International

Zelensky says Macron talking to Putin ‘in vain’

AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that French leader Emmanuel Macron is trying “in vain” to have a constructive dialogue with Russian President Putin, according to an interview transcript released by Kyiv Friday.

“We must not look for a way out for Russia, and Macron is doing it in vain,” Zelensky told Italian television Rai 1, according the Ukrainian president’s Telegram channel.

“I know he wanted to get results from mediation between Russia and Ukraine, but he didn’t get any,” Zelensky said.

Moscow, he said, would not seek any end to the fighting “until Russia itself wants and understands that it needs” this.

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The Elysee told AFP on Friday that Marcon had “never discussed anything with Vladimir Putin without the agreement of President Zelensky”.

“He has always said that it is up to the Ukrainians to decide the terms of their negotiation with the Russians.”

The French leader said earlier this week that Russia and Ukraine would have to come to a negotiated truce and that peace efforts would not be served by Russia’s “humiliation”.

Zelensky said that “some European leaders think we need to find a way of talking with Putin”.

“We have been looking for them for years. And today, these routes are littered with bodies, bodies of our people,” the Ukrainian leader added.

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Zelensky however repeated his offer to speak with Putin directly but described talks with Russian as “no longer possible”.

“Today, the stage when we could sit down with Russia has passed.”

Macron is one of the few Western leaders to speak to Putin since Moscow moved troops into Ukraine on February 24, spending hours on telephone calls trying to negotiate a resolution to the conflict.

Putin on Friday spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and insisted that Russia was fighting “Nazi ideology” in Ukraine.

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International

Two Police Officers Shot During Road Clearance Operation in Eastern Bolivia

At least two police officers were wounded by gunfire on Saturday during an operation to clear roadblocks in Bolivia’s eastern Santa Cruz region, which has remained partially cut off for 24 days amid protests demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.

The joint operation involving the Police and the Armed Forces began at 6:00 a.m. local time near the town of San Julián, approximately 117 kilometers northeast of Santa Cruz city. The effort focused on reopening an alternative highway linking the region with Beni and western Bolivia.

According to Santa Cruz Police Commander David Gómez, protesters initially responded aggressively to the security operation.

“Local groups organized themselves and began attacking us brutally with firecrackers, stones, and other objects,” Gómez told reporters. “We used chemical agents in an attempt to disperse the crowd, which was behaving aggressively.”

Authorities initially succeeded in reopening the roadway, allowing vehicles to pass through. However, protesters later regrouped and engaged in renewed clashes with police forces that lasted for more than four hours.

During the confrontation, gunshots were heard, forcing both police and military personnel to withdraw from the area.

Gómez reported that one officer suffered a gunshot wound to the head, while another was struck in the right thigh. Both officers were evacuated for medical treatment.

The police commander stated that demonstrators not only carried out physical attacks against officers but also used firearms during the confrontation, prompting authorities to order a tactical retreat.

The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions surrounding the ongoing protests in Santa Cruz, where demonstrators have maintained roadblocks for more than three weeks as part of their campaign against the government.

International

U.S. to invest $700 million in coal plants and mines under Trump initiative

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a $700 million funding package aimed at supporting the American coal industry, marking the latest step in his administration’s efforts to boost the use of the fossil fuel.

According to Trump, the funding will be used to keep 14 coal-fired power plants operating across ten states, maintain 42 coal mines, and support the construction of two new power plants and an export terminal.

The president said the initiative will be financed through the Defense Production Act, a law enacted in 1950 that grants emergency powers to the president to support and direct domestic industries considered critical to national interests.

Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has pursued policies designed to expand domestic energy production and roll back a number of environmental regulations. He has also repeatedly questioned the scientific consensus regarding human-caused climate change.

Coal remains the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel and is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions among major energy sources, making it a central focus of debates over climate policy and energy security.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the initiative, describing coal as a critical resource for both electricity generation and industrial production.

The announcement comes as global energy markets continue to evolve. According to an analysis by the Global Energy Monitor, the world added and commissioned more coal-fired power capacity in 2025, although overall coal consumption declined. The report also found that the United States was the only major economy to record a significant increase in coal-fired power generation during that period.

The new funding package underscores the administration’s commitment to supporting traditional energy industries while debate continues over the balance between energy security, economic growth and environmental objectives.

International

Four decapitated bodies found in abandoned vehicle near Guerrero state Congress

Police in Mexico have found four decapitated bodies inside an abandoned vehicle parked near the state Congress building in Guerrero, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The southern state of Guerrero, home to the resort city of Acapulco, has long been affected by violent clashes between criminal organizations competing for control of drug trafficking routes.

According to prosecutors cited by AFP, the bodies were wrapped in black plastic bags and left inside a car parked at one of the rear entrances of the legislative building in the state capital, Chilpancingo.

Authorities say the region has seen intensified conflict between rival drug trafficking groups, including the Sierra Cartel and Los Ardillos, a criminal organization that Indigenous communities have accused of carrying out attacks in the mountainous, impoverished areas of the state.

The ongoing violence highlights the persistent security crisis in Guerrero, where organized crime continues to exert significant influence over large parts of the territory.