The republic of Georgia – which was part of the Soviet Union until independence in 1991 – is preparing for a crucial election on October 26th, which is widely seen as a choice between a future aligned with the West or Russia. Western powers accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of a backsliding of democracy. As Henry Ridgwell reports from the capital, Tbilisi, the party’s leaders are seeking ahead of the election to capitalize on Georgian voters’ fears of war. (Camera: Henry Ridgwell)
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Conflict, climate change increase hunger and malnutrition across Africa
geneva — While the world’s farmers produce more than enough food to feed the planet’s nearly 8 billion people, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “hunger and malnutrition are a fact of life” for billions.
In a message in advance of World Food Day on October 16, Guterres said 733 million people globally are short of food because of “conflict, marginalization, climate change, poverty and economic downturns.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization was established 79 years ago on October 16 with a mandate to provide people with greater access to food that not only quelled hunger but also was safe, nutritious and culturally acceptable.
But Dominique Burgeon, director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, told journalists Tuesday that “We continue to witness severe imbalances across the world.”
“One in 11 people in the world go to bed hungry every day, over 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. … We have also the issue of stunting and wasting. As we speak, about 148 million children under the age of 5 are too short for their age, and 45 million are too thin for their height,” he said.
The U.N. children’s fund said children suffering from wasting, which is caused by a lack of nutritious and safe food and repeated bouts of disease, are dangerously thin and their immune systems are weak, “leaving them vulnerable to growth failure, poor development and death.”
UNICEF appealed for $165 million Tuesday to provide essential ready-to-use-therapeutic food for nearly 2 million severely malnourished children “at risk of death” in the 12 hardest-hit countries — Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Pakistan and Uganda.
“Levels of severe wasting in children under 5 years remain gravely high in several countries, fueled by conflict, economic shocks and climate crises,” it warned.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is among several humanitarian agencies expressing alarm at the escalating incidence of acute hunger and malnutrition across wide swathes of Africa.
“The consequences of armed conflict in the region of Lake Chad, compounded by the effect of climate change, continue killing people, and especially the most vulnerable, the young children,” said Yann Bonzon, head of the ICRC delegation for Nigeria.
Speaking in Nigeria, he told journalists that “Every day, doctors and nurses in health facilities we support in northeast Nigeria receive and treat severely malnourished kids. Desperate mothers tell us every day how healthy children become weak and fall sick, and how putting food on the table has turned into a daily struggle.”
Underscoring the seriousness of the situation, he noted that the number of children treated for severe malnutrition in ICRC health facilities in northeast Nigeria has increased by 24% over the past year.
Humanitarian organizations estimate that across the Lake Chad region nearly 6.1 million people, the highest number in the past four years, will suffer from food shortages in the coming months.
“Farmers tell us how the rampant insecurity due to conflict is preventing farmers from planting their crops” and climate shocks have damaged crops, “contributing to a food crisis across Lake Chad in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria,” Bonzon said.
A similar scenario is playing out in southern Africa. The United Nations warns a widespread drought in the region, triggered by an El Nino weather pattern could turn into a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe without international assistance.
The World Food Program said the historic drought has devastated more than 27 million lives across the region, noting that some 21 million children are malnourished.
“For many communities, this is the worst food crisis yet,” said Tomson Phiri, WFP spokesperson for Southern Africa.
“October in Southern Africa marks the start of the lean season, and each month is expected to be worse than the previous one until harvests next year in March and April,” he said. “ Crops have failed, livestock has perished and children are lucky to receive one meal per day. The situation is dire, and the need for action has never been clearer.”
The World Food Program said a record five countries – Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – have declared the hunger crisis “a state of disaster” and have called for international support. The agency noted that Angola and Mozambique also are severely affected.
The U.N. food agency expressed concern that urgent appeals for international support are falling on deaf ears, noting that “we have only received one-fifth of the $369 million needed to provide life-saving assistance to millions in southern Africa.”
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Somalia-Ethiopia tensions threaten Turkey’s bid to spread its influence
Turkey is deepening its cooperation with Somalia, this month sending a research ship to look for energy resources. But as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia are threatening Ankara’s ambitions in the Horn of Africa region.
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DeSantis praises Milton recovery efforts as rising flood waters persist in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — While there’s still more work to do, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday praised Hurricane Milton recovery efforts, saying power has never been restored to so many so quickly after a major storm.
“President (Ronald) Reagan used to say the most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ There’s a lot of wisdom in that, but I don’t think The Gipper ever saw Florida respond to a natural disaster, because we get after it and we do make a difference,” DeSantis said at a news conference in front of a flooded road in Zephyrhills.
There were still about 170,000 customers without electricity, rivers continued to rise in some flooded areas and the state was still providing free gas to residents struggling to top of their tanks. But DeSantis pointed out that more than 4 million customers had power restored less than a week after the Category 3 storm.
At least 11 people died less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene inflicted major damage in Florida and other Southeastern states. The death toll from Helene is more than 240. While most gas stations were back up and running, the state still has 10 active fuel distribution centers providing free gas to residents. DeSantis said more than 2 million gallons had been distributed so far.
As happened two years ago during Hurricane Ian, parts of central Florida on Tuesday were flooding almost a week after Milton made landfall due to the rising St. Johns River.
In Seminole County, north of Orlando, crews closed roads along the shores of Lake Harney and Lake Jesup after several homes were flooded by the river. Since last Thursday, at least 15 people have been evacuated from homes in nearby Geneva and a neighborhood in Altamonte Springs located in a crook of the Little Wekiva River.
Water levels along the St. Johns River were expected to crest later in the week.
In Sumter County, home to the sprawling retirement community, The Villages, residents along the Little Withlacoochee River were being encouraged to evacuate as river levels rose. Residents who decided to evacuate were offered shelter at the Sumter County Fairgrounds.
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US slaps sanctions on ‘sham charity’ fundraising for Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine
WASHINGTON — The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a key international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which Washington has designated a terrorist organization.
The U.S. Treasury Department, in action taken with Canada, said in a statement it imposed sanctions on the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, accusing it of being “a sham charity that serves as an international fundraiser” for the PFLP.
The PFLP, which has also taken part in the fight against Israel in Gaza, was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. in October 1997 and October 2001, respectively.
The Treasury said PFLP uses Samidoun to fundraise in Europe and North America. The group’s activities were banned by Germany last year.
“Organizations like Samidoun masquerade as charitable actors that claim to provide humanitarian support to those in need, yet in reality divert funds for much-needed assistance to support terrorist groups,” Treasury’s acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Bradley Smith, said in the statement.
The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network did not respond immediately to a Reuters request for comment.
A member of the PFLP’s leadership abroad was also targeted with sanctions on Tuesday.
Canada announced the listing of Samidoun as a terrorist entity on Tuesday. “Violent extremism, acts of terrorism or terrorist financing have no place in Canadian society or abroad,” Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a statement announcing the listing.
The Treasury said the PFLP remained active in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, including participating in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage to Gaza, by Israeli tallies.
More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive so far, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
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Chinese Pandas arrive in US, headed to National Zoo in Washington
Washington — The National Zoo’s long dark panda drought is coming to an end.
Eleven months after the zoo sent its three wildly popular pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — back to China, a new pair of bears arrived in the United States on Tuesday. They will be transported from Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia to the zoo.
A pair of three-year old giant pandas, named Bao Li and Qing Bao, have left a research facility in the southwestern Chinese city of Dujiangyan before being flown to Washington, according to a statement by the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
“Food prepared for the trip includes corn bread, bamboo and carrots, as well as water and medicine,” the statement said, adding that the partnership will “make new contributions in protecting global biodiversity and enhance the friendship of the people from the two countries.”
It’s unclear exactly when the bears will arrive in Washington, but there will likely be an extended quarantine and acclimation period before they are introduced to the public. On Monday evening, the zoo’s website posted an alert that the entire facility would be closed Tuesday, without giving a reason. The lead article on the site still said the pandas would be coming sometime before the end of the year.
Bao Li (precious vigor) and Qing Bao (green treasure) arrive in Washington as part of a new 10-year agreement with Chinese authorities. The previous deal expired last year, leading to some concern among American panda-lovers that Beijing was gradually pulling its furry friendship ambassadors from American zoos amid rising diplomatic tensions.
Breeding pairs in zoos in Memphis and San Diego had already returned to China earlier and the four pandas in the Atlanta zoo left for China last week.
That anxiety turned to optimism last November when Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly stated a desire to continue the panda exchange programs. This year, a new pair of bears has been delivered to the San Diego Zoo, while another pair has been promised to San Francisco.
In Washington, National Zoo officials remained conspicuously silent about negotiations for a new panda agreement, but they expressed optimism about striking a new deal and launched a multimillion-dollar renovation of its panda enclosure in anticipation. Then in late May, zoo director Brandie Smith teamed up with first lady Jill Biden to announce that Bao Li and Qing Bao would be arriving by the end of this year.
The Chinese announcement said the National Zoo had sent “three experienced keepers and veterinary experts” to China to assist the transport and accompany the bears.
Zoo officials on Monday declined to confirm the Chinese announcement. Zoo spokesperson Jennifer Zoon said in an email, “For the safety of animals and staff, we are not able to confirm any details at this time.” But signs at the zoo and on its social media site have heralded the planned return of the pandas and panda-themed merchandise still dominates the gift shops.
“The giant pandas are an iconic part of the Washington, D.C., story, both for locals and incoming travelers alike,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “The interest and excitement associated with their return directly benefits the entire city, bringing further interest and visitors to our hotels, restaurants and other attractions.”
The exact terms of the deal are still unclear; under previous 10-year agreements the Chinese government receives $1 million per year, per bear. Any cubs born in overseas zoos are typically returned to China before they reach age four.
Pandas have become one of the unofficial symbols of the nation’s capital, dating back to 1972 when the first pair — Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing — were sent as a gift from Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai following President Richard Nixon’s historic diplomatic visit to China. Later, a rolling series of 10-year cooperation agreements was struck.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, credited the decades of cooperation with advancing research into panda preservation and breeding. During the lifespan of these agreements, giant pandas have been reclassified from an endangered species to merely vulnerable.
“The current round of cooperation will focus on prevention and treatment of major diseases, and protection of habitats and wild giant panda populations,” Liu said in an email. “We hope the arrival of the pandas will inject fresh impetus into exchanges between China and the U.S., and help to stabilize the broader bilateral relationship as well.”
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Kenya’s High Court rejects move to stop deputy president’s impeachment debate
NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s High Court on Tuesday rejected an application by the deputy president’s lawyers to stop the senate from debating an impeachment motion against him after parliament voted to remove him from office last week.
Justice Chacha Mwita ruled that parliament will be allowed to proceed with its constitutional mandate and the court won’t “interfere.”
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment motion was approved by a 281-44 vote in parliament last week and forwarded to the senate, which will begin hearings on Wednesday. Gachagua is facing impeachment over corruption and other irregularities, including allegations that he supported anti-government protests in June. He denies all the charges against him.
Under the Kenyan Constitution, the removal from office is automatic if approved by both chambers, though Gachagua can challenge the action in court — something he has said he would do.
The chief justice on Monday approved a three-judge panel to hear six petitions filed against the impeachment process.
The debate surrounding his fate has extended beyond parliament — supporters and opponents of the motion clashed last week in public forums after the ruling alliance brought the motion before parliament.
President William Ruto has yet to publicly comment about the impeachment, but is on record in the earlier days of his presidency saying that he wouldn’t publicly humiliate his deputy, alluding to the troubled relationship he had with his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, during their second term in office.
The senate requires a two-thirds majority to approve the impeachment motion. If approved, it would be the first time that a sitting deputy president is impeached in Kenya.
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Shootout with Haitian, Kenyan police injures gang leader
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — A leader of one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs was injured in a shootout with Haitian and Kenyan police in their first major incursion into gang-controlled territory since a United Nations-backed mission began earlier this year, police said Tuesday.
The second-in-command of the Kraze Barye gang, known simply as “Deshommes,” was shot in Torcelle, a community the gang controls in the southeast region of the capital, Port-au-Prince, Haiti National Police said in a statement Tuesday.
Some 20 other gang members were killed during the police operations, which occurred on Saturday and Monday, officials said, adding that they confiscated firearms, munitions, phones and “sensitive materials and equipment.”
Nobody was detained in the operations, and police didn’t say how they know that Deshommes was injured.
Police said the incursions would continue until the gang and its top leader, Vitel’Homme Innocent, could be neutralized.
In a statement, the Kenyans who are leading the mission called on Innocent to “stop committing atrocities against innocent Haitians.”
“[The mission] is sending a strong warning to key gang leaders to stop the barbarous acts of rapes, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail and killings,” they said.
Innocent has been sanctioned by the U.S., the European Union and the U.N. Security Council, with the U.S. offering a $2 million reward for information leading to his capture. He has been indicted in the U.S. for the armed kidnapping of 16 Christian missionaries in 2021 and the slaying of missionary Marie Franklin and kidnapping of her husband in 2022.
In a recent video, Innocent stands near an armored vehicle set on fire that police said they were forced to abandon due to engine failure during one of their operations.
Innocent claimed the gang was not giving police any problems and accused them of “hurting too many innocent people.” He also said the gang has the power to decide who enters and leaves the community it controls.
Kraze Barye is an ally of the G-Pep gang federation, an enemy of G9 Family and Allies, a different federation led by former elite police officer Jimmy Cherizier, best known as Barbecue.
Kraze Barye has about 600 members and controls the community of Tabarre as well as parts of Petionville and Croix-des-Bouquets. The gang is accused of killings, drug and weapon trafficking, rapes, robberies and other crimes, according to the U.N., which called it “one of the most powerful gangs” in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
Kenyan officials pledged that “the pressure will be sustained on the gangs until or unless they surrender to the authorities.”
They also noted that operations are still ongoing in the central town of Pont-Sonde, where at least 115 people were killed by another gang earlier this month.
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Pakistan hosts regional leaders for SCO summit under tight security
Islamabad — Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization of Eurasian countries gathered in Pakistan Tuesday for an annual, two-day meeting to discuss ways to enhance regional security, stability, and development cooperation.
Authorities have placed Islamabad under a security lockdown for the SCO gathering, deploying thousands of forces, including troops, in and around the Pakistani capital to protect the high-profile event due to a recent surge in deadly militant attacks.
China and Russia established the SCO in 2001 as a way to counterbalance Western alliances in the areas of security, politics, and economics. Other members of the 10-state alliance are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India and Iran.
Officials said that Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin are among several heads of government who will attend the meeting, which will be presided over by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the organization’s current chair.
Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the first vice president of Iran will represent their respective countries at the meeting. Jaishankar is the first Indian foreign minister to visit Islamabad in nearly a decade.
Pakistan and India have both ruled out the possibility of bilateral talks during Jaishankar’s visit, emphasizing that the SCO is a “multilateral” gathering, and neither side has requested such a meeting.
Officials stated that Sharif would host a welcome dinner for SCO delegates on Tuesday. The summit proceedings will commence on Wednesday morning.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Premier Li “will have an in-depth exchange of view” with leaders of the participating countries on advancing the SCO’s “practical cooperation,” among other issues.
“China believes that this meeting will produce positive outcomes and give a stronger boost to the security, stability, and development of regional countries,” Mao told reporters in Beijing.
Analysts remain skeptical whether the SCO meetings have produced outcomes that would address concerns of member states, noting that Western alliances like NATO or the European Union offer members privileges such as mutual defense and economic integration.
Security concerns surrounding Tuesday’s SCO meeting in Pakistan stem from a recent surge in militant attacks in the country. However, the deadly violence has primarily affected southwestern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces bordering Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day public holiday in Islamabad and the adjoining garrison city of Rawalpindi as part of security measures.
Last week, two Chinese engineers were killed and another was injured when their convoy was hit by a suicide car bombing in Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province. A separatist group from Balochistan claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
The slain foreigners were staff at a Chinese-funded coal-fired power plant under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure development bilateral collaboration stemming from Beijing’s global Belt and Road Initiative.
Despite the deadly attack, Premier Li arrived in Islamabad Monday and held wide-ranging bilateral talks with Sharif before participating in the SCO meeting.
The leaders also virtually inaugurated a CPEC-funded airport in Balochistan’s coastal city of Gwadar, which also houses a Chinese-run deep-water port on the Arabian Sea. Security concerns reportedly prompted the virtual inauguration of what officials described as Pakistan’s second-largest airport, which China gifted.
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American couple runs across Ukraine to raise funds, help residents during war
American couple Tyler and Nikki Chay are trying to keep the world’s focus on the war in Ukraine in their own unique way … by running … over 1,200 kilometers across Ukraine. From the Central Ukraine town of Khmelnytskyi, Tetiana Kukurika has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. (Camera: Sergiy Rybchynski ; Produced by: Vitaliy Hrychanyuk, Anna Rice)
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Microsoft: Cybercriminals increasingly help Russia, China, Iran target US, allies
WASHINGTON — Russia, China and Iran are increasingly relying on criminal networks to lead cyberespionage and hacking operations against adversaries such as the United States, according to a report on digital threats published Tuesday by Microsoft.
The growing collaboration between authoritarian governments and criminal hackers has alarmed national security officials and cybersecurity experts. They say it represents the increasingly blurred lines between actions directed by Beijing or the Kremlin aimed at undermining rivals and the illicit activities of groups typically more interested in financial gain.
In one example, Microsoft’s analysts found that a criminal hacking group with links to Iran infiltrated an Israeli dating site and then tried to sell or ransom the personal information it obtained. Microsoft concluded the hackers had two motives: to embarrass Israelis and make money.
In another, investigators identified a Russian criminal network that infiltrated more than 50 electronic devices used by the Ukrainian military in June, apparently seeking access and information that could aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There was no obvious financial motive for the group, aside from any payment they may have received from Russia.
Marriage of convenience
For nations such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, teaming up with cybercriminals offers a marriage of convenience with benefits for both sides. Governments can boost the volume and effectiveness of cyber activities without added cost. For the criminals, it offers new avenues for profit and the promise of government protection.
“We’re seeing in each of these countries this trend toward combining nation-state and cybercriminal activities,” said Tom Burt, Microsoft’s vice president of customer security and trust.
So far there is no evidence suggesting that Russia, China and Iran are sharing resources with each other or working with the same criminal networks, Burt said. But he said the growing use of private cyber “mercenaries” shows how far America’s adversaries will go to weaponize the internet.
Microsoft’s report analyzed cyber threats between July 2023 and June 2024, looking at how criminals and foreign nations use hacking, spear phishing, malware and other techniques to gain access and control over a target’s system. The company says its customers face more than 600 million such incidents every day.
Russia focused much of its cyber operations on Ukraine, trying to enter military and government systems and spreading disinformation designed to undermine support for the war among its allies.
Ukraine has responded with its own cyber efforts, including one last week that knocked some Russian state media outlets offline.
US elections targeted
Networks tied to Russia, China and Iran have also targeted American voters, using fake websites and social media accounts to spread false and misleading claims about the 2024 election. Analysts at Microsoft agree with the assessment of U.S. intelligence officials who say Russia is targeting the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, while Iran is working to oppose former President Donald Trump.
Iran has also hacked into Trump’s campaign and sought, unsuccessfully, to interest Democrats in the material. Federal officials have also accused Iran of covertly supporting American protests over the war in Gaza.
Russia and Iran will likely accelerate the pace of their cyber operations targeting the U.S. as election day approaches, Burt said.
China, meanwhile, has largely stayed out of the presidential race, focusing its disinformation on down-ballot races for Congress or state and local office. Microsoft found networks tied to Beijing also continue to target Taiwan and other countries in the region.
Denials from all parties
In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said allegations that China partners with cybercriminals are groundless and accused the U.S. of spreading its own “disinformation about the so-called Chinese hacking threats.”
In a statement, spokesperson Liu Pengyu said that “our position is consistent and clear. China firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cybertheft in all forms.”
Russia and Iran have also rejected accusations that they’re using cyber operations to target Americans. Messages left with representatives of those three nations and North Korea were not returned Monday.
Efforts to disrupt foreign disinformation and cyber capabilities have escalated along with the threat, but the anonymous, porous nature of the internet sometimes undercuts the effectiveness of the response.
Federal authorities recently announced plans to seize hundreds of website domains used by Russia to spread election disinformation and to support efforts to hack former U.S. military and intelligence figures. But investigators at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab found that sites seized by the government can easily and quickly be replaced.
Within one day of the Department of Justice seizing several domains in September, for example, researchers spotted 12 new websites created to take their place. One month later, they continue to operate.
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Russia, China bolster defense ties at ‘substantive’ talks
Russia and China held “substantive” defense and military talks to bolster ties, Russia’s defense minister said on Tuesday, as Moscow and Beijing cement a “no limits” partnership and step up criticism of U.S. efforts to extend its influence in Asia.
“The military departments of Russia and China are united in their assessments of global processes, and they have a common understanding of what needs to be done in the current situation,” a post on the Russian defense ministry’s Telegram messaging app cited Defense Minister Andrei Belousov as saying.
Belousov said he met with China’s central military commission vice chairman, Zhang Youxia for “very substantive” talks.
China’s Defense Ministry said after the meeting that both sides hope to deepen and expand military relations and maintain high-level exchanges.
Belousov’s visit to Beijing took place as China’s military vowed to take further action against Taiwan if needed after staging a day of war games it said were a warning to “separatist acts” and which drew condemnation from the Taiwanese and U.S. governments.
China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing less than three weeks before his forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War II.
In May this year, Putin and China’s Xi Jinping pledged a “new era” of partnership between the two most powerful rivals of the United States, which they cast as an aggressive Cold War hegemon sowing chaos across the world.
Putin and Xi also agreed to deepen their “strategic partnership,” Belousov said, without providing detail, adding he is confident that “fruitful work and the adoption of significant, weighty decisions are ahead.”
Russia said last week it was standing alongside China on Asian issues, including the criticism of the U.S. drive to extend its influence and “deliberate attempts” to inflame the situation around Taiwan.
The U.S. says China is supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by supplying so-called dual use goods, including microelectronics, that can help it build weapons. China says it has not provided weaponry to any party, and that normal trade with Russia should not be interrupted or restricted.
(Reuters reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Additional reporting by Farah Master and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)
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Leaf-peepers are flocking to see New England’s brilliant fall colors
MEREDITH, N.H. — New England leaf-watching season is in full swing, as people from as far as Florida and Berlin flock to the region for scenic drives, train rides and bus tours to soak in the splendid hues of red, orange and bronze. With quaint towns and covered bridges scattered through swaths of changing forest, the rural Northeast provides an ideal setting to view nature’s annual show.
“Leaf-peeping is one of the most accessible tourism things that you can do,” said Teddy Willey, the general manager of the Frog Rock Tavern in Meredith, New Hampshire. “You don’t have to have the athleticism to be a hiker, you don’t have to have the money to own a boat.”
You just need to be able to jump in a car and head north, he said.
“Once you’re there, you just take it in,” Willey said.
He spoke just after his tavern was flooded with tourists from Indiana who had stepped off a sightseeing bus.
Among them was Vicky Boesch, of Fort Wayne, who had made the trip with her sisters.
“We came out to the Northeast to see the beautiful foliage and the colorful leaves,” she said, adding the she was impressed with Vermont.
“The leaves were very pretty on the mountains because the sun was out yesterday, and so that makes them pop more,” she said.
It wasn’t only the fall colors that provided a contrast with Indiana, she said, but also the region’s distinctive architecture, lakes and towns.
Gordon Cochran, of Lake View, Iowa, said he was in New Hampshire to visit his daughter and had a “beautiful ride” on the slow-moving Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad.
Weather conditions associated with climate change have disrupted some recent leaf-peeping seasons. One problem is that global warming has brought drought that causes leaves to turn brown and wither before they can reach their colorful peak.
Willey acknowledges that he’s not a leaf guy.
“Personally, no. I grew up here, so I think it loses its luster a little bit,” he said with a chuckle, adding that the season still has its moments.
“I’ll be driving somewhere around the Lakes Region, and all of a sudden, you’re like, ‘You know what, there’s a reason why people come here and there’s a reason I live here. It really is quite beautiful,’” he said, referring to a scenic part of eastern New Hampshire.
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Iran condemns EU, UK sanctions on Tehran, denies providing ballistic missiles to Russia
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran condemned new EU and British sanctions on Tehran and denied providing ballistic missiles to Russia, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, said in a post on X on Tuesday.
The European Union agreed on Monday to impose sanctions on seven people and seven organizations, including airline Iran Air, for their links to Iranian transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia.
The listings also include Saha Airlines and Mahan Air and Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari.
At the same time, Britain added nine new designations under its Iran sanctions regime.
Last month, the United States, citing intelligence it said had been shared with allies, said Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for its war in Ukraine.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson denied on Tuesday his country provided ballistic missiles to Russia.
“Some European countries and the UK have unfortunately claimed without evidence that Iran has militarily intervened in this conflict which is totally refuted,” Baghaei said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Baghaei condemned the fresh sanctions saying that imposing new sanctions by the European Union and the UK on Iranian individuals and entities goes against international law.
Also facing sanctions under the EU move are prominent officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and the managing directors of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries and Aerospace Industries Organization.
The sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban to the European Union.
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Son of Singapore’s founding PM Lee says plans to demolish family home
SINGAPORE — The youngest child of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said on Tuesday he would apply to demolish the statesman’s home in line with his wishes, following the death of Lee’s daughter last week.
Lee Kuan Yew’s three children, one of whom is Singapore’s third Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, were split on what to do with their father’s home after his death in 2015, in a public spat that saw the siblings estranged.
Eldest son Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down as Singapore’s prime minister earlier this year, thought it should be up to the government to decide what to do with the property, including potentially retaining it as a heritage landmark.
However his sister, Lee Wei Ling, who died on Oct. 9, and younger brother Lee Hsien Yang said the single-story bungalow, built in 1898 in central Singapore, should be demolished in accordance with their father’s wishes.
“After my sister’s passing, I am the only living executor of my father Lee Kuan Yew’s estate,” Lee Hsien Yang wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
“In his will, he wished for the house to be demolished ‘immediately after’ Wei Ling moved out of the house. It is my duty to carry out his wishes to the fullest extent of the law.”
He said he would apply to demolish the house and planned to build a small private dwelling to be retained by the family, adding that it was time for the government to approve the demolition.
The office of current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lee Kuan Yew told the Straits Times newspaper in 2011 that he wanted the house demolished because it would “become a shambles” if it were opened to the public, and he hoped its removal would improve land values in the neighborhood.
In 2018, a ministerial committee set up to consider the future of the house laid out three options, and said the decision would be left to a future government.
The options were to retain the property by officially categorizing it as a national monument or for conservation, retain the basement dining room, which has the greatest historical significance and tear down the rest of the property, or allow the property to be fully demolished for redevelopment.
At that time, Lee Hsien Loong said he accepted the committee’s conclusion and the range of options laid out.
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Hong Kong policy address seen pivoting from security to economic growth
HONG KONG — Hong Kong is expected to announce measures to boost the city’s economy in its annual policy address on Wednesday, including slashing liquor tariffs, as it seeks to revive the financial hub that has been struggling to recover since the pandemic.
Hong Kong’s small and open economy has felt the ripple effects of a slowdown in the Chinese economy. The city’s economy expanded by 3.3% in the second quarter from a year earlier, and is forecast to grow 2.5-3.5% for the year.
Although tourism numbers have rebounded since COVID, with 46 million visitors expected this year, consumption and retail spending remain sluggish, while stock listings have dried up and capital flight remains a challenge.
In February, Hong Kong’s financial secretary announced new measures spanning property, tourism and financial services, noting headwinds including a complex geopolitical environment and ballooning budget deficits.
But in a meeting last month between China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong and Hong Kong leader John Lee, Xia emphasized a need for further “reforms” to spur economic growth, in line with China’s national strategy.
He called on the Hong Kong government to “unite and lead all sectors of society” to promote reforms, while urging businessmen to help in this drive.
One commentator in the state-run China Daily said Xia’s speech suggested a need for “economic and social reforms.”
Lee has said the focus this year would be on economic development and people’s livelihoods. His government pushed through new national security laws in March which Lee said had improved stability.
Some countries including the U.S. have criticized Lee for leading a years-long security crackdown that has jailed opposition democrats, shutdown liberal media outlets and curbed freedoms.
Local media also reported possible plans to phase out some of Hong Kong’s more squalid sub-divided flats, tiny cubicles that have been criticized as below acceptable living standards. Lee is also expected to push more tourism-related initiatives.
On real estate, a key pillar of the economy, Lee is under pressure to do more to revive a market that has fallen around a fifth from its 2021 peak.
Some market players, including Midland Realty’s Hong Kong residential CEO Sammy Po, have called for further cutting of red tape to help Chinese buyers, including younger ones on talent schemes, to transfer capital and secure mortgages.
Liquor taxes could also be slashed from the current 100% – one of the highest rates globally – to try to turn the city into a spirits trading hub in the way that it became an Asian wine trading hub after wine duties were abolished in 2008.
The move may benefit local bars and restaurants that have struggled since COVID, with many local residents now opting to travel across the northern border to the Chinese city of Shenzhen to dine more cheaply.
Retail sales were down 7.7% for the first eight months of 2024 compared with the same period a year before.
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How Republican-leaning Arizona became a swing state
There are 50 U.S. states, but voters from seven so-called battleground states are expected to determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. The Southwestern state of Arizona used to reliably lean toward Republican candidates. But President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the state in 2020. And this year, Arizona’s electoral votes are up for grabs again.
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Ailing and silenced in prison, Belarus activist symbolizes the nation’s repression
TALLINN, Estonia — The last time any of Maria Kolesnikova’s family had contact with the imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist was more than 18 months ago. Fellow inmates at the penal colony reported hearing her plead for medical help from inside her tiny, smelly cell.
Her father, Alexander Kolesnikov, told The Associated Press by phone from Minsk that he knows she’s seriously ill and tried to visit her several months ago at the facility near Gomel, where she is serving an 11-year sentence, but has failed whenever he goes there.
On his last attempt, he said the warden told him, “If she doesn’t call or doesn’t write, that means she doesn’t want to.”
The 42-year-old musician-turned-activist is known to have been hospitalized in Gomel in May or June, but the outcome was unclear, said a former prisoner who identified herself only as Natalya because she feared retaliation from authorities.
“I can only pray to God that she is still alive,” Kolesnikov said in an interview. “The authorities are ignoring my requests for a meeting and for letters — it is a terrible feeling of impotence for a father.”
Kolesnikova gained prominence when mass protests erupted in Belarus after the widely disputed August 2020 election gave authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office. With her close-cropped hair, broad smile and a gesture of forming her outstretched hands into the shape of a heart, she often was seen at the front of the demonstrations.
She became an even greater symbol of defiance in September of that year when Belarusian authorities tried to deport her. Driven to the Ukrainian border, she briefly broke away from security forces in the neutral zone at the frontier and tore up her passport, then walked back into Belarus. She was convicted a year later of charges including conspiracy to seize power.
Natalya, whose cell was next to Kolesnikova’s before being released in August, said she had not heard her talking to guards for six months. Other inmates heard Kolesnikova’s pleas for medical assistance, she said, but reported that doctors did not come for “a very long time.”
In November 2022, Kolesnikova was moved to an intensive care ward to undergo surgery for a perforated ulcer. Other prisoners become aware of her movements because “it feels like martial law has been declared” in the cellblock, Natalya said. “Other prisoners are strictly forbidden not only to talk, but even to exchange glances with Maria.”
Her sister, Tatiana Khomich, said she was told by former inmates that the 5 feet, 9 inches Kolesnikova weighed only about 45 kilograms (100 pounds).
“They are slowly killing Maria, and I consider that this is a critical period because no one can survive in such conditions,” said Khomich, who lives outside Belarus.
The last time Kolesnikova wrote from prison was in February 2023. Letters to her “are ripped up before her eyes by prison personnel,” her sister said, relaying accounts from other former inmates.
Kolesnikova, who before the 2020 protests was a classical flutist who was especially knowledgeable about baroque music, is one of several major Lukashenko opponents to disappear behind bars.
The prisons department of the Belarusian Interior Ministry refused to comment on Kolesnikova’s case.
The U.N. Human Rights Committee has repeatedly demanded Belarusian authorities take “urgent protective measures” in relation to Kolesnikova and other political prisoners held incommunicado. In September, the European Parliament demanded that Belarus release all political prisoners.
Former inmates say Kolesnikova wore a yellow tag that indicates a political prisoner. That marks them for additional abuse by guards and officials, rights advocates say.
The human rights group Viasna counts about 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus, including the group’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder, Ales Bialiatsky. At least six have died behind bars.
“It was too late to save Alexei Navalny (from prison in Russia), and it was too late for six people in Belarus. We and the Western world don’t have much time to save Maria’s life,” Khomich said.
Amnesty International has begun a campaign to raise awareness about Kolesnikova’s fate, urging people to take up her plight with Western officials and politicians.
Other prominent opposition figures who are imprisoned and have not been heard from in a year or more include Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who planned to challenge Lukashenko in the 2020 election but was imprisoned; his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, took his place on the ballot and was forced to leave the country the day after the vote.
Aspiring opposition candidate Viktar Babaryka also was imprisoned before the election as his popularity among prospective voters soared. Kolesnikova was his campaign manager but then joined forces with Tsikhanouskaya. Prominent opposition figure Mikola Statkevich and Kolesnikova’s lawyer, Maxim Znak, are imprisoned and have not contacted the outside world since the winter of 2023.
Lukashenko denies Belarus has any political prisoners. At the same time, in recent months he has unexpectedly released 115 prisoners whose cases had political elements; those released had health problems, wrote petitions for pardons and repented.
Belarus is deeply integrated with Russia, and some observers believe Lukashenko is concerned about the extent of his dependence on Moscow, hoping to restore some ties with the European Union by releasing political prisoners ahead of a presidential election next year.
“Minsk is returning to the practice of bargaining with the West to try to soften sanctions and achieve at least partial recognition of the results of the upcoming presidential election,” said Belarusian analyst Alexander Friedman. “Lukashenko’s regime is interested in not becoming part of Russia and therefore wants at least some communication with the West, offering to talk about political prisoners.”
Lukashenko’s critics and human rights activists say they see no real change in government policy since all leading pro-democracy figures are still behind bars and authorities have seized three times as many opposition activists to refill the prisons.
“It is difficult to consider these pardons as a real thaw since the repressions continue, but the West should encourage Lukashenko to continue releasing political prisoners,” Khomich said. “The regime is sending clear signals to Western countries about its readiness to release people, and it’s very important that [the signal] is heard, and the opportunity is seized.”
your ad hereEurope’s water security under threat, environment agency warns
Copenhagen, Denmark — Pollution, habitat degradation, climate change and overuse of freshwater resources are putting a strain on Europe, with only a third of its surface water in good health, the European Environment Agency warned Tuesday.
“The health of Europe’s waters is not good. Our waters face an unprecedented set of challenges that threatens Europe’s water security,” EEA executive director Leena Yla-Mononen said in a statement.
Only 37% of Europe’s surface water bodies achieved “good” or “high” ecological status, a measure of aquatic ecosystem health, the EEA report said.
Meanwhile, only 29% of surface waters achieved “good” chemical status over the 2015-21 period, according to data reported by EU member states.
Europe’s groundwaters — the source of most drinking water on the continent — fared better, with 77% enjoying “good” chemical status.
Good chemical status means the water is free of excessive pollution from chemical nutrients and toxic substances like PFAS and microplastics.
Surface water is threatened by air pollution — such as coal burning and car emissions — as well as the agriculture industry, whose dumped waste contaminates the soil.
“European agriculture needs to increase its use of more sustainable organic and agro-ecological practices, accompanied by incentives and a change in our food and dietary habits,” the report said.
The European agency analyzed 120,000 surface water bodies and 3.8 million square kilometers (1.5 million square miles) of groundwater body areas in 19 EU countries and Norway.
It called on EEA member states to halve their use of pesticides by 2030.
“We need to redouble our efforts to restore the health of our valued rivers, lakes, coastal waters and other water bodies, and to make sure this vital resource is resilient and secure for generations to come,” Yla-Mononen said.
Climate change effects, including extreme droughts and flooding, and the overuse of freshwater resources are putting a strain on Europe’s lakes, rivers, coastal waters and groundwaters “like never before,” the EEA said.
Governments must prioritize reducing water consumption and restoring ecosystems, it said.
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North Korea’s Kim holds security meeting as tensions with Seoul soar
SEOUL, SOuth Korea — North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un convened a top national security meeting Monday, state media reported, directing a plan of “immediate military action” at a time of spiking tensions with the South.
The meeting in Pyongyang was attended by the country’s top security officials, including the army chief and other military officials, as well as the ministers of state security and defense.
“He set forth the direction of immediate military action and indicated important tasks to be fulfilled in the operation of the war deterrent and the exercise of the right to self-defense,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
The meeting comes as the nuclear-armed North has accused Seoul of flying drones over its capital and moved troops to its border, with South Korea saying Monday it was “fully ready” to respond if fired upon.
Officials at the meeting in Pyongyang heard a report on the “enemy’s serious provocation,” KCNA reported, an apparent reference to the drone flights.
Kim “expressed a tough political and military stand” at the meeting, state media said.
The North has accused Seoul of being responsible for the drones, which dropped propaganda leaflets filled with “inflammatory rumors and rubbish,” and warned on Sunday that it would consider it “a declaration of war” if another drone was detected.
Seoul’s military initially denied it was behind the flights, with local speculation centered on activist groups in the South that have long sent propaganda and U.S. currency northward, typically by balloon.
The United Nations Command, which oversees the armistice that ended active fighting in the 1950 to 1953 Korean War, said it was aware of the North Korean claim.
“The command is currently investigating the matter in strict accordance with the Armistice Agreement,” it said.
The two Koreas remain technically at war.
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Britain to allow drones to inspect power lines, wind turbines
london — Britain’s aviation regulator said Tuesday that it would allow drones to inspect infrastructure such as power lines and wind turbines, a move the authority has described as a significant milestone.
The U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had said earlier this year that it wanted to permit more drone flying for such activities as well as for deliveries and emergency services. It selected in August six projects to test it.
Drones inspecting infrastructure will now be able to fly distances beyond remote flyers’ ability to see them.
“While some drones have been flying beyond visual line of sight in the U.K. for several years, these flights are primarily trials under strict restrictions,” the CAA said.
Under the CAA’s new policy, some drones will be able to remain at low heights close to infrastructure where there is little or no potential for any other aircraft to operate. It will also reduce costs, the CAA said.
Drones will inspect power lines for damage, carry out maintenance checks of wind turbines and even be used as “flying guard dogs” for site security.
The CAA will work with several operators to test and evaluate the policy, which according to the regulator’s director, Sophie O’Sullivan, “paves the way for new ways drones will improve everyday life.”
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Kenya relocates 50 elephants to larger park, a sign poaching is under control
MWEA, Kenya — As a helicopter hovers close to an elephant, trying to be as steady as possible, an experienced veterinarian cautiously takes aim.
A tranquilizer dart whooshes in the air, and within minutes the giant mammal surrenders to a deep slumber as teams of wildlife experts rush to measure its vitals.
Kenya is suffering from a problem, albeit a good one: the elephant population in the 42-square-kilometer (16-square-mile) Mwea National Reserve, east of the capital Nairobi, has flourished from its maximum capacity of 50 to a whopping 156, overwhelming the ecosystem and requiring the relocation of about 100 of the largest land animals. It hosted only 49 elephants in 1979.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service Director General Erustus Kanga, the overpopulation in Mwea highlighted the success of conservation efforts over the last three decades.
“This shows that poaching has been low, and the elephants have been able to thrive,” Kanga said.
Experts started relocating 50 elephants last week to the expansive 780-square-kilometer (301-square-mile) Aberdare National Park in central Kenya. As of Monday, 44 elephants had been moved from Mwea to Aberdare, with six others scheduled for Tuesday.
Tourism Minister Rebecca Miano oversaw the translocation of five of the elephants Monday, saying: “This will go down in history as a record, as it is the biggest exercise of its kind. It is the first time we are witnessing the translocation of 50 elephants at a go.”
The process started at dawn and involved a team of more than 100 wildlife specialists, with equipment ranging from specially fitted trucks to aircraft and cruisers. A fixed-wing aircraft conducted aerial surveillance to track down herds of elephants, which naturally move in small families of about five. The craft was in constant communication with two helicopters used to herd and separate the elephants to ensure they were relocated with their family units.
Aboard one of the helicopters is a spotter, on the lookout for elephants, and a veterinarian with a tranquilizer gun.
Once an elephant is sedated, a ground team of veterinary specialists and rangers rush to find it and clear thickets to make way for transport crews. Its vitals are monitored as another group of rangers works on lifting the massive animal, weighing hundreds of kilograms, onto specialized trucks, to be driven 120 kilometers (74 miles) to their new home.
Kanga, the wildlife service director, said the relocation was also aimed at curbing human-wildlife conflict.
Boniface Mbau, a resident of the area, said, “We are very happy that the government has decided to reduce the number of elephants from the area. Due to their high numbers, they did not have enough food in the reserve, and they ended up invading our farms.”
A second phase to relocate 50 other elephants is planned, but the date has not been disclosed.
The project has cost at least 12 million Kenyan shillings ($93,000), the wildlife agency said.
Kenya’s national parks and reserves are home to a variety of wildlife species and attract millions of visitors annually, making the country a tourism hotspot.
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Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested outside New York Stock Exchange
NEW YORK — About 200 demonstrators protesting Israel’s war in Gaza were arrested in a sit-in outside the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, police said.
The protesters chanted “Let Gaza live!” And “Up up with liberation, down down with occupation!” in front of the stock exchange’s landmark building in lower Manhattan.
“The reason we’re here is to demand that the U.S. government stop sending bombs to Israel and stop profiting off of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” said Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, the group that organized the demonstration. “Because what’s been happening for the last year is that Israel is using U.S. bombs to massacre communities in Gaza while simultaneously weapons manufacturers on Wall Street are seeing their stock prices skyrocket.”
A handful of counter protesters waved Israeli flags and tried to shout down the pro-Palestinian chants.
None of the pro-Palestinian protesters got inside the exchange, but at least 200 made it inside a security fence on Broad Street, where they sat down and waited to be taken into custody.
A spokesperson for the exchange declined to comment on the protest.
Police arrested the protesters one by one, cuffing their hands behind their backs with plastic ties and leading them to vans. Some demonstrators went limp and were carried by three or four officers.
A police spokesperson said there were about 200 arrests. She did not have details on the charges they faced.
The protest happened a week after the world marked the anniversary of Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the start of Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza, which has since spread to Lebanon and beyond.
The Lebanese Red Cross said an Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 21 people.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, and it was not clear what the target was.
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