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UN Celebrates 70-Year Anniversary
Global landmarks are turning blue to mark the United Nation's 70th anniversary.
More than 200 landmarks in 60 countries are being lit up in blue, the official color of the UN, on October 24.
The global celebration kicked off in New Zealand and then at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
It is moving across countries and continents to the Great Wall of China, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, Russia's Hermitage Museum, the Alhambra in Spain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, and many other sites.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that "by turning the world UN blue for a day, we can light a way to a better tomorrow."
October 24 is the anniversary of the entry into force of the U.N. Charter in 1945 and is celebrated as UN Day.
Based on reporting by AP and BBC
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Jewish Man Executed In Iran For Murder He Said Was In Self-Defense
Iran, at a time of rising tensions with Israel, has executed a Jewish man who was convicted of murder, a charge his family rejected saying he acted in self- defense after being attacked.
The Mizan news agency, which is affiliated with Iran's judiciary, quoted Hamidreza Karimi, the prosecutor of the western Iranian city of Kermanshah, as saying Arvin Ghahremani, 23, was executed on November 4.
Ghahremani, 18 at the time, was found guilty of stabbing another man to death in 2022 outside a gym in Kermanshah. The victim had owed money to Ghahremani and, according to his family, an altercation broke out over the dispute.
The victim was armed and Ghahremani acted in self-defense, they said, saying he even tried to help keep the victim alive after the altercation.
After being sentenced to death, Ghahrmani's lawyers failed to get the family of the Muslim victim, whose identity was not revealed, to pardon him and spare his life.
Islamic legislation provides for qisas, or equivalent punishment, in murder cases.
However, rights groups have long said that the law discriminates against non-Muslims, who often receive harsher punishments than Muslims convicted of similar offenses.
Ghahremani's lawyers had requested a retrial three different times, but each motion was rejected by Iranian courts.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group condemned the execution of Ghahremani, who the group said was 20 years old, not 23.
The group also disputed Ghahremani's guilt, saying he had been attacked with a knife by the victim. It also said that the victim's family initially agreed to spare Ghahremani but changed their mind after finding out he was Jewish.
"Arvin was a Jew, and the institutionalized anti-Semitism in the Islamic republic undoubtedly played a crucial role in the implementation of his sentence," IHR Director Mahmood Amiri-Moghadam said in a statement, adding that the case had "significant flaws."
Jews are a small minority estimated at some 20,000 in Iran, a mainly Shi'ite Muslim nation of nearly 92 million people. Many Jews fled Iran in the aftermath of Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 as the new regime adopted a sharp anti-Israel stance, including not recognizing Israel's right to exist.
Israel and Iran's proxies in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip have been fighting a war over the past year since one of the groups, Hamas, invaded Israel and killed some 1,200 people in an unprovoked attack.
The group, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, also took around 240 hostages back to the Gaza Strip.
Russian Crackdown On Military Corruption Continues With New Arrest
A top official from Russia's National Guard was sent to pretrial detention on November 4 on corruption charges amid a crackdown on military graft. Major General Mirza Mirzayev, the deputy head of logistics for the National Guard, was charged with extortion. Media reports say the court denied Mirzayev's request for house arrest, mandating pretrial detention until January 2, 2025. Mirzayev allegedly demanded a bribe of 140 million rubles (more than $1.4 million) from a supplier of modular buildings. The funds were reportedly funneled to him through an intermediary, who has been detained. Mirzayev's arrest follows other corruption cases involving high-ranking National Guard officials, including Colonel Oleg Gamayunov, who was detained in September for alleged fraud exceeding 80 million rubles ($815,000). To read the original story by RFE/RL's North Realities, click here.
German FM In Kyiv On Previously Unnanounced Visit
KYIV -- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has arrived in Kyiv on a previously unannounced visit in a show of support for war-wracked Ukraine. "Germany, together with many partners around the world, stands firmly by Ukraine's side," Baerbock said upon arrival on her eighth visit since the start of the war. "We will support the Ukrainians for as long as they need us so that they can follow their path to a just peace," she said after arriving in Kyiv by train. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Sandu Clinches Second Term In Moldova Despite Alleged Moscow Interference
CHISINAU – Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term, a critical milestone on her country's road toward integration into the European Union despite widespread allegations of Russian interference and voter fraud.
Preliminary results after nearly all ballots were counted show Sandu garnered 55.3 while her Russia-friendly opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, mustered 44.7 -- a lead of just over 178,000 votes.
"Moldova, you are victorious!" a jubilant Sandu, who was boosted by votes in the capital, Chisinau, and from the country's diaspora said early on November 4.
"Today, dear Moldovans, you have given a lesson in democracy, worthy of being written in history books. Today, you have saved Moldova! In our choice for a dignified future, no one lost," she added.
During Sandu's first term, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks earlier this year after firmly aligning itself with its eastern neighbor, Ukraine, after Russia's unprovoked invasion in 2022, and joining the EU sanctions regime against Russia.
Western leaders welcomed Sandu's victory, noting that it will help cement Moldova's path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the result in a message on X.
"Congratulations, dear Maia Sandu, on your victory tonight. It takes a rare kind of strength to overcome the challenges you’ve faced in this election," von der Leyen wrote. "I’m glad to continue working with you towards a European future for Moldova and its people."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed Sandu's victory in a message on X, saying that Moldovans had made "a clear choice" toward Western integration.
"Congratulations to Maia Sandu on winning the presidential election in Moldova. Ukraine supports the European choice of the Moldovan people and stands ready to work together to strengthen our partnership," Zelenskiy wrote.
"Moldovans have made a clear choice -- they chose a path toward economic growth and social stability," he wrote.
French President Emmanuel Macron, a staunch supporter of Moldova's EU path, hailed Sandu's result, saying on X that "democracy has triumphed over all interference and maneuvers."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X that Sandu "has guided the Republic of Moldova safely through difficult times and set her country on a European course," adding, "We stand by Moldova's side in this."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former European Council president, and Marcel Ciolacu, the prime minister of Moldova's western neighbor, EU and NATO member Romania, were also among the first to congratulate Sandu.
"Moldovans from all over the world wrote history today. They reconfirmed in front of the whole world not only their courage, but also their full confidence in their European future!" Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.
Most of Moldova was part of Romania until the end of World War II and many Moldovans also hold Romanian citizenship, which gives them the opportunity to travel freely to the EU and work there.
Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor-general backed by the pro-Russia Socialists, called on his supporters to keep calm after his initial lead narrowed as votes were being counted from the large cities and from Moldova's Western diaspora.
"Democracy means, above all, maturity in facing the result," he said.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported that turnout surpassed 54 percent, stronger than in the first round and also higher than in the 2020 presidential runoff.
According to the CEC, foreign voting went to Sandu by a large margin, with the incumbent winning 81 percent to 19 percent over the challenger. Votes in Chisinau also went to Sandu by a 57-43 percent margin.
Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, has just over 3 million registered voters, including those in the diaspora. It also has a sizable Russian minority and a Moscow-backed separatist region, Transdniester, located on the left bank of the Dniester River.
The vote in the Western diaspora was also credited with helping the "yes" side eke out a razor-thin victory in an EU referendum held simultaneously with the first round on October 20.
A U.S.-educated ex-World Bank official, Sandu, 52, became Moldova's first female president with a landslide victory in 2020, running on a strong pro-EU message and vows to fight corruption.
Stoianoglo, 57, from Gagauzia -- a Turkic-speaking autonomous region of Moldova with pro-Russia sentiment -- campaigned on a law-and-order theme, although critics slammed him for what they say was a failure to address high-level corruption during his time in office.
Amnesty Calls For Release Of Iranian Woman Who Removed Clothes In Protest
Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of a young woman who took most of her clothes off during an apparent protest against harassment outside her Tehran university on November 2. Iranian authorities arrested the female student after she stripped to her underwear on the street outside the university. Video footage was first posted by an Iranian student channel, the Amir Kabir newsletter, and then later by the Hengaw rights group, Amnesty International, and others. “Pending her release, authorities must protect her from torture & other ill-treatment & ensure access to family & lawyer." Amnesty said. "Allegations of beatings & sexual violence against her during arrest need independent & impartial investigations. Those responsible must held to account.” To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
U.S. Says It's Gathering Information On Imprisoned Ex-RFE/RL Journalist In Iran
The United States says it is gathering information about the case of former Radio Farda journalist Reza Valizadeh, a dual citizen, who has been in prison in Iran for the past weeks.
Valizadeh was arrested in late September in Tehran, a source close to the family told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda last month. Valizadeh left his job as a staff member at Radio Farda in November 2022.
In his last post on X on August 13, Valizadeh said he had traveled to Tehran on March 16. He also said he had “unfinished negotiations” with the intelligence branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). It is not clear under what circumstances he wrote this post.
“We are working with our Swiss partners who serve as the protecting power for the United States in Iran to gather more information about this case,” the State Department told AP. “Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes. This practice is cruel and contrary to international law.”
RFE/RL said in a statement that it was aware of Valizadeh’s detention in Iran. “We have had no official confirmation of the charges against him, “the statement said, adding: “We are profoundly concerned about the continued arrest, harassment and threats against media professionals by the Iranian regime.”
Iranian officials have not publicly commented on Valizadeh’s arrest.
Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap.
Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal.
Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176 out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists.
- By RFE/RL
Iranian President Says Cease-Fire Could Affect Tehran's Response To Israeli Strike
Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian said that if a cease-fire were reached by Israel and Tehran-allied groups in the region, the action "could affect the intensity" of any retaliatory strike by Iran’s military, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained his tough stance during a visit to the Lebanese border on November 3, saying the Hezbollah extremist group must be pushed back beyond the Litani River and be prevented from rearming.
Israel for the past several months has been striking suspected sites of Hezbollah -- which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party.
Much of Hezbollah’s leadership has been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and around the capital, Beirut.
The attacks on Hezbollah have intensified since the Israeli Army invaded the Gaza Strip following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by its Hamas rulers that killed around than 1,200 Israelis and took some 250 hostages. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU.
Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel, saying it will continue its attacks until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks inside Lebanon have killed nearly 3,000 people, according to officials there, and have destroyed much of Gaza, with a reported death toll of 43,341.
Many leaders in the West and elsewhere have feared a wider war erupting in the Middle East, especially with Israel and Iran trading tit-for-tat air strikes against each other. Many are awaiting Tehran’s next move following Israel’s October 26 strike against military sites inside Iran.
"If they [the Israelis] reconsider their behavior, accept a cease-fire, and stop massacring the oppressed and innocent people of the region, it could affect the intensity and type of our response," Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by the IRNA state news agency.
But he added that Tehran "will not leave unanswered any aggression against its sovereignty and security."
Pezeshkian, who took office in late July, has been labeled a moderate by some Western observers of the Iranian political situation.
A day earlier, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened Israel and the United States with “a teeth-shattering response” to recent Israeli attacks on Iran and its proxy groups – which it referred to as its “resistance front” -- in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu said that "I want to be clear: With or without [a cease-fire] agreement, the key to restoring peace and security in the north, the key to bringing our northern residents back home safely, is first and foremost to push Hezbollah back beyond the Litani River, secondly to target any attempt to rearm, and thirdly to respond firmly to any action taken against us."
Israel "will definitely do everything that should be done…whether in terms of military, weapons, or political work," he said.
The Litani River is some 30 kilometers inside Lebanon from the border and would create a buffer zone between Hezbollah forces and Israeli territory, which Netanyahu has insisted upon.
In a report by Axios on November 2, a U.S. official and a former Israeli official said the U.S. administration had warned Tehran in recent days that it won’t be able to restrain Israel should Iran launch another attack against the U.S. ally.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
Led By Russia, Saudi Arabia, OPEC+ To Extend Output Cuts To Help Bolster Oil Prices
OPEC+ members led by Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed to extend voluntary oil output cuts through the end of the year, the group said on its website on November 3. It said the "eight OPEC+ countries Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, which previously announced additional voluntary adjustments in April and November 2023, have agreed to extend the…voluntary production adjustments of 2.2 million barrels per day for one month until the end of December 2024." OPEC+ nations have sought to bolster the price of oil amid slowing global demand by reducing the supply of crude in world markets.
- By RFE/RL
Lahore -- World's Most Polluted City -- Sets Emergency Shutdown Measures
An unprecedented level of air pollution in Lahore, Pakistan's second-largest city, has forced authorities to take emergency measures, including the closing of primary schools and the issuance of work-from-home orders.
The air-quality index on November 3 in the city of more than 14 million people near the Indian border rose above 1,000 -- far exceeding the 300 level that is considered "dangerous," according to the Swiss-based firm IQAir.
The Punjab regional government called the pollution "unprecedented” – blaming pollutants caused by diesel fumes, smoke from agricultural burning, and heating processes.
IQAir said the level of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) -- which causes the most damage to residents’ health -- in Lahore is currently 44.4 times the WHO annual air-quality guideline value.
Pollution and related health risks have long been an issue for Lahore and other cities in the region. The latest numbers qualified Lahore to move to the top of the unenviable list of the world’s most polluted cities.
Lahore authorities closed down primary schools for one week and urged parents to ensure that their children wear masks.
"Weather forecasts for the next six days show that wind patterns will remain the same. Therefore, we are closing all government and private primary schools in Lahore for a week," Jahangir Anwar, a senior environmental protection official in Lahore, told the AFP news agency.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, the senior minister of Punjab Province, urged all residents to remain indoors and keep doors and windows closed.
She added that 50 percent of staff at government and private offices would be mandated to work from home as of November 4.
Officials said conditions will be reexamined on November 10.
Aurangzeb attributed the dangerous situation to winds carrying pollutants from neighboring India, along with the local factors.
"This cannot be solved without talks with India," she said.
In a 2019 report, the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute wrote that “inhabitants of cities throughout Asia pay the steepest price” from pollution.
“If current air-pollution concentrations are sustained, the average person in major Asian cities like Beijing, Lahore, and Delhi will live more than five years less than if their air met guidelines established by the World Health Organization.”
With reporting by AFP, Dawn, and Reuters
Protesters Target Serbian Government Over Railway Station Accident That Killed 14
BELGRADE -- Hundreds of protesters railed against the government, demanding resignations and accusing ministers of culpability in the collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station that killed at least 14 people.
The November 1 disaster in Serbia's second-largest city, Novi Sad, has sparked widespread anger.
Protesters, some with their hands painted red to symbolize blood, rallied in capital Belgrade November 3, calling for the resignation of the government’s construction minister.
Others carried signs and banners reading: "A crime, not a tragedy," and “Corruption kills."
Investigators said they had questioned more than two dozen people, trying to pinpoint the causes of the canopy's collapse.
The station recently underwent a major renovation, but railway officials said the work did not include the concrete overhang that fell.
Gas Fire Kills At Least 6 In Afghan Capital
A fire erupted at a gas distribution company in Kabul, killing at least six people, officials said. Noorullah Ansar, a Taliban-appointed official with the Afghan capital’s Disaster Management and Fire Department, said the blaze, which erupted in the Paghman district on the evening of November 2, also injured at least nine others. Other reports said the casualty toll could reach into the dozens.
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine Reports 'Hottest Situation' In East As Russia Claims It's Taken Key Village
The Ukrainian military reported fierce battles near the industrial town of Kurakhove and acknowledged that Russian forces carried out over 100 assaults around a key Donbas village, though it did not comment on Moscow's claim to have captured it.
The comments on November 3 follow a night in which Russia and Ukraine again launched drone attacks against each other, with Russian drones damaging buildings and power lines in Kyiv in the early morning hours.
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.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said Ukraine launched nearly 20 drones at targets in southern Russia, but it claimed all were intercepted.
The overnight mutual barrage comes as Russian forces accelerate their battlefield advances, pushing back Ukraine’s exhausted and outmanned defenses in the eastern Donbas region.
On November 3, Russian troops claimed to have captured a Donbas village located less than 6 kilometers from Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub.
Russian forces "liberated the settlement of Vyshneve following offensive operations,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Kyiv did not immediately comment on the claim, but Ukraine's General Staff in its daily update acknowledged that Russian forces had launched 19 attacks on the Pokrovsk region.
"In containing the pressure, defense forces repelled enemy attacks. The occupiers are focusing their main efforts near [the villages] of Promin and Vyshneve."
It added that the “hottest situation” was near the industrial town of Kurakhove.
A day earlier, Russian troops claimed to have taken Kurakhivka, another, larger village that is close Kurakhove, on a major reservoir.
"Currently, the enemy has attacked the positions of the defense forces 110 times. It is most active in the Kurakhove and Pokrovsk directions, where it carried out more than half of all attacks," it said.
Capturing Pokrovsk, a key transit and supply point for Ukraine that connects several major outposts in the Donbas, is one of Russia's main objectives in the region. It is also home to a major coke mine that is crucial to Ukraine's steel production.
Ukraine has struggled with manpower as well as an equipment and weapons shortage, hindering its ability to withstand the Russian advances.
The U.S. Defense Department announced a new $425 million package of weapons and other equipment for Kyiv, though it’s unclear how soon the materiel will arrive or if it will make a difference on the battlefield.
The November 1 announcement was likely the last before U.S. Election Day, on November 5, which will prove pivotal to future Western support for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has spent months urging Western suppliers to allow Kyiv to use their advanced weaponry to strike deeper inside Russia, and last week he accused them of inaction in response to Russia's alleged plan to deploy thousands of North Korean troops to Ukraine.
The United States and allies have ruled out the use of Western weapons to strike deep in Russia over fears that it could result in a nuclear retaliation from Moscow.
Meanwhile, a report in The Washington Post said EU leaders were "bracing for a possible rupture of transatlantic relations in the event former President Donald Trump prevails" in the November 5 presidential election.
"What will happen if a president is elected for a second time in America who declares NATO obsolete and is no longer willing to keep security promises?” Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats, was quoted by the Post as having told supporters.
“Then we will be on our own. And by that, I don’t just mean us Germans, but we Europeans."
Trump, who is in a tight battle with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, has expressed doubts about NATO's viability and has favored what his critics say are pro-Russia policies. Harris has strongly supported continued assistance to Ukraine.
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service and AFP
Pro-Western Sandu Wins Second Term As Moldovan President
CHISINAU – Moldova's pro-Western incumbent President Maia Sandu has defeated Russia-friendly challenger Alexandr Stoianoglo in balloting marred by accusations of Russian interference and voter fraud.
With 99.7 percent of ballots counted in the November 3 runoff vote, the Central Election Commission said Sandu had 55.35 percent of the vote to Stoianoglo’s 44.65 percent, a lead of almost 165,000 votes in preliminary results.
"Moldova, you are victorious!" a jubilant Sandu, who was boosted by votes in the capital, Chisinau, and from diaspora votes, said shortly after midnight.
"Today, dear Moldovans, you have given a lesson in democracy, worthy of being written in history books. Today, you have saved Moldova! In our choice for a dignified future, no one lost," she added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the result in a message on X.
"Congratulations, dear Maia Sandu, on your victory tonight. It takes a rare kind of strength to overcome the challenges you’ve faced in this election," von der Leyen wrote. "I’m glad to continue working with you towards a European future for Moldova and its people."
Stoianoglo, who has not conceded, called on his supporters to keep calm.
"Democracy means, above all, maturity in facing the result," he said.
Stoianoglo had held the early lead, but it continued to narrow as votes were being counted from the large cities, and from Moldova's Western diaspora.
The Central Election Commission reported that turnout surpassed 54 percent, stronger than in the first round and also higher than in the 2020 presidential runoff.
Sandu won the first round on October 20 with 42 percent of the vote compared to 26 percent for Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor-general who received backing from the pro-Russia Socialist Party of Moldova.
In comments to reporters after casting her ballot at a Chisinau polling station, Sandu said she voted "with Moldova."
"Thieves want to buy our vote, they want to buy our country, but the power of the people is infinitely greater than any of their malice," she said. "The power of Moldova is in each of you, go out to vote with faith and hope. Heads up, Moldovans!"
As Sandu was declaring victory, Stoianoglo called for calm, saying "democracy means, first of all, maturity in the face of the result."
The vote came amid accusations of Russian meddling in both the presidential race and a referendum on Moldova’s potential further integration with the European Union -- a direction Sandu and her supporters strongly back.
The pro-EU side scored a razor-thin victory in the referendum -- the "yes" vote getting 50.38 percent – but Sandu quickly alleged that “criminal groups together with foreign forces" tried to "buy 300,000 votes,” making the final result significantly closer than pre-vote polls had indicated.
Surveys also indicated that Sandu would take an easy victory in the first round of the presidential election, but Stoianoglo surprised with a better-than-expected total, forcing the runoff vote.
Sandu's national-security adviser posted a statement to X, claiming "massive interference" by Russia in the runoff vote.
"An effort with high potential to distort the outcome," Stanislav Secrieru said in his post. He gave no details.
Moldova has 3.02 million registered voters, including those in the diaspora. Voters in the West were credited with helping the "yes" side eke out the narrow victory in the EU referendum and helped Sandu in the runoff election.
According to the CEC, foreign voting went to Sandu by a large margin, with the incumbent winning 81 percent to 19 percent over the challenger.
Votes in Chisinau also went to Sandu by a 57-43 percent margin.
While the position of president is technically a ceremonial position in Moldova, holders of the office often wield considerable political influence. A president may serve for two consecutive four-year terms.
During Sandu's first term, Moldova firmly aligned with Ukraine after Russia's unprovoked invasion in 2022, and joined the EU sanctions regime.
Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks earlier this year.
Scattered irregularities were reported during the early voting hours on November 3, including incidents of purported photographing of ballots -- which voters in the past have used to prove their choice in potential vote-buying cases.
Angelica Caraman, head of the election commission, said that as of 4 p.m., 18 cases of alleged electoral corruption had been officially reported, while police authorities said they had registered at least 126 complaints of electoral violations.
Authorities reported that outside the country, voters were being transported in large groups to two polling stations in Moscow as well as polling stations in the Belarusian capital, Minsk; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Istanbul, Turkey, including by airplane. Moldovan voters in those countries are known to typically support pro-Russian groups.
Election officials called on citizens to report any attempts to transport voters to polling stations in an organized manner. Similar violations were flagged by independent observers from Promo-Lex, a democracy watchdog.
There were also reports of apparently fake bomb threats called into polling stations in Moldova and in several countries, including in Britain, Germany, and Romania.
Sandu, 52, is a Harvard graduate and former employee at the World Bank. She became Moldova's first female president with a landslide victory in 2020, running on a strong pro-EU message and vows to fight corruption.
But her support may have slipped during her first term amid an economy that was ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic and rising tensions with Russia.
Throughout her presidency, Sandu has been criticized by pro-Kremlin political parties who have accused her of stoking conflict with Moscow.
Stoianoglo, 57, from Gagauzia -- a Turkic-speaking autonomous region of Moldova with pro-Russia sentiment -- was Moldova's prosecutor-general between 2019 and 2021. He campaigned on a law-and-order theme, although critics have slammed him for what they say was a failure to address high-level corruption during his time in office.
Stoianoglo has claimed he holds no political affiliation and has rejected accusations that he is "Moscow's man."
His reaction to the war in Ukraine has been ambiguous -- expressing a "negative attitude" toward the conflict but not directly condemning Russia for the invasion.
Although he has often taken anti-EU stances, he is also a Romanian -- and thus EU -- citizen, and his daughter reportedly works at the European Central Bank.
After media reports revealed that he possessed a Romanian passport, he argued that he obtained it in 2019 in an "apolitical context," without elaborating.
Most of Moldova was part of Romania until the end of World War II and many Moldovans also hold Romanian citizenship, which gives them the opportunity to travel freely to the EU and work there.
Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries with a sizable Russian minority and a Moscow-backed separatist region, Transdniester, located on the left bank of the Dniester River.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Warns Iran It Can't 'Hold Israel Back' If New Attack Launched, Axios Reports
The U.S. administration has warned Tehran in recent days that it won’t be able to restrain Israel should Iran launch another attack against the U.S. ally, Axios reported on November 2, citing a U.S. official and a former Israeli official briefed on the matter. After Iran attacked Israel on October 1, in response to a string of Israeli assassinations of Iran-linked figures in the Middle East, the Israelis responded by striking military targets in Iran, although they did not hit nuclear or oil production sites as some people had feared. “We told the Iranians: We won't be able to hold Israel back, and we won't be able to make sure that the next attack will be calibrated and targeted as the previous one," the unidentified U.S. official said, according to Axios.
U.S. Slams Prison Sentence Against Ex-Consulate Worker In Vladivostok
The United States has blasted a decision by Russian authorities to sentence a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok to a lengthy prison term on charges Washington has called baseless.
“The United States strongly condemns Russia’s conviction and sentencing of Robert Shonov, a former employee of U.S. Mission Russia,” the State Department said in a statement on November 2.
“The allegations against Mr. Shonov are entirely without merit, and his conviction is an egregious injustice.”
The statement said Shonov’s “targeting under the ‘confidential cooperation’ statute highlights the Kremlin’s blatant use of increasingly repressive laws against its own citizens.”
The Primorye regional court in Russia's Far East on November 1 sentenced Shonov to four years and 10 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($10,280) on charges of “confidential collaboration with a foreign state."
After completing his prison sentence, Shonov will have to spend an additional year and four months under parole-like restrictions.
Shonov, 62, had previously worked for 25 years at the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, which closed in 2020.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that from September 2022 until his arrest in spring 2023, Shonov served as an "informant for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow."
His purported activities included collecting information on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and mobilization efforts, as well as analyzing their potential impact on public protest activities in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
The charges against him stem from a law enacted in July 2022 that criminalizes "confidential collaboration" with foreign entities.
This legislation carries penalties ranging from three to eight years in prison, and its broad language often encompasses interactions with foreigners perceived as undermining Russian national security, with accusations frequently linked to connections with Ukraine.
This case occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted waves of severe sanctions against Russia and much of its leadership, further straining diplomatic ties.
Shonov's conviction underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by former diplomatic staff and the increasingly hostile environment for foreign nationals operating in Russia.
The detention of foreigners is increasingly being seen as politically motivated, with the potential for these individuals to become bargaining chips in future prisoner swaps.
Freed Belarusian Activist Thanks Tsikhanouskaya For Aiding Release
Belarusian activist and journalist Andrey Hnyot -- recently freed from house arrest in Serbia -- said talks involving the offices of Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic played a vital role in securing his freedom and ability to travel to Germany.
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.
"A significant event occurred during the UN session [last month] in New York when a team from Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s office spoke with the administration of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic," Hnyot, also known as Andrew Gnyot, told a news conference in Berlin on November 2.
He said the response from the Serbian authorities after that conversation was a positive one.
"The fact that I am here today [in Berlin] and not in a Belarusian prison is a consequence of that communication and negotiation," he told reporters.
Hnyot also thanked the German government for helping to secure his release from house arrest and noted that EU diplomats and international organizations had consistently requested his release from the Balkan nation.
Earlier, in comments to RFE/RL, Hnyot said he was “immensely grateful” to his lawyers and the rest of his legal team and to Tsikhanouskaya and her international team.
During the news conference, Hnyot did not speak about his legal status in Germany and declined to say whether he would seek asylum there, saying it was too soon to make such decisions.
"I am a man without a country, unable to renew my passport, and I need international protection because the Belarusian regime will continue to pursue me," he added.
Hnyot’s release on October 31 brought an end to an ordeal that began when he was arrested at Belgrade's airport in late October 2023 on an Interpol warrant issued by Belarus. The arrest warrant accused Hnyot of tax evasion, a charge he denies.
He was transferred from a Belgrade prison to house arrest in June.
Since September, when the Belgrade Court of Appeals overturned the decision to extradite him to Belarus, he had been awaiting Serbia's final decision on his extradition.
The European Parliament had passed a resolution on political prisoners in Belarus that called on Serbia not to extradite Hnyot, who feared being tortured in a Belarusian prison if he had been returned to his native country.
Hnyot said then that the accusations against him were part of the Belarusian regime’s “horrific repression against political dissidents, journalists, and activists.”
Although he is currently in Germany, Hnyot and his supporters said the process surrounding the Belarus extradition request has not yet been fully concluded.
"The focus of our efforts as his defenders is to reject the extradition request from Belarus and to demonstrate its unfounded nature," said Vladimir Hrle, a member of the legal team in Serbia.
"Belarus will certainly try to misuse Interpol, as it has done in this and other cases, which could restrict Andrey's right to free movement. We must also fight in that area, even though the initial Interpol request has been deleted," Hrle added.
Serbia's Vucic has attempted to balance relations between Russia and Belarus with the country's ties to the European Union, which he has expressed hopes of joining.
Hnyot is one of hundreds of thousands of Belarusian citizens who took part in mass demonstrations in 2020 challenging the victory claimed by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka that gave him a sixth consecutive term.
Human Rights Watch says there are almost 1,500 political prisoners in Belarusian prisons. Among them are journalists, human rights activists, and politicians.
Western countries do not recognize the results of the 2020 election, and the EU imposed sanctions on Minsk over the repression of participants in the demonstrations.
Iran's Khamenei Threatens Israel, U.S. With 'Teeth-Shattering' Response
Iran's supreme leader has threatened Israel and the United States with “a teeth-shattering response” to recent Israeli attacks on Iran and its proxy groups – which it referred to as its “resistance front” -- in the Middle East. In a speech on November 2 to mark the 45th anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "We will definitely do everything that should be done…whether in terms of military, weapons, or political work," adding that "the authorities are already doing it." An Israeli air attack on October 26, which targeted military bases and other sites, killed at least five people, according to Iranian officials. Israel said the attacks were in response to a massive Iranian missile and drone attack against Israel on October 1. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
Moldova Observes Day Of Silence Ahead Of Tense Presidential Runoff
Moldova has been observing a mandated day of silence ahead of a presidential runoff vote on November 3 between pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu and the Russia-friendly former Prosecutor-General Alexandr Stoianoglo. Sandu won the first round with 42 percent of the vote to 26 percent for Stoianoglo, who received backing from the pro-Russia Socialist Party of Moldova (PSRM). While the position of president is technically a ceremonial post in Moldova, holders of the office often wield considerable political influence. The vote is being held amid reports of Russian interference, which the Kremlin denies. President Sandu has repeatedly accused Russia of interference in Moldova's electoral process. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, click here. To read an analysis of the two candidates, click here.
Pakistan Reports New Polio Cases, Raising Number To 45 So Far This Year
Pakistan reported two cases of wild poliovirus infection on November 1 in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, raising the national count for the year to 45, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan,” the statement said.
It said cases were confirmed in one girl in the Lakki Marwat district and a boy in the Dara Ismail Khan district.
So far, 22 polio cases have been reported from Balochistan Province, 12 from Sindh Province, nine from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab Province and Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Seventy-six districts were affected in all, the program said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio remains endemic.
On October 28, Pakistan launched a weeklong nationwide vaccination campaign with the aim of immunizing more than 45 million children under the age of 5 against the paralytic disease.
Health workers distributing the polio vaccine and the security forces assigned to protect them have been targeted in the past by Islamist extremists who falsely assert that immunization campaigns are Western plots to sterilize Muslim children.
Russia Shows Off Purported U.S. National Snatched From Ukraine Spy Work
Russian media said on November 2 that Russia removed a U.S. citizen "from territory controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces" who it alleged had been aiding Russian forces by transmitting coordinates of Ukrainian military facilities for two years, although it provided no evidence of such activities. A man who appeared on RIA Novosti the same day identifying himself as Daniel Martindale and displaying a U.S. passport said he was in Moscow of his own will and wanted to obtain Russian citizenship. He was quoted as saying he had "done everything I could to save the lives of Russian soldiers" and wanted to continue. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has not commented on the case, according to Reuters. A VKontakte page purporting to belong to a Daniel Martindale, which was last updated in February 2022, listed residency in Poland. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
3 Victims Of Serbian Train Station Collapse Cling To Life Amid Growing Questions
Mourners lit candles for the dead and injured overnight on November 1-2 following the collapse of a concrete canopy in front of the main train station that killed at least 14 people in Serbia's second-largest city, Novi Sad, as authorities seek answers to the cause of the tragedy.
Officials at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina (UKCV) said at least three more injured victims are in serious condition as a result of the incident, which comes just months after the station was reopened following three years of reconstruction.
Victims were pulled from under the concrete debris through the day on November 1 after the unexplained collapse. Authorities reportedly did not expect to find more victims on November 2.
Serbia's government has declared November 2 a day of mourning, and the northern region of Novi Sad has declared three days of mourning.
Some reports said the victims included a 6-year-old girl from North Macedonia, but RFE/RL could not initially confirm the identities of those who died.
The director of the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Vesna Turkulov, told Serbia's state broadcaster that three of the injured had been operated on but were still in life-threatening condition.
The Novi Sad railway station was originally built in 1964 but recently underwent a major renovation. Serbian Railways insisted that work did not include the concrete overhang that fell, but some experts disputed that.
Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic, a member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), said an investigation is under way into the cause of the collapse.
"It will be determined why the canopy was not part of the reconstruction plan and who determined that it did not require reconstruction," Vesic said.
Some industry participants who worked at the site and other experts said many questions remained to be answered.
Geological engineer Zoran Djajic, who worked on the reconstruction of the railway station building until June 2023 as a stone consultant, told RFE/RL that the canopy was, in fact, part of the reconstruction plan and that added weight appeared to have been placed on it during the work.
"There is documentation that scaffolding was put up, that work was done on the canopy from the scaffolding. Because of the work that was done, added loads were placed on the canopy. The counterweights did not hold up under that load and the canopy fell and, unfortunately, killed so many people," Djajic said.
Architect Ana Ferik Ivanovic, who is president of the Association of Architects of Novi Sad, also said she believes work was done on the canopy.
"I believe that a total reconstruction was carried out there, that the canopy was also part of [it]," said Ferik Ivanovic, who was not involved in the project herself.
She added that among the materials removed from the area after the collapse, new elements -- such as glass -- were seen that were not on the canopy before the reconstruction project.
She said greater transparency was required in such projects.
"We, as a wider, professional public, should have an insight into what is being done in general. We knew that the railway station was being reconstructed, but we had no knowledge of whether it was being reconstructed in its entirety, and whether only the interior was being renovated," she said.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said the country was "deeply shaken by the tragedy" and that the government would "insist on finding those responsible, those who should have ensured the structure's safety."
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said one of those dead was a citizen of neighboring North Macedonia but did not reveal the identities of any of the victims.
White House Says New Ukraine Aid On The Way, As Kyiv Braces For Fresh Attack
The Pentagon announced a $425 million package of fresh security assistance to Ukraine under the presidential "drawdown authority," its 69th tranche of defense equipment since late 2021.
The announcement came hours before authorities in Kyiv on November 2 said air-defense units were attempting to repel a fresh Russian air strike on the capital and warned civilians to remain in shelters.
It also came just days ahead of U.S. elections on November 5 that could prove pivotal to ongoing Western support for Ukraine.
The latest comments on the campaign trail by Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump have highlighted the divide between him and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris over U.S. support for Ukraine's defense amid the two-and-a-half-year-old full-scale Russian invasion.
A clip from a campaign appearance in Warren, Michigan, showed Trump saying, "They got us into Ukraine. We should have never gone into Ukraine. If I was president, you would have never gone into Ukraine."
The United States has spearheaded the international aid and material effort for Ukraine and has reportedly provided intelligence support, but is not believed to have considered sending troops there.
Harris and some influential Republicans have insisted that U.S. support is essential to defending democracy and resisting Russian aggression in Europe and the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has spent months urging Western suppliers to allow Kyiv to use their advanced weaponry to strike deeper inside Russia, and this week accused them of inaction in response to Russia's alleged plan to deploy thousands of North Korean troops to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy said late on November 1 that all countries who don't want the war to expand and spread to other regions of the world “need to act."
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in September that the use of donated U.S. weapons for long-range strikes into Russia would not turn the tide of the war in Ukraine's favor.
The United States and its allies previously ruled out their use to strike deep in Russia over fears that it could result in retaliation with nuclear weapons.
Russian ex-President and senior security official Dmitry Medvedev was quoted by TASS as saying Washington was wrong if it believed Moscow wouldn't use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened, agencies reported.
He and other Russian officials have repeatedly warned of a potential nuclear response under certain conditions.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said late on November 2 that explosions had been heard in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshhorod and that "air defense forces are operating in the region and in the capital."
"Stay in shelters!" he warned on Telegram, although details remained scarce as midnight approached.
Earlier, an overnight Russian drone bombardment targeted Kyiv and other population centers, including Sumy in the northeast, injuring at least seven people.
Ukrainian military officials said they had shot down all of the drones in that attack but that debris had ignited a residential building in Kyiv.
Two people were injured when debris from a Russian drone fell on the 16-story building in the capital and ignited a fire, Ukrainian authorities said early on November 2. Klitschko said one of the victims required hospitalization. Emergency services extinguished the blaze.
Meanwhile, five more people were injured, one of them seriously, in the northeastern city of Sumy when a Russian drone struck a nine-story building late on November 1, prosecutors said.
Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of routinely targeting civilians, a charge Moscow rejects.
Kyiv city military administrator Serhiy Popko called the hours-long drone attack part of Russia's "old and familiar tactics."
- By RFE/RL
Pentagon Announces New Deployments To Middle East In Warning To Iran
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of additional ballistic missile defense destroyers, fighter squadron and tanker aircraft, and several B-52 long-range strike bombers to the Middle East, a Pentagon statement said on November 1.
The forces will begin to arrive in the region in the coming months to replace the departing USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in the statement.
The announcement comes three weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden said he had ordered the Pentagon to send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and troops to Israel as part of U.S. efforts to defend its ally and build up positions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“These movements demonstrate the flexible nature of U.S. global defense posture and U.S. capability to deploy worldwide on short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Ryder said in the statement.
It added that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “continues to make clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people.”
The long-range nuclear-capable B-52 bomber has been repeatedly deployed to the Middle East in pointed warnings to Iran. The action announced on November 1 is the second time this month that strategic U.S. bombers will be used to bolster U.S. defenses in the region.
Ryder did not provide the specific number of aircraft and ships that will be moved.
He said the movements were in keeping with U.S. commitments to the protection of U.S. citizens and U.S. forces in the Middle East, the defense of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and diplomacy.
The moves come as Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas and the war in Lebanon against Hezbollah rage. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group by the United States, although the EU has only blacklisted its armed wing, and not the political party.
The United States is pressing for cease-fires, while repeatedly saying it will defend Israel and continue to protect the American and allied presence in the region.
With reporting by AP
Zelenskiy Criticizes Partners For Weak Response To North Korean Troops In Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on November 1 criticized Kyiv’s partners for a lack of action in response to Russia's deployment of North Korean troops.
Ukraine knows where Russia is building up soldiers from North Korea on its territory, and it would be possible to strike preemptively if Kyiv were not restricted, Zelenskiy said.
The United States said on October 31 that it has information that some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are now in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, and Russia "fully intends" to deploy them in combat against Ukrainian troops.
Zelenskiy complained on Telegram that instead of granting Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons to hit military targets inside Russia, the United States and other allies are simply watching.
“Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well,” he said.
He added that all countries who want the war not to expand and not spread to other regions of the world “need to act."
Zelenskiy for months has called on Ukraine's allies to allow its forces to use advanced Western weapons to hit deeper inside Russia. He reiterated the plea in the aftermath of a Russian strike on Kharkiv on October 31 that left three people dead and at least 36 wounded.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in September that the use of donated U.S. weapons for long-range strikes into Russia would not turn the tide of the war in Ukraine's favor. The United States and its allies previously ruled out their use to strike deep in Russia over fears that it could result in retaliation with nuclear weapons.
Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with their South Korean counterparts on October 31 in Washington to discuss the deployment and Pyongyang's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early on October 31.
“We strongly urge [North Korea] to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond,” they said in a joint statement that did not mention Ukraine.
The Pentagon previously expressed concern over Russia's involvement of North Korean troops in the war and said they would become "legitimate military targets" if they are deployed to the battlefield.
Moldovan Authorities Tell Voters To Ignore 'Fake' Messages Ahead Of Runoff
CHISINAU -- Authorities in Moldova are urging people to ignore a "massive attack of fake messages and calls" telling them they will receive payments in exchange for voting for President Maia Sandu in the November 3 presidential runoff.
The authorities said on November 1 that citizens are receiving massive numbers of e-mails urging them to vote for Sandu, the pro-European Union candidate, and will be financially compensated later.
Parallel to these messages, citizens are receiving calls saying those who vote for Sandu will receive 1,500 lei ($84). Thousands of cases were registered in just one hour on November 1, the law enforcement officers said.
The General Police Inspectorate said it had already uncovered the number and the country from which the calls originated, and officers were establishing the addresses from which the e-mails were sent.
The messages were also denounced by representatives of Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity, which notified the authorities about them.
Police said they were carrying out searches in 13 districts of the country on suspicion of illegal financing and electoral corruption.
Sandu is running for a second term against Moscow-friendly Alexandr Stoianoglo amid reports of Russian interference, which the Kremlin denies. The incumbent has repeatedly accused Russia of interference in Moldova's electoral process.
She said the first round of balloting on October 20 came under an "unprecedented" assault from "criminal groups" that tried to buy as many as 300,000 votes with tens of millions of euros in an attempt to "undermine a democratic process."
Moldovan law calls for fines of up to 37,500 lei ($2,100) for vote-selling, but people who cooperate with the investigation can escape penalty. Authorities said that fines levied for electoral corruption in the last two weeks amount to approximately 3.5 million lei ($197,000).
The head of Moldova's Election Commission announced on November 1 that several officials overseeing the first round of the country's presidential election had been accused of corruption and would be replaced for the runoff.
"Some members of election commissions, including chairpersons, secretaries, and clerks are included in documents put together by police and prosecutors," commission head Angela Caraman said in a statement. "Some of them have already been removed from electoral bodies."
The Kremlin said earlier on November 1 that Russia was monitoring the Moldovan presidential election but was not interfering.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow strongly denied allegations it had been trying to meddle in the vote and questioned the way in which the authorities in Moldova had been overseeing the campaign.
With reporting by Reuters
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