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74 bet fortune rabbit Canaan Inc. Signs Agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc.By BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey , U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy special technology that identifies and tracks drones back to their landing spots, according to briefings from his office. Schumer’s calls come amid growing public concern that the federal government hasn’t offered clear explanations as to who is operating the drones, and has not stopped them. National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference. “There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on Fox News Sunday. “The answer ‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer.” President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media last week: “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.” Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said, without saying exactly how. The drones don’t appear to be linked to foreign governments, Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter,” Mayorkas said. Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their identities. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is operating the drones swarming locations in New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability. Schumer is calling for recently declassified radar technology to be used to help determine whether an object is a drone or a bird, identify its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state. “This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details, including where the system will be deployed. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility and over Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.

Provides 2000 A15 Hydro Bitcoin mining machines in initial order Continues global expansion with addition of new customer SINGAPORE , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) ("Canaan" or the "Company"), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced that Canaan Creative Global Pte. Ltd. ("CCG"), a wholly owned Singapore subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a purchase agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc. ("AGMH"), an integrated technology company specializing in fintech software services and production of high-performance hardware and computing equipment, for its Avalon A15 HydU 370T ("A15 Hydro") mining machines. As part of the agreement, Canaan will initially provide 2,000 Bitcoin mining machines to AGMH. The Company has also agreed to provide its customer with an option to acquire approximately 30,000 additional BTC mining units, potentially providing AGMH with a combined power capacity not exceeding 300 megawatts. The Avalon Miner A15 Hydro enhances the miner's performance and lifespan while reducing energy consumption and noise pollution, aligning with Canaan's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. About Canaan Inc. Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. Canaan has extensive experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, Canaan's founding team shipped to its customers the world's first batch of mining machines incorporating ASIC technology in bitcoin 's history under the brand name Avalon. In 2019, Canaan completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. To learn more about Canaan, please visit https://www.canaan.io/ . Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.'s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.'s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the bitcoin industry and the price of bitcoin ; the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its bitcoin mining machines; the Company's expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company's investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; competition in its industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency . Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations Contacts Canaan Inc. Xi Zhang Email: IR@canaan-creative.com ICR, LLC. Robin Yang Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281 Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canaan-inc-signs-agreement-with-agm-group-holdings-inc-302330362.html SOURCE Canaan Inc.Global equity funds see robust weekly inflows on hopes of Fed rate cutFacebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save OCEAN CITY — The cost of a short stay in the city could go up under an ordinance introduced by City Council creating a 3% fee on stays in hotels, motels or other lodgings booked online. A public hearing must take place before a final vote, planned for 10 a.m. Dec. 5 on the third floor of City Hall, 861 Asbury Ave. The original ordinance was written only for accommodations booked online through third-party services like Vrbo or Airbnb, what the ordinance describes as the “transient space marketplace.” There are currently no local taxes on those rentals, which have become a significant part of the summer rental market. Council President Pete Madden suggested moving the ordinance forward as proposed, and revisiting the potential addition of hotel and motel rooms at a later date. As city attorney Dottie McCrosson described it, there had been discussion of including hotel and motel rooms, but those visitors already pay a 5% state occupancy tax and a 6.625% sales tax, adding 11.625% to the total bill. Jersey Shore restaurants shift gears to survive in offseason Friday’s New Jersey high school football playoff scores Not too late! Voting closes at noon for The Press Football Player of the Week Galloway Township gymnastics center co-owner charged with sexually assaulting minor Offshore wind company to buy vacant 1.5-acre Atlantic City lot for $1 million Atlantic City International Airport's 1 carrier, Spirit Airlines, files for bankruptcy Which players did the Cape-Atlantic League coaches pick as the best of the best in fall sports? Prosecutor still determined to find whoever is responsible for West Atlantic City killings Galloway man gets 3 years in Ocean City fatal crash Upper Township employees disagree on morale These Atlantic City area restaurants are serving Thanksgiving dinner 2 Galloway men arrested after spraying workers with rocks in Nature Preserve $23 million apartment complex promises to bring new vitality to quaint Swedesboro UPDATED NHL referee taken away on stretcher at Flyers game Julian Turney's TD sends St. Augustine past Delbarton in state Non-Public A playoffs As the new ordinance was discussed at the morning meeting, Council member Dave Winslow questioned why it did not include hotels or motels. Those existing taxes do not go to the city, and a move to increase revenue would see a bigger local return if they were included. Council members Keith Hartzell and Sean Barnes took up the call, and Barnes made a motion to amend the ordinance before introduction, which was approved in a 4-3 vote. Council member Terry Crowley recommended against the move, at least without more research. The city hopes to have the new tax in place before Jan. 1. “I would encourage you to really research that,” Crowley said. “There’s a downside there as well. I don’t think we’re considering everything.” A red sticker on a Glenn Cove bulkhead indicates work has come to a halt on boat slips in Ocean City’s smallest lagoon, at least for now. He said the city could approve the ordinance as written and then bring the local room tax up later. “This version is kind of the cleanest way to kickstart the process, to look to bring in additional revenue to the town. It’s been done in many other towns,” Crowley said. “By doing it this way, we're really not incurring any administrative costs. We’re not going to have to hire the anyone else.” At one time, it was difficult and cumbersome to tax third-party rental systems. Now, Vrbo, Airbnb and others are set up to include local fees and taxes, and McCrosson said the state has recently empowered towns to add the additional taxes. Mayor Jay Gillian said the idea has been talked about for some time and was previously raised by former Council member Bob Barr, who is now on the Cape May County Board of Commissioners. McCrosson said she did not intend to single out Airbnb and Vrbo, but those are the two largest online rental marketplaces by a significant margin. As originally proposed, the ordinance would not have applied to rentals through Realtors or directly from the owner, or for hotel stays booked through the hotel’s own website or through the front desk. Some hotel owners have requested some sort of local fee. “There was a perception among hotel (and) motel owners in town that there was not a level playing field,” McCrosson told council. “That Ocean City should somehow tax them or put license fees on them. At that time it was not an easy thing to do.” With the current state law in place and systems created for the third-party rental systems, it is now relatively simple to impose and collect an additional tax on the rentals. Barnes presented the issue as a matter of fairness. Ocean City officials announced Thursday that a 3rd Ward meeting to be led by City Council member Jody Levchuk will be moved from council chambers in City Hall to the larger Chris Maloney Lecture Hall at the Ocean City Free Public Library, 1735 Simpson Ave. Plans for the former Gillian's Wonderland are expected to be part of the discussion. “I don’t want to see anybody pay more taxes than their competitor, but I want to make sure that they’re all paying the same,” he said. He also questioned where the additional fees paid by hotel visitors end up. “It leaves Ocean City,” McCrosson said. “It’s various fees, but it leaves Ocean City.” McCrosson told council the ordinance was their decision, and that a majority of members could amend the ordinance prior to introduction or introduce a new ordinance at a later meeting. “The concern of the administration is, if you’re going to do it, lets get it in place by January,” she said. Barnes, Hartzell, Winslow and Council member Tony Polcini voted to amend the ordinance prior to introduction to include hotel and motel rooms, with votes against from Crowley, Madden and Council member Jody Levchuk. The same 4-3 majority voted to introduce the ordinance, the first step toward a potential final adoption in December. Other communities have imposed local taxes on hotel and motel rooms. In Cape May, the charge is 3%, while in Atlantic City, a $2 surcharge per day in casino rooms, in addition to the 9% Atlantic City luxury tax familiar to any Monopoly player, joins sales and occupancy taxes and other fees. In Ocean City, many hotels also charge additional fees beyond the room rate, such as resort fees covering the use of the pool or other offerings. Ocean City also charges a license fee for rental properties. At the Thursday meeting, McCrosson emphasized the distinction that it was a fee rather than a tax. Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film. Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton. The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill. Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary. Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine. Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection. It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.Judge says lawsuit over former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr.'s jail death can proceed

New York: Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalising contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. The suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a taxi. Credit: AP One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was quoted as saying on Saturday by the New York Post that authorities have identified the man suspected of killing UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson and are closing in on him. “The net is tightening,” Adams told reporters at a Police Athletic League holiday party in Harlem, according to the Post. He declined to name the suspect. This undated photo released by the New York Police Department shows a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4 outside of a taxi. Credit: AP Police know the suspect ambushed Thompson at 6.44am on Wednesday as the executive arrived at the Hilton for his company’s annual investor conference, using a 9 mm pistol that resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They know ammunition found near Thompson’s body bore the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics. The fact that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and what route Thompson might take to get there suggested that he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Police divers were seen searching a pond in Central Park, where the killer fled after the shooting. United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. Credit: AP Officers have been scouring the park for days for any possible clues and found his backpack there Friday. They didn’t immediately reveal what, if anything, it contained but said it would be tested and analysed. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of the backpack, or on the results of the search in the pond, saying no updates were planned. Investigators have urged patience, saying the process of logging evidence that stands up in court isn’t as quick as it looks like on TV. Hundreds of detectives are combing through video recordings and social media, vetting tips from the public and interviewing people who might have information, including Thompson’s family and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. Investigators caught a break when they came across security camera images of an unguarded moment at the hostel in which he briefly showed his face. Retracing the gunman’s steps using surveillance video, police say, it appears he left the city by bus soon after the shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later, Kenny said. With the high-profile search expanding across state lines, the FBI announced late Friday that it was offering a $US50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to $US10,000 that the NYPD has offered. Police say they believe the suspect acted alone. Loading Police distributed the images to news outlets and on social media but so far haven’t been able to ID him using facial recognition — possibly because of the angle of the images or limitations on how the NYPD is allowed to use that technology, Kenny said. Late Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspected shooter that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi. The first shows him outside the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab. In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue, medical-style mask. AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Crime USA Health insurance Most Viewed in World Loading

Quipt Home Medical Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Financial ResultsThe hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers

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Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, November 22, 2024, but are subject to change.Russian military personnel still in Syria are experiencing a lack of food and drinking water as an evacuation of troops and equipment continues , according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (GUR). The Russian personnel are experiencing the problems at military bases in Tartus and Hmeimim and on ships anchored offshore in the Mediterranean Sea, the press service of the GUR said in a statement on Telegram on December 15. The GUR also said that the remaining Russian service members were waiting for military transport planes involved in the evacuation that were supposed to deliver food. The statement said Russia continues to withdraw its contingent from remote areas of Syria. "At the same time, on some routes, the Russians are accompanied by armed groups opposing the Assad regime," the GUR said. The statement added there are rumors circulating among Russian soldiers that Moscow has agreed to maintain its presence at the two bases, where the number of military personnel is up to 3,000. RFE/RL was unable to verify the information from open sources. Russian authorities have not commented on this information. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Telegram that it had evacuated part of its diplomatic staff from Syria on December 15. It said the withdrawal was carried out by a special flight of the Russian Air Force from the Hmeimim air base. Russian transport planes have departed the Hmeimim air base in recent days as part of the evacuation following the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The longtime ruler was overthrown last week following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Assad fled to Russia, which was his regime's main backer. Satellite images taken on December 13 by the space technology company Maxar appeared to show Russia preparing for the withdrawal of military equipment from the Hmeimim air base. The images showed what appear to be at least two Antonov An-124 cargo planes on the tarmac with their nose cones open. Russia also has sent several landing ships and civilian vessels to Syria, according to open-source information. In Damascus, HTS has appointed an interim government, and its leader, Riad al-Asaad, told AFP on December 15 that he is confident the factions that helped topple Assad will unite as one force. HTS and the transitional government have insisted the rights of all Syrians will be protected. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on December 14 attended an emergency meeting in Jordan of foreign ministers from the Arab League, Turkey, and top officials from the European Union and United Nations. Blinken said afterward the United States had made "direct contact" with the HTS and other parties. He declined to discuss details of the contacts but said it was important for the United States to convey messages to the group about its conduct and how it intends to govern in a transition period. Blinken said a joint statement had been agreed at the meeting in Jordan that sets out the principles that other countries want to see in Syria's political transition, including inclusivity and respect for minorities and women and ensuring that terrorist groups do not take hold in the country. A Russian oil tanker began spilling oil into the Kerch Strait after splitting in two during a heavy storm, Russian authorities said on December 15. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said its rescuers had evacuated all 13 crew members from the ship, the Volgoneft 212, but one of them died. The Investigative Committee of Russia reported that two criminal cases have been opened for violating safety rules on the movement and operation of a marine vehicle. The Volgoneft 212 was carrying around 4,000 tons of fuel oil when it was damaged. The rescue operation involved more than 50 people, helicopters, and tugboats, authorities said. The 136-meter tanker split and its bow sank , a video published by state media showed. Two parts of the distressed vessel in rough seas are visible in the video, which was released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor's Office. The Russian-flagged vessel, built in 1969, had run aground, officials said. "There was a spill of petroleum products," said Russia's water transport agency, Rosmorrechflot. A second tanker, Volgoneft 239, was also damaged and was drifting in rough seas, the ministry said. The statements from Russian authorities did not provide details on the extent of the oil spill or how the tankers were damaged. The vessels were in the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, when they issued distress signals. The strait links the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to set up a working group to deal with the rescue operation and the spill. Svetlana Radionova, head of Russia's natural resources watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said specialists were assessing the damage at the site of the incident. Ukraine on December 14 carried out a complex operation targeting fuel supply routes from the Russian-annexed Crimea to occupied areas of Zaporizhzhya, an informed source has told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. The operation involved a sabotage mission to detonate railway tracks near Oleksyivka in the Bilmak district, derailing a train carrying fuel tanks. As the fire spread to the tanks, U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets struck the locomotive and key railcars to prevent salvage efforts. The attack destroyed the locomotive and 40 tankers, crippling a critical rail line supplying Russian forces, the source said. The operation was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service in collaboration with military intelligence, special operations forces, and drone units. Moscow has not commented on the attack. Meanwhile, Russia launched over 100 suicide drones against Ukraine and struck the Kharkiv region with a missile attack overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on December 15. Air defenses downed 56 Shahed-type drones while 49 were "locationally lost," according to the Ukrainian military. Apartment buildings, houses, and an unspecified piece of infrastructure were damaged due to falling debris in several regions. Two people were injured in Mykolayiv, according to local authorities. Separately, Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said a Russian missile struck the Kyivsky district, injuring a 48-year-old woman. Local media in Russia's Chechen Republic reported that suspected Ukrainian drones had targeted a military camp and a base in the capital, Grozny, on December 15. Iranian police released singer Parastoo Ahmadi in the early hours of December 15 following a brief detention after she performed without the mandatory head scarf, her lawyer has confirmed. Ahmadi caused a stir on social media earlier this week after recording a performance with her hair uncovered and wearing a dress. The performance, recorded with a crew of male musicians, was uploaded to YouTube. The police on December 14 claimed she was released after a "briefing session" but a source close to the family told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that she remained in custody. Her lawyer Milad Panahipur also denied the police claim, writing on X that the authorities were "lying" about her release. The following day, Panahipur confirmed Ahmadi, who had been detained in her home province of Mazandaran, was released at 3 in the morning. Two of her bandmates, Soheil Faqih-Nasri and Ehsan Beyraqdar, were also detained briefly. Ahmadi’s Instagram account is no longer accessible, but her YouTube account remains active. The video of her performance, dubbed "an imaginary concert" because female performers cannot sing solo in front of an audience, has received around 1.6 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on December 11. On December 12, the authorities said legal proceedings had been launched against Ahmadi and her bandmates for the "illegal concert." Ahmadi, who gained prominence during the 2022 nationwide protests after singing a song in support of demonstrators, has been widely praised for her performance. On social media, many have hailed her for fighting "gender apartheid" and showing "bravery, resilience, and love." A rising number of women have been flouting the mandatory hijab in public since the 2022 protests, which gave rise to the Women, Life, Freedom movement. The authorities have tried to crack down and recently passed a law enhancing the enforcement of the hijab by introducing hefty fines, restricting access to basic services, and lengthy prison sentences. The new hijab and chastity law, which has been widely criticized by even conservative figures, is scheduled to go into effect this month, but at least two lawmakers have said its implementation has been postponed by the Supreme National Security Council. Authorities in Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of orchestrating deadly bombings over the past week. Dnipro regional police on December 14 arrested a suspect in connection with an explosion that occurred in the city center earlier that day. The blast killed a man and injured four others, including two police officers, who remain hospitalized in critical condition. According to authorities, the suspect, a 37-year-old local resident, allegedly acted under orders from the Russian intelligence service. The suspect was arrested within hours following a joint operation by the police and Ukraine's Security Service (SBU). The SBU has classified the incident as a terrorist attack. Meanwhile, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on December 15 announced the arrest of a suspect in a car bombing in Russian-occupied Donetsk that reportedly killed a former prison warden and injured his wife on December 9. Russian state media say the suspect is a local resident. The FSB alleges the suspect planted a homemade explosive device under the vehicle and detonated it remotely, acting on orders from Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate. Russian authorities have not disclosed the identity of the man killed in the explosion, describing him only as an officer. Social media reports, however, have identified him as Sergei Yevsyukov, a former head of a prison where dozens of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces were killed in 2022. No one has claimed responsibility for either explosion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on December 14 that Moscow has started involving more North Korean troops in its efforts to drive Ukrainian forces out of Russia's Kursk region. "Today there are already preliminary data that the Russians have begun using soldiers from North Korea in the assaults -- a noticeable number," Zelenskiy said. "The Russians include them in consolidated units and use them in operations in the Kursk region. For now, it is only there." Zelenskiy’s comments came after the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian military (HUR) issued a statement saying that North Korean troops probably will begin assaulting Ukrainian military positions in the Kursk region in the near future. The HUR said it was "likely" that Russia will soon involve North Korean soldiers in direct assault operations, noting that in recent days the troops "received additional food supplies." The North Korean units on December 13 were put on alert and ordered to wait for further instructions, the HUR said. Some of the troops have been covertly transferred to the front line by civilian trucks that outwardly resemble water-delivery vehicles, the statement said. It was not possible to verify the information, and the Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on it. Ukrainian troops began their incursion into the Kursk region in August and still control some areas. Russia began deploying thousands of North Korean troops in the region in October. The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said on December 14 that 45 clashes had taken place since the beginning of the day in the Kursk region, and 26 of them were still ongoing. "In addition, the enemy carried out seven air strikes, dropping 10 guided bombs and carrying out 212 artillery attacks on Russian settlements and the positions of our defenders," the General Staff said in its daily summary. The summary added that the most tense situations on the battlefield were taking place in areas near Pokrovsk, Kurakhivsk, and Vremivsk. The Russian military "improved the tactical position" in the Pokrovsk direction, the press service of the Khortytsia Military District reported . Russian forces also tried to improve their tactical position in the Blahodatne area, but were not successful, suffered losses, and withdrew. Ukrainian forces mounted their own attacks on facilities that supply petroleum products to the Russian Army, the General Staff said. An attack on a Russian oil depot in Orel overnight on December 13 started a "powerful fire," according to a statement from the General Staff, which described the depot as one of the largest oil terminals in the suburbs of Orel. Reports of explosions in Orel appeared earlier on Russian Telegram channels. The city was reportedly hit by drone strikes, and some of the channels reported an attack on a local oil depot. Photos published by the General Staff and on Russian Telegram news channels showed plumes of smoke engulfing the oil terminal. Local authorities and Russian state media did not comment on the reports. Russia's Orel region borders the Kursk and Bryansk regions. In the border region of Belgorod, Ukrainian drone strikes killed a 9-year-old boy and set fire to a major oil terminal there, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. The boy died when a drone struck his family's home outside Belgorod, Gladkov said, adding that his mother and 7-month-old sister were hospitalized. He posted photos of what he said was the aftermath of the attack, showing a house with gaping holes in its roof and front wall flanked by mounds of rubble. Orel Governor Andrei Klychkov confirmed on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone strike set fire to a fuel depot. He said later that the blaze had been contained and that there were no casualties. A Russian cargo plane took off early on December 14 from the Hmeimim air base in western Syria and was reportedly destined for Libya as Moscow continued its departure from its key regional ally. Citing a Syrian official who monitors the base, Reuters reported that several more Russian transport planes were expected to depart from the base in the coming days as part of an evacuation following the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Satellite images taken on December 13 by the space technology company Maxar appeared to show Russia preparing for the withdrawal of military equipment from the Hmeimim air base. The images showed what appear to be at least two Antonov An-124 cargo planes on the tarmac with their nose cones open. The source cited by Reuters did not specify the make or model of the aircraft that departed on December 14. Reuters further reported that on the morning of December 14 an Il-76 cargo plane was seen at the base, while helicopters were flying within the perimeter of facility that was essential to Russia’s strategy of providing air support for Assad’s forces and allies in the Syrian civil war. Russia's intervention in the war in 2015 had helped keep Assad in power, but the strongman leader fled Syria last week as the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- overran government forces in a blitz offensive. Russia helped Assad leave the country as the rebel forces approached Damascus and granted him asylum. RFE/RL determined earlier this week based on satellite images that a Russian Il-76 had landed in Libya at the Al-Jufra air base on December 10. There is no information regarding where the plane came from or where it subsequently went. It is unknown if the Il-76 was the same plane reported by Reuters as being at the Hmeimim air base. Previous analysis of satellite imagery by RFE/RL revealed that Russia's largest cargo aircraft, the An-124, had been spotted at the base, along with Il-76s, an An-32, and an An-72. Russian military personnel are stationed at the Al-Jufra air base in Libya. A number of Western media outlets have reported that Russia has been withdrawing military forces and assets from Syria in the face of Assad's fall, which experts say was a "slap in the face" to Russia. Moscow leveraged its image as a key supporter of Assad capable of keeping him in power to expand its influence throughout the Middle East and beyond as a counterweight to the West. Now, Assad's fall and the Russian departure threatens Moscow's influence not only in Syria but across the region. Earlier reports suggested that Russia was negotiating with the new authorities in charge in Damascus to maintain its bases in Syria. Aside from Hmeimim, Russia operates a naval base in Tartus, its only warm-water naval base outside the former Soviet Union. The foreign ministers of the Arab League and Turkey met in Jordan on December 14 to discuss how to assist Syria's transition after the fall of Assad's government. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a news conference after the meeting that the United States had made "direct contact" with the HTS and other parties. He declined to discuss details of the contacts but said it was important for the United States to convey messages to the group about its conduct and how it intends to govern in a transition period. Blinken said a joint communique had been agreed at the meeting that sets out the principles that other countries want to see in Syria's political transition, including inclusivity and respect for minorities. An Iranian court has sentenced Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, to 10 years in prison on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." According to court documents sent to the journalist’s lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Judge Iman Afshari of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, Branch 26. In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years following the completion of his sentence from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22 . His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The U.S. State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh’s detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a staetment. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Valizadeh remains in Tehran’s Evin prison under severe restrictions, with limited access to legal representation and family. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. TBILISI -- The mayor of Tbilisi postponed a Christmas tree lighting, citing concerns that anti-government protests would turn violent after an electoral college dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party appointed far-right politician and former soccer star Mikheil Kavelashvili as president. Police have clashed with protesters for over two weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of moving Georgia away from the EU and closer to Russia. Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced the postponement on December 14 at a briefing at the government administration building a few minutes before the event was scheduled to begin. About an hour earlier, hundreds of police were deployed and New Year's lights were turned on on the facade of the parliament building, but they were switched off after Kaladze announced the postponement of the tree lighting. The decision came after Kavelashvili was declared by Georgia's Central Election Commission as the winner of a contentious indirect election after receiving 224 votes out of 225 delegates in attendance. There are a total of 300 delegates in Georgia's electoral college, but opposition members did not attend the vote, which came as demonstrators gathered in Tbilisi for the 17th straight day to protest parliamentary elections held on October 26 that the country's current president and opposition have refused to accept and say were rigged . Areas near the parliament building were cordoned off and traffic halted ahead of the vote that chose Kavelashvili, 53, for the largely ceremonial post. Kavelashvili, known for his vehement anti-Western diatribes and opposition to LGBT rights, is now set to replace President Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with pro-EU protesters . Zurabishvili, who has been a thorn in the ruling party's side and has criticized Georgian Dream for its increasingly authoritarian stance, has said she will refuse to leave office after her successor is inaugurated on December 29. She told a press conference on December 13 that the election of a new president "will be an event entirely devoid of legitimacy, unconstitutional, and illegitimate." The 72-year-old has previously said the elections in October were manipulated with the help of Russia. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in the elections and intensified after its decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the European Union. The authorities have responded violently to the large demonstrations, arresting hundreds of people over the past two weeks and closely watching participants with Chinese-made surveillance cameras with facial-recognition capabilities. Protesters gathered early on December 14 near the Philharmonic Hall and began marching toward the parliament building as traffic on central Rustaveli Avenue, which links the two sites, was halted and police were mobilized. Zurabishvili made a brief appearance on Rustaveli Avenue but told gathered journalists only that "I've said everything, I am going to work now." WATCH: Georgian protester Anamaria Tavartkiladze has volunteered to decorate the country's main Christmas tree with images of people beaten during recent demonstrations. The protesters chanted "Salome! Salome!" and displayed their diplomas in keeping with calls for them to "show your diploma to Kavelashvili," who reportedly does not have higher education. They also mockingly held up "red cards" against the former soccer star in a nod to penalties handed out for infractions in the sport. The recent violence against the opposition and journalists has drawn condemnation from the United States and the European Union. Michael Roth, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Germany's Bundestag, said on X that the "election" of Kavelishvili "is another step towards the 'Gleichschaltung' of all constitutional institutions in Georgia." "Gleichschaltung" was a word used by the Nazis to describe their consolidation of power in Germany. He added that the election of Kavelishvili "deepens the division of Georgia," and that Zurabishvili remains the legitimate president of the country. In power since 2012, Georgian Dream was founded by Russian-friendly billionaire and ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. After the announcement of Kavelashvili's victory, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze congratulated him and said his election would mark a turning point for the country. "For more than 20 years, Georgia has not had a patriotic, morally, and psychologically balanced person as president," Kobakhidze said in a statement. Kavelashvili's win "will make a significant contribution to strengthening Georgia's statehood and our sovereignty, as well as reducing radicalism and so-called polarization." Kobakhidze referred to the opposition as "radical" and claimed that the protests during the election process had been poorly attended. He also alluded to dramatic pro-EU protests in Ukraine in 2014 on Kyiv's central square, the Maidan, which succeeded in toppling the country's pro-Russian president. "In Georgia, the 'Maidan' has failed and will never succeed," Kobakhidze vowed. Russia appears to be continuing to withdraw military equipment from its Hmeimim air base in Syria, according to satellite images taken on December 13 by the space technology company Maxar. The images show what appear to be at least two Antonov AN-124s cargo planes on the tarmac with their nose cones open. Maxar said the two heavy transport aircraft were prepared to load equipment, while a nearby Ka-52 attack helicopter was being dismantled and likely prepared for transport. It added that parts of an S-400 air defense unit were similarly being prepared to depart from the air base. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including at Hmeimim along with the strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which have been used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and sub-Saharan Africa. Satellite imagery published earlier this week showed that Russian naval ships left the base at Tartus following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad last weekend by rebels led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist militant group. Imagery showed at least three vessels -- including two guided missile frigates – located about 13 kilometers off the coast. The Tartus naval base, Russia's only Mediterranean repair and replenishment hub, "remains largely unchanged since our December 10 imagery coverage with two frigates continuing to be observed offshore of Tartus," Maxar said on December 13. The Kremlin has said its focus since Assad's fall was to ensure the security of its military bases in Syria and of its diplomatic missions. According to open-source intelligence (OSINT), there are more and more signs that Moscow is removing at least some of its equipment. A drone video of the Hmeimim air base published on December 12 showed people with suitcases preparing to board a plane. A 91N6E radar system was also visible in the video and appeared ready to be transported by military aircraft. The system is used in the operation of S-300 and S-400 missile systems. The missile systems themselves appeared to be still in their usual place at the air base, but their launchers appeared not to be in combat-readiness mode. In all satellite images taken before the fall of Assad's regime, the S-300 and S-400 were in a state of full combat readiness. Also on December 13, a correspondent for The Times published a video on X purporting to show Russian equipment arriving at the Hmeimim air base and an analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said with Russian ships on the way and increased air traffic at the Hmeimim, the Russian troop withdrawal is gaining momentum. "Whether it will be partial or complete remains to be seen," Dara Massicot, a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the U.S. think tank, said on X. The husband of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been detained by security forces, according to their daughter. Mehraveh Khandan said on Instagram that her father, Reza Khandan, was arrested on December 13 at her home in Tehran. The circumstances of Khandan's arrest and the charges against him were not known. Mohammad Moghimi, a lawyer, said on X that the reason for the arrest was likely related to a six-year prison sentence in a case in which he represented Reza Khandan and activist Farhad Meysami. The sentence against Reza Khandan was handed down in February 2019 by Tehran's Revolutionary Court. Meysami also faced a similar sentence in the case. Reza Khandan had been charged with "assembly and collusion against national security," "propaganda against the state," and "spreading and promoting unveiling in society." The sentence against Reza Khandan also banned him from membership in political parties and groups, leaving the country, and using the Internet and other media and press activities. Sotoudeh, a vocal advocate for numerous activists, has been arrested several times since 2010. Her detention has included periods of solitary confinement, highlighting the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Iran. Sotoudeh was arrested last year during the funeral of 17-year-old Armita Garavand, who died of injuries suffered in an alleged confrontation with Iran's morality police in the Tehran subway over a violation of Iran’s compulsory head scarf law. Reza Khandan said at the time of his wife's arrest in October 2023 that she started a hunger and medication strike after she was severely beaten when she was taken into custody. Sotoudeh was released about two weeks later. A Romanian appeals court has ruled to fully release a former mercenary and chief bodyguard of far-right pro-Russian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. Horatiu Potra was detained on December 8 for violating the law on weapons and ammunition and for public incitement after he and a group of armed associates were detained by police while heading toward Bucharest, where Georgescu and dozens of his supporters were gathering. Georgescu was protesting a decision by the Constitutional Court to cancel a runoff presidential vote scheduled for December 8 following claims that his shock first-round victory had been aided by a Moscow-orchestrated influence campaign using Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok. Police officers who stopped Potra and about 20 of his associates found guns, machetes, axes, and knives in their cars that, officials said, could have been used to "disrupt public order and peace." Media reports said Potra and his companions had booked hotels in downtown Bucharest close to University Square, where anti-Georgescu protesters had gathered in previous days. Prosecutors had asked judges to hold Potra in preventive custody but a court in the southern city of Ploiesti on December 8 only ordered him placed under judiciary control for 60 days -- a measure that provided for him to show up at a police station on a regular basis for the duration of the investigation into the accusations. One of his associates, Andrei Florin Filip, 22, was also placed under judiciary control. On December 13, an appeals court in Ploiești canceled the judiciary control for both men following appeals filed by their lawyers. The ruling is definitive and cannot be appealed. Romania's Supreme Defense Council declassified documents allegedly proving Georgescu's presidential bid had been aided by a campaign led by a "state actor" which was not named, prompting the Constitutional Court to cancel the runoff between Georgescu and pro-European center-right candidate Elena Lasconi. A former fighter in France's Foreign Legion, Potra is reported to have led a 900-strong contingent of Romanian military contractors who fought in the African country of Congo. He is said to have had ties to the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which fought in Ukraine and was established by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin who died in a plane crash last year after staging a short-lived revolt against Russia's military leadership. Potra, who has denied having any links to Wagner, appears in a photo last year in the company of Russian Ambassador to Romania Valery Kuzmin at a ceremony at the embassy marking Russia's national day. Searches of Potra's residence turned up some 2 million euros ($2.1 million) inside safes as well as weapons and about 15 kilograms of gold bars worth an estimated $1.27 million. Former RFE/RL correspondent Ihar Karney, currently serving a three-year prison sentence for "cooperating" with the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), has been handed an additional eight-month term for "disobedience" inside the prison where he is incarcerated . Karney, who has written extensively on the history and local history of Belarus and is also known as a travel blogger, was sentenced on December 13, two days after his trial began. It was not clear how he disobeyed authorities, a charge that the United Nations in October said is often laid for "the pettiest misbehavior." In March, Karney, 56, was sentenced to three years on a charge of taking part in an "extremist" group because of his association with the BAJ, an advocacy and press trade group. The BAJ was forced to begin operating from exile after it was deemed an "extremist" group by the government in February 2023 as part of a brutal crackdown on dissent and civil society following mass unrest over a 2020 presidential election that the opposition and Western governments say was rigged to keep Alyaksandr Lukashenka in power. A new wave of journalist detentions has been seen in the country in recent weeks as Lukashenka seeks a seventh term in office in a January election. Karney's sentencing comes a day after Belarusian authorities arrested seven journalists from the independent regional news outlet Intex-Press, located in the western city of Baranavichy. Among the seven was Uladzimir Yanukevich, the media outlet's founder. Meanwhile, another independent journalist, Volha Radzivonava, was sentenced to four years in prison for authoring critical reports about Lukashenka. “This marks the arrest of the largest group of journalists from one media outlet in a year, signaling an escalation of repression,” BAJ leader Andrey Bastunets said. “It looks like the authorities have decided to arrest all journalists they suspect of being disloyal ahead of January's presidential vote.” In its latest report on journalists killed, detained, held hostage, and missing, the watchdog Reporters Without Borders said Belarus ranked fourth in the world in terms of the number of journalists it currently holds, 40, including RFE/RL journalists Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar Losik. In an October 31 report , UN experts said that, despite some recent amnesties and presidential pardons, many individuals convicted "without fair trial for the legitimate exercise of their civil and political rights remain in detention." “The situation of some inmates belonging to the political opposition, of human rights defenders and political activists, many of whom have been convicted on extremism and terrorism-related charges, is extremely alarming,” the experts said. “According to allegations received, such inmates are subjected to various forms of ill-treatment, including denial of medical care and the prolonged incommunicado detentions, which in some cases could amount to enforced disappearances.” The Belarusian human rights community has recognized Karney as a political prisoner. Since July, Karney is reported to have been living in an isolation cell, where he is banned from almost all contact with the outside world. Russia has launched massive air strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities using dozens of cruise missiles and drones in a move that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called an "act of terror." Western and southwestern Ukraine appeared to have borne the brunt of the attack. Critical infrastructure facilities were hit in the Transcarpathian region of Ivano-Frankivsk, regional Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk reported. Onyshchuk said the attack on the region was the largest since the start of the war. The western region of Ternopil reported "negative consequences" of the Russian strikes, without giving details. In the Lviv region, also in the west of the country, Russia attacked energy facilities, regional Governor Maksym Kozytskiy said on Telegram. Multiple explosions were reported in the southern city of Odesa, while regional authorities in Kyiv said air defense systems were operating on December 13. Explosions were also reported in the Cherkasy, Khmelnytskiy, and Kharkiv regions. Zelenskiy said the attack showed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, "won't be stopped by empty talk." Zelenskiy said that, according to preliminary reports, 93 missiles were launched, including at least one North Korean missile, 81 of which were shot down. In addition some 200 drones were also launched in the attack, he said . Ukraine's national power-grid operator, Ukrenerho, reported earlier that the strikes forced restrictions on electricity consumption throughout the country. Zelenskiy said late on December 13 that Russia attempted to overload Ukraine's air defenses during the massive attack. "This time, they deliberately waited for freezing weather to strike, aiming to make life even harder for people," he said , adding that every missile was directed at energy infrastructure. Zelenskiy in an earlier post on X accused Putin of terrorizing millions of people. "He is neither limited in long-range capabilities nor in acquiring the necessary components to produce missiles. Oil gives Putin enough money to believe in his impunity. A strong reaction is needed from the world: a massive attack must be met with a massive reaction. This is the only way terror can be stopped." Zelenskiy made the comments amid reports that he will attend a meeting with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, as well as NATO and the European Union in Brussels on December 18 to discuss support for his country. The meeting will be hosted by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and will take place the same the day that leaders were due to meet for an EU-Western Balkans summit. Russia has been ratcheting up its attacks across Ukraine, while making slow but steady gains in the east in recent weeks. The intensification of fighting comes as both sides look to strengthen their positions amid signs of a potential cease-fire and peace talks in the coming months. "Putin won’t be stopped by empty talk -- strength is what is needed to bring peace. Strength that is not afraid of its ability to confront and stop evil," Zelenskiy said. Russia's Defense Ministry said in a message on Telegram that the attacks were in retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on an airfield in southwestern Russia that used long-range, U.S.-supplied missiles. "On December 11, 2024, a missile attack was launched from the territory of Ukraine by six American-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles at a military airfield near the city of Taganrog," the ministry said. "In response to the use of American long-range weapons," Russia launched "a massive strike with high-precision long-range air- and sea-based weapons and drones on critical facilities of the fuel and energy infrastructure of Ukraine," the statement said, adding that "all objectives had been fulfilled." Rutte said on December 12 that the Russian leader wants to "wipe Ukraine off the map" and could come after other parts of Europe next. Putin "is trying to crush our freedom and way of life," Rutte said, adding it is "time to shift to a wartime mindset." "How many more wake-up calls do we need? We should be profoundly concerned. I know I am," he said. "Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation. With Ukraine, and with us." The scale of the damage of the December 13 attacks was not immediately known. "Once again, the energy sector throughout Ukraine has come under massive attack. Energy professionals are taking all necessary measures to minimize the negative consequences for the country's energy system," Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on Facebook. Echoing Zelenskiy's words, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on Kyiv's allies to rapidly provide more air defense systems to counter the Russian attacks. "Russia aims to deprive us of energy. Instead, we must deprive it of the means of terror. I reiterate my call for the urgent delivery of 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T air defense systems," Sybiha wrote . A similar large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure took place on November 28, causing serious damage and energy shortages. Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure since the start of the war, stepping up attacks especially at the onset of the cold season, causing maximum difficulties and lengthy power cuts for Ukrainians for the third winter in a row. According to Ukraine's Energy Ministry, Russia has launched more than 1,000 strikes on energy infrastructure facilities since October 2022. Ukraine's energy grid has already been subjected to 11 Russian attacks this year. In 2024 alone, 9 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity has been lost due to strikes, the ministry said. It is estimated that 1 GW is enough to power a medium-sized city. The United States has imposed more visa restrictions on Georgian officials for "undermining democracy" amid ongoing popular protests against a move by the ruling Georgian Dream party to delay the Caucasus country's negotiations to join the European Union. Protesters have also called for fresh elections following allegations of electoral fraud during the October parliamentary poll whose results the opposition has refused to recognize, claiming Georgian Dream rigged the vote to cling to power. Pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the protesters, has said the elections were manipulated with the help of Russia. Authorities have responded violently to the latest wave of protests, arresting hundreds of people over the past two weeks. In response, the U.S. State Department said on December 12 that it will "prohibit visa issuance to those who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia." The move will affect some 20 individuals, "including individuals serving as government ministers and in Parliament, law enforcement and security officials, and private citizens," it said in a statement , without naming the individuals. "We are committed to seeing that senior officials responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy will be subject to visa restrictions," the statement said. Since the start of the protests at the end of November, violence against the opposition and journalists has escalated, drawing condemnation from the United States and the European Union. On December 4, Georgian security forces conducted raids on the offices of several opposition parties, protest leaders, and rights activists. The U.S. statement reiterated that Washington "strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party’s ongoing, brutal, and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures." In power since 2012, Georgian Dream, the power founded by Russia-friendly billionaire and ex-prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been accused by critics of becoming increasingly more authoritarian. Earlier this year, Georgian Dream pushed through parliament, which it controlled, a so-called foreign-agent law modeled on a similar Russian piece of legislation used by the Kremlin to stifle political opposition and repress critics. "Georgian Dream has turned away from Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future, which the Georgian people overwhelmingly desire and the Georgian constitution envisions," the U.S. statement said. Separately, President Emmanuel Macron on December 12 reiterated France's backing for Georgia's EU aspirations and voiced solidarity with protesters. "I would like to reiterate our full support for Georgia's European path and for the defenders of democracy," Macron said at a press briefing with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw. "I would also like to express my deep concern about the repression of young people, the disturbing statements of the head of government and, in essence, the betrayal of the European path so quickly after the elections," Macron said. On December 11, Macron held an hourlong phone call with Ivanishvili. The Elysee Palace later said that Macron “demanded the release of all illegally detained people and respect for freedom of expression and assembly." A senior official from a Russian company that develops cruise missiles used by Moscow in its war with Ukraine has reportedly been shot and killed just outside the capital. Ukrainian media reported on December 12 that Mikhail Shatsky, a deputy chief designer at the Mars Design Bureau -- which develops and manufactures onboard guidance systems for the Russian military and aerospace industries -- was shot dead two days earlier near the town of Kotelniki in the Moscow region. Police have not commented on the news, but reports on social media and local news outlets, which have not been independently verified, identified Shatsky as the victim. News outlets in Ukraine reported Shatsky was involved in the modernization of the Kh-59 and Kh-69 missiles, as well as helping in the development of develop unmanned aerial vehicles. All of those weapons have been used by Russia to strike at targets in Ukraine. The reports came three days after a car bomb killed Sergei Yevsyukov, who led a prison in Russian-occupied Olenivka in the Donetsk region during the time that more than 50 Ukrainian POWs were killed in a controversial explosion in July 2022. While no one has taken credit for either incident, Russian military personnel and Russian-installed officials have been targeted several times in Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. In many cases, the attacks have been deadly. Ukrainian officials usually say "guerilla forces" are behind such attacks. Russia accuses Ukraine's secret services of masterminding and implementing the attacks. Noted Russian journalist and staunch Kremlin critic Aleksandr Nevzorov first reported Shatsky's death on Telegram, publishing photos of what he said was Shatsky's body. The independent investigative outlet IStories geolocated the images to a site near Shatsky's home, but the claims remain unverified. WASHINGTON -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the Biden administration for giving Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia with powerful U.S. missiles, claiming it is intensifying the war. "I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We're just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done," Trump said in an interview with Time magazine published on December 12. After more than a year of hesitation, the Biden administration last month finally gave Ukraine the green light to strike military assets inside Russia with U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS). The powerful, precision missiles can strike targets as far away as 300 kilometers. The Biden administration justified the decision saying Russia had escalated the conflict by deploying about 11,000 North Korean troops to the front. John Kirby, U.S. national-security spokesman, declined to respond to Trump's comments regarding ATACMS, saying only that President Joe Biden will continue to support Ukraine until his term ends next month. Kirby announced a new military package for Ukraine without stating its size. Just days after Ukraine fired its first ATACMS into Russia, the Kremlin responded by striking Ukraine with a new, intermediate ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The use of the intermediate missile was meant to serve as a message to the West, the Kremlin said. Trump did not say whether he would unilaterally withdraw Ukraine's permission to use ATACMS inside Russia upon entering the White House on January 20 or use it as a bargaining chip with the Kremlin. Trump has said he could end the nearly three-year war between Russia and Ukraine in "24 hours," raising concern he could force Kyiv to cede land currently occupied by Moscow's forces. The United States is Ukraine's largest supplier of weapons, giving Washington significant influence over peace negotiations. When asked if he would throw Ukraine under the bus to get a peace deal, Trump said, “The only way you're going to reach an agreement is not to abandon." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has demanded Western security commitments to his country be part of any negotiated settlement. Zelenskiy -- and most Ukrainians -- want NATO membership, saying only that will prevent Russia from invading their country again. Trump was not asked about NATO membership for Ukraine but has been critical of the U.S.-led military organization in the past, saying it is a drain on U.S. finances. The United States accounts for about 60 percent of NATO military spending. During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on December 7 in Paris, Trump said he did not back NATO membership for Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported. However, Trump did say he wanted European peacekeeping forces to monitor the cease-fire, the paper reported. The United States would support the effort but not with U.S. troops, he told the two leaders, the Wall Street Journal reported. Separately, in a speech on December 12, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on European members of NATO to step up spending, warning the threat emanating from Moscow will not dissipate anytime soon. "Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation, with Ukraine and with us," Rutte said in a speech in Brussels. "We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years. It is time to shift to a wartime mindset, and turbocharge our defense production and defense spending." Russian forces continue to creep closer to the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk amid a surge in diplomacy to end Europe's biggest war in decades. According to the Deep State online war-mapping platform, Russian troops on December 12 were as close as 3 kilometers from the southern part of Pokrovsk, a key logistical junction for Ukraine as well as home to the country's only domestic coking-coal supplier. "Unconventional decisions must be made to enhance the resilience of our defense and ensure more effective destruction of the occupiers," General Oleksandr Syrskiy, Ukraine's top commander, wrote in a post on Facebook. "The battles are exceptionally fierce. The Russians are throwing all available forces forward, attempting to break through our defenses." For months the area has seen some of the fiercest battles in Russia's 33-month-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who visited the front lines in the Zaporizhzhya region on December 12, has called for reinforcements amid signs of Ukrainian positions being overwhelmed by Russia's advantage in manpower. Speaking to RFE/RL , Serhiy Filimonov, the commander of the 108th battalion Da Vinci Wolves, warned the main reason for losses as Russia heads in the direction of Pokrovsk was "unrealistic tasks" for troops in the region given the current numbers. The intensification of fighting on the battlefield comes as both sides look to strengthen their positions amid signs of a potential ceasefire and peace talks in the coming months. Flurry Of Diplomacy Foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Poland met in Berlin on December 12 to discusses aid to Ukraine while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country has been a staunch supporter of neighboring Ukraine, hosted French President Emmanuel Macron for talks in Warsaw about postwar steps. Leaders from across Europe are looking to show U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20, that they are willing to assume their share of the burden to end the almost three-year war in Ukraine. Trump has claimed he could end the war in 24 hours, raising concern he could force Ukraine to concede territory to Russia among other concessions, endangering EU security. In a so-called Berlin Declaration, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, outlined their continued support for Kyiv. "We are committed to providing Ukraine with ironclad security guarantees, including reliable long-term provision of military and financial support," the declaration said. The meeting in Berlin was organized by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "Convinced that peace in Ukraine and security in Europe are inseparable, we are determined to stand united with our European and transatlantic partners to think and act big on European security," the declaration added. Baerbock and Kallas did not answer questions about the participation of German or European soldiers in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Following his meeting with Macron, Tusk said Poland has no plans to send troops to Ukraine. A Polish media outlet reported on the eve of the meeting that Tusk and Macron would discuss the possibility of sending a 40,000-strong peacekeeping force to Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reported on December 12 that Trump told Macron and Zelenskiy during a meeting in Paris last weekend that he wants Europe to shoulder the burden of peace in Ukraine, including supplying the peacekeepers. Trump told the leaders he would offer support for the Europe-led cease-fire effort but would not put U.S. troops in Ukraine. Nor does he support Ukraine in NATO, he told them, the paper reported. Zelenskiy has repeatedly called for strong security guarantees, including NATO membership, saying Russia would otherwise not be deterred from invading again. Tusk and Macron, who met before the EU ministers gathered, reiterated that any peace deal in Ukraine must include the Ukrainians. "We will work with France on a solution that will, above all, protect Europe and Ukraine," Tusk said. The Polish prime minister said two days earlier that peace talks could start "in the winter," as Warsaw prepares to assume the European Union's rotating presidency on January 1. EU justice and interior ministers have agreed on Romania and Bulgaria's fully joining Europe's Schengen visa-free travel area from January 1. The decision, announced on December 12 by the European Council, comes nearly 18 years after the two southeast European countries became members of the bloc and 15 years since they fulfilled the technical criteria for entering the Schengen Area. "It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania," said Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the move in a message on X. "Fully in Schengen -- where you belong," von der Leyen wrote. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola congratulated the two countries, saying they had "worked hard and long" to achieve membership. "It’s done. It’s decided. It’s deserved. Romania & Bulgaria will fully join Schengen on 1 January 2025," Metsola wrote on X. "A stronger Schengen signifies a safer & more united Europe." Romanian President Klaus Iohannis hailed the decision, which he said "had been expected for too long" by Romanians and Bulgarians. "I have good news today," Iohannis said in a video message on December 12. "We can finally enjoy a well-deserved right obtained in a legitimate way," Iohannis said. He also took a swipe at Romania's Moscow-friendly far-right parties that had made substantial gains in the December 1 parliamentary polls, saying that "those who blame the European Union for their discontent do not want the best for Romania." Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu told journalists that for the first six months, random checks would still be performed based on risk assessment. The agreement also foresees the joint deployment of border guards to the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The move comes after Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner earlier this week announced that Vienna was finally dropping its opposition to the two countries' joining the 29-member zone, which encompasses more than 450 million people and covers 4,6 million square kilometers. Romania and Bulgaria were partially admitted into Schengen on March 31, when air and sea border controls were dropped, but Vienna continued its veto on the two countries' being allowed to scrap land-border checks over fears that more illegal migrants could reach Austria. Karner said on December 9 that Vienna's decision to lift its veto was based on a significant drop of migrant arrivals in Austria via Bulgaria and Romania. Romania and Bulgaria's fully joining Schengen comes after Croatia became the most recent member in January 2023. Despite Bucharest and Sofia's meeting the technical criteria for membership since 2010, their admission into Schengen was opposed constantly by Austria and the Netherlands, but the latter eventually dropped its veto, leaving only Vienna in opposition. Both Romania and Bulgaria constantly argued that the decision to keep them on the outside was purely political. Eliminating border controls is expected to further boost the two countries' economies as trucks won't have to wait for days in kilometers-long lines at the border, which substantially increased the cost of transported goods. The measure has also long been anticipated by the diasporas of both countries, whose members have been spending long hours at the border during the summer and winter holiday seasons. With Romania and Bulgaria's full accession, 25 of the 27 EU countries will be full Schengen members. Two EU countries -- Cyprus and Ireland are not members. Non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland have also joined the free-travel agreement, which was initially signed in June 1985 in the small Luxembourg village of Schengen by five countries -- Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In recent years, several countries, including Germany, reintroduced random border checks with neighboring EU countries intended to fight illegal migration and people smuggling. French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will discuss the deployment of a postwar peacekeeping force in Ukraine when the two meet in Warsaw on December 12, according to two media outlets, the latest sign of a surge in diplomacy to end Europe's biggest war in decades. Polish outlet Rzeczpospolita, citing unidentified sources, reported that the two EU leaders are considering a 40,000-strong peacekeeping force that would be made up of troops from various countries. Donald Trump's victory in the November 5 U.S. presidential election has set about a flurry of diplomacy in Europe to find an acceptable compromise on ending the war in Ukraine before he takes office on January 20. Trump has claimed he could end the war in 24-hours, raising concern he could force Ukraine to concede territory to Russia among other concessions, endangering EU national security. The United States plays a big role as it is Ukraine's largest supplier of military aid. Trump has threatened to curtail it if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy refuses to negotiate in good faith. Tusk, a vocal supporter of Kyiv, said on December 10 that peace talks could start "in the winter," as Warsaw prepares to assume the European Union's rotating presidency on January 1. Zelenskiy has demanded concrete Western security guarantees be part of any peace deal, arguing that Russia could invade again once it has rebuilt its forces. The United States and Britain gave Ukraine vague security assurances in 1994 to persuade it to give up its nuclear weapons. However, neither nation came to Ukraine's defense when Russia invaded for the first time in 2014. A 40,000-strong Western peacekeeping force would serve as a meaningful security guarantee while Ukraine waits to join NATO. Diplomacy Overdrive Diplomacy to end the nearly three-year Russian invasion has been in overdrive this month with Trump, Macron and Zelenskiy meeting in Paris on December 7 to discuss peace options. Trump then met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been the loudest critic of Western support for Ukraine and the main spoiler of a united EU voice against the Kremlin. Zelenskiy and Orban, took jabs at each other on social media on December 11 over negotiations and peace. In a tweet , Orban said he had an hourlong phone call with Putin about the conditions for a cease-fire and peace talks with Ukraine. Zelenskiy shot back, accusing Orban of putting self-promotion over European unity. "Unity in Europe has always been key to achieving [success]. There can be no discussions about the war that Russia wages against Ukraine without Ukraine," Zelenskiy said in a reply to Orban's tweet. The Hungarian leader punched back, calling it "sad" that Zelenskiy allegedly rejected a Christmas cease-fire and large-scale prisoner exchange. Orban appeared to be referring to Zelenskiy's recent decree officially prohibiting Ukraine from engaging in peace talks with Russia. Significant differences remain among Western diplomats over what a deal would look like, including whether to allow Russia to temporarily occupy Ukrainian territory, end sanctions on Russia, and offer Ukraine security guarantees. Fighting Rages Both Ukraine and Russia have been seeking to strengthen their negotiating position ahead of Trump's return to the White House in January. Russia has stepped up its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure at the onset of winter to cause maximum discomfort, as outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces struggle to halt a grinding but steady Russian offensive in the east. Russian troops destroyed or captured several Ukrainian positions near the eastern city of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military said on December 11. The city is a key logistics hub and its fall would be a heavy blow to Ukraine. Separately, at least eight Ukrainians were killed when a Russian missile struck a clinic in the southern city of Zaporizhzhya. At least 22 others, including a child, were injured. Rescue operations were still under way. Zaporizhzhya has been regularly targeted by Russian missile and drone strikes. On December 6, 10 people were killed in a strike on the city. Zelenskiy yesterday called on Kyiv's allies to provide 10-12 more Patriot air defense systems that he said are needed to fully protect Ukraine's skies. The United States has demanded that the government of Azerbaijan immediately release a group of detained human rights activists, journalists, and civil society figures being held in what is seen as an "escalating crackdown" on civil society and press freedom in Azerbaijan. The U.S. State Department on December 11 said it was " deeply concerned" over the detentions of individuals, including Rufat Safarov, Sevinc Vaqifqizi, Azer Qasimli, Farid Mehralizada, Baxtiyar Haciyev, Qubad Ibadoglu, and several associates of the independent outlet Meydan TV. "We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to release those unjustly detained for their advocacy on behalf of human rights, cease its crackdown on civil society, respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, and fulfill the commitments it made when it joined the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the statement. The timing of the detentions has already drawn significant criticism from governments and rights groups abroad. Two of the detainees -- Safarov and Vaqifqizi -- were to receive awards in Washington, D.C., this week for their work advancing human rights and fighting corruption. Safarov, a co-founder of Defense Line, one of Azerbaijan's leading civil society organizations, has actively promoted documenting politically motivated arrests, corruption in government structures, and digging up evidence of torture. He was arrested on December 3, just days before he was set to travel to the United States to receive the Secretary of State's Human Rights Defender Award. His detention is widely seen as a deliberate move by the Azerbaijani authorities to silence one of the few remaining full-time human rights defenders in the country. Vaqifqizi, editor in chief of Abzas Media, has played a critical role in uncovering corruption and government mismanagement in Azerbaijan. Her team has reported on illegal tender awards to companies linked to government officials and exposed the large-scale embezzlement of public funds. Vaqifqizi was detained in November 2023. On December 9, she was awarded the Secretary of State's 2024 Anti-Corruption Champions Award in absentia. Detentions such as those of Safarov, Vaqifqizi, and many others are part of a broader trend of repression in Azerbaijan. The government has increased pressure on activists, journalists, and independent organizations alike, leading to a significant decline in civil liberties. Human rights organizations estimate that at least 300 political prisoners are currently being held in Azerbaijani jails, underscoring ongoing criticism of President Ilham Aliyev's administration. Since taking power following the death of his predecessor and father, Heydar Aliyev, in 2003, Ilham Aliyev has faced accusations of suppressing dissent by detaining journalists, opposition figures, and civil society activists. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the powerful billionaire behind the ruling Georgian Dream party, to express his urgent concerns over the deteriorating state of democracy in the country. The December 11 call was initiated by Macron and comes amid a violent crackdown on protesters following disputed elections in October that Georgian Dream won. In a statement published by his office, Macron condemned law enforcement for the use of excessive force against nonviolent protesters and journalists in general. He called for the immediate release of those arrested without grounds, respect for freedom of expression and demonstration, and inclusive dialogue. Macron has repeatedly expressed concerns about Georgian Dream's drift away from European values and toward authoritarianism. The most recent wave of protests was sparked by allegations of electoral fraud during the October 2024 parliamentary elections. The opposition has refused to recognize the result, claiming Georgian Dream rigged the vote to cling to power. The protests escalated after law enforcement resorted to excessive force in dispersing peaceful rallies, sparking outrage both domestically and internationally. Georgian Dream confirmed the conversation with the French leader, saying that Ivanishvili told Macron that Georgia was a "legal state" and that most detainees were held on administrative charges and would be released soon. Ivanishvili claimed that any arrests on criminal charges were "based on a high standard of evidence" and that "police actions were in line with European standards." Georgian Dream also added that investigations into alleged police misconduct were under way. Paris Meeting A day earlier, Macron hosted Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Paris during celebrations for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. Zurabishvili, who has been estranged from the Georgian Dream and Ivanishvili, joined the opposition in rejecting the election results. During her trip to France, she also met with other western leaders, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Macron appears to be spearheading a Western attempt to find a resolution that aligns with EU values, experts said. Bidzina Ivanishvili, who holds dual citizenship in Georgia and France, is a significant figure in Georgian politics despite his official retirement from active political leadership. His vast wealth and political connections have allowed him to maintain influence, and his role in the ruling Georgian Dream party is crucial. Romania's four pro-Western parties have agreed on forming a parliamentary majority to prevent far-right groups from joining the government amid political turmoil prompted by revelations about Russia's malign influence that led to the annulment of the first round of presidential elections won by a Moscow-friendly outsider. The four parties that together won the most votes in parliamentary elections on December 1 -- the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD), center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), reformist Save Romania Union (USR), and the ethnic Hungarian UDMR -- reached an agreement late on December 10 in Bucharest. "Today, the pro-European parties PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR plus the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities express their firm commitment to form a pro-European majority in the Romanian parliament, a pro-European government, and possibly backing a joint pro-European candidate in the presidential elections," the four parties said in a joint statement published late on December 10. The agreement comes after the four parties last week threw their support behind USR presidential candidate Elena Lasconi ahead of a December 8 scheduled runoff against the pro-Russian independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who had won a shock victory in the first round on November 24. However, Romania's Constitutional Court on December 6 canceled the results of the first round and ordered a rerun of the presidential polls after the EU and NATO member's Supreme Defense Council declassified documents allegedly proving Georgescu's presidential bid had been aided by a campaign led by an unnamed "state actor" with the help of China-owned TikTok social media platform. Lasconi on December 11 said the agreement was reached because "Romania is going through a very difficult" period. The PSD and the PNL, the two parties that have dominated Romania's politics since the fall of communism, formed an unlikely left-right alliance in 2021. The alliance became increasingly unpopular while also eroding both parties' support among voters, and allowed the shock rise of pro-Russian, far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which finished a close second in parliamentary elections with more than 18 percent to PSD's 23 percent. Adding to the current instability, no presidential polls are likely until sometime early next year while it remains unclear if parties would have to propose new candidates or if Georgescu will be allowed to run again.Mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey and across the US. Here's what we know

A resolution of the Buddha Nullah pollution issue was the key among the five promises announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday as it officially launched its campaign for the upcoming municipal corporation elections. The party’s state president Aman Arora, accompanied by other senior leaders, announced the promises that included access to clean drinking water, a garbage-free city, 100 electric buses and four inter-state bus stands in the city. Arora assured the voters that these promises will be prioritised and implemented within an hour of an AAP mayor being installed. He highlighted what he said was the party’s commitment to transforming the city’s infrastructure, tackling pollution and the overall quality of life. Senior party leaders, local councillor candidates and supporters joined the event. The pollution in Buddha Nullah, which has historically been a major issue for the party, is the centrepeice of the AAP campaign for the elections slated on December 21. Blaming the other political parties for the problem, Arora underscored that the project will focus on stopping untreated sewage and industrial waste discharge into the canal, which has severely affected public health. He promised the use of advanced technology and strict regulations to restore Buddha Nullah to its natural. “Reviving Buddha Nullah is not just an environmental concern, but a matter of public health and dignity for Ludhiana,” Arora said. On the problem of scarcity of drinking water, Arora assured the locals that every household will receive clean and uninterrupted drinking water. He emphasised the need to modernise the water supply infrastructure, ensuring canal water is treated effectively to eliminate contamination. Arora pointed out that access to clean water is a fundamental right. On being asked about MLA Gurpreet Gogi, who had laid the foundation stone of a key project under the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation plan in 2022 and demolished that very stone on August 23 this year in ‘frustration over the poor performance’ of the departments involved in the project, Arora said that the MLA had taken the step in an ‘emotional state’. The AAP promised to tackle the rising pollution levels by introducing a fleet of 100 electric buses. Arora guaranteed solutions to waterlogging issues through advanced sewerage systems and drainage infrastructure. Traffic congestions, another major concern, will be addressed through modern road upgrades and the construction of four new bus stands, the party’s state chief said. On being asked about rejection of nomination papers of candidates from Opposition parties, he said that the government had nothing to do with it. The officials concerned have rejected the nominations of candidates who did not have the requisite documents, Arora added.Stock futures were calm on Sunday evening, with Dow riding a seven-day losing streak into a week highlighted by a key central bank meeting. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked up 31 points, or less than 0.1%. S&P 500 futures were also up less than 0.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures dipped by less than 0.1%. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are The stock market is coming off a sluggish week. The Dow lost 1.8% last week and has lost ground in each of the last seven sessions. The S&P 500 dipped 0.64%, and has retreated in four of the past five sessions. The Nasdaq Composite outperformed, grinding out a gain of 0.34% for the week. After a broad rally following President-elect Donald Trump's November win, the stock market appears to have reverted to a narrow tech-led move in recent days. "The breadth that we're seeing is really starting to dissipate a bit. It's becoming a much more concentrated rally within a few names. And I don't know how long that can sustain, but there's a chance that carries forward through at least the end of the year," Joe Mazzola, Charles Schwab's head trading and derivatives strategist, said on Friday's " Closing Bell: Overtime ." The main draw of this week is the Federal Open Market Committee's meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Federal Reserve officials are widely expected to lower the benchmark interest rate again. On Monday, investors will get some updated economic data, with preliminary purchasing managers index readings due out before the bell. And on the individual stock level, shares of MicroStrategy could be on the move after the bitcoin proxy was announced as a new addition to the Nasdaq 100 index. Traders expect Fed to cut this week, pause in January The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut rates by 0.25 percentage points on Wednesday, but traders will be playing close attention to the updated policy statement and Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference for clues about what comes next. As of Sunday night, pricing in the Fed funds futures market pointed to a 95.3% likelihood of a rate cut this week, according to the CME FedWatch tool . However, traders are also betting that the Fed will pause its rate cutting cycle in January. That could be a welcome move for investors who are still uneasy with the path of inflation. Logan Moulton, portfolio manager at Intelligent Wealth Solutions, said inflation appears to be "stickier" than Fed officials previously thought and that there are risks to upward pressure on inflation when the Trump administration takes office. "Heading into 2025, I think they should at least pause," Moulton said. — Jesse Pound Nasdaq Composite up more than 32% year to date With less than three weeks left in 2024, the three major market averages are on track for a banner year. The Nasdaq Composite leads the way, with a gain of 32.74% year to date. The S&P 500 has jumped 26.86%, while the Dow is trailing but still up 16.29%. All 11 sectors are positive for the year, led by a 43.10% gain for communications services. — Jesse Pound, Christopher Hayes MicroStrategy, Palantir to join Nasdaq 100 Three new stocks are set to join the Nasdaq 100 one week from Monday. Palantir Technologies , MicroStrategy and Axon Enterprise will all join the index prior to the market open on Dec. 23, Nasdaq announced on Friday. The stocks will also be added to the holdings of the Invesco QQQ Trust , which has more than $300 billion in assets. Of those three, MicroStrategy is the most volatile. The stock has become a bitcoin proxy for investors as the former enterprise software company has added the cryptocurrency to its balance sheet, financed in part through debt sales. Illumina , Super Micro Computer and Moderna will all be removed from the index. — Jesse Pound Stock futures open little changed Stock futures were little changed at 6 p.m. ET Sunday, with the contracts for the three major averages marginally lower. — Jesse Pound

Syria President Assad, his family arrive in Moscow after Russia grants them asylum: ReportsMajor changes are heading to the BART schedule starting January 13, 2025. According to an announcement by BART , these modifications are in anticipation of construction for a cutting-edge Communications Based Train Control System. This update, which seeks to replace the archaic train control system currently in use, calls for minor timing shifts in departures. BART is syncing its schedules with other regional transit systems to layer on the convenience for transit riders across the Bay Area. With the updated schedule posted on BART's website, it's evident that these subtle changes are part of a grander scheme to improve connectivity and reduce the impact on daily commutes. BART is also updating its Trip Planner tool and displaying the adjusted PDF timetables to make life easier. Late-night construction activity will roll into gear after 9 pm between the Colma and Millbrae stations. After this hour, the Yellow Line will now end at SFO instead of Millbrae. This is part of a deliberate strategy by BART to ensure punctuality and optimal train service during these upgrades. For those who frequent the Millbrae station post-9 pm, the courtesy of a shuttle train running every 15 minutes between Millbrae and SFO will be provided, ensuring consistent access even amidst the bustle of construction. After ending the Red Line service each evening, passengers looking to reach Millbrae from SFO can make an "easy cross platform transfer," as highlighted in the BART's announcement . However, The late-night transfers will melt away after midnight when the final four Yellow Line trains prod through to Millbrae. It's not just a fleeting change; this night service plan is digging in for the long haul, projected to extend several years as BART revamps the train control system along this particular stretch of track with the new CBTC technology.Judge says lawsuit over former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr.'s jail death can proceed

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In any air force, there are likely to be dozens of different kinds of aircraft, including logistical support aircraft, transport planes, reconnaissance jets, and trainers. However, the most important and recognizable aircraft within any military are, unsurprisingly, those that will be involved in combat, and these aircraft are those that typically define the power and capabilities of a global air force . Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! While larger organizations like the United States Air Force (USAF) are well-known for operating dozens of different combat aircraft, most air forces will have just one or two different kinds of combat aircraft. The most common aircraft used by a global air force are multirole fighter jets and ground-attack aircraft, with good examples of these kinds of aircraft being the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt, both of which are operated by the United States (and the F-35 by several US allies). Another important kind of combat aircraft, one which had a more important role in warfare historically than it does now, is the strategic bomber. During the Second World War and the decades of the Cold War that followed, air forces across the globe operated large strategic bombers, which were meant to support long-range bombing efforts. Over time, however, the advent of more advanced ground-attack aircraft and long-range intercontinental and tactical cruise missiles essentially made these platforms mostly obsolete, and today, only Russia, the United States, and China operate strategic bombers . Only the US, Russia, and China still operate these aircraft. One unique kind of aircraft, however, has yet to be mentioned. Air superiority fighters form the core of any global air force, and they are what most would think of when they picture a classical fighter aircraft. While multirole fighters perform multiple kinds of missions, including ground attack operations, reconnaissance, aircraft interception, and more, air superiority fighters are designed with the exclusive goal of establishing air superiority in a hostile environment as quickly as possible. These aircraft are designed to be the most capable dogfighting aircraft in the skies, those which could take on any enemy fighter in direct combat and establish air superiority for a nation in war, allowing ground and sea operations to also take place. As a result, air superiority fighters are some of the most advanced and capable aircraft to ever take to the skies, and their role in warfare continues to be critical. Despite this, there are some older air superiority fighter designs that have proven either so extensively capable over time or so difficult to replace to the point that they have yet to be retired after decades of operations. In this article, we will take a deeper look at five of the most noteworthy air superiority fighters still in the skies today, those that have remained in operational military service longer than any others. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Service entry: January 9th, 1976 Category: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 68,000 lbs (30,845 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.45 Range 2,144 nautical miles (with external fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 66,000 feet (20,000 m) The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle first took to the skies over fifty years ago on July 27th, 1972, and entered military service just four years later in 1976. The aircraft, which was designed as a twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fighter, was manufactured initially by McDonnell Douglas, but later variants were developed by Seattle-based manufacturer Boeing following its merger with the manufacturer. The plane was designed to be the most capable air superiority fighter ever built, and there is a strong argument to be made that, despite extensive advances in military technology, it may remain the most capable fighter in the skies today . For starters, the aircraft remains the fastest fighter jet ever put into service by the United States and is one of the fastest pure air superiority fighters ever built. Some Soviet combat aircraft, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat were faster, although they were mostly high-altitude interceptors. Furthermore, the F-15 has a perfect 104-0 combat record, according to the EurAsian Times . In the years following the end of the Second World War, global air forces began to introduce first-generation fighters, and US-built fighter aircraft squared off against Soviet-built jets in Cold War hotspots, including in Korea. When second-generation fighters came around in the years leading up to the Vietnam War, aircraft were designed to fight beyond visual range, striking each other with long-range missiles. The F-15EX could theoretically carry the MOP with some modifications but with sharply reduced range and other issues. Aircraft like the American F-4 Phantom, however, struggled over the skies of Vietnam, and they were forced to get within closer range of enemy aircraft to confirm their targets, amid extensive airspace congestion. With the need for a new supermaneuverable fighter aircraft, the United States Air Force set out to develop what would eventually become the F-15 Eagle. Mitsubishi F-15J Service entry: December 7th, 1981 Category: Mitsubishi F-15 Eagle Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 68,000 lbs (30,845 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.45 Range 2,144 nautical miles (with external fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 66,000 feet (20,000 m) The Mitsubishi F-15J was a license-built version of McDonnell Douglas' F-15J, with 213 units manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the 1980s for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. These aircraft are noteworthy for being the only F-15 jets produced outside the United States, and the aircraft only have marginal differences from US-built F-15 variants. The aircraft was selected by the Japanese Defense Agency (which has since been renamed the Ministry of Defense) to replace its aging F-104 Starfighter and F-4 Phantom II fighter jets in 1975. Two F-15 units were evaluated by a Japanese delegation at Edwards Air Force Base in December 1075, and an agreement was announced by the end of that year for production under license by a Japanese manufacturer. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded the contract not long after, in April 1978. Japan will upgrade many of its license-built F-15 Eagles to roughly an F-15EX equivalent. Mikoyan MiG-29 Service entry: August 1983 Category: Mikoyan MiG-29 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 39,683 lbs (18,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.3 Range: 1,100 nautical miles Service ceiling: 59,000 feet (18,000 m) The final three aircraft on this list were all built in the Soviet Union (with later variants all built in Russia), and the first is the nimble and extremely capable MiG-29. This all-weather air superiority fighter was developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau during the 1970s and was intended to counter new US-built fighter aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon . The aircraft remains in operational service today with the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Indian Air Force, the Uzbekistan Air and Air Defense Forces, and the Ukrainian Air Force, and over 1,600 aircraft of the type have been produced. This fighter has the unique distinction of being the oldest air superiority fighter to remain in production. According to Flight Global , over 800 MiG-29 aircraft remain in service across the globe today, making it the 5th most common fighter aircraft used by global air forces today. Sukhoi Su-27 Service entry: June 22nd, 1985 Category: Sukhoi Su-27 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 72,753 lbs (33,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 Range: 1,910 nautical miles Service ceiling: 62,000 feet (19,000 meters) The Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-27 entered service during the 1980s and was designed as a twin-engine supermaneuverable fighter designed to directly combat fourth-generation fighters like the F-15 and the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Although significantly larger, the Su-27 was designed alongside the MiG-29, intended to complement the aircraft with more advanced ordinance capabilities and next-generation avionics. Over 680 Su-27 aircraft were produced during a 28-year run between 1982 and 2010, which entered service primarily with the Russian Aerospace Forces, but some variants remain in service today with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force and the Uzbekistan Air and Air Defense Force. The Su-27 was developed into a number of different fighters, including the thrust-vectoring Su-37. Ukraine managed to destroy and damage several Russian fighter jets in occupied Crimea in a devastating missile strike. Sukhoi Su-33 Service entry: August 31st, 1998 Category: Sukhoi Su-33 Specification: Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 72,753 lbs (33,000 kg) Maximum speed: Mach 2.17 Range: 1,600 nautical miles Service ceiling: 56,000 feet (17,000 m) The Sukhoi Su-33, a Russian-built all-weather air superiority fighter, is the lone carrier-capable aircraft that made its way onto this list. The aircraft officially entered service in 1998 , although its first operations did not take place until 1995 when the jet became the primary fighter for the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. Only 24 such jets were produced and license-built versions were later produced in China as the Shenyang J-15.

BOSTON — More suspected drone sightings in the eastern U.S. led to a temporary airspace shutdown at an Air Force base in Ohio and arrests near Boston’s Logan International Airport, as elected officials increased their push for action to identify and stop the unmanned flights. Drones flying around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, forced base officials to close the airspace for about four hours late Friday into early Saturday, said Robert Purtiman, a base spokesperson. It is the first time drones have been spotted at the base, one of the largest in the world, and no sightings were reported since early Saturday, Purtiman said Monday. He would not say how many drones were flying in the area, adding that they ranged in size and that they did not impact any base facilities. In Boston, city police arrested two men accused of operating a drone “dangerously close” to Logan Airport on Saturday night. Authorities said an officer using drone monitoring technology detected the aircraft and the location of the operators. A third man who fled police remains at large. Authorities said the two men face trespassing charges. Get local news delivered to your inbox!CHARLESTON, S.C. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today filed a Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the Company concluded a material pre-tax noncash impairment charge, which may be up to approximately $415 million , is required for its EVERFI asset group and will be recorded during the fourth quarter of 2024. As previously disclosed, due to EVERFI performing below expectations, Blackbaud is considering a range of alternatives for EVERFI, one of which includes a potential divestiture of the business. The impairment charge was determined to be necessary as part of this process. "To comply with generally accepted accounting principles, we're planning to record this noncash charge in the fourth quarter," said Mike Gianoni , president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors. "We want to emphasize that EVERFI remains well positioned to support its customers and continue helping companies dedicated to social impact reach communities through custom education and workplace solutions for today's key issues. In addition, Blackbaud's core business remains strong, and we are committed to helping customers around the world use technology to drive meaningful social impact. As we determine our long-term strategic approach to the EVERFI business, we will continue to provide updates." Additional details can be found in Blackbaud's Form 8-K filed today with the SEC. About Blackbaud Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States , Australia , Canada , Costa Rica , India and the United Kingdom , supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . Media Inquiries media@blackbaud.com Forward-looking Statements Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are forward- looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's estimates regarding the impairment charge related to the EVERFI assets. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although we attempt to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the risk factors set forth from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from our investor relations department. We assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward- looking statements, except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackbaud-announces-impairment-charge-related-to-everfi-assets-302330791.html SOURCE Blackbaud