Putin tells West: Russia cannot be defeated in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin. (Tucker Carlson Network/Reuters)
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Updated 09 February 2024
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Putin tells West: Russia cannot be defeated in Ukraine

WASHINGTON: President Vladimir Putin said in an interview released Thursday with controversial right-wing US talk show host Tucker Carlson that the West should understand it is “impossible” to defeat Russia in Ukraine.
In a two-hour interview with the former Fox News host — coming just ahead of the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — Putin also said a deal “can be reached” on imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
“There are certain terms being discussed via special services channels,” he said, while insisting that the reporter is a spy — something the Journal and US government vehemently deny.
It was the first one-on-one interview of Putin by someone from the Western media since 2019.
However Carlson, who is close to White House candidate and former president Donald Trump, asked few tough questions and largely listened while the Kremlin leader lectured him on his views of Russian history, portraying the country as a victim of Western betrayals.
Putin defended his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. And he said the West now realizes that Russia will not be defeated, despite US, European and NATO help to Ukraine.
“Up until now, there has been the uproar and screaming about inflicting a strategic defeat to Russia on the battlefield. But now they are apparently coming to realize that it is difficult to achieve, if possible, at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition,” he said.
He also aimed a message at the US Congress, where Trump-dominated Republicans are increasingly reluctant to keep backing Ukraine with weapons and other military aid.
“I will tell you what we are saying on this matter and what we are conveying to the US leadership. If you really want to stop fighting, you need to stop supplying weapons,” he said.
When asked if Moscow would consider invading other countries in the region — NATO members Poland and Latvia — or generally across the European continent, Putin said that was “out of the question.”
“We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don’t have any interest. It’s just threat mongering,” Putin said.
A war with Poland, he said, would happen “only in one case: if Poland attacks Russia.”
Asked about a possible change in leadership after the US election, where Biden is expected to face off against Trump in a rematch of their 2020 contest, Putin indicated he would see little change.
“You just asked me if another leader comes and changes something? It is not about the leader. It is not about the personality of a particular person.”
Facing Putin in matching white chairs with a small table between them, Carlson rarely pushed back in his interview in an ornate room at the Kremlin — recorded Tuesday and posted on Carlson’s own website — and did not challenge Putin over his relationship with Trump.
While president and since being defeated by Biden, Trump has repeatedly praised Putin and failed to condemn the invasion of Ukraine — saying that if he was reelected he would be able to solve the war in “24 hours,” though not saying how.
By contrast, Biden has branded Putin a “war criminal” and has made backing for Ukraine’s elected, pro-Western government one of the key priorities of his presidency.


Saudi exhibition takes Indonesians on virtual tour of Islamic heritage

Updated 6 sec ago
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Saudi exhibition takes Indonesians on virtual tour of Islamic heritage

  • ‘Jusoor’ exhibition runs until May 3 at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta
  • Visitors can also view rare manuscripts, learn Arabic calligraphy

JAKARTA: A week-long Saudi exhibition opened in Jakarta on Thursday, offering Indonesian visitors virtual tours of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, as well as a display of the features of the Holy Kaaba.

Organized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, the display, titled “Jusoor” or bridges, is being held at the Istiqlal Mosque complex in Jakarta.

The event is free to the public and will run until May 3.

It was inaugurated by Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and Saudi Arabia's Islamic Affairs Undersecretary Dr. Awwad bin Sabti Al-Anzi.

“This exhibition symbolizes the strengthening of cultural and diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, while also serving as a platform to introduce the rich history and civilization of Islam to the general public,” Umar said on social media.

“Through the collection of artifacts, ancient manuscripts, and interactive multimedia installations, (it) invites visitors to explore the Islamic world’s contribution to science, art and culture across time.”

Aside from the virtual tours of the two holy mosques, the Saudi exhibition in Jakarta features their scale models and photos of the Kaaba.

Designed to be educational and child-friendly, it also invites visitors to explore the printing of the Qur’an, view rare manuscripts, learn about Arabic calligraphy, and to taste qahwa — the traditional Arabic coffee.

Organizers are aiming to attract 1 million visitors.

“The exhibition, which aims to attract 1 million visitors, embodies the Kingdom’s efforts to spread moderation, serve the Holy Qur’an, and strengthen bridges of cultural and human communication between peoples,” the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs said in a statement on X.

According to Ahmad Zayadi, information director of Islamic affairs at Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Ministry, the event showcases Saudi Arabia’s role in world culture and history.

“(The Kingdom’s) standing in the Islamic world makes it a center of civilization that is inseparable from mankind’s history and cultural development,” Zayadi said.

“We are showing the world that religion and culture are not just legacies of the past, but a strategic foundation to build future civilizations.”


Ramaphosa to meet Trump ‘soon’ to discuss strained South Africa-US relations

Updated 7 min 43 sec ago
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Ramaphosa to meet Trump ‘soon’ to discuss strained South Africa-US relations

  • "We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths,'' Ramaphosa said
  • “We also spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries"

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday he will “meet soon” with US President Donald Trump to discuss relations between the two countries.
Ramaphosa said he had spoken to Trump and the two leaders had also agreed to discuss the peace process in Ukraine and the end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths. We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations,” Ramaphosa said in a post on social media platform X.


“We also spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries,” he added. Ramaphosa did not indicate when the meeting with Trump was likely to take place.
Relations between South Africa and the US have deteriorated since Trump took office earlier this year.
Trump has criticized South Africa’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war, which has seen the country take Israel to the International Court of Justice and accuse it of committing a genocide in Gaza.
Trump has also signed an executive order stopping all financial aid to South Africa and has also slapped South Africa with 37 percent trade tariffs on its exports to the US, which he subsequently paused for 90 days.
The cuts were an additional blow to the country after it also lost US funding for its key health programs including the fight against HIV.
Trump has also falsely accused South Africa of illegally seizing farms owned by white Afrikaner farmers after it enacted the Expropriation Act which empowers the government to expropriate land for public use.
He has offered to facilitate the resettlement of white Afrikaner farmers who wish to leave South Africa and move to the US
Last month, the US expelled Ebrahim Rasool, the South African ambassador to the US, over his criticism of Trump, who has hinted that he may not attend the G20 summit of world leaders scheduled to take place in Johannesburg in November.
Ramaphosa revealed his conversation with Trump as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was on an official visit to South Africa.
Zelensky held a planned meeting with Ramaphosa at the government’s Union Buildings in Pretoria.


In rare criticism of Putin, Trump urges the Russian leader to ‘STOP!’ after a deadly attack on Kyiv

Updated 20 min 51 sec ago
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In rare criticism of Putin, Trump urges the Russian leader to ‘STOP!’ after a deadly attack on Kyiv

  • “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” Trump said
  • “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!”

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Thursday offered rare criticism of Vladimir Putin, urging the Russian leader to “STOP!” after a deadly barrage of attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Russia struck Kyiv with an hourslong barrage of missiles and drones. At least nine people were killed and more than 70 injured in the deadliest assault on the city since last July. The strikes took place just as peace efforts are coming to a head.


Bangladesh observes three days of mourning for Pope Francis

A church attendant lights a candle beside a portrait of late Pope Francis before the start of a special service.
Updated 19 min 38 sec ago
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Bangladesh observes three days of mourning for Pope Francis

  • The pontiff visited Bangladesh in 2017, at the beginning of the Rohingya refugee crisis
  • Bangladesh’s chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, worked with Francis on poverty alleviation

DHAKA: National flags flew at half-mast in Bangladesh on Thursday as the Muslim-majority nation began three days of state mourning for Pope Francis.

The Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, died at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican on Monday. He was 88 years old.

Bangladesh’s interim administration issued a notification on Wednesday night, announcing that the government had decided to hold special prayers in memory of the pope and lower national flags to half-staff on buildings across the country, as well as at its missions abroad.

Bangladesh’s Christians account for less than 0.5 percent of its population. Most of them, about 400,000, are Catholic.

It is the first time Bangladesh is observing three days of remembrance for a Catholic leader.

“This is a great honor given to him,” Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario, former archbishop of Dhaka, told Arab News.

“Our country, Bangladesh, has decided well to mourn for three days. This is not because of the church, but because his messages were always universal, moral, and social.”

It was in the very first days of Francis’ papal service that the Rana Plaza building collapsed in Dhaka due to a structural failure, killing over 1,100 people, mostly garment factory workers.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the pope called for prayers for the victims and their families, and urged a renewed commitment to fighting for the rights and dignity of workers, reflecting his long-standing advocacy for social justice.

He visited Dhaka in 2017, at the invitation of its government and the Catholic Church, at the beginning of the Rohingya crisis, when hundreds of thousands of members of the predominantly Muslim ethnic group were forced to flee Myanmar.

The majority of them have been sheltered by neighboring Bangladesh. Francis met with the refugees during his visit.

“He had a (heavy) heart because of the suffering of the people, and he also tried publicly to see the miseries of these people. He was deeply touched by Bangladesh’s gesture,” D’Rozario said.

Revered by millions of Catholics around the world, the pope’s message resonated in Bangladesh too.

In his final address from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” caused by Israel’s ongoing deadly onslaught on the territory.

“He has been talking about the people’s suffering in Gaza ... On Easter Sunday, he spoke about four or five minutes about the Palestinians. So, there is that unity (in) support, also in Bangladesh,” D’Rozario said.

“Coming from Latin America, with a lot of suffering over there, a lot of poor people, he had a social message, a message on politics — good politics — a message on economics, message on trade and commerce, message on the international peace.”

The pope’s funeral mass will take place in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s chief adviser, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, who heads its interim government, is going to attend the service.

Yunus, an economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, worked with Francis on poverty alleviation.

“Pope Francis was a towering figure of moral clarity, humility, and compassion in our time. His lifelong dedication to justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being resonated far beyond the Catholic world,” he said in a statement on the pope’s passing.

“His leadership, rooted in the values of fraternity and service, inspired global efforts to uplift the poor, protect the vulnerable, and build a more humane and peaceful world.”


Al Shabab battles Somalia’s army for control of strategic military base

Updated 30 min 36 sec ago
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Al Shabab battles Somalia’s army for control of strategic military base

  • Al Shabab said in a statement that its fighters had captured the base and Wargaadhi town
  • Army officer Hussein Ali told Reuters the militants had taken the town of Wargaadhi after “fierce fighting“

MOGADISHU: Al Shabab fighters battled Somali troops and allied forces for control of a strategic army base in central Somalia on Thursday, the government and a military official said, as the Al-Qaeda-linked militants tried to extend recent gains in the region.
Capturing the base in Wargaadhi town in the Middle Shabelle region, which houses soldiers, special forces and clan fighters, would enable Al-Shabab to sever an important trunk road between the capital Mogadishu, 200 km (124 miles) to the southwest, and Galmudug State.
Al Shabab, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2007 to seize power, said in a statement that its fighters had captured the base and Wargaadhi town, something the government denied was the case.
The information ministry said in a statement that government forces had killed more than 40 militants after they attempted to attack the base on Thursday morning.
However, army officer Hussein Ali told Reuters the militants had taken the town of Wargaadhi after “fierce fighting.”
“Our forces lost 12 men, mostly (clan fighters). Around 20 Al-Shabab fighters were also killed,” Ali said. “But finally Al-Shabab got more reinforcements and managed to capture the town.”
He said Somalia’s military was struggling to send reinforcements because they would need to use routes passing through areas held by Al-Shabab.
Two soldiers said the government forces, backed by air strikes, had managed to recapture part of the town by mid-morning.
Reuters could not independently verify any of the claims made by either side about the fighting.
Last week Al-Shabab attacked the town of Adan Yabal, about 245 km (150 miles) north of Mogadishu which the military had been using as an operating base for raids on the group.
The attacks are part of an offensive by the group launched last month. Al Shabab briefly captured villages within 50 km (30 miles) of Mogadishu, raising fears among residents of the capital that the city could be targeted.
Somali forces have since recaptured those villages but Al-Shabab has continued to advance in the countryside, as the future of international security support to Somalia appears increasingly precarious.
A new African Union peacekeeping mission replaced a larger force at the start of the year, but its funding is uncertain, with the United States opposed to a plan to transition to a UN financing model.