Author: Mirits

Officials in Ukraine’s capital said Wednesday a Russian drone attack left at least nine people injured. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram an 11-year-old girl was among those hurt when debris from a downed drone hit an apartment building. Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said air defenses destroyed Russian drones that attacked the city from multiple directions. Ukraine’s military said Wednesday it shot down 33 of 62 Russian drones that targeted areas across the country. In addition to Kyiv, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted drones over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday it destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones deployed in overnight attacks. The intercepts took place over the Rostov, Kursk, Smolensk, Oryol, Bryansk and Belgorod regions, the ministry said. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram there was damage to electrical lines, while officials in Kursk reported a fire at an administrative building. North Korea The Pentagon said Tuesday a “small number” of North Korean troops have deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, where they are likely to be used in combat against Ukrainian troops. “[There are] indications that there’s already a small number that are actually in the Kursk Oblast, with a couple thousand more that are either almost there or due to arrive imminently,” Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder told reporters. “We remain concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk,” he added. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense said that North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to train in Russia, more than tripling the previous estimate, and warned that those forces would likely augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks. The Pentagon has “no information” to corroborate reports that North Korean troops are also inside Ukraine, according to Ryder. Asked by VOA whether Ukraine should strike back against North Korean forces, President Joe Biden replied, “If they cross into Ukraine, yes.” South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia “poses a significant security threat to the international community.” The comments at a Cabinet meeting in Seoul followed Yoon saying Monday that the deployment of North Korean troops to the battlefield in Ukraine could happen “more quickly than anticipated,” according to South Korean intelligence assessments. NATO on Monday … “Russian drones target Kyiv” →

A significant fire remains ongoing at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, northwest England, that builds Britain’s new generation of nuclear submarines, but there was no nuclear risk from the incident, police said on Wednesday. UK’s Cumbria police said in a statement that two people had been taken to a hospital after suffering from suspected smoke inhalation and that there were no other casualties. The police said that everyone else had been evacuated from the Devonshire Dock Hall facility and accounted for. BAE’s site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, manufactures Royal Navy’s Astute and Dreadnought submarines, according to BAE’s website. The incident was reported at 12:44 am local time, police said. BAE did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Police have advised residents nearby to remain indoors. …

WASHINGTON — As Ukraine braces to face North Korean troops who are believed to be in the Russian border region of Kursk, analysts say China should be concerned about stronger pressure and responses from NATO, which sees Beijing as an enabler of Pyongyang and a supporter of Russia’s war against Ukraine. South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency said on Tuesday it has obtained information that North Korean troops are moving to the front lines of the war in Russia near Ukraine.   NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that North Korean military units have been deployed to Russia’s western border region of Kursk. He made the remark after a South Korean delegation briefed NATO, Australia, Japan and New Zealand on North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.  Rutte continued that North Korea’s troop dispatch, in addition to shipments of ammunition and ballistic missiles, represents “a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war” that threatens both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security. In return for North Korean troops and weapons, Moscow is providing Pyongyang with “military technology and other support to circumvent international sanctions,” Rutte added. The U.S. estimates that North Korea sent about 10,000 soldiers to train in eastern Russia.    North Korea said on Friday that “if there is such a thing” as North Korea troops in Russia, “it will be an act conforming with the regulation of international law.”  Growing signs of strain Analysts say North Korea’s commitment of troops to help Russia would further strain its relations with China, which undoubtedly will dislike the development that would lead to the strengthening of NATO’s ties with South Korea.  “China should be concerned about NATO paying more attention to North Korea, especially since many NATO member countries see Beijing as Pyongyang’s enabler,” Ramon Pacheco Pardo, who was part of European Union delegations to previous talks with North Korea, South Korea, China and Japan, told VOA on Friday. North Korea’s troop dispatch will lead NATO to focus further on Pyongyang’s cyber activities and nuclear and missile programs and proliferation, and this can have “a knock-on effect on China,” continued Pacheco Pardo, a professor of international relations at King’s College London. “China can’t afford to sever ties with North Korea, due to its own security interests. So, Beijing has to endure North Korea siding with Russia and being labeled as part of an axis of authoritarian revisionist states, even if it doesn’t like this label,” he … “North Korea’s troop deployment to Ukraine could test Beijing-Pyongyang ties” →

The outcome of the U.S. election and the possible changes in Washington’s foreign policy are of special significance to the 3 million American expatriates eligible to vote in next week’s U.S. presidential elections. In few places is that outcome more tangible than in Ukraine, where a few thousand Americans have, for various reasons, chosen to live after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Lesia Bakalets speaks to several expatriates in Ukraine and sends this report from Kyiv. …

Every October, events are held worldwide to mark a Day of Remembrance for the victims of purges in the former Soviet Union. With growing restrictions on memorial ceremonies in Russia, opposition activists see events abroad as more crucial than ever. Natasha Mozgovaya has the story from Seattle. …

Thousands of Russians, including soldiers, have sought asylum in the West since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — though only a fraction of their applications have been approved. This month, however, France allowed several Russian army deserters to enter the country to seek refugee status. Henry Ridgwell reports. …

Madrid — Torrential rains caused by a cold front moving across southeastern Spain flooded roads and towns on Tuesday, prompting authorities in the worst-hit areas to advise citizens to stay at home and avoid all non-essential travel.  Spain’s state weather agency AEMET declared a red alert in the eastern Valencia region and the second-highest level of alert in parts of Andalusia in the south, where a train derailed due to the heavy rainfall, although no one was injured.  Footage showed firefighters rescuing trapped drivers amid heavy rain in the Valencian town of Alzira and flooded streets with stuck cars.  Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Meteorologists believe the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.  AEMET expected Valencia to take the brunt of the storm, with forecasts of more than 90 mm of rain in less than one hour, or 180 mm in under 12 hours.  Schools, courthouses and other essential services were suspended in Carlet and some other nearby towns in the Valencia region.  Local emergency services requested the help of UME, a military unit specialized in rescue operations, in the area of Utiel-Requena, where farmers’ association ASAJA said the storm was causing significant damage to crops.  The storm first struck Andalusia. In El Ejido, a Mediterranean city known for its sprawling greenhouses, a hailstorm broke hundreds of car windscreens, flooded the streets and damaged the mostly plastic greenhouse infrastructure.  In Alora, also in Andalusia, the Guadalorce river overflowed and 14 people there had to be rescued by firefighters, authorities said. Alora topped AEMET’s ranking on Tuesday with 160 mm of rainfall. …

BERLIN — Thousands of German workers launched nationwide strikes to press for higher wages on Tuesday, compounding problems for companies worried about staying globally competitive as high costs, weak exports and foreign rivals chip away at their strengths.  The strikes by unionized workers in the nearly 4-million strong electrical engineering and metal industries hit companies such as Porsche, BMW and Mercedes.  Also this week, car giant Volkswagen could announce plans to shut three plants on home soil for the first time in its 87-year history, as well as mass layoffs and 10% wage cuts for workers who keep their jobs.  A worsening business outlook in Europe’s largest economy has piled pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s rickety coalition government, which could be on the verge of collapse ahead of federal elections next year as policy cracks widen.  Scholz hosted a meeting with business leaders on Tuesday, including Volkswagen boss Oliver Blume, to discuss strategies for bolstering Germany’s industrial sector.  The three-hour closed-door meeting in Berlin was aimed at exploring policy measures to drive growth, protect industrial jobs, and reinforce Germany’s position as a global industrial hub, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.  The talks mark the beginning of a broader initiative by the German government, with follow-up discussions planned for Nov. 15, Hebestreit added.  In a sign of government dysfunction, his finance minister has also announced a separate summit on the same day.  Germany has a long history of so-called “warning strikes” during wage negotiations, but they come at a time of employers’ deepening concerns about the future. A leading business group said a survey of companies pointed to Germany experiencing another year of economic contraction in 2024 and no prospect of growth next year.  “We are not just dealing with a cyclical, but a stubborn structural crisis in Germany,” said Martin Wansleben, managing director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry that conducted the survey.  “We are greatly concerned about how much Germany is becoming an economic burden for Europe and can no longer fulfill its role as an economic workhorse,” he said.  A separate survey by the VDA auto industry association suggested the transformation of the German car industry could lead to 186,000 job losses by 2035, of which roughly a quarter have already occurred.  “Europe — especially Germany — is losing more and more international competitiveness,” said the VDA report, which also stated that German companies … “Workers launch strikes as Germany frets over industrial future” →

brussels — The European Union has decided to increase tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles to as much as 45.3% at the end of its highest profile investigation that has divided Europe and prompted retaliation from Beijing. Just over a year after launching its anti-subsidy probe, the European Commission will set out extra tariffs ranging from 7.8% for Tesla to 35.3% for China’s SAIC, on top of the EU’s standard 10% car import duty. The extra tariffs were formally approved and published in the EU’s Official Journal on Tuesday, meaning they will take effect on Wednesday. The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, has said tariffs are required to counter what it says are unfair subsidies including preferential financing and grants as well as land, batteries and raw materials at below market prices. It says China’s spare production capacity of 3 million EVs per year is twice the size of the EU market. Given 100% tariffs in the United States and Canada, the most obvious outlet for those EVs is Europe. Beijing has called the EU tariffs protectionist and damaging to EU-China relations and automotive supply chains and has launched its own probes this year into imports of EU brandy, dairy and pork products in apparent retaliation. It has also challenged the EU’s provisional measures at the World Trade Organization. European automakers are grappling with an influx of lower-cost EVs from Chinese rivals. The Commission estimates Chinese brands’ share of the EU market has risen to 8% from below 1% in 2019 and could reach 15% in 2025. It says prices are typically 20% below those of EU-made models. The EU’s stance toward Beijing has hardened in the last five years. It views China as a potential partner in some areas, but also as a competitor and a systemic rival, but EU members are not united on EV tariffs. Germany, the EU’s biggest economy and major car producer, opposed tariffs in a vote earlier this month in which 10 EU members backed them, five voted against and 12 abstained. Germany’s economy ministry said on Tuesday Berlin supported ongoing EU negotiations with China and hoped for a diplomatic resolution to mitigate trade tensions while protecting EU industry. “The Federal Government stands for open markets. Because Germany in particular, as a globally interconnected economy, is dependent on this,” the spokesperson added. German carmakers have heavily criticized the EU measures, aware that possible higher Chinese … “EU slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs, risking Beijing backlash” →

Vatican City — The Catholic Church must do a better job of handling compensation for the victims of clergy sexual abuse, the Vatican’s child protection commission said in its first annual report on Tuesday. For decades, the Church has been shaken by scandals across the world involving pedophile priests and the cover-up of their crimes, damaging its credibility and costing it hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements. The commission said compensation went beyond money, including “a much broader spectrum of actions … such as acknowledging mistakes, public apologies, and other forms of true fraternal closeness to victims/survivors.” Pledging to work for the introduction of “standardized and known procedures … in a more comprehensive way,” it said it would delve deeper into the issue of reparations in its report next year. Pope Francis, who set up the anti-abuse commission in 2013, faced some of the strongest criticism over clergy abuse during a September visit to Belgium, where the king and prime minister called for more help for victims. This month, a Vatican summit of world bishops ended with a final text apologizing several times for the “untold and ongoing” pain suffered by Catholics abused by clergy. Tuesday’s report called for greater transparency, with victims given more access to documents relating to them, and said investigations and trials by the Vatican’s doctrine office (DDF) were too slow and secretive. During meetings with victims, “the lack of communication was a permanent, constant complaint,” Colombian Bishop and commission secretary Luis Manuel Ali Herrera told a press conference. Chilean abuse survivor and commission member Juan Carlos Cruz said the lack of information was “a form of re-trauma for many survivors, who have no idea where their case of abuse is.” Other recommendations included creating a Vatican Ombudsman for victims, ensuring more effective punishment of offending clergy, and an invitation for Francis to write an encyclical – the highest form of papal teaching – on child protection. Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of the Bishop Accountability abuse tracking group, said Tuesday’s report amounted to window dressing. “It doesn’t focus on the central and devastating realities: that children in the Catholic Church are still being sexually assaulted by clergy, and that universal church law still allows these priests to be reinstated if certain conditions are met,” she told Reuters.   The anti-abuse commission is the first of its kind in the Catholic Church, but abuse survivors have accused … “Vatican panel: Church must do better compensating sexual abuse victims” →

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday launched a massive exercise of the country’s nuclear forces featuring missile launches in a simulation of a retaliatory strike, as he continued to flex the country’s nuclear muscle amid spiraling tensions with the West over Ukraine.  Speaking in a video call with military leaders, Putin said that the drills will simulate top officials’ action in using nuclear weapons and include launches of nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.  Defense Minister Andrei Belousov reported that the exercise is intended to practice “strategic offensive forces launching a massive nuclear strike in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy.”  Putin, who has repeatedly brandished the nuclear sword as he seeks to deter the West from ramping up support for Ukraine, emphasized on Tuesday that Russia’s nuclear arsenal remains a “reliable guarantor of the country’s sovereignty and security.”  “Taking into account growing geopolitical tensions and emerging new threats and risks, it’s important for us to have modern strategic forces that are always ready for combat,” he said, reaffirming that Russia sees nuclear weapons use as “the ultimate, extreme measure of ensuring its security.”  Putin noted that Moscow will continue to modernize its nuclear forces, deploying new missiles that have a higher precision, quicker launch times and increased capabilities to overcome missile defenses.  As part of Tuesday’s drills, the military test-fired a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk launch pad at the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Defense Ministry said. The Novomoskovsk and Knyaz Oleg nuclear submarines test-fired ICBMs from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, while nuclear-capable Tu-95 strategic bombers carried out practice launches of long-range cruise missiles.  The ministry said that all the missiles reached their designated targets.  Last month, the Russian leader warned the U.S. and NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons for strikes deep inside Russia would put NATO at war with his country.  He reinforced the message by announcing a new version of the nuclear doctrine that considers a conventional attack on Russia by a nonnuclear nation that is supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack on his country — a clear warning to the U.S. and other allies of Kyiv.  Putin also declared that the revised document envisages possible nuclear weapons use in case of a massive air attack, holding the door open to a potential nuclear response to … “Putin launches drills of Russia’s nuclear forces simulating retaliatory strikes” →

Berlin — Germany has recalled its ambassador to Iran over the reported execution of German-Iranian national Jamshid Sharmahd and summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires to voice Berlin’s protest against the killing, the German foreign office said on Tuesday. “We have sent our strongest protest against the actions of the Iranian regime & reserve the right to take further action,” the foreign ministry said in a post on X. Germany’s ambassador in Tehran demarched to the Iranian foreign minister and protested in the strongest possible terms the murder of Jamshid Sharmahd, the post said, adding that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock subsequently recalled the ambassador to Berlin for consultations. Iran executed Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd after he was convicted of carrying out terrorist attacks, Iranian state media said on Monday. Sharmahd, who also holds U.S. residency, was sentenced to death in 2023 on charges of “corruption on earth,” a capital offence under Iran’s Islamic laws. He was accused by Iran of heading a pro-monarchist group accused of a deadly 2008 bombing and planning other attacks in the country. His daughter Gazelle Sharmahd, also on X, demanded proof for his execution and called for the immediate return of her father.   …

London — Adidas has reached an out-of-court settlement with rapper Ye to end all legal proceedings between them, the sportswear brand said on Tuesday, adding that no money changed hands in the agreement. Adidas and Ye had been embroiled in multiple lawsuits for the past two years, since the German company ended a partnership with the rapper previously known as Kanye West over antisemitic comments he made. “There isn’t any more open issues, and there is no… money going either way, and we both move on,” CEO Bjorn Gulden told reporters on a conference call, declining to give further details of the deal. “There were tensions on many issues, and… when you put the claims on the right side and you put the claims on the left side, both parties said we don’t need to fight anymore and withdrew all the claims,” Gulden added.   …

Berlin — Germany needs both structural reforms and more investment in public infrastructure to overcome recession, the European head of the International Monetary Fund said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “Without a functioning infrastructure, there can be no productive economy,” Alred Kammer told the paper in an interview published on Tuesday. In order to mobilize more money, it would also make sense to revise the current credit rules, Kammer said. “We at the IMF already calculated this some time ago: The debt brake can be relaxed – and the government debt ratio will still continue to fall.” Finance Minister Christian Lindner has insisted on sticking with Germany’s debt brake, which restricts the budget deficit to 0.35% of gross domestic product, despite a forecast second year of recession and a sluggish growth outlook. Economy Minister Robert Habeck, on the other hand, recently proposed a multibillion-euro fund to stimulate investment and remedy growth. Asked whether Lindner or Habeck was right in the German government’s fundamental dispute, Kammer responded that “a lot would be gained if politicians clearly communicated what their strategy is in the medium and long term.” This was particularly true for the climate-friendly restructuring of the country. “Companies will only invest if they know what is going to happen in the next ten to 15 years,” Kammer said. …

PENTAGON — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia “poses a significant security threat to the international community.” The comments at a Cabinet meeting in Seoul followed Yoon saying Monday that the deployment of North Korean troops to the battlefield in Ukraine could happen “more quickly than anticipated,” according to South Korean intelligence assessments. The U.S. Defense Department said Monday that North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to train in Russia, more than tripling the previous estimate.    “We believe that the DPRK has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks,” deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters at the Pentagon, using an abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.  “A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine, and we are increasingly concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk oblast, near the border with Ukraine,” she added. Earlier on Monday, NATO confirmed that 3,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia to help Moscow fight its war against Ukraine and have also been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region where Kyiv’s forces invaded in a surprise attack in August and still hold territory. “The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters in Brussels after NATO officials and diplomats received a briefing from a South Korean delegation of intelligence and military officials.  The NATO secretary general said the deployment of North Korean troops was a sign of “growing desperation” on the part of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rutte added that more than 600,000 Russian forces have been killed or wounded since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Pentagon did not provide further details on the type of troops or equipment that North Korea had sent with their troops. When pressed by VOA on what types of capabilities these troops could bring, Singh said, “It’s additional bodies on the battlefield.” “If we see DPRK troops moving in and towards the front lines, they are co-belligerents in the war,” she warned. Russia and North Korea have boosted their political and military alliance since Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Gen. David Allvin, the chief … “South Korea says Russia-North Korea military cooperation ‘poses significant security threat’” →

state department — Top diplomatic and military officials from the United States and South Korea are set to convene in Washington this Thursday as the two allies closely monitor and express concerns about North Korea’s deployment of about 10,000 troops to Russia. Meanwhile, U.S. officials and analysts say that China could be displeased by Russia’s growing influence over North Korea, and that if Beijing chose, it could restrict exports of materials that Pyongyang might use for munitions production. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will co-host South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun to coordinate on pressing security threats facing the alliance. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told VOA during Monday’s briefing that high on the agenda would be discussion of “North Korea’s expanding relationship with Russia,” which includes the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia;  various other provocative actions by North Korea in recent months; and the U.S. commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region. The consultation between Washington and Seoul will come two weeks after establishment of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, a group formed by the United States, South Korea, Japan and other allies to better coordinate enforcement of sanctions against North Korea. The group said that while “the path to dialogue” with North Korea remained open, it was committed to “safeguard the global nonproliferation regime and address the threat arising from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s [DPRK, North Korea’s official name] weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, which are in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.” Some analysts suggest that by sending troops to support Russia’s war on Ukraine, North Korea may gain an opportunity to test the effectiveness of its ballistic missiles and munitions. “We have communicated with the PRC about this matter to make clear that we are concerned about it, and that they ought to be concerned about this destabilizing action by two of its neighbors, Russia and North Korea,” Miller added. He was referring to People’s Republic of China. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that while China has been supportive of Russia’s war in Ukraine, North Korea’s involvement introduces an unsettling dynamic. “For one,” Cha said, “China does not like Russia to have so much influence over North Korea.” Cha added that Beijing could take specific actions, such … “US, South Korea to confer on North Korean troop deployment to Russia “ →

RABAT, Morocco — Morocco’s King Mohammed VI welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to Morocco on Monday, kicking off a state visit with a series of bilateral agreements, including major investments in renewable energy and transportation. Macron’s trip to Morocco — his first in six years — comes as immigrants, including North Africans, face continued scrutiny in France and while France reassesses its role in its former colonies throughout Africa. Morocco has historically been a key economic and security partner, but relations between the two countries have often been fragile. Among the objectives of Macron’s visit, the Elysee Palace said, is “to rebuild the exceptional partnership that links our two countries.” French and Moroccan flags on Monday flew throughout the capital, where crowds lined the streets to watch the motorcade containing Macron, his wife and members of Morocco’s royal family drive to one of their palaces. Macron and Mohammed VI, who used a cane to walk, later oversaw a ceremonial signing of 22 agreements to facilitate future investments as well as cultural and scientific partnerships. The investments are worth a total of 10 billion euros and include expanding Morocco’s high-speed rail line southward to Marrakech, which the country hopes to complete before it holds events for the FIFA World Cup in 2030. Also included were plans to develop green hydrogen, wind farms and water projects, which Morocco has identified as needed to help insulate the country from the effects of climate change. In the days leading up to the visit, Moroccan publications lauded the “warm reunion” and a “new honeymoon” between the two countries. Warmer ties Macron changed France’s long-standing public position and backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara. Doing so endeared France to Morocco but alienated it from Algeria, which hosts refugee camps governed by the pro-independence Polisario Front and considers Morocco an occupying power. France and Morocco have historically partnered on issues ranging from counterterrorism to migration. Morocco is the top destination for French investment in Africa and France is Morocco’s top trade partner. Morocco imports French cereals, weapons and renewable energy infrastructure, like turbines. France imports goods from Morocco including tomatoes, cars and airplane parts. Moroccans are among the largest foreign-born communities in France, where North African immigrants are a key political constituency and a focal point of debates about the roles of Islam and immigration in French society. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a member of … “France, Morocco announce major investments as Macron visits Rabat “ →

Ankara is watching the U.S. elections closely. Analysts say Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stands to benefit from either a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris victory, but both scenarios come with risks for the Turkish leader and his aspirations. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …

TBILISI — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Georgia on Monday after having congratulated the ruling party on its victory in an election which the opposition says was marred by voting violations.  Georgia’s electoral commission said Georgian Dream won Saturday’s election with nearly 54% of the vote, but opposition parties disputed the results and called for protests.  The election results are a blow for pro-Western Georgians who had cast the vote as a choice between a ruling party that has deepened ties with Russia and an opposition aiming to fast-track integration with Europe.  Orban congratulated Georgian Dream party on their victory on Saturday.   “The people of Georgia know what is best for their country, and made their voice heard today!” he wrote on X.  Orban was accompanied on his visit to Georgia by Hungary’s finance, economy and foreign ministers.   Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on Facebook on Monday the Georgian result was an “ugly defeat” for liberals.  Hungary — which currently holds the presidency of the EU Council — has angered fellow members of the EU and NATO with its determination to maintain close ties with Russia despite the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.  The European Union, the United States and NATO have called for a full investigation of alleged election irregularities. Georgian Dream and the electoral commission say the vote was free and fair.  Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called the result a “Russian special operation,” accused the ruling party on Monday of resorting to Russian-style tactics and propaganda, and called for Georgians to take to the streets on Monday evening.   The Kremlin on Monday denied any Russian interference in the vote, saying it was the West, not Moscow, that was trying to destabilize the situation.  In July, Orban stoked controversy when he traveled on what the Hungarian government has described as a “peace mission” to Moscow and Beijing during Hungary’s presidency without coordinating with its EU partners.    …

VILNIUS — The opposition Social Democrats claimed victory in Lithuania’s parliamentary election on Sunday, which was dominated by frustration with the cost of living and worries over potential threats from neighboring Russia. The left-leaning grouping has pledged to maintain the Baltic state’s hefty defense spending program, while criticizing the center-right coalition government of Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte over raising taxes to fund it. Official government data showed the center-left grouping leading with 52 seats in the 141-member assembly, after 99% of the vote was counted. The ruling Homeland Union Party was on track to take second place with 28 seats. The Baltic country of 2.9 million people has a hybrid voting system in which half of parliament was elected by popular vote on Oct. 13. The remainder was decided on Sunday in district-based run-off votes between the top two candidates, a process that favors the larger parties. SD leader Vilija Blinkeviciute told reporters she believed her party would have a parliamentary majority alongside its likely coalition partners: For Lithuania, plus The Farmers and Greens Union. “The results of this election showed that the Lithuanian people, no matter where they live, in large cities, in small cities or villages, they want change.” She declined to confirm whether she would seek the job of prime minister: “We will discuss this within the party, we will weigh all pluses and minuses.” The For Lithuania party was on track to win 14 seats in the parliament and The Farmers and Greens Union was getting eight seats, provisional official data showed. Simonyte’s center-right three-party coalition has seen its popularity eroded by inflation that topped 20% two years ago, deteriorating public services and a widening rich-poor gap. Domestic economic issues were in focus during the election campaign, with the SD vowing to tackle increased inequality by raising taxes on wealthier Lithuanians to help fund more spending on healthcare and social support. But national security is also a major concern in Lithuania, which lies on the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union and shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, a close Moscow ally. Lithuania will spend about 3% of GDP on its armed forces this year, according to NATO estimates, making it the military alliance’s sixth-biggest spender. “For me, it’s of utmost importance to keep the calmness, and to stop the war in Ukraine,” said Mykolas Zvinys, 79, before casting his … “Lithuania leftist opposition win election, eyes coalition “ →

Ukraine’s military said Monday that Russian forces attacked overnight with 100 aerial drones targeting areas across the country.  The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 66 of the drones, with most of the intercepts taking place over the Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi and Kyiv regions.  Ukrainian air defense also downed drones over Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Rivne, Ternopil and Zhytomyr.  Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that Russian attacks hit residential buildings in the city of Kherson, killing at least two people.    In Kharkiv, officials reported strikes from Russian guided bombs and shelling, including attacks that damaged an apartment building and a house.     Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram there were at least 13 people injured in the attacks that hit three districts of the city.     Russia’s Defense Ministry reported Monday it destroyed 21 Ukrainian drones that were used in overnight attacks.     The ministry said Russian air defense destroyed 13 of the drones over the Belgorod region, six over Byransk, one over Voronezh and one over Kursk.     Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said drones damaged two businesses and injured two people.     Some information for this story was provided by Reuters.  …

STOCKHOLM — Seven European countries have changed their laws to increase employee ownership in startups to rival the U.S. in attracting talent and investment, while other countries are lagging, a report by venture capital firm Index Ventures found. While stock options were integral to Silicon Valley’s success, Europe has been hampered by bureaucracy and by taxing employees too early, among other restrictions. The European Union needs a coordinated industrial policy, rapid decisions and massive investment if it wants to keep pace with the U.S. and China economically, Mario Draghi said in a long awaited report last month. Over 500 startup CEOs and founders joined a campaign called “Not Optional” in 2019 to change rules that govern employee ownership — the practice of giving staff options to acquire a slice of the company, as European-based companies compete for talent with U.S. firms. Germany, France, Portugal and the UK lead European countries in making changes that match or exceed those of the U.S., while Finland, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden got lower ratings in the Index report. When companies such as Revolut and others go public, that ownership translates into real money for employees, said Martin Mignot, a partner at Index and an investor at fintech Revolut, which is valued at $45 billion. …

Ukrainian officials said Monday that Russian aerial attacks overnight killed at least one person in Kherson and injured several people in Kharkiv. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that Russian shelling hit residential buildings in the city of Kherson. In Kharkiv, officials reported strikes from Russian guided bombs and shelling, including attacks that damaged an apartment building and a house. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram there were at least 13 people injured in the attacks that hit three districts of the city. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported Monday it destroyed 21 Ukrainian drones that were used in overnight attacks. The ministry said Russian air defense destroyed 13 of the drones over the Belgorod region, six over Byransk, one over Voronezh and one over Kursk. Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said drones damaged two businesses and injured two people. Some information for this story was provided by Reuters   …

WARNGAU, Germany — Farmers and their horses walked in a festive parade through the small Bavarian town of Warngau on Sunday to honor their patron saint, St. Leonhard. Their manes neatly combed, the massive horses were decorated with ribbons and greenery as they pulled the adorned carriages to a local church as part of the procession some 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Munich. Farmers donned colorful regional costumes and hats decorated with tufts of animal hair called Gamsbart, or chamois beards, as townspeople joined in amid the pounding of hooves. After the procession, the revelry traditionally turned to toasts with schnapps. Often called Leonhardiritt or Leonhardifahrt, the traditional pilgrimage dates back centuries in Bavaria and Austria. It was revived in Warngau in 1983, after an 80-year break, and takes place there each year on the fourth Sunday in October, ahead of the annual Nov. 6 feast day. St. Leonhard (St. Leonard in English) is the patron saint of farmers, horses and livestock. Also known as St. Leonard of Noblac, he was a Frankish courtier who asked God to repel an invading army, according to the Catholic News Agency. His plea worked, and he converted to Christianity following what he believed was a miracle. Other Bavarian towns have similar traditions. In Bad Tolz, southwest of Warngau, this year’s Nov. 6 procession will be the 169th in a row. Bad Tolz’s pilgrimage is listed on the Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the German Commission for UNESCO. Only cold-blooded horses — large draft horses like Clydesdales — are allowed in the procession, which begins at 9 a.m. when all of the town’s church bells ring. The crowd journeys to a Leonhardi chapel for blessings and an open-air Mass. The tradition involves the entire town, from the youth to the clergy and the city councilors. St. Leonhard mostly lived in monasteries and in seclusion in what is now France, though Bad Tolz calls him the “Bavarian Lord.” According to legend, his prayers were believed to be breaking the chains of captives. He is also the patron saint of prisoners, among other groups. He died of natural causes around the year 559, and many Catholic churches have been dedicated to him throughout Europe. …

TBILISI — Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called on Sunday for people to take to the streets to protest the results of Saturday’s disputed parliamentary election, which the electoral commission said the ruling party had won.  The Georgian Dream party clinched nearly 54% of the vote, the commission said, as opposition parties contested the result and vote monitors reported significant violations.  Zourabichvili, a former Georgian Dream ally turned fierce critic of the ruling party, said she did not recognize the results and referred to the vote as a “Russian special operation.” She did not clarify whether she believed Russia had a direct role in the elections.  “It was a total fraud, a total taking away of your votes,” Zourabichvili told reporters, flanked by Georgian opposition party leaders.  Zourabichvili called on Georgians to protest in the center of the capital, Tbilisi, on Monday evening “to announce to the world that we do not recognize these elections.”  The results, with almost all precincts counted, were a blow for pro-Western Georgians who had cast the election as a choice between a ruling party that has deepened ties with Russia and an opposition aiming to fast-track integration with Europe.  Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who is a member of Georgian Dream, on Sunday described his party’s victory as “impressive and obvious,” and said “any attempts to talk about election manipulation … are doomed to failure.” Georgian Dream, now headed for a fourth term in office, will take 89 seats in parliament, one less than it secured in 2020, the commission said, with four pro-Western opposition parties receiving 61 seats in total.  A series of violations were reported on Sunday by three separate monitoring missions, including the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  The groups said the alleged violations, including ballot-stuffing, bribery, voter intimidation and violence near polling stations, could have affected the result but stopped short of calling the outcome fraudulent.  “We continue to express deep concerns about the democratic backsliding in Georgia,” said Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, head of the European Parliament’s delegation to the OSCE mission.  “The conduct of yesterday’s election is unfortunately evidence to that effect,” he told reporters.  In a post on X, European Council President Charles Michel called on Georgia’s electoral commission to fully investigate the reported violations.  “We reiterate the EU’s call to the Georgian leadership to demonstrate its firm commitment to the country’s EU path,” he said.  The … “Georgian president calls for protests after ruling party wins disputed election” →

VILNIUS, Lithuania — The opposition Social Democrats took an early lead in the second round of Lithuania’s parliamentary election on Sunday, with voters focusing on concerns over the cost of living and potential threats from neighboring Russia.  Official government data showed the center-left grouping leading with 33 seats after 64% of the vote was counted on top of 20 secured in the first round, in the 141-member assembly, ahead of the ruling Homeland Union Party which led in six constituencies in addition to 18 first-round wins.  The Baltic country of 2.9 million people has a hybrid voting system in which half of parliament is elected by popular vote. The remainder is decided in district-based run-off votes between the top two candidates, a process that favors the larger parties.  If the Social Democrats, or SD, succeed in forming a government, they are expected to maintain Lithuania’s hawkish stance against Russia and hefty defense spending.  Lithuania will spend about 3% of GDP on its armed forces this year, according to NATO estimates, making it the military alliance’s sixth-biggest spender.  Full results are expected at about midnight (2200 GMT).  “Probably there will be some changes, but I want to believe that direction will remain the same,” Marius Slepetis, a businessman, told Reuters after his young daughter dropped his ballot into the box.  The SD won 20% of the vote in the first round on Oct. 13, making it the largest party ahead of the ruling Homeland Union with 18% and the anti-establishment Nemunas Dawn with 15%.  Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte’s center-right three-party coalition has seen its popularity eroded by inflation that topped 20% two years ago, deteriorating public services and a widening rich-poor gap.  After the first round, SD leader Vilija Blinkeviciute said she was already in talks about forming a majority coalition government with two other parties – For Lithuania, and the Farmers and Greens Union.  The SD made a pact with opposition parties to support all run-off candidates in contests against Simonyte’s Homeland Union nominees.  Domestic economic issues were in focus during the election campaign, with the SD vowing to tackle increased inequality by raising taxes on wealthier Lithuanians to help fund more spending on health care and social support.  But national security is also a major concern in Lithuania, which lies on the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union and shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad … “Lithuania left-wing opposition leading in early election results” →