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Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, denies a ‘diplomatic crises’ with Spain over conquest row3h agoKathryn A. ArmstrongEPAMexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said that there was “no crisis” between Mexico and Spain following years of frosty relationships over the conquest. “There is no crisis diplomatic. There has never been a diplomatic crisis. What is very important is that we recognise the strength of our country’s indigenous peoples,” she said as she arrived at a summit of left-leaning leaders in Barcelona on Saturday.Spain’s colonisation of Mexico has become a thorny issue in recent years, prompting calls for an apology and an apparent diplomatic snub.The summit, which seeks to address a rise in illiberalism, comes as far-right leaders met in Italy for a rally against immigration and EU bureaucracy.Sheinbaum’s comments came moments before she met the Barcelona summit’s co-chair, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who did not comment on the state of his nation’s relations with Mexico.However, Spain’s economy minister was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that Sheinbaum’s presence was “a very important and positive sign of a rapprochement between the two countries”.Her visit is the first by a Mexican president in eight years.Relations between Spain and Mexico deteriorated in 2019 when Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, demanded that Spain apologise for human rights violations during its conquest. Sheinbaum’s comments came moments before she met the Barcelona summit’s co-chair, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who did not comment on the state of his nation’s relations with Mexico. However, Spain’s economy minister was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that Sheinbaum’s presence was “a very important and positive sign of a rapprochement between the two countries”. Her visit is the first by a Mexican president in eight years. Spain refused to send a representative. King Felipe, who visited an exhibition on indigenous Mexican women in Madrid, said that “there are things that, when we study them, with our present-day criteria, our values, obviously cannot make us feel proud.” His words marked the first time a Spanish monarch had publicly acknowledged abuses during the country’s colonial era. “There are things that, when we study them, with our present-day criteria, our values, obviously cannot make us feel proud,” he had said while visiting an exhibition on indigenous Mexican women in Madrid.King Felipe’s words marked the first time a Spanish monarch had publicly acknowledged abuses during the country’s colonial era.It then emerged that, a month prior, Sheinbaum had invited him to the upcoming Fifa World Cup.She said that the sporting event – being hosted jointly with the US and Canada – would provide “a timely opportunity to evoke the depth and unique character of the ties between Mexico and Spain”, according to the Spanish royal palace.Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares won plaudits from Sheinbaum last October when he said there had been “pain and injustice” in the countries’ shared history.EPASaturday’s summit in Spain was the fourth meeting of the In Defence of Democracy initiative, which aims to counter extremism and illiberalism. Sanchez said that democracy cannot be taken for given. “We are seeing attacks on the multilateralism system, attempts to challenge international law and a dangerous normalisation in the use of violence. “His cochair, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, said that the UN Security Council did not work and that the five permanent members, the US, China Russia, France and UK, who all hold veto powers, had become “lords in war”. Lula said that no president, no matter how powerful, had the right to impose rules on other nations. The Patriots for Europe, a right-wing party in the European Parliament, held a rally in Milan. The event’s organizer, Italy’s Deputy PM Matteo Salvini and Geert wilders, leader of the Dutch PVV, also took part. Salvini told the crowd that the Alliance of Patriots was the only true opponent of the Brussels bureaucrats, who serve a few warmongers and businessmen. Hungary’s outgoing president Viktor Orban – whose Fidesz is also a Patriots for Europe member – was not present at this rally. Peter Magyar, an ex-Orban ally, defeated him in the general elections last weekend. Spain’s king welcomes Mexico’s World Cup invite after ‘abuse’ commentsSpanish king reopens debate on conquest of Mexico by acknowledging ‘abuse’EuropeSpainMexico

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At least six killed as gunman takes hostages in Kyiv6 hours agoKathryn ArmstrongAt the very least, six people were killed and several others injured when a person opened up in Kyiv Saturday. The incident occurred in the southern Holosiivskyi District. Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine’s interior minister, said that the gunman, who was a local resident, opened fire on people in the street before taking others hostage at a nearby grocery store. Klymenko added that the attacker, who was also a local resident, was killed by police after a shootout in the supermarket. The motive of the attacker is unclear. The exact number of victims is also unclear. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that 14 people were injured, including a 12-year old boy. The attacker also killed one hostage. Police negotiators talked to the shooter while he was at the supermarket for about 40 minutes, Klymenko reported. He described the man’s behavior as “chaotic”. “We tried persuading him, realising there was an injured individual there,” he explained. He added that the attacker did not make any demands. “We offered tourniquets and other things to stop the bleeding. He did not respond so the order to eliminate him was given, especially after one of the hostages had been killed. The circumstances surrounding the issuing of the permit, as well as the shooting itself, are now being investigated. The circumstances surrounding the issuing of the permit, as well as the shooting itself, are now being investigated.Zelensky said the shooter had lived in the eastern Donetsk region – which is largely under Russian occupation and was subject to a separatist conflict prior to Moscow’s full-scale invasion – for “a long time”.He also said that the man had set fire to his appartment before leaving to begin his shooting spree.While Kyiv is often subject to attacks during the ongoing war with Russia, shootings of this kind are rare in the city.KyivUkraine

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HiPP recalls jarred food in Austria due to contamination fears7 hours agoNeil MurphyGetty ImagesBaby Food brand HiPP has recalled all of its jarred purees from Spar supermarkets across Austria. It is possible that a hazardous substance has been introduced… by external influence,” the company said. The incident comes only a few months after other baby brands were forced to recall infant formula due to contamination fears. In January and February, Nestle, Danone, and Maximarkt all recalled their baby food jars in more than 60 countries including the UK. The toxin does not disappear when cooking or making baby milk. In February, the UK’s Health and Security Agency said that at least 36 British infants had food poisoning from contaminated baby formula. None of the infants’ conditions were life-threatening, the UKHSA said.HiPP’s baby formula was unaffected.AustriaProduct recallsfood

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Pope says ‘tyrants speech’ was not aimed directly at Trump7 hours agoMaia DaviesPope Leo said he did not seek to debate Donald Trump in a speech he gave earlier this week. The remarks were written a fortnight before the president commented on himself. The Pope is currently on a tour in Africa. He said that a “certain narrative” that was not accurate had developed. He cited “the political situation” created by Trump’s remarks. “The masters in war pretend to not know that it only takes a moment to devastate, yet a lifetime often is not enough to restore,” he said. The Pope also condemned an “endless cycle of death and destabilisation” in a “bloodstained region” of Cameroon, which has been gripped by a long-running insurg He had posted his lengthy criticism of Pope Francis after the pontiff voiced concerns about Trump’s threats that “a civilisation would die” if Iran refused to agree to US demands for the end of the war and to open the Strait of Hormuz. The president said he “was not a fan” of Pope Francis and called him “WEAK” on crime and ” Trump posted an AI-generated picture of himself as Jesus-like, which he removed later. The Catholic leader’s Africa Tour includes stops in eleven cities across four different countries. This is his second major overseas visit since he was elected as papacy in last year. It reflects the importance that Catholicism has in Africa.

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French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon8 hours agoSamantha GranvilleBeirutReutersA French peacekeeper has been killed and three others wounded after a UN patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon, in what officials described as a deliberate attack.The soldier was serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which confirmed that one peacekeeper had died and three others were injured, two of them seriously, when their patrol came under small-arms fire.French President Emmanuel Macron blamed the attack on Hezbollah. The The Macron The “France’s Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the peacekeeper had been part of a mission to reopen access to a Unifil position that had been cut off by the recent fighting when it had been “ambushed by an armed group at very close range”.Vautrin added that he was “hit immediately by a direct shot from a small arms weapon” and was pulled away by fellow soldiers, who were unable to revive him.Unifil said the patrol had been clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated positions.It said the team came under fire from what it described as non-state actors and condemned the attack as “deliberate”.What we know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefireFollow updates on the Iran warCeasefire with Israel brings respite to Lebanon, but obstacles to peace remainThe Lebanese Armed Forces said the incident followed exchanges of fire with armed individuals, adding that it was co-ordinating closely with Unifil during what it described as a sensitive phase in southern Lebanon.Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack and told Macron during a phone call that those responsible would be brought to justice.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has also ordered an investigation.Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday denying it was responsible, describing them as “rushed” and “baseless accusations”.It called for “caution in making judgements and assigning blame regarding the incident, pending the Lebanese army’s investigation to determine the full circumstances”.The group urged both Unifil and the Lebanese army to continue co-ordinating with locals on manouevres “under these delicate circumstances”.In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate incidents – an explosion that destroyed a Unifil vehicle and a projectile strike a day earlier.Unifil warned that under international law “all actors” were obliged to ensure the “safety and security” of UN personnel, adding that “deliberate attacks” on peacekeepers were “grave violations” of international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes.The peacekeeping force was first established in 1978 by the UN Security Council following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, with a mandate to confirm Israeli withdrawal, restore peace and assist the Lebanese government in regaining authority in the south.Its role was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, when Security Council Resolution 1701 strengthened its responsibilities in monitoring the ceasefire along the Blue Line – the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel – in co-ordination with the Lebanese army.More than 330 peacekeepers have been killed since the mission was established.Peacekeepers killed by roadside explosion in Lebanon, initial report findsMiddle EastHezbollahLebanonIran war