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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 28 March 2025
Putin says U.S. push for Greenland rooted in history, vows to uphold

Russian interest in the Arctic

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV joined the alliance. “Rus-
Associated Press sia has never threatened
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s anyone in the Arctic, but
President Vladimir Putin we will closely follow the
said Thursday that Presi- developments and mount
dent Donald Trump’s push an appropriate response
for control over Greenland by increasing our military
wasn’t surprising given capability and modernizing
longtime U.S. interest in the military infrastructure.”
mineral-rich territory. Russia has sought to assert
Speaking at a policy forum its influence over wide ar-
in the Artic port of Mur- eas of the Arctic in compe-
mansk, Putin noted that the tition with the United States,
United States first consid- Canada, Denmark and
ered plans to win control Norway as shrinking polar
over Greenland in the 19th ice from the warming plan-
century, and then offered et offers new opportuni-
to buy it from Denmark af- ties for resources and ship-
ter World War II. ping routes. China also has
“It can look surprising only shown an increasing inter-
at first glance and it would est in the region, believed
be wrong to believe that to hold up to one-fourth of
this is some sort of extrava- the Earth’s undiscovered oil
gant talk by the current U.S. and gas. “We won’t allow
administration,” Putin said. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the International Arctic Forum in any infringement on our
“It’s obvious that the Unit- Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. country’s sovereignty, reli-
ed States will continue to Associated Press ably safeguard our nation-
systematically advance its ally and NATO member. Vance and his wife are will respond by strengthen- al interests while supporting
geostrategic, military-politi- As the nautical gateway due to visit an American ing its military capability in peace and stability in the
cal and economic interests to the Arctic and North At- military base in Greenland the polar region. polar region,” Putin said.
in the Arctic.” lantic approaches to North on Friday on a trip that was “We are certainly con- While pledging to strength-
Trump irked much of Eu- America, Greenland has scaled back after an up- cerned about NATO mem- en Russia’s military foothold
rope by suggesting that broader strategic value as roar by Greenlanders and bers describing the Far in the Arctic, Putin said that
the United States should both China and Russia seek Danes. Speaking on Thurs- North as the region of pos- Moscow was holding the
in some form control the access to its waterways day, Putin noted that Rus- sible conflicts,” he said, not- door open to broader inter-
self-governing, mineral-rich and natural resources. sia is worried about NATO’s ing that Russia’s neighbors national cooperation in the
territory of Denmark, a U.S. U.S. Vice President JD activities in the Arctic and Finland and Sweden have region.q

UN warns of ‘severe’ human rights abuses in Haiti as illegal

weapons proliferate

By DÁNICA COTO crease in gang violence were killed from July to tremely high.” dividuals who, when inter-
Associated Press and leading to severe February, and another More than 2,000 people cepted, were unable to
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico human rights abuses, ac- 1,356 were injured, the re- were killed during police provide identification or
(AP) — A steady stream of cording to a U.N. report port found. It was issued operations from July to offer a sufficient explana-
illegal weapons smuggled released Thursday. after William O’Neill, the February, a 60% increase tion for their presence in
into Haiti is fueling an in- More than 4,200 people U.N. human rights commis- compared with the 1,253 the area.”
sioner’s expert on Haiti, re- killings reported from Feb- The report stated that
cently visited the troubled ruary to July of 2024. nearly 1,000 firearms be-
Caribbean country. Some 73% of victims killed longing to Haiti’s National
While much of the violence by law enforcement were Police have been divert-
has been unleashed by reportedly gang mem- ed in the past four years,
gangs who formed a co- bers, but 27% “were not as- and that credible sources
alition last year known as sociated with gangs and have said officers are sell-
“ Viv Ansamn,” a growing were often struck by stray ing some weapons on the
number of people are be- bullets while in the streets black market.
ing killed by self-defense or at home,” the report A police spokesperson did
groups and mobs, includ- said. It noted that in some not immediately return a
ing at least 77 suspected cases, police opened fire message requesting com-
gang members slain in from armored vehicles ment.
November after gunmen “where people were walk- The report said gangs also
tried to attack a commu- ing or selling goods on the obtain illegal weapons
nity in the Port-au-Prince streets.” from private security com-
A woman cries after her friend, Valérie Saint-Fort, behind, fell capital, the report stated. It also said police have panies that use them.
dead from a bullet wound after soldiers fired their guns into It also found that the num- been reportedly involved Overall, an estimated
the air as a tribute during the funeral of two soldiers in Port-au- ber of people killed and in summary executions of 270,000 to 500,000 illegal
Prince, Haiti, Monday, March 17, 2025. injured by authorities fight- suspected gang mem- weapons are circulating
Associated Press ing gangs “remained ex- bers, their families, “or in- across Haiti.q