International

Russia adds Navalny to ‘terrorists and extremists’ list

AFP

Russia on Tuesday added jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to a list of “terrorists and extremists”, as authorities continue a clampdown on the opposition.

Navalny and several of his allies, including key aide Lyubov Sobol, appeared Tuesday on a database of banned individuals compiled by the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring (Rosfinmonitoring).

According to Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation — which was declared extremist and shut down last year — nine other Navalny allies were added to the list on Tuesday.

The decision puts them on a par with right-wing nationalist groups and foreign terrorist organisations, including the Taliban and the so-called Islamic State group.

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Earlier this month, two other key aides of the opposition politician were added to the list.

The past year has seen an unprecedented crackdown on dissent in Russia, including the jailing of President Vladimir Putin’s top critic Navalny last January and the outlawing of his political organisations.

Almost all of his top allies have since fled the country.

Navalny — Putin’s most vocal domestic opponent — has been behind bars since returning to Moscow in January 2021 from Germany, where he was recovering from a poisoning attack with a nerve agent that he blames on the Kremlin.

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International

Venezuela’s interim president predicts 37% increase in revenues for 2026

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, said Wednesday that the country’s revenues are expected to increase by about 37% in 2026, in a statement made during a session of the Federal Government Council at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas.

Rodríguez said the projected rise in foreign currency income comes as agreements on Venezuelan oil sales with the United States are being implemented, including deals in which Washington will trade Venezuelan crude and manage the proceeds before transferring funds to Caracas.

“This year, revenues expressed in foreign currency will increase by 37%,” Rodríguez declared, according to EFE. She noted that the increase will also benefit regional governments and local authorities. “You will have more resources for your management, which I know you need,” she added.

Rodríguez said the distribution formula for revenues will remain the same as in 2025: 53% for communes, 29% for state governments, 15% for municipalities, and 3% for institutional strengthening. She also said the government would intervene to “correct imbalances” in how funds are allocated, particularly among some municipal and regional authorities.

The announcement follows reporting that Venezuela received at least $300 million from oil revenues tied to a U.S.–Venezuela deal that could involve up to 50 million barrels of crude. Washington officials have said the interim government met U.S. requirements under the agreement.

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International

Four minors killed in deadly clash between FARC dissidents in Colombia’s Amazon

Four minors died last weekend during a confrontation between two dissident factions of the former FARC guerrilla group in Colombia’s Amazon region, a clash that left 27 people dead in total, most of them rebels, the country’s forensic authority reported on Wednesday.

The fighting involved fighters loyal to Iván Mordisco, Colombia’s most wanted criminal, and a rival group led by Calarcá. Both factions rejected the 2016 Peace Agreement that led to the disarmament of the bulk of the FARC and are now battling for control of drug trafficking routes and other illicit activities.

According to the Colombian Army, the majority of those killed were combatants from the rival armed groups.

International

Trump to invite Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez to Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump will invite Delcy Rodríguez to Washington after she assumed Venezuela’s interim presidency following the fall of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military incursion.

Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, took full control of the government after assuming office, implementing cabinet changes and reshuffling 12 of the country’s 28 regional military commands.

Washington confirmed on Wednesday that Rodríguez’s visit is being planned, although no date has been set. “Nothing has been scheduled,” officials said.

If the visit takes place, Rodríguez would become the first Venezuelan head of state to travel to the United States in more than 25 years, excluding trips to New York for United Nations meetings.

The invitation underscores the close relationship between Trump and Venezuela’s interim government, following the January 3 bombing of Caracas, which led to the capture of the socialist leader.

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“We are in a process of dialogue and cooperation with the United States, without fear of confronting differences or difficulties,” Rodríguez said on Wednesday, without directly referring to the invitation.

Despite the diplomatic engagement, Rodríguez remains subject to U.S. sanctions, including the freezing of assets.