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Japan Today
12 minutes ago
- Japan Today
Mali's military rulers arrest 2 generals, a suspected French agent and others in alleged coup plot
By BABA AHMED Mali's military rulers said Thursday they have arrested a group of military personnel and civilians, including two Malian generals and a suspected French agent, accused of attempting to destabilize the country. The announcement followed rumors in recent days of arrests of Malian army officers and was made by Mali's security minister, Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine on the evening news on the local media. He assured the audience that a full investigation was underway and that 'the situation is completely under control.' It comes amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent by Mali's military following the country's pro-democracy rally in May, the first since soldiers seized power nearly four years ago. The military provided few details about the alleged coup plotters, what it entailed and the French national implicated in it, beyond identifying the man as Yann Vezilier. The security minister said the Frenchman acted 'on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilized political leaders, civil society actors, and military personnel' in Mali. There was no immediate word from France, Mali's former colonial ruler, on the man's arrest. 'The transitional government informs the national public of the arrest of a small group of marginal elements of the Malian armed and security forces for criminal offenses aimed at destabilizing the institutions of the Republic,' Mohammedine said. 'The conspiracy has been foiled with the arrests of those involved," he said, adding that the plot began on Aug. 1. The national television broadcast photos of 11 people it said were members of the group that planned the coup. The minister also identified the two Malian generals he said were part of the plot. One, Gen. Abass Dembélé, is a former governor of the central Mopti region who was abruptly dismissed in May, when he demanded an investigation into allegations that the Malian army killed civilians in the village of Diafarabé. The other, Gen. Néma Sagara, was lauded for her role in fighting militants in 2012. Mali, along with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, has long battled an insurgency by armed militants, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Following two military coups, the ruling junta expelled French troops and instead turned to Russia for security assistance. But the security situation remains precarious, and attacks from extremist groups linked with al-Qaida intensified in recent months. In June, military leader Gen. Assimi Goita, was granted an additional five years in power, despite the junta's earlier promises of a return to civilian rule by March 2024. The move followed the military's dissolution of political parties in May. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Int'l Business Times
12 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
'Ridiculous': How Washington Residents View The New Troops In Town
Outside the busiest train station in Washington, newly deployed National Guard troops wearing camouflage lean on a huge military Humvee. Wary residents and curious tourists stop to take photos, while inside the elegant Union Station a string trio plays "What a Wonderful World." Christian Calhoun, a 26-year-old consultant who was born and raised in the US capital, told AFP that seeing the troops made him "more than disappointed -- I'm furious." "It's a lot of standing around," he added. Declaring that Washington is overrun by crime and plagued by homeless people, President Donald Trump has deployed 800 National Guard troops, as well as ordering a federal takeover of the city's police department. Over more than an hour on Thursday afternoon, the most that the handful of troops at Union Station interacted with the public was to let a French tourist take a selfie with them. Larry Janezich, an 81-year-old resident, said he had not seen the troops taking part in "any kind of meaningful action that is dedicated to the prevention of crime." Patricia Darby, a 65-year-old retiree, said that the troops "don't want to be here," pointing to how some had their faces covered. Calhoun said he does "feel bad" for them as they wore heavy combat gear as temperatures soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius). On his Truth Social platform, Trump this week described Washington as "under siege from thugs and killers," with higher crime rates than "many of the most violent Third World Countries." Residents outside Union Station rejected the apocalyptic image. "It's ridiculous, and it really just shows how (Trump) sees the people that live here," Calhoun said. "It's totally false, and obviously promulgated on his media to justify an unwarranted exercise of federal power," Janezich said. Gerry Cosgrove, a 62-year-old tourist from the Scottish city of Edinburgh only in Washington for two days, had a simple response when asked about Trump's portrayal of the city: "To quote a phrase: fake news." Trump has also ordered homeless people to "move out" of Washington. "Where are they going to go?" Darby asked, after fetching a bottle of water for a homeless person in the heat. Randy Kindle, who volunteers with a protest group in a tent outside Union Station, told AFP he was afraid that homeless people could now end up in confinement or jail "when all they need is help." Guadalupe, a homeless man in his late 70s originally from Mexico, told AFP that the troops had asked him to move on Wednesday night. "They have no manners," he said in Spanish. "I almost felt sick" during the interaction, he added. Calhoun said he had mostly seen the troops outside train stations, adding that he noticed they had "a lot of focus on cannabis use." Washington legalized cannabis use on private property in 2015, however it is still prohibited under federal law. Several residents also raised the cost of deploying the troops in their city. "It's a waste of money -- I think DC was safe," Darby said. National Guard troops set up a post outside Washington's Union Station AFP A Washington resident speaks to a National Guard member outside Union Station AFP The troops patrol outside Union Station, with the US Capitol in the background AFP Some of the troops covered their faces AFP
The Herald Scotland
26 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Ukraine cause akin to Second World War Allies, Starmer says before Alaska talks
Speaking in Downing Street, Sir Keir said: 'I sat on this terrace this very morning with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, who is fighting for the same values as we were fighting for. And so when we say never forget, we must pass on the stories of those who have gone before us.' It came as US President Donald Trump suggested European leaders could be invited to a second meeting if the summit is successful, which could pave the way to peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine. President Donald Trump (Alex Brandon/AP) Mr Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at the summit which could see the drawing up of peace terms for Ukraine. Mr Trump and Sir Keir have spoken optimistically about a potential ceasefire, including at a virtual meeting of Ukrainian allies on Wednesday. Leaders of the European-led 'coalition of the willing' could then join talks between Mr Trump, Mr Putin and Ukrainian leader Mr Zelensky to end the war. The possibility was raised by Mr Trump in the White House on Thursday, before he flew to Anchorage where he will meet Mr Putin. He said: 'We have a meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin tomorrow, I think it's going to be a good meeting. 'But the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we're having. We're going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself, and maybe we'll bring some of the European leaders along. Maybe not.' The PA news agency understands that Sir Keir will attend a meeting if he is invited. He has been a central player in the coalition group which also includes French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Mr Trump added: 'I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelensky will make peace. We'll see if they can get along. And if they can it will be great.' The head of the British armed forces, Sir Tony Radakin, said the West should not be 'cowed' by Mr Putin and praised the strength of Britain and Nato. Writing in the Telegraph on the anniversary of VJ Day, he said: 'Putin doesn't want a war with Nato because he would lose. So we should not be cowed by his rhetoric or his campaign of sabotage, outrageous as it may be. 'The one weapon that is most needed in our arsenal is confidence. Despite the global instability, Britain is secure at home. Nato is strong. Russia is weak. It is not complacent to point this out.' Sir Keir met Mr Zelensky in Downing Street on Thursday. They both said there was 'strong resolve' for peace in Ukraine. The two leaders embraced as the red carpet was rolled out for Mr Zelensky's arrival in Downing Street, and they later discussed the conflict. They expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a truce 'as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious' about ending the war, a Downing Street statement said. In a separate statement, Mr Zelensky said there had been discussions about the security guarantees required to make any deal 'truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killing'. But concerns linger over the prospect of Kyiv being excluded from negotiations over its own future, and pressured to cede territory, after Mr Trump suggested any agreement may need to involve 'swapping of land'.
