Friday, February 28, 2025

Senegal Has Signed a Deal with Separatist Rebels. But Will it End One of Africa’s Longest Conflicts?

Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko addresses journalists following his release from police custody in Dakar, Senegal, on March 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui, File)

By BABACAR DIONE and BABA AHMED

8:56 PM EST, February 27, 2025

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A new peace deal between Senegal and a separatist rebel group in the country’s southern region has been touted by the government as a key step in ending one of Africa’s longest conflicts. Analysts, however, say it did not involve all the rebels and fails to address the root causes of the conflict.

The deal, signed by the government and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance was announced by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko during a visit to neighboring Guinea-Bissau on Monday.

Past peace deals have failed to end the fighting in the Casamance region, which is separated from the rest of Senegal by the nation of Gambia and has historically suffered from lower development rates and access to markets in the more prosperous north.

The rebels have been fighting for Casamance’s independence since the early 1980s, arguing that the region has suffered neglect by the government.

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko touted the latest peace agreement as an important step in ensuring lasting peace in Casamance, home to some 1.6 million people.

The deal offered a presidential pardon for imprisoned rebels as well as amnesty and a social reintegration path for other rebels, according to Vincent Foucher, a political scientist at the France-based National Center for Scientific Research, with knowledge of the agreement.

However, it involves only a faction of the rebel group that is less potent than two others and excludes the hardline faction led by Salif Sadio, the most powerful of the rebel leaders, said Foucher.

“I don’t see a solution yet. It’s a continuation of endless discussions with a divided movement,” he said. “The Senegalese state is not prepared to make the political or administrative concessions demanded by the other factions that have not signed the peace agreement.”

Senegal’s government did not immediately respond to AP’s inquiry for comments about the claims.

The rebels’ calls for the region’s independence will be difficult to neglect despite the new deal, said Mohamed Traoré, a doctoral researcher at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar.

“Casamance nationals, especially the young, are proud to belong to the Senegalese state today, but the MFDC’s hard wing continues to call for independence,” said Traoré.

The rebels have not publicly spoken about the deal.

However, Amidou Djiba, a spokesman for one of the factions not involved in the peace deal, earlier this year accused Senegal’s government of “choosing the people it talks to,” a trend he said would not help the return of peace in the region.

___

Ahmed reported from Bamako, Mali.

At Least 11 Dead and Scores Injured in DR Congo After Blasts at M23 Rebel Leaders’ Rally, Rebels Say

By JANVIER BARHAHIGA and MONIKA PRONCZUK

1:08 PM EST, February 27, 2025

BUKAVU, Congo (AP) — At least 11 people were killed and scores injured Thursday when explosions in the eastern Congo city of Bukavu struck a rally held by leaders of the M23 rebel group, which took control of the city earlier this month.

Rebel leaders blamed the bombing on Congo’s government and said attackers were among those killed in the blasts, with conflicting reports among rebels and local officials about the number of attackers and victims. Congo’s president blamed the attack on unspecified “foreign” forces.

“The attack caused 11 deaths and verifications are underway. The author of the attack is among the victims,” Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes the M23, told reporters. “There are 65 injured, six of whom are seriously injured and are currently being treated in the operating room.”

He said that “following today’s unfortunate incident, we are obliged to react.”

Leaders of the M23 rebel group, including Nangaa, were meeting residents when the explosions occurred in the central part of Bukavu. Video and photos shared on social media showed a crowd fleeing the mass rally in Bukavu and bloodied bodies on the ground.

M23 accused the Congolese authorities of orchestrating the attack.

“We are accusing and condemning vigorously the criminal regime of Kinshasa, which … just implemented its plan of exterminating civilian populations,” AFC said in a statement. “This attack caused several deaths, including a few terrorists from Kinshasa and some injured. Two of them were immediately apprehended by our services.”

“This cowardly and barbaric act will not be without consequences,” it added.

‘Change and development’

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi called the attack “a heinous terrorist act that was perpetrated by a foreign army illegally present on Congolese soil.”

The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, and at times have vowed to march as far as Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away.

Jean Samy, deputy president of the civil society Forces Vives of South Kivu, told The Associated Press that the attack was “a sabotage.”

“Until now, we do not know where these grenades came from,” he said by phone. “We have already recorded more than 13 deaths and serious injuries who will have to have their hands and legs amputated. The perpetrators of this act are still unknown.”

Nangaa was among leaders leaving the podium when two blasts rocked the scene, according to a journalist present at the rally. Nangaa had earlier told the rally that M23 was bringing “change and development” to their city.

Three-week offensive

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have swept through the region seizing key cities and killing some 3,000 people in the most significant escalation of conflict in over a decade.

In a lightning three-week offensive, the M23 took control of eastern Congo’s main city Goma and seized the second largest city, Bukavu. The region is rich in gold and coltan, a key mineral for the production of capacitors used in most consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones.

Rwanda has accused Congo of enlisting ethnic Hutu fighters responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda of minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

M23 says it’s fighting to protect Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination and wants to transform Congo from a failed state to a modern one. Analysts have called those pretexts for Rwanda’s involvement.

‘We stand at a crossroads’

On Thursday, Congo’s authorities and the U.N. said $2.54 billion was needed to fund humanitarian assistance in the country this year.

“This funding is crucial to deliver lifesaving assistance to 11 million people – including 7.8 million internally displaced persons, one of the highest displacement figures globally – out of 21.2 million Congolese affected by multiple crises: armed conflict, natural disasters, and epidemics,” the U.N. said in a statement.

“All warning signals are flashing red,” Bruno Lemarquis, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Congo said. “We stand at a crossroads. Without increased international mobilization, humanitarian needs will skyrocket, regional stability will be further jeopardized, and our capacity to respond will be severely compromised.”

Cyclone Garance Hits French Indian Ocean Island of Reunion; Police Report 3 Deaths

People stroll along the seafront in Saint Denis de la Reunion, in the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

10:39 AM EST, February 28, 2025

PARIS (AP) — French police said at least three people were killed when a tropical storm packing fierce winds and torrential rains thumped the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on Friday.

Residents were ordered to stay at home as Tropical Cyclone Garance brought heavy rain and winds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph), causing floods, power cuts and damage to buildings.

France’s national police force confirmed three fatalities but said it had no details about the circumstances.

Authorities said 847 people sought refuge in emergency shelters and 54 were evacuated due to the risk of flooding or landslides.

About 182,000 people were without power and 171,000 lost access to drinking water, the authorities said.

Officials said strong winds ripped off roofs, doors, and windows of many buildings. Tarpaulins were being sent to the hardest-hit areas to provide shelter in the eastern part of the island.

Authorities lifted the purple cyclone warning, the highest level, on Friday morning, allowing rescue services to begin operations. However, the island remained under a red warning, with residents requested to stay indoors as heavy rain and strong winds were expected to persist throughout the day.

National weather agency Meteo France said winds reaching 214 kilometers per hour were recorded at the island’s main airport.

Reunion island is located about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) to the southeast of the French territory of Mayotte, an island group off Africa, which was hit in December by the worst cyclone in nearly a century, with widespread devastation left in its wake.

Local authorities have confirmed 40 deaths from Cyclone Chido’s landfall and 41 people missing or believed to have been buried, but fear more may be dead.

Ethiopian Leader Abiy Visits Somalia as Horn of Africa Neighbors Aim to Improve Strained Relations

By OMAR FARUK

3:27 AM EST, February 27, 2025

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Ethiopia’s leader is visiting Somalia on Thursday, a trip that signifies improving relations between the two neighbors after a sharp rise in tensions last year.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia was welcomed in the Somali capital of Mogadishu by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Abiy’s visit comes as the two sides are attempting to mend a rift over Ethiopia’s controversial deal with the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland.

Somali state media reported that the two leaders would discuss bilateral issues ranging from trade to efforts to strengthen ties. Mohamud visited Ethiopia earlier in 2025.

Tensions between the two countries simmered after landlocked Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland last year to lease land along its coastline in order to establish a marine force base. In return, Ethiopia would become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence. Somalia says the deal infringes on its sovereignty and territory.

In December, the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia met in Turkey and agreed to initiate technical talks aimed at reaching an agreement that would uphold Somalia’s territorial integrity while allowing Ethiopia access to the sea.

Turkey has significant investment in Somalia, including its largest overseas military base.

Somaliland seceded from Somalia over 30 years ago but is not recognized by the African Union or the United Nations as an independent state. Somalia considers Somaliland part of its territory.

With a population estimated at over 120 million, Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world.

Namibian Mourners Gather At Parliament Gardens for Emotional Vigil for Nujoma

The Nambian

Mourners outside parliament

28 February 2025

The Namibian (Windhoek)

People from all walks of life gathered at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek throughout Thursday night, singing hymns and liberation songs as they lined up to pay their final respects to founding President Sam Nujoma.

Nujoma lay in state ahead of Friday's national memorial service, which will take place at the Independence Stadium.

Mourners chanted Nujoma's name as they waited to view his body, honouring the legacy of the man who led Namibia to independence.

Speaking after viewing the body, Stephanus Ndulumba, originally from the Ohangwena region but now residing in Windhoek, said Namibians enjoy peace because of Nujoma, and honouring him in this way is befitting.

Ndulumba recalled his childhood in 1977, when the People's Liberation Army of Namibia soldiers arrived at his home. His mother told him they were Nujoma's fighters stationed in Angola and battling to free Namibia from colonial rule.

"In March 1990, it was our moment of glory. I still remember Nujoma declaring, 'Namibia will be free forever.' Now we are enjoying the peace, we are happy and we are free to stay wherever we want," he said.

For Patricia Beukes, attending the vigil was a way to thank Nujoma for everything he did for Namibia.

"Nujoma has done a lot for us and I feel grateful to be able pay him my last respects," she says.

Willy Tadeb, a 23-year-old student, says paying his last respects was important for his sense of closure.

"I feel good having seen him now. May he rest in peace," he said.

Similarly, Sartha, a Windhoek resident, emphasises the significance of Nujoma's contributions.

"I came here to pay my respects to the founding father because he has done way too much for the country for us not to come here and show our respects," says Sartha.

Nujoma will be laid to rest at Heroes' Acre on Saturday.

Read the original article on Namibian.

Grace Mugabe Reflects On Robert and Nujoma's Close Bond

The Namibian

People from all walks of life gathered at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek throughout Thursday night, singing hymns and liberation songs as they lined up to pay their final respects to founding president Sam Nujoma.

28 February 2025

The Namibian (Windhoek)

The former first lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe, on Thursday shared insights into the close relationship between her late husband, Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe, and Namibia's founding president, Sam Nujoma.

Grace visited Nujoma's wife, Kovambo, at the family residence in Windhoek to express her condolences on Thursday.

Reflecting on their holidays in Namibia, Grace said she and Mugabe often visited Namibia when he was on leave.

One of her fondest memories, she said, was when both families visited Terrace Bay with their children. There, she recalled, the two statesmen enjoyed fishing together.

"They were very close. It was beautiful . . . So when I heard about the passing on of our dear friend, the president, I said I would present myself in person to offer my condolences. I couldn't just stay in Zimbabwe and not come to commiserate with you, because of the relations we had and specifically, the relationship he had with my husband," Grace told Kovambo while comforting her.

Grace also shared that she knew Nujoma before he became Namibia's founding president, as he visited her husband a lot.

"I knew president Nujoma even before he was president. When he was still fighting for the independence of the country, he used to visit my husband a lot. I would see them having conversations regarding what he wanted to see happen in Namibia, the commitment, the relentless fighting for what he thought was supposed to be the Namibia he wanted. He did it with so much love for the people of this country and when Namibia became independent, I was so happy because I saw him, I had experienced what he wanted for this country. I am happy that he was able to see all he wished for," Grace said.

She also praised Kovambo's support for Nujoma, whom she described as a principled leader, noting the late icon's achievements were made possible by her care and support.

"I'm very happy to see you, Mama, I want to be like you, to live long like you. You are a source of inspiration, Mama. I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for looking after [your husband], you did a great job - because without you, he wouldn't have accomplished a lot of things he accomplished in Namibia, in Africa and beyond. It was all because of your support, Mama," Grace said.

Read the original article on Namibian.

Ndilimani Bids Farewell to Revolutionary Leader Nujoma

28 February 2025

The Namibian (Windhoek)

Ndilimani Cultural Troupe, Swapo's revolutionary band, pays tribute to founding president Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma - the person who revolutionised their music.

Speaking on behalf of the band, Ndilimani manager Jessy Nombanza says: "Although his age was at an advanced stage, comrade Nujoma's passing left band members devastated, especially those of us who have been with the band for quite a long time.

"Tears can easily pour down our cheeks as we go down memory lane. I can still hear his voice as he was delivering many of his messages of hope for Namibia. But the best memories about him and Ndilimani is when he came to record two songs at our studio."

Nombanza says Nujoma was an avid supporter of culture and he encouraged Ndilimani to help unite Namibia through music, drama and dance.

"I never saw him dancing but he loved singing freedom songs. He constantly boosted our morale in the Swapo camps," Nombanza notes.

"In rare occasions where he got an opportunity to sing, he would sing 'Ndamona Ovakwayita Tavalu', which was aimed to encourage the People's Liberation Army of Namibia fighters."

The Ndilimani leader notes that during their time in exile, Nujoma would organise social evenings in the different Swapo camps to unite people through culture.

He says after independence, it became part of the calendar to celebrate the anti-apartheid activist's birthday on 12 May.

Ndilimani would also become a permanent feature at Swapo rallies, Namibia's Indepedence Day anniversary celebrations and during election campaigns.

"My first close encounter with comrade Nujoma was at farm Cassica, which later came to be known as Kwanza-sul, in Angola in 1980, where he came to address the education centre, as well as the elders," Nombanza says.

"A day after his address, a group of about 30 members of the Swapo Pioneers Movement, myself included, was taken to a nearby farm for special tutorials and personal engagement with him."

He says Nujoma's death left a void in his heart.

"It is natural that I will find it very difficult to learn how to live without his guidance and leadership. The day he came to our studio comes back to my memory. He was in such a jovial mood and he even told us many struggle stories like how they started the movement.

"He even recalled how he escaped from the country to go into exile. But most importantly, he encouraged members of the band to uphold the Namibian culture because a nation without a culture is like a tree without roots, he said," the former bass guitarist says.

He urges the people of Namibia to uphold the deeds the founding president stood for.

"The best send off we can give is to put our political differences aside and forge ahead in unity because unity was the cornerstone of his struggle in life," he says.

Nombanza says on on behalf of Ndilimani Cultural Troupe, its fan base, his family and on his own behalf, he expresses condolences to Kovambo Nujoma, the children, the family and the whole Namibian nation.

"The struggle continues and we will achieve economic liberation for our people as envisioned by comrade Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma. Farewell my commander. Farewell my president," Nombanza says.

Read the original article on Namibian.

Sam Nujoma, Enthusiastically Celebrated in Nigeria, By Owei Lakemfo

The Namibian

People from all walks of life gathered at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek throughout Thursday night, singing hymns and liberation songs as they lined up to pay their final respects to founding president Sam Nujoma.

28 February 2025

Vanguard (Lagos)

Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma was on the verge of an historic victory on November 11, 1989. The votes for the first democratic elections in Namibia, his long suffering country, were being counted. The colonial South African Apartheid regime was billed to grant independence in March 1990. It was night. Suddenly, the lights went off. Nujoma and the South West Africa People's Organisation, SWAPO, liberation movement he had co-founded, were far ahead in the vote count and it appeared that the Apartheid regime was bent on scuttling the process.

Some of the election monitoring teams, including Nigeria, immediately organised all cars available to switch on their lights and beam them at the counting centre. Also, the contingent of Nigeria policemen produced their torch lights to check any possible rigging and, enable the counting to go on.

A member of the Nigerian delegation, Ambassador Joe Keshi, then walked up to the leader of the Apartheid regime at the centre and warned that with Nujoma and SWAPO in a comfortable lead in the vote count before the lights went off, it must remain so otherwise the regime would have serious trouble in its hands. The Apartheid chief protested his innocence, saying the light failure was merely coincidental.

After the count and clear victory, Keshi went to see Nujoma in his house. He was not aware that Nujoma had been briefed about him confronting the Apartheid chief. As soon as he entered the sitting room, the famous guerilla fighter, in joy,grabbed Keshi and tried to lift him off the ground. Both men almost fell. That was the very warm, hospitable, respectful and humane Nujoma.

At the Wednesday, February 26, 2025 celebration of the life of Nujoma held in the Rotunda Hall of the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police Ezidinma Ifejika recalled the lights out incidence. He had led the 183-man Nigerian police contingent to Namibia. Immediately the lights went off, his men had produced torch lights to prevent any hanky-panky. He said Nujoma later sent for him and personally thanked him for the quick intervention of the Nigerian policemen.

After the elections, the new government requested that the Nigerian, Irish, Pakistani, Ghanaian and Indian contingents stayed for another three months to teach the Namibian Police better policing.

The Apartheid regime had conceded to Namibian independence for 1990 after the Cuban military had travelled 11,032 kilometres to Angola and inflicted a crushing defeat on its military forces. The unrelenting Cuban forces had pushed back the invading Apartheid military into Namibia. To avoid a catastrophic capitulation, Apartheid South Africa signed a truce agreeing to Namibian and South African independence.

At the Abuja programme for Nujoma, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero who met Nujoma a number of times, said the comradeship of Cubans and Namibians was forged on the battlefield. She said Cuba awarded Nujoma the Jose Marti award for his contributions to human liberation. Palmero, a former World Youth Leader, commended Nujoma for making youths an integral part of decision-making in Namibia.

The Angolan Embassy said in Nujoma we have lost a Pan Africanist who dedicated his entire life to the cause of freedom. It recalled that Nujoma lived part of his exile life in Angola where SWAPO also had a base which was partly responsible for the invasions by Apartheid forces.

Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar paid tribute to Nujoma whom he described as an African giant who was not a vacillator. Nujoma, he said, was a voice of the voiceless and champion of the marginalised who helped to unite the diverse groups of Namibia. He praised him for giving priority to education and healthcare.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, 1990-2000, said it was with sadness he heard that the great Iroko tree of Namibia had fallen. He recalled that Nujoma was so appreciative of the role he played in the independence struggle that he conferred Namibia's national honour on him.

Senator Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, a retired Major General who was Nigeria's Foreign Minister in 1990, the year Namibia secured independence, recalled that when they met, Nujoma wore a well-groomed beard and a meek look that camouflaged a tough fighter. He said Nigeria was completely dedicated to the liberation of Namibia and that apart from redeeming all its pledges to that country, it also established a N100 million Namibia Solidarity Fund. He said Nujoma was a man of character who was prudent and selfless and a true Pan Africanist.

Ambassador Bagudu Mutle Hirse, former Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, was in regular consultation with Nujoma when he was Nigerian Higher Commissioner to Namibia from February 2000. He revealed that the late liberation fighter used to tell him that what Namibia got was political, not economic independence. Nujoma, he said, regarded Nigeria as his second home.

Ambassador John Kayode Shinkaiye, who was Chief of Staff to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Nujoma was an exceptional and remarkable African leader who rallied international support for Namibia's independence.

Shinkaiye who was one of the African diplomats who saw off Nujoma at the airport on his last visit to Britain as a freedom fighter, said the late Namibian President was known for his candid opinion. He said in and out of office, Nujoma was a friend of Nigeria. Regrettably, he added, same cannot be said of some other countries Nigeria supported in the liberation struggles.

The Director General of the National Institute of International Affairs, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, who described Nujoma as a great African liberator, recalled that a number of prominent post-colonial leaders in Namibia were educated in Nigeria. He gave the example of Professor Peter Katjavivi who attended Government College, Umuahia from 1963-1966 and went on to become the founding Vice Chancellor, Namibia University and later, Speaker of the Namibian National Assembly.

The Zimbabwean Embassy which spoke on behalf of the Southern African Development Community, paid tribute to liberation leaders like Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Kenneth Kaunda and Sam Nujoma all of whom, it noted, clocked at least 95 before departing. It thanked Nigeria for supporting the liberation struggles in the continent.

The Namibian High Commissioner Humphrey Geiseb said from an early age Nujoma recognised the injustice done to his people, had to go on exile and became the symbol of hope. His administration, he said, championed education, land reform and laid the basis for economic development. He thanked Nigeria for standing by Nujoma and SWAPO from 1960 and that in appreciation, the major road on which the Nigerian High Commission is situated in Namibia is named after Murtala Mohammed, a former Nigerian Head of State.

Nujoma passed away in Windhoek on February 8, 2025.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

Namibia: Nujoma's Casket Touches Down in Windhoek

New Era

Former Namibian president Samuel Nujoma.

27 February 2025

The Namibian (Windhoek)

President Nangolo Mbumba has received the casket of founding president Sam Nujoma which arrived at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, where Nujoma kissed the ground of an almost free Namibia on 14 September 1989.

Nujoma's casket is expected to take it's final journey through the Windhoek on Thursday, ahead of the weekend's burial.

"I will join," the president said when Namibian Defence Force chief air marshal Martin Pinehas asked Mbumba to join the procession as per protocol.

Government leaders, family and friends of Nujoma gathered at the airport for the arrival of his casket.

Mbumba, president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Nujoma's eldest son, Utoni Nujoma, will receive the casket for its final part of the tour around the country over the past week.

The Khomas region is the last destination, where the casket, with a street procession led by 14 Namibian Defence Force motorbikes, will travel through Windhoek.

Read the original article on Namibian.

Trump Intends to Destroy Europe, Says NYT

According to the analysts, "the Trump administration sees Europe not merely as a competitor, but also as an economic and even ideological threat"

NEW YORK, February 27. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s aspiration to settle the Ukraine conflict and reduce his country’s obligations to its European allies is "out to undo" Europe, the New York Times (NYT) said, citing analysts.

According to them, "the Trump administration sees Europe not merely as a competitor, but also as an economic and even ideological threat." This is confirmed by Trump’s remarks that the EU was formed in order to take advantage of the US as well as by US Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference where he criticized the suppression of rights and freedoms in European countries.

"There is no question the intention is there to destroy Europe, starting with Ukraine," Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy’s Institute of International Affairs, told the newspaper.

On February 26, Trump asserted that Washington has no intention to offer any security guarantees to the Kiev regime and this must be done by Europe. The US leader emphasized that Ukraine must forget about its aspiration to join NATO. Trump also announced that he will soon introduce 25% tariffs on goods imported from the EU.

On February 13, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted that "President Trump will not allow anyone to turn Uncle Sam into 'Uncle Sucker,'" stressing that the EU should be primarily responsible for defense on the European continent.

Romania May Become Hub for Deployment of Peacekeepers to Ukraine — Interim President

"The peace agreement will certainly need guarantees, and these guarantees will most likely involve the stationing of troops either in Eastern Europe or Ukraine," Ilie Bolojan said

BUCHAREST, February 28. /TASS/. Romania could become a center for the transit of peacekeeping troops from other countries to Ukraine, interim Romanian President Ilie Bolojan said at a press conference.

Replying to a question about the potential deployment of Romanian peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, he said that "this discussion is premature." "There has been no discussion on the matter," the official noted. "However, it became clear from the parties’ positions that such a move currently has no support from the parliament, this issue has not been raised," he explained.

"We all want for a peace agreement to be reached," the interim Romanian president emphasized. "The peace agreement will certainly need guarantees, and these guarantees will most likely involve the stationing of troops either in Eastern Europe or Ukraine. Romania could become a center, just as it has been, for the movement of these troops; with our ports and infrastructure, we can ensure their relocation, mobilization, and so on," he added.

Bolojan also noted that Romania’s military spending could reach 3% of GDP within a year or two. "Romania already has an increased defense budget," he said. "I think that it can be gradually increased, reaching 3% of GDP in a year or two if there is no pressing need for a greater increase." Currently, Romania has 2.5% of GDP earmarked for defense needs.

Russian Troops Liberate Eight Communities in Ukraine Operation Over Week

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 1,340 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 34 enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported

© Pierre Crom/ Getty Images

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated eight communities, including four settlements in the Kursk Region over the week of February 22-28 in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"During the week, Battlegroup North units continued destroying Ukrainian armed formations on the territory of the Kursk Region. They liberated the settlements of Pogrebki, Orlovka, Nikolsky and Novaya Sorochina in offensive operations… Battlegroup West units liberated the settlements of Novolyubovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Topoli in the Kharkov Region through active operations… Battlegroup South kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlement of Ulakly in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Battlegroup Center units "improved their tactical position through decisive operations and completed the liberation of the settlement of Novoandreyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike energy sites of Ukrainian military-industrial sector over week

Russian forces delivered nine strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hitting energy facilities of Ukraine’s military-industrial sector over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week of February 22-28, the Russian Armed Forces delivered nine combined strikes by air-launched high-precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting energy facilities of Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises, the infrastructure of military airfields and military fuel depots. In addition, the strikes targeted the workshops producing and the facilities storing attack unmanned aerial vehicles, UAV operator training areas and temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 1,960 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 1,960 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 11 enemy tanks in its areas of responsibility in the Kursk and Kharkov Regions over the week, the ministry reported.

"During the week, Battlegroup North units continued destroying Ukrainian armed formations on the territory of the Kursk Region. They inflicted losses among manpower and equipment of a tank brigade, a heavy mechanized brigade, seven mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an assault brigade, five air assault brigades, three assault regiments of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and four territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.

In the Kharkov frontline area, Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on formations of a mechanized brigade and a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades, it said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in those frontline areas over the week totaled more than 1,960 personnel, 11 tanks, 156 armored combat vehicles and 157 motor vehicles, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two multiple launch rocket systems, including a US-made MLRS rocket launcher, 40 field artillery guns, among them a Paladin self-propelled artillery system and an M777 howitzer of US manufacture, three surface-to-air missile launchers, eight electronic warfare stations and 12 ammunition depots, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 1,340 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 1,340 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 34 enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week, Battlegroup West units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of five mechanized brigades, an assault brigade and an airborne brigade of the Ukrainian army, two territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,340 personnel, a tank, 13 armored combat vehicles, including four US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, 33 motor vehicles, 34 field artillery guns, of which 16 NATO weapons, 13 electronic warfare stations and 13 ammunition depots in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 1,210 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 1,210 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed seven enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week, Battlegroup South units "inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of six mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, a mountain assault brigade, two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, Foreign Legion formations and the Azov special operations brigade [outlawed in Russia as a terrorist group]," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the week totaled more than 1,210 personnel, two tanks, nine armored combat vehicles, 24 motor vehicles and 21 field artillery guns, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed seven ammunition depots and five electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations of the Ukrainian army over the week, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 2,340 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 2,340 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy tanks, including three German-made Leopard tanks in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses among manpower and equipment of ten mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade, an airmobile brigade, two assault brigades, an unmanned systems brigade and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two National Guard brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 2,340 personnel, five tanks, including three German-made Leopard tanks, 32 armored combat vehicles, among them five Western-made armored vehicles, 22 motor vehicles and 25 field artillery guns in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 1,180 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 1,180 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 22 enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on formations of a tank brigade, two mechanized brigades and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and three territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,180 personnel, two tanks, including a German-made Leopard tank, 10 armored combat vehicles and 21 motor vehicles in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed 22 field artillery guns, including three NATO-made 155mm self-propelled artillery systems and three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts over 650 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted more than 650 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed seven enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units improved their frontline positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of four mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, five coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 650 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 44 motor vehicles and seven field artillery guns in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed seven ammunition depots and 11 electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations of the Ukrainian army in that frontline area over the week, it said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, 702 UAVs over week

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet and 702 unmanned aerial vehicles over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 plane, 13 French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 20 US-made JDAM guided aerial bombs, nine rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, 42 rockets of the Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket system and 702 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 656 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 44,834 unmanned aerial vehicles, 600 surface-to-air missile systems, 21,932 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,523 multiple rocket launchers, 22,149 field artillery guns and mortars and 32,305 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Key Takeaways From Latest Round of Russia-US Talks in Istanbul

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s North Atlantic Department Director Alexander Darchiyev headed the Russian delegation

© Kirill Zharov/TASS

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the latest round of Russian-US talks that took place in Istanbul on Thursday as very constructive.

Russia addressed the United States with a proposal to consider reopening direct flights between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

TASS has compiled the key takeaways from the meeting.

Istanbul meeting

- Russian and US delegations met in Istanbul on February 27.

- The US delegation was led by Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe, who, among other things, is in charge of Russia-related affairs.

- The Russian Foreign Ministry’s North Atlantic Department Director Alexander Darchiyev headed the Russian delegation.

MFA’s press release

- The "substantive" talks were business-like, with the two sides agreeing to continue communication via this channel, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

- Russia floated the idea of restoring direct flights between the two countries, the Russian ministry revealed.

- According to it, the two sides also coordinated joint steps on financing for their diplomatic missions and discussed ways to remove multiple "irritants" in bilateral relations.

Comment from US Department of State

- The US Department of State said in a press release that the US delegates "raised concerns" regarding access to banking transactions and contracted services as they also highlighted the need "to ensure stable and sustainable staffing levels at the US Embassy in Moscow."

- According to the US foreign policy body, the two sides agreed to hold "a follow-up meeting on these issues" in the near future. The date, location, and representation will be determined later, it said.

Consulate Attack Result of France Fomenting Hate Against Russia — Diplomatic Mission

The consulate was outraged by the ruling of the French court, which sentenced the attackers to eight months in prison, to be served at home under electronic monitoring

PARIS, February 28. /TASS/. The French government’s anti-Russian agenda precipitated the attack on Russia’s Consulate General in Marseille, said the diplomatic mission in its Telegram channel.

" It is particularly perplexing that the convicts are members of the French scientific community. We hold the French authorities responsible for what happened, as they launched a full-scale anti-Russian campaign aimed at spreading Russophobia and anti-Russian sentiment among the French public," the statement says.

The consulate was outraged by the ruling of the French court, which sentenced the attackers to eight months in prison, to be served at home under electronic monitoring. "We stand firm on our previously stated position that this attack has all the signs of a terrorist act. The leniency of the sentence does not correspond at all to the gravity of the crime," the diplomatic mission said.

The Consulate General says it was "a happy accident" that there were no victims or injured.

Attack on the Consulate General

Two unknown Frenchmen threw three objects onto the premises of the Consulate General on the morning of February 24, two of which exploded. There were no casualties, and no material damage.

Both attackers, one born in 1965, the other in 1977, were employees of the French National Center for Scientific Research.

They were charged with damaging property in a dangerous manner, and with illegally manufacturing an explosive device.

PLA Warships’ Drills Completely Different with Australian Military Aircraft’s Intrusion into China’s Airspace: Chinese Ambassador

By Global Times

Feb 28, 2025 12:24 AM

The Type 055 large destroyer?Zunyi?of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy sails at sea during a combat exercise in the Pacific Ocean in February 2025. Photo: Screenshot from China Central Television

The drills conducted by the Chinese fleet have been safe, professional, and in accordance with relevant international law and established practices, and they are completely different with the Australian military aircraft's intrusion into China's airspace, which is a serious violation of international law and undermines China's national security, said Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania on Thursday.

Xiao made the remarks in response to the inquiry that the Australian side views the Chinese live-fire drills without prior notice as irresponsible and unprofessional, and whether the presence of the Chinese fleet in the waters around Australia was intended to signal Australia to cease similar activities in the South China Sea, as well as whether this action was related to the Australian federal election.

Xiao stressed that during recent couple of days, China and Australia have maintained close communication through diplomatic channels in Beijing, Canberra and other multilateral occasions. Spokespersons from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense have also made statements on this matter. China's position is very clear.

The People's Liberation Army is strictly disciplined and consistently abides by international law and basic norms of international relations, Xiao said.

China conducted live-fire drills towards sea after repeatedly issuing safety notices in advance, said the Chinese ambassador. China's actions are entirely in line with international law and common international practices and will not affect aviation safety. 

In fact, international law does not specify this issue and countries have different practices. "In my personal opinion, how long in advance should the notice be made depends on the nature, scale, and scope of the live-fire drills. China's current practice is entirely appropriate," Xiao said.

Xiao said that some Australian medias have linked the Chinese live-fire drills in the region with the activities taken by Australian military aircraft over China's Xisha Qundao, which are completely different in nature. The Australian military aircraft intruded into China's airspace, which is a serious violation of international law and undermines China's national security. However, the Chinese naval exercise took place in high seas far from Australia's coastline and aligns with international law.

China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners. The term "partner" indicates that the two countries are friends, not foes or rivals. China has always regarded Australia as an important partner, and there is no need for Australia to feel concerned about the actions of the Chinese fleet, Xiao said. 

He also noted that China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and this is also a tradition of Chinese diplomacy. The Australian federal election is an internal matter of Australia, China does not comment on, intervene in, or interfere with it.

The presence of the Chinese naval fleet in the international waters around Australia is entirely unrelated to the Australian federal election. China hopes that the Australian side will view this matter objectively and rationally, refrain from misjudging and overreacting, Xiao said.

Global Times

China, Russia Maintain Close High-level Exchanges, Chinese FM on Reported Visit of Top Russian Security Official to Beijing

By Global Times

Feb 28, 2025 04:00 PM

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Responding to a question about media reports that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Friday for talks with the Chinese side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that China and Russia have maintained close high-level exchanges as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era.

Lin also said he has no information to offer currently regarding the specific question on Shoigu's visit.

Russian news agency Tass reported Friday that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Friday for talks with Chinese side on both bilateral issues in the security sphere, as well as global and regional problems.

Tass said Shoigu's trip marks his second visit to China in the past three months.

Shoigu's visit came a day after a six-hour meeting between US and Russian delegations on bilateral issues at the US Consulate General in Istanbul on Thursday, without a statement to the press.

The reported visit also came hours before the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, scheduled for Friday morning local time in Washington DC.

Global Times

China Accuses US of ‘Blackmail’ After Trump’s New 10% Tariff Threat

Trump’s latest move draws strong global response

By Ma Jingjing

Feb 28, 2025 01:23 PM

The Ministry of Commerce Photo: VCG

China on Friday expressed firm opposition to the US' using the fentanyl issue as a pretext to threaten additional 10 percent tariffs on imports from China, with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) accusing the US of "pressure and blackmail China," vowing to take "what is necessary" to firmly defend its legitimate interests.

"Pressuring, coercion and threat is not the right way to deal with China. Instead, mutual respect is the basic prerequisite. We urge the US to correct its wrongdoing and return to the right track of addressing each other's concerns through equal-footed consultations," a spokesperson for the MFA said.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) made a similar statement on Friday. China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation, and China conducts international cooperation with other countries including the US on counternarcotics, a spokesperson for MOFCOM said.

Deflecting the blame onto other countries will not help solve the US' domestic problem, but rather place more burden on American enterprises and consumers and harm global industrial chain stability, the spokesperson said.

US President Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Tuesday while also threatening to impose another 10 percent tariff on imports from China on the same date. The country-by-country reciprocal tariffs will also come into effect on April 2, according to his social media post, marking the Trump administration's latest use of its "tariff stick."

The move drew widespread opposition from its trading partners. A Chinese expert said Friday that Trump's tariffs are having a diminishing impact on China's economy, warning of a backlash against the US, as abuse of tariffs risks decoupling the US from the global trading system and hurting its consumers and industries.

"We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled. China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date. The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect," Trump said in his post on Truth Social.

Immediately following Trump's new tariff threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Canada "will have an immediate and extremely strong response" if the US imposes tariffs on Canadian imports next Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The EU would "do the same" if the US maintains the 25 percent tariffs announced by Trump, French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said on Thursday on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, The Guardian reported.

"Even if it is not in the general interest, we too must protect our interests and the interests of the countries of the Union," Lombard said.

This is the latest in Trump's series of tariff measures, including the so-called "reciprocal" tariffs and a decision to impose 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports without exclusions. Lately, the Trump administration also initiated a Section 232 investigation into imports of copper and copper derivatives that may lead to new tariffs.

"Compared with his first term, Trump's protectionist tariff policy now has another goal of collecting money to reduce the US' enormous debt. That's why the Trump administration is in such a rush to impose tariffs on its major trade partners like Canada and Mexico," Bao Jianyun, director of the Center for International Political Economy Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Friday.

Although Trump also further hiked tariffs on Chinese imports citing the fentanyl issue as an excuse, the marginal impact of Trump's tariffs on China's exports, macro-economic growth and industrial chains is tailing off, Bao said.

"Today, the standing of China and the US in global industrial chains and international trade has changed compared with what they were during Trump's first term - China is on the rise while the US is shrinking. In the long term, the US' abuse of tariffs may accelerate the downward trend of the US in global influence," he said, noting that emerging economies and the US' allies may be forced to form a new non-US-dominated trading system.

Huo Jianguo, a vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday that Trump's imposition of more tariffs on China is not unexpected, as it is Trump's tactic for gathering bargaining chips in potential future negotiations with China.

In early February, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 10-percent tariff on goods imported from China, incurring countermeasures. On February 4, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced that China will impose additional tariffs on certain US products starting from February 10. China has filed a complaint with the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism against the US decision to impose an additional 10-percent tariff on goods from China.

Despite growing uncertainties surrounding Trump's trade policies, there is frequent communication between Chinese officials and US business communities, underscoring the resilience of China-US relations.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has written a letter to Jamieson Greer, the newly appointed US Trade Representative, congratulating him on his appointment and expressing China's concern on the US tariff policy.

A healthy and sound China-US economic and trade relationship aligns with the common interests of both countries and meets the expectations of the international community, Wang said, according to a statement on the website of China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

US Repays China's Counternarcotics Co-op with Ingratitude, Will Backfire, Chinese FM Deplores US’ Threat of New 10% Tariff

By Global Times

Feb 28, 2025 04:13 PM

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Photo: VCG

China firmly deplores and opposes the US' threat of another 10 percent additional tariff on imports from China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue, and will take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.

Lin made the remarks in response to a question about the US' threat of another 10% tariff on imports from China starting March 4 using the fentanyl issue as a justification.

"The Chinese side has repeatedly stressed that there is no winner in a trade war or a tariff war," the spokesperson stressed, adding that the US unilateral tariff hikes severely violate WTO rules and harm the interests of both countries and the globe as a whole.

US President Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Tuesday while also threatening to impose another 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, and the country-by-country reciprocal tariffs will also come into effect on April 2, according to his social media post marking the latest escalation in the Trump administration's "tariff stick" policy. The move drew widespread opposition from its trading partners.

China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation. The fentanyl crisis is primarily a US issue. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill, China has given support to the US in its response to this issue. At the request of the US side, China announced back in 2019 the decision to officially classify all fentanyl-related substances as controlled substances. China is the first country in the world to do so, the spokesperson said, adding that China has engaged in extensive counternarcotics cooperation with the US side.

"The achievements we have made are there for all to see," the spokesperson said, noting that people from various sectors in the US have expressed their gratitude to China.

Lin said the US is using the fentanyl issue as a pretext to exert tariff pressure and blackmail, acting arbitrarily and showing ingratitude for China's cooperation. This approach will not resolve its own concerns, and instead, it will backfire and severely impact dialogue and cooperation between both sides on counternarcotics. Pressure, coercion, and threats are not the correct way to engage with China. Mutual respect is a fundamental prerequisite.

"China urges the US to correct its wrongdoings, and return to the right path of addressing each other's concerns through equal consultations," the spokesperson said.

Global Times

Xi Meets Russian Federation Security Council Secretary

By Xinhua

Feb 28, 2025 06:07 PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, here on Friday.

Noting that China and Russia are friendly neighbors and true friends, Xi said he and President Vladimir Putin have communicated twice this year, making overarching plans for the development of China-Russia relations and having in-depth exchanges on a series of major international and regional issues.

He said the two sides should maintain close communication at all levels to fully implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state and promote permanent good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Shoigu conveyed President Putin's cordial greetings to President Xi, saying that President Putin highly values the sincere friendship and close contact with President Xi.

The relations between Russia and China have reached an unprecedented high level and do not target any third party, Shoigu said.

Thursday, February 27, 2025

What Happens When You Cannot Describe What Your Eyes See?

February 23, 2025

By Julia Wright

Most of us have been prevented from watching the recent BBC documentary about how three children and one young woman are surviving in today’s Gaza.  From all accounts, since we are only allowed clips, this documentary is authentic, harrowing and poignant narrated as it is by the children themselves, seen from their point of view with nothing left out. The local cameramen and the production wanted the raw truth. (They’re Trying To Ban This Gaza Documentary - YouTube

The reason we were prevented from seeing it is that the BBC gave into pressure from 45 Israeli journalists and other zionist covert leverage for it to be withdrawn under the pretext the key narrator, a thirteen old boy, was the son of a Hamas civilian official, Minister of Agriculture.

But the pretext, like all zionist narratives, is skewed: the presence of a child telling his version of the ordeal he was going through, the identity of his father, the recent confession by Anthony Blinken that “Hamas ended up with more recruits than at the beginning of the war”, the knowledge that these are the children, who have seen what no child should see, who volunteer to Hamas – all these factors turned a valuable documentary into an archive to be censored.

The positive aspect of this withdrawal is double: it has paradoxically drawn attention to the documentary and it has highlighted what I would like to write about in this article: a very negative form of censorship that is tested in the newsrooms and spreads to the rest of society.

The genocide in Gaza and the West Bank has created a new deadly syndrome in the western psyche. I use the word deadly in the sense that the syndrome will destroy the brain and sane vision as lethally as a deadly virus. It is vested in the following newsroom prescription as one of the journalists puts it: ” Do not describe what your eyes are seeing.” I challenge neuro scientists to trace the harm to specific areas of the brain when a human is forbidden to communicate or act on what his senses are registering.

We have pre-recorded in our DNA a fight, flight or freeze mechanism faced with the perception of danger but if we are told that the greater danger lies in perceiving those signals of danger and reacting to them, the brain is confused, tricked.

So let’s give this syndrome a name. A working title. ONGOING TRAUMATIC DENIAL OF DANGER  PRESCRIPTION – OTDDP

Here is how it works: You see an extreme form of torture or cruelty in front of your eyes – in the documentary in question a desperate Gaza surgeon holds up the arm of the child he has had to amputate –  but you trick your own brain into disbelieving it and you share that denial in exchange for pay, security and in the longterm your own mental health.

The basis of the denial is that the torture, the genocide is happening to another human reduced to the state of human animal far away enough to hopefully discourage compassion or self-identification.

For the journalist, the target of the prescription, it is a lose-lose situation. If in the newsroom you disregard the prescription and allow forbidden empathy and compassion to set in, then you too are othered, ostracized and “punished” by the state. If on the other hand you obey the prescription and wear the state-offered blinkers you accept the prospect of physical and spiritual lobotomy.

Is this close to what Gregory Bateson who was studying methods of torture under the nazis called the double bind? I leave you to decide. Bateson concluded that failure to find a solution to the double bind led to mental illness in particular schizophrenia.

Already, now that it has been practiced in Gaza, the  spin doctors are applying OTDDP to the psychopathology of everyday life closer to home: “avert your gaze and you will be safe” starts to hold “true” everywhere beginning with your own family, education, career, aims and your vision of the future.

With OTDDP in place, the current shortage of law enforcement officers is solved: we police ourselves, saving the state plenty of dollars and less cop cities while we still pay taxes to fund the police.

It is a win-win prescription – that is if it wins.

So how do we defeat it?

Frantz Fanon used to sit the torturers down and analyze them just as he analyzed the freedom fighters he worked with and defended. He knew the truth came from a clinical understanding of the madness of the oppressor – a madness used to contaminate the puppets the oppressor works with and through.

Here are a few counter prescriptions :

1 ) Since the avowed and hypocritical goal of the newsrooms is that being “impartial” and balancing the narratives actually favors the zionist narrative – we seek to create a positive imbalance favoring the Palestinian “tale” as Refaat Alareer asks us to.

2 ) Use our strengths in particular the speed of virality of social media images that the zionist spin doctors cannot catch up with.

In this instance, the leaked clips of the censored documentary constitute a riveting “trailer”.

An iconic example is the footage of Sinwar throwing his stick at the drone that was to execute him – footage that went around the world before Israeli propaganda scriptwriters could catch up with it and even begin to rewrite it.

3) Let more and more people know about the physical and spiritual  consequences of  OTDDP.

4 ) Study the conclusions drawn by Frantz Fanon yesterday on the psyche of settler colonialism and today by psychiatrists such as Doctor Bandy Lee profiling those who rule us as well as the urgency of finding antidotes to a malignant narcissism that has the ability to spread.

5 ) As activist, poet and award winning novelist Susan Abulhawa says, we should not listen to the statements manufactured for our consumption but rather listen to and study what the zionists say between themselves when they think nobody is listening.

6 ) Always add context to stories cut off from their historical roots.

7)  Give the People who are fighting and dying for their ancestral land the mike and theirs is the last word.

8) The zionists and their USA enablers will not stop of their own will because they “get off on it” – financially and narcissistically – and they need by all means necessary to conceal that they are hollow men.

It is our responsibility to put the rogue states in a position where they will get “fuel” from stopping even if that fuel is negative and their gain is short lived.

9)  Footage and film are double-edged weapons. In fact USA films mostly from Hollywood are the second export after weapons.

A recent article by William Astore in the Hollywood Progressive analyzes how “war” movies pull in teens by exploiting a “feel good” instinct of heroism – but always heroism for the right, orthodox, state approved side.

Way before the genocidal war against Gaza was in progress a number of videos revisited the fact that the Pentagon has an office in Hollywood whose job description is to vet and help rewrite “sensitive scripts”.

10) Way before October 7th 2023, the systematic weaponization of children in the war of ethnic cleansing against Palestine was and remains deliberate and tenacious.

Children, the witnesses of the murder of their families, are considered by the IDF as future Hamas recruits.

From the cynical and inhumane trafficking of minors by the Epstein network in the USA to the testimony borne by Gazan doctors that children were executed by calculated sniper action in the head not to speak of the chilling statement by a member of Netanyahu’s government that “those children have it coming to them”- it is the children who are the bullseye.

The children of Palestine are the most targeted historically in any war we have known – they deserve not a terminal solution but a systematic solution terminating the death-bound nature of their existence once and for all.

(c) Julia Wright. February 22 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

U.S. Ends Power Africa Initiative After a Decade

By Agencies

The U.S. government has shut down Power Africa, a program launched in 2013 by former President Barack Obama to expand electricity access across Africa, Bloomberg reports.

Most of Power Africa’s programs have been marked for termination, and the majority of its staff have been dismissed. Some remaining initiatives, particularly those that connect projects with U.S. companies, may continue under different government agencies.

A State Department spokesperson told Bloomberg that each program is under review to determine whether it aligns with U.S. national interests. “Programs that serve our nation’s interests will continue. However, programs that aren't aligned with our national interest will not,” an official stated.

Power Africa, operated under USAID, aimed to bring electricity to tens of millions of African households. Its closure is part of broader federal budget cuts under the Trump administration, as efforts to reduce government spending gain momentum.

Guinea-Bissau Leader Calls Russia Reliable Partner

Umaro Sissoco Embalo also expressed appreciation to Vladimir Putin for the invitation to the Russian capital

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Russia's President Vladimir Putin Sergey Bobylev/POOL/TASS

© Sergey Bobylev/POOL/TASS

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russia and Guinea-Bissau are reliable partners and can further strengthen bilateral relations, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo stated to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

"We thank you for increasing the quota for our military, police officers, and students. Some [Russian] companies are also interested in expanding relations with Guinea-Bissau. We (Russia and Guinea-Bissau - TASS) are reliable partners," he said.

The leader of the African Republic also expressed appreciation to the Russian president for the invitation to the Russian capital. "Thank you, dear Putin," Embalo said in Russian.

According to Embalo, Guinea-Bissau and Russia have long-standing friendly relations; they are brotherly peoples.

"Since the days of the Soviet Union, Russia has contributed to the formation of our country <...> and the Guinea-Bissau people, they remember this," the head of state said.

Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Guinea-Bissau were established in 1973. The relations between the two countries have significant potential in many areas, including geological exploration, mineral resources, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and fishing.

Guinea-Bissau President in Moscow for Talks on Developing Cooperation

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Africa News

Russian President Vladimir Putin met for talks with the President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo in the Kremlin on Wednesday.

The talks comes as Russia continues its drive to build economic and security ties with countries in west and central Africa.

They reportedly discussed developing cooperation between the two countries, as well as international and regional issues.

Russian news agency, TASS, said potential cooperation includes in mineral resources, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and fishing.

“Last year, trade turnover between Russia and the African continent continued to grow and increased by 10%. However, trade and economic relations between our countries certainly require careful attention from both sides,” said Putin.

He added that he hoped they would be able to agree that cooperation between the two countries would gain momentum.

“There is good groundwork and good opportunities here, and many of our companies are showing growing interest in working in your market," he said.

Embalo replied that Russia and Guinea-Bissau are “partners”.

“I find myself here to reaffirm this bond of friendship that we have between the Russian people and the people of Guinea-Bissau. This is a fraternal relationship that has always existed,” he said.

Embalo’s visit to Russia comes as the opposition threatens to paralyse Guinea-Bissau on Thursday in a dispute over when his five-year mandate ends.

They say his term as president runs out on Thursday, while the country’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled that it ends on 4 September.

ANC to Unveil New Gauteng Provincial Task Team After Reconfiguring PEC

This is in efforts to save the organisation from sinking further, after its dismal electoral performance during 2024’s polls.

Picture: X/Mandla_Ndl

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) is unveiling its newly appointed Gauteng provincial task team following the reconfiguration of its provincial executive committee (PEC).

This is in efforts to save the organisation from sinking further, after its dismal electoral performance during 2024’s polls.

The ANC’s national working committee (NWC) will announce changes to its leadership in the province at the Midrand Conference Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

In an effort to reinforce its presence in the country’s economic hub, the ANC has deemed it necessary to make changes to its leadership in Gauteng.

It is understood the organisation has brought in former Johannesburg mayor, Amos Masondo, to lead the party's structure in the province, alongside Panyaza Lesufi.

TK Nciza, who previously served as the ANC’s secretary in Gauteng, will now be demoted to an ordinary member of the provincial task team and will not hold any leadership role.

The party's national working committee will unveil and inaugurate its new provincial task team, tasked with the responsibility of rebuilding the ANC in the province.

Ramaphosa Calls Out Leaders on Slow Pace of Addressing Global Challenges

He gave an honest account of the globe’s current state of affairs committing South Africa to drive the agenda on tackling some other key issues during its G20 Presidency this year.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers opening address at meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. X/@PresidencyZA

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has called out global leaders on the slow pace of addressing a range of challenges facing the world as G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet for the first time on home soil.

Ramaphosa opened the two-day meeting in Cape Town on Wednesday.

He gave an honest account of the globe's current state of affairs committing South Africa to drive the agenda on tackling some other key issues during its G20 Presidency this year.

This includes plans for economic growth, debt sustainability, and climate change.

While Ramaphosa said he's optimistic global leaders can set their differences aside to find solutions, he says he's worried about the turnaround time.

"We are not moving quickly enough or boldly enough to address these global challenges. We must collectively target a step-change in our efforts to improve the lives of all of our people and to protect future generations."

The US is Missing Again as G20 Finance Chiefs Meet in South Africa

By GERALD IMRAY

7:48 AM EST, February 26, 2025

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the Group of 20 developed and developing nations gathered in South Africa on Wednesday for a two-day meeting marked by the absence of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and several other high-profile figures.

Bessent’s absence follows a boycott of a G20 foreign ministers meeting in South Africa last week by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the Trump administration has been openly critical of the country and its G20 themes. Bessent said he couldn’t attend because of commitments in Washington.

South Africa holds the rotating presidency of the G20 this year — the first African nation to do so — and has pledged to put issues that especially affect poor countries like debt relief and climate change at the top of the agenda.

The G20 is made up of some of the world’s major economies, the European Union and African Union. It represents more than two-thirds of the world’s population and approximately 80% of global GDP.

The finance ministers of China, Japan, India and Canada also weren’t expected to attend the meeting.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates in Cape Town that his country’s G20 priorities are strengthening resilience to climate-related disasters, addressing the debt burdens of poor nations, mobilizing finance for countries to transition to green energy and using critical minerals for the benefit of some of the developing countries where they are found.

The meeting “carries a weighty responsibility,” Ramaphosa said. “It needs to forge consensus on the actions we must take collectively to build a global economy that is more resilient, more sustainable and more equal.”

While many analysts had predicted U.S. President Donald Trump would give little attention to international cooperation in the G20 in favor of his “America First” policy, the Trump administration has been openly critical of South Africa and its priorities.

Rubio on social media has dismissed South Africa’s G20 theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability as “DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and climate change.”

“My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money,” Rubio wrote, pledging to also skip the main G20 summit in South Africa in November.

Ramaphosa has invited Trump for a state visit for the G20 summit, but there has been no response from the White House. The U.S. is next to take over the G20 presidency.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde were in Cape Town. China sent its deputy finance minister and the deputy governor of its central bank.

The G20 has struggled to come together and reach concrete consensus on many issues. The foreign ministers meeting last week, the first major G20 event of the year, was marked by tensions over Russia’s three-year war with Ukraine.

British Foreign Minister David Lammy said Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov walked out of a meeting at one point. The foreign ministers also didn’t pose together for a planned “family photograph” to mark the meeting. South African officials cited “scheduling difficulties.”

South Africa still hopes to find some consensus. On the eve of the latest G20 meeting, the United Nations Development Program released a report saying debt problems had worsened for many countries, especially the poorest.

“If support for debt relief is not stepped up, the situation could easily morph into longer-term solvency crises in more countries,” the UNDP said.

Some analysts in Africa say the G20 — a supposed bridge between rich and poor countries — is also for re-galvanizing a global climate agenda after Trump’s move to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies said Africa and the rest of the developing world would be “the first victims” of reduced climate action.