PRETORIA: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa on Thursday for talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa on bilateral cooperation and efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Zelensky has been trying to shore up international support for Kyiv’s war effort amid growing pressure from US President Donald Trump, who said last week that Washington could walk away if there was no clear progress on a peace deal soon.
Commenting on the visit, Zelensky posted on X that he would meet Ramaphosa as well as other political and civil representatives. “It is crucial to bring a just peace closer,” he added.
South Africa, which maintains good relations with Russia, has remained neutral in the conflict which began in 2022.
“The visit provides South Africa and Ukraine with an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations... It will also explore areas of cooperation with the objective to support efforts to bring lasting peace,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement.
Ramaphosa held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, stating on X that the two leaders had affirmed “strong bilateral relations” and a commitment to work together toward a peaceful resolution of the war.
Zelensky on Wednesday said there needed to be an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire with Moscow repeating that Ukraine did not rule out any format of talks that could lead to a ceasefire.
Zelensky’s visit is the first by a Ukrainian head of state to South Africa. Ramaphosa and Zelensky have met multiple times including in Kyiv in 2023 as part of a mediation attempt by African leaders which did not achieve notable results.
Ukraine’s Zelensky lands in South Africa for talks on ties, peace efforts
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Ukraine’s Zelensky lands in South Africa for talks on ties, peace efforts
- Zelensky posted on X that he would meet Ramaphosa as well as other political and civil representatives
- South Africa, which maintains good relations with Russia, has remained neutral in the conflict which began in 2022
Russia-Ukraine talks ‘barely’ alive, says United Nations official
- “Cautious hope” for truce diminished in face of recent “brutal surge in largescale Russian attack, says official
UNITED NATIONS: Hope is “just barely” alive in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a senior UN official said Thursday, denouncing the recent “brutal surge in largescale Russian attacks” against Ukraine.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council that the “cautious hope” she expressed a month ago has diminished in the face of recent aggressions.
“According to Ukrainian officials, with 355 drones, Monday’s attack was the largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion,” DiCarlo said, adding: “This topped the previous record from the night before.”
Despite no declaration of a ceasefire, DiCarlo praised diplomatic efforts in Istanbul on May 16 when Ukrainian and Russian delegations met, saying “it is encouraging that the sides have reportedly agreed to continue the process.”
Russia’s deadly invasion began in February 2022.
“The massive wave of attacks over the weekend is a stark warning of how quickly this war can reach new destructive levels. Further escalation would not only aggravate the devastating toll on civilians but also endanger the already challenging peace efforts,” DiCarlo said.
“The hope that the parties will be able to sit down and negotiate is still alive, but just barely,” DiCarlo said.
The US representative added that prolonging the war was not in anyone’s best interest.
“If Russia makes the wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war, the United States will have to consider stepping back from our negotiation efforts to end this conflict,” said John Kelley, acting US alternate representative.
“Additional sanctions on Russia are still on the table.”
The Kremlin said Thursday that it was awaiting Kiev’s response to its proposal for new talks in Istanbul next Monday.
Ukraine, which accuses Russia of buying time, seeks Moscow’s conditions before any meeting.
“Serious, demonstrable and good faith efforts are needed — now — to get back on the road that could lead to a just peace. A full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire is such an effort, if only an initial one,” DiCarlo said.
According to the UN, a “just peace” respects sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“A peace process will not be easy, and it will take time. But it must not wait. The people of Ukraine, especially, cannot wait.”
Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership
- Says partnership would be based on cinema and fashion, video games, design and gastronomy
- Macron’s trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia
MAGELANG, Indonesia: French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia’s leader with France’s top award on Thursday, before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
Macron’s trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore.
After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city surrounded by mountains in Central Java.
The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest military or civil award.
Prabowo is an ex-general accused of rights abuses under dictator Suharto’s rule in the late 1990s. He was discharged from the military over his role in the abductions of democracy activists but denied the allegations and was never charged.
Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags.
Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world’s largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties.
“In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership,” said Macron.
“The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries,” he said.
Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy.
The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia’s premier security forum.
On Wednesday, the pair called for progress on “mutual recognition” between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Macron brought the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts.
“Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognizes Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognize Israel and open the diplomatic relationship,” said Prabowo.
Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause among Indonesians runs high.
The nations also signed a series of agreements on cooperation in a range of fields including defense, trade, agriculture, disaster management, culture and transport.
Torrential rains kill 25 in Nigerian city: rescuers
- Flooding after a rainstorm late Wednesday washed away or submerged at least 50 homes
- 10 people remained missing on top of the confirmed dead
KANO: Torrential rains devastated the central Nigerian city of Mokwa and killed at least 25 people, emergency services said Thursday amid a search for more bodies.
Flooding after a rainstorm late Wednesday washed away or submerged at least 50 homes in the city and 10 people remained missing on top of the confirmed dead, an emergency management official said.
“The surging flood water submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants,” said Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Divers and volunteers one woman and her two children, who were being treated in hospital for “wounds and shock.”
Nigeria is hit by flooding every rainy season, which runs between May and September.
The floods are largely caused by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways, and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday.
In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in one of the country’s worst floods in decades.
Federal judge extends order blocking Trump administration ban on foreign students at Harvard
- Judge Burroughs extended the block she imposed last week with a temporary restraining order
- “Harvard will continue to take steps to protect the rights of our international students and scholars,” a university spokesman said
BOSTON: A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs extended the block she imposed last week with a temporary restraining order, which allows the Ivy League school to continue enrolling international students as a lawsuit proceeds.
Harvard sued the Department of Homeland Security on Friday after Secretary Kristi Noem revoked its ability to host foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“Harvard will continue to take steps to protect the rights of our international students and scholars, members of our community who are vital to the University’s academic mission and community — and whose presence here benefits our country immeasurably,” a university spokesman said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration introduced a new effort to revoke Harvard’s certification to enroll foreign students. In a letter sent by the acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, Todd Lyons, the government gave Harvard 30 days to respond to the alleged grounds for withdrawal, which include accusations that Harvard coordinated with foreign entities and failed to respond sufficiently to antisemitism on campus.
The developments unfolded in a courtroom not far from the Harvard campus, where speakers at Thursday’s commencement ceremony stressed the importance of maintaining a diverse and international student body.
The dispute over international enrollment at Harvard is the latest escalation in a battle between the White House and the nation’s oldest and wealthiest college. In April, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to the school, demanding a range of records related to foreign students, including discipline records and anything related to “dangerous or violent activity.” Noem said it was in response to accusations of antisemitism on Harvard’s campus.
Harvard says it complied. But on May 22, Noem sent a letter saying the school’s response fell short. She said Harvard was being pulled from the federal program that allows colleges to sponsor international students to get US visas. It took effect immediately and prevented Harvard from hosting foreign students in the upcoming school year.
In its lawsuit, Harvard argued the government failed to follow administrative procedures and regulations for removing schools from eligibility to host international students, which include giving schools the opportunity to appeal and a 30-day window to respond.
Noem’s earlier letter to Harvard notified the school that its eligibility was revoked immediately. It did not cite any regulations or statutes that Harvard allegedly violated. The Wednesday letter accuses Harvard of violating regulations around reporting requirements and violating an executive order regarding combatting antisemitism.
Already, despite the restraining order, the Trump administration’s efforts to stop Harvard from enrolling international students have created an environment of “profound fear, concern, and confusion,” the university’s director of immigration services said in a court filing on Wednesday.
In a court filing, immigration services director Maureen Martin said that countless international students had asked about transferring.
Martin said that international Harvard students arriving in Boston were sent to additional screening by Customs and Border Protection agents, and that international students seeking to obtain their visas were being denied or facing delays at consulates and embassies.
More than 7,000 international students, exchange scholars and alumni participating in a post-graduate career training period rely on Harvard for their sponsorship and legal status in the United States.
The sanction, if allowed to proceed, could upend some graduate schools that draw heavily from abroad. Among those at risk was Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth, who just finished her first year in a Harvard graduate program.
Trump railed against Harvard on social media after Burroughs temporarily halted the action last week, saying “the best thing Harvard has going for it is that they have shopped around and found the absolute best Judge (for them!) — But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!”
The Trump administration has levied a range of grievances against Harvard, accusing it of being a hotbed of liberalism and failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. The government is demanding changes to Harvard’s governance and policies to bring it in line with the president’s vision.
Harvard was the first university to reject the government’s demands, saying it threatened the autonomy that has long made US higher education a magnet for the world’s top scholars. In a pair of lawsuits, Harvard accuses the government of retaliating against the university for rebuffing political demands.
Driver charged with causing grievous bodily harm after Liverpool soccer parade tragedy
- Doyle faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted
- The people injured ranged in age from 9 to 78, with at least 50 treated at hospitals
LONDON: A driver who injured nearly 80 people when his car rammed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team’s Premier League championship was charged Thursday with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm and six other serious counts, a prosecutor said.
Paul Doyle, 53, was also charged with dangerous driving and five other counts alleging different variations of causing grievous bodily harm, Prosecutor Sarah Hammond said.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
The people injured ranged in age from 9 to 78, with at least 50 treated at hospitals. Seven people remained in the hospital Thursday in stable condition.
The charges did not indicate how many victims the counts were tied to but Hammond said the investigation was at an early stage as police review a huge volume of evidence, including videos and eyewitness statements.
“It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve,” Hammond said.
The city had been celebrating Liverpool’s record-tying 20th title when the driver turned down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy.
“We know that Monday’s shocking scenes reverberated around the city of Liverpool, and the entire country, on what should have been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands of Liverpool FC supporters,” Hammond said.
Doyle remained in custody and faces his first court hearing Friday in Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.
Police had previously said they believed Doyle dodged a road block by tailing an ambulance responding to a report of a person in cardiac arrest.
Video that circulated on social media showed scenes of horror as the car struck and tossed a person in the air who was draped in a Liverpool flag and then swerved into a sea of people packed on the side of the road.
Merseyside Police said the driver was believed to have acted alone and they did not suspect terrorism.
“I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions,” Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said during a short news conference.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism to seek the answer to all of those questions.”
