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by Mirits

Reporters Without Borders sues X

Washington — The press freedom group Reporters Without Borders on Thursday announced that it is suing the social media company X, accusing it of spreading disinformation.   After Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, discovered that it was the target of a disinformation campaign this past summer, the Paris-based group filed 10 reports of policy violations with X, formerly known as Twitter.   Since none of the posts in question have been removed, RSF opted to sue the company in French courts “for its complicity in disseminating false information, misrepresentation and identity theft,” the group said in a statement. “Is X’s deliberate unwillingness to fight disinformation punishable by law? Does it make the company complicit in the pollution of public debate?” the statement said. “With the new case brought forth by RSF, the French courts now have the opportunity to address these pressing questions, establish X’s legal obligations and hold it to account.”  The case concerns a late August video that RSF said it found, falsely labeled as from the BBC, claiming RSF produced a report on Nazi beliefs in Ukraine’s military.  The video used RSF’s logo and photos of the group’s advocacy director, and it reached nearly half a million views by mid-September, mainly on X and Telegram, RSF said. The press freedom group later determined that the Russian government was behind the fake video.   RSF filed several reports with X about the fake video, but the social media platform did not remove any of the posts in question, RSF said.   “X’s refusal to remove content that it knows is false and deceitful — as it was duly informed by RSF — makes it complicit in the spread of the disinformation circulating on its platform,” RSF’s advocacy director Antoine Bernard said in a statement.  “X provides those who spread falsehoods and manipulate public opinion with a powerful arsenal of tools and unparalleled visibility, while granting the perpetrators total impunity,” Bernard added.  Emmanuel Daoud, an attorney representing RSF, said in a statement that the lawsuit seeks to remind X and its executives that they can be held criminally responsible “if they knowingly provide a platform and tools for disseminating false information, identity theft, misrepresentation, and defamation — offenses punishable under the French Penal Code.”   RSF’s lawsuit comes after several French news outlets sued X earlier this week for allegedly running their content without payment.  That lawsuit was filed by top French outlets including Le … “Reporters Without Borders sues X” →

by Mirits

Trial begins for Russian accused of sending military video to Ukraine

MOSCOW — A Russian man went on trial Thursday on charges of high treason for a video he allegedly sent to Ukraine’s security services, the latest in a growing series of espionage cases involving the conflict. The Volgograd District Court began hearing a new case against Nikita Zhuravel, who is currently serving a 3½-year sentence for burning a Quran in front of a mosque. The new charges are based on allegations that Zhuravel filmed a trainload of military equipment and warplanes in 2023 and sent the video to a representative of Ukraine’s security agency. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Rights activists say Zhuravel is a political prisoner who was beaten while in custody. While in pretrial custody before his first sentence, Zhuravel was beaten by the 15-year-old son of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-appointed strongman leader of the mostly Muslim region of Chechnya. The elder Kadyrov posted the video on social media and praised his son, causing public outrage. He later awarded his son with the medal of “Hero of the Republic of Chechnya.” Federal authorities have refrained from any criticism of the Chechen strongman. Separately, a military court on Thursday sentenced to 24 years in prison a man convicted of treason and terrorism for setting fire to a military recruitment office in Moscow. Prosecutors said Sergei Andreev committed the November 2023 attack on instructions from the Ukrainian special services that he received on a messaging app. Treason and espionage cases have skyrocketed after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The cases have targeted a wide range of suspects, from Kremlin critics and independent journalists to scientists, drawing attention from rights groups. The legal definition of treason has been expanded to include providing vaguely defined “assistance” to foreign countries or organizations, effectively exposing to prosecution anyone in contact with foreigners. …

by Mirits

Is Europe ready for year-end cutoff of Russian gas via Ukraine?

On the first day of 2025, Ukraine’s contract with Russian state-owned Gazprom will expire, shutting down a major Russian natural gas pathway to Europe. Although the Kremlin says it is ready to continue the transit deal, urging Europeans to persuade Ukraine to extend the contract, Kyiv has said it won’t budge. Russian natural gas supplies were a cornerstone of European energy security before Moscow’s February 2022 invasion, when it temporarily cut off 80 billion cubic meters of gas supplies to the continent in response to sanctions and a payment dispute. The cut-off dealt a major blow to Europe’s economy that remains palpable in 2024, according to an International Monetary Fund analysis. Since 2021, however, Europe has secured alternative suppliers for natural gas, with Russian imports via Ukraine dropping from 11% to 5%, according to Rystad Energy, an Oslo-based energy analysis firm. Observers say some EU countries have taken the issue more seriously than others. Germany and the Czech Republic, for example, have invested heavily in liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in record time, said Olga Khakova, deputy director for European energy security at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. “A lot of landlocked countries, like Czech Republic, have gone out of their way to look at alternative supplies and invested in alternative options,” she told VOA. Others, like Hungary, have doubled down on their reliance on Russia, while Slovakia and Austria have increased Russian imports. Those countries, said Khakova, “will have to live with this decision,” explaining that they’ll need to secure alternative routes. Turkey, for example, offers the only other operational pipeline for Europe-bound Russian energy. Although some European nations would prefer to maintain Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine, it’s “a difficult sell for the EU,” said Christoph Halser, Rystad’s gas and LNG analyst. He expressed confidence in Europe’s political will and supply chain logistics to forfeit dependence on Ukraine’s pipelines for Russian gas. Other analysts argue that the EU should do more to send a clear signal to companies that cheap Russian gas will no longer be available. With enforceable goals from the EU for phasing out Russian pipeline gas, companies will invest in competing projects to supply reliable European customers, Khakova said. LNG to compensate? Although Russia’s pipeline exports to Europe have decreased, Moscow has compensated for some of the shortfall with LNG deliveries via sea, road and rail, seeing the overall share of European LNG imports increase from … “Is Europe ready for year-end cutoff of Russian gas via Ukraine?” →

by Mirits

EU fines Meta $840 million over abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace

Brussels — The European Commission on Thursday fined Meta Platforms $840.24 million over abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace, it said in a statement, confirming an earlier report by Reuters. “The European Commission has fined Meta … for breaching EU antitrust rules by tying its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace to its personal social network Facebook and by imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers,” the European Commission said. Meta said it will appeal the decision, but in the meantime, it will comply and will work quickly and constructively to launch a solution which addresses the points raised. The move by the European Commission comes two years after it accused the U.S. tech giant of giving its classified ads service Facebook Marketplace an unfair advantage by bundling the two services together. The European Union opened formal proceedings into possible anticompetitive conduct of Facebook in June, 2021, and in December, 2022, raised concerns that Meta ties its dominant social network Facebook to its online classified ad services. Facebook launched Marketplace in 2016 and expanded into several European countries a year later. The EU decision argues that Meta imposes Facebook Marketplace on people who use Facebook in an illegal “tie” but Meta said that argument ignores the fact that Facebook users can choose whether to engage with Marketplace, and many do not. Meta said the Commission claimed that Marketplace had the potential to hinder the growth of large incumbent online marketplaces in the EU but could not find any evidence of harm to competitors. Companies risk fines of as much as 10% of their global turnover for EU antitrust violations. …

by Mirits

EU parliament loosens delayed anti-deforestation rules

The European Parliament on Thursday approved a one-year delay on implementing the bloc’s landmark anti-deforestation rules, while also voting to loosen some requirements of the controversial law.  The move triggered an outcry from environmental groups, which had hailed the law as an unprecedented breakthrough in the fight to protect nature and combat climate change.  Parliament was called to sign off on a delay requested by the European Commission following pressure from trading partners such as Brazil and the United States, and some member states including Germany.  But lawmakers on the right used the vote to bring new amendments, passed with support from right-wing and far-right groups.   This de facto restarted the legislative process, as the new text should now be re-discussed by the commission and member states — creating further uncertainty over its implementation.   The legislation would prohibit a vast range of goods — from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper and rubber — if produced using land that was deforested after December 2020.  Exporting countries considered high-risk would have at least nine percent of products sent to the EU subjected to checks, with the proportion falling for lower-risk ones.  Among the amendments introduced Thursday was the creation of a “no risk” category that would see products from some countries — such as Germany — face virtually no scrutiny.  Julia Christian, a campaigner at environmental group Fern, said it was the equivalent of giving “EU forested countries a free pass.”  “The message to the rest of the world is unmistakable: you must stop destroying your forests, but the EU won’t end the widespread degradation afflicting its forests,” she said.  …

by Mirits

Russian forces capture village in eastern Ukraine

Russia’s military reported capturing a village in east Ukraine on Thursday, with forces closing in on the town of Kurakhove. The Russian Defense Ministry said the army captured the village of Voznesenka in the Donetsk region. The town had a population of about 20,000 before the war began in 2022, Agence France-Presse reported. Russia also reported damaging Ukrainian airfields and energy facilities and shooting down 78 drones, according to state news agency RIA. Ukraine’s military said it shot down 21 of 59 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack. The fighting followed a massive aerial attack on Kyiv and other locations in Ukraine early Wednesday, involving ballistic and cruise missiles and dozens of drones. Ukraine’s air force said its units shot down four missiles and 37 drones launched by Russia over eight regions. “It is important that our forces have the means to defend the country from Russian terror,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after attack. In his Wednesday address, Zelenskyy praised the country’s “air defense warriors.” “Every night, every day, they shoot down Russian ‘Shahed’ drones and missiles,” he said. “This morning, they intercepted Russian ballistics. This is significant. Every such success means saving the lives of our people.” Ukraine has been appealing to allies to supply more air defense systems to protect against Russian attacks, and Zelenskyy said the country was grateful “to all our partners who help us with anti-missiles and air defense systems.” “The strategic goal is to reach a practical level of cooperation with our partners that will enable us to produce the air defense systems and anti-missiles we need here in Ukraine,” he said. He added Ukraine needs to “finally push Russia towards making a fair peace.”   …

by Tage

Facing Trump’s return, South Korea tees up for alliance strains

Seoul, South Korea — Following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s electoral victory, world leaders have scrambled to secure calls and send delegations to strengthen ties with his team. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is taking a different approach: golf practice. South Korean presidential officials confirmed to VOA that Yoon recently took up golf for the first time in eight years, specifically to prepare for diplomacy with Trump, who is known for bonding with world leaders over the sport. It’s part of a broader response to the return of Trump, whose unpredictable “America First” approach poses unique economic and security challenges to South Korea. The task may be especially difficult for Yoon, a conservative who leaned hard into a values-based alliance with the United States under President Joe Biden, pressing North Korea on human rights and projecting military strength. Now, Yoon must contend with Trump, a famously transactional leader who has advocated for friendlier ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and dismissed U.S.-South Korea military drills as costly “war games.” Trump has also consistently questioned the value of the seven-decade alliance, even hinting at a U.S. troop withdrawal if South Korea does not pay more. Economic concerns add to South Korea’s unease, as officials worry Trump’s talk of imposing tariffs, and a renewed U.S.-China trade war could destabilize its export-driven economy. Trump’s win has prompted soul-searching in South Korea, with many left-leaning commentators lamenting what they see as an over-reliance on an increasingly unreliable ally. “Trump’s reelection heralds a tectonic shift in the U.S.-led international order, which South Korea has been largely dependent on for the past 70 years,” read a recent opinion piece in the prominent Hankyoreh newspaper. It warned that the Yoon administration, after having “placed all its eggs in the South Korea-U.S. alliance basket,” will now “witness the devastating consequences of such blind belief.” Many conservative South Korean commentators also expressed concerns about the future of alliance, even while noting that Trump presents unique opportunities. An editorial in the Chosun Ilbo, South Korea’s largest newspaper, said if Trump demands an excessive increase in defense cost-sharing, South Korea “could negotiate for independent nuclear armament in return.” Cost-sharing woes Defense burden-sharing could become the first major alliance test once Trump returns – just as it was throughout his first term. Just one day before Trump’s reelection, the United States and South Korea finalized a new agreement for Seoul to … “Facing Trump’s return, South Korea tees up for alliance strains” →

by Mirits

BRICS offered Turkey partner country status, Turkish trade minister says

ANKARA, turkey — Turkey was offered partner country status by the BRICS group of nations, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said, as Ankara continues what it calls its efforts to balance its Eastern and Western ties. Turkey, a NATO member, has in recent months voiced interest in joining the BRICS group of emerging economies, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attended a BRICS leaders’ summit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan last month, after Ankara said it had taken formal steps to become a member of the group. “As for Turkey’s status regarding (BRICS) membership, they offered Turkey the status of partner membership,” Bolat said in an interview with private broadcaster TVNet on Wednesday. “This (status) is the transition process in the organizational structure of BRICS,” he said. Ankara sees the BRICS group as an opportunity to further economic cooperation with member states, rather than an alternative to its Western ties and NATO membership, Erdogan has said. Turkish officials have repeatedly said potential membership of BRICS would not affect Turkey’s responsibilities to the Western military alliance. Aside from full membership, BRICS members introduced a “partner country” category in Kazan, according to the declaration issued by BRICS on October 23. Bolat did not say whether Ankara had accepted the proposal. An official in Erdogan’s ruling AK Party told Reuters this month that while the proposal had been discussed in Kazan, partner country status would fall short of Turkey’s demands for membership.  …

by Mirits

Swiss villagers pack up for evacuation over fears of another rockslide

GENEVA — Families in a tiny Swiss village were packing up Wednesday after authorities issued an evacuation order with a weekend deadline because of the threat of a possible rockslide from an Alpine mountainside overhead. Authorities in charge of the eastern village of Brienz said in a statement Tuesday that they analyzed the potential danger with geology and natural-hazards specialists and recommended the precautionary evacuation by 1 p.m. Sunday. Christian Gartmann, a member of the crisis management board in the town of Albula, which counts Brienz in its jurisdiction, said inhabitants of the village, with a population of 90, were making quick preparations. A similar evacuation took place in May last year. The following month, a rockslide sent 2 million cubic meters of stone tumbling down the mountainside — but it missed the village. Another 1.2 million cubic meters still loom, leading to the new order for evacuation. “It has begun, immediately actually. People in the village organized themselves,” Gartmann said by phone. Some were “a little bit aggressive towards us” for ordering the evacuation, he said, adding that he understood their discontent. “No one is in favor of his own evacuation. They would love to stay in their houses. They have been living in these houses for generations and they don’t want to leave their village,” Gartmann said. “But actually, it’s the mountain that orders us to evacuate them.” In recent days, authorities have been advising villagers to take essential items, like computers, winter wear and school and work materials, for up to six months out of town, he said. “It’s not a total moving-out,” Gartmann said, summarizing the order to locals as “take everything that you need for the next few months. If you have some cheap … sofa at home, leave it.” Temporary lodging out of the village, which sits in between Italian and German-speaking parts of southeastern Switzerland, has already been arranged for about three-quarters of residents, and some were staying nearby with friends or family, he said. The main threat is posed by rocks that are already strewn along the mountainside, not a larger breakage, Gartmann said. A controlled explosion to trigger a rockslide to reduce the risk of an uncontrolled one has been ruled out, in part because 300 tons of explosives would be needed, he said. Blasting crews would face risks, and a detonation could also affect a nearby mountain. A severe rockslide would … “Swiss villagers pack up for evacuation over fears of another rockslide” →

by Tage

Trump picks former rival Marco Rubio for secretary of state

washington — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he is nominating Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a senior member of both the foreign relations and intelligence committees and former political rival, to be secretary of state.  “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said in a statement.  Rubio, 53, is known as a China hawk, an outspoken critic of Cuba’s Communist government and a strong backer of Israel. In the past, he has advocated for a more assertive U.S. foreign policy with respect to America’s geopolitical foes, although recently his views have aligned more closely with those of Trump’s “America First” approach to foreign policy.  In April, Rubio was one of 15 Republican senators to vote against a big military aid package to help Ukraine resist Russia and support other U.S. partners, including Israel. Trump has been critical of Democratic President Joe Biden’s continuing military assistance for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion.  Rubio has said in recent interviews that Kyiv needs to seek a negotiated settlement with Russia rather than focus on regaining all of the territory that Moscow has taken in the last decade.  On the Gaza war, Rubio — like Trump — has been staunchly behind Israel, calling Hamas a terrorist organization that must be eliminated and saying America’s role is to resupply Israel with the military materials needed to finish the job.  Rubio is a top Senate China hawk, and Beijing imposed sanctions on him in 2020 over his stance on Hong Kong’s democracy protests. This could create difficulties for any attempts to maintain the Biden administration’s effort to keep up diplomatic engagement with Beijing to avoid an unintended conflict.  Among other things, Rubio shepherded an act through Congress that gave Washington a new tool to bar Chinese imports over China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims and has also pushed a bill that would decertify Hong Kong’s U.S. economic and trade offices.  Rubio had also become a strong Trump backer, after harshly criticizing him when he ran against the former real estate developer for president in 2016.  The three-term Republican senator should easily win confirmation in the Senate, where Trump’s Republicans will hold at least a 52-48 majority starting in January.  Democratic Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the intelligence committee, quickly issued a statement praising the choice … “Trump picks former rival Marco Rubio for secretary of state” →

by Tage

Republicans win 218 US House seats, giving Trump’s party control of government

WASHINGTON — Republicans have won enough seats to control the U.S. House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold on U.S. government alongside President-elect Donald Trump. A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier Wednesday, gave the GOP the 218 House victories that make up the majority. Republicans earlier gained control of the Senate from Democrats. With hard-fought yet thin majorities, Republican leaders are envisioning a mandate to upend the federal government and swiftly implement Trump’s vision for the country. The incoming president has promised to carry out the country’s largest-ever deportation operation, extend tax breaks, punish his political enemies, seize control of the federal government’s most powerful tools and reshape the U.S. economy. The GOP election victories ensure that Congress will be onboard for that agenda, and Democrats will be almost powerless to check it. When Trump was elected president in 2016, Republicans also swept Congress, but he still encountered Republican leaders resistant to his policy ideas, as well as a Supreme Court with a liberal majority. Not this time. When he returns to the White House, Trump will be working with a Republican Party that has been completely transformed by his “Make America Great Again” movement and a Supreme Court dominated by conservative justices, including three that he appointed. Trump rallied House Republicans at a Capitol Hill hotel Wednesday morning, marking his first return to Washington since the election. “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s good, we got to figure something else,’” Trump said to the room full of lawmakers who laughed in response. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who with Trump’s endorsement won the Republican Conference’s nomination to stay on as speaker next year, has talked of taking a “blowtorch” to the federal government and its programs, eyeing ways to overhaul even popular programs championed by Democrats in recent years. The Louisiana Republican, an ardent conservative, has pulled the House Republican Conference closer to Trump during the campaign season as they prepare an “ambitious” 100-day agenda. “Republicans in the House and Senate have a mandate,” Johnson said earlier this week. “The American people want us to implement and deliver that ‘America First’ agenda.” Trump’s allies in the House are already signaling they will seek retribution for the legal troubles Trump faced while out of office. The incoming president on Wednesday said he would nominate Rep. Matt … “Republicans win 218 US House seats, giving Trump’s party control of government” →

by Tage

At APEC and G20, Biden faces leaders worried about US policy changes

White House — In what will likely be his farewell appearance on the world stage, President Joe Biden faces a daunting question: what to tell world leaders wondering about potential changes in U.S. policies when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with his America First agenda. Biden is set to depart for Peru and Brazil Thursday for two major economic summits. Biden is scheduled to spend Friday and Saturday in Lima with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, made up of 21 member economies that promote free trade in the region.  He will be in Rio de Janeiro on Monday and Tuesday to meet with leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies at the Group of 20 summit. On the way to Rio from Lima, Biden will make a brief stop at Manaus for a climate-focused engagement in Brazil’s state of Amazonas. In his meetings, Biden must face allies and partners who four years ago may have been skeptical about his “America is back” message and the durability of U.S. global commitments. These leaders saw Trump, during his first term, act to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord and threaten to pull out of NATO. Uncertainties about future U.S. policy will complicate efforts to reach an agenda on issues of global concern such as trade, poverty and debt alleviation, climate change, sustainable development, and green energy. “There will be a lot of combination of lamenting, speculation, guessing about what we’ll see coming first in terms of policies out of the campaign and how countries are best able to position themselves,” said Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. ‘America’s allies are vital’ To these leaders, Biden’s message is that “America’s allies are vital to America’s national security,” said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who previewed the trip to reporters on Wednesday. “They make us stronger. They multiply our capability. They take a burden off of our shoulders. They contribute to our common causes,” Sullivan said. He underscored that Biden would be attending the APEC summit when U.S. alliances in the region were at an “all-time high,” with bolstered ties with Japan, Korea, Australia and the Philippines. Biden will hold a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan to “discuss the … “At APEC and G20, Biden faces leaders worried about US policy changes” →

by Tage

FBI raids Polymarket CEO’s home, seizing phone, electronics

NEW YORK — Federal law enforcement agents raided the downtown New York home of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan on Wednesday, seizing his phone and electronics, the company confirmed. The early morning raid of Coplan’s SoHo apartment followed last week’s presidential election, in which bettors on Polymarket, an offshore, crypto-fueled election gambling website, had for weeks put Donald Trump’s odds drastically higher than those of Vice President Kamala Harris, in sharp divergence from opinion polls. Coplan, Polymarket’s 26-year-old founder, was roused from his bed at 6 a.m. by FBI agents demanding he give them his electronic devices. The DOJ is investigating Polymarket for allegedly allowing U.S.-based users to bet on the site, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday evening. Polymarket declined to comment on those allegations, but a spokesperson said the FBI raid was “obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election.” The company told Reuters that Coplan had not been arrested or taken into custody. The FBI declined to comment. The Department of Justice and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on the raid. In the run-up to the presidential election, the site gained widespread attention for the way it placed Trump’s odds high above those of Harris, when opinion polls had for months shown the race in a dead heat. Polymarket, which does not allow trading in the U.S., also gained scrutiny after a mystery French trader, known as the Polymarket whale, made large bets on Trump winning the election. The trader’s huge wagers came in tandem with a dramatic rise in Trump’s chances on the exchanges. He walked away with more than $46 million in profit. Last week, France’s gambling regulator said it was examining whether Polymarket complies with French laws. …

by Tage

Suspected Chinese hack of US telecoms reveals broader plot

washington — A hack of U.S. telecommunications systems linked to China that initially appeared to focus on the American presidential campaigns goes much deeper, according to investigators, and is likely part of a vast effort by Beijing to spy on the United States. The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned on Wednesday that the breach first detected late last month has now “revealed a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” The two agencies said in a statement that their investigation has confirmed Chinese-linked hackers compromised the networks of multiple U.S. telecommunication companies, gaining access to a potential treasure trove of information. Specifically, they said the hackers would have been able to access customer call records and infiltrate the private communications of a select number of government officials and politicians. Additionally, the hackers appear to have been able to copy information requested by U.S. law enforcement as a result of court orders. “We expect our understanding of these compromises to grow as the investigation continues,” the FBI and CISA said. “We encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA,” they added. The two agencies first announced they were investigating a breach of U.S. telecommunications systems in late October, less than two weeks before U.S. voters cast their ballots in nationwide elections. Word of the breach followed a report by The New York Times that Chinese hackers were thought to have broken into telecommunications networks to target the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump — including phones used by Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. The Trump campaign confirmed the breach in a statement to VOA. Separately, a person familiar with the investigation told VOA that people affiliated with the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris were also targeted. The Chinese Embassy in Washington at the time dismissed the U.S. hacking allegations as disinformation, calling the U.S. “the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks.” The embassy has yet to respond to the latest FBI and CISA allegations. U.S. intelligence agencies warned for months that foreign adversaries were using a combination of cyberattacks and influence operations to meddle with the November 5 U.S. presidential election. In addition, reports issued by private cybersecurity firms indicated a significant uptick in activity by actors linked to Russia, China and Iran. All three nations have repeatedly denied accusations of election meddling. U.S. agencies, … “Suspected Chinese hack of US telecoms reveals broader plot” →

by Tage

US court overturns 1983 Beirut bombing victims’ $1.68B judgment against Iran bank

new york — A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out a $1.68 billion judgment against Iran’s central bank that had been won by family members of troops killed and injured in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a lower court judge should have addressed questions of state law before ruling against Bank Markazi and Luxembourg intermediary Clearstream Banking, a unit of Deutsche Boerse.  In a 3-0 decision, the panel also rejected a claim that a 2019 federal law designed to make it easier to seize Iranian assets held outside the United States waived Bank Markazi’s sovereign immunity.  That law “neither abrogates Bank Markazi’s jurisdictional immunity nor provides an independent grant of subject matter jurisdiction,” Circuit Judge Robert Sack wrote.    The court returned the case to U.S. District Loretta Preska, in Manhattan to address state law questions in the 11-year-old case, and whether the case can proceed in Bank Markazi’s absence.  Bombing victims sought to hold Iran liable for providing material support for the October 23, 1983, suicide attack that killed 241 U.S. service members, by seizing bond proceeds held by Clearstream in a blocked account on Bank Markazi’s behalf.  Bank Markazi claimed immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally shields foreign governments from liability in U.S. courts.  Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bank Markazi’s and Clearstream’s lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.  Iran, other U.S.-designated sponsors of terrorism, and banks accused of providing services to terrorists face thousands of claims in U.S. courts by victims and their families. It is often difficult for these claimants to collect judgments.  In the Bank Markazi case, the plaintiffs sued in 2013 to partially satisfy a $2.65 billion default judgment they had won against Iran in 2007.  Another judge dismissed the case in 2015, but the 2nd Circuit Court revived it in 2017.  Then in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a fresh review in light of the 2019 law, which then-President Donald Trump signed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The plaintiffs have said they hold more than $4 billion of judgments against Iran and have been unable to collect for decades.  The case is Peterson et al v. Bank Markazi et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-690.  …

by Mirits

Russian exiles plan massive anti-Putin march in Berlin

Russian exiles plan a march Sunday in Berlin demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the prosecution of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, and the release of all political prisoners. Ricardo Marquina reports. Narrator: Elizabeth Cherneff. …

by Mirits

Ukraine drone attacks spark fires in Russia’s Bryansk, Kaluga regions

Ukrainian overnight drone attacks have set several non-residential buildings on fire in Russia’s Kaluga and Bryansk regions, regional governors said on Sunday. “Emergency services and firefighters are on the site,” Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the Russian border region of Bryansk, wrote on the Telegram messaging app, without providing further detail. The defense ministry said its air defense units had destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 17 over Bryansk. Vladislav Shapsha, governor of the Kaluga region, which borders the Moscow region to its northeast, said a non-residential building in the region was on fire as result of Ukraine’s drone attack. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kyiv has often said its drone attacks on Russian territory are aimed at infrastructure key to Moscow’s war efforts and are in response to Russia’s continued attack on Ukraine’s territory. …

by Tage

Biden assures Trump of smooth transfer of power at Oval Office meeting

President-elect Donald Trump returned to the seat of American power Wednesday, visiting both Congress and the White House and laying out his vision as he readies for his second term. President Joe Biden hosted Trump in the Oval Office, where he promised a smooth transfer of power. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. …

by Tage

US overdose deaths down, giving experts hope for enduring decline

NEW YORK — The decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to have continued this year, giving experts hope the nation is seeing sustained improvement in the persistent epidemic.  There were about 97,000 overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended June 30, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 14% from the estimated 113,000 for the previous 12-month period.  “This is a pretty stunning and rapid reversal of drug overdose mortality numbers,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends.  Overdose death rates began steadily climbing in the 1990s because of opioid painkillers, followed by waves of deaths led by other opioids like heroin and — more recently — illicit fentanyl. Provisional data had indicated a slight decline for 2023, and the tally released Wednesday showed that the downward trend has kept going.  Of course, there have been moments in the last several years when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again, Marshall noted.  “This seems to be substantial and sustained,” Marshall said. “I think there’s real reason for hope here.”  Experts aren’t certain about the reasons for the decline, but they cite a combination of possible factors.  One is COVID-19. In the worst days of the pandemic, addiction treatment was hard to get, and people were socially isolated — with no one around to help if they overdosed.  “During the pandemic we saw such a meteoric rise in drug overdose deaths that it’s only natural we would see a decrease,” said Farida Ahmad of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.  Still, overdose deaths are well above what they were at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The recent numbers could represent the fruition of years of efforts to increase the availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, and addiction treatments such as buprenorphine, said Erin Winstanley, a University of Pittsburgh professor who researches drug overdose trends.  Marshall said such efforts likely are being aided by money from settlements of opioid-related lawsuits, brought by state, local and Native American governments against drugmakers, wholesalers and pharmacies. Settlement funds have been rolling out to small towns and big cities across the U.S., and some have started spending the money on naloxone and other measures.  Some experts have wondered about changes in the drug supply. Xylazine, a sedative, has been increasingly detected in … “US overdose deaths down, giving experts hope for enduring decline” →

by Tage

Birth control, abortion pill requests surge since Trump election

Hours after Donald Trump was elected president for the second time, Dr. Clayton Alfonso had two messages from patients seeking to replace their IUDs. Over the next few days, three women inquired about getting their tubes tied. All of them said the election was the reason they were making these choices now. Requests for long-term birth control and permanent sterilizations have surged across the nation since the election, doctors told The Associated Press. And companies that sell emergency contraception and abortion pills say they’re seeing significant spikes in requests from people who are stockpiling the medications — one saw a 966% increase in sales of emergency contraception from the week before in the 60 hours after the election. “I saw this bump after the Trump election in 2016” and after Roe vs. Wade was overturned in 2022, said Alfonso, an OB-GYN at Duke University in North Carolina. “But the patients seem more afraid this time.” Although anti-abortion advocates are pressing Trump for more restrictions on abortion pills, it’s unclear what — if much — will be done regarding access to contraceptives of any kind during the second Trump administration. Trump told a Pittsburgh television station in May that he was open to supporting regulations on contraception. But after media reports on the interview, he wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that he “has never and will never” advocate for restricting birth control and other contraceptives. Alfonso said his patients want to replace still-effective IUDs and “restart” the 3-to-12-year clock on them before the inauguration. He also said the women are particularly concerned about IUDs, which have been attacked by abortion opponents who believe life begins when an egg is fertilized. Experts believe the devices work mostly by blocking fertilization, but also may make it harder for a fertilized egg to implant in the womb. A patient who requested a tubal ligation Tuesday told Alfonso she doesn’t want kids and is “just absolutely terrified of either forced pregnancy or inability to access contraception.” Pittsburgh OB-GYN and abortion provider Dr. Grace Ferguson said more of her patients are scheduling IUD insertions or stockpiling emergency contraception, telling her upfront that it’s “because of the upcoming administration change.” One patient, Mara Zupko, said she wants prescription emergency contraception since she’s on the cusp of the weight limit for Plan B, the most well-known over-the-counter type. Her husband is getting a vasectomy. “We … “Birth control, abortion pill requests surge since Trump election” →

by Mirits

New storms and flooding in Spain threaten hard-hit Valencia again

Madrid — New storms in Spain caused school closures and train cancellations on Wednesday, two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Coastal areas of Valencia were placed under the highest alert on Wednesday evening. Forecasters said up to 180 millimeters (7 inches) of rain could fall there within five hours. Cleanup efforts in parts of Valencia hardest hit by the Oct. 29 storm were still continuing, and there were concerns over what more rain could bring to streets still covered with mud and debris. In southern Malaga province, streets were flooded, while 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce river were moved from their homes as a preventive measure. Schools across the province were closed, along with many stores. High-speed AVE train service was canceled between Malaga and Madrid as well as Barcelona and Valencia. There were no reports of any deaths. Spanish weather forecaster AEMET put Malaga on red alert, saying up to 70 millimeters (roughly 3 inches) of rain had accumulated in an hour. Parts of Tarragona province in the east also faced heavy rain and remained under red alert. The forecast in Malaga delayed the start of the Billie Jean King Cup tennis finals between Spain and Poland, which was set for Wednesday. The storm system affecting Spain is caused by warm air that collides with stagnant cold air and forms powerful rain clouds. Experts say that drought and flood cycles are increasing with climate change. …

by Tage

Biden, Xi to meet in Lima on sidelines of APEC summit in Peru

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet November 16 on the sidelines of the 2024 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC summit in Lima, Peru, the White House announced Wednesday. The meeting follows the leaders’ last in-person engagement a year ago on the sidelines of the APEC summit in California, and their 2022 meeting in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Biden and Xi are expected to revisit areas of cooperation, particularly the resumption of military-to-military contacts, efforts to combat the global fentanyl crisis and nascent work to deal with the risks of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, a senior administration said in a briefing with reporters Wednesday. The U.S. president will also express “deep concern” over Beijing’s support for Moscow’s war against Ukraine, and the deployment of North Korean troops to aid Russia, said the official, who requested anonymity to speak on the upcoming meeting. The official said Biden will also reiterate his “longstanding concern” over China’s “unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices” that hurt American workers. The official added Biden will raise Chinese cyber-attack efforts on U.S. civilian critical infrastructure as well as Beijing’s increased military activities around Taiwan and the South China Sea while also underscoring the importance of respect for human rights. The meeting is likely to be the last between Biden and Xi ahead of the incoming administration of Donald Trump in January. The president-elect has appointed ardent China critics in key foreign policy positions that could lead to a more confrontational U.S. posture toward Beijing. They include Republican Congressman Mike Waltz as Trump’s pick for national security adviser and Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state. Whatever the next administration decides, they’re going to need to find ways to manage the “tough, complicated relationship” between the U.S. and China, the official said in response to a question from VOA. “Russia, cross-strait issues, the South China Sea and cyber are areas the next administration is going to need to think about carefully, because those are areas of deep policy difference with China, and I don’t expect that will disappear,” the official said. Xi is also likely anticipating what the Trump administration plans to do about global trade, particularly whether he will enact promises to impose steep tariffs on all Chinese goods. …

by Tage

Trump meets with Biden at White House

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returned triumphantly to Washington on Wednesday and walked into the White House for the first time in four years to meet with outgoing President Joe Biden.  Biden invited Trump for the traditional visit — a show of the coming January 20 peaceful transfer of power in the American democracy between the current U.S. leader and the incoming chief executive.   The two men, sitting in front of a roaring fireplace in the Oval Office, traded niceties. “I’m looking forward to having a smooth transition and we’re looking forward to talking about some of that today,” Biden said. “Thank you very much,” Trump replied. “Politics is tough and in many cases it’s not a very nice world. It is a nice world today and I appreciate very much a transition so smooth — it will be as smooth as it can get — and I very much appreciate that, Joe. Thank you.” “You’re welcome,” Biden responded. First lady Jill Biden joined her husband in greeting the president-elect upon his arrival at the White House. The White House said she gave Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for his wife, Melania, and expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transitio The former first lady, who lived in the White House from 2017 to 2021 during her husband’s first presidency, did not accompany him to Washington and has not indicated whether she plans to move into the White House again when he takes office. Joe Biden, a Democrat running for reelection, had sought to defeat Trump, the Republican, for a second time but ended his campaign in July after faltering badly in a debate against Trump. Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, but Trump swept through seven political battleground states in the election last week and easily defeated her.  When Biden defeated Trump in 2020, Trump offered no White House invitation to meet him ahead of the inauguration and then left Washington two hours before Biden’s swearing-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.   Trump, who to this day claims falsely that he was cheated out of winning the 2020 election by vote fraud, was the first president to not witness his successor’s inauguration since Andrew Johnson skipped the swearing-in of Ulysses S. Grant in 1869. Biden has said he plans to witness Trump’s inauguration. Trump also met with Republican lawmakers in the House of … “Trump meets with Biden at White House” →

by Tage

Uncertain future for Chinese migrants without US visa under Trump

Austin, Texas — The price of entering the U.S. through the southern border is 250,000 yuan or close to $35,000, said Xiao Jing, a woman in her 30s who is to paying that amount to try to enter the U.S. without a visa. She is using a pseudonym due to the sensitivity of the issue. “It was introduced by an acquaintance who had been successful [entering the U.S. illegally through the southern border] to help me apply for a Japanese visa and arrange the pickup service after I arrive in Mexico,” she told VOA. The person who will pick her up in Mexico will then help her cross into the U.S. Xiao worked as a clerk in a small company in the Chinese city of Chongqing. But because of China’s economic downturn in recent years, she said her boss first defaulted on wages, then laid off many people, including her. “At my age, it’s hard to find a job, and I don’t like the political atmosphere in the country,” she said. If she applied for a U.S. visa, Xiao said, she would have to wait for an interview and her assets and income would be scrutinized. She chose plan B: obtaining a visa to Japan, then buying a plane ticket, although she has not decided to which city. “My agent [for helping to get a travel visa] told me that if I was afraid, I should stay in China. But I still want to give it a try,” she told VOA. A woman who only calls herself “Lisa” is a China-based “agent” who is helping Chinese migrants with their attempts to cross into the U.S. without documentation. Because of her work, she does not want to give her real name and be identified by the police. She told VOA she received an unusually large number of inquiries from people in China in the past few days, and she advised them to get on the road as soon as possible and enter the U.S. before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. One of Trump’s top campaign promises was to make it tougher for migrants to enter the United States unlawfully. “The day I take office, the migrant invasion ends, and the restoration of our country begins,” said Trump in a October 31 campaign rally in Henderson, Nevada. He also singled out migrants from China during an April 13 speech in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, describing … “Uncertain future for Chinese migrants without US visa under Trump” →

by Mirits

In Brussels, Blinken pledges support for Ukraine ahead of Trump transition

Brussels — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Ukraine and its NATO allies on Wednesday that Washington remains committed to putting Ukraine “in the strongest possible position” in the final months of President Joe Biden’s administration, before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.  At the same time, the United States expressed alarm about Russia possibly bolstering North Korea’s capabilities, including its “nuclear capacity.” “President Biden has committed to making sure that every dollar we have at our disposal will be pushed out the door between now and January 20th,” Blinken told reporters at NATO headquarters on Wednesday. “We’re making sure that Ukraine has the air defenses it needs, that has the artillery it needs, that has the armored vehicles it needs,” he added.  Blinken told VOA he expects U.S. allies’ support for Ukraine to increase and emphasized that it’s critical for Washington’s partners to “continue to more than pick up their share of the burden.”   Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Blinken reiterated that Washington will “continue to shore up everything” to enable Ukraine to defend itself effectively against Russian aggression. Rutte and other European leaders voiced serious concerns over North Korea’s active support for Russia in its war on Ukraine. “These North Korean soldiers present an extra threat to Ukraine and will increase the potential for Putin to do harm,” Rutte told reporters.  The U.S. State Department had disclosed that over 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk oblast.  On Wednesday, Blinken described the military collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow as “a two-way street.”  “There is deep concern about what Russia is or may be doing to strengthen North Korea’s capacities: its missile capacity, its nuclear capacity,” as well as the battlefield experience North Korean forces are gaining, he told reporters.  In Brussels, Blinken held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and Britain’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, among others.   In Washington, officials say President Biden is expected to ask President-elect Trump not to walk away from Ukraine during their talks at the White House Wednesday.   Trump’s political allies have indicated that the incoming administration will prioritize achieving peace in Ukraine over enabling the country to reclaim Crimea and other territories occupied by Russia.   …