AFP USA

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold talks in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the Trump administration’s controversial proposal to end the war in Ukraine.The meeting comes after Washington said it was feeling confident about the plan, following talks with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida.”I think the administration feels very optimistic,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.Meanwhile Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was seeking support from European allies, who fear that the US plan — drafted without input from Kyiv or Europe — reads like a wishlist for Moscow.But Ukraine’s negotiator Rustem Umerov said “significant progress” had been achieved in the Florida talks, even though more work was needed on “challenging” issues.Zelensky arrived in Ireland Monday night for an in-person briefing from Umerov after talks in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron.He was greeted on the tarmac by Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who posted on social media “Our support for the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy remains unwavering.”More than three-and-a-half years into Russia’s large-scale offensive in Ukraine, an AFP analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed that the Russian army last month made its biggest advance in Ukraine since November 2024.The situation for Kyiv has been further complicated by a corruption scandal that has rocked Zelensky’s inner circle and forced the dismissal last week of his top negotiator and chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.”We are expecting a conversation with the president of the United States on key issues that are quite challenging,” Zelensky said in Paris.He said Russia had stepped up missile and drone strikes on his country to “break” the will of Ukrainians.”This is serious pressure, not only psychological but also physical pressure on our population,” Zelensky said.Macron said the current moment “could be decisive for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.”Zelensky insisted Russia should not receive any concession that “it could consider as a reward for this war.””The aggressor must pay for the aggression,” he said.Zelensky and Macron spoke by telephone to Witkoff and Umerov in Florida, the Elysee Palace said, while Zelensky’s talks in Paris also included phone conversations with other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The flurry of communication continued with a call between Macron and Trump later Monday in which they discussed “next steps in the mediation efforts” and the French president “particularly emphasised the central importance of security guarantees necessary for Ukraine”, according to the Elysee.- ‘Highest’ pressure -Washington’s initial 28-point proposal to halt the war would have seen Kyiv withdraw from territory it still controls in its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognise the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.After talks in Geneva, the United States updated the original blueprint, but the current contents remain unclear.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed concern over the planned Putin-Witkoff meeting, saying she feared “all the pressure will be put on the weaker side, because that is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders.”Macron emphasised that “there is currently no finalised plan on the territorial issues, strictly speaking. It can only be finalised by President Zelensky”.He also hailed new US sanctions on the Russian energy industry as a “game changer”, saying that in the next weeks he expected pressure on the sector to be “the highest since the beginning of the war”.- Biggest advance in a year -The diplomatic push comes as the war — which has killed tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel and displaced millions of Ukrainians — shows no sign of easing.Russia claimed on Monday to have captured Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub that Ukraine had been defending.A Russian missile attack killed four people and wounded nearly two dozen others on Monday in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the regional governor said.By the end of November, the Russian army controlled, fully or partially, 19.3 percent of Ukrainian territory, according to the analysis of data from the ISW, which works with the Critical Threats Project.burs-sjw-sct/tc/mtp

A son of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman pleaded guilty Monday in a Chicago court to drug trafficking charges in a deal that would see him cooperate with US prosecutors for a reduced sentence.Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of four sons of the jailed Sinaloa cartel leader, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise — reversing the original not guilty stance he took after his July 2024 arrest in Texas, court filings showed.Under the plea deal filed with the court and seen by AFP, prosecutors agreed that the judge could spare him life imprisonment on the drug charges — depending on his level of cooperation.”Defendant understands that the decision to depart from the applicable guideline sentence…the mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment, rests solely with the Court,” the filing said.Guzman Lopez, who will be sentenced by the judge in the case at a later date, must also pay an $80 million charge representing the proceeds of his crimes.Another of his three brothers, Ovidio Guzman — as part of a plea deal struck in exchange for a reduced sentence — pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy related to drug trafficking and two counts of participating in the activities of a criminal enterprise.Ovidio Guzman also admitted that he and his brothers, known as “Los Chapitos,” had taken over their father’s operations within the cartel.The 68-year-old “El Chapo” is serving a life sentence at a supermax federal prison in Colorado following his 2016 arrest and 2019 conviction.”Based upon facts now known to the government, defendant has clearly demonstrated a recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility for his criminal conduct,” the plea deal said.Guzman Lopez was involved in the shipment of “hundreds or thousands of kilograms” of cocaine, heroin, meth and marijuana from Mexico to the United States, the filing added.- Trump war on drugs -In July 2024, Joaquin Guzman Lopez initially pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering, and weapons possession.He was taken into custody that month when he arrived in Texas aboard a small private plane, along with the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael “Mayo” Zambada.Zambada claimed to have been misled about the destination and abducted by Guzman Lopez to be handed over against his will to the United States.Following the arrest, clashes intensified between two factions of the cartel, headed respectively by the Guzman brothers and Zambada.The infighting led to approximately 1,200 deaths in Mexico and around 1,400 disappearances, according to official figures.Washington accuses the Sinaloa cartel of trafficking fentanyl to the United States, where the synthetic drug has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths in recent years, straining relations with Mexico.The Sinaloa cartel is one of six Mexican drug-trafficking groups that US President Donald Trump has designated as global terrorist organizations.In its aggressive policy against drug cartels, the Trump administration announced additional sanctions against “Los Chapitos” in June for fentanyl trafficking and increased the reward to $10 million for each of the fugitive brothers.The two other “Chapitos” — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar — have also been indicted on drug trafficking charges in the United States but remain at large.

US First Lady Melania Trump unveiled this year’s White House Christmas decorations on Monday — in a reduced space after President Donald Trump demolished part of the historic building for a new ballroom.The 55-year-old’s theme for the season was “Home is Where the Heart Is,” despite the fact that she spends relatively little time in Washington, preferring New York and Florida.Decorations featured a giant Lego portrait of her 79-year-old husband, a huge gingerbread White House, thousands of decorative butterflies, and more than 50 Christmas trees in the first holiday season of the president’s second term.”Home is not merely a physical space; rather, it is the warmth and comfort I carry within, regardless of my surroundings,” Melania Trump said in a statement released by the White House.But the actual physical space available at the White House for the Christmas decorations is smaller this year.In previous years many of the most dramatic displays have traditionally been in the East Wing, where the first lady’s offices were based and guests to the White House entered for seasonal events.The East Wing has now been reduced to rubble to make way for Donald Trump’s $300 million ballroom, with workers knocking down some of the final bricks on Monday, an AFP photographer saw.So this year’s Christmas decorations are all in the main mansion of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.The centerpiece this year is the 18-foot (5.5-meter) tree in the White House Blue Room, a concolor fir from the state of Michigan which features gold stars to commemorate the families of fallen US service members.The decorations also include accents in red, white and blue to mark next year’s 250th anniversary of American independence, and baubles for Melania Trump’s “Be Best” education initiative.President Trump himself meanwhile showed that he was in no hurry to celebrate his last Christmas in the White House anytime soon. His second term is due to end in 2029.”We have a little more than three years left, and three years for Trump is an eternity,” Trump told guests at a Christmas party, in a video shared by a White House official. 

US President Donald Trump summoned his top national security officials to the Oval Office on Monday to discuss Venezuela, as his counterpart Nicolas Maduro rejected a “slave’s peace” amid mounting fears of American military action.The meeting comes as Trump ramps up pressure with a major naval build-up in the Caribbean, bombings of suspected drug-ferrying boats, and ominous warnings to avoid Venezuelan airspace.”I will confirm that the president will be meeting with his national security team on this subject and on many matters,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing when asked by AFP about reports of the meeting.Leavitt would not say whether Trump would reach a final decision after months of tensions with Caracas, saying she was “definitely not going to detail the specifics of the meeting.”But she declined to rule out the possibility of US troops on the ground on Venezuela.”There’s options at the president’s disposal that are on the table, and I’ll let him speak on those,” Leavitt said.- ‘Peace of colonies’ -Maduro, who accuses Washington of seeking to topple him, told thousands of supporters at a rally in Caracas that Venezuela does not want a “slave’s peace.””We want peace, but peace with sovereignty, equality, freedom!” said Maduro, who danced on stage with flag-waving supporters during the event. “We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies.”The United States has moved the world’s largest aircraft carrier and other warships into the region, and designated an alleged drug cartel run by Maduro as a terrorist group as tensions mount with Venezuela.Washington says the aim of the military deployment launched in September is to curb drug trafficking in the region, but Caracas insists regime change is the ultimate goal.Trump confirmed Sunday he had recently spoken with Maduro for the first time since returning to office in January, but would not give details.”I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.The New York Times reported that Trump and Maduro had discussed a possible meeting, while The Wall Street Journal said that the conversation also included conditions of amnesty if Maduro were to step down.Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” talk show that the United States has offered Maduro the chance to leave his country for Russia or elsewhere. – Airstrike controversy -The United States accuses Maduro, the political heir to Venezuela’s late leftist leader Hugo Chavez, of heading the “Cartel of the Suns” and has issued a $50 million reward for his capture.Venezuela and countries that support it insist no such organization even exists. The United States also does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate winner of last year’s presidential election.But Trump’s administration faces growing controversy over air strikes that have targeted alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing at least 83 people. Trump said Sunday he would “look into” claims the military conducted a “double-tap” strike that killed two survivors clinging to a burning boat in the Caribbean in early September.The White House defended the move, saying that the admiral who leads US Special Operations Command had ordered the follow-up strike, and that he was acting lawfully.Admiral Frank Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” Leavitt said.

A son of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman pleaded guilty Monday in Chicago to a narcotics trafficking charge and continuing criminal enterprise, US media reported.Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of four sons of the jailed Sinaloa cartel leader, originally pleaded not guilty after his July 2024 arrest in Texas, but changed it at US District Court in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported.Another of his three brothers, Ovidio Guzman — as part of a plea deal struck in exchange for a reduced sentence — pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy related to drug trafficking and two counts of participating in the activities of a criminal enterprise.Ovidio Guzman also admitted that he and his brothers, known as “Los Chapitos,” had taken over their father’s operations within the cartel.The 68-year-old “El Chapo” is serving a life sentence at a supermax federal prison in Colorado following his 2016 arrest and 2019 conviction.- Trump war on drugs -In July 2024, Joaquin Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering, and weapons possession.He was taken into custody that month when he arrived in Texas aboard a small private plane, along with the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael “Mayo” Zambada.Zambada claimed to have been misled about the destination and abducted by Guzman Lopez to be handed over against his will to the United States.Following the arrest, clashes intensified between two factions of the cartel headed respectively by the Guzman brothers and Zambada.The infighting led to approximately 1,200 deaths in Mexico and around 1,400 disappearances, according to official figures.Washington accuses the Sinaloa cartel of trafficking fentanyl to the United States, where the synthetic drug has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths in recent years, straining relations with Mexico.The Sinaloa cartel is one of six Mexican drug-trafficking groups that US President Donald Trump has designated as global terrorist organizations.In its aggressive policy against drug cartels, the Trump administration announced additional sanctions against “Los Chapitos” in June for fentanyl trafficking and increased the reward to $10 million for each of the fugitive brothers.The two other “Chapitos” — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar — have also been indicted on drug trafficking charges in the United States but remain at large.

US President Donald Trump has “excellent” cardiovascular health, his doctor said Monday, citing an MRI taken during an unannounced hospital visit that ignited fresh scrutiny over his medical condition.The Republican billionaire, who turns 80 in June, has long faced criticism for limited transparency around his health. His sudden October 10 trip to Walter Reed medical center — outside the usual annual exam — spurred speculation about what prompted the check-up.But in a memo released by the White House, physician Sean Barbabella said the advanced imaging was purely preventive, intended “to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality.””Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health. His abdominal imaging is also perfectly normal. All major organs appear very healthy and well-perfused,” Barbabella said.MRI scans, or magnetic resonance imaging, are commonly used to detect serious conditions such as tumors, strokes and multiple sclerosis, as well as more minor issues like muscle tears and inflammation.Pressed by reporters in recent weeks, Trump — the oldest person ever sworn in as US president — had sidestepped questions about the purpose of the visit, directing inquiries to his medical team.During his second term, he has often appeared with bruising on his right hand, occasionally covered with makeup. The White House has attributed the marks to the aspirin he takes as part of a “standard” cardiovascular health regimen.In the summer, the administration disclosed that Trump had been evaluated for swelling in his legs and diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition in which faulty vein valves allow blood to pool, causing swelling, cramping and skin changes. It can be managed with medication or targeted procedures.

The United States said Monday it was optimistic about pushing through a controversial deal to end the war in Ukraine as President Donald Trump’s envoy headed to Moscow.Steve Witkoff, Trump’s business partner turned roving emissary, is set to meet Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose military on Monday claimed a key town in Ukraine more than three years after he ordered the invasion.”I think the administration feels very optimistic,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was seeking support from European allies who fear that the US plan — drafted without input from Kyiv or Europe — reads like a wishlist for Moscow.But Ukraine’s negotiator Rustem Umerov said “significant progress” had been achieved in two days of talks with Witkoff and other US officials in Florida, even though more work was needed on “challenging” issues.Zelensky was flying to Ireland for an in-person briefing from Umerov after talks in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron.More than three-and-a-half years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, an AFP analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed that the Russian army last month made its biggest advance in Ukraine since November 2024.The situation for Kyiv has been further complicated by a corruption scandal that has rocked Zelensky’s inner circle and forced the dismissal last week of his top negotiator and chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.”We are expecting a conversation with the president of the United States on key issues that are quite challenging,” Zelensky said in Paris.He said Russia had stepped up missile and drone strikes on his country to “break” the will of Ukrainians.”This is serious pressure, not only psychological but also physical pressure on our population,” Zelensky said.Macron said the current moment “could be decisive for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.”Zelensky insisted Russia should not receive any concession that “it could consider as a reward for this war.””The aggressor must pay for the aggression,” he said.Zelensky and Macron spoke by telephone to Witkoff and Umerov in Florida, the Elysee Palace said, while Zelensky’s talks in Paris also included phone conversations with other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The flurry of communication continued with a call between Macron and Trump later Monday in which they discussed “next steps in the mediation efforts” and the French president “particularly emphasized the central importance of security guarantees necessary for Ukraine,” according to the Elysee.- ‘Highest’ pressure -Washington’s initial 28-point proposal to halt the war would have seen Kyiv withdraw from territory it still controls in its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognize the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.After talks in Geneva, the United States updated the original blueprint, but the current contents remain unclear.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed concern over the planned Putin-Witkoff meeting, saying she feared “all the pressure will be put on the weaker side, because that is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders.”Macron emphasized that “there is currently no finalized plan on the territorial issues, strictly speaking. It can only be finalized by President Zelensky.”He also hailed new US sanctions on the Russian energy industry as a “game changer,” saying that in the next weeks he expected pressure on the sector to be “the highest since the beginning of the war”.- Biggest advance in a year -The diplomatic push comes as the war — which has killed tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel and displaced millions of Ukrainians — shows no sign of easing.Russia claimed on Monday to have captured Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub that Ukraine had been defending.A Russian missile attack killed four people and wounded nearly two dozen others on Monday in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the regional governor said.By the end of November, the Russian army controlled, fully or partially, 19.3 percent of Ukrainian territory, according to the analysis of data from the ISW, which works with the Critical Threats Project.burs-sjw-sct/iv

US President Donald Trump summoned his top national security officials to the White House on Monday to discuss Venezuela, as tensions rise over potential military action by Washington.The meeting in the Oval Office comes as Trump piles pressure on President Nicolas Maduro with a major naval build-up in the Caribbean and ominous warnings to avoid Venezuelan airspace.”I will confirm that the president will be meeting with his national security team on this subject and on many matters,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing when asked by AFP about reports of the meeting.Leavitt would not say whether Trump would reach a final decision after months of tensions with Caracas, saying she was “definitely not going to detail the specifics of the meeting.”But she declined to rule out the possibility of US troops on the ground on Venezuela, maintaining the White House’s previous ambiguity about possible military action.”There’s options at the president’s disposal that are on the table, and I’ll let him speak on those,” Leavitt said.The United States has moved the world’s largest aircraft carrier and other warships into the region, and designated an alleged drug cartel run by Maduro as a terrorist group as tensions mount with Venezuela.Washington says the aim of the military deployment launched in September is to curb drug trafficking in the region, but Caracas insists regime change is the ultimate goal.Trump confirmed Sunday he had recently spoken with Maduro for the first time since returning to office in January, but would not give details.”I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.- ‘Threat to the United States’ -The New York Times reported that Trump and Maduro had discussed a possible meeting, while The Wall Street Journal said that the conversation also included conditions of amnesty if Maduro were to step down.Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” talk show that the United States has offered Maduro the chance to leave his country for Russia or elsewhere. The United States accuses Maduro, the political heir to Venezuela’s late leftist leader Hugo Chavez, of heading the “Cartel of the Suns” and has issued a $50 million reward for his capture.Venezuela and countries that support it insist no such organization even exists. The United States also does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate winner of last year’s presidential election.Trump’s administration meanwhile faces growing controversy over air strikes that have targeted alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing at least 83 people. Trump said Sunday he would “look into” claims the military conducted a “double-tap” strike that killed two survivors clinging to a burning boat in the Caribbean in early September.The White House defended the move, saying that the admiral who leads US Special Operations Command had ordered the follow-up strike, and that he was acting lawfully.Admiral Frank Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” Leavitt said.

US President Donald Trump has “excellent” cardiovascular health, his doctor said Monday, citing an MRI taken during an unannounced hospital visit that ignited fresh scrutiny over his medical condition.The Republican billionaire, who turns 80 in June, has long faced criticism for limited transparency around his health. His sudden October 10 trip to Walter Reed medical center — outside the usual annual exam — spurred speculation about what prompted the check-up.But in a memo released by the White House, physician Sean Barbabella said the advanced imaging was purely preventive, intended “to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality.””Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health. His abdominal imaging is also perfectly normal. All major organs appear very healthy and well-perfused,” Barbabella said.MRI scans, or magnetic resonance imaging, are commonly used to detect serious conditions such as tumors, strokes and multiple sclerosis, as well as more minor issues like muscle tears and inflammation.Pressed by reporters in recent weeks, Trump — the oldest person ever sworn in as US president — had sidestepped questions about the purpose of the visit, directing inquiries to his medical team.During his second term, he has often appeared with bruising on his right hand, occasionally covered with makeup. The White House has attributed the marks to the aspirin he takes as part of a “standard” cardiovascular health regimen.In the summer, the administration disclosed that Trump had been evaluated for swelling in his legs and diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition in which faulty vein valves allow blood to pool, causing swelling, cramping and skin changes. It can be managed with medication or targeted procedures.

The US Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday on whether internet service providers should be held liable for the online pirating of copyrighted music by their users.Cox Communications, a major broadband ISP, is asking the court to throw out a jury verdict awarding $1 billion in damages to Sony Music Entertainment and other record labels.Cox was accused in the high-stakes 2019 case of failing to take action against customers accused of illegally downloading copyrighted music.Joshua Rosenkranz, an attorney representing Cox, warned of “cataclysmic” consequences if the court did not limit the company’s copyright liability.The only way for an ISP to avoid liability is to “cut off the internet, not just for the accused infringer, but for anyone else who happens to use the same connection,” Rosenkranz said.”That could be entire towns, universities or hospitals, turning internet providers into internet police,” he said.A majority of the nine justices appeared sympathetic to the argument that many innocent subscribers could be punished for the actions of a few.At the same time, several questioned whether Cox should entirely escape liability.Cox, even when it is aware of copyright infringement by particular users, has apparently been “doing nothing,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor.”Why aren’t you contributing to that infringement?” Sotomayor asked.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson also expressed skepticism of Cox’s position.”What concerns me a bit is you’re encouraging us to adopt a common law rule that would essentially eliminate liability,” Jackson said.Rosenkranz objected to the claims that the company was doing nothing to crack down on habitual copyright offenders.Cox sends out hundreds of warnings to subscribers each day and has suspended tens of thousands of accounts accused of copyright infringement, he said.Paul Clement, representing Sony and the other music labels, said Cox is not doing enough to tackle the problem and cannot escape liability.”Liability for copyright infringement is not limited to direct infringers, but extends to those who induce, cause or materially contribute to the infringement of others,” Clement said.The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the case before the end of its term in June.