Author: Mirits

London — A British soldier accused of passing sensitive information to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pleaded guilty Monday to escaping from prison while awaiting trial. Daniel Abed Khalife is on trial at London’s Woolwich Crown Court, accused of collecting sensitive information between May 2019 and January 2022. Khalife, who is no longer a member of the British armed forces, also denies leaving a fake bomb on a desk and absconding from his barracks in 2023. Prosecutors had also alleged Khalife escaped from London’s Wandsworth prison in September 2023 by tying himself to the bottom of a delivery van, sparking a brief nationwide manhunt. The 23-year-old had originally pleaded not guilty to escaping from lawful custody but changed his plea to guilty Monday after having given evidence for several days earlier this month. Khalife is also charged with gathering information that might be useful to an enemy, namely Iran, obtaining information likely to be useful for terrorism and perpetrating a bomb hoax. He still denies those three charges and his trial continues. …

While Ukraine was on high alert for air attacks on Monday, the country’s top military commander said tens of thousands of Russian troops were ready to advance on the Kursk region. “Following the order of their military leadership, they are trying to dislodge our troops and advance deep into the territory we control,” Ukraine’s General Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine launched an incursion into Kursk in August, taking control of a number of towns and villages in the border region. Meanwhile, at least six people were killed in air attacks in southern Ukraine – five in Mykolaiv and one in Zaporizhzhia, where a residential building was destroyed, regional governors reported. At least a dozen people were injured in Zaporizhzhia, including five children between the ages of 4 and 17. Earlier, the Ukrainian air force put the nation on high alert for a large-scale missile attack, reporting that a large number of bombers were taking off from Russia and heading to Ukraine. “The air alert is related to the launch of cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers,” the air force said on its Telegram channels. Power was cut to prevent further damage from attacks, and people were encouraged to seek shelter – including in Kyiv’s metro stations. But by 0630 GMT the missiles had not arrived. According to some Ukrainian military bloggers, the Russian bombers performed flights imitating the launch of missiles, Reuters reported. Report: Trump urges Putin not to escalate The Washington Post and Reuters reported that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and urged him not to escalate the war in Ukraine. Trump, calling from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, reminded Putin of America’s sizable military presence in Europe, the Washington Post reported. Sources familiar with the call told the newspaper Trump expressed an interest in further conversations to discuss “the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon.” Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, did not confirm the exchange, saying in a written statement to AFP that “we do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders.”  The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters reported. Information from Reuters and Agence France-Presse was included in this report.   …

LISBON, PORTUGAL — Lisbon will this week play host to Europe’s biggest annual tech conference, Web Summit, where industry leaders and lawmakers will weigh the pros and cons of Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Senior executives from firms such as Apple, Microsoft, and Meta will join high-ranking officials from Europe for debates about the future of artificial intelligence, social media regulation, and the impact a second Trump presidency may have on the continent. Trump has previously promised he could end the war between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours of taking office. Days after Trump’s re-election, two senior Ukrainian government officials, Alex Bornyakov and Mykhailo Fedorov, will take to the stage to discuss how the country has continued innovating in the face of conflict. John Adam, chief revenue officer at software development firm Aimsoftpro, is among those attending. About 70% of the company’s workforce is still based in Ukraine, with the rest having relocated around Europe after the war’s outbreak in 2022. “There’s mixed feelings because the Trump approach looks like it’s more geared towards the present lines of conflict, which is not an ideal scenario for Ukraine, and there’s a reluctance to accept that. At the same time, we would like this to have an endpoint,” he said. The X factor While not expected to attend, tech billionaire and vocal Trump supporter Elon Musk will be a recurring theme, from his role in Ukraine via satellite service Starlink to his success with space exploration firm SpaceX and controversial stewardship of social media platform X, formerly Twitter. One panel will debate how Europe might develop a homegrown rival to SpaceX; another whether Musk “destroyed Twitter.” Joe Benarroch, who quit his role as X’s de facto spokesperson and head of business operations in June, will join a panel titled “What to do about social media.” While the EU has tried forcing online platforms to clamp down on harmful content, Trump’s election may lead to them reducing moderation efforts, according to Mark Weinstein, founder of privacy-focused social media platform MeWe, who will share the stage with Benarroch on Wednesday. “Historically, Trump has been highly critical of online moderation,” he said. “To avoid political retribution, major social networks are likely to continue the trend of becoming significantly more permissive with content they allow on their platforms.” …

Baku, Azerbaijan — The annual U.N. climate summit kicks off Monday with countries readying for tough talks on finance and trade, following a year of weather disasters that have emboldened developing countries in their demands for climate cash. Delegates gathering in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku are hoping to resolve the summit’s top agenda item – a deal for up to $1 trillion in annual climate finance for developing countries. The summit’s negotiating priorities, however, are competing for governments’ resources and attention against economic concerns, wars in Ukraine and Gaza and last week’s U.S. re-election of Donald Trump, a climate-change denier, as president of the world’s biggest economy. COP29 host Azerbaijan will be tasked with keeping countries focused on agreeing to a new global finance target to replace the current $100 billion pledge expiring this year. The Caspian Sea nation, often proud of being home to the world’s first oil wells, will also be under pressure to show progress from last year’s COP28 pledge to transition away from fossil fuels. The country’s oil and gas revenues accounted for 35% of its economy in 2023, down from 50% two years prior. The government says these revenues will continue to decline, to roughly 32% of its GDP this year and 22% by 2028. Before the summit talks can even begin, countries will need to agree on an agenda by consensus – including an 11th-hour proposal by China to bring trade disputes into the mix. The Chinese proposal – made on behalf of the fast-developing “BASIC” group of countries including Brazil, India and South Africa – asked for the summit to address “restrictive trade measures” such as the EU’s carbon border tariffs going into effect in 2026. Those concerns have been compounded by Trump’s campaign promise to impose 20% tariffs on all foreign goods – and 60% on Chinese goods. China’s request showed it was flexing power following Trump’s re-election, which signaled the United States’ likely disengagement from global climate cooperation, said Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Trump has called climate change a hoax and vowed to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the global treaty to reduce planet-warming emissions. The European Union, along with current U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, have been pressing China and Gulf oil nations to join the pool of climate finance donor countries. “If the EU wants to talk about climate … “Trump and trade worries cloud COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan” →

For many soldiers on the front lines, the trauma of war can be as hard to fight as the war itself. To help, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, has created a program to support Ukrainian women veterans, the families of internally displaced persons, and military relatives. The program is part of the USAID Self-Reliance Learning Agenda. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. …

Manchester, England — Taylor Swift came out top at the 2024 MTV EMAs on Sunday, walking away with best artist, best U.S. act, best live act and best video for “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone).  Swift, who is currently finishing up her Eras tour on the other side of the Atlantic, thanked the fans for the bounty of prizes via video message.  The U.K. show opened with an acrobatic Benson Boone suspended in the air on a gold grand piano performing his viral hit “Beautiful Things” and latest release “Slow it Down.” Boone also accepted his first EMA for best new act.  South African newcomer Tyla gave Swift a run for her money picking up three awards for best afrobeats, best R&B and best African act.  Tyla performed her smash hit “Water” for the EMA audience at the Co-op Live, Manchester, flanked by a host of dancers, as well as singing energetic new track “Push 2 Start.”  British singer Rita Ora, who hosted the show for a record third time, paid tribute to former One Direction star Liam Payne, who died last month after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires.  Ora had a close relationship with the singer and the pair recorded a song together in 2018, “For You (Fifty Shades Freed).” She addressed the audience saying, “I want to take a moment to remember someone. Liam Payne was one of the kindest people I knew.” Her voice broke as she asked the crowd to take a moment to remember Liam saying, “He had the biggest heart and he left such a mark on this world.”  Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes was awarded the EMAs global icon award from British rapper Little Simz telling the crowd that in 34 years of professionally recording this was his first award from MTV and it felt incredible. The 12-time Grammy Award nominee, who has more than 10 million album sales under his belt, performed a mega medley of his greatest hits “Break ya Neck,” “Touch it” and “Put Your Hands Where the Eyes can See” accompanied by dancers wearing tracksuits with giant dragon heads.  Shawn Mendes gave an intimate and heartfelt performance and also received the award for best Canadian act. Sabrina Carpenter picked up the honors for best song for her hit “Espresso,” while Ariana Grande was crowned best pop act and Eminem took away best hip hop act.  U.K. duo Pet Shop Boys … “Taylor Swift wins big and Rita Ora pays tribute to Liam Payne at MTV awards” →

London — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss ways to help Ukraine, after the election of Donald Trump has raised concerns of reduced U.S. support for the war against Russia. Days after Trump was elected to begin a second term as U.S. president in January, Starmer will travel to France, where he will talk with Macron and become the first British leader to attend French Armistice Day services since World War Two. Starmer and Macron will discuss “Russia’s ongoing barbaric invasion of Ukraine and the appalling humanitarian situation in Gaza,” Downing Street said. Trump has criticized the level of U.S. support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia since the 2022 full-scale invasion and has promised to end the conflict without explaining how. Britain and France have said it is essential to keep supporting Ukraine against Russia to protect the European continent. Europe has been the biggest provider of aid to Ukraine, allocating 118 billion euros ($126 billion) since the start of the conflict, while the United States has provided 85 billion euros ($91 billion) in total, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Britain and the European Union are expected to begin talks next year on a post-Brexit security pact, covering areas such as defense and energy cooperation, as they look to take more responsibility for their own security. Some European politicians have said Europe cannot replace the financial and military aid from the United States, including military resources such as F-16 fighter jets and Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS). On his visit to France, Starmer is scheduled to meet the new French Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The meeting will be their first since Barnier became prime minister in September. The last British leader to attend the French Armistice Day commemorations was Winston Churchill, who was hosted by Charles de Gaulle in 1944, Starmer’s office said. …

Berlin — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that he would be willing to call a vote of confidence in parliament before Christmas, a move that would pave the way for snap elections following the collapse of his three-way governing coalition. The timing is earlier than the January date he had proposed last week and follows increasing pressure from politicians and the public for a quicker vote. Europe’s largest economy was thrown into disarray last week with the collapse of Scholz’s coalition and disagreements over how much money the government should spend to encourage growth and support Ukraine. “I’m not clinging to my job,” he said in an interview on ARD television. Scholz had suggested holding a vote of confidence in his government on Jan. 15, with a snap election in March, but the conservative opposition led by Friedrich Merz wants an election in January. A confidence vote is a necessary precursor to an election. Earlier Sunday, Scholz came under increasing pressure to bring forward the vote of confidence. Two leading members of the Green party, which is sharing power with Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) in a minority government, told Bild newspaper that the confidence vote should be held in December. The Green party’s Anton Hofreiter and Irene Mihalic were the most prominent voices so far from the two parties still in power to back an earlier vote. Scholz said in the ARD interview that an earlier confidence vote would depend on SPD party official Rolf Mutzenich and the opposition’s Merz reaching an agreement on timing. “It is not a problem at all for me to call a vote of confidence before Christmas,” he said. Scholz on Friday demanded a calm debate among Germany’s squabbling factions on setting a date for the snap election to pull the country out of its political crisis. Scholz called on parties to first agree on what legislation could be passed in what remained of the current parliament but denied trying to ram through his own policy agenda by delaying an election. …

Paris — Paris police said Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for a France-Israel soccer match to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation a week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam.  France and Israel are playing in a UEFA Nations League match Thursday.  “There’s a context, tensions that make that match a high-risk event for us,” Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez said on French news broadcaster BFM TV, adding authorities “won’t tolerate” any violence.  Nuñez said that 2,500 police officers would be deployed around the Stade de France stadium, north of the French capital, in addition to 1,500 others in Paris and on public transportation.  “There will be an anti-terrorist security perimeter around the stadium,” Nuñez said. Security checks will be “reinforced,” he added, including with systematic pat-downs and bag searches.  Nuñez said that French organizers have been in contact with Israeli authorities and security forces to prepare for the match.  Israeli fans were assaulted last week after a soccer game in Amsterdam by hordes of   young people apparently riled up by calls on social media to target Jewish people,   according to Dutch authorities. Five people were treated at hospitals and dozens were arrested after the attacks, which were condemned as antisemitic by authorities in Amsterdam, Israel and across Europe.  On Sunday, Dutch police detained several people for taking part in a demonstration in central Amsterdam that had been outlawed following the violence targeting Israeli fans, a local broadcaster reported.  French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed Friday that the France-Israel match would go ahead as planned.  “I think that for a symbolic reason we must not yield, we must not give up,” he said, noting that sports fans from around the world came together for the Paris Olympics this year to celebrate the “universal values” of sports.  …

THE HAGUE, Netherlands —  Police detained several people Sunday for taking part in a demonstration in central Amsterdam that had been outlawed following violence targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club, a local broadcaster reported.  Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema banned all demonstrations over the weekend in the aftermath of the grim scenes of youths on scooters and on foot attacking Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters on Thursday and Friday in what was widely condemned as a violent outburst of antisemitism in the Dutch capital.  Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands said that 2,000 Israelis were brought home on special flights from Amsterdam over the past few days  Before the match against Ajax, Maccabi fans also tore a Palestinian flag off a building in Amsterdam and chanted anti-Arab slogans on their way to the stadium. There were also reports of Maccabi fans starting fights.  Video on local broadcaster AT5 showed police detaining one man Sunday who was taking part in a small demonstration on the central Dam Square. The protesters yelled slogans including “Free, free Palestine.” AT5 reported that about 20 people were detained.  Amsterdam Municipality said on X that police had begun arresting demonstrators who refused to leave the square, which is in the heart of the city’s downtown shopping area and close to the historic canal network.  Organizers of the protest went to court on Sunday morning seeking an injunction to allow the demonstration, but a judge upheld the ban imposed by the municipality.  At the hearing, senior Amsterdam police officer Olivier Dutilh said that there were again incidents overnight targeting people thought to be Jewish, including some being ordered out of taxis and others being asked to produce their passports to confirm their nationality.  Police launched a large-scale investigation Friday after gangs of youths conducted what Amsterdam’s mayor called “hit and run” attacks on fans that were apparently inspired by calls on social media to target Jewish people. Five people were treated at hospitals and more than 60 suspects were arrested.  Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rushed to the Netherlands on Friday and offered Israel’s help in the police investigation. He met on Saturday with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and said in a statement that the attacks and demands to show passports “were reminiscent of dark periods in history.”  …

London — King Charles III led the nation Sunday in a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen service personnel in central London as the Princess of Wales looked on, a further sign the royal family is slowly returning to normal at the end of a year in which two of the most popular royals were sidelined by cancer. Remembrance Sunday is a totemic event in the U.K., with the monarch leading senior royals, political leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his eight living predecessors, and envoys from the Commonwealth countries in laying wreaths at the Cenotaph, the Portland stone memorial that serves as the focal point for honoring the nation’s war dead. The service is held on the second Sunday of November to mark the signing of the armistice to end World War I “on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” in 1918. Across the U.K., services are conducted at the same time in memory of the dead. After the two-minute silence, buglers from the Royal Marines played the Last Post and Charles led the wreath-laying part of the service. The 75-year-old king, dressed in his Royal Navy uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, laid a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph in recognition of the fallen from conflicts dating back to World War I. His eldest son and the heir to the throne, William, left his own floral tribute — featuring the Prince of Wales’ feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red. Dressed in somber black, his wife, Kate, watched on from a balcony of the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, as is tradition. Queen Camilla, who would normally be standing next to the princess, was not present as she recovered from a chest infection. It is the first time since the start of the year that Kate is carrying out two consecutive days of public official engagements. On Saturday, she attended the Royal British Legion Festival Of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Following the wreath-laying, around 10,000 veterans, including those who have fought in wars this century, notably in Afghanistan and Iraq, marched past the Cenotaph. With the passage of time, there were only a handful of World War II veterans present. Charles’ ceremonial role as commander in chief of the armed forces is a holdover from the days when the monarch led his troops into battle. But … “King Charles III and Kate attend remembrance event as both slowly return to duty” →

london — The Church of England covered up “horrific” abuse by a lawyer who volunteered at Christian summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, and the ceremonial head of the Anglican Communion failed to report him to authorities when he learned of the abuse in 2013, according to an independent review released Thursday. John Smyth, who died in South Africa in 2018 at age 75, physically, sexually, psychologically and spiritually abused about 30 boys and young men in the U.K. and 85 in Africa over five decades, the 251-page report commissioned by the church found. Smyth is believed to be the most prolific serial abuser associated with the church. “Many of the victims who took the brave decision to speak to us about what they experienced have carried this abuse silently for more than 40 years,” said Keith Makin, who led the review. “Despite the efforts of some individuals to bring the abuse to the attention of authorities, the responses by the Church of England and others were wholly ineffective and amounted to a coverup.” The church said it was “deeply sorry for the horrific abuse,” adding “there is never a place for covering up abuse.” Smyth, who was an accomplished lawyer and charismatic speaker, was a volunteer leader at the Iwerne camps. The camps held in several locations were associated with the church and were developed to prepare young men from leading schools for high offices in the church and other parts of society. 14,000 strokes of the cane Smyth used a cane to punish campers for “sins” that included “pride,” making sexual remarks, masturbation or, in one case, looking at a girl too long, according to the report. The victims and Smyth were at least partly, if not fully, naked during the savage beatings. “The scale and severity of the practice was horrific,” the report noted. “Beatings of 100 strokes for masturbation, 400 for pride, and one of 800 strokes for some undisclosed ‘fall’ are recorded.” Eight of the victims received about 14,000 strokes of the cane and two reported 8,000 lashes over three years. Eight men said they often bled from the whippings and others reported bruising and scarring. A secret report of the abuse was compiled by a minister in 1982 and other church officers were aware of it, but police were never contacted. “I thought it would do the work of God immense damage if this … “Report finds Church of England covered up ‘horrific’ abuse at summer camps decades ago” →

MOSCOW — Ukraine attacked Moscow on Sunday with at least 32 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the start of the war in 2022, forcing flights to be diverted from three of the city’s major airports and injuring at least one person. Russian air defenses shot down 32 drones flying toward Moscow over the Ramenskoye and Kolomensky districts of the Moscow region, as well as in Domodedovo city, home to one of the city’s biggest airports, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. “32 drones flying to Moscow have been destroyed,” Sobyanin said. He reported no major damage, though Russia’s federal air transport agency said the airports of Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovo had diverted flights. One person was injured. The airports have since resumed their operations, Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said. Moscow and its surrounding region, with a population of at least 21 million people, is one of the biggest metropolitan areas in Europe, alongside Istanbul. The Ramenskoye district, some 45 kilometers southeast of the Kremlin, was last targeted in September in what was then Ukraine’s biggest attack on the Russian capital, when Russian air defense units destroyed 20 drones. Unverified video posted on Russian Telegram channels showed drones buzzing across the skyline. Russian officials reported multiple Ukrainian drone attacks in other regions, among them the Kaluga, Bryansk and Orlov regions. The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what some officials say could be its final act after Moscow’s forces advanced at the fastest pace since the early days of the war and Donald Trump was elected 47th president of the United States. Trump, who takes office in January, said during campaigning that he could bring peace in Ukraine within 24 hours, but has given few details on how he would seek to do this. When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called Trump to congratulate him on his presidential election victory, Tesla CEO and Trump supporter Elon Musk joined the call, according to media reports. Musk owns SpaceX, which provides Starlink satellite communication services that are vital for Ukraine’s defense effort. Moscow ‘umbrellas’ Kyiv, itself the target of repeated mass drone strikes from Russian forces, has tried to strike back against its vastly larger eastern neighbor with repeated drone strikes against oil refineries, airfields and even the Russian strategic early warning radar stations. While the 1,000-kilometer front has largely resembled grinding World War I trench and artillery warfare for much … “Ukraine attacks Moscow with 32 drones, biggest strike on the Russian capital” →

SYDNEY — England cricketing great Ian Botham was saved by his former Ashes rival Merv Hughes after a fall into crocodile-infested waters while on a fishing trip in northern Australia. Botham, along with Hughes and a group of friends, was on a boat when the accident happened, resulting in some heavy bruising to his torso but no serious injuries for the former England all-rounder. The 68-year-old Botham reportedly got tangled in some ropes while moving to another boat, causing him to slip headfirst into the Moyle River, 200 kilometers southwest of Darwin in Australia’s tropical north. The river is known to be inhabited by saltwater crocodiles and bull sharks. Posting about the incident on social media, Botham shared his relief, saying: “My catch of the day was the barra while I was nearly catch of the day for all the crocs and bull sharks…thanks boys for getting me out.” The two cricket legends, who faced off many times during Ashes series in the late 1980s and early ’90s, have maintained a close friendship over the years. In a comment to News Corp, Botham compared himself to the Australian film character Crocodile Dundee, saying: “At the end of the day, Crocodile Beefy survived. “I was out of the water quicker than I went in it. Quite a few sets of eyes were having a peep at me. Luckily I had no time to think about what was in the water. The guys were brilliant, it was just one of those accidents. It was all very quick and I’m OK now.” There have been three fatal crocodile attacks in Australia this year. …

LONDON — Michael Woods has visited his wife, Mary, every day since she moved into a nursing home two years ago. But on Sunday, the 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran will skip the daily get-together so he can fulfill another duty — honoring the men he served with during World War II. For the first time since he left the RAF in 1947, Woods will take part in Britain’s national Remembrance Day service, joining thousands of veterans as they march past the Cenotaph war memorial in central London to honor those who died during the world wars and all the conflicts that followed. “It’s a great privilege for me to do this,” said Woods, a mechanic who kept Lancaster bombers flying during the war. “And I suppose I’ll never do it again.” The annual ceremony is a solemn event marked every year when the king and envoys from the Commonwealth nations that fought alongside Britain in the two world wars lay wreaths at the Cenotaph. It culminates when up to 10,000 veterans, many with medals gleaming on their chests and regimental berets on their heads, parade past the memorial. Until now, Woods has watched on television from his home in Dunstable, 50 kilometers away. Mary always watched with him. Woods had a lot on his mind before. For many years, he was busy with his family: two daughters, a son, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. And, more recently, he was looking after Mary, his wife of 68 years. But there was something else holding him back as well. He didn’t feel he deserved the honor, as he was “just” a mechanic working on the 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce Merlin engines that powered the Lancaster bombers. He changed his mind after he connected with other ex-service members through Blind Veterans U.K., the charity that has helped him with his macular degeneration and glaucoma. He felt it was time to remember the men who didn’t come home after they roared into the sky aboard planes he had certified as airworthy. Each Lancaster carried a crew of seven, most in their early 20s, so the losses — so many at once — were hard to bear. “It’s very, very upsetting when a Lancaster takes off and it doesn’t return,” Woods told The Associated Press. “I couldn’t forget it if I wanted to,” he added. “It’s just imprinted on your mind, you know.” The RAF’s Bomber Command … “Royal Air Force veteran, 100, joining UK Remembrance Day for 1st time” →

VALENCIA, Spain — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in the eastern city of Valencia on Saturday to demand the resignation of the regional president in charge of the emergency response to last week’s floods that left more than 200 dead and others missing.  A group of protestors clashed with riot police in front of Valencia’s city hall, where the protestors started their march to the seat of the regional government. Police used batons to beat them back.  Regional leader Carlos Mazon is under pressure after his administration failed to issue flood alerts to citizens’ cellphones until hours after the flooding started on the night of October 29.  Many marchers held up homemade signs or chanted “Mazon Resign!” Others carried signs with messages such as “You Killed Us!” Upon arrival at the regional government seat, some protesters slung mud on the building and left handprints of the muck on its facade.  Earlier Saturday, Mazon told regional broadcaster A Punt that “there will be time to hold officials accountable,” but that now “is time to keep cleaning our streets, helping people and rebuilding.”  He said that he “respected” the march.  Mazon, of the conservative Popular Party, is also being criticized for what people perceive as the slow and chaotic response to the natural disaster. Thousands of volunteers were the first boots on the ground in many of the hardest hit areas on Valencia’s southern outskirts. It took days for officials to mobilize the thousands of police reinforcements and soldiers that the regional government asked central authorities to send in.  In Spain, regional governments are charged with handling civil protection and can ask the national government in Madrid, led by the Socialists, for extra resources.  Mazon has defended his handling of the crisis, saying that its magnitude was unforeseeable and that his administration didn’t receive sufficient warnings from central authorities.  But Spain’s weather agency issued a red alert, the highest level of warning, for bad weather as early as 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning as the disaster loomed.  Some communities were flooded by 6 p.m. It took until after 8 p.m. for Mazon’s administration to send out alerts to people’s cellphones.  Mazon was with Spain’s royals and Socialist prime minister when they were pelted with mud by enraged residents during their first visit to a devastated area last weekend.    Sara Sanchez Gurillo attended the protest because she had lost her brother-in-law, 62-year-old … “Spaniards demand Valencia leader resign for bungled flood response” →

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY — A 31-year-old American tourist was killed while on vacation in Hungary’s capital, and the suspect, a 37-year-old Irish man, has been arrested, Hungarian police said Saturday. The victim, Mackenzie Michalski of Portland, Oregon, was reported missing on November 5 after she was last seen at a nightclub in central Budapest. Police launched a missing person investigation and reviewed security footage from local nightclubs, on which they observed Michalski with a man later identified as the suspect in several of the clubs the night of her disappearance. Police detained the man, an Irish citizen, on the evening of November 7. Investigators said that Michalski and the suspect met at a nightclub and danced before leaving for the man’s rented apartment. The man killed Michalski while they were engaged in an “intimate encounter,” police said. The suspect, whom police identified by the initials L.T.M., later confessed to the killing but said it was an accident, police said, adding that he attempted to cover up his crime by cleaning the apartment and hiding Michalski’s body in a wardrobe before purchasing a suitcase and placing her body inside. He then rented a car and drove to Lake Balaton, around 150 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Budapest, where he disposed of the body in a wooden area outside the town of Szigliget. Video released by police showed the suspect guiding authorities to the location where he had left the body. Police said the suspect had made internet searches before being apprehended on how to dispose of a body, police procedures in missing person cases, whether pigs really eat dead bodies and the presence of wild boars in the Lake Balaton area. He also made an internet search inquiring on the competence of Budapest police. Michalski’s parents are currently in Budapest, police told The Associated Press. According to a post by an administrator of a Facebook group called “Find Mackenzie Michalski,” which was created on November 7, Michalski, who went by “Kenzie,” was a nurse practitioner who “will forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman.” …

PRAGUE — European nations should not repeat the mistake of creating a barrier between them and President-elect Donald Trump but instead cooperate on issues of common interest, Lithuania’s defense minister said Saturday. Assuming that Trump will again apply what Laurynas Kasciunas called “his contract approach to our relations,” Kasciunas outlined areas where Europe and the new president could join forces: more investment in defense, European acquisition of American weapons and cooperation on containing China and Iran. “What we did a little bit wrong last time when he was elected [by defeating] Hillary Clinton, and it was unexpected, we built against him a moral wall,” Kasciunas told The Associated Press. “I think it was not a correct way,” Kasciunas said. He was speaking on the sidelines of a three-day gathering in Prague focusing on European and transatlantic military capabilities. During his first term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump pushed NATO’s European members to spend more on defense, up to and beyond 2% of gross domestic product, and to be less reliant on U.S. military. That’s what the allies have been doing. A total of 23 members are expected to meet the 2% target this year, compared with three 10 years ago, according to NATO. Lithuania has already surpassed 2.5% with a goal of reaching 4%, which would be more than the United States. Europe’s defense industry managed to increase output of some products after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but European countries also donated their own weapons to Ukraine and “remain dependent on the U.S. for some important aspects of their military capability,” a report published by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies at the Prague event said. Lithuania, which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the west and Belarus to the east, remains the largest buyer of U.S. arms among the three Baltic states. The minister, whose country was in a spat with China over Taiwan, also spoke in favor of European Union sanctions on Iran. However, Russia’s war against Ukraine has been divisive. Trump has repeatedly taken issue with U.S. aid to Ukraine, made vague vows to end the war and has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kasciunas insisted that Europe’s military aid to Ukraine must continue and that Russia should not dictate the conditions for peace, while a limited cease-fire would not make sense because it would only help Russian troops recover from losses and strike again. … “Lithuanian defense minister proposes ways for smoother relations between Europe, Trump” →

ROME — Tourists in Rome won’t be allowed to toss coins over their shoulders into the Trevi Fountain, following tradition, although an elevated walkway now gives limited access to the monument during maintenance work. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri inaugurated the steel walkway Saturday, saying it will provide tourists with a close-up view of the fountain and calling it a “unique experience” that won’t be ruined by overcrowding. The walkway over the fountain’s basin will be able to accommodate about 130 people at a time. But tourists won’t be allowed to toss coins from there, as the fountain is currently drained, and could face a 50-euro fine if they do, the mayor warned. City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure a return trip to Rome. Gualtieri said a small pool has been set up next to the walkway to collect the coins, which are donated to the Caritas charity to fund meals for people in need. The walkway will remain until the end of the maintenance work, which is expected to be finished by year’s end. Rome city officials are devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain. Under the plan, visitors will be required to book online and pay 2 euros ($2.20). Once inside, they will have 30 minutes to enjoy the fountain. …

GENEVA — Authorities in eastern Switzerland on Saturday ordered residents of a tiny village to prepare to evacuate as an Alpine rockslide looming overhead threatened to break loose and spill down on their homes. It was the second time that residents of Brienz received evacuation orders, after a similar threat last summer. Local officials said in a statement to villagers that “high above Brienz, the top part of the uppermost part of the rubble pile has accelerated considerably. It cannot be ruled out that up to 1.2 million cubic meters of rock debris will be moving down the valley in a stream of debris.” Measurements taken by the municipality’s early warning service showed that the top of the rubble pile has been moving at a rate of more than 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) per day at times since the second half of September, the SRF public broadcaster reported. They said that if the rockslide starts accelerating, it could soon reach the village. The centuries-old village straddles German- and Romansch-speaking parts of the eastern Graubuenden region, sitting southwest of Davos at an altitude of about 1,150 meters (about 3,800 feet). Today it has less than 100 residents. The mountain and the rocks on it have been moving since the last Ice Age, local officials say. Over the last century, the village itself has moved a few centimeters each year, but the movement sped up over the last 20 years. The landslide has been moving about a meter (about 3 feet) per year. …

BERLIN — In the middle of a Berlin hotel cafe, Masih Alinejad raises her voice and starts singing at the top of her lungs in Farsi, as waiters and her three German government bodyguards turn to watch. “I blossom through my wounds and my scars,” she translates the lyrics as. “Because I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman.” Alinejad was expressing her defiance and asserting her right to express herself following the news of Iranian murder-for-hire plots to kill her and Donald Trump that were disclosed by the U.S. Justice Department. She said that some Iranian women had been jailed for singing. The Iranian American human rights activist, who was in Berlin on Saturday to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall together with other human rights activists from around the globe, told The Associated Press in an interview that despite the shock of the news, she felt more determination than ever to continue fighting for women’s rights in Iran. “They want to get rid of me. When they want me dead, it means that I’m doing something. I’m hurting them so bad,” said Alinejad, 48, referring to the Iranian government. “I’m echoing the voice of powerful women and that scares them.” She raised her hand in a defiant fist repeatedly during the interview. On Friday, the U.S. Justice Department said that it was charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before this week’s election with planning the assassination of Trump. Investigators were told of the plan by Farhad Shakeri, an accused Iranian government asset who spent time in American prisons for robbery and who authorities say maintains a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots. Shakeri is at large and remains in Iran. Two other men — identified as Jonathan Loadholt and Carlisle Rivera by the U.S. Justice Department — were arrested on charges that Shakeri recruited them to follow and kill Alinejad, who has endured multiple Iranian murder-for-hire plots foiled by law enforcement. The Justice Department alleges that the two men spent months conducting surveillance on her and, during their efforts to locate and kill her, shared messages about their progress and photographs. Around February, they traveled to Fairfield University in the U.S. state of Connecticut, where Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photos of the campus. Around … “Iranian American activist defiant over Iranian plots to kill her, Trump” →

TEHRAN, IRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Germany of defending a “terrorist” after the death in Iran of Jamshid Sharmahd, a dual national sentenced to execution, which triggered condemnation from Berlin. Iran on October 28 announced the execution of Sharmahd, 69, but eight days later the judiciary spokesperson said Sharmahd had died before the “imminent” execution could be carried out, implying natural causes. After the initial execution announcement, Berlin recalled its ambassador to Iran and closed three Iranian consulates in Germany. That in turn triggered what Iran called a “strong protest” to the German charge d’affaires, who was summoned. “I regret that this is straining German-Iranian relations, and I wish I could have prevented it,” Araghchi said in an interview published Friday by the German weekly Der Spiegel. “But to do that, the German government would have had to cooperate and communicate that this is a terrorist, instead of defending someone who has trampled all humanitarian standards underfoot,” he said, according to Spiegel’s English edition published online. Earlier this week, Germany’s Foreign Ministry, reacting to the official’s comment about Sharmahd’s passing, said, “His death was confirmed to us by the Iranian side. “Jamshid Sharmahd was abducted by Iran and held for years without a fair trial, in inhumane conditions and without the necessary medical care,” the ministry said. “Iran is responsible for his death.” Germany added it was “lobbying the Iranian government to hand over his body to his family.” Iran, which does not recognize dual citizenship, announced Sharmahd’s arrest after a “complex operation,” without specifying when, where or how he was detained. His family said he was seized by Iranian authorities in 2020 while traveling through the United Arab Emirates. Iran sentenced Sharmahd to death for his involvement in an April 2008 bombing of a mosque in Shiraz, in the south of the country, which killed 14 people and wounded about 300. Sharmahd was also accused of leading the Tondar group, which aims to topple the Islamic Republic. Iran classes it as a terrorist organization. Jamshid Sharmahd’s daughter has told AFP that she and her family “do not trust anything” Iran says about the circumstances of her father’s death. “If there is a corpse, he needs to be returned and brought back to us as soon as possible,” Gazelle Sharmahd said. Araghchi told Der Spiegel that, “If his family officially submits a request, we see no obstacles” to … “Iran accuses Germany of defending ‘terrorist’ after death of dual national” →

BERLIN — Like many other young women living in communist East Germany, Solveig Leo thought nothing about juggling work and motherhood. The mother of two was able to preside over a large state-owned farm in the northeastern village of Banzkow because child care was widely available. Contrast that with Claudia Huth, a mother of five, who grew up in capitalist West Germany. Huth quit her job as a bank clerk when she was pregnant with her first child and led a life as a traditional housewife in the village of Egelsbach, in Hesse, raising the kids and tending to her husband, who worked as a chemist. Leo and Huth fulfilled roles that in many ways were typical for women in the vastly different political systems that governed Germany during its decades of division following the country’s defeat in World War II in 1945. As Germany celebrates the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 — and the country’s reunification less than a year later on October 3, 1990 — many in Germany are reflecting on how women’s lives that diverged so starkly under communism and capitalism have become much more similar again — although some differences remain even today. “In West Germany, women — not all, but many — had to fight for their right to have a career,” said Clara Marz, the curator of an exhibition about women in divided Germany for the Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Germany. Women in East Germany, meanwhile, often had jobs — though that was something that “they had been ordered from above to do,” she said. Built in 1961, the Wall stood for 28 years at the front line of the Cold War between the Americans and the Soviets. It was built by the communist regime to cut off East Germans from the supposed ideological contamination of the West and to stem the tide of people fleeing East Germany. Today only a few stretches of the 156.4-kilometer (97.2-mile) barrier around the capitalist exclave of West Berlin remain, mostly as a tourist attraction. “All the heavy industry was in the West; there was nothing here,” Leo, who is now 81 years old, said during a recent interview looking back at her life as a woman under communism. “East Germany had to pay war reparations to the Soviet Union. Women needed to work our … “Berlin Wall once shaped German women’s lives; echoes remain today” →

BERLIN — Germany marks 35 years since the Berlin Wall fell with festivities beginning Saturday under the theme “Preserve Freedom!” as Russia’s war rages in Ukraine and many fear democracy is under attack. Chancellor Olaf Scholz — whose governing coalition dramatically collapsed this week — said in a message to the nation that the liberal ideals of 1989 “are not something we can take for granted.” “A look at our history and at the world around us shows this,” said Scholz, whose three-party ruling alliance imploded on the day Donald Trump was elected president in the United States, plunging Germany into political turmoil and toward new elections. November 9, 1989, is celebrated as the day East Germany’s dictatorship opened the borders to the West after months of peaceful mass protests, paving the way for German reunification and the collapse of Soviet communism. One Berliner who remembers those momentous events, retiree Jutta Krueger, 75, said about the political crisis hitting just ahead of the anniversary weekend: “It’s a shame that it’s coinciding like this now.” “But we should still really celebrate the fall of the Wall,” she said, hailing it as the moment East Germans could travel and “freedom had arrived throughout Germany.” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will kick off events on Saturday at the Berlin Wall Memorial, honoring the at least 140 people killed trying to flee the Moscow-backed German Democratic Republic during the Cold War. In the evening, a “freedom party” with a music and light show will be held at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, on the former path of the concrete barrier that had cut the city in two beginning in 1961. On Sunday, the Russian protest punk band Pussy Riot will perform in front of the former headquarters of the Stasi, former East Germany’s feared secret police. Pro-democracy activists from around the world have been invited for the commemorations — among them Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad. Talks, performances and a large-scale open-air art exhibition will also mark what Culture Minister Claudia Roth called “one of the most joyous moments in world history.” Replica placards from the 1989 protests will be on display along 4 kilometers of the wall’s route, past the historic Reichstag building and the famous Checkpoint Charlie. Among the art installations will be thousands of images created by citizens on the theme of “freedom,” to drive home the enduring relevance of … “Germany marks 1989 Berlin Wall fall with ‘Preserve Freedom’ party” →

The violence against fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam has some Israelis worried that it isn’t safe for their sports teams and fans to travel to games abroad. Many Palestinians want them banned entirely over Israel’s conduct of the war with Hamas. Dutch authorities say Israeli fans were assaulted after a football game in Amsterdam by hordes of young people apparently riled up by calls on social media to target Jewish people. Five people were treated at hospitals and dozens were arrested after the Thursday night attacks, which were condemned as antisemitic by authorities in Amsterdam, Israel and across Europe. Israel’s football teams play domestic games at home despite the Israel-Hamas war. But European football body UEFA has ruled that the war with Hamas means Israel cannot host international games. Supporters of the Palestinian campaign to ban Israel from international competition have criticized world football body FIFA for not matching its 2022 decision to suspend Russian national teams from competitions days after the invasion of Ukraine. UEFA also removed Russian teams. Sports and war Israeli teams have been playing their home games in Hungary, Serbia and Cyprus. Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has long promoted Hungary as the safest European country for Jews. He has banned Palestinian solidarity protests, arguing they are a safety threat. Israel’s national team has been playing all of its home matches in the men’s Nations League this season in Bozsik Arena in Budapest. Maccabi Tel Aviv — the only Israeli men’s team to qualify for European club football competitions this season — has been playing its home games in Szombathely, Hungary, and Belgrade, Serbia. A question about away games, too Belgium declined to stage a men’s Nations League game against Israel in September. That game was played in Hungary instead, with no fans in the stadium. Other away games have been carried out without incident but the violence in Amsterdam could change things, and not just for soccer. Israel’s National Security Council urged Israelis not to attend a match Friday with Maccabi’s basketball team in Bologna, Italy, to avoid “externalizing Israeli/Jewish identification marks as much as possible.” Italian police said security was increased for the game, both for fans and for the Maccabi team. Even before the Amsterdam attacks, UEFA announced that the Maccabi football team’s next away match in the Europa League, which … “After Amsterdam violence, Israelis worry about sports teams’ safety abroad” →

berlin — Like many other young women living in communist East Germany, Solveig Leo thought nothing about juggling work and motherhood. The mother of two was able to preside over a large state-owned farm in the northeastern village of Banzkow because childcare was widely available.  Contrast that with Claudia Huth, a mother of five, who grew up in capitalist West Germany. Huth quit her job as a bank clerk when she was pregnant with her first child and led a life as a traditional housewife in the village of Egelsbach in Hesse, raising the kids and tending to her husband, who worked as a chemist.  Both Leo and Huth fulfilled roles that in many ways were typical for women in the vastly different political systems that governed Germany during its decades of division following the country’s defeat in World War II in 1945.  As Germany celebrates the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989 — and the country’s reunification less than a year later on Oct. 3, 1990 — many in Germany are reflecting on how women’s lives that have diverged so starkly under communism and capitalism have become much more similar again — though some differences remain even today.  “In West Germany, women — not all, but many — had to fight for their right to have a career,” said Clara Marz, the curator of an exhibition about women in divided Germany for the Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Germany.  Women in East Germany, meanwhile, often had jobs — though that was something that “they had been ordered from above to do,” she added.  Front line of Cold War Built in 1961, the Wall stood for 28 years at the front line of the Cold War between the Americans and the Soviets. It was built by the communist regime to cut off East Germans from the supposed ideological contamination of the West and to stem the tide of people fleeing East Germany.  Today only a few stretches of the 156.4-kilometer (97.2-mile) barrier around the capitalist exclave of West Berlin remain, mostly as a tourist attraction.  “All the heavy industry was in the west, there was nothing here,” Leo, who is now 81 years old, said during a recent interview looking back at her life as a woman under communism. “East Germany had to pay war reparations to the Soviet … “Berlin Wall, divide that once shaped German women’s lives, echoes today” →