Colombian rebel leader Pablo Beltran said on Tuesday that peace talks between his National Liberation Army and the government have been put “on pause” due to remarks made last week by President Gustavo Petro. Petro questioned whether members of the rebel group's delegation in Cuba could effectively control the actions of their own commanders on the battlefield. He also said the younger leaders of the group, known as the ELN, were motivated not by political goals, but by drug trafficking profits. In an interview published on Youtube by the ELN’s communication team, Beltran said that delegations from both sides would have to meet to “examine” the comments by Colombia's president before issues like a ceasefire and rural development schemes can continue to be discussed. The negotiations began in November and have failed to produce any major breakthroughs so far. The ELN was recognized as “an armed rebel group” by Colombia’s government during the last round of talks which took place in Mexico, a designation that enables it to seek policy changes in peace talks instead of just negotiating reduced sentences for their crimes. Beltran argued that Petro’s recent comments are putting its status as a “political organization” in jeopardy. “If they are saying one thing in the negotiations, while the president says another we feel like we are stuck in the middle,” Beltran said. “So we are asking for an explanation.” During a speech to military officers on Friday, Petro described members of the ELN’s peace delegation as “elderly” leaders who were interested in discussing political changes. But he questioned whether younger ELN commanders who lead troops on the ground have the same kind of goals. “They may use the same banners,” Petro said. “But what motivates them is (profiting from) illicit economies.” Petro added that elderly leaders like Beltran were “willing to sit down and talk. But are they really in charge?” The ELN was founded in the 1960s by union leaders, students and priests inspired by the Cuban revolution. It is Colombia’s largest remaining rebel group and has been notoriously difficult for previous Colombian governments to negotiate with. In 2016, Colombia’s government signed a peace deal with the larger FARC group that ended five decades of conflict in which an estimated 260,000 people were killed. But violence has continued to affect rural pockets of the country where the ELN has been fighting the Gulf Clan and FARC holdout groups for the control of drug trafficking routes and other resources. Petro promised during his presidential campaign that he would seek peace deals with all of Colombia’s major armed groups by rolling out a strategy he described as “total peace.” But the Gulf Clan recently gave up on the peace talks, while negotiations with FARC holdout groups are still in preliminary stages. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

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Ron DeSantis’ campaign has dismissed a number of staffers in an effort to trim costs months after the Florida governor entered the crowded 2024 GOP field. Politico first reported that around 10 staffers have parted ways in recent days. Some of the staffers may join an outside group affiliated with the DeSantis campaign, according to the report. Despite cruising to re-election in Florida on a hardline conservative agenda, Mr DeSantis has struggled to gain traction in the GOP primary. He consistently trails Donald Trump in polls as the former president has increased his attacks on Mr DeSantis. Campaign manager Generra Peck is under scrutiny for early staffing decisions, according to NBC News. “They never should have brought so many people on, the burn rate was way too high,” a GOP source told the network. “People warned the campaign manager but she wanted to hear none of it.” Mr DeSantis has focused his attention on Iowa in recent weeks, even telling reporters that he would consider Governor Kim Reynolds as a running-mate. The crucial first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses are less than six months away. The DeSantis campaign said the moves will allow the campaign to be more “nimble”. “Americans are rallying behind Ron DeSantis and his plan to reverse Joe Biden’s failures and restore sanity to our nation, and his momentum will only continue as voters see more of him in person, especially in Iowa,” Andrew Romeo said in a statement to The New York Times.. Defeating Joe Biden and the $72 million behind him will require a nimble and candidate-driven campaign, and we are building a movement to go the distance.” Read More 2024 GOP candidates desperate to make debate stage are finding creative ways to boost donor numbers DeSantis would consider Iowa's Reynolds as running mate, calls Trump's attack of her 'out of hand' Fundraising takeaways: Trump and DeSantis in their own tier as Pence and other Republicans struggle

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Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska has issued a sobering warning to the world as the conflict enters its 18 month, in an exclusive interview with Independent TV. Speaking from the command centre in Kyiv, Ms Zelenska warned that her country is in desperate need of “faster” support to enable it to fight Vladimir Putin’s troops. “We keep hearing from our Western partners that they will be with us as long as it takes. ‘Long’ is not the word we should use. We should use the word ‘faster’,” she told Independent TV. “Ukrainians are paying for this war with the lives of our compatriots. The rest of the world pays with its resources. These are incomparable things, so we urge you to speed up this help,” she added. A comedy screenwriter and the childhood sweetheart of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Ms Zelenska gave up her day job to become an ambassador for Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Founding the Olena Zelenska Foundation in September 2022, the organisation’s work is wide-ranging, encompassing everything from reconstructing hospitals to supporting those suffering with their mental health. Read More If Russia wins now it’s the worst-case scenario for humanity, warns Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska From the command centre in Kyiv, Olena Zelenska’s urgent plea to help her nation as war rages around her What Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska wants the world to know Russian guards ‘using torture and genital electrocution on Ukrainian prisoners’ – investigators

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