In India’s congested cities, delivery apps cash in

In India’s sprawling financial hub of Mumbai armies of “dabbawalas” have for decades crisscrossed the city by foot and bicycle, delivering home-cooked food to office workers who are keen to avoid the searing heat and traffic-snarled streets.Now, across the country, young entrepreneurs are taking that tradition to the next level with the explosion of shopping apps that allow customers to get hold of not only food and drink but anything else from clothes to iPhones — within minutes.The so-called quick commerce apps are redefining the retail game, not only disrupting e-commerce titans such as Amazon with their speed and efficiency but also long-established “mom and pop” stores which are no longer convenient enough.At a warehouse managed by online grocer BigBasket in central Mumbai, employees work with military-like precision to pull off deliveries in just 10 minutes.These warehouses are known within the industry as “dark stores”, a reference to being closed off to customers.When a new order is received, a worker leaps into action, darting through aisles filled with everything from fizzy drinks to vegetables, packing a bag of groceries handed to a motorbike rider — the modern-day “dabbawala”, Hindi for “lunchbox man”.Local tech companies have poured in billions to set up these nifty logistical networks across big cities, fuelling India’s rapid shopping industry.  – ‘Unprecedented’ -For millions of customers, it’s an easy way to avoid shopping in the sweltering heat — visiting multiple food stalls — and spending hours navigating the country’s notorious traffic jams. Growth has been “very strong”, BigBasket co-founder Vipul Parekh told AFP, pointing to forecasts that indicate a compounded annual growth rate of more than 60 percent over the next two to three years. “When you talk of a large industry transforming and growing at this pace, that is unprecedented,” he said. Delivery apps such as Getir or Jokr have faltered in Europe and the United States in recent years, as pandemic-induced demand wore off and rising inflation pinched customer wallets.  But sales in India have soared from $100 million in 2020 to an estimated $6 billion in 2024, according to projections by market analysis firm Datum Intelligence.This could hit $40 billion by the end of the decade, according to investment bank JM Financial.    Companies say India’s quick commerce’s growth is partly down to the sheer scale of people living in tight-packed cities within a roughly two kilometre (one mile) radius of a “dark store”, said Parekh.”The revenue potential in that catchment is very high,” he said.A lack of many traditional supermarket grocery chains in India aid the business model, he said. Rinish Ravindra, a regular user, admits that they make him “lazy”, but argues that the convenience is unbeatable. “I just press a bunch of keys and all of it comes delivered to home,” says the 32-year-old, who works in Mumbai’s film industry. Local players have made rapid progress but competition is heating up. Amazon is getting its act together, along with Walmart-owned Flipkart and billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries as they belatedly roll out rapid delivery offerings.”One of the problems with e-commerce players like Amazon is that, until now, they’ve relied on these big fulfilment centres that sit on the outside or outskirts of cities,” said Satish Meena of Datum Intelligence.”These aren’t suited for rapid delivery, which is why they now need to invest to build their own dark store networks within urban areas.”  – ‘Just order it online’ -However, a more crowded industry threatens the sustainability of the sector that has already seen one prominent start-up go bust.”My sense is that the market is good enough for two to three players,” said Rahul Malhotra of Bernstein, a research firm, adding that the total addressable market may be worth around $50-$60 billion. “Some of the early movers, with hyperlocal capabilities obviously, have an advantage here.”The sector could also face challenges from thousands of small, family-run shops. The Confederation of All India Traders, a leading industry group that claims to represent over 90 million small businesses, has called for “a nationwide movement” against newer platforms. Its president likened quick commerce to being a “modern-day East India Company”, a reference to the rapacious British power that began in the 17th century to seize swathes of India, preceding colonial rule.For now, customers are voting with their wallets.  “When I think of groceries I think, ‘I can just order it online’,” said Ravindra. 

In India’s congested cities, delivery apps cash in

In India’s sprawling financial hub of Mumbai armies of “dabbawalas” have for decades crisscrossed the city by foot and bicycle, delivering home-cooked food to office workers who are keen to avoid the searing heat and traffic-snarled streets.Now, across the country, young entrepreneurs are taking that tradition to the next level with the explosion of shopping apps that allow customers to get hold of not only food and drink but anything else from clothes to iPhones — within minutes.The so-called quick commerce apps are redefining the retail game, not only disrupting e-commerce titans such as Amazon with their speed and efficiency but also long-established “mom and pop” stores which are no longer convenient enough.At a warehouse managed by online grocer BigBasket in central Mumbai, employees work with military-like precision to pull off deliveries in just 10 minutes.These warehouses are known within the industry as “dark stores”, a reference to being closed off to customers.When a new order is received, a worker leaps into action, darting through aisles filled with everything from fizzy drinks to vegetables, packing a bag of groceries handed to a motorbike rider — the modern-day “dabbawala”, Hindi for “lunchbox man”.Local tech companies have poured in billions to set up these nifty logistical networks across big cities, fuelling India’s rapid shopping industry.  – ‘Unprecedented’ -For millions of customers, it’s an easy way to avoid shopping in the sweltering heat — visiting multiple food stalls — and spending hours navigating the country’s notorious traffic jams. Growth has been “very strong”, BigBasket co-founder Vipul Parekh told AFP, pointing to forecasts that indicate a compounded annual growth rate of more than 60 percent over the next two to three years. “When you talk of a large industry transforming and growing at this pace, that is unprecedented,” he said. Delivery apps such as Getir or Jokr have faltered in Europe and the United States in recent years, as pandemic-induced demand wore off and rising inflation pinched customer wallets.  But sales in India have soared from $100 million in 2020 to an estimated $6 billion in 2024, according to projections by market analysis firm Datum Intelligence.This could hit $40 billion by the end of the decade, according to investment bank JM Financial.    Companies say India’s quick commerce’s growth is partly down to the sheer scale of people living in tight-packed cities within a roughly two kilometre (one mile) radius of a “dark store”, said Parekh.”The revenue potential in that catchment is very high,” he said.A lack of many traditional supermarket grocery chains in India aid the business model, he said. Rinish Ravindra, a regular user, admits that they make him “lazy”, but argues that the convenience is unbeatable. “I just press a bunch of keys and all of it comes delivered to home,” says the 32-year-old, who works in Mumbai’s film industry. Local players have made rapid progress but competition is heating up. Amazon is getting its act together, along with Walmart-owned Flipkart and billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries as they belatedly roll out rapid delivery offerings.”One of the problems with e-commerce players like Amazon is that, until now, they’ve relied on these big fulfilment centres that sit on the outside or outskirts of cities,” said Satish Meena of Datum Intelligence.”These aren’t suited for rapid delivery, which is why they now need to invest to build their own dark store networks within urban areas.”  – ‘Just order it online’ -However, a more crowded industry threatens the sustainability of the sector that has already seen one prominent start-up go bust.”My sense is that the market is good enough for two to three players,” said Rahul Malhotra of Bernstein, a research firm, adding that the total addressable market may be worth around $50-$60 billion. “Some of the early movers, with hyperlocal capabilities obviously, have an advantage here.”The sector could also face challenges from thousands of small, family-run shops. The Confederation of All India Traders, a leading industry group that claims to represent over 90 million small businesses, has called for “a nationwide movement” against newer platforms. Its president likened quick commerce to being a “modern-day East India Company”, a reference to the rapacious British power that began in the 17th century to seize swathes of India, preceding colonial rule.For now, customers are voting with their wallets.  “When I think of groceries I think, ‘I can just order it online’,” said Ravindra. 

Législatives au Suriname pour décider qui gérera la future manne pétrolière

Entre continuité autour de l’actuel président Chan Santokhi, ou retour de la domination du parti de l’ex-président récemment décédé Desi Bouterse, le Suriname va élire ses députés à l’Assemblée qui décidera du nouveau tandem présidentiel de ce petit pays pauvre d’Amérique du sud promis à des lendemains meilleurs grâce au pétrole. Cette ancienne colonie néerlandaise, minée depuis son indépendance en 1975 par des rebellions et coups d’Etat, dispose d’importantes réserves pétrolières off-shore découvertes récemment. Elles devraient offrir au pays, où 20% de la population vit sous le seuil de pauvreté, une importante manne financière à partir de 2028, quand débutera la production.Le président sortant Chan Santokhi, ancien policier puis ministre de la Justice, rendu célèbre pour sur la lutte contre la corruption et le trafic de drogue, vise un deuxième mandat.Auteur de réformes économiques impopulaires pour sortir du surendettement, il promet des investissements dans divers domaines grâce à l’or noir mais fait face à l’ombre de l’ancien président Desi Bouterse (2010-2020), qui avait dirigé le pays d’une main de fer après un coup d’Etat en 1980. Condamné aux Pays-Bas pour trafic de cocaïne et au Suriname pour le meurtre d’opposants en 1982 lorsqu’il était chef de la junte, Bouterse est décédé en décembre dans la clandestinité. Sa figure reste toutefois célébrée, notamment parmi la classe populaire où son franc-parler faisait merveille.Les intentions de vote donnent un légère avance au camp du VHP, le parti de M. Santokhi, sur le NDP de Boutserse désormais dirigé par Ashwin Adhin, ex-vice-président, et Jennifer Simons, présidente de l’Assemblée nationale.Sur les 51 sièges du Parlement, le VHP en décrocherait entre 16 et 18, pas assez pour gouverner seul, et le NDP entre 14 et 16. Les deux partis affirment qu’ils ne feront pas alliance.Avec un corps électoral de 399.937 inscrits, la marge d’erreur est grande, et l’incertitude sur le score tout autant. L’ABOP de l’actuel vice-président et ancien chef rebelle Ronnie Brunswijk, également condamné pour trafic de cocaïne, et le NPS de Gregory Rusland pourraient faire office d’arbitres. Le NPS est le parti de l’ancien président Ronald Venetian, qui a dirigé le pays de 1991 à 1996 puis de 2000 à 2010.Sans compter les petits partis qui décrocheront un ou plusieurs sièges… qu’ils monnayeront pour une place dans le futur gouvernement.Les résultats ne seront que provisoires dimanche soir. Une fois qu’ils seront rendus officiels par l’autorité électorale, d’ici trois semaines, la nouvelle Assemblée nationale aura un mois pour se réunir et élire à la majorité des deux-tiers le président et le vice-président.- Plus de 700 candidats -Parmi les plus de 700 candidats des 14 partis en lice aux législatives figure Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, la veuve de Desi Bouterse, sous le mandat duquel le Suriname était considéré comme un narco-Etat, selon des sources diplomatiques.  L’arrivée au pouvoir de M. Santokhi avait rassuré les marchés financiers et les institutions internationales, notamment le Fonds monétaire international qui avait accordé un prêt pour aider le pays à restructurer sa dette abyssale. Mais les survols non-autorisés d’avions, considérés transportant de la cocaïne notamment produite en Colombie, ont eux augmentés depuis 2020, selon les mêmes sources.Cette élection décidera quel parti prendra les rênes d’un pays aux finances assainies mais à sec en attendant les dividendes du pétrole avec l’exploitation d’un bloc offshore à 220.000 barils par jour. C’est beaucoup plus que les 5 à 6.000 aujourd’hui, et cette manne va transformer un Suriname en manque criant d’infrastructures, mais pas forcément assez pour devenir un nouvel eldorado, selon des spécialistes qui tempèrent l’euphorie.”Cet argent sera utilisé pour la diversification de notre économie”, a assuré à l’AFP M. Santokhi, citant agriculture, tourisme, santé, éducation et énergies vertes.Malgré l’exploitation d’énergies fossiles, il se dit certain que le pays néerlandophone, couvert à 90% de forêts et affecté par l’érosion côtière, continuera d’être l’un des rares au monde à absorber plus de dioxyde de carbone qu’il n’en émet. 

Législatives au Suriname pour décider qui gérera la future manne pétrolière

Entre continuité autour de l’actuel président Chan Santokhi, ou retour de la domination du parti de l’ex-président récemment décédé Desi Bouterse, le Suriname va élire ses députés à l’Assemblée qui décidera du nouveau tandem présidentiel de ce petit pays pauvre d’Amérique du sud promis à des lendemains meilleurs grâce au pétrole. Cette ancienne colonie néerlandaise, minée depuis son indépendance en 1975 par des rebellions et coups d’Etat, dispose d’importantes réserves pétrolières off-shore découvertes récemment. Elles devraient offrir au pays, où 20% de la population vit sous le seuil de pauvreté, une importante manne financière à partir de 2028, quand débutera la production.Le président sortant Chan Santokhi, ancien policier puis ministre de la Justice, rendu célèbre pour sur la lutte contre la corruption et le trafic de drogue, vise un deuxième mandat.Auteur de réformes économiques impopulaires pour sortir du surendettement, il promet des investissements dans divers domaines grâce à l’or noir mais fait face à l’ombre de l’ancien président Desi Bouterse (2010-2020), qui avait dirigé le pays d’une main de fer après un coup d’Etat en 1980. Condamné aux Pays-Bas pour trafic de cocaïne et au Suriname pour le meurtre d’opposants en 1982 lorsqu’il était chef de la junte, Bouterse est décédé en décembre dans la clandestinité. Sa figure reste toutefois célébrée, notamment parmi la classe populaire où son franc-parler faisait merveille.Les intentions de vote donnent un légère avance au camp du VHP, le parti de M. Santokhi, sur le NDP de Boutserse désormais dirigé par Ashwin Adhin, ex-vice-président, et Jennifer Simons, présidente de l’Assemblée nationale.Sur les 51 sièges du Parlement, le VHP en décrocherait entre 16 et 18, pas assez pour gouverner seul, et le NDP entre 14 et 16. Les deux partis affirment qu’ils ne feront pas alliance.Avec un corps électoral de 399.937 inscrits, la marge d’erreur est grande, et l’incertitude sur le score tout autant. L’ABOP de l’actuel vice-président et ancien chef rebelle Ronnie Brunswijk, également condamné pour trafic de cocaïne, et le NPS de Gregory Rusland pourraient faire office d’arbitres. Le NPS est le parti de l’ancien président Ronald Venetian, qui a dirigé le pays de 1991 à 1996 puis de 2000 à 2010.Sans compter les petits partis qui décrocheront un ou plusieurs sièges… qu’ils monnayeront pour une place dans le futur gouvernement.Les résultats ne seront que provisoires dimanche soir. Une fois qu’ils seront rendus officiels par l’autorité électorale, d’ici trois semaines, la nouvelle Assemblée nationale aura un mois pour se réunir et élire à la majorité des deux-tiers le président et le vice-président.- Plus de 700 candidats -Parmi les plus de 700 candidats des 14 partis en lice aux législatives figure Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, la veuve de Desi Bouterse, sous le mandat duquel le Suriname était considéré comme un narco-Etat, selon des sources diplomatiques.  L’arrivée au pouvoir de M. Santokhi avait rassuré les marchés financiers et les institutions internationales, notamment le Fonds monétaire international qui avait accordé un prêt pour aider le pays à restructurer sa dette abyssale. Mais les survols non-autorisés d’avions, considérés transportant de la cocaïne notamment produite en Colombie, ont eux augmentés depuis 2020, selon les mêmes sources.Cette élection décidera quel parti prendra les rênes d’un pays aux finances assainies mais à sec en attendant les dividendes du pétrole avec l’exploitation d’un bloc offshore à 220.000 barils par jour. C’est beaucoup plus que les 5 à 6.000 aujourd’hui, et cette manne va transformer un Suriname en manque criant d’infrastructures, mais pas forcément assez pour devenir un nouvel eldorado, selon des spécialistes qui tempèrent l’euphorie.”Cet argent sera utilisé pour la diversification de notre économie”, a assuré à l’AFP M. Santokhi, citant agriculture, tourisme, santé, éducation et énergies vertes.Malgré l’exploitation d’énergies fossiles, il se dit certain que le pays néerlandophone, couvert à 90% de forêts et affecté par l’érosion côtière, continuera d’être l’un des rares au monde à absorber plus de dioxyde de carbone qu’il n’en émet. 

Informal therapy offers healing at George Floyd memorial

Down the road from where George Floyd was killed five years ago, a woman listened quietly as the man opposite shared his lingering anger over the death filmed and shared around the world.”When that video was blasted all over the place I was in disbelief… Haven’t we as a country learned?” said the gray-haired Black man, who sat on a foldable red-checkered chair with his outstretched feet crossed. Across from him, 76-year-old Rita Davern occasionally nodded, her hands clasped in her lap during most of the half-hour conversation that the pair allowed AFP to witness.They were taking part in re-evaluation counseling — an informal practice of peer-to-peer discussions aimed at healing trauma — which was deployed at a memorial event in Minneapolis marking the five-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder. Researchers have found his killing by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, took an emotional toll on Black Americans in particular, with a study finding that nearly one million more would have screened positive for depression in the week after his death.”If you’re experiencing fear or grief or anything, if you have somebody you can talk to about it, there’s some kind of healing that happens,” Davern, a white filmmaker, said later.”I think it matters that a white person listens because that’s what usually doesn’t happen,” she added. The man, 54, who asked to be named only as Mr Davis, agreed: “Change happens with discussions among common people, not among the people in positions of power and influence.”- ‘Re-traumatized’ -For some, the emotions on this anniversary have been stirred up by the recent calls from some of President Donald Trump’s right-wing allies for him to pardon Floyd’s killer.Janet Kitui, 57, said she felt “re-traumatized” by that news. “That struck a raw nerve for me,” she told AFP. “That would really erase a human life that was George Floyd, and subsequently any of us who are Black in these United States.”Kitui, a procurement officer living in Minneapolis, said attending the weekend memorial event offered her a sense of comfort. “To be here is to be with fellow people who are honoring George Floyd, and that is healing in itself,” she said.The memorial event focused partly on self-care, with stands offering free massages and art therapy sessions for children. Meanwhile, the informal counseling allowed for people to reflect on the legacy of Floyd’s death. At one point, Davis asked Davern how race issues are perceived in her neighborhood.”I see white people, my people, more scared of going out, you know, more scared of talking to their neighbors,” Davern said. Davis interrupted: “What are they afraid of?””We’re afraid of what we don’t know, we’re afraid of coming here today. It’s just the division of our society,” Davern replied. 

George Floyd’s uncertain legacy is marked five years on

Americans on Sunday mark five years since George Floyd was killed by a US police officer, as President Donald Trump backtracks on reforms designed to tackle racism.Floyd’s deadly arrest on May 25, 2020 helped launch the Black Lives Matter movement into a powerful force that sought to resolve America’s deeply rooted racial issues, from police violence to systemic inequality. But since Trump’s return to power in January –- he was serving his first term when Floyd died -– his administration has axed civil rights investigations and cracked down on diversity hiring initiatives.BLM, meanwhile, finds itself lacking the support it enjoyed when protesters sprawled across US cities during the Covid pandemic — with many now agreeing the movement achieved little of substance.An anniversary event is taking place in what has been named George Floyd Square, the area of Minneapolis where the 46-year-old took his final breath as police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest.A small junction in a residential part of the northern US city, the square is covered with protest art including a purple mural that reads “You Changed the World, George.”That optimistic message painted in 2020 is now, however, at odds with a president whose more extreme allies have suggested he pardon Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering Floyd and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.Some experts believe Trump’s re-election was partly a backlash to BLM activism, which included protests that turned to riots in some cities and calls to defund the police. Floyd’s family members told AFP in Minneapolis on Friday that they wanted people to continue pushing for reform despite the hostile political climate.”We don’t need an executive order to tell us that Black lives matter,” said his aunt Angela Harrelson, who wore a dark T-shirt depicting Floyd’s face.”We cannot let a setback be a holdback for the great comeback. Donald Trump just didn’t get the memo,” she added to nods from other relatives standing beside her.Paris Stevens, a Floyd cousin, agreed: “No one can silence us anymore.”- ‘Keep the memory going’ -The Floyd relatives, with around 50 other people, held a moment of silence on Friday afternoon before placing yellow roses on the roadside spot where Floyd’s fatal arrest was filmed and shared around the world.It was a moment of reflection –- others include a candlelight vigil on Sunday night –- during a weekend otherwise devoted to music, arts and dancing.Memorial events have been held annually since Floyd’s death and the theme for this one -– “The People Have Spoken” -– was suggested by Nelson Mandela’s grandson Nkosi when he visited the square, according to Harrelson.She said the defiant title was meant to reflect five years of protesting, adding that “even though it’s tiresome, we go on.”Visitors are expected to pay their respects through the weekend.Jill Foster, a physician from Minneapolis, told AFP at the square on Friday that she felt honoring Floyd’s legacy was partly a form of political resistance.”Under the Trump administration, everything is trying to be rewritten and a new reality created,” the 66-year-old said. “We have to keep the memory going and keep the information flowing.”Meanwhile, for Courteney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend when he died, the anniversary weekend brings up powerful feelings of personal loss.”I miss him so much, I miss him by my side,” Ross, 49, told AFP, dressed in black and holding a bunch of yellow roses. “It’s beautiful to see all the people come out and celebrate him,” she added.”You see a unification that you don’t get a lot in this country lately, and people are celebrating a man who, you know, gave his life for us.”

Nouvelle attaque aérienne massive sur l’Ukraine avant un dernier échange de prisonniers

L’Ukraine subit une nouvelle attaque aérienne massive tôt dimanche matin, tandis qu’à Moscou des drones ukrainiens ont contraint des aéroports à des fermetures temporaires, quelques heures avant un dernier échange prévu de prisonniers entre la Russie et l’Ukraine.Plus d’une dizaine de drones russes ont été détectés tôt dimanche matin à Kiev, faisant au moins dix blessés ont indiqué les autorités de la ville, des journalistes de l’AFP ayant entendu des explosions. L’essentiel du pays était sous alerte aérienne après des tirs de missiles de croisière.Il s’agit de la deuxième nuit d’attaques importantes contre Kiev, après quelque 250 drones et 14 missiles balistiques détectés dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi par les forces aériennes ukrainiennes, ciblant en majorité la capitale.Des attaques ont aussi été signalées sur les régions de Mykolaïv et Kherson dans le sud du pays, par les autorités locales.”Plus d’une douzaine de drones ennemis se trouvent déjà dans l’espace aérien autour de la capitale. De nouveaux s’approchent également”, a indiqué Timour Tkatchenko, chef de l’administration militaire de Kiev aux premières heures du matin dimanche.”L’ennemi risque d’utiliser un grand nombre de drones et de missiles à partir d’avions stratégiques”, a-t-il ajouté”, sur Telegram.”Kiev subit une attaque massive” a indiqué plus tard le maire de Kiev Vitali Klitschko, après avoir indiqué que “dix personnes ont été blessées dans la capitale. Deux d’entre elles ont été hospitalisées”.A Moscou, le maire a fait état de plus d’une dizaine de drones ukainiens au dessus de la capitale russe.”Le personnel des services d’urgence travaille sur le site où les débris sont tombés” a écrit Sergueï Sobianine, sur Telegram.Quatre aéroports moscovites, dont le principal Cheremetievo, ont été temporairement fermés puis rouverts tôt dimanche, selon l’agence nationale de l’aviation Rossaviatsia.Ces attaques surviennent en plein échange de prisonniers, une dernière étape étant prévue dimanche, seul résultat tangible des premiers pourparlers directs entre Russes et Ukrainiens mi-mai à Istanbul.- Conditions pour un accord -Samedi, 307 prisonniers de guerre russes ont été échangés contre le même nombre de militaires ukrainiens, ont annoncé Kiev et Moscou.Le premier volet de ce vaste échange, au format 1.000 pour 1.000, avait porté vendredi sur 270 militaires et 120 civils de chaque camp. L’échange de prisonniers et de corps de militaires tués au combat reste l’un des derniers domaines de coopération entre Kiev et Moscou, alors que la Russie occupe environ 20% du territoire ukrainien.Après plus de trois ans de combats, les deux pays détiennent des milliers de prisonniers de guerre.L’échange de vendredi avait été annoncé par Donald Trump, qui a affirmé vouloir amener les deux belligérants à négocier pour mettre fin le plus vite possible au “bain de sang”. Le chef de la diplomatie russe, Sergueï Lavrov, a indiqué vendredi que Moscou travaillait sur un document exposant “les conditions d’un accord durable, global et à long terme sur le règlement” du conflit, qui sera transmis à l’Ukraine une fois l’échange de prisonniers finalisé.Kiev doit faire de même pour ses propres conditions.”L’Ukraine est prête à toute forme de diplomatie qui produit des résultats, nous sommes prêts à toutes les étapes qui garantiront une sécurité réelle. C’est la Russie qui n’est prête à rien”, a déploré samedi M. Zelensky, dans son allocution quotidienne.Selon lui, la semaine prochaine devra être consacrée “à mettre une nouvelle pression sur la Russie”.Parallèlement, les combats continuent sur le front, où l’armée russe, plus nombreuse et mieux équipée, poursuit dans certains secteurs une lente avancée, malgré des pertes importantes.Le ministère russe de la Défense a revendiqué samedi la conquête de deux villages ukrainiens, Stoupotchki et Odrané, situés dans la région de Donetsk (est), qui reste l’épicentre des affrontements.A plus de 300 km de là, le ministère a également affirmé samedi que ses troupes s’étaient emparés de la localité de Loknia, dans la région de Soumy (nord-est), frontalière de la Russie et où Moscou a dit vouloir créer une zone tampon pour prévenir des incursions ukrainiennes sur son territoire.

Syria reboots interior ministry as Damascus seeks to reassure West

Syrian authorities on Saturday announced an interior ministry restructuring that includes fighting cross-border drug and people smuggling as they seek to improve ties with Western nations that have lifted sanctions.Keen to reboot and rebuild nearly 14 years after a devastating civil war broke out, the new authorities in Damascus have hailed Washington’s lifting of US sanctions.The move was formalised Friday after being announced by President Donald Trump on a Gulf tour this month during which he shook hands with Syria’s jihadist-turned-interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.Spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said the interior ministry restructure included reforms and creating “a modern civil security institution that adopts transparency and respects international human rights standards”.It includes setting up a citizens’ complaints department and incorporating the police and General Security agency into an Internal Security command, he told a press conference.A border security body for Syria’s land and sea frontiers will be tasked with “combating illegal activities, particularly drug and human smuggling networks”, Baba said.The restructure includes “strengthening the role of the anti-drug department and further developing its importance within Syria and abroad” after the country became a major exporter of illicit stimulant captagon, he added.Another department will handle security for government facilities and foreign missions, as embassies reopen in Syria following Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December.A tourism police body will secure visitors and sites as the war-torn country — home to renowned UNESCO World Heritage sites — seeks to relaunch tourism.- ‘Of critical importance’ -Syria’s foreign ministry welcomed Washington’s lifting of sanctions, calling the move “a positive step in the right direction to reduce humanitarian and economic struggles in the country”.Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the recent US and European Union steps to lift sanctions were “of critical importance in efforts to bring stability and security to Syria”.The European Union announced the lifting of its economic sanctions on Syria earlier this month.Sharaa met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday on his third visit to Turkey since taking power on a visit to discuss “common issues”, Syria’s presidency said.Ankara is a major backer of Syria’s new authorities, who are negotiating with Kurdish forces that control swathes of the northeast and that Turkey considers “terrorists”.A government delegation made a first visit Saturday to the notorious Al-Hol camp in the northeast that hosts families of suspected Islamic State (IS) group jihadists.Trump said he wanted to give Syria’s new rulers “a chance at greatness” after their overthrow of Assad.While in Istanbul, Sharaa met with the US ambassador to Turkey, who doubles as Washington’s Syria envoy.In a statement, Tom Barrack said: “President Trump’s goal is to enable the new government to create the conditions for the Syrian people to not only survive but thrive.”He added that it would aid Washington’s “primary objective” of ensuring the “enduring defeat” of IS.US sanctions were first imposed on Syria in 1979 under the rule of Bashar al-Assad’s father Hafez.They were sharply expanded after the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011 triggered Syria’s civil war.The new administration has been looking to build relations with the West and roll back sanctions, but some governments expressed reluctance, pointing to the Islamist past of leading figures. – ‘Recovery and reconstruction’ -The sanctions relief extends to the new government on condition that Syria does not provide safe haven for terrorist organisations and ensure security for religious and ethnic minorities, the US Treasury Department said.Concurrently, the US State Department issued a 180-day waiver for the Caesar Act to make sure that sanctions do not obstruct foreign investment in Syria.The 2020 legislation severely sanctioned any entity or company cooperating with the now ousted government.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the waiver would “facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water and sanitation, and enable a more effective humanitarian response across Syria”.However, Rubio cautioned that Trump “has made clear his expectation that relief will be followed by prompt action by the Syrian government on important policy priorities”.He said lifting the sanctions aims to promote “recovery and reconstruction efforts”.Syria’s 14-year civil war killed more than half a million people and ravaged its infrastructure.The interior ministry’s spokesman said around a third of the population had been under suspicion by the Assad government’s feared intelligence and security services.Analysts say a full lifting of sanctions may take time, as some US restrictions are acts that need to be reversed by Congress.Syrian authorities also need to ensure an attractive environment for foreign investment.

After brief X outage, Musk says refocusing on businesses

Social media platform X was hit by a two-hour outage Saturday, prompting owner Elon Musk to say he needs to spend more time focusing on his companies.His statement echoed comments earlier this month suggesting he would reduce his role in US President Donald Trump’s administration.The world’s richest person has an extraordinarily full plate as owner/CEO of X, xAI (developer of the AI-powered chatbot Grok), electric-car maker Tesla and rocket builder SpaceX — not to mention his recent polarizing efforts to help Trump slash the size of the US federal government.As backlash to those cuts grew and Tesla share prices slipped, Musk began drawing away from the government role, confirming last week that he was down to one or two days a week at the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency.”Still, the man who contributed more than $235 million to Trump’s election campaign remains a close advisor to the US president, attending an Oval Office meeting with the South African president on Wednesday.After the X outage on Saturday, Musk suggested that he may have been away from his companies for too long.”As evidenced by the X uptime issues this week, major operational improvements need to be made,” he said.”The failover redundancy should have worked, but did not.”X had largely returned to normal service by 11:00 am US Eastern time (1500 GMT) Saturday. The SITE Intelligence Group reported that hacker-activist group DieNet had claimed responsibility for the outage.DieNet, it said, had called the attack a “test” of its so-called Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) capabilities — flooding the system with online traffic to make it inaccessible to legitimate users. AFP was unable to independently verify DieNet’s claim of responsibility, and X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the outage.- ‘Super focused’ -“Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms,” Musk posted on X. “I must be super focused on X/xAI and Tesla (plus Starship launch next week), as we have critical technologies rolling out.” SpaceX announced Friday that it plans to attempt a new launch of its mega-rocket Starship next week. Still under development, Starship exploded in flight during two previous launches.Starship is key to Musk’s long-term plans to colonize Mars, and SpaceX has been betting on the launch of numerous Starship prototypes — despite the explosive failures — to quickly identify and address problems.The South African-born billionaire has for weeks been signaling that he would reduce his political role to refocus on his businesses.Early this month, Musk acknowledged that his ambitious effort to slash US federal spending did not fully reach its goals, despite tens of thousands of job cuts and drastic budget reductions.This week, he said he would pull back from spending his fortune on politics, although he did not rule out backing future causes “if I see a reason.”Of his recent political donations, he said: “I did what needed to be done.”