Author: Mirits

In Turkey, listeners of Acik Radyo are protesting after regulators revoked the Istanbul-based station’s license. For nearly 30 years, Acik sought to bridge the country’s divides. Analysts say the action against it is part of a wider government media crackdown. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …

NOVI SAD, Serbia — Protesters threw flares and red paint Tuesday on the City Hall building in the Serbian city of Novi Sad in rage over last week’s collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station that killed 14 people. Police responded by firing tear gas canisters.  The protesters surrounded the building in central Novi Sad, breaking windows and throwing stones and other objects despite calls by organizers to remain calm. Special police troops were deployed inside the building.  Some of the angry protesters wearing masks, believed to be soccer hooligans who are close to the populist government, tried to get inside the building and hand over their demands that those responsible for the canopy collapse face justice.  Serbia’s autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic said the police are “showing restraint,” but also issued a warning saying “horrific, violent protests are underway.”  “People of Serbia, please do not think violence is allowed,” he said on X, formerly Twitter. “All those taking part in the incidents will be punished.”  Protest organizers said they wanted to enter the Hall and submit their demands.  Miran Pogacar, an opposition activist, said “one glass window can be mended but we cannot bring back 14 lives. People are angry. Serbia won’t stand for this.”  Bojan Pajtic, an opposition politician, said he believed the violent incidents were stoked deliberately by provocateurs, a tactic used before in Serbia to derail peaceful anti-government protests and paint the opposition protesters as enemies of the nation.  Thousands first marched through the city streets demanding that top officials step down because of the fatal outer roof collapse last Friday, including President Vucic and Prime Minister Milos Vucevic.  The protesters first gathered outside the railway station where they held a moment of silence for the victims as organizers read their names. The crowd responded by chanting: “arrest the gang” and “thieves.”  The protest started peacefully but some demonstrators later hurled plastic bottles and bricks at the headquarters of Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party and smeared red paint on posters of the Serbian president and the prime minister — a message that they have blood on their hands.  The protesters removed most of the Serbian national red, blue and white national flags that were apparently hung on the headquarters to prevent it from an attack. That triggered an angry reaction from the president.  “Our Serbian tricolor has been destroyed, hidden and removed by all those who … “Police fire tear gas at protests of deadly canopy collapse in Serbia” →

LONDON — Russia is “flagrantly violating” its agreements with the OPEC oil cartel by concealing the true amount of oil it is producing and selling, according to a new report that says the profits are funding Moscow’s war on Ukraine. The investigation by the Ukrainian Center for Defense Reforms asserts that Russia is breaching an OPEC agreement to cut oil production. The think tank is chaired by Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former chief adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister. Oil cut “In 2016, amid declining oil prices and to stabilize the market, OPEC reached an agreement with ten additional oil-producing countries, including Russia. The participants in this expanded format, known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce oil production, leading to a natural rise in global commodity prices,” the report says. However, the authors say that Russia has “flagrantly violated its obligations under the OPEC+ agreement” by concealing the true extent of its production and sales, thereby exceeding its production quota “by no less than 2.57 million barrels per day (28%) on average during the first four months of 2024.” $60 billion That has enriched the Kremlin, said report co-author Danylyuk. “It’s about $60 billion per year. And it’s also important because this is the money which is not seen by anyone,” Danylyuk told VOA. “And obviously, this is extra funds Russia can use to support the war efforts in Ukraine. This is actually the money they can use to buy microelectronics, to buy explosives, to buy shells, to pay countries like North Korea and Iran.” The report claims Russia is concealing the true volume of oil sold to its two biggest customers, India and China. “To disguise these deliveries, Russian authorities list zero value for certain contracts in the customs declarations,” says the report. “Over the first four months of 2024, Russia exported at least 789,000 barrels of oil per day more to China than officially reported. During the same period, exports to India exceeded official statistics by at least 280,000 barrels per day.” Shadow fleet In addition, Moscow is using a so-called shadow fleet of tankers to mask the true scale of its oil sales. The vessels “frequently change flags or ownership structures, deliberately deactivate the Automatic Identification System, falsify location under the influence of electronic warfare, and use other deceptive shipping practices.” By comparing discrepancies in shipping data, the Center for Defense Reforms estimates that Russia is exporting an unaccounted crude … “Report: Russia deceives OPEC on oil sales to fund Ukraine war” →

Russia is “flagrantly violating” its agreements with the oil cartel OPEC by concealing the true amount of oil it is producing and selling, according to a new report that says the profits are funding Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Henry Ridgwell reports. …

London — Two new cases of the mpox variant clade 1b detected in the U.K. are the first locally transmitted cases in Europe and the first outside Africa, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed late Monday that the two new cases were household contacts of Britain’s first case identified last week, bringing the country’s total confirmed cases to three. The WHO warned that European states should be prepared for “rapid action” to contain the latest mpox variant, which spreads through close physical contact including sexual relations and sharing closed spaces. The two cases are also the first to be locally transmitted outside Africa since August 2024, when the WHO declared the outbreak of the new variant an international public health emergency — its highest level of alarm. Those affected are under specialist care and the risk to the U.K. population “remains low,” UKHSA said. The original case was detected after the person traveled to several African countries on holiday and returned to the U.K. on Oct. 21. The patient developed flu-like symptoms more than 24 hours later and, on Oct. 24, started to develop a rash that worsened in the following days. Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, has two types, clade 1 and clade 2. Symptoms include fever, a skin rash or pus-filled blisters, swollen lymph nodes and body aches. The WHO first declared an international public health emergency in 2022 over the spread of clade 2. That outbreak mostly affected gay and bisexual men in Europe and the United States. Vaccination and awareness drives in many countries helped stem the number of worldwide cases and the WHO lifted the emergency in May 2023 after reporting 140 deaths out of around 87,400 cases. In 2024, a two-pronged epidemic of clade 1 and clade 1b, a new strain that affects children, has spread widely in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new strain has also been recorded in neighboring Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, with imported cases in Sweden, India, Thailand, Germany and the U.K. …

SEDAVI, Spain — Francisco Murgui went out to try to salvage his motorbike when the water started to rise.  He never came back.  One week after catastrophic flooding devastated eastern Spain, Maria Murgui still holds out hope that her father is alive and among the unknown number of the missing.  “He was like many people in town who went out to get their car or motorbike to safety,” the 27-year-old told The Associated Press. “The flash flood caught him outside, and he had to cling to a tree in order to escape drowning. He called us to tell us that he was fine, that we shouldn’t worry.”  But when Maria set out into the streets of Sedavi to try to rescue him from the water washing away everything in its path, he was nowhere to be found.  “He held up until 1 in the morning,” she said. “By 2, I went outside with a neighbor and a rope to try to locate him. But we couldn’t find him. And since then, we haven’t heard anything about him.”  At least 218 have been confirmed dead after a deluge caused by heavy rains late on October 29 and the next morning swamped entire communities, mostly in Spain’s Valencia region, catching most off guard. Regional authorities have been heavily criticized for having issued alerts to mobile phones some two hours after the disaster had started.  Authorities have yet to any give an estimate of the missing seven days on. Spanish state broadcaster RTVE, however, shows a steady stream of appeals by people who are searching for family members who are not accounted for.  Maria Murgui herself has posted a missing person’s message on social media with a photo of her father, a 57-year-old retiree.  “This is like riding a roller coaster. Sometimes I feel very bad and sometimes I feel better. I try to stay positive,” she said. “This truly is madness. We don’t know what else to do. Neither does anybody else in town.”  Relief package  While many search for their loved ones, the gargantuan recovery efforts in Sedavi and dozens of other communities slowly moved forward.  To aid those in need, the central government approved a 10.6-billion-euro relief package for 78 communities on Tuesday. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez compared it to the measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The package includes direct payments of 20,000 euros to 60,000 euros to owners of … “A week after Spain’s floods, families hopeful missing loved ones are alive” →

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — An Iranian official claimed Tuesday that Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd died before Tehran could execute him — directly contradicting the country’s earlier announcement he had been put to death. The comment by Asghar Jahangir came after Germany shut down all three Iranian consulates in the country over Sharmahd’s death, leaving only the embassy in Berlin open. Germany later disputed Jahangir’s remark. Meanwhile, even Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has offered his own criticism of Germany’s response to Sharmahd’s death as tensions remain high between Tehran and the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear program and the ongoing Mideast wars. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency quoted Jahangir as saying: “Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death, his sentence was ready to be carried out, but he passed away before implementation of the sentence.” He did not elaborate. Jahangir’s remarks were made to the state-affiliated Quds newspaper after a weekly news conference, when journalists typically buttonhole the spokesperson into answering questions he didn’t take from the podium. Germany’s Foreign Ministry, reacting to the official’s comment, 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.” The State Department in the United States, where Sharmahd once lived, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jason Poblete, a lawyer representing Sharmahd’s family, told The Associated Press that the conflicting comments from Iran were “deeply concerning.” “This inconsistency raises serious questions about the circumstances of the death and the transparency of the Iranian system,” Poblete said. “The family has been urging the German and U.S. authorities to investigate this matter to ascertain the truth, ensure accountability thoroughly and reunite Jimmy with his family in California.” Iran had said it executed Sharmahd on October 28. He was 69. Iran accused Sharmahd, who lived in Glendora, California, of planning a 2008 attack on a mosque that killed 14 people — including five women and a child — and wounded over 200 others, as well as plotting other assaults through the little-known Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant wing. Iran also accused Sharmahd of “disclosing classified information” on missile sites of Iran’s … “Iran claims Iranian-German prisoner died before he could be executed” →

London — Brazilian police official Valdecy Urquiza will be the next chief of Interpol, the global police organization announced Tuesday. Urquiza was elected secretary-general by a vote of Interpol’s general assembly at its meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and will take up the post when the gathering ends on Thursday. Currently Interpol’s vice president for the Americas, Urquiza is the first chief of the Lyon, France-based organization not to come from Europe or the United States. The Interpol secretary-general essentially runs the organization on a daily basis. Juergen Stock of Germany, who has held the post since 2014, is not allowed under its rules to seek a third term. Urquiza pledged to promote diversity within the organization, saying “a strong Interpol is one that includes everyone.” “When we respect and elevate diverse perspectives, we get a clearer, more comprehensive approach to global security,” he said. Interpol, which has 196 member countries and celebrated its centennial last year, works to help national police forces communicate with each other and track suspects and criminals in fields such as counterterrorism, financial crime, child pornography, cybercrime and organized crime. The world’s biggest police organization has been grappling with challenges including a growing caseload of cybercrime and child sex abuse, and increasing divisions among its member countries. Interpol had a total budget of about $188 million last year, compared to more than $200 million at the European Union’s police agency, Europol, and some $11 billion at the FBI in the United States. …

Ukraine’s military said Tuesday it shot down two Russian guided missiles as well as 48 of the 79 drones that Russian forces used in overnight attacks. The intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions, the Ukrainian air force said. Ivan Fedorov, governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, said Tuesday a Russian attack killed at least six people and wounded 16 others. Fedorov said on Telegram that Russia hit an infrastructure facility. Officials in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region also reported a Russian attack that injured two people and damaged three apartment buildings. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it destroyed six Ukrainian aerial drones over the Kursk region. The governor of Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz, said on Telegram there were no reports of damage or casualties. A spokesperson for the South Korean Defense Ministry said at a briefing Tuesday that there are more than 10,000 North Korea soldiers currently in Russia, including a portion deployed to frontline areas such as in Kursk. The statement, which spokesperson Jeon Ha-Gyu said was based on intelligence authorities, came a day after a similar assessment from the U.S. Defense Department. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that there could be as many as 11,000 to 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia, with most of them in Kursk. Ryder said the Pentagon could not corroborate reports that the North Koreans were engaged in combat. Some information for this story was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters. …

washington — Pyongyang may have bet all its chips on its relationship with Moscow by committing the lives of its soldiers to fight for Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine, according to analysts. North Korean soldiers are gearing up for an anticipated battle in the Russian border region of Kursk. According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine on Saturday, more than 7,000 North Korean soldiers in the front line near the border were armed with various weapons by Russia. They included 60 mm mortars, AK-12 rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Some North Korean soldiers in the region have already come under fire, according to a message that Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, posted on Telegram on Monday. The U.S. estimates that 8,000 soldiers are in the Kursk Oblast to fight in front-line operations against Ukraine forces in the coming days. “There is no more significant and long-term a commitment one country can make to another than sending troops at wartime,” Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told VOA. “I never believed this was short term, at least from the North Korean perspective,” said Cha, who formerly served as the deputy head of the U.S. delegation to the Six Party Talks with North Korea. Cha added that Kim could face many risks by deploying troops  thousands of miles away from home and exposing them to fight alongside Russian soldiers. “What if North Korean soldiers desert or are captured? What is the future of DPRK-Europe relations? What if South Korean weapons [supplied via the U.S to Ukraine thus far] kills North Korean soldiers? What if Ukraine makes a point of targeting North Korean soldiers for propaganda purposes?” he asked. Long-term commitment Cha, in an article CSIS published October 23, said that by sending troops, North Korea may have crossed the point of no return in its ties with Russia. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said during a news conference in Washington, held last week after a security meeting, that Seoul is looking to send a team to Ukraine to monitor North Korean troops. When Kim visited Russia last year and began sending munitions the same year, some analysts saw him as largely engaged in a short-term transactional relationship with Moscow. But after North Korea deployed troops to Russia — a move … “Analysts: North Korea’s ties with Russia elevate danger to itself  “ →

GENEVA — China has moved forward with a complaint at the World Trade Organization that alleges the European Union has improperly set anti-subsidy tariffs on new Chinese-made electric vehicles.  The Chinese diplomatic mission to the WTO said Monday it “strongly opposes” the measures and insisted its move was designed to protect the EV industry and support a global transition toward greener technologies.  The European bloc announced last month it was imposing import duties of up to 35% on electric vehicles from China, alleging the Chinese exports were unfairly undercutting EU industry prices. The duties are set to remain in force for five years, unless an amicable deal can be struck.  Electric vehicles have become a major flashpoint in a broader trade dispute over the influence of Chinese government subsidies on European markets and Beijing’s burgeoning exports of green technology to the bloc.  China alleged that the EU move amounted to “an abuse of trade remedies” that violates WTO rules, and amounted to “protectionist” measures, according to the mission’s statement.  Valdis Dombrovskis, the executive vice president of the EU’s Commission, last week called the steps “proportionate and targeted” and were aimed to underpin fair market practices and support the bloc’s industrial base. …

Russia will launch two Iranian satellites into orbit using a Soyuz launcher on Tuesday, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said Monday, as the two U.S.-sanctioned countries deepen their scientific relationship.  “In continuation of the development of Iran-Russia scientific and technological cooperation, two Iranian satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, will be launched to a 500 km orbit of Earth,” Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said in a post on X.  The development of Kowsar, a high-resolution imaging satellite, and Hodhod, a small communications satellite, is the first substantial effort by Iran’s private space sector, a report by Iran’s semiofficial news agency Tasnim said last month.  Russia launched an Iranian research-sensing satellite, Pars 1, into space in February using a Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. …

New York — Russia refused to confirm its plans for North Korean troops it reportedly plans to deploy in its fight against Ukraine, during a confrontation with the United States Monday at the U.N. Security Council. “I heard the statement [of the Russian envoy], as did others in this room, but the one question still remains that that statement does not address, and that is whether there are DPRK troops on the ground in Russia,” U.S. Deputy U.N. Ambassador Robert Wood told council members, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s formal name. “And my question still stands, and I hope that the Russian Federation will answer that simple question,” he said. Wood was referring to intelligence indicating that an estimated 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia for training and deployment to fight alongside the Kremlin’s troops in Ukraine, with some of the North Koreans believed to be heading to Ukraine in the coming days.  “We’re not in a court here, and the question of the United States, in the spirit of an interrogation, is not something I intend to answer,” said Russian Deputy Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva. U.S. officials estimate that more than a half-million Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale illegal invasion on February 24, 2022. Russia, they say, is now turning to pariah state North Korea to bolster its forces. Ambassador Wood said the Russians have trained the North Koreans in artillery and drone operations, and basic infantry operations. “The nature of the training Russia is providing to these forces, to include trench clearing, indicates Russia intends to use these forces in front line operations,” he said. South Korea’s envoy said Pyongyang is acting in a “more desperate and dangerous” way recently, including the blowing up of rail and road links between the two neighbors. “And now the desperate DPRK is demanding more sacrifices from its own people by dispatching troops to Russia,” said Ambassador JoonKook Hwang. William Pomeranz, a senior scholar at the Kennan Institute, told VOA Monday that it is unclear how experienced and professional the North Korean troops are. “And we don’t know how they will react when faced in combat positions. They have not been basically in a war for a long time,” he said. “So, whether the North Koreans have the ability and the equipment to maintain, to keep in the battlefield, is an … “At UN, US confronts Russia over North Korean troops for Ukraine” →

belgrade, serbia — Serbia’s construction minister said Monday he was stepping down days after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station, killing 14 people and severely injuring three. Minister Goran Vesic announced his resignation at a hastily called press conference as anger mounted in the Balkan country over the fatal collapse that happened just before noon on Friday in the northern city of Novi Sad. Vesic’s resignation needs to be confirmed in Serbia’s parliament. “I would like to inform you that I will formally submit my resignation tomorrow morning,” said Vesic. “Once the parliament accepts it, I will no longer perform this duty.” Surveillance camera footage showed the massive canopy on the outer wall of the station building crashing down on the people sitting below on benches or going in and out. The train station has been renovated twice in recent years. Critics of Serbia’s populist government attributed the disaster to rampant corruption, a lack of transparency and sloppy work during the reconstruction. The renovation was part of a wider deal with Chinese construction companies. Opposition parties have demanded the resignation of top officials, including President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, accusing them of being responsible for the deadly accident. Opposition groups plan to hold a rally on Tuesday in Novi Sad and more protests later if their demands are not met. Vesic said that he does not accept any guilt for the deaths of the victims. “I cannot accept guilt for the death of 14 people because neither I, nor the people who work with me, bear even a shred of responsibility for the tragedy that happened,” he said. “I urge the authorities to determine as soon as possible who was responsible for this tragedy.” The dead included a 6-year-old girl. The three injured, who are between 18 and 24 years old, all had to have limbs amputated. They were still in serious condition on Monday without improvement, doctors said. Populist officials have accused opposition parties of using the tragedy for political gains while pledging accountability. Vucic on Monday promised those responsible will be punished. “I am certain that the state authorities will determine criminal responsibility for the tragedy that happened in our country,” said Vucic. Serbian prosecutors said they have already questioned more than 40 people — including Vesic — since opening the probe on Saturday. But critics believe that justice is unlikely to be served … “Serbian minister to resign over concrete canopy collapse that killed 14 people” →

Tbilisi, Georgia — Thousands of opposition supporters rallied outside Georgia’s parliament for the second straight Monday to denounce the Oct. 26 election as illegitimate after the ruling party was declared the winner amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia. The protesters, who waved Georgian and European Union flags, demanded a new parliamentary election under international supervision and an investigation of the alleged ballot irregularities. Opposition leaders vowed to boycott sessions of parliament and hold regular protests until their demands are met. The protest took place under the watch of riot police, reflecting the simmering political tensions in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million that lies between Russia and Turkey. The Central Election Commission said the ruling Georgian Dream party won about 54% of the vote. Its leaders have rejected the opposition claims of vote fraud. President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results, says Georgia has fallen victim to pressure from Moscow against joining the EU. Zourabichvili, who holds mostly ceremonial position, has urged the United States and EU support the demonstrations. Officials in Washington and Brussels have urged a full investigation of the election, while the Kremlin has rejected the accusations of interference. Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012, was established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. The opposition has accused it of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. It has recently adopted laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights. European election observers said the election took place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence. Observers said instances of intimidation and other violations were particularly prevalent in rural areas. The EU suspended Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely because of its passage in June of a Russian-style “foreign influence law.” Many Georgians viewed the parliamentary election as a pivotal referendum on the country’s effort to join the EU. Georgian Dream promised to continue pushing toward EU accession but it also wants to “reset” ties with Russia, the country’s former imperial master. In 2008, Georgia fought and lost a brief war with Moscow, which then recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions and bolstered its military presence there. Georgia’s prosecutors last week launched an investigation of the alleged vote-rigging. The opposition immediately objected that the Prosecutor’s Office would not conduct an … “Thousands rally again in Georgia to protest Oct. 26 parliamentary election they say was rigged” →

Paris — The trial of eight people in Paris on terrorism charges started on Monday over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, who was killed by an Islamic extremist after showing caricatures of Islam’s prophet to his middle school students for a lesson on freedom of expression. Paty’s shocking death left an imprint on France, and several schools are now named after him. Paty was killed outside his school near Paris on Oct. 16, 2020, by an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, who was shot to death by police. Those on trial include friends of assailant Abdoullakh Anzorov who allegedly helped purchase weapons for the attack, as well as people who are accused of spreading false information online about the teacher and his class. The proceedings started Monday in the presence of members of Paty’s family, including his two sisters. The trial was held under high security, with many police officers patrolling and making checks outside and inside the courtroom. Five of the accused, who are currently imprisoned, were seated in a wide glass box. Three others, placed under judicial supervision, sat on the defendants’ benches outside the box. France’s secularism at stake The attack occurred against a backdrop of protests in many Muslim countries and calls online for violence targeting France and the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The newspaper had republished its caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad a few weeks before Paty’s death to mark the opening of the trial over deadly 2015 attacks on its newsroom by Islamic extremists. The cartoon images deeply offended many Muslims, who saw them as sacrilegious. But the fallout from Paty’s killing reinforced the French state’s commitment to freedom of expression and its firm attachment to secularism in public life. “We expect that the justice system will be up to the crime that has been committed,” Francis Szpiner, the lawyer representing Paty’s 9-year-old son, told reporters. “It’s an unheard-of event in the history of the republic. It’s the first time a teacher has been assassinated because he is a teacher.” Thibault de Montbrial, a lawyer for Paty’s sister, Mickaelle Paty, said the trial “will enable everybody in French society to become aware of the direct link, extremely clear, that exists between fundamentalist Islam … and the violence that can lead to such a terrifying act.” A student’s father among the accused Much attention at the trial will focus on Brahim Chnina, the Muslim … “Trial opens in France in beheading of teacher over prophet cartoons” →

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea and the European Union on Monday jointly condemned North Korea’s supply of weaponry to Moscow and demanded that it withdraw troops it has sent as Russia wages war against Ukraine. The EU and South Korea were holding their first “Strategic Dialogue” meeting in Seoul, shortly after Washington and Seoul sounded the alarm about North Korea sending soldiers to help Russia. In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the North’s “unlawful arms transfers to the Russian Federation for its use in attacking Ukraine.” They demanded an end to the “unlawful military cooperation” and a withdrawal of the North Korean forces.   Borrell also met South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an existential threat,” Borrell said in a post on X that included a photo of him shaking hands with Kim. “The Republic of Korea is best positioned to understand it. We are united in our support to Ukraine. I encouraged them to step it up.” The two countries also signed a security and defense partnership covering 15 areas including cyber security and disarmament. Cho said last week, when asked whether Seoul could send weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea aiding Russia, that all possible scenarios were under consideration,   South Korea has provided non-lethal aid to Ukraine, including mine clearance equipment, but rebuffed requests for weapons. Seoul expects the North to be compensated by Moscow with military and civilian technology, as it races to launch a spy satellite and upgrade its missile capabilities. North Korea last week flexed its military muscle with the test of a huge new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile dubbed Hwasong-19. Washington expects the North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region, part of which has been seized by neighboring Ukraine, to enter the fight against Ukrainian forces soon, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week. At talks in Moscow on Friday, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said her country would back Russia until it achieved victory in Ukraine. …

PAIPORTA, Spain — Spain is deploying 7,500 troops to its eastern region hit by devastating floods, the government said on Monday in the face of rising discontent over the response to the catastrophe that has killed at least 217 people. The army sent about 5,000 soldiers over the weekend to help distribute food and water, clean up streets and protect shops and properties from looters. A further 2,500 would join them, Defense Minister Margarita Robles told state-owned radio RNE. A warship carrying 104 marine infantry soldiers as well as trucks with food and water was approaching Valencia port even as a strong hailstorm pummeled Barcelona some 300 km to the north. Rescue teams on Monday were searching for bodies in underground garages including a 5,000-car park at Bonaire shopping mall near Valencia airport as well as river mouths where currents may have deposited bodies. Fatalities from Spain’s worst flash floods in modern history edged higher to 217 on Sunday – almost all of them in the Valencia region and more than 60 in the suburb of Paiporta. Local residents’ anger was focused on late alerts from authorities about the dangers of flooding and a perceived delayed response by emergency services. On Sunday, some residents in Paiporta slung mud at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe and his wife Queen Letizia, chanting: “murderers, murderers!” Transport Minister Oscar Puente said on Sunday the death toll had stabilized because all victims on the surface had been identified. The torrential rains on Tuesday and Wednesday caused rivers to swell, engulfing streets and the ground floors of buildings, and sweeping away cars and pieces of masonry in tides of mud. It was the worst flood-related disaster in Europe in five decades Even though rainfalls have continued during the rest of the week, there has been no more major flooding in the area. The weather agency issued a warning on Monday morning for Barcelona as hailstorm and heavy rains hit Spain’s second largest city. Some of Sunday’s protesters wore clothing with the symbols of far-right organizations that often stage protests against the leftist government. Robles said extremist groups were taking advantage of the situation for political gains. …

Paris — French prosecutors on Monday said they had dropped an investigation into sexual and moral harassment allegations against former French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet. The preliminary inquiry, opened in January 2023, was closed on Oct. 17 due to insufficient evidence, the Paris public prosecution office said in e-mailed comments. Le Graet, 82, who had led the federation since 2011, resigned in February but denied any wrongdoing. His departure followed a government audit that concluded he no longer had “the necessary legitimacy” to lead French soccer. French papers L’Equipe and Le Monde first reported that the investigation into Le Graet had been dropped. “I lived through a nightmare, but being cleared in this affair brings some comfort,” Le Graet told L’Equipe in an interview published on Monday, adding that he felt anger but also relief. …

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pledged her country’s support for Ukraine during a visit Monday to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders. Baerbock said Ukraine needs support amid Russian airstrikes as its heads into another winter season, and with the added threat of North Korean military support for Russia. “We are countering this brutality with our humanity and support, so that Ukrainians can not only survive the winter, but so that their country can survive. Because they are also defending the freedom of all of us in Europe,” Baerbock said. Ukraine’s military said Monday the country’s air defenses shot down 50 of the 80 drones that Russian forces used in overnight attacks targeting areas across the country. The intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions, the Ukrainian air force said. Officials in Kharkiv reported Monday that Russian aerial attacks injured at least 13 people. In Kyiv, officials said falling debris from downed drones sparked several fires in the Ukrainian capital. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday it shot down one Ukrainian drone over the Belgorod region that sits along the Russia-Ukraine border. Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters …

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey stripped three elected pro-Kurdish mayors of their posts in southeastern cities on Monday, for convictions and charges on terrorism-related offenses, the interior ministry said, appointing state officials in their places instead. Local governors replaced the mayors in the provincial centers of Mardin and Batman, while the mayor of Halfeti in Sanliurfa province was also unseated, it said. All belonged to the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which has 57 seats in the national parliament. Dozens of pro-Kurdish mayors from its predecessor parties have been removed from their posts on similar charges in the past. Last week, a mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was arrested after prosecutors accused him of belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), banned as a terrorist group in Turkey. The changes followed a proposal by President Tayyip’s Erdogan main ally last month aimed at ending the state’s 40-year conflict with the PKK. …

PARIS — Seven French families have filed a lawsuit against social media giant TikTok, accusing the platform of exposing their adolescent children to harmful content that led to two of them taking their own lives at 15, their lawyer said on Monday. The lawsuit alleges TikTok’s algorithm exposed the seven teenagers to videos promoting suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion told broadcaster franceinfo. The families are taking joint legal action in the Créteil judicial court. Boutron-Marmion said it was the first such grouped case in Europe. “The parents want TikTok’s legal liability to be recognized in court,” she said, adding: “This is a commercial company offering a product to consumers who are, in addition, minors. They must, therefore, answer for the product’s shortcomings.” TikTok, like other social media platforms, has long faced scrutiny over the policing of content on its app. As with Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, it faces hundreds of lawsuits in the U.S. accusing them of enticing and addicting millions of children to their platforms, damaging their mental health. TikTok could not immediately be reached for comment on the allegations. The company has previously said it took issues that were linked to children’s mental health seriously. CEO Shou Zi Chew this year told U.S. lawmakers the company has invested in measures to protect young people who use the app. …

BEIJING —   China has urged France to take on “an active role” to push the European Commission toward a solution acceptable to both the European and Chinese electric vehicle industries, Beijing’s commerce ministry said on Monday, citing its minister. Wang Wentao, in a meeting with French junior trade minister Sophie Primas in Shanghai on Sunday, reiterated the European Union’s investigation into China’s EVs is a major concern and has “seriously hindered” China-EU auto industry cooperation. The EU launched an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of Chinese-made battery EVs last year and in October voted for tariffs on those vehicles. China in the past year has launched its own investigations into European pork and dairy, and imposed temporary anti-dumping measures on imports of brandy from the EU early this month. Primas is on a three-day visit to challenge China over its import duties on brandy, which Paris calls political and unjustified, Reuters reported last week. Wang told Primas China’s trade remedy investigations on EU brandy, pork and dairy products were in accordance with the domestic industry’s applications and complied with the World Trade Organization rules, “unlike the EU” which was “rash” in launching its EV probe. “China will continue to conduct investigations in strict accordance with the law, safeguard the legitimate rights of enterprises of EU member states, including France, and make rulings based on facts and evidence,” the ministry statement cited Wang as saying. But he said China is willing to work with the European Commission towards a “proper solution” as well, without elaborating. China opened an anti-subsidy probe into imported EU dairy products in August and an investigation focusing on pork intended for human consumption in June. …

Taipei, Taiwan — A second Taiwanese volunteer fighting alongside Ukrainian soldiers against Russia has been killed, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Sunday. The man was a member of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, the ministry said in a statement, expressing condolences to his family, who did not want him publicly identified. The ministry said it was informed of the man’s death Saturday and that Taiwan’s representative office in Poland had verified the information with the Ukrainian Foreign Legion. No further details were released about how he died. At the start of the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly invited foreigners to come to his country to join a “foreign legion” that would fight alongside Ukrainians against the invading Russians. Taiwanese media reported that the soldier returned to Ukraine in July after recovering from a leg injury. There are currently “five to six” Taiwanese fighters in Ukraine, Taiwanese lawmaker Puma Shen, a member of the parliamentary defense committee, told AFP. The first Taiwanese volunteer died on the battlefield in Ukraine in November 2022. …

Madrid — Five bodies were found floating in the sea Sunday after the inflatable boat they were travelling in punctured around 90 km (56 miles) off the Spanish island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, Spanish Sea Rescue services told Reuters. A spokesperson said a rescue aircraft sighted two inflatable boats heading toward the archipelago, and that one of them had one of its floats deflated. The aircraft launched two life rafts and was able to rescue 17 people from one vessel and 80 from another, but five bodies were also found. State agency EFE said the rescue services had rescued more than 1,500 people over the weekend. It also reported Sunday that at least 48 migrants died trying to reach the Canary Islands in a boat that departed Mauritania three weeks ago. Ten more migrants from the same craft were rescued near the island of El Hierro on Saturday, it said. Calm seas and gentle winds associated with late summer in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa have prompted a surge of migrants trying to escape extreme poverty and political instability in Africa’s Sahel region. The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands has seen the fastest growth in irregular migration in recent years, though numbers remain below those on the Central Mediterranean route toward Italy. Some 32,878 migrants took the route in boats from West Africa to the Canary Islands between January and Oct. 15, according to government figures, a rise of 39.7% from the same period last year. …

Spain’s government reports more than 200 dead and dozens still missing following the deadliest flash floods in that country’s modern history. Locals say they feel abandoned by their government. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more. …