. By February 2011, he was on a United Nations sanctions list and was banned from travelling. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (left), son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, registers to run in presidential elections in 2021 [Libyan Electoral Commission Handout via EPA-EFE] In March 2011, NATO began bombing Libya after the UN authorised “all necessary measures” to protect civilians from Gaddafi’s forces in the civil war. In June 2011, Saif al-Islam announced that his father was willing to hold elections and to step down if he did not win them. However, NATO rejected the offer, and the bombardment of Libya continued. Advertisement By the end of June, the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued an arrest warrant against Saif al-Islam, but he remained at large until after the death of his father and his brother, Mutassim, in Sirte, on October 20, 2011. Prison Following long negotiations with the ICC, which had been calling for his extradition, Libyan officials were granted the authority to try Saif al-Islam in Libya for war crimes committed during the 2011 uprising. At the time, Saif al-Islam’s defence lawyers feared that a trial in Libya would not be motivated by justice, but a desire for revenge. The UN estimated that up to 15,000 people were killed in the conflict, while Libya’s National Transitional Council placed the figure as high as 30,000. In 2014, Saif al-Islam appeared via videolink in the Tripoli court where his trial was held, as he was imprisoned in Zintan at the time. In July 2015, the Tripoli court sentenced him to death in absentia. However, in 2017, he was released by the Abu Bakr as-Siddiq Battalion, a militia that controlled Zintan, as part of an amnesty issued by Libya’s eastern authorities, which are not recognised internationally. But he did not re-emerge publicly for years, and continued to be wanted by the ICC. In July 2021, Saif al-Islam gave a rare interview to The New York Times, in which he accused authorities in Libya of being “afraid of … elections”. Explaining his underground persona, he said he had “been away from the Libyan people for 10 years”. “You need to come back slowly, slowly. Like a striptease,” he added. He went on to make his first public appearance in years in November 2021, in the city of Sebha, where he filed to run for the Libyan presidency in an attempt to resurrect the ambitions of his father’s former supporters. Initially banned from taking part, he was later reinstated, but the election did not take place as a result of Libya’s tumultuous political situation, with two rival administrations vying for power. ‘Progressive’ face A Western-educated and well-spoken man, Saif al-Islam presented a progressive face to the oppressive Libyan government. He received a PhD from the London School of Economics in 2008. His dissertation dealt with the role of civil society in reforming global governance. He was prominent in his calls for political reform, and was extremely visible and active in the drive to repair Libya’s relations with the West between the year 2000 and the start of the 2011 uprising. The London School of Economics was later condemned for having sought a relationship with the Libyan regime, namely for accepting Saif al-Islam as a student, who had signed an agreement for a $2.4m gift from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation on the day of his doctorate ceremony. Advertisement As an internationally prominent negotiator and influencer, Saif al-Islam could claim a number of victories and prominent roles. He played a pivotal role in the nuclear negotiations with Western powers, including the United States and the UK. He was also prominent when negotiating compensation for families of victims of the Lockerbie bombing, the Berlin nightclub attack, and the UTA Flight 772, which detonated over the Sahara Desert. And he mediated the release of six medics – five of whom were Bulgarian – who were accused of infecting children with HIV in Libya in the late 1990s. The medics were imprisoned for eight years in 1999 and, upon their release, announced that they had been tortured while in detention. He had several other proposals, including “Isratine”, a proposal for a permanent resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through a secular one-state solution. He also hosted peace talks between the Philippine government and leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which resulted in a peace agreement that was signed in 2001. Adblock test (Why?)
US House passes $1.2 trillion spending package to end government shutdown
The legislation heads to US President Donald Trump’s desk for signature. By AP and Reuters Published On 3 Feb 20263 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The United States House of Representatives has approved a $1.2 trillion spending package to end a partial government shutdown. The bipartisan legislation, passed on Tuesday, restores lapsed funding for key federal programmes, including those within the Departments of Labor and Education. The bill passed with 217 voting for it and 214 voting against in the Republican-controlled House. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Twenty-one Republicans voted against the bill, while 21 Democrats ended up voting for the legislation, which is now headed to President Donald Trump’s desk, where he will sign it into law. Immigration was a major point of contention. The bill temporarily extends funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but leaves room for lawmakers to negotiate changes and reforms to immigration enforcement in the wake of federal agents killing two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, last month. The spending package only funds DHS for two weeks, through February 13. Otherwise, Congress wrapped up 11 annual appropriations bills that fund government agencies and programmes through September 30. Democrats are also demanding new restraints for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. “Democrats are united in our commitment to compel substantial reform at the Department of Homeland Security. Dramatic changes such as a mask ban, judicial warrant requirement, independent investigations when agents break the law, use of force protocols, mandatory body cameras and an end to the targeting of sensitive locations like houses of worship, schools and hospitals must be part of any full-year appropriations bill,” Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement after the vote. Advertisement Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects the two sides will be able to reach an agreement by the deadline. “This is no time to play games with that funding. We hope that they will operate in good faith over the next 10 days as we negotiate this,” said Johnson. “The president, again, has reached out.” Some Republicans on the party’s right flank had sought, unsuccessfully, to modify the bill to include a provision that would tighten voting requirements. House Republicans have only a 218-214 majority, which means they can lose only one Republican vote in the face of united Democratic opposition. The last government shutdown lasted a record 43 days in October and November, furloughing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and costing the US economy an estimated $11bn. Adblock test (Why?)
Collision between Greek coastguard vessel, migrant boat kills at least 14
Greece’s coastguard says 26 other people have been rescued from Aegean Sea as search-and-rescue operations continue. Published On 3 Feb 20263 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A boat carrying migrants and asylum seekers has collided with a Greek coastguard vessel in the Aegean Sea near the island of Chios, killing at least 14 people, the coastguard says. The incident occurred around 9pm local time on Tuesday (19:00 GMT) off the coast of Chios’s Mersinidi area, Greece’s Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) reported. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The coastguard said 26 people were rescued and brought to a hospital in Chios, including 24 migrants and two coastguard officers. It said it was not immediately clear how many others had been on the speedboat. Seven children and a pregnant woman were among the injured, Greek media reported. A search-and-rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter and divers was under way in the area, AMNA said. Footage shared by Greece’s Ta Nea newspaper appeared to show at least one person being brought from a boat docked next to a jetty into a vehicle with blue flashing lights. An unnamed coastguard official told the Reuters news agency that the collision occurred after the migrant boat “manoeuvred toward” a coastguard vessel that had instructed it to turn back. Greece has long been a key transit point for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia trying to reach Europe. In 2015 and 2016, Greece was on the front line of a migration crisis, with nearly one million people landing on its islands, including in Chios, from nearby Turkiye. But arrivals have dropped in recent years as Greece has toughened its asylum seeker and migrant policies, including by tightening border controls and sea patrols. Advertisement The country has come under scrutiny for its treatment of migrants and asylum seekers approaching by sea, including after a shipwreck in 2023 in which hundreds of migrants and refugees died after what witnesses said was the coastguard’s attempt to tow their trawler. The European Union’s border agency said last year that it was reviewing 12 cases of potential human rights violations by Greece, including some allegations that people seeking asylum were pushed back from Greece’s frontiers. Greece has denied carrying out human rights violations or pushing asylum seekers from its shores. Adblock test (Why?)
Cuba in contact with US, diplomat says, as Trump issues threat to block oil
Cuban diplomat says Havana is ready for dialogue with Washington, but certain things are off the table, including the constitution and its socialist government. Published On 3 Feb 20263 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Cuba and the United States are in communication, but the exchanges have not yet evolved into a formal “dialogue”, a Cuban diplomat has said, as US President Donald Trump stepped up pressure on Havana. Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, told the Reuters news agency on Monday that the US government was aware that Cuba was “ready to have a serious, meaningful and responsible dialogue”. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list De Cossio’s statement represents the first hint from Havana that it is in contact with Washington, even if in a limited fashion, as tensions flared in recent weeks amid Trump’s threats against the Cuban government in the aftermath of the US military’s abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Cuba’s longstanding ally. “We have had exchange of messages, we have embassies, we have had communications, but we cannot say we have had a table of dialogue,” de Cossio said. In a separate interview with The Associated Press news agency, De Cossio said, “If we can have a dialogue, maybe that can lead to negotiation.” The deputy minister also stressed that certain issues are off the table for Cuba, including the country’s constitution, economy, and its socialist system of government. On Sunday, Trump indicated that the US had begun talks with “the highest people in Cuba”. “I think we’re going to make a deal with Cuba,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Days earlier, Trump had referred to Cuba in an executive order as “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, and warned other countries he would impose more tariffs on them if they supplied oil to Cuba. Advertisement On Monday, Trump reverted to issuing threats to Havana, announcing at the White House that Mexico “is going to cease” sending oil to Cuba, a move that could starve the country of its energy needs. Mexico, which has yet to comment on Trump’s latest statement, is the largest supplier of oil to Cuba. Mexico had repeatedly said that it would not stop shipping oil to Cuba for humanitarian reasons, but also expressed concern that it could face reprisals from Trump over its policy. In recent weeks, the US has moved to block all oil from reaching Cuba, including from Cuba’s ally Venezuela, pushing up prices for food and transportation and prompting severe fuel shortages and hours of blackouts, even in the capital, Havana. Responding to Trump’s threat regarding oil supplies, Cuba’s De Cossio said that the move would eventually backfire. “The US… is attempting to force every country in the world not to provide fuel to Cuba. Can that be sustained in the long run?” de Cossio said to Reuters. The US has imposed decades of crushing sanctions on Cuba, but a crippling economic crisis on the island and stepped-up pressure from the Trump administration have recently brought the conflict to a head. The US has moved to block all oil from reaching Cuba, including that from ally Venezuela, pushing up prices for food and transportation and prompting severe fuel shortages and hours of blackouts [Adalberto Roque/AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
UK police to review misconduct claims after Mandelson’s leaks to Epstein
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says ex-envoy Peter Mandelson should no longer hold a seat in the upper house of parliament. Published On 3 Feb 20263 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Police in the United Kingdom have announced they are reviewing allegations of misconduct in public office following revelations that London’s former ambassador to Washington leaked confidential government information to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The announcement by the Metropolitan Police on Monday came after investigative files released by United States authorities revealed that Peter Mandelson shared government plans with Epstein while serving as a UK minister. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Mandelson, who served as business secretary under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, told Epstein about asset sales and tax changes under consideration by London in 2009, as well as plans for the 500 billion euro ($590bn) bailout of the single currency in 2010, according to emails released by the US Department of Justice on Friday. “Following this release and subsequent media reporting, the Met has received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in public office. The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation,” Metropolitan Police Commander Ella Marriott said in a statement. “As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate,” Marriott added. The Metropolitan Police did not name Mandelson, but its statement came after the leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party said he had written to the police commissioner urging him to investigate the former ambassador for alleged misconduct in public office. Advertisement Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an inquiry into Mandelson’s ties to Epstein. Starmer, who sacked Mandelson as London’s top diplomat in Washington last year after the emergence of correspondence detailing his ties to Epstein, also said the former minister should lose his lifelong appointment to the UK’s upper house of parliament. On Sunday, Mandelson resigned from the governing Labour Party, whose return to electoral dominance he helped to engineer in the 1990s, citing his wish to avoid causing further embarrassment to his colleagues. In further fallout in the UK on Monday, the charity launched by Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, announced that it would close “for the foreseeable future” amid revelations about her friendly relationship with Epstein. “Our chair Sarah Ferguson and the board of trustees have agreed that with regret the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future,” a spokesman said in a statement, without elaborating on the reasons for the closure. Separately on Monday, the US Justice Department said it had removed thousands of Epstein-related files from the internet after lawyers representing some of his alleged victims said their identities had been exposed due to insufficient redactions in the latest release of documents. Adblock test (Why?)
Moscow confirms Russian forces helped repel ISIL attack on Niger airport
Moscow ‘strongly condemns’ attack on airport in the capital, Niamey, where 20 rebels were killed, and four soldiers were wounded. Russian soldiers helped repel an attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group on Niger’s main airport in the capital, Niamey, last week, according to Moscow’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The attack was repelled through the joint efforts of the Russian Ministry of Defence’s African Corps and the Nigerien armed forces,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Niger’s governing military earlier said that “Russian partners” had helped to fend off the rare assault on the capital, which saw 20 attackers, including a French national, killed and four army soldiers wounded. At least 11 fighters were also captured, Niger’s state television reported. “Moscow strongly condemns this latest extremist attack,” the Foreign Ministry added in the statement, according to Russia’s state TASS news agency. “A similar attack took place in September 2024 on the international airport in the capital of Mali. According to available information, external forces providing instructor and technical support are involved,” the ministry said, according to TASS. Niger’s military chief, Abdourahamane Tchiani, visited the Russian military base in Niamey to express “personal gratitude for a high-level of professionalism” by Russian forces in defending the airport, the ministry added. ISIL claimed responsibility for the “surprise and coordinated attack” on the airbase at the Diori Hamani international airport near Niamey on the night of January 28. A video published online through the ISIL-affiliated media Amaq showed several dozen attackers with assault rifles firing near an aircraft hangar and setting ablaze one plane before leaving on motorbikes. Advertisement Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel programme at Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told The Associated Press news agency that the sophistication and boldness of the attack, including the possible use of drones by the attackers, suggest that the assailants may have had inside help. Previous successful attacks in the region appear to have increased the group’s confidence, leading them to target more sensitive and strategically important sites, Laessing said. Niger’s military had initially accused Benin, France and the Ivory Coast of sponsoring the attack on the airport, which also houses a military base. The military, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate its claim. Ivory Coast’s Foreign Ministry denied the allegation and summoned Niger’s ambassador to relay its protest. Benin also denied the claim, describing it as “not very credible”. France has yet to comment. Niger is a former colony of France, which maintained a military presence in the country until 2023. Russia rarely comments on its military activity in the Sahel region, where Moscow has been increasing its influence in recent years. Facing isolation since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has tried to build new military and political partnerships across Africa. Apart from Niger, Russian troops or military instructors have been reported to be deployed in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and Libya. Russia’s African Corps has taken over from the Wagner mercenary force across the continent. According to Moscow, the corps helps ” fighting terrorists” and is “strengthening regional stability” in the Sahel. Niger’s authorities have been fighting the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the ISIL affiliate in the Sahel (EIS) for the past decade. Adblock test (Why?)
Laura Fernandez declares victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election
Right-wing candidate’s closest challenger concedes defeat as partial results showed her on verge of winning the presidency. By News Agencies Published On 2 Feb 20262 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Right-wing candidate Laura Fernandez has declared victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election after preliminary results gave her a commanding lead and her closest challenger conceded defeat. The move early on Monday came after Supreme Electoral Tribunal said that votes tallied from 81 percent of polling stations showed the candidate of the Sovereign People’s Party winning 48.9 percent of the vote. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list In her victory speech, Fernandez promised “deep and irreversible change” and announced that Costa Rica was entering a new political era. The Central American nation’s second republic, which began after the 1948 civil war, “is a thing of the past,” she said. “It’s up to us to build the third republic,” Fernandez told flag-waving supporters. The 39-year-old politician also pledged to lead a nation that is “respectful and firm on the rule of law”. “Any law that is ineffective, that has become obsolete, that has become a hindrance to development, will be modified or repealed,” she added. Fernandez’s closest challenger was economist Alvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party, who obtained 33 percent. At third was Claudia Dobles, a progressive architect and former first lady, who was just shy of 5 percent of the vote. Ramos conceded on Sunday night and pledged to lead a “constructive opposition,” but one that would not let those in power get away with anything. “In democracy dissent is allowed, criticizing is allowed,” he said. Fernandez needed at least 40 percent to win the election outright and avoid a run-off on April 5. The politician is the handpicked successor of incumbent President Rodrigo Chaves, and campaigned on continuing his tough security policies. Advertisement She has pledged to complete a maximum-security mega-prison that Chaves started to build in August, saying that it would “isolate leaders of organised crime”, cutting them off from the outside world. She has also advocated for mandatory prison labour and stricter criminal sentencing. Al Jazeera’s Julia Galiano, reporting from capital San Jose, said that the main issue during the campaign was security, with homicides reaching an all-time high in 2023. “Without a doubt, the increasing insecurity was the main issue for everyone that we spoke to here. Costa Rica has long been considered as the Switzerland of Central America. It’s a nation known for its long history of a stable democracy,” she said. Fernandez’s tough line on security has prompted worry among the opposition, Galiano said. “They fear the changes that her government will do will ultimately erode the democratic nature of this country. But in her victory speech, she did say that above all, she would remain democratic and that her government would never turn authoritarian,” our correspondent added. Costa Ricans also voted for the 57-seat National Assembly on Sunday. Fernandez’s party is projected to win a majority of 30 seats in the 57-seat Congress, up from its current eight seats, but short of a “supermajority” that would give it greater powers. Some 3.7 million Costa Ricans were eligible to vote in Sunday’s elections. Adblock test (Why?)