CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldovans are casting votes in a decisive presidential runoff Sunday that pits pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu against a Russia-friendly opponent, as ongoing claims of voter fraud and intimidation threaten democracy in the European Union candidate country. In the first round held October 20, Sandu obtained 42% of the ballot but failed to win an outright majority. She will face Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former …
Russia, Ukraine accuse each other of obstructing prisoner swaps
MOSCOW — Kyiv called on Moscow on Sunday to provide a list of Ukrainian prisoners of war ready for a swap after Russia accused Ukraine of sabotaging the exchange process. In requesting the list of Ukrainians from his Russian counterpart, Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets wrote on his Telegram messaging channel: “We are always ready to exchange prisoners of war!” Kyiv and Moscow have …
B-52 bombers arrive in Middle East, US military says
Washington — American B-52 bombers have arrived in the Middle East, the U.S. military said Saturday, a day after Washington announced their deployment in a warning to Iran. “B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” the military command for the Middle East and surrounding countries said in a post on social media. …
North Korean ‘white paper’ says South Korea’s president raised risk of nuclear war
seoul — North Korean state media released a white paper Sunday accusing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol of exposing his country to the danger of nuclear war through his policies toward the North. The document, compiled by North Korea’s Institute of Enemy State Studies and released by state news agency KCNA, criticized Yoon’s “reckless remarks” about war, abandoning elements of an inter-Korean agreement, engaging in …
Protesters demonstrate in Tel Aviv to demand end of war, return of hostages
Tel Aviv, Israel — Hundreds of protesters in Tel Aviv, Israel, voiced their frustration with the government Saturday for failing to secure a truce to bring the remaining hostages in Gaza home. Flag-waving demonstrators in the country’s commercial hub held placards with slogans including “Deal now,” “Stop the war” and “We won’t abandon them,” and beat drums and chanted “Why are they still in Gaza?” …
VOA Interview: UN special rapporteur details Russia’s state-sanctioned torture
washington — Mariana Katzarova, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Russia, reported Tuesday on the human rights situation in Russia at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, describing torture as Moscow’s main tool of repression. In an interview with VOA, Katzarova detailed how the Russian government has turned brutality into the new norm and how Russians are persecuted for their anti-war views. This …
Israel captures senior Hezbollah operative in Lebanon, military says
BATROUN, Lebanon — Israeli naval forces captured a senior Hezbollah operative in north Lebanon, an Israeli military official said Saturday, as the conflict between the Iran-backed group and Israel showed few signs of easing. Earlier on Saturday, Lebanese authorities said it was investigating whether Israel was behind the capture of a Lebanese sea captain who was taken away by a group of armed men who had …
Greek anti-terror police arrest man after deadly Athens blast
ATHENS, GREECE — Greek anti-terror investigators have arrested a man in connection with a deadly explosion in Athens, police said Saturday, warning of “a new generation of terrorists” at work. Thursday’s blast in an apartment in the capital, which killed a man and seriously injured a woman, is suspected to have been caused by the accidental detonation of a homemade bomb. Police sources told AFP they …
War makes it harder to hold journalists’ killers accountable, experts say
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK — Achieving justice in the targeted killings of journalists is a difficult task made even more complicated in cases that take place in wartime, experts say. On a global scale, 85% of journalist killings around the world since 2006 remain unsolved, according to a report released by UNESCO on Saturday. In 2013, the United Nations declared November 2 the International Day to End Impunity …
Spain to send 10,000 more troops, police to flood-hit region
VALENCIA, SPAIN — Spain will deploy 10,000 more troops and police officers to the eastern Valencia region devastated by floods that have killed 211 people, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday. Sanchez said in a televised address that he accepted the regional leader’s request for 5,000 more troops and informed him of a further deployment of 5,000 police officers and civil guards. Meanwhile, rescuers resumed …
Japan urges 200,000 people to evacuate due to heavy rain
Tokyo — Nearly 200,000 people in western Japan were urged to evacuate Saturday as authorities warned of landslides and floods, while the remnants of a tropical storm trickle over the country. The Japan Meteorological Agency said “warm, moist air… was causing heavy rainfall with thunderstorms in western Japan” partly due to Kong-rey, which was downgraded to an extratropical low-pressure system from a typhoon. The city of …
Russia targets Kyiv in hours-long drone attack
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia unleashed an overnight drone attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv that lasted into late morning and wounded at least one person, city officials said on Saturday. Debris from downed drones struck six city districts, wounding a police officer, damaging residential buildings and starting fires, according to city military administrator Serhiy Popko. Mayor Vitalii Klitschko had earlier reported that two people had been …
Iran’s supreme leader threatens Israel and US with ‘a crushing response’ over Israeli attack
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its allies. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke as Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel after its October 26 on the Islamic Republic that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people. Any further …
Israel’s attack on Iran has left Tehran offensively and defensively weaker
Iran was quick to downplay the impact of Israel’s attack on key military sites on its territory on October 26. But satellite images suggest Israel has degraded Tehran’s air defense and missile-production capabilities, analysts say. Fabian Hinz of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said Israel had dealt a “significant blow” to Iran’s ability to produce long-range ballistic missiles. Ability to sustain long-range attacks …
New Zealand city waves goodbye to its ‘disturbing’ giant hand
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Perched on two fingers on the roof of an art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, the giant sculpture of a hand has loomed over the city for five years. Named Quasi, the 16-foot — almost 5-meter — creation of Australia-based sculptor Ronnie van Hout bears an unsmiling human face — because why not? Some found it disturbing, and now, after five years …
World’s largest captive crocodile dies in Australia
sydney — A 5.48-meter Australian crocodile that held the world record as the largest crocodile in captivity has died, a wildlife sanctuary said on Saturday. He was thought to be more than 110 years old. Cassius, weighing in at more than one ton, had been in declining health since October 15, Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat said on Facebook. “He was very old and believed to be …
Lebanon searches for survivors after Israeli airstrikes kill 52
Rescuers in northeastern Lebanon searched for survivors Friday after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 52 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Israel airstrikes pounded Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley early Friday, sending families fleeing from their homes. Video from the scene showed some buildings in rubble as smoke rose above the skyline. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said 72 people were injured in the bombardment. Israeli warplanes also destroyed …
Russian political prisoner dies in Belarus penal colony, rights group says
A 22-year-old Russian man considered a political prisoner by activists has died in a penal colony in Belarus, human rights group Viasna said Friday. The rights group said it confirmed the death of Dmitry Shletgauer, who was recently transferred to a penal colony in Mogilev in eastern Belarus. Viasna said Shletgauer had been at the penal colony for a short time before his death. “Provisionally, …
Before US sanctions violations arrest, Russian businessman faced charge in Hong Kong
When the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on three companies belonging to Denis Postovoy on Wednesday, it was yet another move to break up what U.S. authorities say was an international scheme to violate sanctions. A month earlier, on September 16, law enforcement officials arrested the 44-year-old Russian national in Sarasota, Florida. He was charged with conspiring to violate sanctions on Russia, commit smuggling, …
Recent US strikes spotlight growing Islamic State threat in Syria
WASHINGTON — Airstrikes carried out by the U.S. military this week against several Islamic State targets in Syria highlight concerns about the terror group’s growing presence in the war-torn country, experts say. U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said Wednesday that its forces had conducted strikes on Monday targeting multiple camps belonging to IS, or ISIS, in the Syrian desert. Nearly 35 IS operatives, including senior leaders, …
Mideast-North Africa region sees surge in global investment despite conflicts
For the first time in years, the Middle East and North African region is seeing a surge in interest from international investors. Major companies like Google, Microsoft and Adobe recently took part in one of the largest technology events in the region when Dubai hosted Expand North Star 2024, which attracted over 6,500 exhibiting companies, 1,800 startups and 1,200 investors from 180 countries. Over the …
Erdogan sues opposition chief, Istanbul mayor for slander
istanbul — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday sued the main opposition leader and Istanbul’s powerful mayor over allegedly slanderous remarks made at a protest rally a day earlier, the Anadolu news agency reported. Filed on Friday, the two separate lawsuits targeted Ozgur Ozel, head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, also a top party official. One accused Ozel of …
What’s at stake in Moldova’s weekend run-off election?
Moldova’s Constitutional Court on Thursday validated the results of last month’s referendum, formally recognizing the country’s decision to join the European Union. The “yes” result, however, was an incredibly close one, much closer than polls had predicted, and the road toward EU membership for Moldova is not expected to be smooth either. Supporters of the measure attribute the much closer than expected result to Russian …
Before US sanctions violations arrest, Russian businessman faced charges in Hong Kong
When the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on three companies belonging to Denis Postovoy on Wednesday, it was yet another move to break up what U.S. authorities say was an international scheme to violate sanctions. A month earlier, on September 16, law enforcement officials arrested the 44-year-old Russian national in Sarasota, Florida. He was charged with conspiring to violate sanctions on Russia, commit smuggling, …