International

NATO accuses Russia and North Korea of “dangerously expanding” the war in Ukraine

NATO, along with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine, “strongly” condemned this Friday the decision of Russia and North Korea to “dangerously expand” the war against Ukraine by involving “thousands of troops” North Koreans in the war.

That decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, is a “dangerous expansion” of North Korea’s “already substantial support” for Russia’s war effort with “the supply of millions of ammunition and ballistic missiles” in its war against Ukraine, the Atlantic Council said in a statement, joined by Canberra, Tokyo, Wellington, Seoul and Kiev.

And it is that the deepening of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea “deeply” affects Euro-Atlantic security, but with implications also for the Indo-Pacific region, said the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s highest decision-making body.

Military cooperation between Russians and North Koreans

In addition, the increase in military cooperation between Russians and North Koreans constitutes “a violation of multiple resolutions” of the United Nations Security Council, including 2270 (2016), 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009), which is “especially scandalous if one takes into account Russia’s status as a permanent member” of it, they stressed.

For that reason, they urged Russia to comply again with those resolutions and to abide by its international obligations.

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They also pointed out that Russia’s statement of September 26 in which it stated that the denuclearization of North Korea “is not on the table” is “unacceptable.”

That position, they noted, “undermines the global non-proliferation regime, directly contradicts the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and further exacerbates regional tensions.”

Russian declaration

For the North Atlantic Council, the Russian declaration is part of its broader effort to undermine the global non-proliferation regime and dismantle United Nations sanctions.

Therefore, NATO and the five signatories urged all other countries not to provide any kind of help to Russia’s aggression and condemned “all those who facilitate and, therefore, prolong Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.”

In this context, NATO said it will continue to work with its partners, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, to promote peace and stability and prevent Russia and those who facilitate its war effort from undermining regional and global stability.

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While stressing that the allies remain “as determined as ever” to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”

International

Death toll from southern Spain train crash rises to 40

The death toll from the train accident that occurred on Sunday in southern Spain has risen to 40, according to investigative sources cited by EFE on Monday afternoon.

Since early Monday, search operations have focused on the damaged carriages of a Renfe train bound for Huelva, which collided with the last derailed cars of an Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid after it left the tracks.

The crash has also left more than 150 people injured. Of these, 41 remain hospitalized, including 12 in intensive care units at hospitals across the Andalusia region.

More than 220 Civil Guard officers are working at the site, searching the railway line and surrounding areas for key evidence to help identify victims and determine the causes of the accident.

The tragedy has revived memories of the deadliest railway disasters in Europe in recent decades. In Spain, the most severe occurred on July 24, 2013, when an Alvia train derailed near Santiago de Compostela, killing 80 people and injuring 130 others.

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At the European level, the worst rail disaster took place on June 3, 1998, in Eschede, northern Germany, when a high-speed train struck a bridge pillar at 200 kilometers per hour, resulting in 98 deaths and 120 injuries.

International

Spain’s Prime Minister pledges transparency after train crash kills at least 39

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged on Monday to ensure “absolute transparency” regarding the causes of a train crash that killed at least 39 people on Sunday in southern Spain, warning that the death toll could still rise.

The fatal accident occurred in the Andalusia region, where the number of confirmed deaths reached 39 by Monday morning, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior.

Authorities were preparing to deploy heavy machinery to lift several derailed train cars. “We are waiting for cranes to be installed this morning to lift cars one, two and three of the Alvia train, which suffered the most damage,” said Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno Bonilla on regional television. “It is likely that once they are lifted, we may find more victims,” he added.

The disaster also left more than 120 people injured. As of Monday afternoon, 43 victims remained hospitalized, including 12 in intensive care, according to emergency services.

International

Over 160 christian worshippers kidnapped in Kaduna Church attacks

More than 160 Christian worshippers were abducted on Sunday during coordinated attacks carried out by armed gangs on two churches in a remote village in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, according to a cleric and a United Nations report accessed by AFP on Monday.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has witnessed a renewed surge in mass kidnappings since November, prompting the United States government to carry out military strikes on Christmas Day in the northwestern state of Sokoto.

U.S. President Donald Trump accused Nigerian armed groups of targeting Christians, describing the violence as a form of “genocide” against the religious community.

According to Reverend Joseph Hayab, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the north, the attackers arrived in large numbers, blocked access to the churches, and forced worshippers to flee into nearby forests.

“The attackers came in large numbers, sealed off the entrances to the churches, and drove the faithful into the bush,” Hayab told AFP.