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Zelenskiy Visits Sofia, Prague To Drive Home Messages On NATO Membership, Demand For More Arms
PRAGUE -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Prague on July 6 for a visit with senior Czech officials as Kyiv pushes for NATO membership and more weapons that can be deployed in its ongoing counteroffensive against Russian forces.
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Zelenskiy arrived in the Czech capital from Bulgaria, another NATO country, where he received assurances of support from Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and signed a declaration on Ukraine's integration into Western organizations, namely NATO and the EU.
Zelenskiy said he would hold “substantive negotiations” while in Prague with President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, President of the Senate Milos Vystrcil, and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marketa Pekarova Adamova. He was also expected to meet with members of the government, parliament, and media.
He said he also would discuss the situation around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the rebuilding of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy told reporters that slow weapons deliveries to Ukraine had delayed Kyiv's counteroffensive, allowing Russia to bolster its defenses in occupied areas.
Zelenskiy held meetings earlier in Sofia with government officials, including Denkov, Bulgaria’s new prime minister, who signaled a break from the previous caretaker government’s reluctance to provide lethal aid to Ukraine when he took power last month.
Denkov emphasized his country's support for Ukraine during Zelenskiy’s brief visit to the Bulgarian capital.
“Bulgaria is consistent in its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine because we are convinced that an independent and sovereign Ukraine is key for Euro-Atlantic security in the region,” Denkov said after talks with Zelenskiy.
“Russia should withdraw unconditionally within its internationally recognized borders and should bear its responsibility,” Denkov added.
Zelenskiy's visit coincided with a vote in the Bulgarian parliament backing a declaration of support for Ukraine to join NATO once the war is over.
Ihor Zhovkva, an adviser to Zelenskiy, said on Facebook that, with the declaration, Bulgaria became the 22nd state with which Ukraine formalized the support of its membership in NATO.
"The document clearly shows that Bulgaria supports Ukraine's membership in NATO as soon as conditions allow," Zhovkva said.
Zelenskiy also held talks with President Rumen Radev who has opposed sending military aid to Kyiv. Ahead of the closed-door meeting, Radev stood firm on his position and called for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
"The security environment is alarming in our region as well. The conflict is expanding its spatial scope," Radev said, repeatedly referring to "the conflict," saying it is turning into a war of attrition and has no military solution.
Zelenskiy responded by saying he hopes the people of Bulgaria "understand that this is not a conflict, but a war. In a conflict, millions of people do not leave the country," he said.
He told Radev, whose country is home to a thriving arms industry, that there is a difference between opposing sending arms to Ukraine to prevent Bulgaria's own military from being weakened and supporting the strengthening of Ukraine.
"Whatever you have [left] will be insufficient for your army to fight Russia if it comes here," he said.
The Kremlin criticized Zelenskiy's visit to Bulgaria, saying the Ukrainian leader was trying to "drag" other countries into the conflict.
Both Zelenskiy and Radev also acknowledged the risks presented by the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian forces. Russian and Ukraine have recently accused each other of planning to attack the power plant.
WATCH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on NATO to send "a clear signal" about his nation's future membership in the military alliance less than a week ahead of a NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital. Zelenskiy made the comments at a July 6 news conference in Prague alongside Czech President Petr Pavel.
Zelenskiy called the seizure of the plant one of the ways Russia has attempted to blackmail Ukraine and its supporters, while Radev said the situation means the risk of radioactive contamination spreading in Europe is growing.
"The seizure of this plant is also not a conflict, but a war," Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy is expected to travel to Turkey on July 7 for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion for talks with counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish state media reported.
The meeting is expected to focus on the Turkish- and UN-brokered deal with Russia to allow shipments of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. Russia has hinted that it could block the deal, which is set to expire on July 17.
Zelenskiy also is expected to push Erdogan to give the green light to Sweden's membership in NATO ahead of the alliance's July 11-12 summit in Vilnius.
With reporting by AP
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Georgia's Ruling Party Ignores Challenges, Nominates Right-Winger For President
Georgia's billionaire political power broker Bidzina Ivanishvili has introduced a Euroskeptic former soccer player as his ruling party's nominee for a disputed presidential vote next month, despite mounting constitutional disagreements and a post-parliamentary election boycott in the Caucasus nation.
The nomination of Mikheil Kavelashvili came hours into a new legislative session dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party -- which Ivanishvili founded -- that the current president, Salome Zurabishvili, contends is unconstitutional because of alleged flaws in last month's parliamentary vote.
The fractured opposition disputes the results and sought to nullify the seating of legislators in order to spark a constitutional impasse.
The Georgian Dream claimed victory with 88 seats in the 150-seat parliament after voting on October 26, suggesting it will try to steamroll opposition to put the fiery 53-year-old former international footballer and right-wing populist lawmaker Kavelashvili in the presidency.
Kavelashvili is one of the founders of a 2-year-old, anti-Western offshoot of the Georgian Dream party called People's Power.
His party introduced a draft law on "foreign agents" in 2023 that sparked massive protests before it was withdrawn and replaced earlier this year with a slightly reworded bill to curb "foreign influence" at nongovernment groups.
Amid this year's protests against the polarizing so-called Russian law, Kavelashvili invoked Georgia's "civil war started in the '90s" to accuse its opponents -- including current Georgian international soccer great Khvicha Kvaratskhelia -- of stoking violence.
The law was eventually enacted when lawmakers overrode Zurabishvili's veto.
The looming presidential vote is the country's first under a 2017 change from a direct to an indirect vote by an electoral college for the head of state, a largely ceremonial post that Zurabishvili has used to oppose what Georgian critics decry as a "Russian law."
Zurabishvili has called the legislature that emerged from the October elections "unconstitutional" and appealed to the Constitutional Court for their annulment over alleged Russian influence and fraud.
The European Union has stalled Tbilisi's bid to join the bloc, while the United States has vowed to "revise" its relations with Georgia over the law and other recent moves by the Georgian Dream-led government.
Zurabishvili has accused the ruling party of "capturing" Georgia and diverting it from its pro-EU path, a goal that is enshrined in the constitution and supported by an overwhelming majority of around 80 percent of Georgians, and toward Russia instead.
Georgian Dream lawmakers voted on November 26 to hold the presidential election on December 14, a move some experts say is illegal until the courts rule on Zurabishvili's and other postelection challenges.
Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia and is the influential honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, called Kavelashvili "the best embodiment of a Georgian man" when he introduced him as the party's presidential choice the same day.
In a pointed shot at Zurabishvili, who has fallen out dramatically with Georgian Dream since that party nominated her to the presidency in 2018, Ivanishvili said Kavelashvili would "fully restore the dignity temporarily taken from the institution of the presidency."
In accepting the disputed nomination, Kavelashvili accused Zurabishvili of having "insulted and neglected" the Georgian Constitution and that she "continues to violate it today."
Detractors have pointed out Kavelashvili's apparent lack of a university degree, or at least the absence of any information about it in his official parliamentary profile.
In 2015, Kavelashvili filed a lawsuit seeking to cancel a provision of the national soccer federation's guidelines requiring presidents of that body to have a university degree.
Jailed Former Moscow Anti-War Lawmaker Gorinov Faces New Trial
A new criminal trial against imprisoned former Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov, known for his outspoken criticism of Russia's war against Ukraine, began at a Russian military court on November 27.
Before the hearing started, Gorinov displayed a hand-drawn message on piece of paper that said: "Stop killing. Let's stop the war."
When court bailiffs attempted to confiscate the makeshift poster, Gorinov refused to hand it over, saying that he was not breaking any regulations and insisting the bailiffs must document the seizure formally.
Asked about his health before the session, Gorinov revealed ongoing struggles with illness. "There's no treatment available," he said, adding that he relied on psychotherapy.
"I don’t understand why they’re targeting an ordinary person like me."
His lawyer, Alyona Savelyeva, said that Gorinov was suffering from bronchitis, which makes his transportation to court and time spent in cold rooms particularly difficult.
Gorinov, 63, was sentenced in July 2022 to seven years in prison for spreading "fake news" about the Russian military because of his public opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
In October 2023, the authorities opened a new case against him, accusing him of "justifying terrorism" based on alleged conversations with fellow inmates about Ukraine's Azov Regiment.
During the hearing, Gorinov firmly denied any ties to terrorism. "I am far from any ideology of terrorism," he said.
"I am a committed internationalist and an opponent of war and violence, as I have consistently stated publicly throughout my life."
Gorinov's initial conviction stemmed from an anti-war speech he delivered at a city council meeting in Moscow's Krasnoselsky district.
He was the first person sentenced under Russia's new law criminalizing "fake news" about the military, introduced after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Earlier this year, Gorinov was transferred from a detention center in Moscow to a prison in the Vladimir region. He complained of harsh conditions, including solitary confinement in a cold cell without a mattress, blanket, or access to hot water.
Dmitry Muratov, editor in chief of the Novaya gazeta newspaper and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross for an urgent inspection of the conditions Gorinov was being held in.
Following this, local officials and prosecutors inspected the facility, resulting in Gorinov's relocation to a slightly improved cell with a window that opens and closes, a functioning toilet, and reportedly no mice.
Gorinov has been repeatedly subjected to punitive measures, including spending extended periods in solitary confinement. In spring 2023, he spent 48 consecutive days in a punishment cell, a treatment often reported by other political prisoners in Russia.
Germany, Russia Expel Journalists In Tit-For-Tat Moves Amid High Tensions
The Russian state-run Channel One television company in Germany said the government has ordered two of its journalists to leave the country, prompting Moscow to revoke the accreditations of two correspondents from German media group ARD.
The affected Channel One journalists, correspondent Ivan Blagoi and cameraman Dmitry Volkov, said they were informed that they must depart Germany by mid-December. The media outlet confirmed the expulsions on social media on November 27.
Blagoi said the decision was justified by the German authorities as being "in the interest of the security of the Federal Republic of Germany."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news conference on November 27 that Moscow had revoked the accreditations of two ARD correspondents, saying, "we have to take tit-for-tat measures." She gave no further details.
The expulsions mark the latest in a series of escalating tensions between Russia and Western countries over the role of Russian state media.
Since Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian broadcasters have faced bans, restrictions on access to social media platforms, and accusations of disseminating propaganda.
Channel One, a Russian-language broadcaster popular among older audiences in Russia and some other former Soviet republics, has come under scrutiny for its coverage.
ARD is an association of German public broadcasters.
German authorities reportedly accused the outlet of spreading propaganda and disinformation among the Russian-speaking diaspora in Germany, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The accusations include claims the channel justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine and portrays Ukraine's defenders as "Nazis."
The expulsions follows a report aired by Blagoi on November 24 regarding Nikolaj Gajduk, a German citizen detained by Russia's Federal Security Service in October.
The report alleged that Western intelligence agencies, including the CIA, were involved in Gajduk's alleged actions ordered by Ukrainian special services.
The timing of the decision to expel the journalists, shortly after this broadcast, raises questions about the broader geopolitical dimensions of the incident.
Russia has consistently retaliated against measures targeting its state media. Following Germany's 2022 ban on RT, a Kremlin-backed broadcaster, Moscow shut down the Deutsche Welle bureau in Russia and revoked accreditations for German journalists.
Similar restrictions have been imposed on other foreign correspondents, reflecting a tit-for-tat approach.
The German government has not publicly detailed the reasons behind its decision, but the move underscores the increasing focus on disinformation as a national security threat. Channel One claimed its journalists had complied with German laws and accused the authorities of using vague accusations to stifle alternative narratives.
Germany has a large number of residents who have emigrated from the former Soviet Union, who are mostly ethnic Germans from Kazakhstan and Russia.
With reporting by TASS, AFP, Channel One, and RIA Novosti
2 Wounded In Russian Attack On Kyiv, Klitschko Says
A Russian drone strike on Kyiv early on November 27 wounded two people and damaged a nonresidential building, the mayor of Ukraine's capital, Vitali Klitschko, said on his Telegram channel. Ukraine's air force, meanwhile, said that Russia launched 89 drones at eight regions -- Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskiy, and Mykolayiv. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 36 of the attacking drones, while 48 were lost due to the jamming of their navigation systems by electronic means, the air force said on Telegram. Five other drones left the territory of Ukraine in the direction of Belarus and back to Russia, it said. Russia's Defense Ministry said separately that its air defenses shot down 10 Ukrainian drones over the Rostov region and two off the Black Sea port of Sevastopol. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Nearly 1,000 Khan Supporters Arrested As Police Break Up Islamabad Protest
Police arrested nearly 1,000 supporters of Imran Khan as security forces cracked down on a massive protest in Islamabad demanding the release of the jailed former Pakistani prime minister, police said on November 27.
Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi told a news conference that 19 Afghan citizens were among the 954 protesters arrested by Pakistani security forces over the past three days.
The protesters, who had marched for days toward Islamabad from Khan's stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in the northwest, were dispersed and the capital cleared during a sweeping midnight raid by Pakistani security forces.
Rizvi said police used only nonlethal means during the overnight raid.
Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party issued a statement on X on November 27 saying the protest, during which at least six people -- four members of the security forces and two protesters -- had been killed, was being suspended "for the time being" and accused the government of brutality.
PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed the suspension of the protest.
Party officials said Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a key Khan ally, had returned "safely" to the province from Islamabad following the security forces' crackdown.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told journalists in Islamabad at the late-night briefing that the protesters, some of whom were armed with sticks and slingshots, had been successfully dispersed after the Pakistani military deployed to the capital earlier on November 26.
He announced that schools would reopen on November 27 and all roads would be cleared.
The minister also said that details regarding the involvement of Afghan nationals in the protest would be shared with the media on November 27, adding that "an important decision has been taken about Afghan nationals," which would be announced in the next few days.
PTI claimed on X that the police in Islamabad fired directly at protesters. The capital had been locked down since late on November 23 and mobile Internet services were sporadically cut.
The Islamabad city administration last week announced a two-month ban on public gatherings, but convoys of Khan supporters traveled from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on November 25 determined to enter the city.
PTI's chief demand is the release of Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
The 72-year-old former cricket superstar-turned-politician has been in jail for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, although he enjoys huge popularity among Pakistanis. PTI has said the cases are politically motivated.
PTI has defied a government crackdown since Khan was barred from running in elections in February with regular demonstrations aiming to seize public spaces in Islamabad and other large cities.
Before the raids, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Khan supporters after thousands defied roadblocks to march some 150 kilometers from the northwest toward Islamabad despite a lockdown and a ban on public gatherings.
The party is also protesting alleged tampering in the February polls and a recent government-backed constitutional amendment giving it more power over the courts, where Khan is tangled in dozens of cases.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash PTI's protests, which have largely cut off Islamabad from the rest of the country, with travel to other parts of Pakistan almost at a standstill.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
Civilians Begin Returning To South Lebanon After Start Of Israeli-Hezbollah Cease-Fire
A cease-fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has come into effect in southern Lebanon after almost 14 months of fighting that triggered concerns of a wider conflict in the region.
After the cease-fire kicked off at 4 a.m. local time, the Israeli military warned civilians not to return to their homes in south Lebanon yet and not to approach Israeli positions.
However, convoys of civilians crossed into southern Lebanon, defying the both the Israeli warning and appeal by the Lebanese Army, which is set to deploy to the area to replace the Israeli forces.
Hezbollah is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and its military wing is blacklisted by the European Union.
The cease-fire was overwhelmingly approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, Netanyahu’s office said on November 26, marking a major development toward peace between Israel and Hezbollah militants.
The move was immediately welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said it represents a fresh start for Lebanon and shows that peace is possible after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that forced tens of thousands of Israelis to flee and killed thousands of Lebanese.
Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the cease-fire agreement as he recommended his security cabinet adopt the plan, vowing to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the deal.
In the hours leading up to the meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings, while Hezbollah said it launched drones toward Israel amid cross-border fire.
In a televised address, Netanyahu did not say how long the truce would last but noted that the length of the cease-fire "depends on what happens in Lebanon."
He added: "If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike. If they try to renew terror activities near the border, we will strike. If they launch a rocket, dig a tunnel, or bring in a truck with missiles, we will strike."
The cease-fire marks the first major step toward ending the violence triggered by the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
However, the truce will not apply directly to Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after the cease-fire took effect, Hamas said it was also "ready" for a truce.
Earlier, Netanyahu said on November 26 that Israel would now focus its efforts on Hamas and releasing the hostages seized by the militants on October 7.
"From Day 2 of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own," he said.
"We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages."
Biden said that Israel reserved the right to resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce.
"This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden said at the White House shortly after Netanyahu announced the security cabinet approval of the truce. If any party breaks the terms of the deal, "Israel retains the right to self-defense."
He said that over the next 60 days civilians on both sides will be able to safely return to their own communities. The deal requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon's army to deploy some 5,000 troops in the region, while Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the cease-fire and said it was a "fundamental step towards establishing calm and stability in Lebanon."
The war has killed at least 3,799 people in Lebanon since October 2023, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
On the Israeli side, the hostilities have killed at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians, authorities say.
The war in Lebanon escalated after nearly a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire initiated by Hezbollah.
Separately, Syria's Defense Ministry said six people were killed in Israeli strikes on border crossings with Lebanon just after midnight on November 27, hours before the cease-fire took effect.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
Protests Against Pro-Russian Romanian Presidential Candidate Spread Beyond Bucharest
Protests against the rise of pro-Russian politician Calin Georgescu spread beyond Bucharest to other Romanian cities on November 26 after his surprise victory in the first round of a presidential election over the weekend.
Protests opposing Georgescu took place on the evening of November 26 in Bucharest, Timisoara, Iasi, Brasov, and Sibiu.
Georgescu faces a runoff against pro-Western center-right candidate Elena Lasconi on December 8 after winning 22.94 percent of the vote in the first round of balloting on November 24 in the EU and NATO member state.
About 1,000 people turned out in Bucharest for the second night of protests against Georgescu in the Romanian capital's University Square.
Most of those who took to the streets were young people who expressed their concern about Georgescu's radical attitudes and the future of their country.
"I came here because at the moment our democracy is in a precarious situation and I strongly believe that we, the young generation, can prevent a future disaster, which could take place in the second round," said a student from Bucharest who declined to be identified by name.
Another protester said she was demoralized that people chose not to inform themselves about Georgescu before the election.
"I cannot accept that I or my future children...would be led by a fascist," said the protester, who also declined to provide her name.
She said that Romanians must go down the path of democracy and there is still a chance for that in parliamentary elections scheduled to take place on December 1 and in the December 8 runoff in the presidential race.
"We can go back 35 years and see what our parents and grandparents went through...the mass misinformation they went through when [communist Romanian dictator Nicola] Ceausescu was elected,” she said. “Let's inform ourselves before choosing. We have to go massively to the vote. We young people have a voice and we have to use it.”
In Timisoara, young people chanted "Today in Timisoara, tomorrow throughout the country," a reference to the December 1989 revolution, which began in Timisoara.
The protesters also displayed posters saying, "Down with the legionaries," a reference to statements made by Georgescu in television appearances in which he affirmed his sympathy for the legionary or religious fascist Iron Guard movement in Romania and its leaders.
Similar protests were held on November 26 in Iasi and Brasov, where several dozen young people gathered.
The protesters in Iasi said they did not want to be led by a dictator or a sympathizer of anti-Semitic and fascist leaders from Romania in the 1930s and 1940s.
Georgescu, 62, has denied that he is an extremist or a fascist and referred to himself as "a Romanian who loves his country."
He had been polling in single digits before a viral TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine. The independent candidate insisted "there is no East or West" and stressed that neutrality was "absolutely necessary."
- By RFE/RL
Israel, Hezbollah Agree On Lebanon Cease-Fire To End Nearly 14 Months Of Fighting
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet has overwhelmingly approved a cease-fire deal with Hezbollah, Netanyahu’s office said on November 26, marking a major development toward peace between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.
The move was immediately welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said it represents a fresh start for Lebanon and shows that peace is possible after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that forced tens of thousand of Israelis to flee and killed thousands of Lebanese.
Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the cease-fire agreement as he recommended his security cabinet adopt the plan, vowing to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal.
In the hours leading up to the meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings.
In a televised address, Netanyahu did not say how long the truce would last but noted that the length of the cease-fire “depends on what happens in Lebanon."
He added: "If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike. If they try to renew terror activities near the border, we will strike. If they launch a rocket, dig a tunnel, or bring in a truck with missiles, we will strike."
A cease-fire would mark the first major step toward ending the violence triggered by the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Biden said that, under the deal reached between Israel and Hezbollah, the cease-fire will take effect at 4 a.m. local time on November 27. He stressed that Israel reserved the right to resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce.
“This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said at the White House shortly after Netanyahu announced the security cabinet approval of the truce. If any party breaks the terms of the deal, “Israel retains the right to self-defense.”
He said that over the next 60 days civilians on both sides will be able to safely return to their own communities. The deal requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon's army to deploy in the region, while Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the cease-fire and said it was a "fundamental step towards establishing calm and stability in Lebanon."
The cease-fire does not address the war in Gaza, but Biden said it deserves a cease-fire deal as well.
Netanyahu said Israel would now focus its efforts on Hamas militants and his top security concern, Iran.
"From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own," he said.
"We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier that a cease-fire would save lives and livelihoods in Lebanon and in Israel.
“It will make a big difference in creating the conditions that will allow people to return to their homes safely in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon,” Blinken said at a briefing at the conclusion of a Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting in Fiuggi, Italy.
He said he also believed that de-escalating tension could help end the conflict in Gaza by letting Hamas know that it can’t count on other fronts opening up in the war.
“In terms of Gaza itself, I also think this can have a significant impact…. Because one of the things that Hamas has sought from day one is to get others in on the fight, to create multiple fronts, to make sure that Israel was having to fight in a whole series of different places,” Blinken said.
The war has killed at least 3,799 people in Lebanon since October 2023, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
On the Israeli side, the hostilities have killed at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians, authorities say.
The war in Lebanon escalated after nearly a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire initiated by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese group said it was acting in support of Hamas after its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
G7 Foreign Ministers Renew Support For Ukraine In Final Summit Document
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized countries expressed their support for Ukraine on November 26 in the final statement following their summit in Italy. They also condemned what they described as Russia's "irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric."
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
The G7 ministers’ statement also warned that North Korean support for Russia marked a dangerous expansion of the war, condemning the development and saying Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and munitions was a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
“We stand firm against Russia’s war of aggression. We vehemently condemn the brutal attacks against Ukraine’s cities and critical civilian infrastructure and its unacceptable toll on the civilian population,” the minister said in a joint statement at the conclusion of their two-day meeting.
The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States noted Russia’s use of an intermediate range ballistic missile on November 21, saying it is “further evidence of its reckless and escalatory behavior.” They also said their support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence “will remain unwavering.”
The ministers, who were joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and the EU’s foreign policy chief at their meeting in Fiuggi, a spa town southeast of Rome, added that they hoped to start distributing a $50 billion loan package stemming from frozen Russian assets by the end of the year.
They also pledged to act against groups helping Russia to evade sanctions and called on China, a long-standing ally of North Korea, to act against the deployment of North Korean troops to the battlefield.
The ministers also tried to raise the pressure on Israel to accept a cease-fire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying "now is the time to conclude a diplomatic settlement."
They called on the Israeli government to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
"We express our strongest condemnation for the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank and threatens prospects for a lasting peace," the statement added.
With reporting by Reuters
- By RFE/RL
In New Book, Merkel Justifies Stance On Ukraine At 2008 NATO Summit
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has written an autobiography in which she reaffirms her decision to push back against offering Ukraine future membership in NATO at a summit in 2008 despite criticism that such a move may have prevented Russia from invading Ukraine.
In the book, Merkel reflects on how that decision and others during her 16 years in office have fared over time and recalls her relationships with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021 was launched in Berlin on November 26 nearly three years to the day after she left office and ahead of a promotional tour of major European cities and the United States.
The 70-year-old Merkel, known for her calm and unflappable leadership style, in the book rejects blame for any of the current strain in the West's relations with Russia in a rare commentary on her time in office.
Concerning the 2008 Bucharest NATO summit, Merkel noted a pledge that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually join the western military alliance was a "battle cry" to the Russian leader, adding that he later told her: "You won't be Chancellor forever. And then they'll become a member of NATO. And I want to prevent that."
Six years later Putin launched the Russian occupation and annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and followed that with the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the Russian president has justified in part by citing Kyiv's NATO membership desires.
Russia Is 'An Indispensable Geopolitical Factor'
Putin was always on guard not to be treated badly and engaged in power games, according to the book.
Merkel wrote about his inclination to make others wait and recalls how, despite her fear of dogs, he allowed his black Labrador to be in the room during a meeting in 2007 in Sochi.
“You could find all this childish, reprehensible, you could shake your head at it,” she writes. “But that didn’t make Russia disappear from the map. Russia with its nuclear arsenal exists and remains “an indispensable geopolitical factor.”
Merkel also details her experience with Trump during his first term as president, saying he “judged everything from the perspective of the real estate developer he had been before entering politics.”
She writes that they “talked on two different levels,” in their March 2017 meeting at the White House. “Trump on an emotional level, me on a factual one.”
Trump 'Captivated' By 'Dictatorial Tendencies'
She added that Trump, who won a second non-consecutive term on November 5, did not share her conviction that cooperation could benefit all but instead believed that all countries were in competition with each other.
“He did not believe that prosperity of all could be increased through cooperation,” she writes of the U.S. president, who "was captivated by politicians with autocratic and dictatorial tendencies."
Merkel also writes about the difficulties of being the first female candidate for chancellor and her decision to welcome large numbers of migrants and displaced people in 2015 in the 700-plus page memoir, which is being simultaneously published as an audiobook and translated into more than two dozen languages, including French and English.
She will make a special presentation in Washington on her book tour to to present it in the United States on December 2 alongside former U.S. President Barack Obama.
The book is being published as Germans rethink her legacy, including her policy on migration, which many in Germany believe led to a surge in the far right.
The former leader of Germany's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) uses the book to justify the decisions she made regarding Russia, which launched its invasion of Ukraine just five months after Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats (SPD) was elected to succeed Merkel, who had decided not to seek reelection.
Under Scholz the German economy has stagnated. The war in Ukraine prompted Berlin to wean itself off cheap Russia gas. At the same time the country has had to deal with a reduction in exports to China.
Scholz now faces a challenging campaign for reelection after the collapse of his coalition government.
- By RFE/RL
Black Boxes From DHL Aircraft Found Amid Search For Clues In Deadly Crash
The flight recorders of a cargo plane belonging to global courier DHL that crashed near Vilnius on November 25 have been found as investigators continue to search for the cause of the deadly accident.
The Boeing 737-476 aircraft crashed as it attempted to land at Vilnius International Airport, killing the jet's Spanish pilot and injuring another Spanish crew member, a German, and a Lithuanian.
The crash came amid concerns among Western security officials that Russian intelligence is preparing acts of sabotage targeting Western cargo aircraft, though officials have said so far they have no evidence of a link.
The plane's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, the so-called black boxes, "were found and removed from the wreckage," Lithuania's Justice Ministry said in a statement, adding that investigators are analyzing the data on the two devices.
"The goal of a safety investigation is to prevent future accidents," the statement said, adding the probe "does not seek to determine who is at fault or responsible."
Lithuanian Chief Prosecutor Arturas Urbelis separately said at least 19 witnesses were interviewed in connection with the incident but so far no indication has been found of "more serious actions."
The plane that departed Leipzig, Germany, about 90 minutes before the crash hit several buildings as it skidded hundreds of meters, according to the police and DHL. One of the buildings hit by the plane was a house whose occupants survived, authorities said.
Firefighters were not able to determine whether the plane began burning or breaking up while still in the air, and authorities have appealed to the public to hand over possible video recordings of the crash.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the crash could have been a "hybrid incident" with outside involvement.
"We must now seriously ask ourselves whether this was an accident or whether it was another hybrid incident," Baerbock told reporters at a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy.
"We have recently seen multiple hybrid attacks in Europe, often targeting individuals and infrastructure, whether underwater or hard infrastructure," she said, alluding to the recent severing of telecom cables in the Baltic Sea that officials have said could have been sabotage.
German authorities are working very closely with the Lithuanian authorities to get to the bottom of the crash, she added.
Lithuanian authorities have so far stopped short of making the same link.
"We cannot reject the possibility of terrorism...but at the moment we can't make attributions or point fingers because we don't have such information," Lithuanian counterintelligence chief Darius Jauniskis told reporters.
Many Western intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of involvement in sabotage acts in Europe, which they have said are aimed at destabilizing allies of Ukraine as it relies on Western governments in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion.
Lithuanian Commissioner-General of Police Arunas Paulauskas said surviving crew members told investigators there was no smoke, fire, or other emergency situation in the cabin prior to the crash. He also said the probability of an external force impact was very low.
The crash came after a series of fires at DHL depots in Britain and Germany during the summer. Western security officials were quoted in a news report earlier this month linking the fires to a test run of an alleged Russian operation aimed at igniting fires on cargo or passenger aircraft bound for North America.
The Wall Street Journal quoted security officials as saying devices that ignited in July in DHL depots in Leipzig and the British city of Birmingham were part of the test run.
Last month, Polish officials said four people had been detained as a result of the investigation into parcels that caught fire while en route to United States and Canada.
The activities of the four people "consisted of sabotage and diversion related to sending parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials via courier companies to European Union countries and Great Britain, which spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport," Polish prosecutors said in a statement on October 25.
"The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada," the statement said, adding that foreign intelligence services were to blame. The statement did not directly accuse Russia of involvement.
Canada in early November expressed concern to Russian officials after he arrests were announced. Russia responded by summoning a Canadian diplomat on November 8 to rebut allegations that Russia's secret services had orchestrated the campaign to mail explosive packages.
Russia Expels British Diplomat Over Alleged Espionage Activities
Russia has expelled Edward Prior Wilks, a second secretary in the Political Department of the British Embassy in Moscow, accusing him of espionage under diplomatic cover.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the decision on November 26, claiming Wilks was part of an "undeclared intelligence presence" in Russia, deepening tensions between Moscow and London.
According to the FSB, Wilks entered Russia with false information and engaged in "intelligence and subversive activities" that posed a threat to national security. The diplomat, reportedly linked to the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Directorate for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, has had his accreditation revoked. Russian authorities have given him two weeks to leave the country.
The expulsion follows the removal of six British intelligence officers in August amid strained relations between the two nations over issues ranging from the war in Ukraine to alleged interference in domestic affairs.
The move comes on the same day Russia’s Foreign Ministry expanded its sanctions list, barring 30 prominent U.K. officials, military personnel, and journalists from entering the country. The list includes Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and high-profile figures in the defense and technology sectors.
In a statement, Moscow accused Britain of pursuing an "aggressive, Russophobic policy," including support for Ukraine, disinformation about Russia, and direct involvement in the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin warned London to abandon its "futile course" and engage in constructive dialogue.
The announcements mark a further escalation in the strained relations, reflecting the deepening crisis in relations between the Kremlin and the West over Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s actions highlight a deliberate strategy to challenge what it perceives as Western interference. By targeting both diplomatic channels and influential figures, Moscow is signaling that it will not tolerate perceived provocations.
At the same time, these moves are part of a broader pattern of Russia asserting its geopolitical stance against the West amid ongoing tensions over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The diplomatic expulsion, coupled with expanded sanctions, reflects the Kremlin’s view of the United Kingdom as a central player in the Western coalition supporting Ukraine, escalating an already hostile dynamic.
Russian-Installed Court In Donetsk Sentences Georgian Legion Leader In Absentia
The so-called Supreme Court in Ukraine's Russian-occupied Donetsk region has sentenced Mamuka Mamulashvili, leader of the Georgian Legion, to 23 years in prison in absentia.
The court, operating under Russia’s authority in the illegally annexed region, accused Mamulashvili of recruiting and training foreign mercenaries to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine.
According to the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, the 46-year-old Mamulashvili, who says he has been the focus of several poisoning attempts, was found guilty under several articles of the Russian Criminal Code.
While the ruling will likely have no practical impact on Mamulashvili or the Georgian Legion’s operations, it provides valuable propaganda for the Kremlin as it continues its campaign to suppress dissent and isolate Ukraine diplomatically.
For Ukraine and its allies, the verdict underscores the ongoing challenges in countering Russia’s narrative both on and off the battlefield.
The charges allege that from 2014 to 2024 Mamulashvili recruited ex-military personnel from Georgia and other nations not directly involved in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Prosecutors claimed Mamulashvili provided training, weapons, and logistical support to these recruits, enabling their participation in military operations.
The court further stated Mamulashvili received compensation equivalent to over 23 million rubles ($221.500) for his activities.
Russian authorities also highlighted an April 2022 interview Mamulashvili gave to the Khodorkovsky-LIVE YouTube channel where he voiced staunchly anti-Russian sentiments and criticized Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In addition to Mamulashvili, three other Georgian fighters -- Giorgi Rusitashvili, Nodar Petriashvili, and Vano Nadiradze -- were sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison each. They were convicted of participating as mercenaries in an armed conflict.
The Russian prosecutor’s office stated that all four individuals would serve their sentences in a strict-regime penal colony if captured.
The Georgian Legion, founded in 2014, is a volunteer military unit supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Composed primarily of Georgian ex-soldiers, the group has been actively involved in key battles across eastern Ukraine.
Russia has labeled the Georgian Legion a terrorist organization, aligning with its broader narrative of framing foreign support for Ukraine as illegitimate and criminal.
The in absentia sentencing of Mamulashvili and other Georgian fighters appears to serve several purposes beyond legal action.
It reinforces Moscow’s portrayal of foreign volunteers aiding Ukraine as mercenaries and terrorists, undermining their legitimacy.
By focusing on Mamulashvili’s recruitment efforts and financial rewards, Russian authorities aim to discredit the broader network of international support for Ukraine’s resistance.
The verdict also underscores Russia’s effort to project authority over Donetsk, a region it annexed in violation of international law.
Issuing high-profile verdicts from a “Supreme Court” in the occupied territory serves to normalize its judicial and political structures in the eyes of its domestic audience, despite their lack of international recognition.
- By RFE/RL
Russia Opens Criminal Case Against Brit Accused Of Terrorism, Mercenary Activities
Russia's Investigative Committee announced on November 26 that it had opened a criminal case against James Scott Rhys Anderson, a British citizen accused of committing terrorism and mercenary activities.
Anderson, who is alleged to have fought for Ukraine's International Legion, was detained in Russia's Kursk region after crossing the border in mid-November. His case underscores the growing complexities of international involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war and the heightened risks faced by foreign volunteers.
According to the Investigative Committee, Anderson, alongside other members of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries, illegally entered Kursk with weapons, military equipment, and drones armed with explosive devices.
Russian authorities claim the group carried out actions intended to intimidate the local population, cause "significant" property damage, and destabilize government operations.
A statement from the Investigative Committee said Anderson and his associates were armed with automatic firearms, missile systems, and drones, underscoring the technological capabilities of Ukraine's forces and their international allies. The authorities allege these actions constitute terrorism under Russian law.
A video circulated on pro-Russian Telegram channels and by the state news agency TASS over the weekend showed a man identifying himself as James Scott Rhys Anderson, a 22-year-old former British Army signalman who joined Ukraine's International Legion after leaving military service in 2023.
Speaking with a clear British accent, Anderson confirmed his identity and discussed his role in the ongoing war. However, the footage has not been independently verified, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding its recording.
Anderson's situation highlights the dangers faced by foreign volunteers in Ukraine's resistance, as well as the propaganda value such incidents hold for Russia.
The Kremlin has consistently sought to portray foreign fighters as illegitimate actors, using their presence to bolster its narrative that Ukraine's defense is dependent on mercenaries and extremists.
Since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's 2022 call for international recruits, thousands of foreign volunteers have joined Ukraine’s International Legion.
The elite unit, integrated into Ukraine’s military, has attracted fighters from across the globe, including Western nations.
For many, the war represents a fight against Russian aggression and a defense of democratic values, but their participation also exposes them to legal and physical risks.
Anderson's case is not the first instance of a foreign fighter being captured or accused by Russia.
Moscow has consistently sought to criminalize foreign involvement, labeling such fighters as mercenaries -- a status not protected under international law -- and often accusing them of terrorism. This tactic not only targets individual fighters but also aims to deter further international participation in Ukraine's defense.
The announcement of Anderson's detainment comes amid shifting dynamics in the border regions, including Kursk.
Ukraine's recent cross-border operations signal an escalation in tactics, challenging Russian defenses within its own territory. These incursions, while symbolic of Ukraine's bold resistance, also amplify Moscow's narrative of external aggression threatening its sovereignty.
At the same time, reports of Russia employing North Korean soldiers and pushing to reclaim territory lost during Ukraine's August counteroffensive suggest a deepening of the conflict.
Russia's efforts to portray foreign fighters like Anderson as central to these operations serve as both a legal and propaganda tool, distracting from its own controversial use of international personnel and tactics.
Former RFE/RL Contributor Gets 4 Years In Prison In Siberia
A court in the Siberian city of Chita has sentenced journalist Nika Novak, a former RFE/RL contributor, to four years in prison. Sources close to the investigation told RFE/RL on November 26 that Novak was found guilty of "collaboration with a foreign organization on a confidential basis." Novak was arrested in Moscow last year and transferred to Siberia. Her case was marked as classified, and the details were not publicized. Novak had worked for ChitaMedia and was editor in chief of the Zab.ru website. She contributed to programs by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities in 2022. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus condemned Novak's conviction, saying the charges against her were politically motivated and "intended to silence individual reporters and cause a chilling effect." He also called for her immediate release. The law criminalizing collaboration with foreign organizations on a confidential basis allows prosecution for sharing nonclassified information with foreign organizations. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine Attacked With 'Record' 192 Drones, Missiles As NATO Gauges Russia's New Weapon
Russia overnight launched 188 drones and four cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine -- a record number of projectiles in a single attack, Kyiv's air force said, as NATO and Ukrainian envoys prepared to gather in Brussels to assess Moscow's launching last week of an experimental missile at a Ukrainian city.
Ukrainian air-defense systems "tracked 192 air targets -- four Iskander ballistic missiles and 188 enemy drones," the air force said in a message on Telegram.
It added that 76 Russian drones were shot down over 17 Ukrainian regions, while another 95 drones "were lost in location" after their navigation systems had been jammed by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. Five more drones changed course and flew toward Belarus, it said.
No casualties were immediately reported in any of the 17 regions targeted, but critical infrastructure facilities such as the country's power grid and high-rise apartment buildings were damaged in several regions, officials said.
During the attack, the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil was temporarily left without electricity.
For the past several months, Russia has been battering Ukrainian cities with increasingly heavy drone, missile, and glide bomb strikes, causing casualties and damaging energy infrastructure as the cold season settles in.
In Brussels, a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC) is to discuss on November 26 Russia's launching of an experimental hypersonic intermediate-range missile at Ukraine last week.
The NUC was established at a NATO summit in Vilnius last year to step up the alliance's collaboration with Kyiv and support Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership.
The NUC meeting of envoys from Ukraine and the 32 member states of the alliance was called by Kyiv after Russia on November 21 struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with what President Vladimir Putin said was a new missile called Oreshnik.
Putin said the move was part of Moscow's response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil with U.S.-supplied ATACMS and British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.
Putin said the Oreshnik is new and not an upgrade of previous Soviet-designed weaponry. The United States said the new missile is "experimental" and based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Ukraine initially accused Russia of having used an ICBM in the Dnipro attack. An ICBM has never been used in a war.
Pakistani Forces Launch Raids In Islamabad To Round Up Khan Supporters
Pakistani police and security forces launched a massive crackdown on thousands of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on November 26 after they refused to call off a protest march demanding his release.
The protesters were dispersed and the capital cleared after security forces conducted a sweeping late-night raid, said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at a briefing. A security official told RFE/RL that around 500 people had been arrested.
It was unclear whether the leaders of the march were among those arrested or whether they managed to escape to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party holds power.
The Pakistani military deployed troops earlier on November 26 following the deaths of at least three army rangers. Dozens of security forces were wounded in clashes between them and the protesters, some seriously.
Naqvi told journalists in Islamabad at the late night briefing that the protesters had been successfully dispersed. He announced that schools would reopen on November 27 and all roads would be cleared.
The minister also said that details regarding the involvement of Afghan nationals in the protest would be shared with the media on November 27, adding that "an important decision has been taken about Afghan nationals," which would be announced in the next few days.
The Interior Ministry issued a statement during the day strongly condemning the killing of security forces by supporters of PTI. The ministry said on X that a policeman and four rangers were killed in the violence, but according to an RFE/RL correspondent at the scene, the number of rangers killed was three and their deaths were the result of an accident.
Before the raids security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Khan supporters after thousands defied roadblocks to march some 150 kilometers from the northwest toward Islamabad despite a lockdown and a ban on public gatherings.
PTI claimed on X that the police in Islamabad fired directly at protestors and published a video in which a top Karachi official said that in the history of Pakistan there has not been an injustice equal to what he says is going on in Islamabad.
The city has been locked down since late on November 23 and mobile Internet services have been sporadically cut.
The Islamabad city administration last week announced a two-month ban on public gatherings, but convoys of Khan supporters traveled from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on November 25 determined to enter the city.
The leadership of PTI went ahead with their plans to travel to the capital even as Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka arrived for a three-day visit. He was received at an airport near the capital by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif late on November 25.
PTI's chief demand is the release of Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
The 72-year-old former cricket superstar turned politician, has been in jail for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, although he enjoys huge popularity among Pakistanis. PTI has said the cases are politically motivated.
PTI has defied a government crackdown since Khan was barred from running in elections in February with regular demonstrations aiming to seize public spaces in Islamabad and other large cities.
The party is also protesting alleged tampering in the February polls and a recent government-backed constitutional amendment giving it more power over the courts, where Khan is tangled in dozens of cases.
Sharif's government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash PTI's protests, which have largely cut off Islamabad from the rest of the country, with travel to other parts of Pakistan almost at a standstill.
The key Grand Trunk Road highway in Punjab Province has been blocked by authorities with shipping containers, prompting protesters to use heavy machinery to remove the containers.
The ongoing clashes also have affected Afghan refugees living in Islamabad or nearby cities who say they cannot leave their homes and are afraid of getting arrested. One of them, Fazel Saber, who lives in a guesthouse in Islamabad, told RFE/RL by phone on November 26 that the security situation has disrupted his life.
“We have been banned from going out for three or four days, not even to the park near the guesthouse. Children and women also cannot go out," Saber said. "This is a deprivation of freedom, even though we are not illegal immigrants.”
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Police Use Tear Gas On Khan Supporters Marching Toward Pakistani Capital
Thousands of protesters calling for the release of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan defied roadblocks and tear gas on November 25 to march toward Islamabad despite a lockdown and a ban on public gatherings.
Protesters clashed early on November 26 with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at Khan supporters to stop them from entering the capital.
The government said one police officer had been killed and dozens were critically wounded in clashes with demonstrators as they closed in on Islamabad.
Islamabad has been locked down since late on November 23 and mobile Internet services have been sporadically cut.
The Islamabad city administration last week announced a two-month ban on public gatherings, but convoys of Khan supporters traveled from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province determined to enter the city.
Security officials say they expected between 9,000 and 11,000 demonstrators, while Khan's party, Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI), said the number would be much higher. Video on social media showed Khan supporters donning gas masks and protective goggles.
The leadership of Khan's party went ahead with their plans to travel to the capital even as Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka arrived for a three-day visit. He was received at an airport near the capital by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif late on November 25.
Meanwhile, the government was in talks with Khan's party to avoid any further violence, officials said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters that the government was willing to allow Khan supporters to rally on the outskirts of Islamabad, but he threatened extreme measures if they entered the city to protest.
Khan, who has been in jail for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, remains popular. PTI has said the cases are politically motivated.
PTI has defied a government crackdown since Khan was barred from running in elections in February with regular demonstrations aiming to seize public spaces in Islamabad and other large cities.
PTI's chief demand is the release of Khan, the charismatic, 72-year-old former cricket star who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
The party is also protesting alleged tampering in the February polls and a recent government-backed constitutional amendment giving it more power over the courts, where Khan is tangled in dozens of cases.
Sharif's government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash PTI's protests.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
Cargo Plane Crash In Vilnius Raises Question About Possible Link To Sabotage
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the deadly crash of a cargo plane in Lithuania on November 25 could have been a "hybrid incident" with outside involvement.
"We must now seriously ask ourselves whether this was an accident or whether it was another hybrid incident," Baerbock told reporters at a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy.
"We have recently seen multiple hybrid attacks in Europe, often targeting individuals and infrastructure, whether underwater or hard infrastructure," she said, alluding to the recent severing of telecom cables in the Baltic Sea that officials have said could have been sabotage.
German authorities are working very closely with the Lithuanian authorities to get to the bottom of the crash, she added.
Lithuanian authorities have so far stopped short of making the same link.
"We cannot reject the possibility of terrorism.... But at the moment we can't make attributions or point fingers because we don't have such information," Lithuanian counterintelligence chief Darius Jauniskis told reporters.
Marius Baranauskas, head of the Lithuanian National Aviation Authority, said the communications between the pilots and the control tower indicated nothing extraordinary, adding that investigators need to examine the black-box recordings to know what was happening in the aircraft.
Many Western intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of involvement in sabotage acts in Europe, which they have said are aimed at destabilizing allies of Ukraine as it relies on Western governments in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion.
The cargo plane, which belonged to global courier DHL, crashed as it attempted to land at Vilnius airport, killing the jet's Spanish pilot and injuring another Spanish crew member, a German, and a Lithuanian, according to airport and police officials cited by Reuters. At least one of the injured was in critical condition.
The plane, a Boeing 737-400 jet that had departed Leipzig, Germany, about 90 minutes before the crash, hit several buildings as it skidded hundreds meters, according to the police and DHL. A spokesperson for the governmental National Crisis Management Center said one of the buildings hit was a house whose occupants survived.
Firefighters were not able to determine whether the plane began burning or breaking up while still in the air, and authorities were still looking for the black boxes that record flight data.
A DHL statement said the plane "made a forced landing" about 1 kilometer from the Vilnius airport and the cause of the crash was still unknown.
Lithuanian Commissioner-General of Police Arunas Paulauskas said surviving crew members told investigators there was no smoke, fire, or other emergency situation in the cabin prior to the crash. He also said the probability of an external force impact was very low.
The crash came after a series of fires at DHL depots in Britain and Germany during the summer. Western security officials were quoted in a news report earlier this month linking the fires to a test run of an alleged Russian operation aimed at igniting fires on cargo or passenger aircraft bound for North America.
The Wall Street Journal quoted security officials as saying that devices that ignited in July in DHL depots in Leipzig and the British city of Birmingham were part of the test run.
Last month, Polish officials said four people had been detained as a result of the investigation into parcels that caught fire while en route to United States and Canada.
The activities of the four people "consisted of sabotage and diversion related to sending parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials via courier companies to European Union countries and Great Britain, which spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport," Polish prosecutors said in a statement on October 25.
"The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada," the statement said, adding that foreign intelligence services were to blame. The statement did not directly accuse Russia of involvement.
Canada in early November expressed concern to Russian officials after he arrests were announced. Russia responded by summoning a Canadian diplomat on November 8 to rebut allegations that Russia's secret services had orchestrated the campaign to mail explosive packages.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa
Serbian Deputies Scuffle As Opposition Keeps Pressure Over Deadly Rail Station Collapse
Serbian lawmakers scuffled in parliament on November 25 after opposition members accused the ruling coalition of failing to address the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station in Serbia's second-largest city earlier this month.
A scuffle broke out after Radomir Lazovic, a member of the opposition Green-Left Front party, placed a poster showing a red hand imprint with the words "You have blood on your hands" on the speaker's platform.
After Health Minister Zatibor Loncar approached Lazovic and started arguing, other deputies rushed in shouting, pulling, and hitting one another. Lazovic told N1 television that he was "attacked" by Loncar, and after a fight with him, there was a "general fight" in the assembly hall. Lazovic said several deputies were injured.
The audio of the parliament's internal broadcast was turned off, so it was not possible to hear what the deputies were saying to each other. They were separated by security guards.
While the government accused the opposition of trying to "seize power by force," opposition members said they were also attacked by government representatives in the hall of the parliament building and accused them of starting the fight.
The collapse of the concrete canopy on November 1 at the station in Novi Sad has turned into a political headache for President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling party.
The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad announced on November 21 that 11 people had been arrested. The huge canopy collapsed on November 1, killing 15 people and seriously injuring another two.
The accident occurred after the railway station, built in 1964, had been renovated twice in recent years by the consortium China Railway International and China Communications Construction Company.
The most recent renovation was included in a project involving several companies that were in charge of the expert supervision of the reconstruction of the railway line from Novi Sad to the border with Hungary. The main contractor for the project was the company Project Biro Utiber of Novi Sad.
The opposition has called on Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who was mayor of Novi Sad when construction started, to resign. The ruling coalition denies the allegations and accuses the opposition of triggering clashes with police in protests at the station.
The parliament was due to debate the 2025 budget on November 25, but the opposition demanded a debate on the collapse of the canopy. They also filed a no-confidence motion against the government, but speaker Ana Brnabic said it would not be on the agenda.
The session was interrupted for almost two hours before resuming, but opposition deputies continued disrupting the session as Brnabic spoke surrounded by security guards who prevented opposition legislators from approaching her.
"This is what freedom of speech looks like in their interpretation," Brnabic said as opposition deputies blew whistles in the hall.
Brnabic accused the opposition of an "attempt to seize power by force." She told reporters at a news conference that opposition deputies damaged a microphone and a monitor in the hall after the session was adjourned.
The session began with a minute of silence for those killed in at the railway station and with Brnabic asking that the session be dignified.
"Unfortunately, this is anything but a dignified tribute to the deceased and their families," Brnabic said at the news conference.
With reporting by Reuters
Russian Beaten In Custody By Kadyrov's Son Gets 13 1/2 Years In Prison
Nikita Zhuravel, a Russian political prisoner who was beaten by the teenage son of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov while in pretrial detention, has been sentenced to 13 1/2 years in prison for high treason.
The Volgograd regional court sentenced the 20-year-old Zhuravel on November 25 after finding him guilty of sending a video to a representative of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) that allegedly contained footage of military equipment being transported by train, images of military aircraft, and details of a service vehicle's movements.
Zhuravel is already serving a 3 1/2-year prison sentence handed down by a court in Chechnya in February after being convicted of hooliganism for publicly burning a Koran in his hometown of Volgograd.
He was also sentenced to 300 hours of community service for insulting religious believers.
It was not immediately clear whether the sentences would be served concurrently or consecutively.
During the trial, Zhuravel apologized to the Muslim community, acknowledging his actions but claiming he had no intention of offending anyone.
The case drew widespread attention when it was revealed that while Zhuravel was in custody in Chechnya, he was attacked by Adam Kadyrov, the then-15-year-old son of Ramzan Kadyrov.
A video of the assault in a jail was shared on social media by the elder Kadyrov, sparking public outrage.
Despite this, law enforcement in Chechnya declined to pursue a criminal investigation, citing a lack of evidence.
Kadyrov defended his son's actions, publicly stating that it would have been better if his son had killed Zhuravel.
Adam Kadyrov was later awarded the title of "Hero of the Republic of Chechnya," the highest honor in the region, and received further accolades from several Russian regions.
The human rights group Memorial has recognized Zhuravel as a political prisoner, raising doubts about the Koran-burning accusations and criticizing his transfer from Volgograd to mostly Muslim-populated Chechnya for investigation and trial.
The organization has also condemned the violence Zhuravel endured in detention as a serious legal violation.
RFE/RL Journalist Andrey Kuznechyk Marks 3 Years In Belarusian Prison
RFE/RL journalist Andrey Kuznechyk marked his third year in prison on November 25 on charges, he, his employer, and human rights organizations call politically motivated.
Kuznechyk, a father of two, was arrested on November 25, 2021, and initially sentenced to 10 days in jail on hooliganism charges that he rejected.
After serving that penalty, Kuznechyk was not released but charged with creating an extremist group, a move that officials didn't reveal to Kuznechyk's relatives and colleagues for months.
On June 8, 2022, the Mahilyou regional court in the country's east found Kuznechyk guilty and sentenced him to six years in prison. The trial lasted just one day.
Human rights groups in Belarus have recognized Kuznechyk, who works for RFE/RL's Belarus Service, known locally as Radio Svaboda, as a political prisoner.
The Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Kuznechyk, who has maintained his innocence, and some 150 other Belarusian political prisoners, including another RFE/RL journalist, Ihar Losik, and former would-be presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, are serving sentences at the same prison in the northern city of Navapolatsk.
The facility is known as one of the most restrictive penitentiaries in the country.
Initially, the site was occupied by a number of temporary houses built for workers at a then-newly built oil refinery in 1958.
The territory was later turned into a prison where mostly members of organized criminal groups, noted crime kingpins, and so-called thieves-in-law served their terms.
Belarusian authorities started sending political prisoners there in 2010.
Since a disputed August 2020 presidential election sparked mass protests over authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka's victory, tens of thousands of Belarusians have been arrested for voicing any dissent against the regime.
The crackdown has pushed most opposition politicians, who say the vote was rigged, to leave the country fearing for their safety and freedom.
Many Western governments have refused to recognize the results of the election and do not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader.
Many countries have imposed several rounds of sanctions against his regime in response to the suppression of dissent in the country.
Kuznechyk is one of three RFE/RL journalists -- Losik and Vladyslav Yesypenko are the other two -- currently imprisoned on charges related to their work. Rights groups and RFE/RL have called repeatedly for the release of all three, saying they have been wrongly detained.
Losik is a blogger and contributor for RFE/RL’s Belarus Service who was convicted in December 2021 on several charges including the "organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order" and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Yesypenko, a dual Ukrainian-Russian citizen who contributed to Crimea.Realities, a regional news outlet of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, was sentenced in February 2022 to six years in prison by a Russian judge in occupied Crimea after a closed-door trial. He was convicted of “possession and transport of explosives,” a charge he steadfastly denies.
- By RFE/RL
British Man Fighting For Ukraine Reportedly Captured In Russia's Kursk
A British national fighting for Ukraine has reportedly been captured by Russian forces in Russia's Kursk region, marking a significant development in the ongoing war.
A video released on pro-Russian Telegram channels and TASS news agency over the weekend shows a man in a military uniform identifying himself as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Anderson from the United Kingdom.
Speaking with a clear English accent, Anderson says he previously served as a signalman in the British Army until 2023 and later joined Ukraine's International Legion to fight against Russia. The footage has not been independently verified, and it remains unclear when or where the video was recorded.
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Anderson's alleged capture highlights the broader involvement of foreign volunteers in Ukraine's resistance against Russia.
Since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's 2022 call for international recruits, thousands of fighters have joined the conflict, many enlisting in the International Legion, a highly selective unit integrated into Ukraine's ground forces.
The British man's capture also comes amid shifting dynamics in the Kursk region. While Ukraine initially gained significant ground in its August offensive, recent reports suggest it has lost over 40 percent of the territory it seized.
Russia’s apparent use of North Korean soldiers in the region and its push to reclaim lost ground signal a deepening of the war, while Ukraine’s cross-border operations represent a bold challenge to Moscow’s defenses.
As the war drags on, the fate of foreign fighters like Anderson remains emblematic of the broader stakes and human costs of this conflict.
With reporting by TASS and The Guardian
3 Uzbeks Arrested In U.A.E. For Alleged Role In Israeli-Moldovan Rabbi's Killing
The United Arab Emirates on November 25 disclosed the names of three suspects detained in the killing of a 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan ultra-Orthodox rabbi saying they were Uzbek nationals.
The suspects were arrested a day earlier after the body of Zvi Kogan, who ran a Kosher grocery store in Dubai and was also a representative of the Orthodox Jewish group Chabad, was discovered by security services.
U.A.E. authorities identified the suspects as Mahmudjon Abdurahim, 28, Olimboi Tohirovich, 28, and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33, apparently giving patronymic names of the last two men instead their last names. They did not say if official charges have been filed against the suspects.
"Hate has no place in our world. Our thoughts are with his family, the Jewish community, and all who grieve. We are in contact with Israel and the U.A.E.," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in a statement.
Kogan had been reported missing on November 22. His body was found later in the city of Al Ain.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the killing of Kogan, calling it a "heinous anti-Semitic terrorist act."
While Israeli officials have not publicly accused archrival Iran for the deadly attack, analysts noted that Tehran has been threatening retaliation against Israel for recent air strikes it carried out on Iranian soil after Iran launched a missile attack against Israel.
Tehran has denied any involvement in the murder of Kogan.
The Muslim-majority Gulf state with an overwhelmingly expatriate population prides itself on its safety, stability, and religious tolerance. The Chabad Hasidic movement is known for its outreach efforts worldwide.
The U.A.E. normalized relations with Israel in 2020 alongside Bahrain and Morocco in a series of U.S.-brokered agreements known as the Abraham Accords.
There is no figure for the number of Jews in the U.A.E., but an Israeli official has told AFP there were about 2,000 Israelis in the Gulf country, with the Jewish community estimated to be up to twice that figure.
The White House also condemned the killing on November 24.
"This was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence. It was an assault as well on U.A.E. and its rejection of violent extremism across the board," the White House said in a statement on November 24.
Protesters Pelt Georgian Parliament With Eggs During First Session Since Disputed Election
Georgia's new parliament met for its first session since the Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party won elections last month that ignited calls for fresh polls amid accusations the balloting was rigged, as protesters gathered outside and pelted the building with eggs.
Opposition lawmakers boycotted the session on November 25 after calling on foreign diplomats not to legitimize the new parliament by attending the first session.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the October 26 elections in which Georgian Dream officially won 53.9 percent of the vote.
The first item on the agenda for the opening session, which will be attended by the head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), is recognizing the authority of all 150 parliament members. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, however, has refused to recognize the result validated by the CEC.
Zurabishvili has filed a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court "requesting annulment of the election results as unconstitutional."
Protesters allege there was widespread fraud during the campaign and vote and that Russia heavily influenced the outcome favoring Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. They gathered outside the parliament but were not able to block the entrance amid a heavy police presence.
"Black Monday in Georgia: Police...guarding the doors behind which 'Georgian Dream slaves' are killing our Constitution and making a mockery of our Parliament," Zurabishvili said in a post on X.
Police have moved quickly -- sometimes using violence -- to shut down previous demonstrations, but no altercations were reported on November 25.
Georgian Dream's billionaire founder and "honorary chairman," Bidzina Ivanishvili, attended the session and holds the right to nominate a prime minister.
Ivanishvili, who is widely regarded as dominating the government even though he does not hold an official position, is expected to push for lawmakers to approve current Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to continue as head of the government.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but a "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures enacted under Georgian Dream's leadership have stalled that effort.
The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy.
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