Ukraine is "ready for elections", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them.
Zelensky's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.
Speaking to reporters following Trump's comments in a wide-raging Politico interview, Zelensky said he would ask for proposals to be drawn up which could change the law.
Elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies, he said.
"I'm asking now, and I'm stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections," he told reporters.
"The issue of elections in Ukraine, I believe, depends first and foremost on our people, and this is a question for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners," he said.
"I've heard hints that we're clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency" and "that's why the war isn't ending", which he called "frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative".
Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by Trump.
"They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," the US president told Politico. He has suggested without evidence that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace as US-led efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine continue.
Such a vote would only be fair if all Ukrainians could participate, including soldiers fighting on the front line, a Ukrainian opposition MP told the BBC.
"In order for these elections to be fair all of the People of Ukraine would need to be allowed to vote," Lesia Vasylenko told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.
She said that "elections are never possible in wartime", alluding to the suspension of elections in the UK during World War Two.
Discussions around holding elections have made headlines since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have been routinely dismissed by Ukraine's government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity in the war effort must come first.
A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.
"Even a year ago, Zelensky said that he was ready for elections as soon as the conditions allow" in the face of previous pressure, Hanna Shelest, a foreign policy analyst with the think tank Ukrainian Prism, told the BBC.
The question was, however, how to create the conditions Zelensky outlined, Shelest told the Newsroom programme on the BBC World Service, given there were around one million soldiers and four million refugees who would be voting - as well as unsecured areas in the country and ongoing strikes.
"You cannot guarantee the security of the polling stations," she said.
Trump says he will "make a phone call" to stop the fighting
The US has asked Thailand and Cambodia to "cease hostilities immediately" as border clashes extended for a third day, killing at least 10 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.
The two nations must follow de-escalatory measures outlined in a peace accord brokered by US President Donald Trump in October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Trump has also said that he would "make a phone call" to stop the fighting, which is the most serious escalation since clashes in July killed dozens of people.
Both countries have blamed each other for re-igniting the fighting, which has seen air strikes and exchanges of artillery fire.
The death toll over three days of hostilities stands at 10 - seven from Cambodia and three from Thailand. Thai officials said they evacuated more than 400,000 people, while Phnom Penh said 100,000 on the Cambodian side have been moved to shelters.
Thailand's defence ministry said Wednesday military actions were "limited in scope and employed as a last option".
"Peace must come with the safety and security of our citizens, full stop," the ministry's spokesman said.
Cambodia on the other hand accused Thailand of launching "aggressive military attacks" that targeted civilian institutions and "sacred cultural sites", including historic temples along the disputed border.
Also on Wednesday, Cambodia announced it was pulling out from the South East Asian Games that is being hosted in Thailand.
The Cambodian National Olympic Committee cited "serious concerns and requests" from the families of its athletes for the withdrawal. It added that the decision was "not made lightly".
United Nations' Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to "exercise restraint and avoid further escalation", noting how their dispute has led to "significant civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure, and displacement on both sides".
The century-old border dispute between the South East Asian neighbours dramatically escalated on 24 July with a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand, followed by Thai air strikes.
That set off five days of intense fighting, which left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. Later that month, Bangkok and Phnom Penh agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Trump - who at the time threatened to stop tariff negotiations until the hostilities stopped.
In October, Trump claimed a historic achievement in ending the border conflict after both sides signed a ceasefire agreement, but tensions have continued to simmer.
Violence this week has expanded into at least six provinces in north-eastern Thailand and five provinces in Cambodia's north and north-west.
Thailand and Cambodia have been contesting territorial sovereignty along their 800km land border for more than a century, since the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.
This week, several countries, including the UK, US and Japan, have issued warnings against travelling to the border areas citing the renewed fighting.
File photo of a South Korea's KF-21 fighter jet during a test flight
South Korea has lodged a complaint with the Chinese and Russian defence attaches based in the country, a day after their warplanes entered its air defence zone.
Seoul said it sent up fighter jets to "take tactical measures in preparation for any emergencies" after seven Russian and two Chinese military aircraft "briefly entered" the zone on Tuesday, but noted they "did not violate" South Korea's airspace.
Some countries delineate air identification defence zones, wherein they require foreign planes to identify themselves. These are not part of sovereign airspaces under international law.
In March this year, Seoul also deployed fighter jets after several Russian warplanes flew into the zone.
The Russian aircraft entered Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone (Kadiz) near Ulleung Island and Dokdo, while the Chinese aircraft entered near Ieodo, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said, according to South Korean media.
Both sides' aircraft then regrouped in the airspace near Japan's Tsushima Island, the official said.
"Our military will actively respond to aircraft activities from neighbouring countries in the Kadiz in compliance with international law," South Korea's defence ministry said on Wednesday when lodging the complaint.
Both Japan and South Korea have laid claims to the Dokdo island grouping, as has North Korea.
Ieodo - a submerged rock above the South Korean island of Jeju - is a point of dispute between Seoul and Beijing, each of whom have included it in their air defence zones.
China on Wednesday confirmed that its air force had conducted a joint patrol with Russia in the East China Sea and Western Pacific airspace.
The exercise was part of an "annual cooperation plan" between Beijing and Moscow to "address regional challenges and maintain regional peace and stability", said a national defence spokesman.
China and Russia have entered South Korea's air defence zone without notification on several occasions since 2019, often during similar exercises.
Russia does not recognise South Korea's air defence zone, describing it as "unilaterally" established and saying it should therefore not create any legal obligations for other countries.
另外，中国人权捍卫者(Chinese Human Rights Defen诶ers，简称CHRD)亦在国际人权日发表声明，指责中国政府以政权打压为其社群争取利益和推动法治的维族丶藏族和香港人，手法之一是将他们处以十年或以上刑期，令他们襟声，其和平争取工作亦被叫停，CHRD要求中国停止长期羁押人权卫士，并特别点出当中十名被认为是错误判监的维权者，当中包括以民间初选手段来争取更多民主派人士进入议会的香港法律学者戴耀廷。
这两篇文章在《光传媒》刊登后，高瑜被公安上门查问。她周一(8日)在其 X 账号透露，有两名朝阳区和平街派出所的警察上门找她，表示要进行笔录，查问期间，提到她在这两篇与大埔火灾相关文章中所写的内容。她引述说，警察要求她解释为何要写这些文章；高瑜回应说，火灾死伤惨重，不关心还是中国人吗？警察要求她说明文章资料来源，以及提到港府用强硬镇压手段阻挡市民追责的内容。
Ukraine is "ready for elections", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them.
Zelensky's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.
Speaking to reporters following Trump's comments in a wide-raging Politico interview, Zelensky said he would ask for proposals to be drawn up which could change the law.
Elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies, he said.
"I'm asking now, and I'm stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections," he told reporters.
"The issue of elections in Ukraine, I believe, depends first and foremost on our people, and this is a question for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners," he said.
"I've heard hints that we're clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency" and "that's why the war isn't ending", which he called "frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative".
Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by Trump.
"They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," the US president told Politico. He has suggested without evidence that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace as US-led efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine continue.
Such a vote would only be fair if all Ukrainians could participate, including soldiers fighting on the front line, a Ukrainian opposition MP told the BBC.
"In order for these elections to be fair all of the People of Ukraine would need to be allowed to vote," Lesia Vasylenko told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.
She said that "elections are never possible in wartime", alluding to the suspension of elections in the UK during World War Two.
Discussions around holding elections have made headlines since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have been routinely dismissed by Ukraine's government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity in the war effort must come first.
A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.
"Even a year ago, Zelensky said that he was ready for elections as soon as the conditions allow" in the face of previous pressure, Hanna Shelest, a foreign policy analyst with the think tank Ukrainian Prism, told the BBC.
The question was, however, how to create the conditions Zelensky outlined, Shelest told the Newsroom programme on the BBC World Service, given there were around one million soldiers and four million refugees who would be voting - as well as unsecured areas in the country and ongoing strikes.
"You cannot guarantee the security of the polling stations," she said.
Meerkats are incredibly social animals and live in large groups known as 'mobs' or 'clans'
Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.
In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.
At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.
However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.
Getty
Chimpanzees are highly social and form strong bonds but have very different social structures from humans
"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.
In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.
Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.
Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).
Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).
In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.
Getty
Monogamy is prevalent in birds; such as swans, which form strong pairs
However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.
"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.
"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."
Getty
Soay sheep are the most promiscuous of all the animals studied
Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.
"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.
"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."
The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to pioneering elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died aged 83 at his home in Nairobi on Monday.
Douglas-Hamilton spent his life studying and campaigning to protect African elephants, becoming a world-leading expert on their behaviour in the wild.
His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade.
Prince William praised the zoologist as "a man who dedicated his life to conservation and whose life's work leaves lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants".
"The memories of spending time in Africa with him will remain with me forever," added Prince William, who is a royal patron for the African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk, of which Douglas-Hamilton was an ambassador.
"The world has lost a true conservation legend today, but his extraordinary legacy will continue," the charity's founder Charles Mayhew said in a statement.
Oria Douglas-Hamilton
Born in 1942 to an aristocratic British family in Dorset, England, Douglas-Hamilton studied biology and zoology in Scotland and Oxford before moving to Tanzania to research elephant social behaviour.
It was there at Lake Manyara National Park that he began documenting every elephant he encountered, eventually becoming so familiar with the herds he could recognise them by the unique shapes of their ears and wrinkles on their skin.
"The thing about elephants is that they have a lot in common with human beings," he said in a 2024 documentary about his work, A Life Among Elephants.
Friend and fellow conservationist Jane Goodall, who died in October, was featured in the documentary, and said he had shown the world that elephants are capable of feeling just like humans.
"I think his legacy will be one of a man who did so much to help people understand how majestic, how wonderful elephants are, and to learn more about their way of life," Goodall said.
Oria Douglas-Hamilton
But that work did not always come easy: he was charged at by elephants, almost killed by a swarm of bees and shot at by poachers. In 2010, a flood destroyed his research facility in Kenya and years of work was lost.
Despite the hardships, Douglas-Hamilton remained steadfast in his mission to raise awareness of the plight of African elephants, becoming one of the leading voices to alert the world of the ivory poaching crisis, which he described as "an elephant holocaust".
He later campaigned for an international ban on the commercial trade in ivory, and in 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species was signed, an international agreement between governments.
After the agreement failed to wipe out the trade completely, Douglas-Hamilton turned his attention to China and the US, the two main markets for ivory. Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-US President Barack Obama agreed to a near-total ban on its import and export in 2015.
Douglas-Hamilton established Save the Elephants in 1993, a charity dedicated to safeguarding the animals and deepening human understanding of their behaviour.
The organisation's CEO Frank Pope, who is also his son-in-law, said: "Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for huge numbers of people across the globe. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met."
In his own words, Douglas-Hamilton expressed optimism for the future of his life's work.
"I think my greatest hope for the future is that there will be an ethic developed of human-elephant coexistence," he once said.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife Oria, children Saba and Dudu, and six grandchildren.
The man behind the headlines - Salah, by Klopp, Diaz and more
Published
Image source, BBC Sport
During the eight-and-a-half years he has spent at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah has been beloved by supporters, who rank the 'Egyptian King' among the club's greatest ever players.
But since his unexpected declaration he feels scapegoated by Liverpool for the club's poor run, having been picked as a substitute for three consecutive matches by manager Arne Slot, Salah's character has been called into question by fans, former players and beyond.
So who is Salah the man - away from the latest headlines?
Over the past few months, BBC Sport has spoken to some of those who know him best to find out more about the personality and resilience of the man behind the goals, the glory, and the gossip.
'You only have problems with Mo if he is not playing'
Salah's relentless intensity and refusal to accept lower standards from himself or those around him have underpinned Liverpool's success, and perhaps also explain why he has found criticism of his diminished role tough to handle.
"We are all massively influenced by our past - how we were raised, where we grew up," says Jurgen Klopp, who won every major trophy in English and European football while managing Salah at Anfield. "Mo knew early on [in his life] that he had to do more than others.
"He always developed. He never stops. That is his mindset.
"After each summer break he came back and had a new skill. It was like he had spent the whole time just practising one particular type of pass.
"We pushed each other, just to make sure that we would never stop. And we never did stop. That moment lifting the Premier League bonded us for life. He will be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.
"I wouldn't say he is easy to manage, but he is also not difficult to manage. You [only] have problems with Mo Salah if he is not playing or you take him off."
Salah has been criticised by some for not giving more frequent media interviews before his intervention in the mixed zone at Leeds' Elland Road, particularly after defeats and poor performances.
He has been accused of demonstrating a lack of leadership. But he has often delivered calls to arms to fans on social media, external in difficult moments, and those who have played alongside him describe Salah as a man who refuses to give up and is capable of inspiring others.
"He will always be trying to prove someone wrong," says former Liverpool team-mate Adam Lallana.
"He is not macho. I would often tell my children about how he behaves, how he doesn't get too high in good moments, doesn't beat himself up too much in low moments. He would always remain completely focused on the job in hand.
"I would look at him and it would make me feel calm because of how in control he would be all the time.
"Knowing Mo, he will always be fighting, being resilient, and trying to find ways to better himself."
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
"Never give up - did it ever fit to a situation better than this one?" says Klopp about the T-shirt an injured Salah wore during Liverpool's 4-0 Champions League win over Barcelona in 2019. Lallana says the shirt "inspired" the team. James Milner keeps one at home.
'He wants to be the best at everything'
Salah defended his record when speaking at Elland Road, and compared himself to England captain Harry Kane - delivering what he felt was a reminder to those inside and outside of Liverpool who have forgotten what he is capable of.
A level of arrogance is perhaps to be expected in all elite athletes, and some believe it has powered Salah to the heights he and Liverpool have reached.
"He is a really nice guy, considering the success he has had - being a superstar around the globe," says James Milner - Liverpool's vice-captain during most of Salah's time at the club.
"He plays as if he has a chip on his shoulder. He wants to be the best at everything - he even got a chess teacher to improve his game, and gave me a thumping a good few times.
"You need different types of leaders, and Mo is a big leader in that group, in terms of the standards he set every day. When you have young players come and sign, they see him and it's 'this is what is takes to be a top player, this is what it is to be a Liverpool player'."
That desire to always be the best became competition - fraught at times - with team-mate Sadio Mane, Liverpool's other flying forward who played on the opposite wing to Salah for five seasons.
"Were they best friends? No," Klopp says. "Could Mo have passed the ball a few times when he tried to finish it off himself? Yes. But on the pitch they supported each other, they fought for each other."
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Throughout his time with Liverpool, Salah has demonstrated his competitiveness on and off the pitch
He was born in a rural village - Nagrig - about 100 miles from Cairo, where most of the roughly 15,000 inhabitants work as farmers and more than half live in poverty.
That such a region could produce one of the world's greatest athletes borders on impossible.
"What already set him apart as a kid was his discipline," says Maher Anwar Shtiyeh - mayor of Nagrig. "He remains deeply tied to his roots, despite fame and global recognition.
"He only finds real happiness in his village spending time with his family and friends. He is a role model for the youth of Egypt, the Arab youth, and the youth of the whole Islamic world. He has lifted the heads of all of us."
As a child, Salah would travel up to five hours by minibus from his village to the capital, where he played youth football for top-flight club Arab Contractors.
That helped instil a resilience that has guided him throughout his professional career, alongside support from loved ones.
"You have to be mentally so strong as a young kid following your dream like that," says former international team-mate Ahmed Elmohamady.
"His wife is from the same village. They grew up together, which is great because she knows everything about him and has supported him all the way.
"Now anyone in the village who asks him for support, he supports them. It shows what a great human being he is."
Since leaving Egypt, Salah has maintained close ties with Nagrig and financed an ambulance station, a charitable foundation and a religious institute in the area.
Salah has proudly made his faith visible throughout his career - he prays both when walking onto the pitch and after scoring goals.
"When I first met Mo, he was coming here quite regularly," says Shafique Rahman - Imam at Liverpool Mosque and Islamic Institute. "He would arrive a little bit late after finishing training. We had people waiting outside who wanted to see him, but nobody would bother him during prayer.
"The nature of the religion is that everybody is the same in the eyes of God. When people come to prayers they stand extremely close, touching each other's shoulders. Mo felt very safe here."
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'To get up and want to be the best every day – that's a different mindset'
When Salah first moved to England - signed by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea after impressing for Basel in Switzerland - he struggled to impose his personality in a squad full of established stars, and lacked self-belief.
"When I first met him, he was 21 - very innocent," says former team-mate Mark Schwarzer. "He was coming to London - a big city, different culture - and I think he was a bit timid.
"When he signed, he was coming into a changing room packed full of international stars - players that were used to winning, and a manager that was a legend of the club. For new players, it was sink or swim.
"The more he didn't score, the more frustrated he became. There was a moment in the changing room when Jose actually kicked a table, and was directing a lot of his frustration towards Mo, and he took him off. Mo was visibly upset.
"It's credit to him, his determination, his dedication, everything, to go on and deliver what he has done."
Salah rebuilt his career in Italy's Serie A - first in a loan spell with Fiorentina then at Roma, developing a reputation as an on-field leader and ultimate professional.
"He was just different," explains BBC pundit and former England and Manchester City defender Micah Richards, who played alongside Salah at Fiorentina. "You get those characters that just do everything by the book - he was that guy.
"He would always be in bed early, always be eating healthily. He clearly thought, 'I'm going to show everyone exactly what I can do. All those who have doubted me are going to eat their words.' That's exactly what he did."
For a young African man to set standards for European colleagues to follow was a challenge in itself.
"To succeed in Europe you have to understand the culture of where you are playing, where you are living, without losing any of your principles," says former Egypt striker Mido, who played for Tottenham, Roma and Ajax among others. "This is the balance that he has achieved.
"He has made young boys in Africa dream - 'If someone who comes from the background as I do made it to the top, why couldn't I make it?'"
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Football fans in Nagrig were overjoyed when Salah, one of their own, scored the opening goal in the 2019 Champions League final
'Mo has left a profound mark on me'
Even before Salah's comments following the 3-3 draw with Leeds, doubts about his future were arising.
Inside Liverpool, concerns had already been raised about his performances, before transfer rumours were given further encouragement this week, with sources telling the BBC the Reds are open-minded about selling the 33-year-old.
Salah is not the only Liverpool hero whose time at the club - which he and Slot have said could be up in the January transfer window - has (potentially) ended with public denigration.
In different contexts, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres and Trent Alexander-Arnold have met similar fates, while shirts bearing the legendary Steven Gerrard's name were set alight in the street when he was on the verge of joining Chelsea in 2005.
If this is the end of Salah and Liverpool's love affair, the human impact he has had on those around him will not be forgotten any time soon.
"He was one of the first people to welcome me, and did so in such an incredible way," says Luis Diaz, who played alongside Salah in Liverpool's forward line for three-and-a-half years before joining Bayern Munich earlier this year.
"He came over to me and said: 'if you ever need my help, I'm here for you.' I remember him telling me on the pitch: 'Let's try this... let's make this move so that it works.' And then it would work in the match.
"To share the moment lifting the Premier League with him, to see how happy he was, how much he was enjoying it, was an incredible feeling.
"He is always wanting to be a better player, to be a better person, and he has left a profound mark on me."
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Oria Douglas-Hamilton
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