Global Pulse

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  • Ancient golden helmet recovered more than a year after Dutch heist

    Ancient golden helmet recovered more than a year after Dutch heist

    After more than a year of high-stakes international investigation, a millennia-old Romanian golden treasure stolen in a brazen armed heist from a Dutch museum has been recovered, bringing partial closure to a cultural crime that sparked diplomatic friction and public outrage.

    The Coțofenești helmet, a 2,500-year-old artifact widely regarded as one of Romania’s most precious cultural heritage pieces, and two accompanying golden bracelets dating to around 450 BC were officially unveiled at a press presentation this Thursday. The recovered treasures are now displayed in a secured glass case at the Drents Museum in Assen, guarded by two armed police officers — a visible reminder of the security failures that allowed the theft to occur 14 months ago. A third golden bracelet from the stolen collection remains unaccounted for, as cross-border investigations continue.

    The artifact set was on loan from Bucharest’s National Museum of Romanian History for the museum’s popular exhibition “Dacia — Empire of Gold and Silver”, which explores the history of the Dacian civilization that inhabited modern-day Romania before the Roman conquest of 106 AD. In November 2024, an armed criminal gang used explosives to break into the Drents Museum, making off with the priceless treasures. The heist immediately triggered widespread anger across Romania, where the helmet is recognized as a defining cultural and political symbol of ancient Dacia, and ignited fierce debate over global cultural artifact loaning practices and museum security standards.

    The theft also sparked a diplomatic rift between the Romanian and Dutch governments. After the loss, the Dutch government reportedly paid out 5.7 million euros in insurance compensation to Romania; Romanian officials have declined to comment on whether that payout will be adjusted following the recovery of most of the collection.

    Prosecutors on both sides have confirmed that the helmet and two bracelets were formally handed over to law enforcement authorities earlier this week as part of a pre-trial agreement reached with defense lawyers representing three suspects in the case. Three men — two in their mid-30s and one 21-year-old — were arrested just days after the heist, but investigators found no trace of the artifacts at the time of arrest. The suspects are scheduled to go on trial later this month.

    Robert van Langh, director of the Drents Museum, told reporters that the helmet sustained a minor dent during the theft but is fully restorable, while the two recovered bracelets remain in pristine condition. Romanian lead prosecutor Daniela Buruiană described the recovery as a long-awaited victory for cultural heritage protection. “We are happy that we are now witnessing here the recovery of the Romanian artefacts,” she said, adding that investigations remain active to locate the final missing bracelet.

    Romanian prosecutor Rareș-Petru Stan praised Dutch law enforcement counterparts for their persistent work over the 14-month investigation, noting the massive cultural and public impact the theft had on Romania. “We are continuing the investigation to find the last bracelet, and we are grateful that we will be able to return this treasure to the Romanian people,” he said.

    Art crime experts have theorized that the artifacts were stolen to order for a private collector on the black market, a common trend for high-value ancient cultural pieces. The heist also drew attention to systemic security gaps at small and regional museums across the Netherlands, which have increasingly become targets for art thieves in recent years. Just two years before the Dacian treasure heist, two Andy Warhol works were stolen from a southern Dutch gallery, and six years prior, a famous Frans Hals painting was stolen from a small municipal museum in Leerdam. In all of these cases, low-security display cases provided minimal resistance to raiders.

    The aftermath of the 2024 theft also brought domestic political fallout in Romania: Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu, the former head of the National Museum of Romanian History who approved the loan of the treasures to the Drents Museum, faced intense public criticism and stepped down from his position just days after the heist. Speaking to RTL Nieuws after the recovery, he expressed profound relief at the helmet’s return. “This is a unique item in European and even global cultural heritage,” he said. “The helmet is an important social and political symbol of Dacian civilisation.”

  • Russian aerial attacks kill 2 in Ukraine as Easter prisoner exchange planned

    Russian aerial attacks kill 2 in Ukraine as Easter prisoner exchange planned

    On Thursday, Ukrainian regional officials confirmed that fresh Russian aerial assaults targeting civilian areas across Ukraine have left two civilians dead and at least three more wounded, as both Moscow and Kyiv confirm they are in active preparations for a long-awaited prisoner swap timed to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday on April 12.

    The deadly attacks mark the latest escalation in ongoing hostilities that have stretched into the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Dnipropetrovsk region’s Synelnykove district, one civilian was killed in a strike that also left a woman and a 12-year-old boy injured, regional military administrator Oleksandr Hazha confirmed. In Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv, a strike triggered a blaze at a residential apartment building and left a 61-year-old woman wounded, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. A separate ballistic missile attack on the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv claimed one more life and left a 17-year-old girl injured, city military administration head Dmytro Bryzhynskyi added. Authorities also reported that the Odesa region in southern Ukraine was targeted in another wave of attacks, as part of a broader Russian assault that deployed 172 strike drones across the country. Ukraine’s Air Force noted that its air defense teams successfully intercepted 147 of the incoming drones.

    Amid the ongoing violence, prisoner exchanges have emerged as one of the only consistent areas of limited progress in U.S.-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, talks that have failed to yield breakthroughs on core issues that could bring an end to the full-scale invasion. This year, both sides are working to finalize a new round of swaps ahead of the Orthodox Easter celebration. Tatyana Moskalkova, Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, confirmed the ongoing preparations to reporters on Thursday, noting that extensive work is underway to complete the exchange in time for the holiday. Last week, Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, stated that Kyiv hopes to secure a large-scale “major exchange” of detainees during the Easter period.

    The lead-up to this year’s Easter has also seen renewed debates over a potential temporary ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently proposed a truce to cover the Easter holiday, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov pushed back on the idea earlier this week, saying Moscow prioritizes a permanent, long-lasting peace agreement rather than a short-term halt to hostilities. The discussion of temporary ceasefires comes with prior context: last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally announced a 30-hour ceasefire for the Easter period, but both Moscow and Kyiv quickly accused one another of violating the truce within hours of it taking effect.

  • ‘Be serious… don’t speak every day’: Macron criticises Trump approach to Iran war

    ‘Be serious… don’t speak every day’: Macron criticises Trump approach to Iran war

    As French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in Seoul for an official state visit to South Korea, he launched a pointed, comprehensive critique of U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to the escalating Iran conflict, while also dismissing Trump’s recent personal attacks on his marriage as unbefitting of a head of state.

    The ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign in Iran has now entered its second month, with France and other European nations offering limited backing for U.S. regional operations but refusing to be drawn into direct participation in the conflict. Macron opened his press briefing by arguing that matters of war and peace demand a steady, serious policy, in a clear rebuke of Trump’s pattern of shifting, contradictory statements on the conflict.

    “This is not a public entertainment spectacle. We are discussing questions of war and peace, and the lives of ordinary people,” Macron told reporters. “When you approach this issue with the seriousness it deserves, you do not reverse your position every single day. Perhaps there is no need for constant public commentary; sometimes, allowing tensions to de-escalate is the wiser course.”

    The Trump administration has delivered consistently mixed messaging on the Iran war over recent weeks: officials and the president himself have alternately claimed a ceasefire is imminent, declared the conflict already won, and insisted the U.S. will continue military operations indefinitely. Macron also pushed back on Trump’s open questioning of the U.S.’s long-standing commitment to NATO membership, arguing that the alliance’s core strength relies on mutual trust, not constant public wavering.

    “Alliances like NATO hold their value in the unspoken understanding between members – the bedrock of trust that underpins every agreement,” Macron explained. “Constantly casting doubt on your own commitment drains the organization of all meaningful purpose. Partners are supposed to stand by their agreements and show up when crises emerge, rather than speculating publicly every day about whether they will honor their commitments. There is far too much unproductive, scattered chatter right now.”

    Macron made clear that France would not take ownership of a military campaign that the U.S. and Israel planned and launched independently. “They chose to act alone, and now they express regret that they are alone. This is not our war,” he emphasized.

    The French president also called out the inconsistency of Trump’s claims regarding U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities carried out in June 2025. At the time, Trump announced the strikes had completely “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. But following the outbreak of full-scale war in February 2026, Trump described the new offensive as the “last best chance” to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

    “I remind everyone that six months ago, we were told all infrastructure had been destroyed and the issue was fully resolved,” Macron noted. He argued that no limited military strike, even one extended over several weeks, can permanently resolve the global concerns around Iran’s nuclear program. Instead, he called for the deployment of independent international inspectors to verify Iran’s nuclear activities and a binding diplomatic framework to halt further uranium enrichment, pointing out that Iranian technical expertise and hidden facilities cannot be eliminated by military force alone.

    The tension between the two leaders escalated further after Trump made crude personal remarks about Macron’s marriage to Brigitte Macron during a private lunch this week. The U.S. president mocked Macron’s relationship, imitating a French accent to claim Brigitte Macron mistreats the French president, a comment widely interpreted as referencing a 2025 video that showed Brigitte Macron shoving Macron lightly on the face. When asked about the comments, Macron dismissed them out of hand.

    Macron called the remarks “inelegant” and well below the standard expected of a head of state, adding “I will not dignify these comments with a response. They do not deserve one.” The personal attack triggered widespread backlash across the French political spectrum, even from Macron’s most outspoken ideological opponents. Manuel Bompard, a leading figure of the hard-left France Unbowed party, said “For Donald Trump to speak to him like that, and to speak of his wife in such terms, I find that completely unacceptable.”

    In response to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, Tehran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, the critical global chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s daily oil supplies pass. With no quick resolution to the closure in sight, Trump has said that nations most affected by the energy supply disruption should handle the situation on their own. Macron rejected calls for a new military operation to reopen the strait, calling the idea completely unrealistic.

    “A military operation to reopen the strait would expose any vessels passing through to massive risks from Iranian Revolutionary Guard coastal defenses, ballistic missiles, and a wide range of other threats,” he explained, noting that any such operation would be extremely time-consuming and put countless lives in danger.

  • Burkina Faso forces killed twice as many civilians as jihadists, rights group says

    Burkina Faso forces killed twice as many civilians as jihadists, rights group says

    For years, the landlocked West African nation of Burkina Faso has stood at the epicenter of the Sahel region’s escalating security crisis, a conflict that has shattered communities and pushed millions into displacement. A new, sweeping 316-page investigation from Human Rights Watch (HRW) has uncovered damning new findings: between January 2023 and August 2025, Burkina Faso’s government forces killed more than twice as many civilians as extremist jihadist groups operating in the country, with both sides responsible for systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity.

  • US steps up security for World Cup 2026

    US steps up security for World Cup 2026

    With just months remaining until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across three North American nations, United States security officials are accelerating final preparations for the historic tournament — even as they warn that unresolved federal funding gaps threaten to undermine coordinated safety readiness across dozens of federal, state and local agencies.

    The 2026 tournament, the first expanded 48-team World Cup in history and the first jointly hosted by three countries (the United States, Canada and Mexico), will kick off in June, with 11 matches slated to be held across 11 American host cities from coast to coast. Organizers project that millions of international and domestic fans will travel to venues across the region, placing unprecedented strain on the nation’s transportation networks, border control systems and public safety infrastructure. Pulling off a secure event requires constant, synchronized collaboration between federal entities, state law enforcement and local municipal authorities.

    Top organizers have underscored that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) serves as the central coordinating body for all national security efforts for the tournament. DHS oversees critical functions ranging from airport passenger screening and cross-border entry management to interagency alignment for large-scale event risk mitigation. Its portfolio includes supporting work from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, all of which play core roles in safeguarding the tournament.

    However, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has sounded an urgent alarm about funding delays that have hampered DHS’ preparation work. In comments obtained by ABC News, Giuliani emphasized that full, immediate funding for DHS is non-negotiable to deliver a safe, successful tournament. “We’re here to make the case as loud as we can that, in order for us to do the best work possible, to ensure that this is going to be a safe and successful World Cup, we need to open the department and need it open yesterday,” Giuliani stated.

    Security planning for the 2026 World Cup addresses two distinct, equally critical risk vectors: physical public safety and digital cybersecurity. Officials confirmed that past iterations of the global tournament have faced massive volumes of malicious cyber activity, and 2026 planning accounts for the likelihood of even more frequent and sophisticated attacks this year.

    Beyond digital defense, operational readiness also depends on robust staffing and regular joint training exercises. Giuliani warned that without full, consistent funding, DHS cannot adequately train new personnel or run the large-scale interagency drills required to test emergency response systems ahead of kickoff. “Each day that we go without the whole department being funded, it creates more vulnerabilities,” he added.

    Independent reporting from multiple outlets, including commentary cited by Fox News, has corroborated these concerns, noting that funding constraints have already slowed preparations across several key agencies. TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard have all been forced to operate with limited resources during the critical planning phase, creating potential gaps in security coverage and operational readiness that could grow as the tournament approaches.

    At the local level, the 11 U.S. host cities are pushing forward with on-the-ground preparations while navigating their own logistical and budget pressures. Municipal authorities bear direct responsibility for frontline security implementation, including neighborhood policing, crowd management at venues, and on-site emergency response, all coordinated closely with federal partners. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, whose city will host World Cup matches, echoed widespread concern, noting that public safety is a top priority amid the expected flood of visitors. “I’m worried every day about public safety threats,” Lucas said.

    The unprecedented scale of the 2026 tournament is set to put national infrastructure systems to the test. U.S. airports, in particular, are bracing for a historic surge in passenger traffic, which could make this one of the busiest travel periods in the nation’s history. Federal screening and border control operations will be critical to balancing efficient fan movement with rigorous security protocols at all major transportation hubs.

    In addition to domestic coordination, U.S. security officials are working closely with Canadian and Mexican counterparts to align security protocols across all three host nations. This cross-border collaboration includes real-time intelligence sharing, joint contingency planning, and standardized response procedures to ensure consistent, effective security across every match site in North America.

    Compounding the funding challenge, a prolonged partisan standoff over DHS appropriations in Congress has held up the distribution of approximately $625 million in earmarked federal funding that was intended to help host cities cover unplanned security costs. That delay has put additional financial strain on local governments already working to stretch their budgets to accommodate the tournament.

    Security officials have also noted that broader global geopolitical instability, including ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has added an extra layer of risk assessment to tournament planning, with analysts flagging the potential for heightened public safety threats connected to global tensions.

    Despite the cascade of challenges, U.S. federal officials maintain that preparations remain on track, with ongoing focus on strengthening interagency coordination and closing readiness gaps. The White House task force has prioritized breaking down bureaucratic barriers to improve unified cross-agency response. As agencies gear up to welcome millions of football fans from every corner of the globe, Giuliani reaffirmed that timely federal funding and sustained cross-stakeholder coordination will be the deciding factors in ensuring all security measures are fully in place before the first match kicks off in June.

  • 2026 NY auto show features latest cars and EVs

    2026 NY auto show features latest cars and EVs

    The 2026 New York International Auto Show opened its media preview day Wednesday at Manhattan’s Javits Center, bringing together automakers from every corner of the globe to unveil their latest production models and concept vehicles, with electric mobility taking center stage across the exhibition floor. The show will open to the general public from April 3 through 12, launching at a pivotal moment for the U.S. automotive market: following the expiration of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit, consumer demand for electric vehicles has slowed, creating unprecedented headwinds for domestic and international brands alike.

    Despite these near-term market challenges, a growing consensus among attendees acknowledges the expanding global influence of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, with many industry leaders arguing that open competition benefits both innovation and end consumers. Jens Sverdrup, chairman and chief commercial officer of Denmark-based luxury hypercar maker Zenvo Automotive, used the show to debut his brand’s $3 million Aurora hybrid sportscar, and offered unfiltered praise for the quality and competitiveness of Chinese-built EVs in comments to China Daily.

    “We see plenty of Chinese brands operating in Europe, and they’re really, really good,” Sverdrup said. “Every time I see a BYD, I’m impressed by the build quality and performance. Chinese manufacturers definitely have a head start when it comes to production efficiency and scalable technology.” Sverdrup, whose company exports at least 60% of its output to the U.S. market — with additional sales across Europe, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong — pushed back against protectionist policies targeting Chinese automakers, arguing that open competition drives progress across the entire industry.

    “Instead of hiding behind protectionism, we should embrace competition and work to build better products,” Sverdrup added. “Chinese EVs are great cars, there is nothing wrong with them. When it comes to technology, build quality, and affordable pricing, there is a lot that the rest of the world has to catch up on. Open competition benefits consumers above all else — at the end of the day, the best product should win.”

    Current U.S. trade policy for Chinese EVs remains in flux following recent shifts in political leadership. Former President Joe Biden implemented a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024, a move widely interpreted as a barrier to limit Chinese brands’ access to the U.S. market. While Chinese EVs held minimal market share in the U.S. before the tariff hike, the new duties paired with evolving federal restrictions on connected vehicle technology have effectively blocked most potential expansion by Chinese brands. The current administration under President Donald Trump has signaled a potential shift: in a January speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump stated he would allow Chinese automakers to enter the U.S. market over the next two years, provided they manufacture vehicles in American factories using domestic labor.

    Established global brands with existing trans-Pacific operations emphasized the importance of open, mutually beneficial market access at the show. Mike Levine, North America product communications director for Ford Motor Co., noted that Ford China, headquartered in Shanghai, has become a core part of the company’s global footprint. “China is a very important overseas market for us,” Levine said, adding that the company used the 2026 show to celebrate a major milestone: 30 years of the Ford Expedition full-size SUV. To mark the occasion, Ford unveiled the 2027 Expedition 30th Anniversary Appearance Package, finished in a one-of-a-kind blue ember paint sourced from the Ford Mustang line. Since the nameplate launched in 1996, Ford has sold nearly 3 million Expeditions globally.

    South Korean automaker Hyundai also marked a major anniversary at the show, celebrating 40 years of operations in the U.S. market while unveiling its new Hyundai Boulder Concept, a rugged off-road-focused SUV built for adventure-oriented consumers. Hyundai North America president and CEO Jose Munoz highlighted the company’s deep U.S. investment commitments as a core driver of its long-term success, pointing to the $26 billion the company has poured into the U.S. market, which supports 570,000 direct domestic jobs with an additional 25,000 new jobs on the way. “For the entire industry right now, the biggest priority is rebuilding consumer confidence,” Munoz said. “We’re backing that confidence with massive investment, 58 new models for the U.S. market — 36 for our Hyundai line, 22 for Genesis — that give consumers unmatched choice and value.”

    Beyond industry showcases, the 2026 show also drew automotive and entertainment figures. Korean-American actor and lifelong car enthusiast Sung Kang, best known for his role as Han Lue in the *Fast & Furious* film franchise, appeared at the show to promote his upcoming independent film *Drifter* — a car-centric project he wrote, directed, and starred in that is set for theatrical release in the coming months. A panel of U.S. automotive industry experts also called on federal policymakers to create more consistent, stable regulatory and trade policy to support long-term growth of the U.S. auto sector, with multiple attendees agreeing that global participation from all major manufacturing nations makes the entire international automotive ecosystem stronger.

  • Macron calls Trump’s remarks on his marriage ‘inelegant’

    Macron calls Trump’s remarks on his marriage ‘inelegant’

    In a rare public rebuke of remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump, French head of state Emmanuel Macron has pushed back against comments Trump made about his personal marriage, calling the statements out of line and lacking basic diplomatic decorum.

    The clash between the two high-profile political figures centers on comments Trump made publicly regarding Macron’s marriage to Brigitte Macron, who is 24 years his senior. When asked to respond to the former American president’s words during a recent public appearance, Macron did not hold back in his assessment.

    Macron explicitly stated that Trump’s observations about his private marital life fell “neither elegant nor up to standard,” pushing back against what he framed as inappropriate intrusion into his personal affairs by the former U.S. leader. The incident has drawn new attention to the sometimes tense dynamic between Macron and Trump, who have a history of sparring over both policy and personal matters. While the exchange remains focused on the personal comments, it also underscores the broader frictions that have intermittently marked interactions between the two prominent global political figures.

  • Iconic 19th Century painting sets Indian art record with $17.9m sale

    Iconic 19th Century painting sets Indian art record with $17.9m sale

    In a landmark auction held by Saffronart in New Delhi on Wednesday, a 130-year-old masterpiece by one of India’s most celebrated modern artists, Raja Ravi Varma, has made history as the most expensive Indian artwork ever sold at auction. Painted in the 1890s, when Varma was at the peak of his creative powers, *Yashoda and Krishna* fetched a staggering 1.67 billion Indian rupees, equivalent to $17.9 million, shattering the previous $13.8 million record set last year by MF Husain’s *Untitled (Gram Yatra)*.

    The winning bid came from Cyrus Poonawalla, the billionaire founder and managing director of the Serum Institute of India – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. In a post-auction statement shared via Saffronart, Poonawalla called the iconic canvas a “national treasure”, noting that it should be accessible for regular public display. He added that he would work to make this public access a reality in the coming years.

    Created in the 1890s when Varma was at the height of his career, the oil-on-canvas work captures an intimate, tender moment from Hindu mythology: the child deity Krishna waits beside his foster mother Yashoda as she milks a cow. The work depicts Krishna with a signature mischievous glint in his eye, while Yashoda’s features radiate quiet warmth and maternal care. Though the pair wear only minimal ornamentation, every detail of their jewelry is rendered with Varma’s characteristic precision. As the Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation noted ahead of the auction, the artist’s singular genius lies in his ability to frame a sacred narrative through familiar, relatable domestic details. “The textures of silk, the gleam of jewellery, the softness of skin and the gentle stillness of the cow together create a scene that is both devotional and intimate,” the foundation wrote.

    Art historians have long praised Varma for reimagining traditional depictions of Hindu mythological figures. Before his work, iconic portrayals of deities prioritized awe over intimate affection, but Varma broke down the distance between the divine subject and the viewer, according to prominent Indian artist A Ramachandran. Born in 1848 in what is now the southern Indian state of Kerala, Varma is widely recognized as the father of modern Indian art. He famously blended formal European academic painting techniques with distinctly Indian narrative and cultural traditions, and his lithographic prints of mythological figures remain a common sight in household shrines across India to this day. Under India’s 1972 Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, all of Varma’s works are classified as national art treasures, meaning they cannot be exported and may only be sold to Indian-based buyers – a rule that added to the exclusivity of Wednesday’s sale.

    Industry leaders say the record-breaking price of *Yashoda and Krishna* reflects a rapidly maturing Indian art market, marked by growing domestic and global demand for historically significant South Asian works. Minal Vazirani, president and co-founder of Saffronart, called the final valuation a “powerful reminder of the enduring cultural and emotional resonance of Indian art”. Ashish Anand, chief executive and managing director of leading Indian art institution DAG, noted that the landmark sale will reshape how the world views Indian art, framing it not just as an aesthetic object for personal collectors, but as a legitimate, high-value financial asset. “There is a clear shift in how Indian art is being perceived,” Anand explained. “As the market matures and benchmarks rise, collectors are recognising both its cultural and financial value… The best works – those with provenance, rarity and historical significance – are now commanding extraordinary prices, reflecting the maturing of the market.”

    Experts point to multiple factors driving the current boom in prices for top-tier Indian art. First, masterworks by pioneering artists such as Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil and VS Gaitonde are extremely rare, with most held in permanent private collections and rarely entering the auction block. This inherent exclusivity pushes prices higher when high-quality works do become available. Additionally, there is growing global recognition of mythological art as a serious, desirable collecting category, further boosting demand for culturally significant works like Varma’s *Yashoda and Krishna*. The piece was put up for auction by a private collector, according to Saffronart’s auction catalogue.

  • Over 1,800 killed since junta seized power in Burkina Faso, rights group says

    Over 1,800 killed since junta seized power in Burkina Faso, rights group says

    Three years after Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a military coup in Burkina Faso, a damning new investigation from Human Rights Watch (HRW) has uncovered staggering civilian casualties, including allegations of systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by both state forces and armed jihadist groups. Between January 2023 and August 2025 alone, the rights organization documented 57 separate violent incidents that left 1,837 civilians dead, among them dozens of children. More than two-thirds of these deaths — 1,255 in total — are attributed to the Burkinabé military and its allied civilian militias, while the remaining killings are linked to Islamist insurgent groups active in the region.

    The report’s most significant legal finding holds that Traoré and six senior military commanders may bear command responsibility for these grave human rights abuses, and recommends that all seven be formally investigated for their alleged roles. Five top jihadist leaders are also named as potentially culpable for violence against civilian populations. The BBC reached out to Burkinabé junta officials for comment on the new findings; authorities have repeatedly rejected past accusations of indiscriminate civilian killings by their forces.

    When Traoré’s junta seized power in September 2022, ousting the interim military leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba who had taken power just nine months prior, its core stated justification was a promise to more effectively defeat a decade-long Islamist insurgency linked to al-Qaeda that has seized control of large swathes of Burkina Faso’s territory and destabilized neighboring countries. But the HRW report, which draws on rigorous open-source intelligence analysis — including verified photos, video footage, satellite imagery, and firsthand interviews with hundreds of witnesses and survivors — paints a far grimmer picture: that all parties to the conflict have systematically violated international humanitarian law.

    “All sides are responsible for the war crimes of willful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage and looting, and forced displacement,” the report concludes. It specifically accuses the Traoré-led junta of committing “horrific abuses,” failing to hold any perpetrators accountable for civilian deaths, and actively blocking independent reporting to conceal the scale of suffering among trapped populations. Philippe Bolopion, HRW’s executive director, emphasized the gap between the scope of the crisis and global indifference: “The scale of atrocities taking place in Burkina Faso is mind-boggling, as is the lack of global attention to this crisis.”

    One of the deadliest single incidents documented by the investigation dates to December 2023, when military forces and allied militias allegedly killed more than 400 civilians in the northern border town of Djibo. A 35-year-old survivor who spoke to researchers described losing her two daughters immediately in the attack, while she and her nine-month-old infant suffered bullet wounds. She recounted a militia fighter telling his comrades, “Make sure no-one is breathing before heading out.” Many survivors described the mass killings as “butchery,” and researchers confirmed that nearly all who lost family or escaped violence carry permanent, severe psychological trauma from their experiences.

    The militias that work alongside the Burkinabé military, known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), are civilian recruits the junta enlisted to bolster counter-insurgency operations. The report also documents allegations that the junta has forced political critics to join the VDP as a form of punishment. Traoré has publicly defended this forced conscription policy, arguing that “individual freedoms [are] not superior to national freedom” and that “a nation is not built on indiscipline and disorder.”

    Since the military government took power, counter-insurgency operations have increasingly targeted civilian communities in response to attacks by JNIM, al-Qaeda’s regional affiliate and the largest active jihadist group in the country. For ordinary Burkinabé, this has created an untenable catch-22: civilians told HRW they feel “caught between a rock and a hard place,” threatened with execution by JNIM for suspected collaboration with the state, and targeted by government forces for alleged ties to insurgents. For its part, JNIM has carried out widespread campaigns of violence and intimidation to control local communities, deliberately targeting civilians who refuse to submit to the group’s authority. In one high-profile 2024 attack, JNIM fighters shot dead at least 133 people and injured more than 200 in less than two hours, according to the report.

    In line with its findings, HRW is calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an immediate preliminary investigation into all alleged crimes committed by all parties to the conflict since September 2022. The organization is also urging international partners and donor countries to impose targeted sanctions on senior Burkinabé officials and suspend all military cooperation with the Traoré government.

    Despite his authoritarian rule and the allegations of mass atrocities, 38-year-old Traoré has built a large popular following across the African continent, buoyed by his vocal pan-Africanist politics and sharp criticism of Western neocolonial influence. Like neighboring Mali and Niger, both of which are also controlled by military juntas, Burkina Faso has cut most security cooperation with Western nations — particularly former colonial power France — since Traoré took power, and has turned to Russia for military support. Even with this new partnership, the ongoing insurgency and civilian death toll have continued to rise with no sign of abating.

  • US lifts sanctions on Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodríguez

    US lifts sanctions on Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodríguez

    In a significant shift in U.S.-Venezuela relations that marks the latest step in a rapidly unfolding diplomatic thaw, the United States has removed interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez from its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) sanctions list. This policy change comes less than three months after U.S. military forces carried out a high-profile raid in Caracas that captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, transferring them to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges.

    Rodríguez, a longstanding close ally of Maduro who previously served as his vice president, was first added to the U.S. sanctions roster in 2018 over Washington’s accusations that she had undermined democratic governance in Venezuela. Just days after the raid that removed Maduro from power, she was sworn in as interim president by Venezuela’s National Assembly, which holds a majority loyal to Maduro’s faction. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly praised Rodríguez, describing her as “a terrific person” who has collaborated effectively with Washington.

    Inclusion on the SDN list carries severe financial restrictions: all assets held by listed individuals within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. citizens and entities are prohibited from conducting any commercial transactions with them. Rodríguez welcomed the delisting in a public post on X, framing the move as “a significant step in the right direction to normalise and strengthen relations between our countries.”

    White House spokesperson Anna Kelly echoed that positive framing, emphasizing that the decision reflects tangible progress “between our two countries to promote stability, support economic recovery and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela.” She reaffirmed Trump’s assessment, noting “Delcy Rodríguez is doing a great job and is working with the United States very well.”

    Despite the upbeat tone from both governments, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from Venezuelan opposition activists based in Caracas. These critics argue that Washington should have used the leverage of sanctions to push Rodríguez to fulfill longstanding demands to release all political detainees still held in Venezuelan prisons. The release of political prisoners was one of the core conditions Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out for Rodríguez shortly after Maduro’s removal from office.

    While Venezuela’s ruling National Assembly has approved an amnesty law that has led to the release of hundreds of detainees, leading prisoners’ rights organization Foro Penal reports that nearly 500 political prisoners remain in custody.

    The delisting of Rodríguez is the most visible signal yet of a steady warming of ties between the Trump administration and the interim government. Earlier this same week, the United States formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, seven years after it shuttered the diplomatic mission in response to the Maduro government’s actions. In a reciprocal move, Venezuela has also sent a diplomatic delegation back to Washington to reopen its own embassy there.

    In the months since Maduro was ousted, multiple high-level U.S. delegations have traveled to Caracas to hold talks on expanding U.S. access to Venezuela’s extensive oil and mineral reserves. But critics of Rodríguez’s interim administration have raised alarms that there has been almost no public discussion of scheduling free and democratic national elections, a key long-term demand from the international community.

    Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has lived in exile since leaving the country to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in December, held a meeting with Marco Rubio on Tuesday. Though Trump has sidelined Machado to prioritize cooperation with Rodríguez, she struck a constructive tone, calling the discussion “excellent” and praising Rubio’s “dedication to democracy, freedom and Venezuelans’ well-being.”

    Speaking to Fox News after the meeting, Rubio said Washington is making steady progress in its engagement with Venezuela. Outlining a three-part strategy for the country’s transition, Rubio confirmed Venezuela has now entered the second phase: economic and political recovery. “Ultimately, there will have to be a transition phase. There will have to be free and fair elections in Venezuela, and that point has to come,” he stated. “It’s not forever, but we have to be patient, but we also can’t be complacent,” he added, declining to provide any timeline for when democratic elections would be held.